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OF. 



SUMMIT COUNTY, 



"WITH -A-IsT CCTTLIITE SICETCH 0:F; 



OHIO. 



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EDITED BY WILLIAM HENRY PERRIN 

'i 



II_iILjXJSTK.A.TEID. 




7/> ^<^J 



CHICAGO : 

BASKIN & BATTEY, HISTORICAL PUBLISHERS, 

1 86 Dearborn Street. 



^ 



<s r- 



:rv* 



Call No. 

Author 

Title 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS - BINDING RECORD 

F497.S9P4 r^„.. 10-21-76 



Date 



PERRIN 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO 



No. of vols. 




24-24 (rev 4/72) 






PREFACE 



;;75i 



i^'M'yVUE history of Summit County, after '. onths of arduous toil, is now completed. 



,vv 



(/^p.„ Every important field of research has been minutely scanned by those engaged 
'^^''^^^ in its preparation; no subject of universal public value has been omitted, save 
where protracted effort failed to secure trustworthy results. The necessarily limited natiu'e 
of the work, the impossibility of ingrafting upon its pages, the vast fund of the county's 
historic information, and the proper omission of many valueless details and events, have 
compelled the publishers to be brief on all subjects presented. Fully aware of om- inabil- 
ity to furnish a perfect history from meager public documents, inaccm-ate private corre- 
spondence and numberless conflicting traditions, we make no pretension of having prepared 
a work devoid of blemish. Through the courtesy and the generous assistance met with 
everywhere, we have been enabled to rescue fi'om oblivion the greater portion of important 
events that have transpired in Summit County in past years. We feel assured that all 
thoughtful people ir^ the county, at present and in future, will recognize and appreciate the 
importance of the undertaking, and the gi^eat public benefit that has been accomplished. 

It will be observed that a dry statement of fact has been avoided; and that the rich 
romance of border incident has been woven in with statistical details, thus foiming an 
attractive and graphic narrative, and lending beauty to the mechanical execution of the 
volume, and additional value to it as a work for perusal. We claim superior excellence in 
our manner of collecting material; in the division of the subject matter into distinct and 
appropriate chapters; in giving a separate chapter to every town, township and important 
subject, and in the systematic arrangement of the individual chapters. ^Tiile we acknowl- 
edge the existence of unavoidable errors, we claim to have prepared a work fully up to the 
standard of our promises, and as accui-ate and comprehensive as could be expected under 

the circumstances. 

THE PUBLISHEKS. 

May, 1881. 



:v 



J^'. 



y_ 



CONTENTS. 



PART I. 
HISTOKY OF THE STATE OF OHIO. 

PAGE. 

CHAPTER I. — Introductory — Topography— Geology — Primitive 

Races — Antiquities — Indian Tribes 11 

CHAPTER II.— Explorations in the West 19 

CHAPTER III.— English Explorations— Traders— French and 

Indian War in theWest — English Possession 37 

CHAPTER IV. — Pontlac's Conspiracy — Its Failure — Bouquet's 

Expedition— Occupation by the English 48 

CHAPTER V. — American Exploration — Dunmore's War — Cam- 
paign of George Rogers Clarke — Land Troubles — Spain in 
the Revolution — Murder of the Moravian Indians 52 

CHAPTER VI. — American Occupation — Indian Claims — Early 
Land Companies — Compact of 1787 — Organization of the 
Territory — Early American Settlements in the Ohio Val- 
ley — First Territorial OflScers — Organization of Counties... 60 

CHAPTER VII.— Indian War of 1795— Harmar's Campaign— 
St. Clair's Campaign — Wayne's Campaign — Close of the 
War 73 

CHAPTER VIII.— Jay's Treaty— The Question of State Rights 
and National Supremacy — Extension of Ohio Settlements 
— Land Claims — Spanish Boundary Question 79 

CHAPTER IX. — First Territorial Representatives in Congress 
— Division of the Territory — Formation of States — Mari- 
etta Settlement — Other Settlements — Settlements in the 
Western Reserve — Settlement of the Central Valleys — 
Further Settlements in the Reserve and Elsewhere 85 

CHAPTER X.— Formation of the State Government— Ohio a 
State — The State Capitals — Legislation — The " Sweeping" 
Resolutions 121 

CHAPTER XI.— The War of 1812— Growth of the State— Canal, 
Railroads and other Improvements — Development of State 
Resources 127 

CHAPTER XII.— Mexican War— Continued Growth of the State 

—War of the Rebellion— Ohio's Part in the Conflict 132 

CHAPTER XIII.— Ohio in the Centennial— Address of Edward 

D. Mansfield, L.L D., Philadelphia, August 9, 1876 138 

CHAPTER XIV.— Education— Eariy School Laws— Notes— In- 
stitutions and Educational Journals — School System — 
School Funds — Colleges and Universities 148 

CHAPTER XV.— Agriculture— Area of the State— Early Agri- 
culture in the West — Markets — Live Stock — Nurseries, 
Fruits, etc. — Cereals, Root and Cucurbitaceous Crops — 
Agricultural Implements — Agricultural Societies — Pomo- 

logical and Horticultural Societies 151 

CHAPTER XVL— Climatology— Outline— Variation in Ohio- 
Estimate in Degrees — Amount of Variability 163 

CHAPTER XVII.— Public Lands— Early Contest on Bight of 
Soil and Jurisdiction — The Western Reserve — Origin and 
Organization— Social and Material Growth 165 



PART II. 
HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 

PAGE 

CHAPTER I.— Introductory— Physical Features— Geological 
Structure— The Different Shales — Coal Measures — Agri- 
culture and Agricultural Societies — Statistics, etc 181 

CHAPTER II— Prehistoric Races— Traces and Relics of the 
Mound Builders — The Indian Tribes — Their Occupa- 
tion of Summit County — Sketches of Them — The Bor- 
der Wars 207 

CHAPTER III.— Settlement and Organization of the County- 
Its Civil Divisions — The Early Judiciary — County Build- 
ings — Their Cost and Character — Officials, etc 226 

CHAPTER IV.— War Record— Our Struggle for Independence 
—1812— The Mexican War— Our Late Civil War- 
Sketches of Regiments — Aid Societies — Monuments, etc.. 249 

CHAPTER v.— Religious— The Gospel on the Frontier— A 
Tax for its Support — Educational — School Statistics — The 
County Press — Railroads, Canals, etc 271 

CHAPTER VI.— The Professions— Early Lawyers— Summit 
County Bar— The Lawyers of the Present — Medical — ^ 
Pioneer Doctors — Early Practice — The Modern Physi-- Se 
cians 301 

CHAPTER VII.— Portage Township— Descriptive and Topo- 
graphical — Coming of the Pioneers — Their Primitive 
Life — Development of Resources — Schools, Churches, etc. 321 

CHAPTER VIII.— City of Akron— Original Plat— Ita Growth 
as a Village — An Incorporated City — Municipal Govern- 
ment — Statistics — Secret and Other Societies .330 

CHAPTER IX.— City of Akron— Its Manufactuiing Interests 
— Their Growth and Development — The Buckeye Reaper 
— Potteries — Mills — Other Establishments 344 

CHAPTER X.— City of Akron— Religious History— Early 
Christianity and Pioneer Preachers — Advancement of 
the Gospel — Churches of the Present Day — Sabbath 
Schools, etc 366 

CHAPTER XL— City of Akron— Formation of the Public 
Schools — Akron School Law — Present Educational Facili- 
ties—Sketch of Buchtel College 381 

CHAPTER XII.— Town of Middlebury— Its Settlement— Early 
Glory and Importance — Water Power— Growth of Manu- 
facturing Industries— Present Business 399 

CHAPTER XIII.— Hudson Township— Its Early History- 
Topograpy — The Settlement by the Whites — Pioneer In- 
cidents — Growth and Development of Industries 409 

CHAPTERXIV.— Hudson Township— Early Society— Organiza- 
tion— Tlie Village of Hudson Laid Out — Its Business and 
Growth — Religious and Educational 426 

CHAPTER XV.— Hudson Village — Educational Institutions- 
Location of College — Questions of Difference — OflBcers and 
Faculty — Libiary, Preparatory School, etc 446 



y\: 



■^ 



^1 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XVI.— Cuyahoga Falls— Settlement by Whites- 
Early History — Grottoes, Caverns and Kavines — Organiza- 
tion as a Township — Its Officers, etc., etc 466 

CHAPTER XVII.— Cuyahoga Falls— Growth and Prosperity- 
Manufacturing Interests — Incorporation — Schools and 
Teachers — Religious — Sketches of the Churches 478 

CHAPTER XVIII.— Northampton Township— Descriptive- 
Early History and Settlement — Development of Re- 
sources — Early Schools — Statistics — Religious — Dififerent 
Churches 497 

CH.APTER XIX.— Stow Township— Description and Topog- 
raphy — The Whites — Improvement and Development — 
Villages — Religious — Educational, etc 511 

CHAPTER XX.— Coventry Township — Topographical — Boun- 
daries — Lakes — The Palefaces — Their Life in the Wilder- 
ness — Industries — Schools and Churches 521 

CHAPTER XXI. — Boston Township — Its Ownership— General 
Description — Occupancy of the Whites — Unlawful Opera- 
tions — Towns — Educational, etc 532 

CHAPTER XXII.— Springfield Township— General Description 
— Wealth and Resources — Coal Mines — The Palefaces — 
Pioneer Industries — Schools and Teachers — Religious 545 

CHAPTER XXIII.— Tallmadge Township— Physical Features 
—Early History — The Whites — Pioneer Vicissitudes — 
Growth and Prosperity — Schools, Churches, etc 552 

CHAPTER XXIV.— Northfield Township— Its Physical Geo- 
graphy — Settlement by the Whites— Growth and Im- 
provement — Statistical — Religious — Villages 567 

CHAPTER XXV.— Norton Township— Descriptive and Topo- 
graphical — White' Settlement — Pioneer Industries — Ad- 
vancement in Civilization — Schools and Teachers — 
Churches — The Villages, etc 578 

CHAPTER XXVI.— Green Township— Physical Features- 
Original Boundaries — Pioneer Occupancy — The Germans 
— Growth and Development — Villages — Churches and 
Schools .593 

CHAPTER XXVII.— Richfield Township— General Description 
— Coming of the AVhites — Growth and Prosperity — Pion- 
neer Industries — Schools and Teachers — Christianity, 
etc 608 

CHAPTER XXVIII.— Bath Township— Boundaries and Topog- 
raphy — White Settlement — Wealth and Prosperity — 
Pioneer Achievements — Churches and Preachers — 
Schools, etc 617 

CHAPTER XXIX.— Franklin Township— Topographicdl— 
Early History — Coming of the Pioneers — Early Improve- 
ments and Industries — A'illages — Scliools, Churches, etc... 627 

CHAPTER XXX.— Copley Township- Descriptive and Topo- 
graphical — The White Settlement — Early Industries — 
Their Growth and Development— Educational and Re- 
ligious 639 

CHAPTER XXXI.— Twinsburg Township— Description and 
Early Features — The Coming of the Whites — Pioneer 
Improvements — Anecdotes — Educational and Religious.... 649 



PART III. 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. pj^^^ 

Akron, City of. 661 

Bath Township 1014 

Boston Township 891 

Copley Township 1026 

Coventry Township 876 

Cuyahoga Falls Township 841 

Franklin Township '. 1026 

Green Township 08u 

Hudson Township K23 

Northampton Township 853 

Northfield Township. : 933 

Norton Township 963 

Portage Township - , 806 

Richfield Township 997 

Springfield Township 908 

Stow Township 863 

Tallmadge Township 920 

Twinsburg Township 1039 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 

POKTR.4ITS. 

PAOK. 

Ailing, Ethan (Biography on page 1039) 648 

Buchtel, John 440 

I'osworth, Delos (Biography on page 1029) 616 

Burgess, Joseph (Biography on page 965) 632 

Brewster, Alexander (Biography on page 682) 504 

Brown, C. W. (Biography on page 679) 488 

Crotzer, William F. (Biography on page 910) £R8 

Cotter, A. L. (Biography on page 687) 520 

Conger, A. L. (Biography on page 695) 424 

Crouse, G. W. (Biography on page 694) 472 

Emmitt, William (Biography on page 699) 544 

Hill, John (Biography on page 909) 584 

Hine, Daniel (Biography on page 024) 600 

Lane, S. A. (Biography on page 728) 228 

Miller, George (Biography on page 815) 32i> 

Miller, Lewis (Biography on page 739) 5:^6 

Quigley, Martin (Biography on page 760) 408 

Sumner, I. (Biography on page 767) 260 

Sumner, J. A. (Biography on page 767) 456 

Sumner, Charles (Biography on page 769) 292 

Stone, N. B. (Biography on page 766) 376 

Schumacher, Ferd. (Biography on page 771) 344 

Taplin, J. B. (Biography on page 784) 392 

Voris, A. C. (Biography on page 786' 360 

Wright, Amos (Biograjihy on page 932) 552 

VIEAVS. 
Summit County Court House 180 



liL 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



BY A.. A.. GR-A-IiAJVt 



CHAPTER I. 

INTRODUCTORY —TOPOGRAPHY -GEOLOGY —PRIMITIVE -RACES —ANTIQUITIES —INDIAN 

TRIBES. 



THE present State of Ohio, comprisins; an 
extent of country 210 miles north and south, 
220 miles east and west, in length and breadth — 
25,576,969 acres— is a part of the Old Northwest 
Territory. This Territoiy embraced all of the 
present States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, 
Wisconsin and so much of Minnesota as lies east 
of the Mississippi River. It became a corporate 
existence soon after the formation of the Virginia 
Colony, and when that colony took on the dignity 
of State government it became a county thereof, 
whose exact outline was unknown. The county 
embraced in its limits more territoiy than is com- 
prised in all the New England and Middle States, 
and was the largest county ever known in the 
United States. It is watered by the finest system 
of rivers on the globe ; while its inland seas are 
without a parallel. Its entire southern boundary 
is traversed by the beautiful Ohio, its western by 
the majestic Mississippi, and its northern and a 
part of its eastern are bounded by the fresh-water 
lakes, whose clear waters preserve an even temper- 
ature over its entire surface. Into these reservoirs 
of commerce flow innumerable streams of limpid 
water, which come from glen and dale, from 
mountain and valley, from forest and prairie — all 
avenues of health, commerce and prosperity. 
Ohio is in the best part of this territory — south 
of its river are tropical heats ; north of Lake Erie 
are polar snows and a polar climate. 

The territory comprised in Ohio has always re- 
mained the same. Ohio's history differs somewhat 
from other States, in that it was never under Ter- 
ritorial government. When it was created, it was 
made a State, and did not pass through the stage 
incident to the most of other States, i. e., exist a.s 
a Territory before being advanced to the powers of 



a State. Such was not the case with the other 
States of the West ; all were Territories, with Terri- 
torial forms of government, ere they became States. 

Ohio's boundaries are, on the north, Lake Eria, 
and Michigan ; on the west, Indiana ; on the south, 
the Ohio River, separating it from Kentucky; 
and, on the east, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. 
It is situated between 38° 25' and 42° north 
latitude ; and 80° 30' and 84° 50' west longitude 
from Greenwich, or 3° 30' and 7° 50' west from 
Washington. Its greatest length, from north 
to south, is 210 miles; the extreme width, from 
east to west, 220 miles. Were this an exact out- 
line, the area of the State would be 46,200 square 
miles, or 29,568,000 acres ; as the outlines of the 
State are, however, rather irregular, the area is 
estimated at 39,964 square miles, or 25,576,960 
acres. In the last census — 1870 — the total num- 
ber of acres in Ohio is given as 21,712,420, of 
which 14,469,132 acres are improved, and 6,883,- 
575 acres are woodland. By the last statistical 
report of the State Auditor, 20,965,371 f acres are 
reported as taxable lands. This omits many acres 
untaxable for various reasons, which would make the 
estimate, 25,576,960, nearly correct. 

The face of the country, in Ohio, taken as a 
whole, presents the appearance of an extensive 
monotonous plain. It is moderately undulating 
but not mouufainous, and is excavated in places by 
the streams coursing over its surface, whose waters 
have forced a way for themselves through cliffs of 
sandstone rock, lca^^ng abutments of this material 
in bold outline. There are no mountain ranges, 
geological uplifts or peaks. A low ridge enters the 
State, near the northeast corner, and crosses it in a 
southwesterly direction, emerging near the inter- 
section of the 40th decree of north latitude with 




the western boundary of the State. This " divide " 
separates the lake and Ohio River v?aters, and main- 
tains an elevation of a little more than thirteen 
hundred feet above the level of the ocean. The 
highest part is in Logan County, where the eleva- 
tion is 1,550 feet. 

North of this ridge the surface is generally level, 
with a gentle inclination toward the lake, the ine- 
qualities of the surface being caused by the streams 
which empty into the lake. The central part of 
Ohio is almost, in general, a level plain, about one 
thousand feet above the level of the sea, slightly 
inclining southward. The Southern part of the 
State is rather hilly, the valleys growing deeper as 
they incline toward the great valley of the Ohio, 
which is several hundred feet below the general 
level of the State. In the southern counties, the 
surfice is generally diversified by the inequalities 
produced by the excavating power of the Ohio 
River and its tributaries, exercised through long 
periods of time. There are a few prairies, or plains, 
in the central and northwestern parts of the State, 
but over its greater portion originally existed im- 
mense growths of timber. 

The " divide," or water-shed, referred to, between 
the waters of Lake Erie and the Ohio River, is 
less elevated in Ohio than in New York and Penn- 
sylvania, though the difference is small. To a per- 
son passing over the State in a balloon, its surface 
presents an unvarymg plain, while, to one sailing 
down the Ohio River, it appears mountainous. 
On this river are bluffs ranging from two hundred 
and fifty to six hundred feet in height. As one 
ascends the tributaries of the river, these bluffs 
diminish in height until they become gentle undu- 
lations, while toward the sources of the streams, 
in the central part of the State, the banks often 
become low and marshy. 

The principal rivers are the Ohio, Muskingum, 
Scioto and Miami, on the southern slope, emptying 
into the Ohio ; on the northern, the Maumee, 
Sandusky, Huron and Cuyahoga, emptying into 
Lake Erie, and, all but the first named, entirely in 
Ohio. 

The Ohio, the chief river of the State, and from 
which it derives its name, with its tributaries, drains 
a country whose area is over two hundred thousand 
sfpiare miles in extent, and extending from the 
water-shed to Alabama. The river was first dis- 
covered by La Salle in 1669, and was by him nav- 
igated as far as the Falls, at Louisville, Ky. It is 
formed by the junction of the Alleghany and 
Monongahela rivers, in Pennsylvania, whose waters 



unite at Pittsburgh. The entire length of the 
river, from its source to its mouth, is 950 miles, 
though by a straight line from Pittsburgh to Cairo, 
it is only 615 miles. Its current is very gentle, 
hardly three miles per hour, the descent being only 
five inches per mile. At high stages, the rate of 
the current increases, and at low stages decreases. 
Sometimes it is barely two miles per hour. The 
average range between high and low water mark is 
fifty feet, although several times the river has risen 
more than sixty feet above low water mark. At 
the lowest stage of the river, it is fordable many 
places between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. The 
river abounds in islands, some of which are exceed- 
ingly fertile, and noted in the history of the West. 
Others, known as " tow-heads," are simply deposits 
of sand. 

The Scioto is one of the largest inland streams 
in the State, and is one of the most beautiful riv- 
ers. It rises in Hardin County, flows southeast- 
erly to Columbus, where it receives its largest 
affluent, the Olentangy or Whetstone, after which 
its direction is southerly until it enters the Ohio at 
Portsmouth. It flows through one of the rich- 
est valleys in the State, and has for its compan- 
ion the Ohio and Erie Canal, for a distance of 
ninety miles. Its tributaries are, besides the Whet- 
stone, the Darby, Walnut and Paint Creeks. 

The Muskingum River is formed by the junc- 
tion of the Tuscarawas and Waldhoning Rivers, 
which rise in the northern part of the State and 
unite at Coshocton. From the junction, the river 
flows in a southeastern course about one hundred 
miles, through a rich and populous valley, to the 
Ohio, at Marietta, the oldest settlement in the 
State. At its outlet, the Muskingum is over two 
hundred yards wide. By improvements, it has 
been made navigable ninety-five miles above Mari- 
etta, as far as Dresden, where a side cut, three 
miles long, unites its waters with those of the Ohio 
Canal. All along this stream exist, in abundant 
profusion, the remains of an ancient civiliza- 
tion, whose history is lost in the twilight of antiq- 
uity. Extensive mounds, earthworks and various 
fortifications, are everywhere to be found, inclosing 
a mute history as silent as the race that dwelt here 
and left these traces of their evistence. The same 
may be said of all the other valleys in Ohio. 

The Miami River — the scenes of many exploits 
in pioneer days — rises in Hardin County, near the 
headwaters of the Scioto, and runs southwesterly, 
to the Ohio, passing Troy, Dayton and Hamilton. 
It is a beautiful and ra])id stream, flowing through 



:?■ 



>^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



13 



a highly productive and populous valley, in which 
limestone and hard timb'jr are abundant. Its total 
length is about one hunared and fifty miles. 

The Maumee is the largest river in the northern 
part of Ohio. It rises in Indiana and flows north- 
easterly, into Lake Ene. About eighty miles of 
its course are in Ohio. It is navigable as far as 
Perrysburg, eighteen miles from its mouth. The 
other rivers north of the divide are all small, 
rapid-running streams, affording a large amount of 
good water-power, much utilized by mills and man- 
ufactories. 

A remarkable feature of the topography of 
Ohio is its almost total absence of natural lakes or 
ponds. A few very small ones are found near the 
water-shed, but all too small to be of any practical 
value save as watering-places for stock. 

Lake Erie, which forms nearly all the northern 
boundary of the State, is next to the last or lowest 
of America's " inland seas." It is 290 miles long, 
and 57 miles wide at its greatest part. There are 
no islands, except in the shallow water at the W'est 
end, and very few bays. The greatest depth of 
the lake is off Long Point, where the water is 312 
feet deep. The shores are principally drift-clay or 
hard-pan, upon which the waves are continually 
encroaching. At Cleveland, from the first sur- 
vey, in 1796, to 1842, the encroachment was 218 
feet along the entire city front. The entire coast 
is low, seldom rising above fifty feet at the water's 
edge. 

Lake Erie, like the others, has a variable sur- 
face, rising and falling with the seasons, like great 
rivers, called the " annual fluctuation," and a gen- 
eral one, embracing a series of years, due to mete- 
orological causes, known as the " secular fluctua- 
tion." Its lowest known level was in February, 
1819, rising more or less each year, until June, 
1838, in the extreme, to six feet eight inches. 

Lake Erie has several excellent harbors in Ohio, 
among which are Cleveland, Toledo, Sandusky, 
Port Clinton and Ashtabula. Valuable improve- 
ments have been made in some of these, at the 
expense of the General Grovernment. In 1818, 
the first steamboat was launched on the lake. 
Owing to the Falls of Niagara, it could go no 
farther east than the outlet of Niagara Eiver. 
Since then, however, the opening of the Welland 
Canal, in Canada, allows vessels drawing not more 
than ten feet of water to pass from one lake to 
the other, gi-eatly facilitating navigation. 

As early as 1836, Dr. S.>. Hiidreth, Dr. John 
Locke, Prof. J. H. Riddle and Mr. I. A. Lapham, 



were appointed a committee by the Legislature of 
Ohio to report the " best method of obtaining a 
complete geological survey of the State, and an 
estimate of the probable cost of the same." In the 
preparation of their report, Dr. Hiidreth examined 
the coal-measures in the southeastern part of the 
State, Prof Riddle and Mr. Lapham made exam- 
inations in the western and northern counties, 
while Dr. Locke devoted his attention to chemical 
analyses. These investigations resulted in the 
presentation of much valuable infonuation con- 
cerning the mineral resources of the State and in 
a plan for a geological survey. In accordance 
with the recommendation of this Committee, the 
Legislature, in 1837, passed a bill appropriating 
$12,000 for the prosecution of the work during 
the next year. The Geological Corps appointed 
consisted of W. W. Mather, State Geologist, with 
Dr. Hiidreth, Dr. Locke, Prof J. P. Kirtland, J. 
W. Foster, Charles Whittlesey and Charles Briggs, 
Jr., Assistants. The results of the first year's 
work appeared in 1838, in an octavo volume of 134 
pages, with contributions fi-om Mather, Hiidreth, 
Briggs, Kirtland and Whittlesey. In 1838, the 
Legislature ordered the continuance of the work, 
and, at the close of the year, a second report, of 
286 pages, octavo, was issued, containing contribu- 
tions from all the members of the survey. 

Succeeding Legislatures failed to provide for a 
continuance of the work, and, save that done by 
private means, nothing was accomplished till 
1869, when the Legislature again took up the 
work. In the interim, individual enterprise had 
done much. In 1841, Prof. James Hall passed 
through the State, and, by his indentification of 
several of the formations with those of New York, 
for the first time fixed their geological age. The 
next year, he issued the first map of the geology 
of the State, in common with the geological maps 
of all the region between the Alleghanies and the 
Mississippi. Similar maps were published by Sir 
Charles Lyell, in 1845 ; Prof Edward Hitchcock, 
in 1853, and by J. Mareon, in 1856. The first 
individual map of the geology of Ohio was a very 
small one, published by Col. Whittlesey, in 1848, 
in Howe's History. In 1856, he published a 
larger map, and, in 1865, another was issued by 
Prof Nelson Sayler. In 1867, Dr. J. S. Newberry 
published a geological map and sketch of Ohio in 
the Atlas of the State issued by H. S. Stebbins. 
LTp to this time, the geological knowledge was very 
general in its character, and, consequently, errone- 
ous in many of its details. Other States had been 






VL 



14 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



accurately surveyed, yet Ohio remained a kind of 
terra incognita, of •which the geology was less 
known than any part of the surrounding area. 

In 18G9, the Legislature appropriated, for a new 
survey, $13,900 for its support during one year, 
and appointed Dr. Newberry Chief Geologist ; E. 
B. Andrews, Edward Orton and J. H. Klippart 
were appointed Assistants, and T. G. Wormley, 
Chemist. The result of the first year's work 
was a volume of 164 pages, octavo, published in 
1870. 

This report, accompanied by maps and charts, 
for the first time accurately defined the geological 
formations as to age and area. Evidence was given 
which set at rest questions of nearly thirty years' 
standing, and established the fiict that Ohio in- 
cludes nearly double the number of formations be- 
fore supposed to exist. Since that date, the sur- 
veys have been regularly made. Each county is 
being surveyed by itself, and its formation ac- 
curately determined. Elsewhere in these pages, 
these results are given, and to them the reader is 
refeiTed for the specific geology of the county. 
Only general results can be noted here. 

On the general geological map of the State, are 
two sections of the State, taken at each northern 
and southern extremity. These show, with the 
map, the general outline of the geological features 
of Ohio, and are all that can be given here. Both 
sections show the general arrangements of the 
formation, and prove that they lie in sheets resting 
one upon another, but not horizontally, a.s a great 
arch traverses the State from Cincinnati to the 
lake shore, between Toledo and Sandusky. Along 
this line, which extends southward to Nashville, 
Tenn., all the rocks are raised in a ridge or fold, 
once a low mountain chain. In the lapse of 
ages, it has, however, been extensively worn 
away, and now, along a large part of its course, 
the strata which once arched over it are re- 
moved from its summit, and are found resting in 
regular order on either side, dipping away from its 
axis. Where the ridge was highest, the erosion 
has been greatest, that being the reason why the 
oldest rocks are exposed in the region about Cin- 
cinnati. By following the line of this great arch 
from Cincinnati northward, it will be seen that the 
Helderberg limestone (No. 4), midway of the State, 
is still unbroken, and stretches from side to side ; 
while the Oriskany, the Corniferous, the Hamilton 
and the Huron formations, though generally re- 
moved from the crown of the arch, still remain 
over a limited area near Bellefontaine, where they 



form an island, which proves the former continuity 
of the strata which compose it. 

On the east side of the great anticlinal axis, the 
rocks dip down into a basin, which, for several 
hundred miles north and south, occupies the inter- 
val between the Nashville and Cincinnati ridge and 
the first fold of the Alleghany Mountains. In 
this basin, all the strata form trough-like layers, 
their edges outcropping eastward on the flanks 
of the Alleghanies, and westward along the anti- 
clinal axis. As they dip from this margin east- 
ward toward the center of the trough, near its 
middle, on the eastern border of the State, the 
older rocks are deeply buried, and the surface is 
here underlaid by the highest and most recent of 
our rock formations, the coal measures. In the 
northwestern corner of the State, the strata dip 
northwest from the anticlinal and pass under the 
Michigan coal basin, precisely as the same forma- 
tions east of the anticlinal dip beneath the Alle- 
ghany coal-field, of which Ohio's coal area forms a 
part. 

The rocks underlying the State all belong to 
three of the great groups which geologists liave 
termed " systems," namely, the Silurian, Devonian 
and Carboniferous. Each of these are again sub- 
divided, for convenience, and numbered. Thus 
the Silurian system includes the Cincinnati group, 
the Medina and Clinton groups, the Niagara 
group, and the Salina and Water-Line groups. 
The Devonian system includes the Oriskany sand- 
stone, the Carboniferous limestone, the Hamilton 
group, the Huron shale and the Erie shales. The 
Carboniferous system includes the Waverly group, 
the Carboniferous Conglomerate, the Coal Meas- 
ures and the Drift. This last includes the surface, 
and has been divided into six parts, numbering 
from the lowest, viz.: A glacialed surface, the Gla- 
cial Drift, the Erie Clays, the Forest Bed, the Ice- 
berg Drift and the Terraces or Beaches, which 
mark intervals of stability in the gradual recession 
of the water surface to its present level. 

" The history we may learn fi-om these forma- 
tions," says the geologist, " is something as fol- 
lows: 

" First. Subsequent to the Tertiary was a period 
of continual elevation, during which the topog- 
raphy of the country was much the same as now, 
the draining streams following the lines they now 
do, but cutting down their beds until they flowed 
sometimes two hundred feet lower than they do at 
present. In the latter part of this period of ele- 
vation, glaciers, descending from the Canadian 



'^ (5" 
\ 



'.^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



15 



islands, excavated and occupied the valleys of the 
great lakes, and covered the lowlands down nearly 
to the Ohio. 

'^Second. By a depression of the land and ele- 
vation of temperature, the glaciers retreated north- 
ward, leaving, in the interior of the continent, a 
great basin of fresh water, in which the Erie clays 
were deposited. 

" Third. This water was drained away until a 
broad land surface was exposed within the drift 
area. Upon this surface grew forests, largely of 
red and white cedar, inhabited by the elephant, 
mastodon, giant beaver and other large, now ex- 
tinct, animals. 

"Fourth. The submergence of this ancient land 
and the spreading over it, by iceberg agency, of 
gravel, sand and bowlders, distributed just as ice- 
bergs now spread their loads broadcast over the 
sea bottom on the banks of Newfoundland. 

"Fifth. The gradual draining-off of the waters, 
leaving the land now as we find it, smoothly cov- 
ered with all the layers of the drift, and well pre- 
pared for human occupation." 

" In six days, the Lord made the heavens and 
the earth, and rested the seventh day," records the 
Scriptures, and, when all was done, He looked 
upon the work of His own hands and pronounced 
it "good." Surely none but a divine, omnipotent 
hand could have done all this, and none can study 
the "work of His hands" and not marvel at its 
completeness. 

The ancient dwellers of the Mississippi Valley 
will always be a subject of great interest to the 
antiquarian. Who they were, and whence they 
came, are still unanswered questions, and may 
remain so for ages. All over this valley, and, 
in fact, in all parts of the New World, evidences 
of an ancient civilization exist, whose remains are 
now a wonder to all. The aboriginal races could 
throw no light on these questions. They had 
always seen the remains, and knew not whence 
they came. Explorations aid but little in the solu- 
tion of the problem, and only conjecture can be 
entertained. The remains found in Ohio equal 
any in the Valley. Indeed, some of them are vast 
in extent, and consist of forts, fortifications, moats, 
ditches, elevations and mounds, embracing many 
acres in extent. 

"It is not yet determined," says Col. Charles 
Whittlesey, "whether we have discovered the first 
or the original people who occupied the soil of 
Ohio. Modern investigations are bringing to light 
evidences of earlier races. Since the presence of 



man has been established in Europe as a cotempor- 
ary of the fossil elephant, mastodon, rhinoceros 
and the horse, of the later drift or glacial period, 
we may reasonably anticipate the presence of man 
in America in that era. Such proofs are already 
known, but they are not of that conclusive charac- 
ter which amounts to a demonstration. It is, how- 
ever, known that an ancient people inhabited Ohio 
in advance of the red men who were found here, 
three centuries since, by the Spanish and French 
explorers. 

" Five and six hundred years before the an-ival 
of Columbus," says Col. Charles Whittlesey, "the 
Northmen sailed from Norway, Iceland and Green- 
land along the Atlantic coast as far as Long Island. 
They found Indian tribes, in what is now New En- 
gland, closely resembling those who lived upon the 
coast and the St. Lawrence when the French and 
English came to possess these regions. 

" These red Indians had no traditions of a prior 
people ; but over a large part of the lake country 
and the valley of the Mississippi, earth-works, 
mounds, pyramids, ditches and forts were discov- 
ered — the work of a more ancient race, and a peo- 
ple far in advance of the Indian. If they were 
not civilized, they were not barbarians. They 
wei'e not mere hunters, but had fixed habitations, 
cultivated the soil and were possessed of consider- 
able mechanical skill. We know them as the 
Mound Builders ^ because they erected over the 
mortal remains of their principal men and women 
memorial mounds of earth or unhewn stone — of 
which hundreds remain to our own day, so large 
and high that they give rise to an impression of 
the numbers and energy of their builders, such as 
we receive from the pyramids of Egypt." 

Might they not have been of the same race and 
the same civiUzation ? Many competent authori- 
ties conjecture they are the work of the lost tribes 
of Israel ; but the best they or any one can do is 
only conjecture. 

" In the burial-mounds," continues Col. Whit- 
tlesey, " there are always portions of one or more 
human skeletons, generally partly consumed by 
fire, with ornaments of stone, bone, shells, mica 
and copper. The largest mound in Ohio is near 
Miamisburg, Montgomery County. It is the 
second largest in the West, being nearly seventy 
feet high, originally, and about eight hundred feet 
in circumference. This would give a superficial 
area of nearly four acres. In 1864, the citizens 
of Miamisburg sunk a shaft from the summit to 
the natural surface, without finding the bones 



:^ 



IG 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



or ashes of the great man for whom it was 
intended. The exploration has considerably 
lowered the mound, it being now about sixty feet 
in height. 

" Fort Ancient, on the Little Miami, is a good 
specimen of the military defenses of the Mound- 
Builders. It is well located on a long, high, nar- 
row, precipitous ridge. The parapets are now 
from ten to eighteen feet high, and its perimeter 
is sufficient to hold twenty thousand fighting men. 
Another prominent example of their works exists 
near Newark, Licking County. This collection 
presents a great variety of figures, circles, rectan- 
gles, octagons and parallel banks, or highways, 
covering more than a thousand acres. The county 
fiiir-ground is permanently located within an 
ancient circle, a quarter of a mile in diameter, 
with an embankment and interior ditch. Its high- 
est place was over twenty feet from the top of the 
moat to the bottom of the ditch." 

One of the most curious-sliaped works in this 
county is known as the "Alligator," from its sup- 
posed resemblance to that creature. When meas- 
ured, several years ago, while in a good state of 
preservation, its dimensions were two hundred 
and ten feet in length, average width over sixty 
feet, and height, at the highest point, seven feet. 
It appears to be mainly composed of clay, and is 
overgrown with grass. 

Speaking of the writing of these people, Col. 
Whittlesey says : " There is no evidence that they 
had alphabetical characters, picture-writing or 
hieroglyphics, though they must have had some 
mode of recording events. Neither is there any proof 
that they used domestic animals for tilling the soil, 
or for the purpose of erecting the imposing earth- 
Avorks they have left. A very coarse cloth of 
hemp, flax or nettles has been found on their 
burial-hearths and around skeletons not consumed 
by fire. 

" The most extensive earthworks occupy many 
of the sites of modern towns, and are always in 
the vicinity of excellent lajid. Those about the 
lakes are generally irregular earth forts, while 
those about the rivers in the southern part of the 
State are generally altars, pyramids, circles, cones 
and rectangles of earth, among which fortresses or 
strongholds are exceptions. 

'•' Those on the north may not have been cotem- 
porary or have been built by the same people. 
They are far less prominent or extensive, which 
indicates a people less in numbers as well as indus- 
try, and whose principal occupation was war among 



themselves or against their neighbors. This style 
of works extends eastward along the south shore 
of Lake Ontario, through New York. In Ohio, 
there is a space along the water-shed, between the 
lake and the Ohio, where there are few, if any, 
ancient earthworks. It appears to have been a 
vacant or neutral ground between different nations. 

"The Indians of the. North, dres.sed in skins, 
cultivated the soil very sparingly, and manufactured 
no woven cloth. ()n Lake Sujierior, there are 
ancient copper mines wrought by the Mound- 
Builders over fifteen hundred years ago." Copper 
tools are occasionally found tempered sufficiently 
hard to cut the hardest rucks. No knowledge of 
such tempering exists now. The Indians can give 
no more knowledge of the ancient mines than they 
can of the mounds on the river bottoms. 

" The Indians did not occupy the ancient earth- 
works, nor did they construct such. They were 
found as they are now — a hunter race, wholly 
averse to labor. Their abodes were in rock shel- 
ters, in caves, or in temporary sheds of bark and 
boughs, or skins, easily moved from place to place. 
Like most savage races, their habits are unchange- 
able ; at least, the example of white men, and 
their efforts during three centuries, have made 
little, if any, impression." 

A\nien white men came to the territory now em- 
braced in the State of Ohio, they found dwelling 
here the Iroquois, Delawares, Shawanees, Miamis, 
Wyandots and Ottawas. Each nation was com- 
posed of several tribes or clans, and each was 
often at war with the others. The first mentioned 
of these occupied that part of the State whose 
northern boundary was Lake Erie, as far west as 
the mouth of the Cuyahoga Eiver, where the city 
of Cleveland now is ; thence the boundary turned 
southward in an irregular line, until it touched the 
Ohio River, up which stream it continued to the 
Pennsylvania State line, and thence northward to 
the lake. This nation were the implacable foes of 
the French, owing to the flict that Champlain, in 
1G09, made war against them. They occupied a 
large part of New York and Pennsylvania, and 
were the most insatiate conquerors among the 
aborigines. When the French first came to the 
lakes, these monsters of the wilderness were engaged 
in a war against their neighbors, a war that ended 
in their conquering them, p )ssessing their terri- 
tory, and absorbing the remnants of the tribes into 
their own nation. At the date of Champlain's 
visit, the southern shore of Lake Erie was occupied 
by the Eries, or, as the orthography of the word is 



'A 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



17 



sometimes given, Erigos, or Errienous.* About 
forty years afterward, the Iroquois ( Five Nations) 
fell upon them with such fury and in such force 
that the nation was annihilated. Those who 
escaped the slaughter were absorbed among their 
C(in((uerors, but allowed to live on their own lands, 
paying a sort of tribute to the Iroquois. This was 
the policy of that nation in all its conquests. A 
few years after the conquest of the Eries, the 
Iroquois again took to the war-path, and swept 
through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, even attacking 
the Mississippi tribes. But for the intervention 
and aid of the French, these tribes would have 
shared the fate of the Hurons and Eries. Until 
the year 1700, the Iroquois held the south shore 
of Lake Erie so finnly that the French dared not 
trade or travel along that side of the lake. Their 
missionaries and traders penetrated this part of 
Ohio as early as 1650, but generally suffered 
death for their zeal. 

Having completed the conquest of the Hurons 
or Wyandots, about Lake Huron, and murdered 
the Jesuit missionaries by modes of torture which 
only they could devise, they permitted the residue 
of the Hurons to settle around the west end of 
Lake Erie. Here, with the Ottawas, they resided 
when the whites came to the State. Their country 
was bounded on the south by a line running 
through the central part of Wayne, Ashland, 
Richland, Crawford and Wyandot Counties. At 
the western boundary of this county, the line di- 
verged northwesterly, leaving the State near the 
northwest corner of Fulton County. Their north- 
ern boundary was the lake ; the eastern, the Iro- 
quois. 

The Delawares, or " Lenni Lenapes," whom the 
Iroquois had subjugated on the Susquehanna, were 
assigned by their conquerors hunting-grounds on 
the Muskingum. Their eastern boundary was the 
country of the Iroquois (before defined), and their 
northern, that of the Hurons. On the west, they 



♦ Father Loui8 Hennepin, in his work published in 1684, thus 
alludes to the Erii-s: ■'These good fathers," referring to the 
priests, " were great friends of the Hurons, who told them that the 
Iroquois went to war beyond Viririnia, or New Sweden, near a lake 
which they called ^ Eriqe,^ or 'Erie,' which signifies 'the cat,' or 
' nalion of the cat,' and because these savages brought captives from 
this nation in returning to their cantons along this lake, the 
Hurons named it, in their language, ' Erige,' or ' Erike,' 'the lake of 
th" cat.' and which our Canadians, in softening the word, have 
called ' Lake Erie.' " . 

Charlevoix, writing in 1721, says: "The name it bears is that 
of an Indian nation of the Huron (Wyandot) language, which was 
formerly seated on it^ banks, and who have been entirely destroyed 
by the Iroquois. Erie, in that language, signifies 'cat,' and, in 
some acounts, this nation is called the ' cat nation.' This name, 
probably, comes from the large numbers of that animal found in 
this region." 



extended as far as a line drawn from the central 
part of Richland County, in a semi-circular direc- 
tion, south to the mouth of Leading Creek. Their 
southern boundary was the Ohio River. 

West of the Delawares, dwelt the Shawanees, a 
troublesome people as neighbors, whether to whites 
or Indians. Their country was bounded on the 
north by the Hurons, on the east, by the Dela- 
wares ; on the south, by the Ohio River. On the 
west, their boundary was determined by a line 
drawn southwesterly, and again southeasterly — 
semi-circular — from a point on the southern 
boundary of the Hurons, near the southwest corner 
of Wyandot County, till it intersected the Ohio 
River. 

All the remainder of the State — all its western 
part from the Ohio River to the Michigan line — 
was occupied by the Miamis, Mineamis, Twigtwees, 
or Tawixtawes, a powerful nation, whom the Iro- 
quois were never fully able to subdue. 

These nations occupied the State, partly by per- 
mit of the Five Nations, and partly by inheritance, 
and, though composed of many tribes, were about 
all the savages to be found in this part of the 
Northwest. 

No sooner had the Americans obtained control 
of this country, than they began, by treaty and 
purchase, to acquire the lands of the natives. 
They could not stem the tide of emigration ; peo- 
ple, then as now, would go West, and hence the 
necessity of peacefully and rightfully acquiring the 
land. " The true basis of title to Indian territory 
is the right of civilized men to the soil for pur- 
poses of cultivation." The same maxim may be 
applied to all uncivilized nations. When acquired 
by such a right, either by treaty, purchase or con- 
quest, the right to hold the same rests with the 
power and development of the nation thus possess- 
ing the land. 

The English derived title to the territory 
between the Alleghanies and the Mississippi partly 
by the claim that, in discovering the Atlantic coast, 
they had possession of the land from "ocean to 
ocean," and partly by the treaty of Paris, in Feb- 
ruary, 1763. Long before this treaty took place, 
however, she had granted, to individuals and colo- 
nies, extensive tracts of land in that part of Amer- 
ica, based on the right of di.scovcry. The French 
had done better, and had acquired title to the land 
by discovering the land itself and by consent of 
the Indians dwelling thereon. The right to pos- 
sess this country led to the French and Indian 
war, ending in the supremacy of the English. 



18 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



The Five Nations claimed the territory in ques- 
tion by right of conquest, and, though professing 
friendship to the EngUsh, watched them with jeal- 
ous eyes. In 1684, and again in 1726, that con- 
federacy made cessions of lands to the English, 
and these treaties and cessions of lands were re- 
garded as sufficient title by the English, and were 
insisted on in all subsequent treaties with the 
Western Nations. The following statements were 
collected by Col. Charles Whittlesey, which 
show the principal treaties made with the red men 
wherein land in Ohio was ceded by them to the 
whites : 

In September, 1726, the Iroquois, or Six Na- 
tions, at Albany, ceded all their claims west of 
Lake Erie and sixty miles in width along the 
south shore of Lakes Erie and Ontario, from the 
Cuyahoga to the Oswego River. 

In 1744, this same nation made a treaty at 
Lancaster, Penn., and ceded to the English all 
their lands "that may be within the colony of 
Virginia." 

In 1752, this nation and other Western tribes 
made a treaty at Logstown, Penn., wherein they 
confirmed the Lancaster treaty and consented to 
the settlements south of the Ohio River. 

February 13, 1763, a treaty was made at Paris, 
France, between the French and English, when 
Canada and the eastern half of the Mississippi 
Valley were ceded to the English. 

In 1783, all the territory south of the Lakes, 
and east of the Mississippi, was ceded by England 
to America — the latter country then obtaining its 
independence — by which means the country was 
gained by America. 

October 24, 1784, the Six Nations made a 
treaty, at Fort Stanwix, N. Y., with the Ameri- 
cans, and ceded to them all the country claimed 
by the tribe, west of Pennsylvania. 

In 1785, the Chippewas, Delawares, Ottawas, 
and Wyandots ceded to the United States, at 
Fort Mcintosh, at the mouth of the Big Beaver, 
all their claims east and south of the " Cayahaga," 
the Portage Path, and the Tuscarawas, to Fort 
Laurens (Bolivar), thence to Loramie's Fort (in 
Shelby County) ; thence along the Portage Path to 
the St. Mary's River and down it to the "Omee," 
or Maumee, and along the lake shore to the 
" Cayahaga." 

January 3, 1786, the Shawanees, at Fort Fin- 
ney, near the mouth of the Great Miami (not 
owning the land on the Scioto occupied by them), 
were allotted a tract at the heads of the two 



Miamis and the Wabash, west of the Chippewas, 
Delawares and Wyandots. 

February 9, 1789, the Iroquois made a treaty 
at Fort Harmar, wherein they confirmed the Fort 
Stanwix treaty. At the same time, the Chippewas, 
Ottawas, Delawares, and Wyandots — to which the 
Sauks and Pottawatomies assented — confirmed the 
treaty made at Fort Mcintosh. 

Period of war now existed till 1795. 

August 3, 1795, Gen. Anthony Wayne, on 
behalf of the United States, made a treaty with 
twelve tribes, confirming the boundaries estab- 
lished by the Fort Harmar and Fort Mcintosh 
treaties, and extended the boundary to Fort Re- 
covery and the mouth of the Kentucky River. 

In June, 1796, the Senecas, represented by 
Brant, ceded to the Connecticut Land Company 
their rights east of the Cuyahoga. 

In 1805, at Fort Industry, on the Maumee, the 
Wyandots, Delawares, Ottawas, Chippewas, Shawa- 
nees, Menses, and Pottawatomies relinquished all 
their lands west of the Cuyahoga, as far west as 
the western line of the Reserve, and south of the 
line from Fort Laurens to Loramie's Fort. 

July 4, 1807, the Ottawas, Chippewas, Wyan- 
dots, and Pottawatomies, at Detroit, ceded all that 
part of Ohio north of the Maumee River, with 
part of Michigan. 

November 25, 1808, the same tribes with the 
Shawanees, at Brownstown, Mich., granted the 
Government a tract of land two miles wide, from 
the west line of the Reserve to the rapids of the 
Maumee, for the purpose of a road through the 
Black Swamp. 

September 18, 1815, at Springwells, near De- 
troit, the Chippewas, Ottawas, Pottawatomies, Wy- 
andots, Delawares, Senecas and Miamis, having 
been engaged in the war of 1812 on the British 
side, were confined in the grants made at Fort 
Mcintosh and Greenville in 1785 and 1795. 

September 29, 1817, at the rapids of the 
Maumee, the Wyandots ceded their lands west of 
the line of 1805, as far as Loramie's and the St. 
Mary's River and north of the Maumee. The 
Pottawatomies, Chippewas, and Ottawas ceded the 
territory west of the Detroit line of 1807, and 
north of the Maumee. 

October 6, 1818, the Miamis, at St. Mary's, 
m'ade a treaty in which they surrendered the re- 
maining Indian territory in Ohio, north of the 
Greenville treaty line and west of St. Mary's River. 

The numerous treaties of peace with the West- 
ern Indians for the delivery of prisoners were — 



[iL 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



19 



one by Gen. Forbes, at Fort Du Quesne (Pitts- 
burgh), in 1758 ; one by Col. Bradstreet, at Erie, 
in August, 1764 ; one by Col. Boquet, at the 
mouth of the Walhouding, in November, 1764; 
in May, 1765, at Johnson's, on the Mohawk, and 
at Philadelphia, the same year; in 1774, by Lord 
Dunmore, at Camp Charlotte, Pickaway County. 
By the treaty at the Maumee Bapids, in 1817, 
reservations were conveyed by the United States 
to all the tribes, with a view to induce them to 
cultivate the soil and cease to be hunters. These 
were, from time to time, as the impracticability of 
the plan became manifest, purchased by the Gov- 
ernment, the last of these being the Wyandot 
Beserve, of twelve miles square, around Upper 
Sandusky, in 1842, closing out all claims and com- 
posing all the Indian difficulties in Ohio. The 
open war had ceased in 1815, with the treaty of 
Ghent. 

" It is estimated that, from the Freijch war of 
1754 to the battle of the Maumee Ilapids, in 
1794, a period of forty years, there had been at 
least 5,000 people killed or captured west of the 



Alleghany Mountains. Eleven organized military 
expeditions had been carried on against the West- 
ern Indians prior to the war of 1812, seven regu- 
lar engagements fought and about twelve hundred 
men killed. Mure whites were slain in battle than 
there were Indian braves killed in military expedi- 
tions, and by private raids and murders ; yet, in 
1811, all the Ohio tribes combined could not mus- 
ter 2,000 warriors." 

Attempts to determine the number of persons 
comprising the Indian tribes in Ohio, and their 
location, have resulted in nothing better than 
estimates. It is supposed that, at the commence- 
ment of the Bevolution, there were about six 
thousand Indians in the present confines of the 
State, but their villages were little more than 
movable camps. Savage men, like savage beasts, 
are engaged in continual migrations. Now, none 
are left. The white man occupies the home of 
the red man. Now 

"The verdant hills 
Are covered o'er with growing grain, 
And white men till the soil, 
Where once the red man used to reign." 



CHAPTER II, 



EARLY EXPLORATIONS IN THE WEST. 



WHEN war, when ambition, when avarice 
fail, religion pushes onward and succeeds. 
In the discovery of the New World, wherever 
man's aggrandizement was the paramount aim, 
failure was sure to follow. When this gave way, 
the followers of the Cross, whether Catholic or 
Protestant, came on the field, and the result before 
attempted soon appeared, though in a different way 
and through different means than those supposed. 
The first permanent efforts of the white race to 
penetrate the Western wilds of the New World 
preceded any permanent English settlement north 
of the Potomac. Years before the Pilgrims 
anchored their bark on the cheerless shores of Cape 
Cod, "the Boman Catholic Church had been plann- 
ed by missionaries from France in the Eastern 
moiety of Maine; and LeCaron, an ambitious 
Franciscan, the companion of Champlain,had passed 
into the hunting-grounds of the Wyandots, and, 
bound by the vows of his life, had, on foot or pad- 
dling a bark canoe, gone onward, taking alms of the 
savages until he reached the rivers of Lake 



Huron." This was in 1615 or 1616, and only 
eight years afler Champlain had sailed up the wa- 
ters of the St. Lawrence, and on the foot of a bold 
cliff laid the foundation of the present City of 
Quebec. From this place, founded to hold the 
country, and to perpetuate the religion of his King, 
went forth those emissaries of the Cross, whose zeal 
has been the admiration of the world. The French 
Colony in Canada was suppressed soon after its es- 
tablishment, and for five years, until 1622, its im- 
munities were enjoyed by the colonists. A grant 
of New France, as the country was then known, was 
made by Louis XIII to Biehelieu, Champlain, 
Bazilly and others, who, immediately after the res- 
toration of Quebec by its English conquerors, entered 
upon the control and government of their province. 
Its limits embraced the whole ba.sin of the St. 
Lawrence and of such other rivers in New France 
as flowed directly into the sea. AVhile away to 
the south on the Gulf coast, was also included a 
country rich in foliage and claimed in virtue of 
the unsuccessful efibrts of Coligny. 



20 



HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



Religious zeal as much as commercial prosperity 
had influenced France to obtain and retain the de- 
pendency of Canada. The commercial monopoly 
of a privileged company could not foster a 
colony ; the climate was too vigorous for agricult- 
ure, and, at first there was little else except relig- 
ious enthusiasm to give vitality to the province. 
Champlain had been touched by the simplicity of 
the Order of St. Francis, and had selected its priests 
to aid him in his work. But another order, more 
in favor at the Court, was interested, and succeed- 
ed in excluding the mendicant order from the New 
World, established themselves in the new domain 
and, by thus enlarging the borders of the French 
King, it became entrusted to the Jesuits. 

This "Society of Jesus," founded by Loyola 
when Calvin's Institutes first saw the light, saw an 
unequaled opportunity in the conversion of the 
heathen in the Western wilds; and, as its mem- 
bers, pledged to obtain power only by influence of 
mind over mind, sought the honors of opening the 
way, there was no lack of men ready for the work. 
Through them, the motive power in opening the 
wilds of the Northwest was relio-ion. " Reliiiious 
enthusiasm," says Bancroft, "colonized New Eng- 
land, and religious enthusiasm founded Montreal, 
made a concjuest of the wilderness about the upper 
lakes, and explored the Mississippi." . 

Thi'ough these priests — ^ increased in a few years 
to fifteen — a way was made across the West from 
Quebec, above the regions of the lakes, below 
which they dared not go for the relentless Mohawks. 
To the northwest of Toronto, near the Lake Iro- 
quois, a bay of Lake Huron, in September, 1634, 
they raised the first humble house of the Society of 
Jesus among the Hurons. Through them they 
learned of the great lakes beyond, and resolved 
one day to explore them and carry the Gospel of 
peace to the heathen on their shores. Before this 
could be done, many of them were called upon to 
give up their lives at the martyr's stake and re- 
ceive a martyr's crown. But one by one they 
went on in their good work. If one fell by hun- 
ger, cold, cruelty, or a terrible death, others stood 
ready, and carrying their lives in their hands, 
established other missions about the eastern shores 
of Lake Huron and its adjacent waters. The 
Five Nations were for many years hostile toward 
the French and murdered them and their red 
allies whenever opportunity presented. For a 
quarter of century, they retarded the advance of 
the missionaries, and then only after wearied with 
a long struggle, in which they began to see their 



power declining, did they relinquish their warlike 
propensities, and allow the Jesuits entrance to their 
country. While this was going on, the traders 
and Jesuits had penetrated farther and farther 
westward, until, when peace was declared, they 
had seen the southwestern shores of Lake Superior 
and the northern shores of Lake Michigan, called 
by them Lake Illinois.* In August, 1654, two 
young adventurers penetrated the wilds bordering 
on these western lakes in company with a band of 
Ottawas. Returning, they tell of the wonderful 
country they have seen, of its vast forests, its 
abundance of game, its mines of copper, and ex- 
cite in their comrades a desire to see and explore 
such a country. They tell of a vast expanse of 
land before them, of the powerful Indian tribes 
dwelling there, and of their anxiety to become an- 
nexed to the Frenchman, of whom they have 
heard. The request is at once granted. Two 
missionaries, Gabriel Dreuillettes and Leonard 
Gareau, w«re selected as envoys, but on their way 
the fleet, propelled by tawny rowers, is met by a 
wandering band of Mohawks and by them is dis- 
persed. Not daunted, others stood ready to go. 
The lot fell to Rene Mesnard. He is charged to 
visit the wilderness, select a suitable place for a 
dwelling, and found a mission. With only a short 
warning he is ready, "trusting," he says, "in the 
Providence which feeds the little birds of the 
desert and clothes the wild flowers of the forest." 
In October, 1660, he reached a bay, which he 
called St. Theresa, on the south shore of Lak > 
Superior. After a residence of eight months, he 
yielded to the invitation of the Hurons who had 
taken refuge on the Island of St. IMichael, and 
bidding adieu to his neophytes and the French, he 
departed. While on the way to the Bay of Che- 
goi-me-gon, probably at a portage, he became 
separated from his companion and was never after- 
ward heard of Long after, his cassock and his 
breviary were kept as amulets among the Sioux. 
Difficulties now arose in the management of the 
colony, and for awhile it was on the verge of dis- 
solution. The King sent a regiment under com- 
mand of the aged Tracy, as a safeguard against 
the Iroquois, now proving themselves enemies to 

* Mr. C. W. Bntterfield, author of Cran- ford's Campaign, and 
good authority, says: "John Nicholet, a Frenchman, lelt Quebec 
and Three Rivers in the summer of 1034, and visitel the Hurons on 
Georgian Bay, the Cliippewas «t the Sault Ste. Marie, and the Win- 
nebagoes in Wisronsin, returning to Quebec in the summer of U35. 
This was the first white man to see any part of the Northwest 
Territory. In 1641, two Jesuit priests were at the Sault Ste. Marie 
for a brief time. Tlien two Frencli traders reached Lalie Superior, 
and after them came that tide of emigration ou which the French 
based their claim to the country." 



-4* 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



21 



the French. Accompanying him were Courcelles, 
as Governor, and M. Talon, who subsequently fig- 
ures in Northwestern history. By 1(31)5, affairs 
were settled and new attemjits to found a mission 
iimong the lake tribes were projected. 

" With better hopes — undismayed by the sad 
fate of their predecessors" in August, Claude 
Allouez embarked on a mission by way of Ottawa 
to the Far West. Early in September he reached 
the rapids "through which rush the waters of the 
lakes to Huron. Sailing by lofty sculptured rocks 
and over waters of crystal purity, he reached the 
Chippewa village just as the young warriors were 
bent on organizing a war expedition against the 
Sioux. Commanding peace in the name of his 
King, he called a council and offered the commerce 
and protection of his nation. He was obeyed, and 
soon a chapel arose on the shore of the bay, to 
which admiring crowds from the south and west 
gathered to listen to the story of the Cross. 

The scattered Hurons and Ottawas north of 
Lake Superior ; the Pottawatomies from Lake Mich- 
igan; the Sacs and Foxes from the Far West; the 
Illinois from the prairies, all came to hear him, and 
all besought him to go with them. To the last 
nation Allouez desired to go. They told him of a 
" great river that flowed to the .sea, "and of "their 
vast prairies, where herds of buffalo, deer and 
other animals grazed on the tall grass." "Their 
country," said the missionary, "is the best field 
for the Grospel. Had I had leisure, I would have 
gone to their dwellings to see with my own eyes 
all the good that was told me of them." 

He remained two years, teaching the natives, 
studying their language and habits, and then 
returned to Quebec. Such was the account that 
he gave, that in two days he was joined by 
Louis Nicholas and was on his way back to his 
mission. 

Peace being now established, more missionaries 
came from France. Among them were Claude 
Dablon and Jacques Marquette, both of whom 
went on to the mission among the Chippewas at the 
Sault. They reached there in 1668 and found 
Allouez busy. The mission was now a reality and 
given the name of St. Mary. It is often written 
" Sault Ste. Marie," afler the French method, and 
is the oldest settlement by white men in the bounds 
of the Northwest Territory. It has been founded 
over two hundred years. Here on the inhospitable 
northern shores, hundreds of miles away from 
friends, did this triumvirate employ themselves in 
extending; their religion and the influence of their 



King. Traversing the shores of the great lakes 
near them, they pass down the western bank of 
Lake Michigan as far as Green Bay, along the 
southern shore of Lake Superior to its western ex- 
tremity, everywhere preaching the story of Jesus. 
" Though suffering be their lot and martyrdom 
their crown," they went on, only conscious that 
they were laboring for their Master and would, in 
the end, win the crown. 

The great river away to the West of which they 
heard so much was yet unknown to them. To ex- 
plore it, to visit the tribes on its banks and preach 
to them the Gospel and secure their trade, became 
the aim of Marquette, who originated the idea of 
its discovery. While engaged at the mission at the 
Sault, he resolved to attempt it in the autumn of 
1669. Delay, however, intervened — for Allouez 
had exchanged the mission at Che-goi-me-gon for 
one at Green Bay, whither Marquette was sent. 
AV^hile here he employed a young Illinois Indian 
to teach him the language of that nation, and there- 
by prepare himself for the enterprise. 

Continued commerce with the Western Indians 
gave protection and confirmed their attachment. 
Talon, the intendant of the colony of New France, 
to further spread its power and to learn more of the 
country and its inhabitants, convened a congress 
of the Indians at the Falls of St. Mary, to which 
he sent St. Lusson on his behalf Nicholas Perrot 
sent invitations in every direction for more than a 
hundred leagues round about, and fourteen nations, 
among them Sacs, Foxes and Miamis, agreed to be 
present by their embassadors. 

The congress met on the fourth day of June, 
1671. St. Lusson, through Allouez, his interpre- 
ter, announced to the assembled natives that they, 
and through them their nations, were placed under 
the protection of the French King, and to him 
were their furs and peltries to be traded. A cross 
of cedar was raised, and amidst the groves of ma- 
ple and of pine, of elm and hemlock that are so 
strangely intermingled on the banks of the St. 
Mary, the whole company of the French, bowing 
before the emblem of man's redemption, chanted to 
its glory a hymn of the seventh century : 

"The banners of heaven's King advance; 
The mysteries of the Cross shines forth."* 

A cedar column was planted by the cross and 
marked with the lilies of the Bourbons. Tlie 
power of France, thus uplifted in the West of 
which Ohio is now a part, was, however, not destined 



■ Bancroft. 



>-" 



22 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



to endure, and the ambition of its monurchs was 
to have only a partial fulfillment. 

The same year that the congress was held, Mar- 
quette had founded a mission among the Hurons 
at Point St. Ignace, on the continent north of the 
peninsula of Michigan. Although the climate 
was severe, and vegetation scarce, yet fish abounded, 
and at this establishment, long maintained as a 
key to further explorations, prayer and praise were 
heard daily for many years. Here, also, Marquette 
gained a footing among the founders of Michigan. 
While he was doing this, Allouez and Dablon were 
exploring countries south and west, going as far as 
the Mascoutins and Kickapoos on the Milwaukee, 
and the Miamis at' the head of Lake Michigan. 
Allduez continued even as far as the Sacs and Foxes 
on the river which bears their name. 

The discovery of the Mississippi, heightened by 
these explorations, was now at hand. The enter- 
prise, projected by Marquette, was received with 
fiivor by M. Talon, who desired thus to perpetuate 
his rule in New France, now drawing to a close. 
He was joined by Joliet, of Quebec, an emissary 
of his King, commissioned by royal magnate to 
take possession of the country in the name of the 
French. Of him but little else is known. This 
one excursion, however, gives him immortality, 
and as long as time shall last his name and that of 
Marquette will endure. When Marquette made 
known his intention to the Pottawatomies, they 
were filled with wonder, and endeavored to dis- 
suade him from his purpose. "Those distant na- 
tions," said they, " never spare the strangers; the 
Great River abounds in monsters, ready to swal- 
low both men and canoes; there are great cataracts 
and rapids, over which you will be dashed to 
pii-ees; the excessive heats will cause your death." 
" I shall gladly lay down my life for the salvation 
of souls," replied the good man; and the docile 
nation joined him. 

On the 9th day of June, 1673, they reached 
the village on Fox River, where were Kickapoos, 
Mascoutins and Miamis dwelling together on an 
expanse of lovely prairie, dotted here and thereby 
groves of magnificent trees, and where was a 
cross gai-landed by wild flowers, and bows and ar- 
rows, and skins and belts, oiferings to the Great 
Manitou. Allouez had been here in one of his 
wanderings, and, as was his wont, had left this 
emblem of his faith. 

Assembling the natives, Marquette said, " My 
companion is an envoy of France to discover new 
countries ; and I am an embassador from God to 



enlighten them with the Gospel." Offering pres- 
ents, he begged two guides for the morrow. The 
Indians answered courteously, and gave in 
return a mat to serve as a couch during the long 
voyage. 

Early in the morning of the next day, the 10th 
of June, with all nature in her brightest robes, 
these two men, with five Frenchmen and two Al- 
gonquin guides, set out on their journey. Lifting 
two canoes to their shoulders, they quickly cross 
the narrow portage dividing the Fox from the 
Wisconsin River, and prepare to embark on its 
clear waters. "Uttering a special prayer to the 
Immaculate Virgin, they leave the stream, that, 
flowing onward, could have borne their greetings 
to the castle of Quebec. 'The guides returned,' 
says the gentle Marquette, 'leaving us alone in 
this unknown land, in the hand of Providence.' 
France and Christianity stood alone in the valley 
of the Mississippi. Embarking on the broad 
Wiscon.sin, the discoverers, as they sailed west, 
went solitarily down the stream between alternate 
prairies and hillsides, beholding neither man nor 
the wonted beasts of the forests; no sound broke 
the silence but the ripple of the canoe and the 
lowing of the buffalo. In seven days, ' they en- 
tered happily the Great River, with a joy that 
could not be expressed;' and the two birchbark 
canoes, raising their happy sails under new skies 
and to unknown breezes, floated down the calm 
magnificence of the ocean stream, over the broad, 
clear sand-bars, the resort of innumerable water- 
fowl-^— gliding past islets that swelled from the 
bosom of the stream, with their tufts of massive 
thickets, and between the wild plains of Illinois 
and Iowa, all garlanded with majestic forests, or 
checkered by island groves and the open vastness 
of the prairie."* 

Continuing on down the mighty stream, they 
saw no signs of human life until the 25th of 
June, when they discovered a small foot-path on the 
west bank of the river, leading away into the 
prairie. Leaving their companions in the canoes, 
Marquette and Joliet followed the path, resolved 
to brave a meeting alone with the savages. After 
a walk of six miles they came in sight of a village 
on the banks of a river, while not fiir away they 
discovered two others. The river was the " I\Iou- 
in-gou-e-na," or Moingona, now corrupted into 
Des Moines. These two men, the first of their 
race who ever trod the soil west of the Great 



liL 



HISTORY or OHIO. 



23 



River, commended themselves to God, and, uttering 
a loud cry, advanced to the nearest village. 
The Indians hear, and thinking their visitors 
celestial beings, four old men advance with rever- 
ential mien, and oifer the pipe of peace. " We 
are Illinois," said they, and they offered the calu- 
met. They had heard of the Frenchmen, and 
welcomed them to their wigwams, followed by the 
devouring gaze of an astonished crowd. At a 
great council held soon after, Marquette published 
to them the true God, their Author. He also 
spoke of his nation and of his King, who had 
chastised the Five Nations and commanded peace. 
He questioned them concerning the Great River 
and its tributaries, and the tribes dwelling on its 
banks. A magnificent feast was spread before 
them, and the conference continued several days. 
At the close of the sixth day, the chieftains of the 
tribes, with numerous trains of waiTiors, attended 
the visitors to their canoes, and selecting a peace- 
pipe, gayly caparisoned, they hung the sacred 
calumet, emblem of peace to all and a safeguard 
:iin;ing the nations, about the good Father's neck, 
and bid the strangers good speed. "I did not 
fear death," writes Marquette; "I should have 
esteemed it the greatest happiness to have died 
for the glory of God." On their journey, they 
passed the perpendicular rocks, whose sculptured 
sides showed them the monsters they should meet. 
Farther down, they pass the turgid flood of the 
Missouri, known to them by its Algonquin name, 
Pekitanoni. Resolving in his heart to one day 
explore its flood, Marquette rejoiced in the, new 
world it evidently could open to him. A little 
farther down, they pass the bluffs where now is a 
mighty emporium, then silent as when created. In 
a little less than forty leagues, they pass the clear 
waters of the beautiful Ohio, then, and long after- 
ward, known as the Wabash. Its banks were in- 
habited by numerous villages of the peaceful 
Shawanees, who then quailed under the incursions 
of the dreadful Iroquois. As they go on down the 
mighty stream, the canes become thicker, the insects 
more fierce, the heat more intolerable. The prairies 
and their cool breezes vanish, and forests of white- 
wood, admirable for their vastness and height, crowd 
close upon the pebbly shore. It is observed that the 
Chickasaws have guns, and have learned how to 
use them. Near the latitude of 33 degrees, they 
encounter a great village, whose inhabitants pre- 
sent an inhospitable and warlike front. The pipe 
of peace is held aloft, and instantly the savage foe 
drops his arms and extends a friendly greeting. 



Remaining here till the next day, they are escorted 
for eight or ten leagues to the village of Akansea. 
They are now at the limit of their voyage. The 
Indians speak a dialect unknown to them. The 
natives show furs and axes of steel, the latter prov- 
ing they have traded with Europeans. The two 
travelers now learn that the Father of Wa- 
ters went neither to the Western sea nor to the 
Florida coast, but straight south, and conclude not 
to encounter the burning heats of a tropical clime, 
but return and find the outlet again. They 
had done enough now, and must report their dis- 
covery. 

On the 17th day of July, 1673, one hundred 
and thirty-two years after the disastrous journey 
of De Soto, which led to no permanent results, 
jNIarquette and Joliet left the village of Akansea 
on their way back. At the 38th degree, they en- 
counter the waters of the Illinois which they had 
before noticed, and which the natives told them 
afforded a much shorter route to the lakes. Pad- 
dling up its limpid waters, they see a country un- 
surpassed in beauty. Broad prairies, beautiful up- 
lands, luxuriant groves, all mingled in excellent 
harmony as they ascend the river. Near the head 
of the river, they pause at a great village of the 
Illinois, and across the river behold a rocky prom- 
ontory .standing boldly out against the landscape. 
The Indians entreat the gentle missionary to re- 
main among them, and teach them the way of life. 
He cannot do this, but promises to return when he 
can and instruct them. The town was on a plain 
near the present village of Utica, in La Salle 
County, 111., and the rock was Starved Rock, 
afterward noted in the annals of the Northwest. 
One of the chiefs and some young men conduct 
the party to the Chicago River, where the present 
mighty city is, from where, continuing their iour- 
ney along the western shores of the lake, they 
reach Green Bay early in September. 

The great valley of the West was now open. 
The "Messippi" rolled its mighty flood to a south- 
ern sea, and must be sully explored. INIarquette's 
health had keenly suffered by the voyage and he 
concluded to remain here and rest. Joliet hasten- 
ed on to Quebec to report his discoveries. During 
the journey, each had preserved a description of 
the route they had passed over, as well as the 
country and its inhabitants. While on the way 
to Quebec, at the foot of the rapids near Montreal, 
by some means one of Joliet's canoes became cap- 
sized, and by it he lost his box of papers and two 
of his men. A greater calamity could have 



24 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



liarcUy happened him. lu a letter to Gov, 
Froutenac, Joliet says : 

" I had escaped every peril from the Indians ; I 
had passed forty-two rapids, and was on the point 
of disembarking, full of joy at the success of so 
Ling and difficult an enterprise, when my canoe 
capsized after all the danger seemed over. I lost 
my two men and box of papers within sight of the 
French settlements, which I had left almost two 
years before. Nothing remains now to me but 
my life, and the ardent desire to employ it in any 
service you may please to direct." 

When Joliet made known his discoveries, a 
Te Dcum was chanted in the Cathedral at Quebec, 
and all Canada was filled with joy. The news 
crossed the ocean, and the French saw in the vista 
of coming years a vast dependency arise in the val- 
ley, partially explored, which was to extend her 
domain and enrich her treasury. Fearing En- 
gland might profit by the discovery and claim the 
country, she attempted as far as possible to prevent 
the news from becoming general. Joliet was re- 
warded by the gift of the Island of Anticosti, in 
the St. Lawrence, while Marquette, conscious of 
his service to his Master, was content with the 
salvation of souls. 

jSIarquette, left at Green Bay, suffered long with 
his malady, and was not permitted, until the au- 
tumn of the following year (1674), to return and 
teach the Illinois Indians. With this purpose in 
view, he left Green Bay on the 25th of October 
with two Frenchmen and a number of Illinois and 
Pottawatomie Indians for the villages on the 
Chicago and Illinois Rivers. Entering Lake 
Michigan, they encountered adverse winds and 
waves and were more than a month on the way. 
Going some distance up the Chicago River, they 
found Marquette too weak to proceed farther, his 
malady having assumed a violent form, and land- 
ing, they erected two hut.s and prepared to pass 
the winter. The good missionary taught the na- 
tives here daily, in spite of his afflictions, while 
his companions supplied him and themselves with 
food by fishing and hunting. Thus the winter 
wore away, and Marquette, renewing his vows, pre- 
pared to go on to the village at the foot of the 
rocky citadel, where he had been two years before. 
On the 13th of March, 1675, they left their huts 
and, rowing on up the Chicago to the portage be- 
tween that and the Desplaines, embarked on their 
way. Amid the incessant rains of spring, they 
were rapidly borne down that stream to the Illi- 
nois, on whose rushing flood they floated to the 



object of their destination. At the great town the 
missionary was received as a heavenly messenger, 
and as he preached to them of heaven and hell, 
of angels and demons, of good and bad deeds, 
they regarded him as divine and besought him to 
remain among them. The town then contained an 
immense concourse of natives, drawn hither by the 
reports they heard, and assembling them before him 
on the plain near their village, where now are pros- 
perous farms, he held before their astonished gaze 
four large pictures of the Holy Virgin, and daily 
harangued them on the duties of Christianity and 
the necessity of conforming their conduct to the 
words they heard. His strength was fast declining 
and warned him he could not long remain. Find- 
ing he must go, the Indians furnished him an 
escort as far as the lake, on whose turbulent waters 
he embarked with his two faithful attendants. 
They turned their canoes for the Mackinaw Mis- 
sion, which the afllicted missionary hoped to reach 
before death came. As they coasted along the 
eastern shores of the lake, the vernal hue of May 
began to cover the hillsides with robes of green, 
now dimmed to the eye of the departing Father, who 
became too weak to view them. By the 19th of 
the month, he could go no farther, and requested 
his men to land and build him a hut in which he 
might pass away. That done, he gave, with great 
composure, directions concerning his burial, and 
thanked God that he was permitted to die in the 
wilderness in the midst of his work, an unshaken 
believer in the faith he had so earnestly preached. 
As twilight came on, he told his weary attendants 
to rest, promising that when death should come he 
would call them. At an early hour, on the morn- 
ing of the 20th of May, 1675, they heard a feeble 
voice, and hastening to his side found that the gen- 
tle spirit of the good missionary had gone to heav- 
en. His hand grasped the crucifix, and his lips 
bore as their last sound the name of the Virgin. 
They dug a grave near the banks of the stream 
and buried him as he had requested. There in a 
lonely wilderness the peaceful soul of Marquette 
had at last found a rest, and his weary labors closed. 
His companions went on to the mission, where 
the news of his death caused great sorrow, for he 
was one beloved by all. 

Three years after his burial, the Ottawas, hunting 
in the vicinity of his grave, determined to carry 
his bones to the mission at their home, in accor- 
dance with an ancient custom of their tribe. Hav- 
ing opened the grave, at whose head a cross had 
been planted, they carefully removed the bones and 



"77 



:v 



'^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



25 



cleaning them, a funeral proces.si(in of thirty canoes 
bore them to the Mackiuaw Mission, singing the 
songs he had taught them. At the shores of the 
mission the bones were received by the priests, and, 
with great ceremony, buried under the floor of the 
rude chapel. 

While Marquette and Joliet were exploring the 
head-waters of the "Great River," another man, 
fearless in purpose, pious in heart, and loyal to 
his country, was living in Canada and watching 
the operations of his fellow countrymen with 
keen eyes. When the French first saw the in- 
hospitable shores of the St. Lawrence, in 1535, 
under the lead of Jacques Cartier, and had opened 
a new country to their crown, men were not 
lacking to further extend the discovery. In 1608, 
Champlain came, and at the foot of a cliff" on that 
river founded Quebec. Seven years after, he 
brought four RecoUet monks ; and through them 
and the Jesuits the discoveries already narrated 
occurred. Champlain died in 1G35, one hundred 
years after Cartier's first visit, but not until he 
had explored the northern lakes as fiir as Lake 
Huron, on whose rocky shores he, as the progenitor 
of a mighty race to follow, set his feet. He, with 
others, held to the idea that somewhere across the 
country, a river highway extended to the Western 
ocean. The reports from the missions whose 
history has been given aided this belief; and not 
until Marquette and Joliet returned was the delu- 
sion in any way dispelled. Before this was done, 
however, the man to whom reference has been 
made, Robert Cavalier, better known as La Salle, 
had endeavored to solve the mystery, and, while 
living on his grant of land eight miles above 
Montreal, had indeed eff'ected important discoveries. 

La Salle, the next actor in the field of explor- 
ation after Champlain, was born in 1643. His 
father's family was among the old and wealthy 
burghers of Rouen, France, and its members 
were frequently entrusted with important govern- 
mental positions. He early exhibited such traits 
of character as to mark him among his associates. 
Coming from a wealthy family, he enjoyed all the 
advantages of his day, and received, for the times, 
an excellent education. He was a Catholic, 
though liis subsequent life does not prove him 
to have been a religious enthusiast. From some 
cause, he joined the Order of Loyola, but the cir- 
cumscribed sphere of action set for him in the 
order illy concurred with his independent dis- 
position, and led to his separaticm from it. This 
was eff'ected, however, in a good spirit, as they 



considered him fit for a different field of action 
than any presented by the order. Having a 
brother in Canada, a member of the order of St. 
Sulpice, he determined to join him. By his 
connection with the Jesuits he had lost his share 
of his lather's estate, but, by some means, on his 
death, which occurred about this time, he was 
given a small share; and with this, in 1666, 
he arrived in Montreal. All Canada was alive 
with the news of the explorations; and La 
Salle's mind, actively grasping the ideas he 
afterward carried out, began to mature plans for 
their perfection. At Montreal he found a semi- 
nary of priests of the St. Sulpice Order who were 
encouraging settlers by grants of land on easy 
terms, hoping to establish a barrier of settlements 
between themselves and the Indians, made ene- 
mies to the French by Champlain's actions when 
founding Quebec. The Superior of the seminary, 
learning of La Salle's arrival, gratuitously off"ered 
him a grant of land on the St. Lawrence, eight 
miles above Montreal. The grant, though danger- 
ously near the hostile Indians, was accepted, and 
La Salle soon enjoyed an excellent trade in furs. 
While employed in developing his claim, he learned 
of the great unknown route, and burned with a 
desire to solve its existence. He applied himself 
closely to the study of Indian dialects, and in 
three years is said to have made great progress 
in their language. While, on his farm his 
thoughts often turned to the unknown land away 
to the west, and, like all men of his day, he 
desired to explore the route to the Western sea, 
and thence obtain an ea.sy trade with China and 
Japan. The " Great River, which flowed to the 
sea," must, thought they, find an outlet in the 
Gulf of California. While musing on these 
things, Marquette and Joliet were preparing to 
descend the Wisconsin; and LaSalle himself 
learned from a wandering band of Senecas that a 
river, called the Ohio, arose in their country and 
flowed to the sea, but at such a di.stance that it 
would require eight months to reach its mouth. 
This must be the Great River, or a part of it : 
for all geographers of the day considered the 
Mississippi and its tributary as one stream. Plac- 
ing great confidence on this hy])othesis. La Salic 
repaired to Quebec to obtain the sanction 
of Gov. Courcelles. His plausible statements 
soon won him the Governor and M. Talon, and 
letters patent were issued granting the exploration. 
No pecuniary aid was offered, and La Salle, hav- 
ing expended all his means in improving his 



26 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



estate, was obliged to sell it to procure the 
necessary outfit. The Superior of the seminary 
being favorably disposed toward him, purchased 
the greater part of his improvement, and realiz- 
ing 2,800 livres, he purchased four canoes and the 
necessary supplies for the expedition. The semi- 
nary was, at the same time, preparing for a similar 
exploration. The priests of this order, emulating 
the Jesuits, had established missions on the north- 
ern shore of Lake Ontario. Hearing of populous 
tribes still further west, they resolved to attempt 
their conversion, and deputized two of their number 
for the purpose. On going to Quebec to procure 
the necessary supplies, they were advised of La 
Salle's expedition down the Ohio, and resolved to 
unite themselves with it. La Salle did not alto- 
gether fiivor their attempt, as he believed the 
Jesuits already had the field, and would not care 
to have any aid from a rival order. His dispo- 
sition also would not well brook the part they 
assumed, of asking him to be a co-laborer rather 
than a leader. However, the expeditions, merged 
into one body, left the mission on the St. Law- 
rence on the 6th of July, 16G9, in seven canoes. 
The party numbered twenty-four persons, who 
were accompanied by two canoes filled with 
Indians who had visited La Salle, and who now 
acted as guides. Their guides led them up the 
St. Lawrence, over the expanse of Lake Ontario, 
to their village on the banks of the Genesee, 
where they expected to find guides to lead them 
on to the Ohio. As La Salle only partially under- 
stood their language, he was compelled to confer 
with them by means of a Jesuit stationed at the 
village. The Indians refused to furnish him the 
expected aid, and even burned before his eyes a 
prisoner, the only one who could give him any 
knowledge he desired. He surmised the Jesuits 
were at the bottom of the matter, fearful lest the 
disciples of St. Sulpice should gain a foothold in 
the west. He lingered here a month, with the 
hope of accomplishing his object, when, by chance, 
there came by an Iroquois Indian, who assured 
them that at his colony, near the head of the lake, 
they could find guides ; and off"ered to conduct 
them thither. Coming along the southern shore 
of the lake, they passed, at its western extremity, 
the mouth of the Niagara River, where they heard 
for the first time the thunder of the mighty cata- 
ract between the two lakes. At the village of the 
Iroquois they met a friendly reception, and were 
informed by a Shawanese prisoner that they could 
reach the Ohio in six weeks' time, and that he 



would guide them there. While preparing to 
commence the journey, they heard of the missions 
to the northwest, and the priests resolved to go 
there and convert the natives, and find the river 
by that route. It appears that Louis Joliet met 
them here, on his return from visiting the copper 
mines of Lake Superior, under command of M. 
Talon. He gave the priests a map of the country, 
and informed them that the Indians of those 
regions were in great need of spiritual advisers. 
This strengthened their intention, though warned 
by La Salle, that the Jesuits were undoubtedly 
there. The authority for Joliet's visit to them 
here is not clearly given, and may not be true, 
but the same letter which gives the account of 
the discovery of the Ohio at this time by La Salle, 
states it as a fact, and it is hence inserted. The 
missionaries and La Salle separated, the former to 
find, as he had predicted, the followers of Loyola 
already in the field, and not wanting their aid. 
Hence they return from a fruitless tour. 

La Salle, now left to himself and just recovering 
from a violent fever, went on his journey. From 
the paper from which these statements are taken, 
it appears he went on to Onondaga, where he pro- 
cured guides to a tributary of the Ohio, down 
which he proceeded to the principal stream, on 
whose bosom he continued his way till he came to 
the falls at the present city of Louisville, Ky. It 
has been asserted that he went on down to its 
mouth, but that is not well authenticated and is 
hardly true. The statement that he went as far as 
the falls is, doubtless, correct. He states, in a letter 
to Count Frontenac in 1677, that he discovered 
the Ohio, and that he descended it to the falls. 
Moreover, Joliet, in a measure his rival, for he was 
now preparing to go to the northern lakes and 
from them search the river, made two maps repre- 
senting the lakes and the Mississippi, on both of 
which he states that La Salle had discovered the 
Ohio. Of its course beyond the falls, La Salle 
does not seem to have learned anything definite, 
hence his discovery did not in any way settle the 
great question, and elicited but little comment. 
Still, it stimulated La Salle to more efi"ort, and 
while musing on his plans, Joliet and Marquette 
push on from Grrecn Bay, and discover the river 
and ascertain the general course of its outlet. On 
Joliet's return in 1673, he seems to drop from 
further notice. Other and more venturesome souls 
were ready to finish the work begun by himself 
and the zealous JMarquette, who, left among the 
for-away nations, laid down his life. The spirit of 



^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



29 



La Salle was equal to the enterprise, and as lie now 
had returned from one voyage of discovery, he 
stood ready to solve the mystery, and gain the 
country for his King. Before this could be ac- 
complished, however, he saw other things must be 
done, and made pi'eparations on a scale, for the 
time, truly marvelous. 

Count Frontenac, the new Governor, had no 
sooner established himself in power than he gave a 
searching glance over the new realm to see if any 
undeveloped resources lay yet unnoticed, and what 
country yet remained open. He learned from the 
exploits of La Salle on the Ohio, and from Joliet, 
now returned from the West, of that immense 
country, and resolving in his mind on some plan 
whereby it could be formally taken, entered 
heartily into the plans of La Salle, who, anxious to 
solve the mystery concerning the outlet of the 
Great River, gave him the outline of a plan, saga- 
cious in its conception and grand in its compre- 
hension. La Salle had also informed him of the 
endeavors of the English on the Atlantic coast to 
divert the trade with the Indians, and partly to 
counteract this, were the plans of La Salle adopted. 
They were, briefly, to build a chain of forts from 
Canada, or New France, along the lakes to the 
Mississippi, and on down that river, thereby hold- 
ing the country by power as well as by discovery. 
A fort was to be built on the Ohio as soon as the 
means could be obtained, and thereby hold that 
country by the same policy. Thus to La Salle 
alone may be ascribed the bold plan of gaining the 
whole West, a plan only thwarted by the force of 
arms. Through the aid of Frontenac, he was 
given a proprietary and the rank of nobility, and 
on his proprietary was erected a fort, which he, in 
honor of his Governor, called Fort Frontenac. It 
stood on the site of the present city of Kingston, 
Canada. Through it he obtained the trade of the 
Five Nations, and his fortune was so far assured. 
He next repaired to France, to perfect his arrange- 
ments, secure his title and obtain means. 

On his return he built the fort alluded to, and 
prepared to go on in the prosecution of his plan. 
A civil discord arose, however, which for three 
years prevailed, and seriously threatened his 
projects. As soon as he could extricate himself, 
he again repaired to France, receiving additional 
encouragement in money, grants, and the exclusive 
privilege of a trade in buffalo skins, then consid- 
ered a source of great Avealth. On his return, he 
was accompanied by Henry Tonti, son of an illus- 
trious Italian nobleman, who had fled from his 



own country during one of its political revolutions. 
Coming to France, he made himself famous as the 
founder of Tontine Life Insurance. Henry Tonti 
possessed an indomitable will, and though he had 
suffered the loss of one of his hands by the ex- 
plosion of a grenade in one of the Sicilian wars, 
his courage was undtniuied, and his ardor un- 
dimmed. La Salle also brought recruits, mechanics, 
sailors, cordage and sails tor rigging a ship, and 
merchandise for traffic with the natives. At 
Montreal, he secured the services of M. LaMotte, a 
person of much energy and integrity of character. 
He also secured several missionaries before he 
reached Fort Frontenac. Among them were 
Louis Hennepin, Gabriel Ribourde and Zenabe 
Membre. All these were Flemings, all Recollets. 
Hennepin, of all of them, proved the best assist- 
ant. They arrived at the fort early in the autumn 
of 1678, and preparations were at once made to 
erect a vessel in which to navigate the lakes, and 
a fort at the mouth of the Niagara River. The 
Senecas were rather adverse to the latter proposals 
when La Motte and Hennepin came, but by 
the eloquence of the latter, they were pacified 
and rendered friendly. After a number of vexa- 
tious delays, the vessel, the Griffin, the first on the 
lakes, was built, and on the 7th of August, a year 
after La Salle came here, it was launched, passed 
over the waters of the northern lakes, and, after a 
tempestuous voyage, landed at Green Bay. It was 
soon after stored with furs and sent back, while 
La Salle and his men awaited its return. It was 
never afterward heard of. La Salle, becoming 
impatient, erected a fort, pushed on with a 
part of his men, leaving part at the fort, 
and passed over the St. Joseph and Kankakee 
Rivers, and thence to the IlHnois, down whose 
flood they proceeded to Peoria Lake, where 
he was obliged to halt, and return to Canada 
for more men and supplies. He left Tonti 
and several men to complete a fort, called 
Fort " Crevecoeur " — broken-hearted. The Indians 
drove the French away, the men mutinied, and 
Tonti was obliged to flee. When La Salle returned, 
he found no one there, and going down as far as 
the mouth of the Illinois, he retraced his steps, to 
find some trace of his garrison. Tonti was found 
safe among the Pottawatomies at Green Bay, and 
Hennepin and his two followers, sent to explore 
the head-waters of the IMississippi, were again 
home, after a captivity among the Sioux. 

La Salle renewed his force of men, and the third 
time set out for the outlet of the Great River. 



-\ 



30 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



He left Canada early in December, 1G81, and by 
February Ci, 1682, reached the majestic flood of 
the mighty stream. On the 24th, they ascended 
the Chickasaw Bluffs, and, while waiting to find 
a sailor who had strayed away, erected Fort Prud- 
homme. They passed several Indian villages fur- 
ther down the river, in some of which they met 
with no little opposition. Proceeding onward, ere- 
long they encountered the tide of the sea, and 
April 0, they emerged on the broad bosom of the 
Gulf, "to.ssing its restless billows, limitless, voice- 
less and lonely as when born of chaos, without a 
sign of life." 

Coasting about a short time on the shores of 
the Gulf, the party returned until a sufficiently 
dry place was reached to effect a landing. Here 
another cross was raised, also a column, on which 
was inscribed these words : 

" Louis le Grand, Roi de France et de Navarre, 
Regne; Le Neuvieme, Avril, 1682." * 

" The whole party," says a " proces verbal," in 
the archives of France, " chanted the Te Deuni, 
the Exaudiat and the Domiiiesalvum fac Regem^ 
and then after a salute of fire-arras and cries of 
Vive le Hoi, La Salle, standing near the column, 
said in a loud voice in French : 

"In the name of the most high, mighty, invin- 
cible and victorious Prince, Louis the Great, by 
the grace of God, King of France and of Navarre, 
Fourteenth of that name, this ninth day of April, 
one thousand six hundred and eighty two, I, in 
virtue of the commission of His Majesty, which I 
hold in my hand, and which may be seen by all 
whom it may concern, have taken, and do now 
take, in the name of His Majesty and of his suc- 
cessors to the crown, possession of this country of 
Louisiana, the seas, harbor, ports, bays, adjacent 
straights, and all the nations, people, provinces, cities, 
towns, villages, mines, minerals, fisheiies, streams 
and rivers, comprised in the extent of said Louisiana, 
from the north of the great river St. Louis, other- 
wise called the Ohio, Alighin, Sipore or Chukago- 
na, and this with the consent of the Chavunons, 
Chickachaws, and other people dwelling therein, 
with whom we have made alliance; as also along 
the river Colbert or Mississippi, and rivers which 
discharge themselves therein from its source beyond 
the Kious or Nadouessious, and this with their 
consent, and with the consent of the Illinois, Mes- 
igameas, Natchez, Koroas, which are the most con- 
siderable nations dwelling therein, with whom also 

* Lmiis the Groat, King of France and of Navarre, reigning the 
ninth day of April, 10b2. 



we have made alliance, either by ourselves or others 
in our behalf, as far as its mouth at the sea or 
Gulf of Mexico, about the twenty-seventh degree 
of its elevation of the North Pole, and also to the 
mouth of the River of Palms; upon the assurance 
which we have received from all these nations that 
we are the first Europeans who have descended or 
ascended the river Colbert, hereby protesting 
against all those who may in future undertake to 
invade any or all of these countries, peoples or 
lands, to the prejudice of the right of His Majesty, 
acquired by the consent of the nations herein 
named." 

The whole assembly responded with shouts and 
the salutes of fire-arms. The Sieur de La Salle 
caused to be planted at the foot of the column a 
plate of lead, on one side of which was inscribed 
the arms of France and the following Latin inscrip- 
tion: 

Robertvs Cavellier, cvm Domino de Tonly, Legato, 
R. P. Zenobi Membro, RecoUecto, et, Viginti Gallis 
Primos Hoc Flvmen inde ab ilineorvm Pago, enavigavil, 
ejvsqve ostivm fecit Pervivvm, nono Aprilis cio ioc 
LXXXIL 

The whole proceedings were acknowledged be- 
fi)re La ]\Ietaire, a notary, and the conquest was 
considered complete. 

Thus was the foundation of France laid in the 
new republic, and thus did she lay claim to the 
Northwest, which now includes Ohio, and the 
county, whose history this book perpetuates. 

La Salle and his party returned to Canada soon 
after, and again that country, and France itself, 
rang with anthems of exultation. He went on to 
France, where he received the highest honors. 
He was given a fleet, and sailors as well as colon- 
ists to return to the New World by way of a south- 
ern voyage, expecting to find the mouth of the 
Mississippi by an ocean course. Sailing past the 
outlets, he was wrecked on the coast of Texas, and 
in his vain endeavors to find the river or return to 
Canada, he became lost on the plains of Arkansas, 
where he, in 1087, was basely murdered by one of 
his followers. " You are down now, Grand BashaAV," 
exclaimed his slayer, and despoiling his remains, they 
left them to be devoured by wild beasts. To such 
an ignominious end came this daring, bold adven- 
turer. Alone in the wilderness, he was left, with 
no monument but the vast realm he had discov- 
ered, on whose bosom he was left without cover- 
ing and without protection. 

" For force of will and vast conception ; for va- 
rious knowledge, and quick adaptation of his genius 



•-^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



31 



to untried circumstances; for a sublime magnani- 
mity, that resigned itself to the will of Heaven, 
and yet triumphed over affliction by energy of 
purpose and unfaltering hope — he had no superior 
among his countrymen. He had won the affec- 
tions of the governor of Canada, the esteem of 
Colbert, the confidence of Seignelay, the favor of 
Louis XIV. After the beginning of the coloniza- 
tion of Upper Canada, he perfected the discovery 
of the Mississippi from the Falls of St. Anthony 
to its mouth ; and he will be remembered through 
all time as the father of colonization in the great 
central valley of the West."* 

Avarice, passion and jealousy were not calmed by 
the blood of La Salle. All of his conspirators per- 
ished by ignoble deaths, while only seven of the six- 
teen succeeded in continuing the journey until 
they reached Canada, and thence found their way 
to France. 

Tonti, who had been left at Fort St. Louis, on 
" Starved Rock" on the Illinois, went down in 
search of his beloved commander. Failing to find 
him, he returned and remained here until 1700, 
thousands of miles away from friends. Then he 
went down the Mississippi to join D'Iberville, who 
had made the discovery of the mouth of the Mis- 
sissippi by an ocean voyage. Two years later, he 
went on a mission to the Chickasaws, but of his 
subsequent history nothing is known. 

The West was now in possession of the French. 
La Salle's plans were yet feasible. The period of 
exploration was now over. The great river and 
its outlet was known, and it only remained for that 
nation to enter in and occupy what to many a 
Frenchman was the "Promised Land." Only 
eighteen years had elapsed since Marquette and 
Joliet had descended the river and shown the 
course of its outlet. A spirit, less bold than La 
Salle's would never in so short a time have pene- 
trated for more than a thousand miles an unknown 
wilderness, and solved the mystery of the world. 

When Joutel and his companions reached France 
in 1688, all Europe was on the eve of war. Other 
nations than the French wanted part of the New 
World, and when they saw that nation greedily 
and rapidly accumulating territory there, they en- 
deavored to stay its progress. The league of Augs- 
burg was formed in 1 687 by the princes of the Em- 
pire to restrain the ambition of Louis XIV, and 
in 1688, he began hostilities by the capture of 
Philipsburg. The next year, England, under the 



lead of William III, joined the alliance, and Louis 
found himself compelled, with only the aid of the 
Turks, to contend against the united forces of the 
Empires of England, Spain, Holland, Denmark, 
Sweden and Norway. Yet the tide of battle wa- 
vered. In 1689, the French were defeated at 
Walcourt, and the Turks at Widin; but in 1690, 
the French were victorious at Charleroy, and the 
Turks at Belgrade. The next year, and also the 
next, victory inclined to the French, but in 1693, 
Louvois and Luxemberg were dead and Namur 
surrendered to the allies. The war extended to the 
New World, where it was maintained with more 
than equal success by the French, though the En- 
glish population exceeded it more than twenty to one. 
In 1688, the French were estimated at about 
twelve thousand souls in North America, while the 
English were more than two hundred thousand. 
At first the war was prosecuted vigorously. In 
1689, De. Ste. Helene and D'Iberville, two of the 
sons of Charles le Morne, crossed the wilderness 
and reduced the English forts on Hudson's Bay. 
But in August of the same year, the Iroquois, the 
hereditary foes of the French, captured and burned 
Montreal. Frontenac, who had gone on an ex- 
pedition against New York by sea, was recalled. 
Fort Frontenac was abandoned, and no French 
posts left in the West between Trois Rivieres and 
Mackinaw, and were it not for the Jesuits the en- 
tire West would now have been abandoned. To 
recover their influence, the French planned three 
expeditions. One resulted in the destruction of 
Schenectady, another, Salmon Falls, and the third, 
Casco Bay. On the other hand. Nova Scotia was 
reduced by the colonies, and an expedition against 
Montreal went as far as to Lake Champlain, where 
it failed, owing to the dissensions of the leaders. 
Another expedition, consisting of twenty-four ves- 
sels, arrived before Quebec, which also failed 
through the incompetency of Sir William Phipps. 
During the succeeding years, various border con- 
flicts occurred, in all of which border scenes of 
savage cruelty and savage ferocity were enacted. 
The peace of Ryswick, in 1697, closed the war. 
France retained Hudson's Bay, and all the places 
of which she was in possession in 1688; but the 
boundaries of the English and French claims in 
the New World were still unsettled. 

The conclusion of the conflict left the French 
at liberty to pursue their scheme of colonization 
in the Mississippi Valley. In 1698, D'Iberville 
was sent to the lower province, which, erelong, 
was made a separate independency, called Louisiana. 






33 



IIISTOKY OF OHIO. 



Forts were erected on Mobile Bay, and the division 
of the territory between the French and the 
Spaniards was settled. Trouble existed between 
the French and the Chickasaws, ending in the 
cruel deaths of many of the leaders, in the 
fruitless endeavors of the Canadian and Louisi- 
anian forces combining against the Chickasaws. 
For many years the conflict raged, with unequal 
successes, until the Indian power gave way before 
superior military tactics. In the end, New Orleans 
was founded, in 1718, and the French power 
secured. 

Before this was consummated, however, France 
became entangled in another war against the 
allied powers, ending in her defeat and the loss 
of Nova Scotia, Hudson's Bay and Newfound- 
land. The peace of Utrecht closed the war 
in 1713. 

The French, weary with prolonged strife, 
adopted the plan, more peaceful in its nature, of 
giving out to distinguished men the monopoly of 
certain districts in the fur trade, the most pros- 
perous of any avocation then. Crozat and 
Cadillac — the latter the founder of Detroit, in 
1701 — were the chief ones concerned in this. 
The founding of the villages of Kaskaskia, Ca- 
hokia, Vincennes, and others in the Mississippi 
and Wabash Valleys, led to the rapid develop- 
ment, according to the French custom of all 
these parts of the West, while along all the chief 
water-courses, other trading posts and forts were 
established, rapidly fulfilling the hopes of La 
Salle, broached so many years before. 

The French had, at the beginning of the 
eighteenth century, four principal routes to their 
western towns, two of which passed over the soil 
of Ohio. The first of these was the one followed 
by Marquette and Joliet, by way of the Lakes to 
Green Bay, in Wisconsin ; thence across a portage 
to the Wisconsin River, down which they floated 
to the Mississippi. On their return they came 
up the Illinois River, to the site of Chicago, 
whence Joliet returned to Quebec by the Lakes. 
La Salle's route was first by the Lakes to the St. 
Joseph's River, which he followed to the portage 
to the Kankakee, and thence downward to the 
Mississippi. On his second and third attempt, 
he crossed the lower peninsula of Michigan to 
the Kankakee, and again traversed its waters to 
the Illinois. The third route was established 
about 1716. It followed the southern shores of 
Lake Erie to the mouth of the Maumee River; 
following this stream, the voyagers went on to the 



junction between it and the St. Mary's, which 
they followed to the " Oubache " — Waba.sh — and 
then to the French villages in Vigo and Knox 
Counties, in Indiana. Vincennes was the oldest 
and most important one here. It had been 
founded in 1702 by a French trader, and was, at 
the date of the establishment of the third route, 
in a prosperous condition. For many years, the 
traders crossed the plains of Southern Illinois to 
the French towns on the bottoms opposite St. 
Louis. They were afraid to go on down the 
"Waba" to the Ohio, as the Indians had fright- 
ened them with accounts of the great monsters 
below. Finally, some adventurous spirit went 
down the river, found it emptied into the Ohio, 
and solved the problem of the true outlet of the 
Ohio, heretofore supposed to be a tributary of the 
Wabash. 

The fourth route was from the southern shore 
of Lake Erie, at Presqueville, over a portage of 
fifteen miles to the head of French Creek, at 
Waterford, Penn.; thence down that stream to the 
Ohio, and on to the Mississippi. Along all these 
routes, ports and posts were carefully maintained. 
Many were on the soil of Ohio, and were the first 
attempts of the white race to possess its domain. 
Many of the ruins of these posts are yet found on 
the southern shore of Lake Erie, and at the 
outlets of streams flowing into the lake and the Ohio 
River. The principal forts were at Mackinaw, at 
Presqueville, at the mouth of the St. Joseph's, on 
Starved Rock, and along the Father of Waters. 
Yet another power was encroaching on them : a 
sturdy race, clinging to the inhospitable Atlantic 
shores, were coming over the mountains. The 
murmurs of a conflict were already heard — a con- 
flict that would change the fate of a nation. 

The French were extending their explorations 
beyond the Mississippi; they were also forming a 
political organization, and increasing their influence 
over the natives. Of a passive nature, however, 
their power and their influence could not with- 
stand a more aggressive nature, and they were 
obliged, finally, to give way. They had the 
fruitful valleys of the West more than a century; 
yet they developed no resources, opened no mines 
of wealth, and left the country as passive as they 
found it. 

Of the growth of the West under French rule, 
but little else remains to be said. The sturdy 
Anglo-Saxon race on the Atlantic coast, and their 
progenitors in England, began, now, to turn their 
attention to this vast country. The voluptuousness 



■■^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



33 



of the French court, their neglect of the true 
basis of wealth, agriculture, and the repressive 
tendencies laid on the colonists, led the latter to 
adopt a hunter's life, and leave the country unde- 
veloped and ready for the people who claimed the 
country from "sea to sea." Their explorers were 
now at work. The change was at hand. 

Occasional mention has been made in the his- 
tory of the State, in preceding pages, of settle- 
ments and trading-posts of the French traders, 
explorers and missionaries, within the limits of 
Ohio. The French were the first white men to 
occupy the northwestern part of the New World, 
and though their stay was brief, yet it opened the 
way to a sinewy race, living on the shores of the 
Atlantic, who in time came, saw, and conquered 
that part of America, making it what the people 
of to-day enjoy. 

As early as 1669, four years before the discov- 
ery of the Mississippi by Joliet and Marquette, 
La Salle, the fixmous explorer, discovered the Ohio 
lliver, and paddled down its gentle current as far 
as the ftills at the present city of Louisville, but he, 
like others of the day, made no settlement on its 
banks, only claiming the country for his King by 
virtue of this discovery. 

Early in the beginning of the eighteenth cent- 
ury, French traders and voyagers passed along the 
southern shores of Lake Erie, to the mouth of the 
Maumee, up whose waters they rowed their bark 
canoes, on their way to their outposts in the Wa- 
bash and Illinois Valleys, established between 
1675 and 1700. As soon as they could, without 
danger from their inveterate enemies, the Iroquois, 
masters of all the lower lake country, erect a 
trading-post at the mouth of this river, they did 
so. It was made a depot of considerable note, 
and was, probably, the first permanent habitation 
of white men in Ohio. It remained until after 
the peace of 1763, the termination of the French 
and Indian war, and the occupancy of this country 
by the English. On the site of the French trading- 
post, the British, in 1794, erected Fort Miami, 
which they garrisoned until the country came 
under the control of Americans. Now, Maumee 
City covers the ground. 

The French had a trading-post at the mouth of 
the Huron lliver, in what is now Erie County. 
When it was built is not now known. It was, how- 
ever, probably one of their early outposts, and 
may have been built before 1750. They had an- 
other on the shore of the bay, on or near the site 
of Sandusky City. Both this and the one at the 



mouth of the Huron lliver were abandoned before 
the war of the Revolution. On Lewis Evan's map 
of the British Middle Colonies, published in 1755, 
a French fort, called " Fort Junandat, built in 
175-4," is marked on the east bank of the San- 
dusky lliver, several miles below its mouth. Fort 
Sandusky, on the western bank, is also noted. 
Several Wyandot towns are likewise marked. But 
very little is known concerning any of these 
trading-posts. They were, evidently, only tempo- 
rary, and were abandoned when the English came 
into possession of the country. 

The mouth of the Cuyahoga River was another 
important place. On Evan's map there is marked 
on the west bank of the Cuyahoga, some distance 
from its mouth, the words '■'■French House^''' doubt- 
less, the station of a French trader. The ruins 
of a house, found about five miles from the mouth 
of the river, on the west bank, are supposed to 
be those of the trader's station. 

In 1786, the Moravian missionary, Zeisberger, 
with his Indian converts, left Detroit in a vessel 
called the Mackinaw, and sailed to the mouth of 
the Cuyahoga. From there they went up the 
river about ten miles, and settled in an abandoned 
Ottawa village, where Independence now is, which 
place they called " Saint's Rest." Their stay was 
brief, for the following April, they left for the 
Huron River, and settled near the site of IMilan, 
Erie County, at a locality they called New Salem. 

There are but few records of settlements made 
by the French until after 1750. Even these can 
hardly be called settlements, as they were simply 
trading-posts. The French easily afiiliated with 
the Indians, and had little energy beyond trading. 
They never cultivated fields, laid low forests, and 
subjugated the country. They were a half-Indian 
race, so to speak, and hence did little if anything 
in developing the West. 

About 1749, some English traders came to a 
place in what is now Shelby County, on the 
banks of a creek since known as Loramic's 
Creek, and established a trading-station with the 
Indians. This was the first English trading-place 
or attempt at settlement in the State. It was here 
but a short time, however, when the French, hear- 
ing of its existence, sent a party of soldiers to the 
Twigtwees, among whom it was founded, and de- 
manded the traders as intruders upon French ter- 
ritory. The Twigtwees refusing to deliver up 
their friends, the French, assisted by a large party 
of Ottawas and Chippewas, attacked the trading- 
house, probably a block-house, and, after a severe 



:\ 



34 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



battle, captured it. The traders were taken to 
Canada. This fort was called by the English 
" Pickawillauy," from which "Piqua" is probably 
derived. About the time that Kentucky was sot- 
tied, a Canadian Frenchman, named Loramio, 
established a store on the site of the old fort. He 
was a bitter enemy of the Americans, and for a 
long time Loramie's store was the headquarters of 
mischief toward the settlers. 

The French had the faculty of endearing them- 
selves to the Indians by their easy assimilation of 
their habits; and, no doubt, Loramie was equal to 
any in this respect, and hence gained great influ- 
ence over them. Col. Johnston, many years an 
Indian Agent from the United States among the 
Western tribes, stated that he had often seen the 
" Indians burst into tears when speaking of the 
times when their French father had dominion 
over them ; and their attachment always remained 
unabated." 

So much influence had Loramie with the In- 
dians, that, when Gen. Clarke, from Kentucky, 
invaded the Miami Valley in 1782, his attention 
was attracted to the spot. He came on and burnt 
the Indian settlement here, and destroyed the store 
of the Frenchman, selling his goods among the 
men at auction. Loramie fled to the Shawanees, 
and, with a colony of that nation, emigrated west 
of the Mississippi, to the Spanish possessions, 
where he again began his life of a trader. 

In 1794, during the Indian war, a fort was 
built on the site of the store by Wayne, and 
named Fort Loramie. The last ofiicer who had 
command here was Capt. Butler, a nephew of 
Col. Ilichard Butler, who fell at St. Clair's defeat. 
While here with his family, he lost an interesting 
boy, about eight years of age. About his grave, 
the sorrowing father and mother built a substantial 
picket-fence, planted honeysuckles over it, which, 
long after, remained to mark the grave of the 
soldier's boy. 

The site of Fort Loramie was always an im- 
portant point, and was one of the places defined 
on the boundary line at the Greenville treaty. 
Now a barn covers the spot. 

At the junction of the Auglaize and Maumee 
Rivers, on the site of Fort Defiance, built by Gen. 
Wayne in 1794, was a settlement of traders, 
established some time before the Indian war 
began. "On the high ground extending from the 
Maumee a quarter of a mile up the Auglaize, 
about two hundred yards in Avidth, was an open 
S])ace, on the west and south of which were oak 



woods, with hazel undergrowth. Within this 
opening, a few hundred yards above the point, on 
the steep bank of the Auglaize, were five or six 
cabins and log houses, inhabited principally by 
Indian traders. The most northerly, a large 
hewed-log house, divided below into three apart- 
ments, was occupied as a warehouse, store and 
dwelling, by George Ironside, the most wealthy 
and influential of the traders on the point. Next 
to his were the houses of Pirault (Pero) a French 
baker, and McKenzie, a Scot, who, in addition to 
merchandising, followed the occupation of a silver- 
smith, exchanging with the Indians his brooches, 
ear-drops and other silver ornaments, at an 
enormous profit, for skins and furs. 

Still further up were several other fami- 
lies of French and English; and two Ameri- 
can prisoners, Henry Ball, a soldier taken in St. 
Clair's defeat, and his wife, Polly JMeadows, 
captured at the same time, were allowed to live 
here and pay their masters the price of their 
ransom — he, by boating to the rapids of the ]\Iau- 
mee, and she by washing and sewing. Fronting 
the house of Ironside, and about fifty yards from 
the bank, was a small stockade, inclosing two 
hewed-log houses, one of which was occupied by 
James Girty (a brother of Simon), the other, 
occasionally, by Elliott and McKee, British 
Indian Agents living at Detroit."* 

The post, cabins and all they contained fell 
under the control of the Americans, when the 
British evacuated the shores of the lakes. 
While they existed, they were an undoubted 
source of Indian discontent, and had much to do 
in prolonging the Indian war. The country 
hereabouts did not settle until some time after 
the creation of the State government. 

As soon as the French learned the true source 
of the Ohio and Wabash Rivers, both were made 
a highway to convey the products of their hunt- 
ers. In coursing down the Ohio, they made 
trading-places, or depots, where they could obtain 
furs of the Indians, at accessible points, generally 
at the mouths of the rivers emptying into the 
Ohio. One of these old forts or trading-places 
stood about a mile and a half south of the outlet 
of the Scioto. It was here in 1740; but when 
it was erected no one could tell. The locality 
must have been pretty well known to the whites, 
however; for, in 1785, three years before the 
settlement of IMarietta was made, four families 



♦Narrative of 0. M. Spencer. 



-^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



35 



made an ineffectual attempt to settle near the same 
place. They were from Kentucky, but were 
driven away by the Indians a short time after 
they arrived, not being allowed to build cabins, 
and had only made preparations to plant corn 
and other necessaries of life. While the men 
were encamped near the vicinity of Piketown, 
in Pike County, when on a hunting expedition, 
they were surprised by the Indians, and two of 
them slain. The others hastened back to the 
encampment at the mouth of the Scioto, and 
hurriedly gathering the families together, fortu- 
nately got them on a flat-boat, at that hour on its 
way down the river. By the aid of the boat, 
they were enabled to reach Maysville, and gave 
up the attempt to settle north of the Ohio. 

The famous "old Scioto Salt Works," in Jack- 
son County, on the banks of Salt Creek, a tributary 
of the Scioto, were long known to the whites before 
any attempt was made to settle in Ohio. They 
were indicated on the maps published in 1755. 
They were the resort, for generations, of the In- 
dians in all parts of the West, who annually came 
here to make salt. They often brought white 
prisoners with them, and thus the salt works be- 
came known. There were no attempts made to 
settle here, however, until after the Indian war, 
which closed in 1795. As soon as peace was as- 
sured, the whites came here for salt, and soon after 
made a settlement. Another early salt spring 
was in what is now Trumbull County. It is also 
noted on Evan's map of 1755. They were occu- 
pied by the Indians, French, and by the Americans 
as early as 1780, and perhaps earlier. 

As early as 1761 Moravian missionaries came 
among the Ohio Indians and began their labors. 
In a few years, under the lead of Revs. Fredrick 
Post and John Heckewelder, permanent stations 
were established in several parts of the State, chief- 
ly on the Tuscarawas River in Tuscarawas County. 
Here were the three Indian villages — Shocnburn, 
Gnadcnhutten and Salem. The site of the first is 
about two miles south of New Philadelphia; Gna- 
dcnhutten was seven miles further south, and about 
five miles still on was Salem, a short distance from 
the present village of Port Washington. The first 
and last named of these villages were on the west 
side of the Tuscarawas River, near the margin of 
the Ohio Canal. Gnadcnhutten was on the east 
side of the river. It was here that the brutal 
massacre of these Christian Indians, by the rangers 
under Col. Williamson, occurred March 8, 1782. 
The account of the massacre and of these tribes 



appears in these pages, and it only remains to 
notice what became of them. 

The hospitable and friendly character of these 
Indians had extended beyond their white breth- 
ren on the Ohio. The American people at large 
looked on the act of Williamson and his men as an 
outrage on humanity. Congress felt its influence, 
and gave them a tract of twelve thousand acres, 
embracing their former homes, and induced them 
to return from the northern towns whither they had 
fled. As the whites came into the country, their 
manners degenerated until it became necessary to 
remove them. Through Gen. Cass, of Michigan, 
an agreement was made with them, whereby Con- 
gress paid them over $G,000, an annuity of $400, 
and 24,000 acres in some territory to be designated 
by the United States. This treaty, by some means, 
was never effectually carried out, and the princi- 
pal part of them took up their residence near a 
Moravian missionary station on the River Thames, 
in Canada. Their old churchyard still exists on 
the Tuscarawas River, and here rest the bones of 
several of their devoted teachers. It is proper 
to remark here, that Mary Heckewelder, daughter 
of the missionary, is generally believed to have 
been the first white child born in Ohio. How- 
ever, this is largely conjecture. Captive women 
among the Indians, before the birth of Mary 
Heckewelder, are known to have borne children, 
which afterward, with their mothers, were restored 
to their friends. The assertion that Mary 
Heckewelder was the first child born in Ohio, is 
therefore incorrect. She is the first of whom any 
definite record is made. 

These outposts are about all that are known 
to have existed prior to the settlement at Mari- 
etta. About one-half mile below Bolivar, on 
the western line of Tuscarawas County, are the 
remains of Fort Laurens, erected in 1778, by 
a detachment of 1,000 men under Gen. Mc- 
intosh, from Fort Pitt. It was, however, occu- 
pied but a short time, vacated in Aug-ust, 1770. as 
it was deemed untenable at such a distance from 
the frontier. 

During the existence of the six years' Indian 
war, a settlement of French emigrants was made 
on the Ohio River, that deserves notice. It illus- 
trates very clearly the extreme ignorance and 
credulity prevalent at that day. In IMay or June 
of 1788, Joel Barlow left this country for Europe, 
" authorized to dispose of a very large body of 
land in the West. " In 1790, he distributed pro- 
posals in Paris for the disposal of lands at five 



V 



fk 



36 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



shillings per acre, which, says Volney, " promised 
a climate healthy and delightful ; scarcely such a 
thing as a frost in the winter ; a river, called by 
way of eminence ' The Beautiful, ' abounding in 
fish of an enormous size ; magnificent forests of a 
tree from which sugar flows, and a shrub which 
yields candles ; venison in abundance ; no military 
enrollments, and no quarters to find for soldiers." 
Purchasers became numerous, individuals and 
whole families sold their property, and in the 
course of 1791 many embarked at the various 
French sea-ports, each with his title in his pocket. 
Five hundred settlers, among whom were many 
wood carvers and guilders to His Majesty, King of 
France, coachmakers, friseurs and peruke makers, 
and other artisans and artistes, equally well fitted 
for a frontier Hfe, arrived in the United States in 
1791-92, and acting without concert, traveling 
without knowledge of the language, customs and 
roads, at last managed to reach the spot designated 
for their residence. There they learned they had 
been cruelly deceived, and that the titles they held 
were worthless. Without food, shelterless, and 
danger closing around them, they were in a position 
that none but a Frenchman could be in without 
despair. Who brought them thither, and who was 
to blame, is yet a disputed point. Some affirm 
that those to whom large grants of land were made 
when the Ohio Company procured its charter, were 
the real instigators of the movement. They failed 
to pay for their lands, and hence the title reverted 
to the Government. This, coming to the ears of 
the poor Frenchmen, rendered their situation more 
distressing. They never paid for their lands^ and 
only through the clemency of Congress, who after- 
ward gave them a grant of land, and confirmed 
them in its title, were they enabled to secure a foot- 
hold. Whatever doubt there may be as to the 



causes of these people being so grossly deceived, 
there can be none regarding their sufierings. They 
had followed a jack-o-lantern into the howling 
wilderness, and must work or starve. The land 
upon which they had been located was covered 
with immense forest trees, to level which the coach- 
makers were at a loss. At last, hoping to conquer 
by a coup de main, they tied ropes to the branches, 
and while a dozen pulled at them as many fell at 
the trunk with all sorts of edged tools, and thus 
soon brought the monster to the earth. Yet he 
was a burden. He was down, to be sure, but as 
much in the way as ever. Several lopped off the 
branches, others dug an immense trench at his side, 
into which, with might and main, all rolled the 
large log, and then buried him from sight. They 
erected their cabins in a cluster, as they had seen 
them in their own native land, thus afibrding some 
protection from marauding bands of Indians. 
Though isolated here in the lonely wilderness, and 
nearly out of funds with which to purchase pro- 
visions from descending boats, yet once a week 
they met and drowned care in a merry dance, 
greatly to the wonderment of the scout or lone 
Indian who chanced to witness their revelry. 
Though their vivacity could work wonders, it would 
not pay for lands nor buy provisions. Some of those 
at Gallipolis (for such they called their settlement, 
from Gallia, in France) went to Detroit, some to 
Kaskaskia, and some bought land of the Ohio 
Company, who treated them liberally. Congress, 
too, in 1795, being informed of their sufFering^, 
and how they had been deceived, granted them 
24,000 acres opposite Little Sandy River, to which 
grant, in 1798, 12,000 acres more were added. 
The tract has since been known as French Grant. 
The settlement is a curious episode in early West- 
ern history, and deserves a place in its annals. 




":?" 



1^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



37 



ENGLISH EXPLORATIONS 



CHAPTER III. 

-TRADERS— FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR IN THE WEST. 
POSSESSION. 



■ENGLISH 



AS has been noted, the French title rested on 
the discoveries of their missionaries and 
traders, upon the occupation of the country, and 
upon the construction of the treaties of Ryswick, 
Utrecht and Aix la Chapelle. The English 
claims to the same region were based on the fact 
of a prior occupation of the corresponding coast, 
on an opposite construction of the same treaties, 
and an alleged cession of the rights of the 
Indians. The rights acquired by discovery were 
conventional, and in equity were good only 
between European powers, and could not affect the 
rights of the natives, but this distinction was dis- 
regarded by all European powers. The inquiry of 
an Indian chief embodies the whole controversy: 
" Where are the Indian lands, since the French 
claim all on the north side of the Ohio and the 
English all on the south side of it?" 

The English charters expressly granted to all 
the original colonies the country westward to the 
South Sea, and the claims thus set up in the West, 
though held in abeyance, were never relinquished. 
The primary distinction between the two nations 
governed their actions in the New World, and led 
finally to the supremacy of the English. They 
were fixed agricultural communities. The French 
were mere trading-posts. Though the French 
were the prime movers in the exploration of the 
West, the English made discoveries during their 
occupation, however, mainly by their traders, who 
penetrated the Western wilderness by way of the 
Ohio River, entering it from the two streams which 
uniting form that river. Daniel Coxie, in 1722, 
published, in London, "A description of the 
English province of Carolina, by the Spaniards 
called Florida, and by the French called La Louis- 
iane, as also the great and famous river Mescha- 
cebe, or Mississippi, the five vast navigable lakes 
of fresh water, and the parts adjacent, together 
with an account of the commodities of the growth 
and production of the said province." The title 
of this work exhibits very clearly the opinions of 
the English people respecting the West. As early 
as 1 G30, Charles I granted to Sir Robert Heath 
"All that part of America lying between thirty- 



one and thirty-six degrees north latitude, from sea 
to sea," out of which the limits of Carolina were 
afterward taken. This immense grant was con- 
veyed in 1638, to the Earl of Arundel, and after- 
ward came into the possession of Dr. Daniel Coxie. 
In the prosecution of this claim, it appeared that 
Col. Wood, of Virginia, from 165-1 to 1664, ex- 
plored several branches of the Ohio and " Mescha- 
cebe," as they spell the Mississippi. A Mr. Need- 
ham, who was employed by Col. Wood, kept a 
journal of the exploration. There is also the ac- 
count of some one who had explored the Missis- 
sippi to the Yellow, or Missouri River, before 1676. 
These, and others, are said to have been there 
when La Salle explored the outlet of the Great 
River, as he found tools among the natives which 
were of European manufacture. They had been 
brought here by English adventurers. Also, when 
Iberville was colonizing the lower part of Louis- 
iana, these same persons visited the Chickasaws 
and stirred them up against the French. It is also 
stated that La Salle found that some one had been 
among the Natchez tribes when he returned from 
the discovery of the outlet of the Mississippi, and 
excited them against him. There is, however, no 
good authority for these statements, and they are 
doubtless incorrect. There is also an account that 
in 1678, several persons went from New England 
as far south as New Mexico, " one hundred and 
fifty leagues beyond the Meschacebe," the narrative 
reads, and on their return wrote an account of the 
expedition. This, also, cannot be traced to good 
authority. The only accurate account of the 
English reaching the West was when Bienville 
met the British vessel at the "English Turn," 
about 1700. A few of their traders may have 
been in the valley west of the Alleghany Mount- 
ains before 1700, though no reliable accounts are 
now found to confirm these suppositions. Still, 
from the earliest occupation of the Atlantic Coast 
by the EngHsh, they claimed the country, and, 
though the policy of its occupation rested for a 
time, it was never ftilly abandoned. Its revival 
dates from 1710 properly, though no immediate 
endeavor was made for many years after. That 



:^ 



38 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



year, Alexander Spottswood was made Governor of 
Virginia. No sooner did he assume the functions 
of ruler, than, casting his eye over his dominion, he 
saw the great West beyond the Alleghany Mount- 
ains unoccupied by the English, and rapidly filling 
with the French, who he observed were gradually 
confining the English to the Atlantic Coast. His 
prophetic eye saw at a glance the animus of the 
whole scheme, and he determined to act promptly 
on the defensive. Through his representation, the 
Virginia Assembly was induced to make an appro- 
priation to defray the expense of an exploration of 
the mountains, and see if a suitable pass could not 
then be found where they could be crossed. The 
Governor led the expedition in person. The pass 
was discovered, a route marked out for future em- 
igrants, and the party returned to Williamsburg. 
There the Governor established the order of the 
"Knights of the Golden Horseshoe," presented 
his report to the Colonial Assembly and one to his 
King. In each report, he exposed with great bold- 
ness the scheme of the French, and advised the 
building of a chain of forts across to the Ohio, and 
the formation of settlements to counteract them. 
The British Government, engrossed with other 
matters, neglected his advice. Forty years after, 
they remembered it, only to regret that it was so 
thoughtlessly disregarded. 

Individuals, however, profited by his advice. By 
1730, traders began in earnest to cross the mount- 
ains and gather from the Indians the stores beyond. 
They now began to adopt a system, and abandoned 
the heretofore renegade habits of those who had 
superseded them, many of whom never returned to 
the Atlantic Coast. In 1742, Joan Howard de- 
scended the Ohio in a skin canoe, and, on the 
Mississippi was taken prisoner by the French. His 
captivity did not in the least deter others from 
coming. Indeed, the date of his voyage was the 
commencement of a vigorous trade with the In- 
dians by the English, who crossed the Alleghanies 
by the route discovered by Gov. Spottswood. In 
1748, Conrad Weiser, a German of Herenberg, who 
had acquired in early life a knowledge of the jMo- 
hawk tongue by a residence among them, was sent 
on an embas.sy to the Shawanees on the Ohio. He 
went as far as Logstown,a Shawanee village on the 
north bank of the Ohio, about seventeen miles bc- 
k)W the site of Pittsburgh. Here he met the chiefs 
in coun.sel, and secured their promise of aid against 
the French. 

The principal ground of the claims of the 
English in the Northwest was the treaty with the 



Five Nations — the Iroquois. This powerful confed- 
eration claimed the jurisdiction over an immense 
extent of country. Their policy differed considera- 
bly from other Indian tribes. They were the only 
confederation which attempted any form of gov- 
ernment in America. They were often termed the 
" Six Nations," as the entrance of another tribe 
into the confederacy made that number. Tliey 
were the conquerors of nearly all tribes from Lower 
Canada, to and beyond the Mississippi. They only 
exacted, however, a tribute from the conquered 
tribes, leaving them to manage their own internal 
affairs, and stipulating that to them alone did the 
right of cession belong. Their country, under 
these claims, embraced all of America north of the 
Cherokee Nation, in Virginia; all Kentucky, and 
all the Northwest, save a district in Ohio and Indi- 
ana, and a small section in Southwestern Illinois, 
claimed by the Miami Confederacy. The Iroquois, 
or Six Nations, were the terror of all other tribes. 
It was they who devastated the Illinois country 
about Rock Fort in 1680, and caused wide-spread 
alarm among all the Western Indians. In 16S4, 
Lord Howard, Governor of Virginia, held a treaty 
with the Iroquois at Albany, when, at the request 
of Col. Duncan, of New York, they placed them- 
selves under the protection of the English. They 
made a deed of sale then, by treaty, to the British 
Government, of a vast tract of country south and 
east of the Illinois River, and extending into Can- 
ada. In 1726, another deed was drawn up and 
signed by the chiefs of the national confederacy by 
which their lands were conveyed in trust to 
England, " to be protected and defended by His 
Majesty, to and for the use of the grantors and 
their heirs."* 

If the Six Nations had a good claim to the West- 
ern country, there is but little doubt but England 
was justified in defending their country against the 
French, as, by the treaty of Uti-echt, they had 
agreed not to invade the lands of Britain's Indian 
allies. This claim was vigorously contested by 
France, as that country claimed the Iroquois had 
no lawful jurisdiction over the West. In all the 
disputes, the interests of the contending nations 
was, however, the paramount consideration. The 
rights of the Indians were little regarded. 

The British also purchased land by the treaty 
of Lancaster, in 1744, wherein they agreed to pay 
the Six Nations for land settled unlawfully in 
Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland. The In- 

* Annals of the West. 



l£ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



39 



(lians were given goods and gold amounting to 
near a thousand pounds sterling. They were also 
promised the protection of the English. Had this 
latter provision been faithfully carried out, much 
blood would have been saved in after years. The 
treaties with the Six Nations were the real basis 
of the claims of Great Britain to ihe West ; claims 
that were only settled by war. The Shawanee In- 
dians, on the Ohio, were also becoming hostile to 
the English, and began to assume a threatening 
exterior. Peter Chartier, a half-breed, residing in 
Philadelphia, escaped from the authorities, those 
by whom he was held for a violation of the laws, 
and joining the Shawanees, persuaded them to join 
the French. Soon after, in 1743 or 1744, he 
placed himself at the head of 400 of their war- 
riors, and lay in wait on the Alleghany River for 
the provincial traders. He captured two, exhib- 
ited to them a captain's commission from the 
French, and seized their goods, worth £1,600. 
The Indians, after this, emboldened by the aid 
given them by the French, became more and more 
hostile, and Weiser was again sent across the mount- 
ains in 1748, with presents to conciliate them and 
sound them on their feelings for the rival nations, 
and also to see what they thought of a settlement 
of the English to be made in the West. The visit 
of Conrad Weiser was successful, and Thomas Lee, 
with twelve other Virginians, among whom were 
Lawrence and Augustine AVashington, brothers of 
George Washington, formed a company which 
they styled the Ohio Company, and, in 1748, peti- 
tioned the King for a grant beyond the mountains. 
The monarch approved the petition and the gov- 
ernment of Virginia was ordered to grant the Com- 
pany 500,000 acres within the bounds of that 
colony beyond the Alleghanies, 200,000 of which 
were to be located at once. This provision was to 
hold good for ten years, free of quit rent, provided 
the Company would settle 100 families within 
seven years, and build a fort sufficient for their 
protection. These terms the Company accepted, 
and sent at once to London for a cargo suitable for 
the Indian trade. This was the beginning of 
English Companies in the West; this one forming 
a prominent part in the history of Ohio, as will 
be .seen hereafter. Others were also formed in 
Virginia, whose object was the colonization of the 
West. One of these, the Loyal Company, received, 
on the 12th of June, 1749, a grant of 800,000 
acres, from the line of Canada on the north and 
west, and on the 29th of October, 1751, the Green- 
briar Company received a grant of 100,000 acres. 



To these encroachments, the French were by no 
means blind. They saw plainly enough that if 
the English gained a foothold in the West, they 
would inevitably endeavor to obtain the country, 
and one day the issue could only be decided by 
war. Vaudreuil, the French Governor, had long 
anxiously watched the coming struggle. In 1774, 
he wrote home representing the consequences that 
would surely come, should the English succeed in 
their plans. The towns of the French in Illinois 
were producing large amounts of bread-stuffs and 
provisions which they sent to New Orleans. These 
provinces were becoming valuable, and mu.st not be 
allowed to come under control of a rival power. 
In 1749, Louis Celeron was sent by the Governor 
with a party of soldiers to plant leaden plates, suit- 
ably inscribed, along the Ohio at the mouths of 
the principal streams. Two of these plates were 
afterward exhumed. One was .sent to the 3Iary- 
land Historical Society, and the inscription* deci- 
phered by De Witt Clinton. On these plates was 
clearly stated the claims of France, as will be seen 
from the translation below. 

England's claim, briefly and clearly stated, read 
as follows: "That all lands, or countries west- 
ward from the Atlantic Ocean to the South Sea, 
between 48 and 34 degrees of North Latitude, 
were expres.sly included in the grant of King 
James the First, to divers of his subjects, so long- 
time since as the year 1606, and afterwards con- 
firmed in the year 1620; and under this grant, 
the colony of Virginia claims extent so far west 
as the South Sea, and the ancient colonies of Ma.ss- 
achusetts Bay and Connecticut, were by their 
respective charters, made to extend to the said 
South Sea, so that not only the right to the sea 
coast, but to all the Inland countries from sea to 
sea, has at all times been asserted by the Crown of 
England. "f 

To make good their titles, both nations were now 
doing their utmost. Professedly at peace, it only 
needed a torch applied, as it were, to any point, to 
instantly precipitate hostilities. The French were 

* The following is the translation of the inscription of the plate 
found at Venango : " In the year 1749, reign of Louis XV, King of 
France, we, Celeron, commandant of a detiichment by Monsieur 
thw Marquis of Giillisoniere, Commander-in-chief of New France, 
to establish tranquillity in certain Indian villages in these Cantons, 
have buried this plate at the confluence of the Toraclakoin, this 
twenty-ninth of July, near the River Ohio, otherwise Beautiful 
River, as a monument of renewal of possession which we have taken 
of the said river, and all its tributaries; and of all the land on both 
sides, as far as the sources of said rivers; inasmuch as th" preceding 
Kings of France have enjoyed it, and maintained it by tlnir arras 
and by treaties; especially by those of Eyswick, Utrecht, and Aix 
La Chapelle." 

1 Colonial Records of Pennsylvania. 



"V 



40 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



bu.silj engaged erecting forts from the southern 
shores of Lake Erie to the Ohio, and on down in 
the Illinois Valley ; up at Detroit, and at all its 
posts, preparations were constantly going on for the 
crisis, now sure to come. The issue between the 
two governments was now fully miule up. It ad- 
mitted of no compromise but the sword. To that, 
however, neither power desired an immediate ap- 
peal, and both sought rather to establish and fortify 
their interests, and to conciliate the Indian tribes. 
The English, through the Ohio Company, sent out 
Christopher Gist in the fall of 1750, to explore the 
regions west of the mountains. He was instructed 
to examine the passes, trace the courses of the 
rivers, mark the falls, seek for valuable lands, ob- 
serve the strength, and to conciliate the friendship 
of the Indian tribes. He was well fitted for such 
an enterprise. Hardy, sagacious, bold, an adept in 
Indian character, a hunter by occupation, no man 
was better qualified than he for such an undertak- 
ing. He visited Logstown, where he w^as jealously 
received, passed over to the Muskingum River and 
Valley in Ohio, where he found a village of Wyan- 
dots, divided in sentiment. At this village he met 
Crogaii, another equally famous frontiersman, who 
had been sent out by Pennsylvania. Together 
they held a council with the chiefs, and received 
assurance of the friendship of the tribe. This 
done, they passed to the Shawnee towns on the 
Scioto, received their assurances of friendship, and 
went on to the Miami Valley, which they crossed, 
remarking in Crogan's journal of its great fertili- 
ty. They made a raft of logs on which they 
crossed the Grreat Miami, visited Piqua, the chief 
town of the Pickawillanies, and here made treaties 
with the Weas and Piankeshaws. While here, a 
deputation of the Ottawas visited the Miami Con- 
federacy to induce them to unite with the French. 
They were repulsed through the influence of the 
English agents, the Miamis sending Gist word that 
they would " stand like the mountains. " Crogan 
now returned and published an account of their 
wanderings. Gist followed the IMiami to its 
mouth, passed down the Ohio till within fifteen 
miles of the falls, then returned by way of the 
Kentucky River, over the highlands of Kentucky 
to Virginia, arriving in May, 1751. He had 
visited the Mingoes, Delawares, Wyandots, Shawa- 
nees and Miamis, proposed a union among these 
tribes, and appointed a grand council to meet at 
Logstown to form an alliance among themselves 
and with Virginia. His journey was marvelous 
for the day. It was extremely hazardous, as he 



was part of the time among hostile tribes, who 
could have captured him and been well rewarded 
by the French Government. But Gist knew how 
to act. and was successful. 

While Gist was doing this, some English traders 
established themselves at a place in what is now 
known as Shelby County, Ohio, and opened a 
store for the purpose of trading with the Indians. 
This was clearly in the limits of the West, claimed 
by the French, and at once aroused them to action. 
The fort or stockade stood on the banks of Loramie's 
Creek, about sixteen miles northwest of the present 
city of Sydney. It received the name Loramie 
from the creek by the French, which received 
its name in turn from the French trader of 
that name, who had a trading-post on this 
creek. Loramie had fled to the Spanish country 
west of the Mississippi, and for many years 
was a trader there ; his store being at the junc- 
tion of the Kansas and Missouri, near the present 
city of Kansas City, Mo. When the English 
traders came to Loramie's Creek, and erected 
their trading-place, they gave it the name of Pick- 
awillany, from the tribe of Indians there. The 
Miami confederacy granted them this privilege 
as the result of the presents brought by Crogan and 
Gist. It is also asserted that Andrew Montour, 
a half-breed, son of a Seneca chief and the famous 
Catharine Montour, who was an important fac- 
tor afterward in the English treaties with the 
Indians, was with them, and by his influence did 
much to aid in securing the privilege. Thus was 
established the first English trading-post in the 
Northwest Territory and in Ohio. It, however, 
enjoyed only a short duration. The French could 
not endure so clear an invasion of their country, 
and gathering a force of Ottawas and Chippewas, 
now their allies, they attacked the stockade in 
June, 1752. At first they demanded of the Miamis 
the surrender of the fort, as they were the real 
cause of its location, having granted the English 
the privilege. The Miamis not only refused, but 
aided the British in the defense. In the battle that 
ensued, fourteen of the Miamis were slain, and all 
the traders captured. One account says they were 
burned, another, and probably the correct one, 
states that they were taken to Canada as prisoners 
of war. It is probable the traders were from Penn- 
sylvania, as that commonwealth made the Miamis 
presents as condolence for their warriors that were 
slain. 

Blood had now been shed. The opening gun of 
the French and Indian war had been fired, and both 



1^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



41 



nations became more deeply interested in affairs in 
the West. The English were determined to secure 
additional title to the West, and, in 1752, sent 
Messrs. Fry, Lomax and Patton as commissioners 
to Logstown to treat with the Indians, and confirm 
the Lancaster treaty. They met the Indians on 
the 9th of June, stated their desires, and on the 
11th received their answer. At first, the sav- 
ages were not inclined to recognize the Lancaster 
treaty, but agreed to aid the English, as the French 
had already made war on the Twigtees (at Picka- 
willany), and consented to the establishment of a 
fort and trading-post at the forks of the Ohio. 
This was not all the Virginians wanted, however, 
and taking aside Andrew Montour, now chief of the 
Six Nations, persuaded him to use his influence 
with the red men. By such means, they were in- 
duced to treat, and on the 13th they all united in 
signing a deed, confirming the Lancaster treaty in 
its full extent, consenting to a settlement southwest 
of the Ohio, and covenanting that it should not be 
disturbed by them. By such means was obtained 
the treaty with the Indians in the Ohio Valley. 

All this time, the home governments were en- 
deavoring to out-maneuver each other with regard 
to the lands in the West, though there the outlook 
only betokened war. The French understood bet- 
ter than the English how to manage the Indians, 
and succeeded in attaching them firmly to their 
cause. The English were not honest in their 
actions with them, and hence, in after years, the 
massacres that followed. 

At the close of 1752, Gist was at work, in con- 
formity with the Lancaster and Logstown treaties, 
laying out a fort and town on Chartier's Creek, 
about ten miles below the fork. Eleven families 
had crossed the mountains to settle at Gist's resi- 
dence west of Laurel Hill, not far from the Yough- 
iogheny. Goods had come from England for the 
Ohio Company, which were carried as fxr West as 
Will's Creek, where Cumberland now stands ; and 
where they were taken by the Indians and traders. 

On the other hand, the French were eatherins; 
cannon and stores on Lake Erie, and, without 
treaties or deeds of land, were gaining the good 
will of the inimical tribes, and preparing, when all 
was ready, to strike the blow. Their fortifications 
consisted of a chain of forts from Lake Erie to 
the Ohio, on the border. One was at Presque Isle, 
on the site of Erie ; one on French Creek, on the 
site of Waterford, Penn.; one at the mouth of 
French Creek, in Venango County, Penn.; while 
opposite it was another, effectually commanding 



that section of country. These forts, it will be 
observed, were all in the limits of the Pennsyl- 
vania colony. The Governor informed the Assem- 
bly of their existence, who voted £600 to be used 
in purchasing presents for the Indians n^ar the 
forts, and thereby hold their friendship. Virginia, 
also, took similar measures. Trent was sent, with 
guns and ammunition and presents, to the friendly 
tribes, and, while on his mission, learned of the 
plates of lead planted by the French. In October, 
1753, a treaty was consummated with representa- 
tives of the Iroquois, Delawares, Shawanees, Twig- 
twees and Wyandots, by commissioners from 
Pennsylvania, one of whom was the philosopher 
Franklin. At the conferences held at this time, 
the Indians complained of the actions of the 
French in forcibly taking possession of the dis- 
puted country, and also bitterly denounced them 
for using rum to intoxicate the red men, when 
they desired to gain any advantage. Not long 
after, they had similar grounds of complaint against 
the English, whose lawless traders cared for nothing 
but to gain the furs of the savage at as little ex- 
pense as possible. 

The encroachments of the French on what was 
regarded as English territory, created intense feel- 
ing in the colonies, especially in Virginia. The 
purpose of the French to inclose the English on 
the Atlantic Coast, and thus prevent their extension 
over the mountains, became more and more ap- 
parent, and it was thought that this was the open- 
ing of a scheme already planned by the French 
Court to reduce all North America under the do- 
minion of France. Gov. Dinwiddle determined 
to send an ambassador to the French posts, to as- 
certain their real intentions and to observe the 
amount and disposition of their forces. He selected 
a young Virginian, then in his twenty-first year, 
a surveyor by trade and one well qualified for the 
duty. That young man afterward led the Ameri- 
can Colonies in their struggle for liberty. George 
Washington and one companion, Mr Gist, suc- 
cessfully made the trip, in the solitude of a severe 
winter, received assurance from the French com- 
mandant that they would by no means abandon 
their outposts, and would not yield unless com- 
pelled by force of arms. The commandant was 
exceedingly polite, but firm, and assured the young 
American that " we claim the country on the Ohio 
by virtue of the discovery of La Salle (in 1669) 
and will not give it up to the English. Our orders 
are to make prisoners of every Englishman found 
trading in the Ohio Valley." 






42 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



During Washington's absence steps were taken 
to fortify the point formed by the junction of the 
Monongahela and Alleghany ; and when, on his 
return, he met seventeen horses loaded with mate- 
rials and stores for a fort at the forks of the Ohio, 
and, soon after, some families going out to settle, 
he knew the defense had begun. As soon as 
Washington made his report, Gov. Dinwiddle 
wrote to the Board of Trade, stating that the 
French were building a fort at Venango, and that, 
in March, twelve or fifteen hundred men would 
be ready to descend the river with their Indian 
allies, for which purpose three hundred canoes had 
been collected ; and that Logstown was to be made 
headquarters, while forts were to be built in other 
places. He sent expresses to the Governors of 
Pennsylvania and New York, apprising them of the 
nature of affairs, and calling upon them for assist- 
ance. He also raised two companies, one of which 
was raised by Washington, the other by Trent. 
The one under Trent was to be raised on the 
frontiers, and was, as soon as possible, to repair to 
the Fork and erect there a fort, begun by the Ohio 
Company. Owing to various conflicting opinions 
between the Governor of Pennsylvania and his 
Assembly, and the conference with the Six Nations, 
held by New York, neither of those provinces put 
forth any vigorous measures until stirred to action 
by the invasions on the frontiers, and until directed 
by the Earl of Holderness, Secretary of State. 

The fort at Venango was finished by the French 
in April, 1754. All along the creek resounded 
the clang of arms and the preparations for war. 
New York and Pennsylvania, though inactive, 
and debating whether the French really had in- 
vaded English territory or not, sent aid to the 
Old Dominion, now all alive to the conquest. The 
two companies had been increased to six; Washing- 
ton was raised to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, 
and made second under command of Joshua 
Fry. Ten cannon, lately from England, were for- 
warded from Alexandria ; wagons were got ready 
to carry westward provisions and stores through 
the heavy spring roads; and everywhere men were 
enlisting under the King's promise of two hundred 
thousand acres of land to those who would go. 
They were gathering along Will's Creek and far 
beyond, while Trent, who had come for more men 
and supplies, left a little band of forty-one men, 
working away in hunger and want at the Fork, to 
which both nations were looking with anxious eyes. 
Though no enemy was near, and only a few Indian 
scouts were seen, keen eyes had observed the low 



fortifications at the Fork. Swift feet had borne 
the news of it up the valley, and though Ensign 
Ward, left in command, felt himself secure, on the 
17 th of April he saw a sight that made his heart 
sick. Sixty batteaux and three hundred canoes 
were coming down the Alleghany. The com- 
mandant sent him a summons, which evaded no 
words in its meaning. It was useless to contend, 
that evening he supped with his conqueror ; the 
next day he was bowed out by the polite French- 
man, and with his men and tools marched up the 
Monongahela. The first birds of spring were fill- 
ing the air with iheir song ; the rivers rolled by, 
swollen by April showers and melting snows; all 
nature was putting on her robes of green ; and the 
fortress, which the English had so earnestly strived 
to obtain and fortify, was now in the hands of the 
French. Fort Du Quesne arose on the incomplete 
fortifications. The seven years' war that followed 
not only aff'ected America, but spread to all quar- 
ters of the world. The war made England a great 
imperial power ; drove the French from Asia and 
America; dispelled the brilliant and extended 
scheme of Louis and his voluptuous empire. 

The active field of operations was in the Canadas 
principally, and along the western borders of Penn- 
sylvania. There were so few people then in the 
present confines of Ohio, that only the possession 
of the country, in common with all the West, 
could be the animus of the conflict. It so much 
concerned this part of the New World, that a brief 
resume of the war will be necessary to fully under- 
stand its history. 

The fall of the post at the fork of the Ohio, Fort 
Du Quesne, gave the French control of the West. 
Washington went on with his few militia to re- 
take the post. Though he was successful at first, 
he was in the end defeated, and surrendered, 
being allowed to return with all his munitions of 
war. The two governments, though trying to 
come to a peaceful solution of the question, were 
getting ready for the conflict. France went stead- 
ily on, though at one time England gave, in a 
measure, her consent to allow the French to retain 
all the country west of the Alleghanies and south 
of the lakes. Had this been done, what a difi'erent 
future would have been in America ! Other des- 
tinies were at work, however, and the plan fell 
stillborn. 

England sent Gen. Braddock and a fine force 
of men, who marched directly toward the post on 
the Ohio. His ill-fated expedition resulted only 
in the total defeat of his army, and his own death. 



■^ 



HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



43 



Washington saved a remnant of the army, and 
made his way back to the colonies. The En- 
gHsh needed a leader. They next planned four 
campaigns; one against Fort Du Quesne; one 
against Crown Point; one against Niagara, and 
one against the French settlements in Nova Scotia. 
Nearly every one proved a failure. The English 
were defeated on sea and on land, all owing to the 
incapacity of Parliament, and the want of a suit- 
able, vigorous leader. The settlements on the front- 
iers, now exposed to a cruel foe, prepared to defend 
themselves, and already the signs of a government 
of their own, able to defend itself, began to 
appear. They received aid from the colonies. 
Though the French were not repulsed, they and 
their red allies found they could not murder with 
impunity. Self-preservation was a stronger incen- 
tive in conflict than aggrandizement, and the 
cruelty of the Indians found avengers. 

The great Pitt became Prime Minister June 29, 
1757. The leader of the English now appeared. 
The British began to regain their losses on sea and 
land, and for them a brighter day was at hand. 
The key to the West must be retaken, and to Gen. 
Forbes was assigned the duty. Preceding him, 
a trusty man was sent to the Western Indians 
at the head-waters of the Ohio, and along the Mg- 
nongahela and Alleghany, to see if some compro- 
mise with them could not be made, and their aid 
secured. The French had been busy through their 
traders inciting the Indians against the English. 
The lawless traders were another source of trouble. 
Caring nothing for either nation, they carried on a 
distressing traffic in direct violation of the laws, 
continually engendering ill-feeling among the na- 
tives. "Your traders," said one of them, "bring 
scarce anything but rum and flour. They bring 
little powder and lead, or other valuable goods. 
The rum ruins us. We beg you would prevent 
its coming in such quantities by regulating the 
traders. * * * These wicked whisky sell- 
ers, when they have got the Indians in liquor, make 
them sell the very clothes ofi" their backs. If this 
practice be continued, we must be inevitably ruined. 
We most earnestly, therefore, beseech you to remedy 
it." They complained of the French traders the same 
way. They were also beginning to see the animus 
of the whole conflict. Neither power cared as 
much for them as for their land, and flattered and 
bullied by turns as served their purposes best. 

The man selected to go upon this undertaking 
was Christian Frederic Post, a Moravian, who had 
lived among the Indians seventeen years, and mar- 



ried into one of their tribes. Ho was amissionary, 
and though obliged to cross a c(,ini.ry whose every 
stream had been dyed by blood, and every hillside 
rung with the death-yell, and grown red with the 
light of burning huts, he went willingly on his way. 
Of his journey, sufierings and doings, his own 
journal tells the story. He left Philadelphia on the 
15th of July, 1758, and on the 7th of August 
safely passed the French post at Venango, went on 
to Big Beaver Creek, where he held a conference 
with the chiefs of the Indians gathered there. It 
was decided that a great conference should be 
held opposite Fort Du Quesne, where there were 
Indians of eight nations. "We will bear you in 
our bosoms," said the natives, when Post expressed 
a fear that he might be delivered over to the 
French, and royally they fulfilled their promises. 
At the conference, it was made clear to Post that 
all the Western Indians were wavering in their 
allegiance to the French, owing largely to the fail- 
ure of that nation to fulfill their promises of aid to 
prevent them from being deprived of their land by 
the Six Nations, and through that confederacy, by the 
English. The Indians complained bitterly, more- 
over, of the disposition of the whites in over-run- 
ning and claiming their lands. "Why did you not 
fight your battles at home or on the sea, instead of 
coming into our country to fight them?" they 
asked again and again, and mournfully shook their 
heads when they thought of the future before them. 
" Your heart is good," said they to Post. " You 
speak sincerely ; but we know there is always a great 
number who wish to get rich ; they have enough ; 
look ! we do not want to be rich and take away 
what others have. The white people think we 
have no brains in our heads ; that they arc big, 
and we are a handful ; but remember when you 
hunt for a rattlesnake, you cannot always find it, 
and perhaps it will turn and bite you before you see 
it."* When the war of Pontiac came, and all 
the West was desolated, this saying might have 
been justly remembered. After concluding a peace. 
Post set out for Philadelphia, and after incredi- 
ble hardships, reached the settlement uninjured 
early in September. His mission had more to do 
than at first is apparent, in the success of the 
English. Had it not been for him, a second Brad- 
dock's defeat might have befallen Forbes, now on 
his way to subjugate Fort Du Quesne. 

Through the heats of August, the army hewed its 
way toward the West. Early in September it 

* Post's Journal. 



us 



44 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



reached Raystown, whither Washington had been 
ordered with his troops. Sickness had prevented 
him from being here ah-eady. Two officers were 
sent out to reconnoiter the fort, who returned and 
gave a very good account of its condition. Gen. 
Forbes desired to know more of it, and sent out 
Maj. Grant, with 800 men, to gain more complete 
knowledge. Maj. Grant, supposing not more than 
21 M) soldiers to be in the fort, marched near it and 
made a feint to draw them out, and engage them 
in battle. lie was greatly misinformed as to the 
strength of the French, and in the engagement 
that followed he was badly beaten — 270 of his men 
killed, 42 wounded, and several, including himself, 
taken prisoners. The French, elated with their 
victory, attacked the main army, but were repulsed 
and obliged to retreat to the fort. The army con- 
tinued on its march. On the 24th of November 
they reached Turtle Creek, where a council of war 
was held, and where Gen. Forbes, who had been so 
ill as to be carried on a litter from the start, de- 
clared, with a mighty oath, he would sleep that 
night in the fort, or in a worse place. The Indi- 
ans had, however, carried the news to the French 
that the English were as plenty as the trees of the 
woods, and in their fright they set fire to the fort in 
the night and left up and down the Ohio River. 
The next morning the English, who had heard the 
explosion of the magazine, and seen the light of 
the burning walls, marched in and took peaceable 
possession. A small fortification was thrown up 
on the bank, and, in honor of the great English 
statesman, it was called Fort Pitt. Col. Hugh Mer- 
cer was left in command, and the main body of the 
army marched back to the settlements. It reached 
Philadelphia January 17, 1759. On the 11th of 
March, Gen. Forbes died, and was buried in the 
chancel of Christ's Church, in that city. 

Post was now sent on a mission to the Six Na- 
tions, with a report of the treaty of Easton. He 
was again instrumental in preventing a coalition of 
the Indians and the French. Indeed, to this ob- 
scure IMoravian missionary belongs, in a large 
measure, the honor of the capture of Fort Du 
Quesne, for by his influence had the Indians been 
restrained from attacking the army on its march. 

The garrison, on leaving the fort, went up and 
down the Ohio, part to Presque Isle by land, part to 
Fort Venango, while some of them went on down 
the Ohio nearly to the Mississippi, and there, in 
what is now Massac County, HI., erected a fort, 
called by them Fort Massac. It was afterward 
named by many Fort Massacre, from the erroneous 



supposition that a garrison had been massacred 
there. 

The French, though deprived of the key to 
the West, went on preparing stores and ammunition, 
expecting to retake the fort in the spring. Before 
they could do this, however, other places demanded 
their attention. 

The success of the campaign of 1758 opened 
the way for the consummation of the great scheme 
of Pitt — the complete reduction of Canada. Three 
expeditions were planned, by which Canada, 
already well nigh annihilated and suffering for 
food, was to be subjugated. On the west, Prideaux 
was to attack Niagara ; in the center, Amherst was 
to advance on Ticonderoga and Crown Point ; on 
the east, Wolfe was to besiege Quebec. All these 
points gained, the three armies were to be united 
in the center of the province. 

Amherst appeared before Ticonderoga July 22. 
The French blew up their works, and retired 
to Crown Point. Driven from there, they re- 
treated to Isle Aux Nois and entrenched them- 
selves. The lateness of the season prevented fur- 
ther action, and Amherst went into winter quar- 
ters at Crown Point. Early in June, Wolfe 
appeared before Quebec with an army of 8,000 
men. On the night of September 12, he silently 
ascended the river, climbed the heights of Abra- 
ham, a spot considered impregnable by the 
French, and on the summit formed his army of 
5,000 men. Montcalm, the French commander, 
was compelled to give battle. The British col- 
umns, flushed with success, charged his half-formed 
lines, and dispersed them. 

"They fly! they fly!" heard Wolfe, just as he 
expired from the effect of a mortal wound, though 
not till he had ordered their retreat cut off, and 
exclaimed, "Now, God be praised, I die happy." 
Montcalm, on hearing from the surgeon that death 
would come in a few hours, said, " I am glad of it. 
I shall not live to see the surrender of Quebec." At 
five the next morning he died happy. 

Prideaux moved up Lake Ontario, and on the 
6th of July invested Niagara. Its capture would 
cut off the French from the west, and every en- 
deavor was made to hold it. Troops, destined to 
take the small garrison at Fort Pitt, were held to 
assist in raising the siege of Niagara. M. de 
Aubry, commandant in Illinois, came up with 400 
men and 200,000 pounds of flour. Cut off by the 
abandonment of Fort Du Quesne from the Ohio 
route, he ascended that river as far as the Wabash, 
thence to portage of Fort Miami, or Fort Wayne, 



*?■ 



-^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



47 



down the Maumee to Lake Erie, and on to Presqu- 
ville, or Presque Isle, over the portage to Le Bceuf, 
and thence down French Creek to Fort Venango. 
He was chosen to lead the expedition for the relief 
of Niagara. They were pursued by Sir William 
Johnson, successor to Prideaux, who had lost his 
life by the bursting of a cannon, and were obliged to 
flee. The next day Niagara, cut ofl" from succor, 
surrendered. 

All America rang with exultation. Towns were 
bright with illuminations ; the hillsides shone with 
bonfires. From press, from pulpit, from platform, 
and from speakers' desks, went up one glad song of 
rejoicing. England was victorious everywhere. 
The colonies had done their fiiU share, and now 
learned their strength. That strength was needed 
now, for ere long a different conflict raged on the 
soil of America — a conflict ending in the birth of 
a new nation. 

The English sent Gen. Stanwix to fortify Fort 
Pitt, still looked upon as one of the principal for- 
tresses in the West. He erected a good fortifica- 
tion there, which remained under British control 
fifteen years. Now nothing of the fort is left. No 
memorial of the British possession remains in the 
West but a single redoubt, built in 1764 by Col. 
Bouquet, outside of the fort. Even this can hardly 
now be said to exist. 

The fall of Quebec did not immediately produce 
the submission of Canada. M. de Levi, on whom 
the command devolved, retired with the French 
Army to Montreal. In the spring of 1760, he be- 
sieged Quebec, but the arrival of an English fleet 
caused him to again retreat to Montreal. 

Amherst and Johnson, meanwhile, effected a 
union of their forces, the magnitude of whose 
armies convinced the French that resistance would 
be useless, and on the 8th of September, M. de 
Vaudreuil, the Governor of Canada, surrendered 
Montreal, Quebec, Detroit, Mackinaw and all other 
posts in Canada, to the English commander-in- 
chief, Amherst, on condition that the French in- 
habitants should, during the war, be "protected 
in the full and fi-ee exercise of their religion, and 
the full enjoyment of their civil rights, leaving 
their future destinies to be decided by the treaty 
of peace." 

Though peace was concluded in the New World, 
on the continent the Powers experienced some 
difficulty in arriving at a satisfactory settlement. 
It was finally settled by what is known in history 
as the "family compact." France and Spain saw 
in the conquest the growing power of England, 



and saw, also, that its continuance only extended 
that power. Negotiations were re-opened, and on 
the 3d of November, 1762, preliminaries were 
agreed to and signed, and afterward ratified in 
Paris, in February, 1763. By the terms of the 
compact, Spain ceded to Great Britian East and 
West Florida. To compensate Spain, France 
ceded to her by a secret article, all Louisiana west 
of the Mississippi. 

The French and Indian war was now over. 
Canada and all its dependencies were now in pos- 
session of the English, who held undisputed sway 
over the entire West as far as Mississippi. It only 
remained for them to take possession of the out- 
posts. Major Robert Rogers was sent to take pos- 
session ot Detroit and establish a garrison there. 
He was a partisan officer on the borders of New 
Hampshire, where he earned a name for bravery, 
but afterward tarnished it by treasonable acts. On 
his way to Detroit, on the 7th of November, 1760, 
he was met by the renowned chief, Pontiac, who 
authoritatively commanded him to pause and ex- 
plain his acts. Rogers replied by explaining the 
conquest of Canada, and that he was acting under 
orders from his King. Through the influence of 
Pontiac, the army was saved from the Indians 
sent out by the French, and was allowed to pro- 
ceed on its way. Pontiac had assured his protec- 
tion as long as the English treated him with due 
deference. Beletre, the commandant at Detroit, 
refused to surrender to the English commander, 
until he had received positive assurance from his 
Governor, Vaudreuil, that the country was indeed 
conquered. On the 29th of September, the colors 
of France gave way to the ensign of Great Britain 
amid the shouts of the soldiery and the astonish- 
ment of the Indians, whose savage natures could 
not understand how such a simple act declared one 
nation victors of another, and who wondered at 
the forbearance displayed. The lateness of the 
season prevented further operations, but early the 
next spring, Mackinaw, Green Bay, Ste. Marie, St. 
Joseph and the Ouitenon surrounded, and nothing 
was left but the Illinois towns. These were se- 
cured as soon as the necessary arrangements could 
be made. 

Though the English were now masters of the 
West, and had, while many of these events nav 
rated were transpiring, extended their settlements 
beyond the AUeghanies, they were by no means 
secure in their possession. The woods and prairies 
were full of Indians, who, finding the English like 
the French, caring more for gain than the welfare 



\1 



48 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



of the natives, began to exhibit impatience and re- 
sentment as they saw their lands gradually taken 
from them. The English policy differed very 
materially from the French. The French made 
the Indian, in a measure, independent and taught 
him a desire for European goods. They also 
affiliated easily with them, and became thereby 
strongly endeared to the savage. The French 
were a merry, easy-going race, fond of gayety and 
delighting in adventure. The English were harsh, 
stern, and made no advances to gain the friend- 
ship of the savage. They wanted land to cultivate 
and drove away the Indian's game, and forced him 
farther west. "Where shall we go?" said the 
Indian, despondently; "you drive us farther and 
farther west; by and by you will want all the 
land." And the Anglo-Saxon went sturdily on, 
paying no heed to the complaints. The French 



traders incited the Indian to resent the encroach- 
ment. " The English will annihilate you and take 
all your land," said they. " Their father, the King 
of France, had been asleep, now he had awakened 
and was coming with a great army to reclaim Can- 
ada, that had been stolen from him while he slept." 
Discontent under such circumstances was but 
natural. Soon all the tribes, from the mountains 
to the Mississippi, were united in a plot. It was 
discovered in 1761, and arrested. The next sum- 
mer, another was detected and arrested. The 
officers, and all the people, failed to realize the 
danger. The rattlesnake, though not found, was 
ready to strike. It is only an Indian discontent, 
thought the people, and they went on preparing to 
occupy the country. They were mistaken — the 
crisis only needed a leader to direct it. That 
leader appeared. 



CHAPTER IV. 



PONTIAC'S CONSPIRACY— ITS FAILURE— BOUQUET'S EXPEDITION— OCCUPATION BY THE 

ENGLISH. 



PONTIAC, the great chief of the Ottawas, was 
now about fifty years old. He had watched 
the conflict between the nations with a jealous eye, 
and as he saw the gradual growth of the English 
people, their encroachment on the lands of the In- 
dians, their greed, and their assumption of the soil, 
his soul was stirred within him to do something 
for his people. He had been a true friend of the 
French, and had led the Indians at the defeat of 
Braddock. Amid all the tumult, he alone saw the 
true state of affairs. The English would inevit- 
ably crush out the Indians. To save his race he 
saw another alliance with the French was neces- 
sary, and a restoration of their power and habits 
needed. It was the plan of a statesman. It only 
failed because of the perfidy of the French. Matur- 
ing his plans late in the autumn of 1762, he sent 
messengers to all the Western and Southern tribes, 
with the black wampum and red tomahawk, em- 
blems of war, from the great Pontiac. "On a cer- 
tain day in the next year," said the messenger, "all 
the tribes are to rise, seize all the English posts, 
and then attack the whole frontier." 

The great council of all the tribes was held at 
the river Ecorces, on the 27th of April, 1763. 
There, before the assembled chiefs, Pontiac deliv- 



ered a speech, full of eloquence and art. He 
recounted the injuries and encroachments of the 
English, and disclosed their designs. The French 
king was now awake and would aid them. Should 
they resign their homes and the graves of their 
fathers without an effort? Were their young men 
no longer brave? Were they squaws? The 
Great Master of Life had chided them for their 
inactivity, and had sent his commands to drive 
the "Red Dogs" from the earth. The chiefs 
eagerly accepted the wampum and the tomahawk, 
and separated to prepare for the coming strife. 

The post at Detroit was informed of the plot 
the evening before it was to occur, by an Ojibway 
girl of great beauty, the mistress of the com- 
mander. Major Gladwin. Pontiac was foiled here, 
his treachery discovered, and he was sternly ordered 
from the conference. A regular seige followed, 
but he could not prevail. He exhibited a degree 
of sagacity unknown in the annals of savage war- 
fare, but all to no purpose ; the English were too 
strong for him. 

At all the other posts, save one, however, the 
plans of Pontiac were carried out, and atrocities, 
unheard of before in American history, resulted. 
The Indians attacked Detroit on the first of May, 



-^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



49 



and, foiled in their plans, a siege immediately fol- 
lowed. On the 16th, a party of Indians appeared 
before the fort at Sandusky. Seven of them were 
admitted. Suddenly, while smoking, the massacre 
begins. All but Ensign Paulli, the commander, 
fall. He is carried as a trophy to Pontiac. 

At the mouth of the St. Joseph's, the mission- 
aries had maintained a mission station over sixty 
years. They gave way to an English garrison of 
fourteen soldiers and a few traders. On the 
morning of May 25, a deputation of Pottawato- 
mies are allowed to enter. In less than two min- 
utes, all the garrison but the commander are slain. 
He is sent to Pontiac. 

Near the present city of Fort Wayne, Ind., 
at the junction of the waters, stood Fort Miami, 
garrisoned by a few men. Holmes, the com- 
mander, is asked to visit a sick woman. He is 
slain on the way, the sergeant following is made 
prisoner, and the nine soldiers surrender. 

On the night of the last day of May, the wam- 
pum reaches the Indian village below La Fayette, 
Ind., and near Fort Ouitenon. The commander 
of the fort is lured into a cabin, bound, and his 
garrison surrender. Through the clemency of 
French settlers, they are received into their houses 
and protected. 

At Michilimackinac, a game of ball is projected. 
Suddenly the ball is thrown through the gate of the 
stockade. The Indians press in, and, at a signal, 
almost all are slain or made prisoners. 

The fort at Presque Isle, now Erie, was the 
point of communication between Pittsburgh and 
Niagara and Detroit. It was one of the most 
tenable, and had a garrison of four and twenty 
men. On the 22d of June, the commander, to 
save his forces from total annihilation, surrenders, 
and all are carried prisoners to Detroit. 

The capitulation at Erie left Le Bceuf with- 
out hope. He was attacked on the 18th, 
but kept oif the Indians till midnight, when he 
made a successful retreat. As they passed Ve- 
nango, on their way to Fort Pitt, they saw only 
the ruins of that garrison. Not one of its immates 
had been spared. 

Fort Pitt was the most important station west 
of the Alleghanies. " Escape ! " said Turtle's 
Heart, a Delaware warrior ; " you will all be 
slain. A great army is coming." "There are 
three large English armies coming to my aid," 
said Ecuyer, the commander. " I have enough 
provisions and ammunition to stand a siege of three 
years' time." A second and third attempt was 



made by the savages to capture the post, but all to 
no avail. Baffled on all sides here, they destroy 
Ligonier, a few miles below, and massacre men, 
women and children. Fort Pitt was besieged till 
the last day of July, but withstood all attacks. 
Of all the outposts, only it and Detroit were left. 
All had been captured, and the majority of the 
garrison slain. Along the frontier, the war was 
waged with fury. The Indians were fighting for 
their homes and their hunting-grounds; and for 
these they fought with the fury and zeal of 
fanatics. 

Detachments sent to aid Detroit are cut off. 
The prisoners are burnt, and Pontiac, infusing his 
zealous and demoniacal spirit into all his savage 
allies, pressed the siege with vigor. The French 
remained neutral, yet Pontiac made requisitions 
on them and on their neighbors in Illinois, issuing 
bills of credit on birch -bark, all of which were 
faithfully redeemed. Though these two posts 
could not be captured, the frontier could be 
annihilated, and vigorously the Indians pursued 
their policy. Along the borders of Pennsylvania 
and Virginia a relentless warfare was waged, 
sparing no one in its way. Old age, feeble infancy, 
strong man and gentle woman, fair girl and hope- 
ful boy — all fell before the scalping-knife of the 
merciless savage. The frontiers were devastated. 
Thousands were obliged to flee, leaving their 
possessions to the torch of the Indian. 

The colonial government, under British direc- 
tion, was inimical to the borders, and the colonists 
saw they must depend only upon their own arms 
for protection. Already the struggle for freedom 
was upon them. They could defend only them- 
selves. They must do it, too ; for that defense is 
now needed in a different cause than settling dis- 
putes between rival powers. " We have millions 
for defense, but not a cent for tribute," said they, 
and time verified the remark. 

Gen. Amherst bestirred himself to aid the 
frontiers. He sent Col. Henry Bouquet, a native 
of Switzerland, and now an officer in the English 
Army, to relieve the garrison at Fort Pitt. They 
followed the route made by Gen. Forbes, and on 
the way relieved Forts Bedford and Ligonier, both 
beleaguered by the Indians. About a day's jour- 
ney beyond Ligonier, he was attacked by a body 
of Indians at a place called Bushy Run. For 
awhile, it seemed that he and all his army would 
be destroyed ; but Bouquet was bold and brave 
and, under a feint of retreat, routed the savages. 
He passed on, and relieved the garrison at Fort 



:^ 



50 



HISTORY or OHIO. 



Pitt, and thus secured it against the assaults of 
the Indians. 

The campaign had been disastrous to the En- 
glish, but fatal to the plans of Pontiac. He could 
not capture Detroit, and he knew the great scheme 
must fail. The battle of Bushy Run and the 
relief of Fort Pitt closed the campaign, and all 
hope of co-operation was at an end. Circum- 
stances were combined against the confederacy, 
and it was fast falling to pieces. A proclamation 
was issued to the Indians, explaining to them the 
existing state of affairs, and showing to them the 
futility of their plans. Pontiac, however, would 
not give up. Again he renewed the siege of De- 
troit, and Gren. Gage, now in command of the 
army in the colonies, resolved to carry the war 
into their own country. Col. Bradstreet was or- 
dered to lead one army by way of the lakes, 
against the Northern Indians, while Col. Bouquet 
was sent against the Indians of the Ohio. Col. 
Bradstreet went on his way at the head of 1,200 
men, but trusting too much to the natives and 
their promises, his expedition proved largely a fail- 
ure. He relieved Detroit in August, 1764, which 
had been confined in the garrison over fifteen 
months, and dispersed the Indians that yet lay 
around the fort. But on his way back, he saw how 
the Indians had duped him, and that they were 
still plundering the settlements. His treaties were 
annulled by Gage, who ordered him to destroy 
their towns. The season was far advanced, his 
provisions were getting low, and he was obliged to 
return to Niagara chagrined and disappointed. 

Col. Bouquet knew well the character of the 
Indians, and shaped his plans accordingly. He 
had an army of 1,500 men, 500 regulars and 1,000 
volunteers. They had had experience in fighting 
the savages, and could be depended on. At Fort 
Loudon, he heard of Bradstreet's ill luck, and saw 
through the deception practiced by the Indians. 
He arrived at Fort Pitt the 17th of September, 
where he arrested a deputation of chiefs, who met 
him with the same promises that had deceived 
Bradstreet. He sent one of their number back, 
threatening to put to death the chiefs unless they 
allowed his messengers to safely pass through their 
country to Detroit. The decisive tone of his 
words convinced them of the fate that awaited 
them unless they complied. On the 3d of Octo- 
ber the army left Fort Pitt, marched down the 
river to and across the Tuscarawas, arriving in the 
vicinity of Fredrick Post's late mission on the 17th. 
There a conference was held with the assembled 



tribes. Bouquet sternly rebuked them fur their 
faithlessness, and when told by the chiefs they could 
not restrain their young men, he as sternly told 
them they were responsible for their acts. He 
told them he would trust them no longer. If they 
delivered up all their prisoners within twelve days 
they might hope for peace, otherwise there would 
be no mercy shown them. They were completely 
humbled, and, separating hastily, gathered their 
captives. On the 25th, the army proceeded down 
to the Tuscarawas, to the junction with White 
Woman River, near the town of Coshocton, in 
Coshocton County, Ohio, and there made prepa- 
rations for the reception of the captives. There 
they remained until the 18th of November; from 
day to day prisoners were brought in — men, women 
and children — and delivered to their friends. Many 
were the touching scenes enacted during this time. 
The separated husband and wife met, the latter 
often carrying a child born in captivity. Brothers 
and sisters, separated in youth, met ; lovers rushed 
into each other's arms ; children found their 
parents, mothers their sons, fathers their daughters, 
and neighbors those from whom they had been 
separated many years. Yet, there were many dis- 
tressing scenes. Some looked in vain for long-lost 
relatives and friends, that never should return. 
Others, that had been captured in their infancy, 
would not leave their savage friends, and when 
force was used some fled away. One mother 
looked in vain for a child she had lost years be- 
fore. Day by day, she anxiously watched, but no 
daughter's voice reached her ears. One, clad in 
savage attire, was brought before her. It could 
not be her daughter, she was grown. So was the 
maiden before her. " Can not you remember some 
mark?" asked Bouquet, whose sympathies were 
aroused in this case. "There is none," said the 
anxious and sorrowful mother. "Sing a song you 
sang over her cradle, she may remember," suggested 
the commander. One is sung by her mother. As 
the song of childhood floats out among the trees 
the maiden stops and listens, then approaches. 
Yes, she remembers. Mother and daughter are 
held in a close embrace, and the stern Bouquet 
wipes away a tear at the scene. 

On the 18th, the army broke up its encamp- 
ment and started on its homeward march. Bouquet 
kept six principal Indians as hostages, and re- 
turned to the homes of the captives. The Indians 
kept their promises faithfully, and the next year 
representatives of all the Western tribes met Sir 
William Johnson, at the German Flats, and made 



^: 



■^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



51 



a treaty of peace. A tract of land in the Indian 
country was ceded to the whites for the benefit of 
those who had suffered in the late war. The In- 
dians desired to make a treaty with Johnson, 
whereby the Alleghany River should be the west- 
ern boundary of the English, but he excused him- 
self on the ground of proper power. 

Not long after this the Illinois settlements, too 
remote to know much of the struggle or of any of 
the great events that had convulsed an empire, and 
changed the destiny of a nation, were brought 
under the English rule. There were five villages 
at this date: Kaskaskia, Cahokia, St. Philip, Yin- 
cennes and Prairie du Rocher, near Fort Chartres, 
the military headquarters of these French posses- 
sions. They were under the control or command 
of M. de Abadie, at New Orleans. They had also 
extended explorations west of the Mississippi, and 
made a few settlements in what was Spanish terri- 
tory. The country had been, however, ceded to 
France, and in February, 1764, the country was 
formally taken possession of and the present city 
of St. Louis laid out. 

As soon as the French knew of the change of 
government, many of them went to the west side of 
the river, and took up their residence there. They 
were protected in their religion and civil rights by 
the terms of the treaty, but preferred the rule of 
their own King. 

The British took possession of this country early 
in 1765. Gen. G-age sent Capt. Stirling, of the 
English Army, who arrived before summer, and to 
whom St. Ange, the nominal commandant, surren- 
dered the authority. The British, through a suc- 
cession of commanders, retained control of the coun- 
try until defeated by George Rogers Clarke, and 
his "ragged Virginia militia." 

After a short time, the French again ceded the 
country west of the Mississippi to Spain, and re- 
linquished forever their control of all the West in 
the New World. 

The population of Western Louisiana, when the 
exchange of governments occurred, was estimated 
to be 13,538, of which 891 were in the Illinois 
country — as it was called — west of the Mississippi. 
East of the river, and before the French crossed 
into Spanish country, the population was estimated 
to be about 3,000. All these had grown into 
communities of a peculiar character. Indeed, that 
peculiarity, as has been observed, never changed 
until a gradual amalgamation with the American 
people effected it, and that took more than a cen- 
tury of time to accomplish. 



The English now owned the Northwest. True, 
they did not yet occupy but a small part of it, but 
traders were again crossing the mountains, ex- 
plorers for lands were on the Ohio, and families 
for settlement were beginning to look upon the 
West as their future home. Companies were again 
forming to purchase large tracts in the Ohio coun- 
try, and open them for emigration. One thing yet 
stood in the way — a definite boundary line. That 
line, however, was between the English and the 
Indians, and not, as had heretofore been the case, 
between rival European Powers. It was necessary 
to arrange some definite boundarj" before land com- 
panies, who were now actively pushing their claims, 
could safely survey and locate their lands. 

Sir William Johnson, who had at previous times 
been instrumental in securing treaties, wrote re- 
peatedly to the Board of Trade, who controlled the 
greater part of the commercial transactions in the 
colonies — and who were the first to exclaim against 
extending English settlements beyond a limit 
whereby they would need manufactures, and there- 
by become independent of the Mother Country — 
urging upon them, and through them the Crown, the 
necessity of a fixed boundary, else another Indian 
war was probable. The Indians found themselves 
gradually hemmed in by the growing power of the 
whites, and began to exhibit hostile feelings. The 
irritation became so great that in the summer of 
1767, Gage wrote to the Governor of Pennsylvania 
concerning it. The Governor communicated his 
letter to the General Assembly, who sent repre- 
sentatives to England, to urge the immediate set- 
tlement of the question. In compliance with these 
requests, and the letters of prominent citizens, 
Franklin among the number, instructions were sent 
to Johnson, ordering him to complete the purchase 
from the Six Nations, and settle all differences. 
He sent word to all the Western tribes to meet 
him at Fort Stanwix, in October, 1768. The con- 
ference was held on the 24:th of that month, and 
was attended by colonial representatives, and by 
Indians from all parts of the Northwest. It was 
determined that the line should begin on the Ohio, 
at the mouth of the Cherokee (Tennessee), thence 
up the river to the Alleghany and on to Kittan- 
ning, and thence across to the Susquehanna. By 
this line, the whole country south of the Ohio and 
Alleghany, to which the Six Nations had any 
claim, was transferred. Part of this land was 
made to compensate twenty-two traders, whose goods 
had been stolen in 1763. The deeds made, wore 
upon the express agreement that no claims should 

--« S) 



19 



^- 



53 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



ever be based on the treaties of Lancaster, Logs- 
town, etc., and were signed by the chiefs of the Six 
Nations for themselves, their alUes and dependents, 
and the Shawanees, Delawares, Mingoes of Ohio, 
and others; though the Shawanees and Delaware 
deputies did not sign them. On this treaty, in a 
great measure, rests the title by purchase to Ken- 
tucky, Western Virginia and Western Pennsylva- 
nia. The rights of the Cherokees were purchased 
by Col. Donaldson, either for the King, Virginia, 
or for himself, it is impossible to say which. 

The grant of the northern confederacy was now 
made. The white man could go in and possess 
these lands, and know that an army would protect 
him if necessary. Under such a guarantee, West- 
ern lands came rapidly into market. In addition 
to companies already in existence for the purchase 
of land, others, the most notable of these being the 
"Walpole" and the "Mississippi" Land Companies, 
were formed. This latter had among its organizers 
such men as Francis Lightfoot Lee, Richard 
Henry Lee, George Washington and Arthur Lee. 
Before any of these companies, some of whom ab- 
sorbed the Ohio Company, could do anything, the 
Revolution came on, and all land transactions were 
at an end. After its close, Congress would not 
sanction their claims, and they fell through. This 
did not deter settlers, however, from crossing the 
mountains, and settling in the Ohio country. In 



spite of troubles with the Indians — some of whom 
regarded the treaties with the Six Nations as un- 
lawftil, and were disposed to complain at the rapid 
influx of whites — and the failure of the land com- 
panies, settlers came steadily during the decade 
from 1768 to 1778, so that by the close of that 
time, there was a large population south of the 
Ohio River ; while scattered along the northern 
banks, extending many miles into the wilderness, 
were hardy adventurers, who were carving out 
homes in the magnificent forests everywhere cov- 
ering the country. 

Among the foremost speculators in Western 
lands, was George Washington. As early as 1763, 
he employed Col. Crawford, afterward the leader in 
" Crawford's campaign," to purchase lands for him. 
In 1770, he crossed the mountains in company 
with several gentlemen, and examined the country 
along the Ohio, down which stream he passed to 
the mouth of the Great Kanawha, where he shot 
some buffalo, then plenty, camped out a few nights, 
and returned, fully convinced, it seems, that one 
day the West would be the best part of the New- 
World. He owned, altogether, nearly fifty thou- 
sand acres in the West, which he valued at $3.33 
per acre. Had not the war of the Revolution just 
then broken out, he might have been a resident of 
the West, and would have been, of course, one of 
its most prominent citizens. 



CHAPTER V. 

AMERICAN EXPLORATIONS— DUNMORE'S WAR— CAMPAIGN OF GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE- 
LAND TROUBLES — SPAIN IN THE REVOLUTION — MURDER OF 
THE MORAVIAN INDIANS. 

MEANWHILE, Kentucky was filling with 
citizens, and though considerable trouble 
was experienced with the Indians, and the operations 
of Col. Richard Henderson and others, who made 
unlawful treaties with the Indians, yet Daniel 
Boone and his associates had established a 
commonwealth, and, in 1777, a county was 
formed, which, erelong, was divided into three. 
Louisville was laid out on land belonging to 
Tories, and an important start made in this part 
of the West. Emigrants came down the Ohio 
River, saw the northern shores were inviting, and 
sent back such accounts that the land north of the 
river rapidly grew in favor with Eastern people. 



One of the most important Western characters, 
Col. (afterward Gen.) George Rogers Clarke, had 
had much to do in forming its character. He 
was born November 19, 1752, in Albemarle 
County, Va., and early came West. He had an 
unusually sagacious spirit, was an excellent sur- 
veyor and general, and took an active interest in 
all State and national affairs. He understood the 
animus of the Revolution, and was prepared to 
do his part. Col. Clarke was now meditating a 
move unequaled in its boldness, and one that had 
more to do with the success of America in the 
struggle for independence than at first appears. 
He saw through the whole plan of the British, 



'.iL 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



53 



who held all the outposts, Kaskaskia, Detroit, 
Vincennes and Niagara, and determined to circuna- 
vent them and wrest the West from their power. 
The British hoped to encircle the Americans by 
these outposts, and also unite the Indians in a 
common war against them. That had been 
attempted by the French when the English con- 
quered them. Then the French had a powerful 
ally in the person of Pontiac, yet the brave front- 
iersmen held their homes in many places, though 
the Indians " drank the blood of many a Briton, 
scooping it up in the hollow of joined hands." 
Now the Briton had no Pontiac to lead the scat- 
tered tribes — tribes who now feared the unerring 
aim of a settler, and would not attack him openly — 
Clarke knew that the Delawares were divided in 
feeling and that the Shawanees were but imperfectly 
united in favor of England since the murder of 
their noted chiefs. He was convinced that, if the 
British could be driven from the Western posts, 
the natives could easily be awed into submission, 
or bribed into neutrality or friendship. They 
admired, from their savage views of valor, the 
side that became victorious. They cared little for 
the cause for which either side was fighting. 
Clarke sent out spies among them to ascertain the 
feasibility of his plans. The spies were gone 
from April 20 to June 22, and fully corroborated 
his views concerning the English policy and the 
feelings of the Indians and French. 

Before proceeding in the narrative of this expe- 
dition, however, it will be well to notice a few acts 
transpiring north of the Ohio River, especially re- 
lating to the land treaties, as they were not without 
effect on the British policy. Many of the Indians 
north and south of the Ohio would not recognize 
the validity of the Fort Stanwix treaty, claiming 
the Iroquois had no right to the lands, despite 
their conquest. These discontented natives har- 
assed the emigrants in such a manner that many 
Indians were slain in retaliation. This, and the 
working of the French traders, who at all times 
were bitterly opposed to the English rule, filled the 
breasts of the natives with a malignant hate, which 
years of bloodshed could not wash out. The 
murder of several Indians by lawless whites fanned 
the coal into a blaze, and, by 1774, several retalia- 
tory murders occurred, committed by the natives 
in revenge for their fallen friends. The Indian 
slew any white man he found, as a revenge on some 
friend of his slain ; the frontiersman, acting on the 
same principle, made the borders extremely dan- 
gerous to invaders and invaded. Another cause 



of fear occurred about this time, which threatened 
seriously to retard emigration. 

Pittsburgh had been claimed by both Pennsyl- 
vania and Virginia, and, in endeavoring to settle 
the dispute, Lord Dunmore's war followed. Dr. 
John Connelly, an ambitious, intriguing person, 
induced Lord Dunmore to assert the claims of Vir- 
ginia, in the name of the King. In attempting to 
carry out his intentions, he was arrested by Arthur 
St. Clair, representing the proprietors of Pennsyl- 
vania, who was at Pittsburgh at the time. Con- 
nelly was released on bail, but went at once to 
Staunton, where he was sworn in as a Justice of 
Peace. Returning, he gathered a force of one 
hundred and fifty men, suddenly took possession of 
Pittsburgh, refused to allow the magistrates to 
enter the Court House, or to exercise the functions 
of their ofiices, unless in conformity to his will. 
Connelly refused any terms offered by the Penn- 
sylvania deputies, kept possession of the place, 
acted very harshly toward the inhabitants, stiiTed 
up the neutral Indians, and, for a time, threatened 
to make the boundary line between the two colonies 
a very serious question. His actions led to hostile 
deeds by some Indians, when the whites, no doubt 
urged by him, murdered seven Indians at the 
mouth of the Captina River, and at the house of 
a settler named Baker, where the Indians were 
decoyed under promises of friendship and offers of 
rum. Among those murdered at the latter place, 
was the entire family of the famous Mingoe chief, 
Logan. This has been charged to Michael Cresap ; 
but is untrue. Daniel Grreathouse had command 
of the party, and though Cresap may have been 
among them, it is unjust to lay the blame at his 
feet. Both murders, at Captina and Yellow Creek, 
were cruel and unwarranted, and were, without 
doubt, the cause of the war that followed, though 
the root of the matter lay in Connelly's arbitrary 
actions, and in his needlessly alarming the Indians. 
Whatever may have been the facts in relation to 
the murder of Logan's family, they were of such 
a nature as to make all feel sure of an Indian war, 
and preparations were made for the conflict. 

An army was gathered at Wheeling, which, 
some time in July, under command of Col. Mc- 
Donald, descended the Ohio to the mouth of Cap- 
tina Creek. They proposed to march against an 
Indian town on the Muskingum. The Indians 
sued for peace, but their pretensions being found 
spurious, their towns and crops were destroyed. 
The army then retreated to Williamsburg, having 
accomplished but little. 



■ T 



54 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



The Delawares were anxious for peace ; even the 
Mingoes, whose relatives had been slain at Yellow 
Creek, and Captina, were restrained; but Logan, 
who had been turned to an inveterate foe to the 
Americans, came suddenly upon the Monongahela 
settlements, took thirteen scalps in revenge for the 
loss of his family, returned home and expressed 
himself ready to treat with the Long Knives, the 
Virginians. Had Connelly acted properly at this 
juncture, the war might have been ended; but 
his actions only incensed both borderers and In- 
dians. So obnoxious did he become that Lord 
Dunmore lost faith in him, and severely repri- 
manded him. 

To put a stop to the depredations of the Indians, 
two large bodies of troops were gathered in Vir- 
ginia, one under Gren. Andrew Lewis, and one 
under command of Dunmore himself Before 
the armies could meet at the mouth of the Great 
Kanawha, their objective point, Lewis' army, which 
arrived first, was attacked by a furious band of Dela- 
wares, Shawanees, Iroquois and Wyandots. The 
conflict was bitterly prolonged by the Indians, who, 
under the leadership of Cornstalk, were deter- 
mined to make a decisive effort, and fought till 
late at night (October 10, 1774), and then only by 
a strategic move of Lewis' command — which re- 
sulted in the defeat of the Indians, compelling them 
to cross the Ohio — was the conflict ended. Mean- 
while, Dunmore's army came into the enemy's 
country, and, being joined by the remainder of 
Lewis' command, pressed forward intending to an- 
nihilate the Indian towns. Cornstalk and his 
chiefs, however, sued for peace, and the conflict 
closed. Dunmore established a camp on Sippo 
Creek, where he held conferences with the natives 
and concluded the war. When he left the country, 
he stationed 100 men at the mouth of the Great 
Kanawha, a few more at Pittsburgh, and another 
corps at Wheeling, then called Fort Fincastle. 
Dunmore intended to return to Pittsburgh the 
next spring, meet the Indians and form a definite 
peace ; but the revolt of the colonies prevented. 
However, he opened several offices for the sale of 
lands in the West, some of which were in the limits 
of the Pennsylvania colony. This led to the old 
boundary dispute again; but before it could be 
settled, the Revolution began, and Lord Duamore's, 
as well as almost all other land speculations in the 
West, were at an end. 

In 1775 and 1776, the chief events transpiring 
in the West relate to the treaties with the Indians, 
and the endeavor on the part of the Americans to 



have them remain neutral in the family quarrel now 
coming on, which they could not understand. The 
British, like the French, however, could not let 
them alone, and finally, as a retaliatory measure. 
Congress, under advice of Washington, won some of 
them over to the side of the colonies, getting their 
aid and holding them neutral. The colonies only 
offered them rewards for prisoners ; never, like the 
British, offering rewards for scalps. Under such 
rewards, the atrocities of the Indians in some quar- 
ters were simply horrible. The scalp was enough 
to get a reward, that was a mark of Indian valor, 
too, and hence, helpless innocence and decrepit old 
age were not spared. They stirred the minds of 
the pioneers, who saw the protection of their fire- 
sides a vital point, and led the way to the scheme 
of Col. Clarke, who was now, as has been noted, the 
leading spirit in Kentucky. He saw through the 
scheme of the British, and determined, by a quick, 
decisive blow, to put an end to it, and to cripple 
their power in the West. 

Among the acts stimulating Clarke, was the attack 
on Fort Henry, a garrison about one-half mile 
above Wheeling Creek, on the Ohio, by a renegade 
white man, Simon Girty, an agent in the employ of 
the British, it is thought, and one of the worst 
wretches ever known on the frontier. When Girty 
attacked Fort Henry, he led his red allies in regu- 
lar military fashion, and attacked it without mercy. 
The defenders were brave, and knew with whom 
they were contending. Great bravery was displayed 
by the women in the fort, one of whom, a Miss 
Zane, carried a keg of gunpowder from a cabin 
to the fort. Though repeatedly fired at by the sav- 
ages, she reached the fort in safety. After awhile, 
however, the effect of the frontiersmen's shots began 
to be felt, and the Indians sullenly withdrew. 
Re-enforcements coming, the fort was held, and 
Girty and his band were obliged to flee. 

Clarke saw that if the British once got con- 
trol over the Western Indians the scene at Fort 
Henry would be repeated, and would not likely, 
in all cases, end in fiivor of the Americans. With- 
out communicating any of his designs, he left Har- 
rodsburg about the 1st of October, 1777, and 
reached the capital of Virginia by November 5. 
Still keeping his mind, he awaited a favorable op- 
portunity to broach his plans to those in power, 
and, in the meanwhile, carefully watched the exist- 
ing state of feeling. When the opportunity came, 
Clarke broached his plans to Patrick Henry, Gov- 
ernor of Virginia, who at once entered warmly 
into them, recognizing their great importance. 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



iL 



Through his aid, Clarke procured the necessary au- 
thority to prosecute his plans, and returned at once 
to Pittsburgh. He intended raising men about 
this post, but found them fearful of leaving their 
homes unprotected. However, he secured three 
companies, and, with these and a number of volun- 
teers, picked up on the way down the Ohio River, 
he fortified Corn Island, near the falls, and made 
ready for his expedition. He had some trouble in 
keeping his men, some of those from Kentucky 
refusing to aid in subduing stations out of their 
own country. He did not announce his real inten- 
tions till he had reached this point. Here Col. 
Bowman joined him with his Kentucky militia, 
and, on the 24tli of June, 1778, during a total 
eclipse of the sun, the party left the fort. Before 
his start, he learned of the capture of Burgoyne, 
and, when nearl}' down to Fort 3Iassac, he met 
some of his spies, who informed him of the exag- 
gerated accounts of the ferocity of the Long 
Knives that the French had received from the 
British. By proper action on his part, Clarke saw 
both these items of information could be made 
very beneficial to him. Leaving the river near 
Fort Massac, he set out on the march to Kaskas- 
kia, through a hot summer's sun, over a country 
fiill of savage foes. They reached the town un- 
noticed, on the evening of July 4, and, before 
the astonished British and French knew it, they 
were all prisoners. M. Rocheblave, the English 
commander, was secured, but his wife adroitly con- 
cealed the papers belonging to the garrison. In 
the person of M. Gibault, the French priest, Clarke 
found a true friend. When the true character of 
the Virginians became apparent, the French were 
easily drawn to the American side, and the priest 
secured the surrender and allegiance of Cahokia 
through his personal influence. M. Gibault told 
him he would also secure the post at St. Vincent's, 
which he did, returning from the mission about 
the 1st of AugTist. During the interval, Clarke re- 
enlisted his men, formed his plans, sent his pris- 
oners to Kentucky, and was ready for ftiture action 
when M. Gibault arrived. He sent Capt. Helm 
and a single soldier to Vincennes to hold that fort 
until he could put a garrison there. It is but 
proper to state that the English commander, Col. 
Hamilton, and his band of soldiers, were absent at 
Detroit when the priest secured the village on the 
" Ouabache." When Hamilton returned, in the 
autumn, he was greatly surprised to see the Amer- 
ican flag floating from the ramparts of the fort, 
and when approaching the gate he was abruptly 



halted by Capt. Helm, who stood with a lighted fuse 
in his hand by a cannon, answering Hamilton's 
demand to surrender with the imperative inquiry, 
"Upon what terms, sir?" "LTpon the honors of 
war," answered Hamilton, and he marched in 
greatly chagrined to see he had been halted by 
two men. The British commander sat quietly 
down, intending to go on down the river and sub- 
due Kentucky in the spring, in the mean time 
off'ering rewards for American scalps, and thereby 
gaining the epithet " Hair-buyer General." Clarke 
heard of his actions late in January, 1779, and, as 
he says, " I knew if I did not take him he would 
take me," set out early in February with his troops 
and marched across the marshy plains of Lower 
Illinois, reaching the Wabash post by the 22d of 
that month. The unerring aim of the Westerner 
was eff"ectual. " They will shoot your eyes out," 
said Helm to the British troops. " There, I told 
you so," he further exclaimed, as a soldier vent- 
ured near a port-hole and received a shot directly 
in his eye. On the 24th the fort surrendered. 
The American flag waved again over its ramparts. 
The "Hair-buyer General" was sent a prisoner to 
Virginia, where he was kept in close confinement 
for his cruel acts. Clarke returned to Kaskaskia, 
perfected his plans to hold the Illinois settlements, 
went on to Kentucky, from where he sent word to 
the colonial authorities of the success of his expe- 
dition. Had he received the aid promised him, 
Detroit, in easy reach, would have fallen too, but 
Gen. Green, failing to send it as promised, the capt- 
ure of that important post was delayed. 

Had Clarke failed, and Hamilton succeeded, the 
whole West would have been swept, from the Alle- 
ghanies to the Mississippi. But for this small 
army of fearless Virginians, the union of all the 
tribes from Georgia to Maine against the colonies 
might have been effected, and the whole current 
of American history changed. America owes 
Clarke and his band more than it can ever pay. 
Clarke reported the capture of Kaskaskia and the 
Illinois country early after its surrender, and in 
October the county of Illinois was established, 
extending over an unlimited expanse of country, 
by the Virginia Legislature. John Todd was 
appointed Lieutenant Colonel and Civil Governor. 
In November, Clarke and his men received the 
thanks of the same body, who, in after years, 
secured them a grant of land, which they selected 
on the right bank of the Ohio River, opposite 
Louisville. They expected here a city would rise 
one day, to be the peer of Louisville, then coming 



J 



:v 



56 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



into prominence as an important place. By some 
means, their expectations failed, and only the 
dilapidated village of Clarkesburg perpetuates 
their hopes. 

The conquest of Clarke changed the face of 
aifairs in relation to the whole country north of 
the Ohio River, which would, in all probability, 
have been made the boundary between Canada and 
the United States. When this was proposed, the 
strenuous arguments based on this conquest, by 
the American Commissioners, secured the present 
boundary line in negotiating the treaty of 1793. 

Though Clarke had failed to capture Detroit, 
Congress saw the importance of the post, and 
resolved on securing it. Gren. McCosh, commander 
at Fort Pitt, was put in command, and $1,000,- 
000 and 3,000 men placed at his disposal. By 
some dilatory means, he got no further than the 
Tuscarawas River, in Ohio, where a half-way 
house, called Fort Laurens, for the President of 
Congress, was built. It was too far out to be of 
practicable value, and was soon after abandoned. 

Indian troubles and incursions by the British 
were the most absorbing themes in the West. 
The British went so far as Kentucky at a later 
date, while they intended reducing Fort Pitt, only 
abandoning it when learning of its strength. 
Expeditions against the Western Indians were led 
by Gen. Sullivan, Col. Daniel Broadhead, Col. 
Bowman and others, which, for awhile, silenced 
the natives and taught them the power of the 
Americans. They could not organize so readily 
as before, and began to attach themselves more 
closely to the British, or commit their depredations 
in bands, fleeing into the wilderness as soon as 
they struck a blow. In this way, several localities 
suffered, until the settlers became again exasper- 
ated ; other expeditions were formed, and a second 
chastisement given. In 1781, Col. Broadhead 
led an expedition against the Central Ohio Indians. 
It did not prove so successful, as the Indians were 
led by the noted chief Brant, who, though not 
cruel, was a foe to the Americans, and assisted the 
British greatly in their endeavors to secure the West. 

Another class of events occun-ed now in the 
West, civil in their relations, yet destined to form 
an important part of its history — its land laws. 

It must be borne in mind, that Virginia claimed 
the greater portion of the country north of the 
Ohio River, as well as a large part south. The 
other colonies claimed land also in the West under 
the old Crown grants, which extended to the 
South or Western Sea. To more complicate mat- 



ters, several land companies held proprietary rights 
to portions of these lands gained by grants from 
the Crown, or from the Colonial Assemblies. 
Others were based on land warrants issued 
in 1763; others on selection and survey and 
still others on settlement. In this state of 
mixed afiairs, it was difficult to say who held a 
secure claim. It was a question whether the old 
French grants were good or not, especially since 
the change in government, and the eminent pros- 
pect of still another change. To, in some way, 
aid in settling these claims, Virginia sent a com- 
mission to the West to sit as a court and determine 
the proprietorship of these claims. This court, 
though of as doubtful authority as the claims 
themselves, went to work in Kentucky and along 
the Ohio River in 1779, and, in the course of one 
year, granted over three thousand certificates. 
These were considered as good authority for a 
definite title, and were so regarded in after pur- 
chases. Under them, many pioneers, like Daniel 
Boone, lost their lands, as all were required to 
hold some kind of a patent, while others, who 
possessed no more principle than "land-sharks" 
of to-day, acquired large tracts of land by holding 
a patent the court was bound to accept. Of all 
the colonies, Virginia seemed to have the best 
title to the Northwest, save a few parcels, such as 
the Connecticut or Western Reserve and some 
similar tracts held by New York, Massachusetts 
and New Jersey. When the territory of the 
Northwest was ceded to the General Government, 
this was recognized, and that country was counted 
as a Virginia county. 

The Spanish Government, holding the region 
west of the Mississippi, and a portion east toward 
its outlet, became an important but secret ally of 
the Americans. When the French revolt was 
suppressed by O'Reilly, and the Spanish assumed 
the government of Louisiana, both Upper and 
Lower, there was a large tract of country, known 
as Florida (East and West), claimed by England, 
and duly regarded as a part of her dominion. 
The boundaries had been settled when the French 
first occupied Lower Louisiana. The Spaniards 
adopted the patriarchal form of rule, as much as 
was consistent with their interests, and allowed the 
French full religious and civil liberty, save that all 
tribunals were after the Spanish fashion, and 
governed by Spanish rules. The Spaniards, long 
jealous of England's growing power, secretly sent 
the Governors of Louisiana word to aid the 
Americans in their struggle for freedom. Though 



n 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



57 



they controlled the Mississippi River, they allowed 
an American officer (Capt. Willing) to descend the 
river in January, 1778, with a party of fifty men, 
and ravage the British shore from Manchez Bayou 
to Natchez. 

On the 8th of May, 1779, Spain declared war 
against Great Britain; and, on the 8th of July, 
the people of Louisiana were allowed to take a 
part in the war. Accordingly, Galvez collected a 
force of 1,400 men, and, on the 7th of September, 
took Fort Manchac. By the 21st of September, 
he had taken Baton Rouge and Natchez. Eight 
vessels were captured by the Spaniards on the 
Mississippi and on the lakes. In 1780 Mobile 
fell; in March, 1781, Pensacola, the chief British 
post in West Florida, succumbed after a long 
siege, and, on the 9th of May, all West Florida 
was surrendered to Spain. 

This war, or the war on the Atlantic Coast, did 
not immediately affect Upper Louisiana. Great 
Britain, however, attempted to capture St. Louis. 
Though the commander was strongly suspected of 
being bribed by the English, yet the place stood 
the siege fi-om the combined force of Indians and 
Canadians, and the assailants were dispersed. This 
was done during the summer of 1680, and in the 
autumn, a company of Spanish and French resi- 
dents, under La Balme, went on an expedition 
against Detroit. They marched as far north as 
the British trading-post Ke-ki-ong-a, at the head 
of the Maumee River, but being surprised in the 
night, and the commander slain, the expedition 
was defeated, having done but little. 

Spain may have had personal interests in aiding 
the Americans. She was now in control of the Mis- 
sissippi River, the natural outlet of the Northwest, 
and, in 1780, began the troubles relative to the 
navigation of that stream. The claims of Spain 
were considered very unjust by the Continental 
Congress, and, while deliberating over the question, 
Virginia, who was jealously alive to her Western 
interests, and who yet held jurisdiction over Ken- 
tucky, sent through Jefferson, the Governor, Gen. 
George Rogers Clarke, to erect a fort below the 
mouth of the Ohio. This proceeding was rather 
unwarrantable, especially as the fort was built in 
the country of the Chickasaws, who had thus far 
been true friends to the Americans, and who looked 
upon the fort as an innovation on their territory. 
It was completed and occupied but a short time, 
Clarke being recalled. 

Virginia, in 1780, did a very important thing; 
namely, establishing an institution for higher edu- 



cation. The Old Dominion confiscated the lands 
of "Robert McKenzie, Henry Collins and Alex- 
ander McKee, Britons, eight thousand acres," and 
invested the proceeds of the sale in a public semi- 
nary. Transylvania University now lives, a monu- 
ment to that .spirit. 

While Clarke was building Fort Jefferson, a force 
of British and Indians, under command of Capt. 
Bryd, came down from Canada and attacked the 
Kentucky settlements, getting into the country be- 
fore any one was aware. The winter before had 
been one of unusual severity, and game was ex- 
ceedingly scarce, hence the army was not prepared 
to conduct a campaign. After the capture of Rud- 
dle's Station, at the south fork of the Licking, Bryd 
abandoned any further attempts to reduce the set- 
tlements, except capturing Martin's Station, and 
returned to Detroit. 

This expedition gave an additional motive for 
the chastisement of the Indians, and Clarke, on his 
return from Fort Jefferson, went on an expedition 
against the Miami Indians. He destroyed their 
towns at Loramie's store, near the present city of 
Sydney, Ohio, and at Piqua, humbling the natives. 
While on the way, a part of the army remained 
on the north bank of the Ohio, and erected two 
block-houses on the present site of Cincinnati. 

The exploits of Clarke and his men so effectually 
chastised the Indians, that, for a time, the West 
was safe. During this period of quiet, the meas- 
ures which led to the cession of Western lands to 
the General Government, began to assume a defi- 
nite form. All the colonies claiming Western 
lands were willing to cede them to the Government, 
save Virginia, which colony wanted a large scope 
of Southern country southeast of the Ohio, as far 
as South Carolina. All recognized the justice of 
all Western lands becoming public property, and 
thereby aiding in extinguishing the debts caused by 
the war of the Revolution, now about to close. 
As Virginia held a somewhat different view, the 
cession was not made until 1783. 

The subject, however, could not be allowed to 
rest. The war of the Revolution was now drawing 
to a close ; victory on the part of the colonies was 
apparent, and the Western lands must be a part of 
the public domain. Subsequent events brought 
about the desired cession, though several events 
transpired before the plan of cession was consum- 
mated. 

Before the close of 1780, the Legislature of 
Virginia passed an act, establishing the "town of 
Louisville," and confiscated the lands of John 



:V 



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58 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



Connelly, who was one of its original proprietors, 
and who distinguished himself in the commence- 
ment of Lord Dunmore's war, and who was now a 
Tory, and doing all he could against the patriot 
cause. The proceeds of the sale of his lands were 
divided between Virginia and the county of Jefferson. 
Kentucky, the next year, was divided into three 
counties, Jefferson, Lincoln and Fayette. Courts 
were appointed in each, and the entry and location 
of lands given into their hands. Settlers, in spite 
of Lidian troubles and British intrigue, were 
pouring over the mountains, particularly so during 
the years 1780 and 1781. The expeditions of 
Clarke against the Miami Indians ; Boone's cap- 
tivity, and escape from them ; their defeat when 
attacking Boonesboro, and other places — all 
combined to weaken their power, and teach them 
to respect a nation whose progress they could not 
stay. 

The pioneers of the West, obliged to depend on 
themselves, owing to the struggle of the colonies 
for freedom, grew up a hardy, self-reliant race, 
with all the vices and virtues of a border life, and 
with habits, manners and customs necessary to 
their peculiar situation, and suited to their peculiar 
taste. A resume of their experiences and daily 
lives would be quite interesting, did the limits of 
this history admit it here. In the part relating 
directly to this county, the reader will find such 
lives given; here, only the important events can 
be noticed. 

The last event of consequence occurring in the 
West before the close of the Revolution, is one 
that might well have been omitted. Had such 
been the case, a great stain would have been spared 
the character of Western pioneers. Reference is 
made to the massacre of the Moravian Christian 
Indians. 

These Indians were of the Delaware nation 
chiefly, though other Western tribes were visited 
and many converts made. The first converts were 
made in New York and Connecticut, where, after 
a good start had been made, and a prospect of 
many souls being saved, they incurred the enmity 
of the whites, who, becoming alarmed at their suc- 
cess, persecuted them to such an extent that they 
were driven out of New York into Pennsylvania, 
where, in 1744, four years after their arrival in 
the New World, they began new missions. In 
1748, the New York and Connecticut Indians fol- 
lowed their teachers, and were among the founders 
of Friedenshutten, "Tents of Peace," a hamlet 
near Bethlehem, where their teachers were sta- 



tioned. Other hamlets grew around them, until 
in the interior of the colony, existed an Indian 
community, free from all savage vices, and grow- 
ing up in Christian virtues. As their strength 
grew, lawless whites again began to oppress them. 
They could not understand the war of 1754, and 
were, indeed, in a truly embarrassing position. 
The savages could form no conception of any cause 
for neutrality, save a secret sympathy with the 
English ; and if they could not take up the hatchet, 
they were in the way, and must be removed. Fail- 
ing to do this, their red brothers became hostile. 
The whites were but little better. The old suspi- 
cions which drove them from New York were 
aroused. They were secret Papists, in league with 
the French, and furnished them with arms and in- 
telligence; they were interfering with the liquor 
traffic; they were enemies to the Government, 
and the Indian and the white man combined against 
them. They were obliged to move from place to 
place; were at one time protected nearly a year, 
near Philadelphia, from lawless whites, and finally 
were compelled to go far enough West to be out 
of the way of French and English arms, or the 
Iroquois and Cherokee hatchets. They came 
finally to the Muskingum, where they made a set- 
tlement called Schonbrun, "beautiful clear spring," 
in what is now Tuscarawas County. Other settle- 
ments gathered, from time to time, as the years 
went on, till in 1772 large numbers of them were 
within the borders of the State. 

Until the war of independence broke out, they 
were allowed to peacefully pursue their way. When 
that came, they were between Fort Pitt and De- 
troit, one of which contained British, the other 
Americans. Again they could not understand the 
struggle, and could not take up the hatchet. This 
brought on them the enmity of both belligerent 
parties, and that of their own forest companions, 
who could not see wherein their natures could 
change. Among the most hostile persons, were 
the white renegades McKee, Girty and Elliott. 
On their instigation, several of them were slain, 
and by their advice they were obliged to leave their 
fields and homes, where they had many comforts, 
and where they had erected good chapels in which 
to worship. It was just before one of these forced 
removals that Mary, daughter of the missionary 
Hecke welder, was born. She is supposed to be 
the first white female child born north of the Ohio 
River. Her birth occurred April 16, 1781. It 
is but proper to say here, that it is an open ques- 
tion, and one that will probably never be decided, 



r'v 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



59 



L e. Who was the first white child born in Ohio ? 
In all probability, the child was born during the 
captivity of its mother, as history plainly shows 
that when white women were released from the 
Indians, some of them carried children born while 
among the natives. 

When the Moravians were forced to leave their 
settlements on the Muskingum, and taken to San- 
dusky, they left growing fields of corn, to which 
they were obliged to return, to gather food. This 
aroused the whites, only wanting some pretext 
whereby they might attack them, and a party, 
headed by Col. David Williamson, determined to 
exterminate them. The Moravians, hearing of their 
approach, fled, but too late to warn other settle- 
ments, and Gnadenhutten, Salem and one or two 
smaller settlements, were surprised and taken. 
Under deceitful promises, the Indians gave up all 
their arms, showed the whites their treasures, and 
went unknowingly to a terrible death. When ap- 
prised of their fate, determined on by a majority 
of the rangers, they begged only time to prepare. 
They were led two by two, the men into one, the 
women and children into another "slaughter- 
house," as it was termed, and all but two lads were 
wantonly slain. An infamous and more bloody 
deed never darkened the pages of feudal times ; 
a deed that, in after years, called aloud for venge- 
ance, and in some measure received it. Some of 
Williamson's men wrung their hands at the cruel 
fate, and endeavored, by all the means in their 
power, to prevent it; but all to no purpose. The 
blood of the rangers was up, and they would not spare 
"man, woman or child, of all that peaceful band." 

Having completed their horrible work, (March 
8, 1782), Williamson and his men returned to 
Pittsburgh. Everywhere, the Indians lamented 
the untimely death of their kindred, their savage 
relatives determining on their revenge; the Chris- 
tian ones could only be resigned and weep. 

Williamson's success, for such it was viewed by 
many, excited the borderers to another invasion, 
and a second army was raised, this time to 
go to the Sandusky town, and annihilate the 
Wyandots. Col. William Crawford was elected 
leader ; he accepted reluctantly ; on the way, 
the army was met by hordes of savages on the 5th of 



June, and totally routed. They were away north, 
in what is now Wyandot County, and were obliged 
to flee for their lives. The blood of the murdered 
Moravians called for revenge. The Indians de- 
sired it ; were they not relatives of the fallen 
Christians? Crawford and many of his men fell 
into their hands ; . all sufi"ered unheard-of tortures, 
that of Crawford being as cruel as Indian cruelty 
could devise. He was pounded, pierced, cut with 
knives and burned, all of which occupied nearly 
three hours, and finally lay down insensible on a bed 
of coals, and died. The savage captors, in demoni- 
acal glee, danced around him, and upbraided him 
for the cruel murder of their relatives, giving him 
this only consolation, that had they captured Will- 
iamson, he might go free, but he must answer for 
Williamson's brutality. 

The war did not cease here. The Indians, now 
aroused, carried their attack as far south as into 
Kentucky, killing Capt. Estill, a brave man, and 
some of his companions. The British, too, were 
active in aiding them, and the 14th of August a 
large force of them, under Girty, gathered silently 
about Bryant's Station. They were obliged to re- 
treat. The Kentuckians pursued them, but were 
repulsed with considerable loss. 

The attack on Bryant's Station aroused the peo- 
ple of Kentucky to strike a blow that would be 
felt. Gen. Clarke was put at the head of an army 
of one thousand and fifty men, and the Miami 
country was a second time destroyed. Clarke even 
went as far north as the British trading-post at the 
head of the Miami, where he captured a great 
amount of property, and destroyed the post. Other 
outposts also fell, the invading army suffering but 
little, and, by its decisive action, practically closing 
the Indian wars in the West. Pennsylvania suf- 
fered some, losing Hannahstown and one or two 
small settlements. Williamson's and Crawford's 
campaigns aroused the fury of the Indians that 
took time and much blood and war to subdue. The 
Revolution was, however, drawing to a close. Amer- 
ican arms were victorious, and a new nation was 
now coming into existence, who would change the 
whole current of Western matters, and make of the 
Northwest a land of liberty, equality and union. 
That nation was now on the stage. 



•i< 



:^ 



^ 



® w_ 



60 



^ ® 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



CHAPTER VI. 

AMERICAN OCCUPATION— INDIAN CLAIMS— SURVEYS — EARLY LAND COMPANIES— COMPACT 
OF 1787 — ORGANIZATION OF THE TERRITORY— EARLY AMERICAN SETTLE- 
MENTS IN THE OHIO VALLEY — FIRST TERRITORIAL 
OFFICERS— ORGANIZATION OF COUNTIES. 



THE occupation of the West by the American, 
really dates from the campaign of Gen. Clarke in 
1778, when he captured the British posts in the 
Illinois country, and Vincennes on the Wabash. 
Had he been properly supported, he would have 
reduced Detroit, then in easy reach, and poorly de- 
fended. As it was, however, that post remained in 
charge of the British till after the close of the war 
of the Revolution. They also held other lake 
posts ; but these were included in the terms of 
peace, and came into the possession of the Ameri- 
cans. They were abandoned by the British as 
soon as the different commanders received notice 
from their chiefs, and British rule and English 
occupation ceased in that part of the New World. 

The war virtually closed by the surrender of 
Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Va., October 19, 
1781. The struggle was prolonged, however, by 
the British, in the vain hope that they could re- 
trieve the disaster, but it was only a useless waste 
of men and money. America would not be sub- 
dued. "If we are to be taxed, we will be repre- 
sented," said they, "else we will be a free govern- 
ment, and regulate our own taxes." In the end, 
they were free. 

Provisional articles of peace between the United 
States and Great Britain were signed in Paris on 
the 30th of November, 1782. This was followed 
by an armistice negotiated at Versailles on the 20th 
of January, 1783; and finally, a definite treaty of 
peace was concluded at Paris on the 3d of the next 
September, and ratified by Congress on the 4th of 
January, 1784. By the second article of the defi- 
nite treaty of 1783, the boundaries of the United 
States were fixed. A glance at the map of that 
day shows the boundary to have been as follows: 
Beginning at Passamaquoddy Bay, on the coast of 
Maine, the line ran north a little above the forty- 
fifth parallel of latitude, when it diverged southwest- 
erly, irregularly, until it reached that parallel, when 
it followed it until it reached the St. Lawrence River. 
It followed that river to Lake Ontario, down its 
center ; up the Niagara River ; through Lake Erie, 



up the Detroit River and through Lakes Huron and 
Superior, to the northwest extremity of the latter. 
Then it pursued another irregular western course 
to the Lake of the Woods, when it turned south- 
ward to the Mississippi River. The commissioners 
insisted that should be the western boundary, as 
the lakes were the northern. It followed the Mis- 
sissippi south until the mouth of Red River was 
reached, when, turning east, it followed almost a 
direct line to the Atlantic Coast, touching the 
coast a little north of the outlet of St. John's 
River. 

From this outline, it will be readily seen what 
boundary the United States possessed. Not one- 
half of its present domain. 

At this date, there existed the original thirteen 
colonies : Virginia occupying all Kentucky and 
all the Northwest, save about half of Michigan and 
Wisconsin, claimed by Massachusetts ; and the upper 
part of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, and the lower 
part (a narrow strip) of Michigan, claimed by Con- 
necticut. Georgia included all of Alabama and 
Mississippi. The Spaniards claimed all Florida 
and a narrow part of lower Georgia. All the coun- 
try west of the Father of Waters belonged to Spain, 
to whom it had been secretly ceded when the fam- 
ily compact was made. That nation controlled the 
Mississippi, and gave no small uneasiness to the 
young government. It was, however, happily set- 
tled finally, by the sale of Louisana to the United 
States. 

Pending the settlement of these questions and 
the formation of the Federal Union, the cession of 
the Northwest by Virginia again came before 
Congress. That body found itself unable to fulfill 
its promises to its soldiers regarding land, and 
again urged the Old Dominion to cede the Terri- 
tory to the General Government, for the good of 
all. Congress forbade settlers from occupying the 
Western lands till a definite cession had been 
made, and the title to the lands in question made 
good. But speculation was stronger than law, 
and without waiting for the slow processes of courts, 



^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



61 



the adventurous settlers were pouring into the 
country at a rapid rate, only retarded by the rifle 
and scalping-knife of the savage — a temporary 
check. The policy of allowing any parties to obtain 
land from the Indians was strongly discouraged 
by Washington. He advocated the idea that only 
the General Government could do that, and, in a 
letter to James Duane, in Congress, he strongly 
urged such a course, and pointed out the danger 
of a border war, unless some such measure was 
stringently followed. 

Under the circumstances, Congress pressed the 
claims of cession upon Virginia, and finally in- 
duced the Dominion to modify the terms proposed 
two years before. On the 20th of December, 
1783, Virginia accepted the proposal of Congress, 
and authorized her delegates to make a deed to 
the United States of all her right in the territory 
northwest of the Ohio. 

The Old Dominion stipulated in her deed of 
cession, that the territory should be divided into 
States, to be admitted into the Union as any other 
State, and to bear a proportionate share in the 
maintenance of that Union; that Virginia should 
be re-imbursed for the expense incurred in subduing 
the British posts in the territory; that the French 
and Canadian inhabitants should be protected in their 
rights ; that the grant to Gen. George Rogers Clarke 
and his men, as well as all other similar grants, 
should be confirmed, and that the lands should be 
considered as the common property of the United 
States, the proceeds to be applied to the use of the 
whole country. Congress accepted these condi- 
tions, and the deed was made March 1, 1784. 
Thus the country came from under the dominion 
of Virginia, and became common property. 

A serious difficulty arose about this time, that 
threatened for awhile to involve England and 
America anew in war. Virginia and several 
other States refused to abide by that part of the 
treaty relating to the payment of debts, especially 
so, when the British carried away quite a number 
of negroes claimed by the Americans. This re- 
fusal on the part of the Old Dominion and her 
abettors, caused the English to retain her North- 
western outposts, Detroit, Mackinaw, etc. She 
held these till 1786, when the questions were 
finally settled, and then readily abandoned them. 

The return of peace greatly augmented emigra- 
tion to the West, especially to Kentucky. When 
the war closed, the population of that county (the 
three counties having been made one judicial dis- 
trict, and Danville designated as the seat of gov- 



ernment) was estimated to be about twelve thousand. 
In one year, after the close of the war, it increased 
to 30,0U0, and steps for a State government were 
taken. Owing to the divided sentiment among its 
citizens, its perplexing questions of land titles 
and proprietary rights, nine conventions were held 
before a definite course of action could be reached. 
This prolonged the time till 1792, when, in De- 
cember of that year, the election for persons to 
form a State constitution was held, and the vexed 
and complicated questions settled. In 1783, the 
first wagons bearing merchandise came across the 
mountains. Their contents were received on flat- 
boats at Pittsburgh, and taken down the Ohio to 
Louisville, which that spring boasted of a store, 
opened by Daniel Broadhead. The next year, 
James Wilkinson opened one at Lexington. 

Pittsburgh was now the principal town in the 
West. It occupied the same position regarding 
the outposts that Omaha has done for several years 
to Nebra.ska. The town of Pittsburgh was laid 
out immediately after the war of 1764, by Col. 
Campbell. It then consisted of four squares about 
the fort, and received its name from that citadel. 
The treaty with the Six Nations in 1768, con- 
veyed to the proprietaries of Pennsylvania all the 
lands of the Alleghany below Kittanning, and all 
the country south of the Ohio, within the limits of 
Penn's charter. This deed of cession was recog- 
nized when the line between Pennsylvania and 
Virginia was fixed, and gave the post to the Key- 
stone State. In accordance with this deed, the 
manor of Pittsburgh was withdrawn from market 
in 1769, and was held as the property of the Penn 
family. When Washington visited it in 1770, it 
seems to have declined in consequence of the 
afore-mentioned act. He mentions it as a " town of 
about twenty log houses, on the Monongahela, 
about three hundred yards from the fort." The 
Penn's remained true to the King, and hence all 
their land that had not been surveyed and returned 
to the land office, was confiscated by the common- 
wealth. Pittsburgh, having been surveyed, was 
still left to them. In the spring of 1784, Tench 
Francis, the agent of the Penns, was induced to 
lay out the manor into lots and offer them for sale. 
Though, for many years, the place was rather un- 
promising, it eventually became the chief town in 
that part of the West, a position it yet holds. In 
1786, John Scull and Joseph Hall started the 
Pittsburgh Gazette, the first paper published west 
of the mountains. In the initial number, appeared a 
lengthy article from the pen of H. H. Brackenridge, 






-^1 Si 



63 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



afterward one of the most prominent members 
of the Pennsylvania bar. He had located in 
Pittsburgh in 1781. His letter gives a most hope- 
ful prospect in store for the future city, and is a 
highly descriptive article of the Western country. 
It is yet preserved in the "Western Annals," and 
is well worth a perusal. 

Under the act of peace in 1783, no provision was 
made by the British for their allies, especially the 
Six Nations. The question was ignored by the 
English, and was made a handle by the Americans 
in gaining them to their cause before the war had 
fully closed. The treaties made were regarded by 
the Indians as alliances only, and when the En- 
glish left the country the Indians began to assume 
rather a hostile bearing. This excited the whites, 
and for a while a war with that formidable con- 
federacy was imminent. Better councils prevailed, 
and Congress wisely adopted the policy of acquiring 
their lands by purchase. In accordance with this 
policy, a treaty was made at Fort Stanwix with 
the Six Nations, in October, 1784. By this treaty, 
all lands west of a line drawn from the mouth of 
Oswego Creek, about four miles east of Niagara, 
to the mouth of Buffalo Creek, and on to the 
northern boundary of Pennsylvania, thence west 
along that boundary to its western extremity, 
thence south to the Ohio River, should be ceded 
to the United States. (They claimed west of this line 
by conquest.) The Six Nations were to be secured 
in the lands they inhabited, reserving only six miles 
square around Oswego fort for the support of the 
same. By this treaty, the indefinite claim of the 
Six Nations to the West was extinguished, and the 
question of its ownership settled. 

It was now occupied by other Western tribes, 
who did not recognize the Iroquois claim, and who 
would not yield without a purchase. Especially 
was this the case with those Indians living in the 
northern part. To get possession of that country 
by the same process, the United States, through 
its commissioners, held a treaty at Fort Mcintosh 
on the 21st of January, 1785. The Wyandot, 
Delaware, Chippewa and Ottawa tribes were pres- 
ent, and, through their chiefs, sold their lands to 
the Government. The Wyandot and Delaware 
nations were given a reservation in the north part 
of Ohio, where they were to be protected. The 
others were allotted reservations in Michigan. To 
all was given complete control of their lands, allow- 
ing them to punish any white man attempting to 
settle thereon, and guaranteeing them in their 
rights. 



By such means Congress gained Indian titles to 
the vast realms north of the Ohio, and, a few 
months later, that legislation was commenced that 
should determine the mode of its disposal and the 
plan of its settlements. 

To facilitate the settlement of lands thus acquired, 
Congress, on May 20, 1785, passed an act for dispos- 
ing of lands in the Northwest Territory. Its main 
provisions were : A surveyor or surveyors should be 
appointed from the States ; and a geographer, and 
his assistants to act with them. The surveyors 
were to divide the territory into townships of six 
miles square, by lines running due north and 
south, and east and west. The starting-place 
was to be on the Ohio River, at a point where the 
western boundary of Pennsylvania crossed it. 
This would give the first range, and the first 
township. As soon as seven townships were 
surveyed, the maps and plats of the same were to 
be sent to the Board of the Treasury, who would 
record them and proceed to place the land in the 
market, and so on with all the townships as fast as 
they could be prepared ready for sale. Each town- 
ship was to be divided into thirty-six sections, or 
lots. Out of these sections, numbers 8, 11, 26 and 
29 were reserved for the use of the Government, 
and lot No. 16, for the establishment of a common- 
school fund. One-third of all mines and minerals was 
also reserved for the United States. Three townships 
on Lake Erie were reserved for the use of officers, 
men and others, refiigees from Canada and from 
Nova Scotia, who were entitled to grants of land. 
The Moravian Indians were also exempt from 
molestation, and guaranteed in their homes. Sol- 
diers' claims, and all others of a like nature, were 
also recognized, and land reserved for them. 

Without waiting for the act of Congress, settlers 
had been pouring into the country, and, when or- 
dered by Congress to leave undisturbed Indian 
lands, refused to do so. They went into the In- 
dian country at their peril, however, and when 
driven out by the Indians could get no redress 
from the Government, even when life was lost. 

The Indians on the Wabash made a treaty at 
Fort Finney, on the Miami, January 31, 1786, 
promising allegiance to the United States, and were 
allowed a reservation. This treaty did not include 
the Piankeshaws, as was at first intended. These, 
refusing to live peaceably, stirred up the Shawa- 
nees, who began a series of predatory excursions 
against the settlements. This led to an expedition 
against them and other restless tribes. Gen. Clarke 
commanded part of the army on that expedition. 



liL 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



65 



but got no farther than Vincennes, when, owing to 
the discontent of his Kentucky troops, he was 
obliged to return. Col. Benjamin Logan, how- 
ever, marched, at the head of four or five hundred 
mounted riflemen, into the Indian country, pene- 
trating as far as the head-waters of Mad River. 
He destroyed several towns, much corn, and took 
about eighty prisoners. Among these, was the 
chief of the nation, who was wantonly slain, 
greatly to Logan's regret, who could not restrain 
his men. His expedition taught the Indians sub- 
mission, and that they must adhere to their con- 
tracts. 

Meanwhile, the difficulties of the navigation of 
the Mississippi arose. Spain would not relinquish 
the right to control the entire southern part of the 
river, allowing no free navigation. She was secretly 
hoping to cause a revolt of the Western provinces, 
especially Kentucky, and openly favored such a 
move. She also claimed, by conquest, much of the 
land on the east side of the river. The slow move- 
ments of Congress; the failure of Virginia to 
properly protect Kentucky, and the inherent rest- 
lessness in some of the Western men, well-nigh 
precipitated matters, and, for a while, serious results 
were imminent. The Kentuckians, and, indeed, 
all the people of the West, were determined the 
river should be free, and even went so far as to 
raise a regiment, and forcibly seize Spanish prop- 
erty in the West. Great Britain stood ready, too, 
to aid the West should it succeed, providing it 
would make an alliance with her. But while the 
excitement was at its height, Washington coun- 
seled better ways and patience. The decisive tone 
of the new republic, though almost overwhelmed 
with a burden of debt, and with no credit, debarred 
the Spanish from too forcible measures to assert 
their claims, and held back the disloyal ones from 
attempting a revolt. 

New Y^ork, Massachusetts and Connecticut ceded 
their lands, and now the United States were ready 
to fulfill their promises of land grants, to the sol- 
diers who had preserved the nation. This did 
much to heal the breach in the West, and restore 
confidence there ; so that the Mississippi question 
was overlooked for a time, and Kentucky forgot her 
animosities. 

The cession of their claims was the signal for 
the formation of land companies in the East ; com- 
panies whose object was to settle the Western coun- 
try, and, at the same time, enrich the founders of 
the companies. Some of these companies had been 
formed in the old colonial days, but the recent war 



had put a stop to all their proceedings. Congress 
would not recognize their claims, and new com- 
panies, under old names, were the result. By such 
means, the Ohio Company emerged from the past, 
and, in 1786, took an active existence. 

Benjamin Tupper, a Revolutionary soldier, and 
since then a government surveyor, who had been 
west as far as Pittsburgh, revived the question. 
He was prevented from prosecuting his surveys by 
hostile Indians, and returned to Massachusetts. 
He broached a plan to Gen. Bufus Putnam, as to 
the renewal of their memorial of 1788, which re- 
sulted in the publication of a plan, and inviting all 
those interested, to meet in February in their re- 
spective counties, and choose delegates to a con- 
vention to be held at the " Bunch-of-grapes Tav- 
ern." in Boston, on the first of March, 1786. On 
the day appointed, eleven persons appeared, and 
by the 3d of March an outline was drawn up, and 
subscriptions under it began at once. The leading 
features of the plan were : " A fund of $1 ,000,000, 
mainly in Continental certificates, was to be raised 
for the purpose of purchasing lands in the Western 
country; there were to be 1,000 shares of $1,000 
each, and upon each share $10 in specie were to 
be paid for contingent expenses. One year's inter- 
est was to be appropriated to the charges of making 
a settlement, and assisting those unable to move 
without aid. The owners of every twenty shares 
were to choose an agent to represent them and 
attend to their interests, and the agents were to 
choose the directors. The plan was approved, and 
in a year's time from that date, the Company was 
organized."* 

By the time this Company was organized, all 
claims of the colonies in the coveted territory were 
done away with by their deeds of cession, Connect- 
icut being the last. 

While troubles were still existing south of the 
Ohio River, regarding the navigation of the Mis- 
sissippi, and many urged the formation of a sepa- 
rate, independent State, and while Congress and 
Washington were doing what they could to allay 
the feeling north of the Ohio, the New England 
associates were busily engaged, now that a Com- 
pany was formed, to obtain the land they wished 
to purchase. On the 8th of March, 1787, a meet- 
ing of the agents chose Gen. Parsons, Gen. Put- 
nam and the Rev. Mannasseh Cutler, Directors for 
the Company. The last selection was quite a 
fitting one for such an enterprise. Dr. Cutler was 



* Historical CoUectionB. 



'^ 



66 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



an accomplished scholar, an excellent •gentleman, 
and a firm believer in freedom. In the choice of 
him as the agent of the Company, lies the fact, 
though unforeseen, of the beginning of anti-slavery 
in America. Through him the famous " compact 
of 1787," the true corner-stone of the Northwest, 
originated, and by him was safely passed. He 
was a good "wire-puller," too, and in this had an 
advantage. Mr. Hutchins was at this time the 
geographer for the United States, and was, prob- 
ably, the best-posted man in America regarding 
the West. Dr. Cutler learned from him that the 
mo.st desirable portions were on the Muskingum 
River, north of the Ohio, and was advised by him 
to buy there if he couH. 

Congress wanted money badly, and many of the 
members favored the plan. The Southern mem- 
bers, generally, were hostile to it, as the Doctor 
would listen to no grant which did not embody 
the New England ideas in the charter. These 
members were finally won over, some bribery be- 
ing used, and some of their favorites made officers 
of the Territory, whose formation was now going 
on. This took time, however, and Dr. Cutler, be- 
coming impatient, declared they would purchase 
from some of the States, who held small tracts in 
various parts of the West. This intimation brought 
the tardy ones to time, and, on the 23d of July, 
Congress authorized the Treasury Board to make 
the contract. On the 26th, Messrs. Cutler and 
Sargent, on behalf of the Company, stated in 
writing their conditions; and on the 27th, Con- 
gress referred their letter to the Board, and an 
order of the same date was obtained. Of this Dr. 
Cutler's journal says: 

" By this grant we obtained near five millions 
of acres of land, amounting to $3,500,000 ; 1 ,500,- 
000 acres for the Ohio Company, and the remainder 
for a private speculation, in which many of the 
principal characters of America are concerned. 
Without connecting this peculation, similar terms 
and advantages for the Ohio Company could not 
have been obtained." 

Messrs. Cutler and Sargent at once closed a ver- 
bal contract with the Treasury Board, which was 
executed in form on the 27th of the next Octo- 
ber.* 

By this contract, the vast region bounded on the 
south by the Ohio, west by the Scioto, east by the 
seventh range of townships then surveying, and 
north by a due west line, drawn from the north 

* Land Laws. 



boundary of the tenth township from the Ohio, 
direct to the Scioto, was sold to the Ohio associ- 
ates and their secret copartners, for $1 per acre, 
subject to a deduction of one-third for bad lands 
and other contingencies. 

The whole tract was not, however, paid for nor 
taken by the Company — even their own portion of 
a million and a half acres, and extending west to the 
eighteenth range of townships, was not taken ; and 
in 1792, the boundaries of the purchase proper 
were fixed as follows: the Ohio on the south, the 
seventh range of townships on the east, the six- 
teenth range on the west, and a line on the north 
so drawn as to make the grant 750,000 acres, be- 
sides reservations ; this grant being the portion 
which it was originally agreed the Company might 
enter into at once. In addition to this, 214,285 
acres were granted as army bounties, under the 
resolutions of 1779 and 1780, and 100,000 acres 
as bounties to actual settlers; both of the latter 
tracts being within the original grant of 1787, and 
adjoining the purchase as before mentioned. 

While these things were progressing. Congress 
was bringing into form an ordinance for the gov- 
ernment and social organization of the North- 
west Territory. Virginia made her cession in 
March, 1784, and during the month following the 
plan for the temporary government of the newly 
acquired territory came under discussion. On the 
19th of April, Mr. Spaight, of North Carolina, 
moved to strike from the plan reported by Mr. 
Jefferson, the emancipationist of his day, a provis- 
ion for the prohibition of slavery north of the Ohio 
after the year 1800. The motion prevailed. From 
that day till the 23d, the plan was discussed and 
altered, and finally passed unanimously with the ex- 
ception of South Carolina. The South would have 
slavery, or defeat every measure. Thus this hide- 
ous monster early began to assert himself. By the 
proposed plan, the Territory was to have been 
divided into States by parallels of latitude and merid- 
ian lines. This division, it was thought, would make 
ten States, whose names were as follows, beginning 
at the northwest corner, and going southwardly : 
Sylvania, Michigania, Cheresonisus, Assenispia, 
Metropotamia, Illinoia, Saratoga, Washington, 
Polypotamia and Pelisipia.* 

A more serious difficulty existed, however, to 
this plan, than its catalogue of names — the number 
of States and their boundaries. The root of the evil 
was in the resolution passed by Congress in October, 

* Spark's Washington. 



:ii 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



67 



1 780, which fixed the size of the States to be formed 
from the ceded lands, at one hundred to one hundred 
and fifty miles square. The terms of that resolu- 
tion being called up both by Virginia and Massa- 
chusetts, further legislation was deemed necessary 
to change them. July 7, 1786, this subject came 
up in Congress, and a resolution passed in favor of 
a division into not less than three nor more than 
five States. Virginia, at the close of 1788, assented 
to this proposition, which became the basis upon 
which the division should be made. On the 29th 
of September, Congress having thus changed the 
plan for dividing the Northwestern Territory into 
ten States, proceeded again to consider the terms of 
an ordinance for the government of that region. At 
this juncture, the genius of Dr. Cutler displayed 
itself A graduate in medicine, law and divinity ; 
an ardent lover of liberty ; a celebrated scientist, 
and an accomplished, portly gentleman, of whom 
the Southern senators said they had never before 
seen so fine a specimen from the New England colo- 
nies, no man was better prepared to form a govern- 
ment for the new Territory, than he. The Ohio 
Company was his real object. He was backed by 
them, and enough Continental money to purchase 
more than a million acres of land. This was aug- 
mented by other parties until, as has been noticed, 
he represented over five million acres. This would 
largely reduce the public debt. Jefi'erson and Vir- 
ginia were regarded as authority concerning the 
land Virginia had just ceded to the Greneral Gov- 
ernment. Jefferson's policy was to provide for the 
national credit, and still check the growth of slavery. 
Here was a good opportunity. Massachusetts 
owned the Territory of Maine, which she was crowd- 
ing into market. She opposed the opening of 
the Northwest. This stirred Virginia. The South 
caught the inspiration and rallied around the Old 
Dominion and Dr. Cutler. Thereby he gained the 
credit and good will of the South, an auxiliary he 
used to good purpose. Massachusetts could not 
vote against him, because many of the constituents 
of her members were interested in the Ohio Com- 
pany. Thus the Doctor, using all the arts of the 
lobbyist, was enabled to hold the situation. True to 
deeper convictions, he dictated one of the most com- 
pact and finished documents of wise statesmanship 
that has ever adorned any statute-book. Jefferson 
gave it the term, "Articles of Compact," and 
rendered him valuable aid in its construction. This 
" Compact" preceded the Federal Constitution, in 
both of which are seen Jefferson's master-mind. 
Dr. Cutler followed closely the constitution of Mas- 



sachusetts, adopted three years before. The prom- 
inent features were : The exclusion of slavery from 
the Territory forever. Provision for public schools, 
giving one township for a seminary, and eveiy six- 
teenth section. (That gave one thirty-sixth of all 
the land for public education.) A provision pro- 
hibiting the adoption of any constitution or the 
enactment of any law that would nullify pre-exist- 
ing contracts. 

The compact further declared that " Religion, 
morality and knowledge being necessary to good 
government and the happiness of mankind, schools 
and the means of education shall always be en- 
couraged." 

The Doctor planted himself firmly on this plat- 
form, and would not yield. It was that or nothing. 
Unless they could make the land desirable , it was 
not wanted, and, taking his horse and buggy, he 
started for the Constitutional Convention in Phil- 
adelphia. His influence succeeded. On the 13th 
of July, 1787, the bill was put upon its passage 
and was unanimously adopted. Every member 
from the South voted for it ; only one man, Mr. 
Yates, of New York, voted against the measure ; 
but as the vote was made by States, his vote was 
lost, and the " Compact of 1787 " was beyond re- 
peal. Thus the great States of the Northwest 
Territory were consecrated to freedom, intelligence 
and morality. This act was the opening step for 
freedom in America. Soon the South saw their 
blunder, and endeavored, by all their power, to re- 
peal the compact. In 1803, Congress referred it 
to a committee, of which John Randolph was 
chairman. He reported the ordinance was a com- 
pact and could not be repealed. Thus it stood, 
like a rock, in the way of slavery, which still, in 
spite of these provisions, endeavored to plant that 
infernal institution in the West. Witness the 
early days of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. But the 
compact could not be violated ; New England ideas 
could not be put down, and her sons stood ready 
to defend the soil of the West from that curse. 

The passage of the ordinance and the grant of 
land to Dr. Cutler and his associates, were soon fol- 
lowed by a request from John Cleve Symmes, of 
New Jersey, for the country between the Miamis. 
Symmes had visited that part of the West in 178G, 
and, being pleased with the valleys of the Miamis, 
had applied to the Board of the Treasury for 
their purchase, as soon as they were open to set- 
tlement. The Board was empowered to act by 
Congress, and, in 1788, a contract was signed, giv- 
ing him the country he desired. The terms of his 



j<, 



:\: 



J^l 



G8 



HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



purchase were similar to those of the Ohio Com- 
pany. His appHcation was followed by others, 
whose success or failure will appear in the narrative. 

The New England or Ohio Company was all 
this time busily engaged perfecting its arrange- 
ments to occupy its lands. The Directors agreed 
to reserve 5,760 acres near the confluence of the 
Ohio and Muskingum for a city and commons, for 
the old ideas of the English plan of settling a 
country yet prevailed. A meeting of the Direct- 
ors was held at Bracket's tavern, in Boston, No- 
vember 23, 1787, when four surveyors, and twen- 
ty-two attendants, boat-builders, carpenters, black- 
smiths and common workmen, numbering in all 
forty persons, were engaged. Their tools were 
purchased, and wagons were obtained to transport 
them across the mountains. Gen. Rufus Putnam 
was made superintendent of the company, and 
Ebenezer Sproat, of Rhode Island, Anselm Tup- 
per and John Matthews, from Massachusetts, and 
R. J. Meigs, from Connecticut, as surveyors. At 
the same meeting, a suitable person to instruct them 
in religion, and prepare the way to open a school 
when needed, was selected. This was Rev. Daniel 
Storey, who became the first New England minis- 
ter in the Northwest. 

The Indians were watching this outgrowth of 
affairs, and felt, from what they could learn in Ken- 
tucky, that they would be gradually surrounded by 
the whites. This they did not relish, by any 
means, and gave the settlements south of the Ohio 
no little uneasiness. It was thought best to hold 
another treaty with them. In the mean time, to 
insure peace, the Grovernor of Virginia, and Con- 
gress, placed troops at Venango, Forts Pitt and 
Mcintosh, and at Miami, Vincennes, Louisville, 
and Muskingum, and the militia of Kentucky 
were held in readiness should a sudden outbreak 
occur. These measures produced no results, save 
insuring the safety of the whites, and not until 
January, 1789, was Clarke able to carry out his 
plans. During that month, he held a meeting at Fort 
Harmar,* at the mouth of the Muskingum, where 
the New England Colony expected to locate. 

The hostile character of the Indians did not 
deter the Ohio Company from carrying out its 
plans. In the winter of 1787, Gen. Rufus Put- 



*FortIIarmar was built in 1785, by a detachment of TJni tod States 
soldiers, under command of Maj. John Doughty. It was named in 
honor of Col. Josiah Harmar, to whose regiment Maj. Doughty was 
attached. It was the first military post erected by the Americans 
wit'iin the limits of Ohio, except Fort Laurens, a temporary struct- 
ure liuilt in 1778. When Marietta was founded it was the military 
post of that part of the country, and was for many years au impor- 
tant station. 



nam and forty-seven pioneers advanced to the 
mouth of the Youghiogheny River, and began 
building a boat for transportation down the Ohio 
in the spring. The boat was the largest craft that 
had ever descended the river, and, in allusion to 
their Pilgrim Fathers, it was called the Mayflower. 
It was 45 feet long and 12 feet wide, and esti- 
mated at 50 tons burden. Truly a formidable affair 
for the time. The bows were raking and curved 
like a galley, and were strongly timbered. The 
sides were made bullet-proof, and it was covered 
with a deck roof. Capt. Devol, the first ship- 
builder in the West, was placed in command. On 
the 2d of April, the Mayflower was launched, 
and for five days the little band of pioneers sailed 
down the Monongahela and the Ohio, and, on the 
7th, landed at the mouth of the Muskingum. 
There, opposite Fort Harmar, they chose a loca- 
tion, moored their boat for a temporary shelter, 
and began to erect houses for their occupation. 

Thus was begun the first English settlement in 
the Ohio Valley. About the 1st of July, they 
were re-enforced by the arrival of a colony from 
Massachusetts. It had been nine weeks on the 
way. It had hauled its wagons and driven its 
stock to Wheeling, where, constructing flat-boats, 
it had floated down the river to the settlement. 

In October preceding this occurrence, Arthur 
St. Clair had been appointed Governor of the Ter- 
ritory by Congress, which body also appointed 
Winthrop Sargent, Secretary, and Samuel H. 
Parsons, James M. Varnum and John Armstrong 
Judges. Subsequently Mr. Armstrong declined 
the appointment, and 3Ir. Symmes was given the 
vacancy. None of these were on the ground 
when the first settlement was made, though the 
Judges came soon after. One of the first things the 
colony found necessary to do was to organize 
some form of government, whereby difficulties 
might be settled, though to the credit of the colony 
it may be said, that during the first three months 
of its existence but one diff'erence arose, and that 
was settled by a compromise.* Indeed, hardly a 
better set of men for the purpose could have been 
selected. Washington wrote concerning this 
colony : 

" No colony in America was ever settled under 
such favorable auspices as that which has com- 
menced at the Muskingum. Information, prop- 
erty and strength will be its characteristics. I 
know many of the settlers personally, and there 



♦"Western Monthly Magazine." 



■^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



69 



never were men better calculated to promote the 
welfare of such a community." 

On the 2d of July, a meeting of the Directors 
and agents was held on the banks of the Mus- 
kingum for the purpose of naming the newborn 
city and its squares. As yet, the settlement had 
been merely "The Muskingum;" but the name 
Marietta was now formally given it, in honor of 
Marie Antoinette. The square upon which the 
blockhouses stood was called Campus Martius; 
Square No. 19, Capitolium ; Square No. 61, Ce- 
cilia., and the great road running through the 
covert- way. Sacra Via.* Surely, classical scholars 
were not scarce in the colony. 

On the Fourth, an oration was delivered by 
James M. Varnum, one of the Judges, and a 
public demonstration held. Five days after, the 
Governor arrived, and the colony began to assume 
form. The ordinance of 1787 provided two dis- 
tinct grades of government, under the first of 
which the whole power was under the Governor 
and the three Judges. This form was at once 
recognized on the arrival of St. Clair. The first 
law established by this court was passed on the 
25th of July. It established and regulated the 
militia of the Territory. The next day after its 
publication, appeared the Governor's proclamation 
erecting all the country that had been ceded by 
the Indians east of the Scioto River, into the 
county of Washington. Marietta was, of course, 
the county seat, and, from that day, went on 
prosperously. On September 2, the first court 
was held with becoming ceremonies. It is thus 
related in the American Pioneer: 

"The procession was formed at the Point 
(where the most of the settlers resided), in the 
following order: The High Sheriff", with his 
drawn sword; the citizens; the officers of the 
garrison at Fort Harmar; the members of the 
bar ; the Supreme Judges ; the Governor and 
clergyman ; the newly appointed Judges of the 
Court of Common Pleas, Gens. Rufus Putnam 
and Benjamin Tupper. 

"They marched up the path that had been 
cleared through the forest to Campus Martius 
Hall (stockade), where the whole countermarched, 
and the Judges (Putnam and Tupper) took their 
seats. The clergyman, Rev. Dr. Cutler, then 
invoked the divine blessing. The Sheriff, Col. 
Ebenezer Sproat, proclaimed with his solemn ' Oh 
yes ! ' that a court is open for the administration of 

* " Carey's Museum," Vol. 4 



even-handed justice, to the poor and to the rich, 
to the guilty and to the innocent, without respect 
of persons; none to be punished without a trial of 
their peers, and then in pursuance of the laws and 
evidence in the case. 

" Although this scene was exhibited thus early 
in the settlement of the West, few ever equaled it 
in the dignity and exalted character of its princi- 
pal participators. Many of them belonged to the 
history of our country in the darkest, as well as 
the most splendid, period of the Revolutionary 
war." 

Many Indians were gathered at the same time 
to witness the (to them) strange spectacle, and for 
the purpose of forming a treaty, though how 
far they carried this out, the Pioneer does not 
relate. 

The progress of the settlement was quite satis- 
factory during the year. Some one writing a 
letter from the town says: 

"The progress of the settlement is sufficiently 
rapid for the first year. We are continually erect- 
ing houses, but arrivals are constantly coming 
faster than we can possibly provide convenient 
covering. Our first ball was opened about the 
middle of December, at which were fifteen ladies, 
as well accomplished in the manner of polite 
circles as any I have ever seen in the older States. 
I mention this to show the progress of society in 
this new world, where, I believe, we shall vie with, 
if not excel, the old States in every accom- 
plishment necessary to render life agreeable and 
happy." 

The emigration westward at this time was, 
indeed, exceedingly large. The commander at 
Fort Harmar reported 4,500 persons as having 
passed that post between February and June, 
1788, many of whom would have stopped there, 
had the associates been prepared to receive them. 
The settlement was fi-ee from Indian depredations 
until January, 1791, during which interval it 
daily increased in numbers and strength. 

Symmes and his friends were not idle during this 
time. He had secured his contract in October, 
1787, and, soon after, issued a pamphlet stating 
the terms of his purchase and the mode he intended 
to follow in the disposal of the lands. His plan 
was, to issue warrants for not less than one-quarter 
section, which might be located anywhere, save on 
reservations, or on land previously entered. The 
locator could enter an entire section should he de- 
sire to do so. The price was to be 60f cents per 
acre till May, 1788 ; then, till November, SI ; and 



70 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



after that time to be regulated by the demand for 
hind. Each purchaser was bound to begin im- 
provements within two years, or forfeit one-sixth 
of the land to whoever would settle thereon and 
remain seven years. Military bounties might be 
taken in this, as in the purchase of the associates. 
For himself, Symmes reserved one township near 
the mouth of the Miami. On this he intended to 
build a great city, rivaling any Eastern port. He 
offered any one a lot on which to build a house, 
providing he would remain three years. Conti- 
nental certificates were rising, owing to the demand 
for land created by these two purchases, and Con- 
gress found the burden of debt correspondingly 
lessened. Symmes soon began to experience diffi- 
culty in procuring enough to meet his payments. 
He had also some trouble in arranging his boundary 
with the Board of the Treasury. These, and other 
causes, laid the foundation for another city, which is 
now what Symmes hoped his city would one day be. 

In January, 1788, Mathias Denman, of New 
Jersey, took an interest in Symmes' purchase, 
and located, among other tracts, the sections upon 
which Cincinnati has since been built. Retaining 
one-third of this purchase, he sold the balance to 
Robert Patterson and John Filson, each getting 
the same share. These three, about August, agreed 
to lay out a town on their land. It was designated 
as opposite the mouth of the Licking River, to 
which place it was intended to open a road from 
Lexington, Ky. These men little thought of the 
great emporium that now covers the modest site of 
this town they laid out that summer. Mr. Filson, 
who had been a schoolmaster, and was of a some- 
what poetic nature, was appointed to name the 
town. In respect to its situation, and as if with 
a prophetic perception of the mixed races that 
were in after years to dwell there, he named it Los- 
antiville,* " which, being interpreted," says the 
" Western Annals," " means ville^ the town ; aiiti^ 
opposite to ; os, the mouth ; 7/, of Licking. This 
may well put to the blush the Campus Martins 
of the Marietta scholars, and the Fort Solon of 
the Spaniards." 

Meanwhile, Symmes was busy in the East, and, 
by July, got thirty people and eight four-horse 
wagons under way for the West. These reached 
Limestone by September, where they met Mr. 
Stites, with several persons from Redstone. All 



♦Judge Burnett, in his notes, disputes the above account of the 
origin of the city of Cincinnati. Ho says the name " Loaantiville " 
was determined on, but not adopted, when the town was laid out. 
This version is probably the correct one, and will be found fully 
given in the detailed history of the settlements. 



came to Symmes' purchase, and began to look for 
homes. 

Symmes' mind was, however, ill at rest. He 
could not meet his fii-st payment on so vast a realm, 
and there also arose a difference of opinion be- 
tween him and the Treasury Board regarding the 
Ohio boundary. Symmes wanted all the land be- 
tween the two Miamis, bordering on the Ohio, 
while the Board wished him confined to no more 
than twenty miles of the river. To this proposal 
he would not agree, as he had made sales all along 
the river. Leaving the bargain in an unsettled 
state, Congress considered itself released from all 
its obligations, and, but fur the representations of 
many of Symmes' friends, he would have lost all 
his money and labor. His appointment as Judge 
was not favorably received by many, as they 
thought that by it he would accjuire unlimited 
power. Some of his associates also complained of 
him, and, for awhile, it surely seemed that ruin 
only awaited him. But he was brave and hope- 
ful, and determined to succeed. On his return 
from a visit to his purchase in September, 1788, 
he wrote Jonathan Dayton, of New Jersey, one of 
his best friends and associates, that he thought 
some of the land near the Great Miami "positively 
worth a silver dollar the acre in its present state." 

A good many changes were made in his original 
contract, growing out of his inability to meet his 
payments. At first, he was to have not less than 
a million acres, under an act of Congress passed in 
October, 1787, authorizing the Treasury Board to 
conti-act with any one who could pay for such 
tracts, on the Ohio and Wabash Rivers, whose 
fronts should not exceed one-third of their depth. 

Dayton and JMarsh, Symmes' agents, contracted 
with the Board for one tract on the Ohio, begin- 
ning twenty miles up the Ohio from the mouth of 
the Great Miami, and to run back for quantitj^ be- 
tween the Miami and a line drawn from the Ohio, 
parallel to the general course of that river. In 
1791, three years after Dayton and IMarsh made 
the contract, Symmes found this would throw the 
purchase too far back from the Ohio, and apj^lied 
to Congress to let him have all between the ]Mi- 
amies, running back so as to include 1,000,000 
acres, which that body, on April 12, 1792, agreed 
to do. When the lands were surveyed, however, it 
was found that a line drawn from the head of the 
Little Miami due west to the Great Miami, would 
include south of it less than six hundred thousand 
acres. Even this Symmes could not pay for, and 
when his patent was issued in September, 179-1, it 



HISTORY OP OHIO. 



71 



gave him and his associates 248,540 acres, exclu- 
sive of reservations which amounted to 63,142 
acres. This tract was bounded by the Ohio, the 
two Miamis and a due east and west Une run so 
as to inckide the desired quantity. Symmes, how- 
ever, made no further payments, and the rest of 
his purchase reverted to the United States, who 
gave those who had bought under him ample pre- 
emption rights. 

The Government was able, also, to give him and 
his colonists but little aid, and as danger from hos- 
tile Indians was in a measure imminent (though all 
the natives were friendly to Symmes), settlers were 
slow to come. However, the band led by Mr. 
Stites arrived before the 1st of January, 1789, 
and locating themselves near the mouth of the 
Little Miami, on a tract of 10,000 acres which 
Mr. Stites had purchased from Symmes, formed 
the second settlement in Ohio. They were soon 
afterward joined by a colony of twenty-six persons, 
who assisted them to erect a block-house, and 
gather their corn. The town was named Columbia. 
While here, the great flood of January, 1789, oc- 
curred, which did much to ensure the future 
growth of Losantiville, or more properly, Cincin- 
nati. Symmes City, which was laid out near the 
mouth of the Great Miami, and which he vainly 
strove to make the city of the future, Marietta 
and Columbia, all suffered severely by this flood, 
the greatest, the Indians said, ever known. The 
site of Cincinnati was not overflowed, and hence 
attracted the attention of the settlers. Denman's 
warrants had designated his purchase as opposite 
the mouth of the Licking; and that point escap- 
ing the overflow, late in December the place was 
visited by Israel Ludlow, Symmes' surveyor, Mr. 
Patterson and Mr. Denman, and about fourteen oth- 
ers, who left JMaysville to "form a station and lay 
ofi" a town opposite the Licking." The river was 
filled with ice "from shore to shore;" but, says 
Symmes in May, 1789, "Perseverance triumphing 
over difficulty, and they landed safe on a most de- 
lightful bank of the Ohio, where they founded 
the town of Losantiville, which populates consid- 
erably." The settlers of Losantiville built a few 
log huts and block-houses, and proceeded to im- 
prove the town. Symmes, noticing the location, 
says: "Though they placed their dwellings in the 
most marked position, yet they suffered nothing 
from the freshet." This would seem to give cre- 
dence to Judge Burnett's notes regarding the origin 
of Cincinnati, who states the settlement was made 
at this time, and not at the time mentioned when 



jMr. Filson named the town. It is further to be 
noticed, that, before the town was located by Mr. 
Ludlow and Mr. Patterson, Mr. Filson had been 
killed by the Miami Indians, and, as he had not paid 
for his one-third of the site, the claim was sold to 
Mr. Ludlow, who thereby became one of the origi- 
nal owners of the place. Just what day the town 
was laid out is not recorded. All the evidence 
tends to show it must have been late in 1788, or 
early in 1789. 

While the settlements on the north side of the 
Ohio were thus progressing, south of it fears of the 
Indians prevailed, and the separation sore was 
kept open. The country was, however, so torn by 
internal factions that no plan was likely to suc- 
ceed, and to this fact, in a large measure, may be 
credited the reason it did not secede, or join the 
Spanish or French faction, both of which were 
intriguing to get the commonwealth. During 
this year the treasonable acts of James Wilkinson 
came into view. For a while he thought success 
was in his grasp, but the two governments were at 
peace with America, and discountenanced any such 
efforts. Wilkinson, like all traitors, relapsed into 
nonentity, and became mistrusted by the govern- 
ments he attempted to befriend. Treason is al- 
ways odious. 

It will be borne in mind, that in 1778 prepa- 
rations had been made for a treaty with the Indi- 
ans, to secure peaceful possession of the lands 
owned in the West. Though the whites held 
these by purchase and treaty, yet many Indians, 
especially the Wabash and some of the Miami In- 
dians, objected to their occupation, claiming the 
Ohio boundary as the original division line. Clarke 
endeavored to obtain, by treaty at Fort Harmar, 
in 1778, a confirmation of these grants, but was 
not able to do so till January, 9, 1789. Rep- 
resentatives of the Six Nations, and of the Wyan- 
dots, Delawares, Ottawas, Chippewas, Pottawato- 
mies and Sacs, met him at this date, and confirmed 
and extended the treaties of Fort Stanwix and 
Fort Mcintosh, the one in 1784, the other in 
1785. This secured peace with the most of them, 
save a few of the Wabash Indians, whom they 
were compelled to conquer by arms. When this 
was accomplished, the borders were thought safe, 
and Virginia proposed to withdraw her aid in sup- 
port of Kentucky. This opened old troubles, and 
the separation dogma came out afresh. Virginia 
offered to allow the erection of a separate State, 
providing Kentucky would assume part of the old 
debts. This the young commonwealth would not 



:V 



73 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



do, and sent a remonstrance. Virginia withdrew 
the proposal, and ordered a ninth convention, 
which succeeded in evolving a plan whereby Ken- 
tucky took her place among the free States of the 
Union. 

North of the Ohio, the prosperity continued. 
In 1789, Rev. Daniel Story, who had been ap- 
pointed missionary to the West, came out as a 
teacher of the youth and a preacher of the Gospel. 
Dr. Cutler had preceded him, not in the capacity 
of a minister, though he had preached ; hence Mr. 
Story is truly the first missionary from the Prot- 
estant Church who came to the Ohio Valley in 
that capacity. When he came, in 1789, he found 
nine associations on the Ohio Company's purchase, 
comprising two hundred and fifty persons in all ; 
and, by the close of 1790, eight settlements had 
been made: two at Belpre (belle prairie), one at 
Newbury, one at Wolf Creek, one at Duck Creek, 
one at the mouth of Meigs' Creek, one at Ander- 
son's Bottom, and one at Big Bottom. An ex- 
tended sketch of all these settlements will be found 
farther on in this volume. 

Symmes had, all this time, strenuously endeav- 
ored to get his city — called Cleves City — favorably 
noticed, and filled with people. Pie saw a rival in 
Cincinnati. That place, if made military head- 
quarters to protect the Miami Valley, would out- 
rival his town, situated near the bend of the 
Miami, near its mouth. On the 15th of June, 
Judge Symmes received news that the Wabash 
Indians threatened the Miami settlements, and as 
he had received only nineteen men for defense, he 
applied for more. Before July, Maj. Doughty 
arrived at the "Slaughter House" — as the Miami 
was sometimes called, owing to previous murders 
that had, at former times, occurred therein. 
Through the influence of Symmes, the detach- 
ment landed at the North Bend, and, for awhile, 
it was thought the fort would be erected there. 
This was what Symmes wanted, as it would 
secure him the headquarters of the military, and 
aid in getting the headquarters of the civil gov- 
ernment. The truth was, however, that neither 
the proposed city on the Miami — North Bend, as 
it afterward became known, from its location — or 
South Bend, could compete, in point of natural 
advantages, with the plain on which Cincinnati is 
built. Had Fort Washington been built elsewhere, 
after the close of the Indian war, nature would 
have asserted her advantages, and insured the 
growth of a city, where even the ancient and mys- 
terious dwellers of the Ohio had reared the earthen 



walls of one of their vast temples. Another fact 
is given in relation to the erection of Fort Wash- 
ington at Losantiville, which partakes somewhat of 
romance. The Major, while waiting to decide at 
which place the fort should be built, happened to 
make the acquaintance of a black-eyed beauty, the 
wife of one of the residents. Her husband, notic- 
ing the affair, removed her to Losantiville. The 
Major followed; he told Symmes he wished to see 
how a fort would do there, but promised to give his 
city the preference. He found the beauty there, and 
on his return Symmes could not prevail on him to 
remain. If the story be true, then the importance 
of Cincinnati owes its existence to a trivial circum- 
stance, and the old story of the ten years' war 
which terminated in the downfall of Troy, which 
is said to have originated owing to the beauty of 
a Spartan dame, was re-enacted here. Troy and 
North Bend fell because of the beauty of a wo- 
man ; Cincinnati was the result of the downfall of 
the latter place. 

About the first of January, 1790, Governor St. 
Clair, with his officers, descended the Ohio River 
from Marietta to Fort Washington. There he es- 
tablished the county of Hamilton, comprising the 
immense region of country contiguous to the 
Ohio, from the Hocking River to the Great 
Miami; appointed a corps of civil and military 
officers, and established a Court of Quarter Ses- 
sions. Some state that at this time, he changed 
the name of the village of Losantiville to Cin- 
cinnati, in allusion to a society of that name 
which had recently been formed among the officers 
of the Revolutionary army, and established it as 
the seat of justice for Hamilton. This latter fact 
is certain; but as regards changing the name of 
the village, there is no good authority for it. With 
this importance attached to it, Cincinnati began at 
once an active growth, and from that day Cleves' 
city declined. The next summer, frame houses 
began to appear in Cincinnati, while at the same 
time forty new log cabins appeared about the 
fort. 

On the 8th of January, the Governor arrived at 
the falls of the Ohio, on his way to establish a 
government at Vincennes and Kaskaskia. From 
Clarkesville, he dispatched a messenger to Major 
Hamtramck, commander at Vincennes, with 
speeches to the various Indian tribes in this part 
of the Northwest, who had not fully agreed to the 
treaties. St. Clair and Sargent followed in a few 
days, along an Indian trail to Vincennes, where he 
organized the county of Knox, comprisir?^ all the 



^i^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



73 



country along the Ohio, from the Miami to the 
Wabash, and made Vincennes the county seat. 
Then they proceeded across the lower part of Illi- 
nois to Ka.skaskia, where he established the county 
of St. Clair (so named by Sargent), comprising all 
the country from the Wabash to the Mississippi. 
Thus the Northwest was divided into three coun- 
ties, and courts established therein. St. Clair 
called upon the French inhabitants at Vincennes 
and in the Illinois country, to show the titles to 
their lands, and also to defray the expense of a 
survey. To this latter demand they replied through 
their priest, Pierre Gibault, showing their poverty, 
and inability to comply. They were confirmed in 
their grants, and, as they had been good friends to 
the patriot cause, were relieved from the expense 
of the survey. 

While the Governor was managing these affairs. 
Major Hamtramck was engaged in an effort to con- 
ciliate the Wabash Indians. For this purpose, he 
sent Antoine Gamelin, an intelligent French mer- 
chant, and a true friend of America, among them to 
carry messages sent by St. Clair and the Govern- 
ment, and to learn their sentiments and dispositions. 
Gamelin performed this important mission in the 
spring of 1790 with much sagacity, and, as the 



French were good friends of the natives, he did 
much to conciliate these half-hostile tribes. He 
visited the towns of these tribes along the Wabash 
and as far north and east as the Miami village, 
Ke-ki-ong-ga — St. Mary's — at the junction of the 
St. Mary's and St. Joseph's Rivers (Fort Wayne). 

Gamelin's report, and the intelligence brought by 
some traders from the Upper Wabash, were con- 
veyed to the Governor at Kaskaskia. The reports 
convinced him that the Indians of that part of the 
Northwest were preparing for a war on the settle- 
ments north of the Ohio, intending, if possible, to 
drive them south of it; that river being still consid- 
ered by them as the true boundary. St. Clair left 
the administration of affairs in the Western counties 
to Sargent, and returned at once to Fort Washing- 
ton to provide for the defense of the frontier. 

The Indians had begun their predatory incur- 
sions into the country settled by the whites, and 
had committed some depredations. The Kentuck- 
ians were enlisted in an attack against the Scioto 
Indians. April 18, Gen. Harmar, with 100 
regulars, and Gen. Scott, with 230 volunteers, 
marched from Limestone, by a circuitous route, to 
the Scioto, accomplishing but little. The savages 
had fled. 



CHAPTER VII. 



THE INDIAN WAR OF 1795— HARMAR'S CAMPAIGN— ST. CLAIR'S CAMPAIGN— WAYNE'S 

CAMPAIGN— CLOSE OF THE WAR. 



A GREAT deal of the hostility at this period 
was directly traceable to the British. They 
yet held Detroit and several posts on the lakes, in 
violation of the treaty of 1783. They alleged as 
a reason for not abandoning them, that the Ameri- 
cans had not fulfilled the conditions of the treaty 
regarding the collection of debts. Moreover, they 
did nil they could to remain at the frontier and en- 
joy the emoluments derived from the ftir trade. 
That they aided the Indians in the conflict at this 
time, is undeniable. Just how, it is difiicult to 
say. But it is well known the savages had all the 
ammunition and fire-arms they wanted, more than 
they could have obtained from American and 
French renegade traders. They were also well 
supplied with clothing, and were able to prolong 
the war some time. A great confederation was on 
the eve of formation. The leading spirits were 



Cornplanter, Brant, Little Turtle and other noted 
chiefs, and had not the British, as Brant said, 
"encouraged us to the war, and promised us aid, 
and then, when we were driven away by the Amer- 
icans, shut the doors of their fortresses against us 
and refused us food, when they saw us nearly con- 
quered, we would have effected our object." 

McKee, Elliott and Girty were also actively en- 
gaged in aiding the natives. All of them were in 
the interest of the British, a fact clearly proven 
by the Indians themselves, and by other traders. 

St. Clair and Gen. Harmar determined to send 
an expedition against the IMaumee towns, and se- 
cure that part of the country. Letters were sent 
to the militia ofiicers of Western Pennsylvania, 
Virginia and Kentucky, calling on them for militia 
to co-operate with the regular troops in the cam- 
paign. According to the plan of the campaign. 



:v 



jLI 



74 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



300 militia were to rendezvous at Fort Steuben 
( Jefferson ville), march thence to Fort Knox, at 
Vincennes, and join Maj. Hamtramck in an expe- 
dition up the Wabash ; 700 were to rendezvous at 
Fort Washington to join the regular army against 
the Maumee towns. 

While St. Clair was forming his army and ar- 
ranging for the campaign, three expeditions were 
sent out against the Miami towns. One against 
the Miami villages, not far from the Wabash, was 
led by Gen. Harmar. He had in his army about 
fourteen hundred men, regulars and militia. These 
two parts of the army could not be made to affili- 
ate, and, as a consequence, the expedition did little 
beyond burning the villages and destroying corn. 
The militia would not submit to discipline, and would 
not serve under regular officers. It will be seen 
what this spirit led to when St. Clair went on his 
march soon after. 

The Indians, emboldened by the meager success 
of Harmar's command, continued their depreda- 
dations against the Ohio settlements, destroying 
the community at Big Bottom. To hold them in 
check, and also punish them, an army under Charles 
Scott went against the Wabash Indians. Little 
was done here but destroy towns and the standing 
corn. In July, another army, under Col. Wilkin- 
son, was sent against the Eel River Indians. Be- 
coming entangled in extensive morasses on the 
river, the army became endangered, but was finally 
extricated, and accomplished no more than either 
the other armies before it. As it was, however, the 
three expeditions directed against the Miamis and 
Shawanees, served only to exasperate them. The 
burning of their towns, the destruction of their 
corn, and the captivity of their women and chil- 
dren, only aroused them to more desperate efforts 
to defend their country and to harass their in- 
vaders. To accomplish this, the chiefs of the 
Miamis, Shawanees and the Delawares, Little 
Turtle, Blue Jacket and Buckongahelas, were en- 
gaged in forming a confederacy of all the tribes of 
the Northwest, strong enough to drive the whites 
beyond the Ohio. Pontiac had tried that before, 
even when he had open allies among the French. 
The Indians now had secret allies among the Brit- 
ish, yet, in the end, they did not succeed. While 
they were preparing for the contest, St. Clair was 
gathering his forces, intending to erect a chain of 
forts from the Ohio, by way of the Miami and 
Maumee valleys, to the lakes, and thereby effect- 
ually hold the savages in check. Washington 
warmly seconded this plan, and designated the 



junction of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph's Rivers as 
an important post. This had been a fortification 
almost from the time the English held the valley, 
and only needed little work to make it a formid- 
able fortress. Glen. Knox, the Secretary of War, 
also favored the plan, and gave instructions con- 
cerning it. Under these instructions, St. Clair 
organized his forces as rapidly as he could, although 
the numerous drawbacks almost, at times, threat- 
ened the defeat of the campaign. Through the 
summer the arms and accouterments of the army 
were put in readiness at Fort Washington. Many 
were found to be of the poorest quality, and to be 
badly out of repair. The militia came poorly 
armed, under the impression they were to be pro- 
vided with arms. While waiting in camp, habits 
of idleness engendered themselves, and drunken- 
ness followed. They continued their accustomed 
freedom, disdaining to drill, and refused to submit 
to the regular officers. A bitter spirit broke out 
between the regular troops and the militia, which 
none could heal. The insubordination of the mi- 
litia and their officers, caused them a defeat after- 
ward, which they in vain attempted to fasten on 
the busy General, and the regular troops. 

The army was not ready to move till September 
17. It was then 2,300 strong. It then moved 
to a point upon the Great Miami, where they 
erected Fort Hamilton, the first in the proposed 
chain of fortresses. After its completion, they 
moved on forty -four miles farther, and, on the 12th 
of October, began the erection of Fort Jefferson, 
about six miles south of the present town of Green- 
ville, Darke County. On the 24th, the army again 
took up its line of march, through a wilderness, 
marshy and boggy, and full of savage foes. The 
army rapidly declined under the hot sun ; even the 
commander was suffering from an indisposition. 
The militia deserted, in companies at a time, leav- 
ing the bulk of the work to the regular troops. 
By the 3d of November, the army reached a 
stream twelve yards wide, which St. Clair sup- 
posed to be a branch of the St. Mary of the Mau- 
mee, but which in reality was a tributary of the 
Wabash. Upon the banks of that stream, the 
army, now about fourteen hundred strong, en- 
camped in two lines. A slight protection was 
thrown up as a safeguard against the Indians, who 
were known to be in the neighborhood. The Gen- 
eral intended to attack them next day, but, about 
half an hour before sunrise, just after the militia 
had been dismissed from parade, a sudden attack 
was made upon them. The militia were thrown 



^ a 



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HISTOKY or OHIO. 



75 



into confiision, and disregarded the command of 
the officers. They had not been sufficiently drilled, 
and now was seen, too late and too plainly, the evil 
effects of their insubordination. Through the 
morning the battle waged furiously, the men falling 
by scores. About nine o'clock the retreat began, 
covered by Maj. Cook and his troops. The re- 
treat was a disgraceful, precipitate flight, though, 
after four miles had been passed, the enemy re- 
turned to the work of scalping the dead and 
wounded, and of pillaging the camp. Through 
the day and the night their dreadful work con- 
tinued, one squaw afterward declaring " her arm 
was weary scalping the white men." The army 
reached Fort Jefferson a little after sunset, having 
thrown away much of its arms and baggage, though 
the act was entirely unnecessary. After remain- 
ing here a short time, it was decided by the officers 
to move on toward Fort Hamilton, and thence to 
Fort Washington. 

The defeat of St. Clair was the most terrible re- 
verse the Americans ever suffered from the Indi- 
ans. It was greater than even Braddock's defeat. 
His army consisted of 1,200 men and 86 officers, 
of whom 714 men and G3 officers were killed or 
wounded. St. Clair's army consisted of 1,400 
men and 86 officers, of whom 890 men and 16 
officers were killed or wounded. The comparative 
effects of the two engagements very inadequately 
represent the crushing effect of St. Clair's defeat. 
An unprotected frontier of more than a thousand 
miles in extent was now thrown open to a foe made 
merciless, and anxious to drive the whites from the 
north side of the Ohio. Now, settlers were scat- 
tered along all the streams, and in all the forests, ex- 
posed to the cruel enemy, who stealthily approached 
the homes of the pioneer, to murder him and his 
family. Loud calls arose from the people to defend 
and protect them. St. Clair was covered with abuse 
for his defeat, when he really was not alone to blame 
for it. The militia would not be controlled. Had 
Clarke been at their head, or Wayne, Avho succeeded 
St. Clair, the result might have been different. As 
it was, St. Clair resigned ; though ever after he en- 
joyed the confidence of Washington and Congress. 

Four days after the defeat of St. Clair, the army, 
in its straggling condition, reached Fort Washing- 
ton, and paused to rest. On the 9th, St. Clair 
wrote fully to the Secretary of War. On the 12th, 
Gen. Knox communicated the information to Con- 
gress, and on the 26th, he laid before the Presi- 
dent two reports, the second containing sugges- 
tions regarding future operations. His sugges- 



tions urged the establishment of a strong United 
States iVrmy, as it was plain the States could not 
control the matter. He also urged a thorough 
drill of the soldiers. No more insubordination 
could be tolerated. General Wayne was selected 
by Washington as the commander, and at once pro- 
ceeded to the task assigned to him. In June, 1792, 
he went to Pittsburgh to organize the army now 
gathering, which was to be the ultimate argu- 
ment with the Indian confederation. Through the 
summer he was steadily at work. "Train and dis- 
cipline them for the work they are meant for," 
wrote Washington, "and do not spare powder and 
lead, so the men be made good marksmen." In 
December, the forces, now recruited and trained, 
gathered at a point twenty-two miles below Pitts- 
burgh, on the Ohio, called Legionville, the army 
itself being denominated the Legion of the United 
States, divided into four sub-legions, and provided 
with the proper officers. Meantime, Col. Wilkinson 
succeeded St. Clair as commander at Fort Wash- 
ington, and sent out a force to examine the field of 
defeat, and bury the dead. A shocking sight met 
their view, revealing the deeds of cruelty enacted 
upon their comrades by the savage enemj'. 

While Wayne's army was drilling, peace meas- 
ures were pressed forward by the United States 
with equal perseverance. The Iroquois were in- 
duced to visit Philadelphia, and partially secured 
from the general confederacy. They were wary, 
however, and, expecting aid from the British, held 
aloof. Brant did not come, as was hoped, and it 
was plain there was intrigue somewhere. Five 
independent embassies were sent among the West- 
ern tribes, to endeavor to prevent a war, and win 
over the inimical tribes. But the victories they 
had won, and the favorable whispers of the British 
agents, closed the ears of the red men, and all 
propositions were rejected in some form or other. 
All the embassadors, save Putnam, suffered death. 
He alone was able to reach his goal — the Wabash 
Indians — and effect any treaty. On the 27th of 
December, in company with Heckewelder, the Mo- 
ravian missionary, he reached Vincennes, and met 
thirty-one chiefs, representing the Weas, Pianke- 
shaws, Kaskaskias, Peorias, Illinois, Pottawatomies, 
Mascoutins, Kickapoos and Eel River Indians, and 
concluded a treaty of peace with them. 

The fourth article of this treaty, however, con- 
tained a provision guaranteeing to the Indians 
their lands, and when the treaty was laid before 
Congress, February 13, 1793, that body, after 
much discussion, refused on that account to ratify it. 



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*i- 



76 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



A great council of the Indians was to be held 
at Auglaize during the autumn of 1702, when 
the assembled nations were to discuss fully their 
means of defense, and determine their future line 
of action. The council met in October, and was 
the largest Indian gathering of the time. The 
chiefs of all the tribes of the Northwest were there. 
The representatives of the seven nations of Canada, 
were in attendance. Cornplanter and forty-eight 
chiefs of the New York (Six Nations) Indians re- 
paired thither. " Besides these," said Cornplanter, 
"there were so many nations we cannot tell the 
names of them. There were three men from the 
Gora nation ; it took them a whole season to come ; 
and," continued he, " twenty -seven nations from 
beyond Canada were there." The question of 
peace or war was long and earnestly debated. Their 
future was solemnly discussed, and around the 
council fire native eloquence and native zeal 
shone in all their simple strength. One nation 
after another, through their chiefs, presented their 
views. The deputies of the Six Nations, who had 
been at Philadelphia to consult the "Thirteen 
Fires," made their report. The Western bound- 
ary was the principal question. The natives, with 
one accord, declared it must be the Ohio River. 
An address was prepared, and sent to the President, 
wherein their views were stated, and agreeing to 
abstain from all hostilities, until they could meet 
again in the spring at the rapids of the Maumee, 
and there consult with their white brothers. They 
desired the President to send agents, "who are 
men of honesty, not proud land-jobbers, but men 
who love and desire peace." The good work of 
Penn was evidenced here, as they desired that the 
embassadors "be accompanied by some Friend or 
Quaker." 

The armistice they had promised was not, how- 
ever, faithfully kept. On the 6th of November, 
a detachment of Kentucky cavalry at Fort St. 
Clair, about twenty-five miles above Fort Hamil- 
ton, was attacked. The commander, Maj. Adair, 
was an excellent ofiicer, well versed in Indian tac- 
tics, and defeated the savages. 

This infraction of their promises did not deter 
the United States from taking measures to meet 
the Indians at the rapids of the Maumee " when 
the leaves were fully out." For that purpose, the 
President selected as commissioners, Charles Car- 
roll and Charles Thompson, but, as they declined 
the nomination, he appointed Benjamin Lincoln, 
Beverly Randolph and Timothy Pickering, the 1st 
of March, 1793, to attend the convention, which, 



it was thought best, should be held at the San- 
dusky outpost. About the last of April, these 
commissioners left Philadelphia, and, late in May, 
reached Niagara, where they remained guests of 
Lieut. Gov. Simcoe, of the British Government. 
This officer gave them all the aid he could, yet it 
was soon made plain to them that he would not 
object to the confederation, nay, even rather fav- 
ored it. They speak of his kindness to them, in 
grateful terms. Gov. Simcoe advised the Indians 
to make peace, but not to give up any of their 
lands. That was the pith of the whole matter. 
The British rather claimed land in New York, 
under the treaty of 1783, alleging the Americans 
had not fully complied with the terms of that 
treaty, hence they were not as anxious for peace 
and a peaceful settlement of the difficult boundary 
question as they sometimes represented. 

By July, "the leaves were fully out," the con- 
ferences among the tribes were over, and, on the 
15th of that month, the commissioners met Brant 
and some fifty natives. In a strong speech, Brant 
set forth their wishes, and invited them to accom- 
pany him to the place of holding the council. The 
Indians were rather jealous of Wayne's continued 
preparations for war, hence, just before setting out 
for the Maumee, the commissioners sent a letter to 
the Secretary of War, asking that all warlike 
demonstrations cease until the result of their mis- 
sion be known. 

On 21st of July, the embassy reached the head 
of the Detroit River, where their advance was 
checked by the British authorities at Detroit, com- 
pelling them to take up their abode at the house 
of Andrew Elliott, the famous renegade, then a 
British agent under Alexander McKee. McKee 
was attending the council, and the commissioners 
addressed him a note, borne by Elliott, to inform 
him of their arrival, and asking when they could 
be received. Elliott returned on the 29th, bring- 
ing with him a deputation of twenty chiefs from 
the council. The next day, a conference was held, 
and the chief of the Wyandots, Sa-wagh-da-wunk, 
presented to the commissioners, in writing, their 
explicit demand in regard to the boundary, and 
their purposes and powers. "The Ohio must be 
the boundary," said he, " or blood will flow." 

The commissioners returned an answer to the 
proposition brought by the chiefs, recapitulating 
the treaties already made, and denying the Ohio 
as the boundary line. On the 16th of August, 
the council sent them, by two Wyandot runners, 
a final answer, in which they recapitulated their 



^Fl 



1£ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



77 



former assertions, and exhibited great powers of 
reasoning and clear logic in defense of their po- 
sition. The commissioners reply that it is impos- 
ble to accept the Ohio as the boundary, and declare 
the negotiation at an end. 

This closed the efforts of the Government to ne- 
gotiate with the Indians, and there remained of 
necessity no other mode of settling the dispute 
but war. Liberal terms had been offered them, 
but nothing but the boundary of the Ohio River 
would suffice. It was the only condition upon 
which the confederation would lay down its arms. 
" Among the rude statesmen of the wilderness, 
there was exhibited as pure patriotism and as lofty 
devotion to the good of their race, as ever won ap- 
plause among civilized men. The white man had, 
ever since he came into the country, been encroach- 
ing on their lands. He had long occupied the 
regions beyond the mountains. He had crushed 
the conspiracy formed by Pontiac, thirty years be- 
fore. He had taken possession of the common 
hunting-ground of all the tribes, on the faith of 
treaties they did not acknowledge. He was 
now laying out settlements and building forts in 
the heart of the country to which all the tribes 
had been driven, and which now was all they could 
call their own. And now they asked that it should 
be guaranteed to them, that the boundary which 
they had so long asked for should be drawn, and 
a fijQal end be made to the continual aggressions of 
the whites ; or, if not, they solemnly determined to 
stake their all, against fearful odds, in defense of 
their homes, their country and the inheritance of 
their children. Nothing could be more patriotic 
than the position they occupied, and nothing could 
be more noble than the declarations of their 
council."* 

They did not know the strength of the whites, 
and based their success on the victories already 
gained. They hoped, nay, were promised, aid from 
the British, and even the Spanish had held out to 
them assurances of help when the hour of conflict 
came. 

The Americans were not disposed to yield even 
to the confederacy of the tribes backed by the two 
rival nations, forming, as Wayne characterized it, a 
" hydra of British, Spanish and Indian hostility." 
On the 16th of August, the commissioners re- 
ceived the final answer of the council. The 17th, 
they left the mouth of the Detroit River, and the 
23d, arrived at Fort Erie, where they immediately 

* Annals of the West. 



dispatched messengers to Gen. Wayne to inform 
him of the issue of the negotiation. Wayne had 
spent the winter of 1792-93, at Legionville, in col- 
lecting and organizing his army. April 30, 1793, 
the army moved down the river and encamped at 
a point, called by the soldiers " Hobson's choice," 
because from the extreme height of the river they 
were prevented from landing elsewhere. Here 
Wayne was engaged, during the negotiations for 
peace, in drilling his soldiers, in cutting roads, and 
collecting suj^plies for the army. He was ready 
for an immediate campaign in case the council 
failed in its object. 

While here, he sent a letter to the Secretarj^ of 
War, detailing the circumstances, and suggesting 
the probable course he should follow. He re- 
mained here during the summer, and, when apprised 
of the issue, saw it was too late to attempt the 
campaign then. He sent the Kentucky militia 
home, and, with his regular soldiers, went into 
winter quarters at a fort he built on a tributary 
of the Great Miami. He called the fort Green- 
ville. The present town of Greenville is near the 
site of the fort. During the winter, he sent a de- 
tachment to visit the scene of St. Clair's defeat. 
They found more than six hundred skulls, and 
were obliged to "scrape the bones together and 
carry them out to get a place to make their beds." 
They buried all they could find. Wayne was 
steadily preparing his forces, so as to have every- 
thing ready for a sure blow when the time came. 
All his information showed the faith in the British 
which still animated the doomed red men, and 
gave them a hope that could end only in defeat. 

The conduct of the Indians fully corroborated 
the statements received by Gen. Wayne. On the 
30th of June, an escort of ninety riflemen and 
fifty dragoons, under command of Maj. 3IcMahon, 
was attacked under the walls of Fort Recovery by 
a force of more than one thousand Indians under 
charge of Little Turtle. They were repulsed and 
badly defeated, and, the next day, driven away. 
Their mode of action, their arms and ammunition, 
all told plainly of British aid. They also ex- 
pected to find the cannon lost by St. Clair Novem- 
ber 4, 1791, but which the Americans had secured. 
The 26th of July, Gen. Scott, with 1,600 
mounted men from Kentucky, joined Gen. Wayne 
at Fort Greenville, and, two days after, the legion 
moved forward. The 8th of August, the army 
reached the junction of the Auglaize and Mau- 
mee, and at once proceeded to erect Fort Defiance, 
where the waters meet. The Indians had abandoned 



:^ 



78 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



their towns on the approach of the army, and 
were congregating further northward. 

While engaged on Fort Defiance, Wayne 
received continual and full reports of the Indians — 
of their aid from Detroit and elsewhere; of the 
nature of the ground, and the circumstances, 
favorable or unfavorable. From all he could 
learn, and considering the spirits of his army, 
now thoroughly disciplined, lie determined to 
march forward and settle matters at once. Yet, 
true to his own instincts, and to the measures of 
peace so forcibly taught by Washington, he sent 
Christopher Miller, who had been naturalized 
among the Shawanees, and taken prisoner by 
Wayne's spies, as a messenger of peace, offering 
terms of friendship. 

Unwilling to waste time, the troops began to 
move forward the 15th of August, and the next 
day met Miller with the message that if the Amer- 
icans would wait ten days at Auglaize the Indians 
would decide for peace or war. Wayne knew too 
well the Indian character, and answered the mes- 
sage by simply marching on. The 18th, the legion 
had advanced forty-one miles from Auglaize, and, 
being near the long-looked-for foe, began to take 
some measures for protection, should they be at- 
tacked. A slight breastwork, called Fort Deposit, 
was erected, wherein most of their heavy baggage 
was placed. They remained here, building their 
works, until the 20th, when, storing their baggage, 
the army began again its march. After advancing 
about five miles, they met a large force of the ene- 
my, two thousand strong, who fiercely attacked 
them. Wayne was, however, prepared, and in the 
short battle that ensued they were routed, and 
large numbers slain. The American loss was very 
slight. The horde of savages were put to flight, 
leaving the Americans victorious almost under 
the walls of the British garrison, under Maj. 
Campbell. This ofiicer sent a letter to Gen. 
Wayne, asking an explanation of his conduct in 
fighting so near, and in such evident hostility to 
the British. Wayne replied, telling him he was 
in a country that did not belong to him, and one 
he was not authorized to hold, and also charKintr 
him with aiding the Indians. A spirited corre- 
spondence followed, which ended in the American 
commander marching on, and devastating the In- 
dian country, even burning IMcKee's house and 
stores under the muzzles of the English guns. 

The 14lh of September, the army marched from 
Fort Defiance for the IVliami village at the junc- 
tion of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph Rivers. It 



reached there on the 17th, and the next day Gen. 
Wayne selected a site for a fort. The 22d of Oc- 
tober, the fort was completed, and garrisoned by a 
detachment under Maj. Hamtramck, who gave to it 
the name of Fort Wayne. The l-lth of October, 
the mounted Kentucky volunteers, who had be- 
come dissatisfied and mutinous, were started to 
Fort Washington, where they were immediately 
mustered out of service and discharged. The 28th 
of October, the legion marched from Fort Wayne 
to Fort Greenville, where Gen. Wayne at once 
established his headquarters. 

The campaign had been decisive and short, and 
had taught the Indians a severe lesson. The Brit- 
ish, too, had failed them in their hour of need, and 
now they began to see they had a foe to contend 
whose resources were exhaustless. Under these 
circumstances, losing faith in the English, and at 
last impressed with a respect for American power, 
after the defeat experienced at the hands of the 
"Black Snake," the various tribes made up their 
minds, by degrees, to ask for peace. During the 
winter and spring, they exchanged prisoners, and 
made ready to meet Gen. Wayne at Greenville, in 
June, for the purpose of forming a definite treaty, 
as it had been agreed should be done by the pre- 
liminaries of January 24. 

During the month of June, 1795, representa- 
tives of the Northwestern tribes began to gather at 
Greenville, and, the 16th of the month. Gen. Wayne 
met in council the Delawares, Ottawas, Pottawato- 
mies and Eel River Indians, and the conferences, 
which lasted till August 10, began. The 21st 
of June, Buckongahelas arrived ; the 23d, Little 
Turtle and other Miamis ; the 13th of July, 
Tarhe and other Wyandot chiefs ; and the 18th, 
Blue Jacket, and thirteen Shawanees and Massas 
with twenty Chippewas. 

Most of these, as it appeared by their statements, 
had been tampered with by the English, especially 
by McKee, Girty and Brant, even after the pre- 
liminaries of January 24, and while IMr. Jay was 
perfecting his treaty. They had, however, all de- 
termined to make peace with the "Thirteen Fires," 
and although some difficulty as to the ownership of 
the lands to be ceded, at one time seemed likely to 
arise, the good sense of Wayne and the leading 
chiefs prevented it, and, the 30th of July, the treaty 
was agreed to which should bury the hatchet for- 
ever. Between that day and the 3d of August, 
it was engro.ssed, and, having been signed by the 
various nations upon the day last named, it was 
finally acted upon the 7th, and the presents from 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



79 



the United States distributed. The basis of this 
treaty was the previous one made at Fort Harmar. 
The boundaries made at that time were re-affirmed ; 
the whites were secured on the lands now occu- 
pied by them or secured by former treaties ; and 
among all the assembled nations, presents, in value 
not less than one thousand pounds, were distributed 
to each through its representatives, many thousands 
in all. The Indians were allowed to remove and 



punish intruders on their lands, and were permitted 
to hunt on the ceded lands. 

" This great and abiding peace document wa.s 
signed by the various tribes, and dated August 3, 
1795. It was laid before the Senate December 9, 
and ratified the 22d. So closed the old Indian 
wars in the West." * 



* Aanals of the West." 



CHAPTER VIII. 



JAY'S TREATY— THE QUESTION OF STATE RIGHTS AND NATIONAL SUPREMACY— EXTENSION 
OF OHIO SETTLEMENTS— LAND CLAIMS— SPANISH BOUNDARY QUESTION. 



WHILE these six years of Indian wars were 
in progress, Kentucky was admitted as a 
State, and Pinckney's treaty with Spain was com- 
pleted. This last occurrence was of vital impor- 
tance to the West, as it secured the free navigation 
of the Mississippi, charging only a fair price for 
the storage of goods at Spanish ports. This, 
though not all that the Americans wished, was a 
great gain in their favor, and did much to stop 
those agitations regarding a separation on the part 
of Kentucky. It also quieted affairs further 
south than Kentucky, in the Georgia and South 
Carolina Territory, and put an end to French 
and Spanish intrigue for the Western Territory. 
The treaty was signed November 24, 1794. 
Another treaty was concluded by Mr. John Jay 
between the two governments, Lord Greenville 
representing the English, and Mr. Jay, the Ameri- 
cans. The negotiations lasted from April to 
November 19, 1795, when, on that day, the treaty 
was signed and duly recognized. It decided 
effectually all the questions at issue, and was the 
signal for the removal of the British troops from 
the Northwestern outposts. This was effected as 
soon as the proper transfers could be made. The 
second article of the treaty provided that, "His 
Majesty will withdraw all his troops and garrisons 
from all posts and places within the boundary 
lines assigned by the treaty of peace to the United 
States. This evacuation shall take place on or 
before the 1st day of June, 1796, and all the 
proper measures shall be taken, in the interval, by 
concert, between the Government of the United 
States and His Majesty's Governor General in 
America, for settling the previous arrangements 



which may be necessary respecting the delivery 
of the said posts; the United States, in the mean 
time, at their discretion, extending their settle- 
ments to any part within the said boundary line, 
except within the precincts or jurisdiction of any 
of the said posts. 

" All settlers and all traders within the precincts 
or jurisdiction of the said posts shall continue to 
enjoy, unmolested, all their property of every 
kind, and shall be protected therein. They shall 
be at full liberty to remain there or to remove 
with all, or any part, of their effects, or retain the 
property thereof at their discretion ; such of them 
as shall continue to reside within the said boundary 
lines, shall not be compelled to become citizens of 
the United States, or take any oath of allegiance 
to the Government thereof; but they shall be at 
full liberty so to do, if they think proper; they 
shall make or declare their election one year after 
the evacuation aforesaid. And all persons who 
shall continue therein after the expiration of the 
said year, without having declared their intention 
of remaining subjects to His Britannic Majesty, 
shall be considered as having elected to become 
citizens of the United States." 

The Indian war had settled all fears from that 
source ; the treaty with Great Britain had estab- 
lished the boundaries between the two countries 
and secured peace, and the treaty with Spain had 
secured the privilege of navigating the IMississippi, 
by paying only a nominal sum. It had also bound 
the people of the West together, and ended the 
old separation question. There was no danger 
from that now. Another difficulty arose, however, 
relating to the home rule, and the organization of 



:v 



80 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



the home government. There were two parties in 
the country, known as Federalist and Anti-Federal- 
ist. One favored a central government, whose au- 
thority should be supreme ; the other, only a 
compact, leaving the States supreme. The worth- 
lessness of the old colonial system became, daily, 
mure apparent. While it existed no one felt safe. 
There was no prospect of paying the debt, and, 
hence, no credit. When Mr. Hamilton, Secretary 
of the Treasury, offered his financial plan to the 
country, favoring centralization, it met, in many 
places, violent opposition. Washington was strong 
enough to carry it out, and gave evidence that he 
would do so. When, therefore, the excise law 
passed, and taxes on whisky were collected, an 
open revolt occurred in Pennsylvania, known as 
the "Whisky Insurrection." It was put down, 
finally, by military power, and the malcontents 
made to know that the United States was a gov- 
ernment, not a compact liable to rupture at any 
time, and by any of its members. It taught the 
entire nation a lesson. Centralization meant pres- 
ervation. Should a " compact " form of government 
prevail, then anarchy and ruin, and ultimate sub- 
jection to some foreign power, met their view. 
That they had just fought to dispel, and must it 
all go for naught ? The people saw the rulers 
were right, and gradually, over the West, spread a 
spirit antagonistic to State supremacy. It did not 
revive till Jackson's time, when he, with an iron 
hand and iron will, crushed out the evil doctrine 
of State supremacy. It revived again in the late 
war, again to be crushed. It is to be hoped that 
ever thus will be its fiite. " The Union is insepa- 
rable," said the Grovernment, and the people echoed 
the words. 

During the war, and while all these events had 
been transpiring, settlements had been taking place 
upon the Ohio, which, in tlieir influence ujjon the 
Northwest, and especially upon the State, as soon 
as it was created, were deeply felt. The Virginia 
and the Connecticut Reserves were at this time 
peopled, and, also, that part of the Miami Valley 
about Dayton, which city dates its origin from that 
period. 

As early as 1787, the reserved lands of the Old 
Dominion north of the Ohio were examined, and, 
in August of that year, entries were made. As 
no good title could be obtained from Congress at 
this time, the settlement practically ceased until 
1790, when the prohibition to enter them was 
withdrawn. As soon as that was done, surveying 
began again. Nathaniel Massie was amons; the 



foremost men in the survey of this tract, and lo- 
cating the lands, laid off a town about twelve miles 
above Maysville. The place was called Manchester, 
and yet exists. From this point, Massie continued 
through. all the Indian war, despite the danger, to 
survey the surrounding country, and prepare it for 
settlers. 

Connecticut had, as has been stated, ceded her 
lands, save a tract extending one hundred and 
twenty miles beyond the western boundary of 
Pennsylvania. Of this Connecticut Reserve, so 
far as the Indian title was extinguished, a survey 
was ordered in October, 1786, and an office opened 
for its disposal. Part was soon sold, and, in 1792, 
half a million of acres were given to those citizens 
of Connecticut who had lost property by the acts 
of the British troops during the Revolutionary 
war at New London, New Haven and elsewhere. 
These lands thereby became known as " Fire lands " 
and the "Sufferer's lands," and were located in the 
western part of the Reserve. In May, 1795, the 
Connecticut Legislature authorized a committee to 
dispose of the remainder of the Reserve. Before 
autumn the committee sold it to a company known 
as the Connecticut Land Company for $1,200,000, 
and about the 5th of September quit-claimed the 
land to the Company. The same day the Company 
received it, it sold 3,000,000 acres to John Mor- 
gan, John Caldwell and Jonathan Brace, in trust. 
Upon these quit-claim titles of the land all deeds 
in the Reserve are based. Surveys were com- 
menced in 1796, and, by the close of the next 
year, all the land east of the Cuyahoga was divided 
into townships five miles square. The agent of the 
Connecticut Land Company was Gen. Moses Cleve- 
land, and in his honor the leading city of the Re- 
serve was named. That township and five others 
were reserved for private sale; the balance were 
disposed of by lottery, the first drawing occurring 
in February, 1798. 

Dayton resulted from the treaty made by Wayne. 
It came out of the boundaiy ascribed to Symmes, 
and for a while all such lands were not recognized 
as sold by Congress, owing to the failure of 
Symmes and his associates in paying for them. 
Thereby there existed, for a time, considerable un- 
easiness regarding the title to these lands. In 
1799, Congress was induced to issue patents to the 
actual settlers, and thus secure them in their pre- 
emption. 

Seventeen days after Wayne's treaty, St. Clairs 
Wilkinson, Jonathan Dayton and Israel Ludlow 
contracted with Symmes for the seventh and eighth 



liL 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



83 



ranges, between Mad River and the Little Miami. 
Three settlements were to be made: one at the 
mouth of Mad lliver, one on the Little Miami, in 
the seventh range, and another on Mad River. On 
the 21st of September, 1795, Daniel C. Cooper 
started to survey and mark out a road in the pur- 
chase, and John Dunlap to run its boundaries, 
which was completed before October 4. On No- 
vember 4, Mr. Ludlow laid oiF the town of Day- 
ton, which, like land in the Connecticut Reserve, 
was sold by lottery. 

A gigantic scheme to purchase eighteen or 
twenty million acres in Michigan, and then pro- 
cure a good title from the Government — who alone 
had such a right to procure land — by giving mem- 
bers of CongTcss an interest in the investment, 
appeared shortly after Wayne's treaty. When 
some of the members were approached, however, 
the real spirit of the scheme appeared, and, instead 
of gaining ground, led to the exposure, resulting 
iu the reprimanding severely of Robert Randall, 
the principal mover in the whole plan, and in its 
speedy disappearance. 

Another enterprise, equally gigantic, also ap- 
peared. It was, however, legitimate, and hence 
successful. On the 20th of February, 1795, the 
North American Land Company was formed in 
Philadelphia, under the management of such pat- 
riots as Robert Morris, John Nicholson and James 
Greenleaf. This Company purchased large tracts 
in the West, which it disposed of to actual settlers, 
and thereby aided greatly in populating that part 
of the country. 

Before the close of 1795, the Governor of the 
Territory, and his Judges, published sixty-four 
statutes. Thirty-four of these were adopted at 
Cincinnati during June, July and August of that 
year. They were known as the Maxwell code, 
from the name of the publisher, but were passed 
by Governor St. Clair and Judges Symmes and 
Turner. Among them was that which provided 
that the common law of England, and all its stat- 
utes, made previous to the fourth year of James 
the First, should be in full force within the Terri- 
tory. " Of the system as a whole," says Mr. Case, 
" with its many imperfections, it may be doubted 
that any colony, at so early a period after its first 
establishment, ever had one so good and applicable 
to all." 

The Union had now safely passed through its 
most critical period after the close of the war of 
independence. The danger from an irruption of 
its own members ; of a war or alliance of its West- 



ern portion with France and Spain, and many 
other perplexing questions, were now effectually 
settled, and the population of the Territory began 
rapidly to increase. Before the close of the year 
17 96, the Northwest contained over five thousand 
inhabitants, the requisite number to entitle it to 
one representative iu the national Congress. 

Western Pennsylvania also, despite the various 
conflicting claims regarding the land titles in that 
part of the State, began rapidly to fill with emigrants. 
The "Triangle" and the " Struck District " were 
surveyed and put upon the market under the act 
of 1792. Treaties and purchases from the various 
Indian tribes, obtained control of the remainder of 
the lands in that part of the State, and, by 1796, 
the State owned all the land within its boundaries. 
Towns were laid off, land put upon the market, so 
that by the year 1800, the western part of the 
Keystone State was divided into eight counties, viz.. 
Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Crawford, Erie, Warren, 
Venango and Armstrong. 

The ordinance relative to the survey and dis- 
posal of lands in the Northwest Territory has 
already been given. It was adhered to, save in 
minor cases, where necessity required a slight 
change. The reservations were recognized by 
Congi'ess, and the titles to them all confirmed to 
the grantees. Thus, Clarke and his men, the 
Connecticut Reserve, the Refugee lands, the 
French inhabitants, and all others holding patents 
to land from colonial or foreign governments, were 
all confirmed in their rights and protected in their 
titles. 

Before the close of 1796, the upper North- 
western posts were all vacated by the British, 
under the terms of Mr. Jay's treaty. Wayne at 
once transferred his headquarters to Detroit, where 
a county was named for him, including the north- 
western part of Ohio, the northeast of Indiana, 
and the whole of Michigan. 

The occupation of the Territory by the Ameri- 
cans gave additional impulse to emigration, and a 
better feeling of security to emigrants, who fol- 
lowed closely upon the path of the army. Na- 
thaniel Masf-ie, who has already been noticed as 
the founder of Manchester, laid out the town of 
Chillicothe, on the Scioto, in 1796. Before the 
close of the year, it contained several stores, 
shops, a tavern, and was well populated. With 
the increase of settlement and the security guar- 
anteed by the treaty of Greenville, the arts of 
civilized life began to appear, and their influence 
upon pioneers, especially those born on the frontier, 



tv 



^1 



-rf 5) 



84 



HISTOEY or OHIO. 



began to manifest itself. Better dwellings, schools, 
churches, dress and manners prevailed. Life 
began to assume a reality, and lost much of 
that recklessness engendered by the habits of a 
frontier life. 

Cleveland, Cincinnati, the Miami, the Mus- 
kingum and the Scioto Valleys were filling with 
people. Cincinnati had more than one hundred 
log cabins, twelve or fifteen frame houses and a 
population of more than six hundred persons. In 
1796, the first house of worship for the Presby- 
terians in that city was built. 

Before the close of the same year, ManchcvSter 
contained over thirty families ; emigrants from 
Virginia were going up all the valleys from the 
Ohio; and Ebenezer Zane had opened a bridle- 
path from the Ohio River, at Wheeling, across the 
country, by Chillicothe, to Limestone, Ky. The 
next year, the United States mail, for the first 
time, traversed this route to the West. Zane was 
given a section of land for his path. The popu- 
lation of the Territory, estimated at from five to 
eight thousand, was chiefly distributed in lower 
valleys, bordering on the Ohio River. The French 
still occupied the Illinois country, and were the 
principal inhabitants about Detroit. 

South of the Ohio River, Kentucky was pro- 
gressing favorably, while the '' Southwestern Ter- 
ritory," ceded to the United States by North 
Carolina in 1790, had so rapidly populated that, 
in 1793, a Territorial form of government was 
allowed. The ordinance of 1787, save the clause 
prohibiting slavery, was adopted, and the Territory 
named Tennessee. On June 6, 179(3, the Terri- 
tory contained more than seventy-five thousand 
inhabitants, and was admitted into the Union as a 
State. Four years after, the census showed a 
population of 105,002 souls, including 13,584 
slaves and persons of color. The same year 
Tennessee became a State, Samuel Jackson and 
Jonathan Sharpless erected the Redstone Paper 
Mill, four miles east of Brownsville, it being the 
first manufactory of the kind west of the Alle- 
ghanies. 

In the month of December, 1796, Gen. Wayne, 
who had done so much for the development of the 
West, while on his way from Detroit to Philadel- 
phia, was attacked with sickness and died in a 
cabin near Erie, in the north part of Pennsylvania, 
lie was nearly fifty-one years old, and was one of 



the bravest officers in the Revolutionary war, and 
one of America's truest patriots. In 1809, his 
remains were removed Irom Erie, by his sou, Col. 
Isaac Wayne, to the Radnor churchyard, near the 
place of his birth, and an elegant monument erected 
on his tomb by the Pennsylvania Cincinnati So- 
ciety. 

After the death of Wayne, Gen. Wilkinson was 
appointed to the command of the Western anny. 
While he was in command, Carondelet, the Spanish 
governcjr of West Florida and Louisiana, made one 
more effort to separate the Union, and set up either 
an independent government in the West, or, Avliat 
was more in accord with his wishes, effect a 
union with the Spanish nation. In June, 1797, 
he sent Power again into the Northwest and into 
Kentucky to sound the existing feeling. Now, 
however, they were not easily won over. The 
home government was a certainty, the breaches had 
been healed, and Power was compelled to abandon 
the mission , not, however, until he had received a 
severe reprimand from many who saw through his 
plan, and openly exposed it. His mission closed 
the eff'orts of the Spanish authorities to attempt 
the dismemljerment of the Union, and showed 
them the coming downfall of their power in Amer- 
ica. They wei'e obliged to surrender the posts 
claimed by the United States under the treaty of 
1795, and not many years after, sold their Amer- 
ican possessions to the United States, rather than 
see a rival European power attain control over them. 

On the 7th of April, 1798, Congress passed an 
act, appointing Winthrop Sargent, Secretary of the 
Northwest Territory, Governor of the Territory of 
tlie INIississippi, formed the same day. In 1801, 
the boundary between America and the Spanish pos- 
sessions was definitely fixed. The Spanish retired 
from the disputed territory, and henceforward their 
attempts to dissolve the American Union ceased. 
The seat of the Mississippi Territory was fixed at 
Loftus Heights, six miles north of the thirty-first 
degree of latitude. 

The appointment of Sargent to the charge of the 
Southwest Territory, led to the choice of William 
Henry Harrison, who had been aid-de-camp to 
Gen. Wayne in 1794, and whose cliaracter stood 
very high among the people of the West, to the 
Secretaryship of the Northwest, which place he held 
until appointed to represent that Territory in Con- 
gress. 



_< f) 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



85 



CHAPTER IX. 

FIRST TERRITORIAL REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS— DIVISION OF THE TERRITORY— FORMA- 
TION OF STATES— MARIETTA SETTLEMENT— OTHER SETTLEMENTS— SETTLEMENTS IN 
THE WESTERN RESERVE — SETTLEMENT OF THE CENTRAL VALLEYS- 
FURTHER SETTLEMENTS IN THE RESERVE AND ELSEWHERE. 



THE ordinance of 1787 provided that as soon 
as there were 5,000 persons in the Territory, 
it was entitled to a representative assembly. On 
October 29, 1798, Governor St. Clair gave notice 
by proclamation, that the required population ex- 
isted, and directed that an election be held on the 
third Monday in December, to choose representa- 
tives. These representatives were required, when 
assembled, to nominate ten persons, whose names 
were sent to the President of the United States, 
who selected five, and with the advice and consent 
of the Senate, appointed them for the legislative 
council. In this mode the Northwest passed into 
the second grade of a Territorial government. 

The representatives, elected under the proclama- 
tion of St. Clair, met in Cincinnati, January 22, 
1799, and under the provisions of the ordinance 
of 1787, nominated ten persons, whose names were 
sent to the President. On the 2d of March, he 
selected from the list of candidates, the names of 
Jacob Burnet, James Findlay, Henry Vander- 
burgh, Robert Oliver and David Vance. The 
next day the Senate confirmed their nomination, 
and the first legislative council of the Northwest 
Territory was a reality. 

The Territorial Legislature met again at Cincin- 
nati, September 16, but, for want of a quorum, 
was not organized until the 24th of that month. 
The House of Representatives consisted of nine- 
teen members, of whom seven were from Hamilton 
County, four from Ross — erected by St. Clair in 
1798; three from Wayne — erected in 1796; two 
from Adams — erected in 1797; one from Jeifer- 
son — erected in 1797 ; one from Washington — 
erected in 1788 ; and one from Knox — Indiana 
Territory. None seem to have been present from 
St. Clair County (Illinois Territory). 

After the organization of the Legislature, Gov- 
ernor St. Clair addressed the two houses in the Rep- 
resentatives' Chamber, recommending such meas- 
ures as, in his judgment, were suited to the con- 
dition of the country and would advance the safety 
and prosperity of the people. 



The Legislature continued in session till the 19th 
of December, when, having finished their business, 
they were prorogued by the Governor, by their 
own request, till the first Monday in November, 
1800. This being the first session, there was, of 
necessity, a gTeat deal of business to do. The 
transition from a colonial to a semi-independent 
form of government, called for a general revision 
as well as a considerable enlargement of the stat- 
ute-book. Some of the adopted laws were re- 
pealed, many others altered and amended, and a 
long list of new ones added to the code. New 
offices were to be created and filled, the duties at- 
tached to thcai prescribed, and a plan of ways and 
means devised to meet the increased expenditures, 
occasioned by the change which had now occurred. 

As Mr. Burnet was the principal lawyer in the 
Council, much of the revision, and putting the laws 
into proper legal form, devolved upon him. He 
seems to have been well fitted for the place, and 
to have performed the laborious task in an excel- 
lent manner. 

The whole number of acts passed and approved 
by the Governor, was thirty-seven. The most im- 
portant related to the militia, the administration of 
justice, and to taxation. During the session, a bill 
authorizing a lottery was passed by the council, 
but rejected by the LegisUiture, thus interdicting 
this demoralizing feature of the disposal of lands 
or for other purposes. The example has always been 
followed by subsequent legislatures, thus honorably 
characterizing the Assembly of Ohio, in this re- 
spect, an example Kentucky and several other 
States might well emulate. 

Before the Assembly adjourned, they issued a 
congratulatory address to the people, enjoining 
them to " Inculcate the principles of humanity, 
benevolence, honesty and ])unctuality in dealing, 
sincerity and charity, and all the social afiections." 
At the same time, they issued an address to the 
President, expressing entire confidence in the wis- 
dom and purity of his government, and their 
warm attachment to the American Constitution. 



:^ 



86 



HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



The vote on this address proved, however, that the 
differences of opinion agitating the Eastern States 
had penetrated the West. Eleven Representatives 
voted for it, and five against it. 

One of the important duties that devolved on 
this Legislature, was the election of a delegate to 
Congress. As soon as the Governor's proclama- 
tion made its appearance, the election of a person 
to fill that position excited general attention. Be- 
fore the meeting of the Legislature public opinion 
had settled down on William Henry Harrison, and 
Arthur St. Clair, Jr., who eventually were the only 
candidates. On the 3d of October, the two houses 
met and proceeded to a choice. Eleven votes were 
cast for Harrison, and ten for St. Clair. The Leg- 
islature prescribed the form of a certificate of the 
election, which was given to Harrison, who at once 
resigned his office as Secretary of the Territory, 
proceeded to Philadelphia, and took his seat. Con- 
gress being then in session. 

" Though he represented the Territory but one 
year, " says Judge Burnett, in his notes, " he ob- 
tained some important advantages for his constitu- 
ents. He introduced a resolution to sub-divide 
the surveys of the public lands, and to offer them 
for sale in smaller tracts ; he succeeded in getting 
that measure through both houses, in opposition to 
the intei-est of speculators, who were, and who 
wished to be, the retailers of the land to the poorer 
classes of the community. His proposition be- 
came a law, and was hailed as the most beneficent 
act that Congress had ever done for the Territory. 
It put in the power of every industrious man, how- 
ever poor, to become a freeholder, and to lay a 
foundation for the future support and comfort of 
his family. At the same session, he obtained a 
liberal extension of time for the pre-emptioners in 
the northern part of the Miami purchase, which 
enabled them to secure their farms, and eventually 
to become independent, and even wealthy." 

The first session, as has been noticed, closed 
December 19. Gov. St. Clair took occasion to 
enumerate in his speech at the close of the session, 
eleven acts, to which he saw fit to apply his veto. 
These he had not, however, returned to the Assem- 
bly, and thereby saved a long struggle between the 
executive and legislative branches of the Territory. 
Of the eleven acts enumerated, six related to the 
formation of new counties. These were mainly 
disproved by St Clair, as he always sturdily main- 
tained that the power to erect new counties was 
vested alone in the Executive. This free exercise 
of the veto power, especially in relation to new 



counties, and his controversy with the Legislature, 
tended only to strengthen the popular discontent 
regarding the Governor, who was never fully able 
to regain the standing he held before his in- 
glorious defeat in his campaign against the Indians. 

While this was being agitated, another question 
came into prominence. Ultimately, it settled the 
powers of the two branches of the government, 
and caused the removal of St. Clair, then very 
distasteful to the people. The opening of the 
present century brought it fully before the 
people, who began to agitate it in all their 
assemblies. 

The great extent of the Territory made the 
operations of government extremely uncertain, 
and the power of the courts practically worthless. 
Its division was, therefore, deemed best, and a 
committee was appointed by Congress to inquire 
into the matter. This committee, the 3d of 
March, 1800, reported upon the subject that, "In 
the three western counties, there has been but 
one court having cognizance of crimes in five 
years. The immunity which offenders experience, 
attracts, as to an asylum, the most vile and aban- 
doned criminals, and, at the same time, deters 
useful and virtuous citizens from making settle- 
ments in such society. The extreme necessity of 
judiciary attention and assistance is experienced 
in civil as well as criminal cases. The supplying 
to vacant places such necessary officers as may be 
wanted, such as clerks, recorders and others of 
like kind, is, from the impossibility of correct 
notice and information, utterly neglected. This 
Territory is exposed as a frontier to foreign nations, 
whose agents can find sufficient interest in exciting 
or fomenting insurrection and discontent, as 
thereby they can more easily divert a valuable 
trade in furs from the United States, and also have 
a part thereof on which they border, which feels 
so little the cherishing hand of their proper gov- 
ernment, or so little dreads its energy, as to render 
their attachment perfectly uncertain and am- 
biguous. 

" The committee would further suggest, that 
the law of the 3d of March, 1791, granting land 
to certain persons in the western part of said Ter- 
ritory, and directing the laying-out of the same, 
remains unexecuted; that great discontent, in 
consequence of such neglect, is excited in those 
who are interested in the provisions of said laws, 
which require the immediate attention of this 
Legislature. To minister a remedy to these evils, 
it occurs to this committee, that it is expedient 



:7: 



-^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



8T 



that a division of said Territory into two distinct 
and separate governments should be made ; and 
that such division be made by a Una beginning at 
the mouth of the great Miami River, running 
directly north until it intersects the boundary 
between the United States and Canada." * 

The recommendations of the committee were 
favorably received by Congress, and, the 7th 
of jMay, an act was passed dividing the Ter- 
ritory. The main provisions of the act are as 
follows : 

" That, from and after the 4th of July next, 
all that part of the territory of the United States 
northwest of the Ohio River, which lies to the 
westward of a line beginning at the Ohio, opposite 
to the mouth of the Kentucky River, and running 
thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until 
it intersects the territorial line between the United 
States and Canada, shall, for the purpose of tem- 
porary government, constitute a separate Territory, 
and be called the Indiana Territory. 

"There shall be established within the said Ter- 
ritory a government, in all respects similar to that 
provided by the ordinance of Congress passed July 
13, 1797." t 

The act further provided for representatives, and 
for the establishment of an assembly, on the same 
plan as that in force in the Northwest, stipulating 
that until the number of inhabitants reached five 
thousand, the whole number of representatives to 
the Greneral Assembly should not be less than seven, 
nor more than nine ; apportioned by the Governor 
among the several counties in the new Terri- 
tory. 

The act further provided that " nothing in the 
act should be so construed, so as in any manner 
to affect the government now in force in the terri- 
tory of the United States northwest of the Ohio 
River, further than to prohibit the exercise thereof 
within the Indiana Territory, from and after the 
aforesaid 4th of July next. 

" Whenever that part of the territory of the 
United States, which lies to the eastward of a line 
beginning at the mouth of the Great Miami River, 
and running thence due north to the territorial 
line between the United States and Canada, shall 
be erected into an independent State, and admitted 
into the Union on an equal footing with the orig- 
inal States ; thenceforth said line shall become and 
remain permanently, the boundary line between 
such State and the Indiana Territory." 

*AniPri'-an State Papers. 
fLand Laws. 



It was further enacted, " that, until it shall be 
otherwise enacted by the legislatures of the said 
tei'ritories, respectively, Chillicothe, on the Scioto 
River, shall be the seat of government of the ter- 
ritory of the United States northwest of the Ohio 
River; and that St. Vincent's, on the Wabash 
River, shall be the seat of government for the 
Indiana Territory." * 

St. Clair was continued as Governor of the old 
Territory, and William Henry Harrison appointed 
Governor of the new. 

Connecticut, in ceding her territory in the West 
to the Genei'al Government, reserved a portion, 
known as the Connecticut Reserve. When she 
afterward disposed of her claim in the manner 
narrated, the citizens found themselves without any 
government on which to lean for support. At that 
time, settlements had begun in thirty-five of the 
townships into which the Reserve had been divided ; 
one thousand persons had established homes there ; 
mills had been built, and over seven hundred miles 
of roads opened. In 1800, the settlers petitioned 
for acceptance into the Union, as a part of the 
Northwest ; and, the mother State releasing her judi- 
ciary claims. Congress accepted the ti-ust, and 
granted the request. In December, of that year, 
the population had so increased that the county of 
Trumbull was erected, including the Reserve. 
Soon after, a large number of settlers came from 
Pennsylvania, from which State they had been 
driven by the dispute concerning land titles in its 
western part. Unwilling to cultivate land to 
which they could only get a doubtful deed, they 
abandoned it, and came where the titles were 
sure. 

Congress having made Chillicothe the capital of 
the Northwest Territory, as it now existed, on the 
3d of November the General Assembly met at that 
place. Gov. St. Clair had been made to feel the 
odium cast upon his previous acts, and, at the open- 
ing of this session, expressed, in strong terms, his 
disapprobation of the censure cast upon him. He 
had endeavored to do his duty in all cases, he said, 
and yet held the confidence of the President and 
Congress. He still held the office, notwithstanding 
the strong dislike against him. 

At the second session of the Assembly, at Chil- 
licothe, held in the autumn of 1801, so much out- 
spoken enmity wa-s expressed, and so much abuse 
heaped upon the Governor and the Assembly, that 
a law was passed, removing the capital to Cincinnati 

* Land Laws. 



:^ 



X 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



again. It was not destined, however, that the 
Territorial Assembly should meet again anywhere. 
The unpopularity of the Governor caused many to 
long for a State government, where they could 
choose their own rulers. The unpopularity of St. 
Clair arose partly from the feeling connected with 
his defeat ; in part from his being connected with 
the Federal party, fast falling into disrepute; and, 
in part, from his assuming powers which most 
thought he had no right to exercise, especially the 
power of subdividing the counties of the Terri- 
tory. 

The opposition, though powerful out of the 
Assembly, was in the minority there. During the 
month of December, 1801, it was forced to protest 
against a measure brought forward in the Council, 
for changing the ordinance of 1787 in such a man- 
ner as to make the Scioto, and a line drawn from 
the intersection of that I'iver and the Indian 
boundary to the western extremity of the Reserve, 
the limits of the most eastern State, to be formed 
from the Territory. Had this change been made, 
the formation of a State government beyond the 
Ohio would have been long delayed. Against it, 
IleprcsentativesWortliington,Langham, Darlington, 
Massie, Dunlavy and Morrow, recorded their pro- 
test. Not content with this, they sent Thomas 
Worthington, who obtained a leave of absence, to 
the seat of government, on behalf of the objectors, 
there to protest, before Congress, against the pro- 
posed boundary. While Worthington was on his 
way, Massie presented, the 4th of January, 1802, 
a resolution for choosing a committee to address 
Congress in respect to the proposed State govern- 
ment. This, the next day, the House refused to 
do, by a vote of twelve to five. An attempt 
was next made to procure a census of the Ter- 
ritory, and an act for that purpose passed the 
House, but the Council postponed the considera- 
tion of it until the next session, which would com- 
mence at Cincinnati, the fourth iMonday of No- 
vember. 

Meanwhile, Worthington pursued the ends of 
his mission, vising his influence to effect that organ- 
ization, "which, terminating the influence of tyr- 
anny," was to "meliorate the circumstances of thou- 
sands, by freeing them from the domination of a 
despotic chief" His efforts wore siiccessful, and, 
the -Ith of March, a report was made to the 
House in favor of authorizing a State convention. 
This report was based on the assumption that there 
were now over sixty thousand inhabitants in the 
proposed boundaries, estimating that emigration had 



increased the census of 1800, which gave the Ter- 
ritory forty-five thousand inhabitants, to that num- 
ber. The convention was to ascertain whether it 
were expedient to form such a government, and to 
prepare a constitution if such organization were 
deemed best. In the formation of the State, a 
change in the boundaries was proposed, by which 
all the territory north of a line drawn due east 
from the head of Lake Michigan to Lake Ei'ie was 
to be excluded from the new government about to 
be called into existence. 

The committee appointed by Congress to report 
upon the feasibility of forming the State, suggested 
that Congress reserve out of every township sections 
numbered 8, 11, 26 and 29. for their own use, and 
that Section 16 be reserved for the maintenance 
of schools. The committee also suggested, that, 
"religion, education and morality being necessary 
to the good government and happiness of mankind, 
schools and the means of education shall be forever 
encouraged." 

Various other recommendations were given by 
the committee, in accordance with which, Congress, 
April 30, passed the resolution authorizing the 
calling of a convention. As tliis accorded with 
the feelings of the majority of the inhabitants of the 
Northwest, no opposition was experienced ; even 
the Legislature giving way to this embryo gov- 
ernment, and failing to assemble according to ad- 
journment. 

The convention met the 1st of November. Its 
aiembers were generally Jeffersonian in their na- 
tional politics, and had been opposed to the change 
of boundaries proposed the year before. Before 
proceeding to business. Gov. St. Clair proposed to 
address them in his official character. This propo- 
sition was resisted by several of the members; but, 
after a motion, it was agreed to allow him to speak 
to them as a citizen. St. Clair did so, advising 
the postponement of a State government until the 
people of the original eastern division were plainly 
entitled to demand it, and were not subject to be 
bovind by conditi(ms. This advice, given as it was, 
caused Jefferson instantly to remove St. Clair, at 
which time his office ceased.* "When the vote 
was taken," says Judge Burnet, "upon doing what 

* After thiH, St. Clair returned to his old home in the Ligonier 
Valley, Pennsylviinia, where ho lived with his children in alnio-st 
abject poverty. He had lost, money in his jmblic life, as he gave 
close attention to public affairs, to the detriment of his own business. 
He presented a claim to Congress, afterward, for supplies furnished 
to the army, but the cbiira was outlawed. After trying in vain to 
get the claim allowed, he returned to his home. Pennsylvania, 
le!jrning of his distress, granted him an annuity of $.350, afterward 
raised to S'>'^0. He lived to enjoy this but a short time, his death 
occurring August 31, 1818. He was eighty-four years of age. 



"7" 



±^ 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



89 



he advised them not to do, but one of thirty-three 
(Ephraim Cutler, of Washington County) voted 
with the Grovernor." 

On one point only were the proposed boundaries 
of the new State altered. 

" To every person who has attended to this sub- 
ject, and who has consulted the maps of the West- 
ern country extant at the time the ordinance of 
1787 was passed, Lake Michigan was believed to 
bo, and was represented by all the maps of that 
day as being, very far north of the position which 
it has since been ascertained to occupy. I have 
seen the map in the Department of State which 
was before the committee of Congress who framed 
and reported the ordinance for the government of 
the Territory. On that map, the southern bound- 
ary of Michigan was represented as being above 
the forty-second degree of north latitude. And 
there was a pencil line, said to have been made by 
the committee, passing through the southern bend 
of the lake to the Canada line, which struck the 
strait not far below the town of Detroit. The 
line was manifestly intended by the committee 
and by Congress to be the northern boundary of 
our State; and, on the principles by which courts 
of chancery construe contracts, accompanied by 
plats, it would seem that the map, and the line 
referred to, should be conclusive evidence of our 
boundary, without reference to the real position of 
the lakes. 

"When the convention sat, in 1802, the under- 
derstanding was, that the old maps were nearly 
correct, and that the line, as defined in the ordi- 
nance, would terminate at some point on the strait 
above the Maumee Bay. While the convention 
was in session, a man who had hunted many years 
on Lake Michigan, and was well acquainted with 
its position, happened to be in Chillicothe, and, in 
conversation with one of the members, told him 
that the lake extended much farther south than 
was generally supposed, and that a map of the 
country which he had seen, placed its southern 
bend many miles north of its true position. This 
information excited some uneasiness, and induced 
the convention to modify the clause describing the 
north boundary of the new State, so as to guard 
against its being depressed below the most north- 
ern cape of the Maumee Bay."* 

With this change and some extension of the 
school and road donations, the convention agreed 
to the proposal of Congress, and, November 29, 

* Historical Transactions of Ohio, — Judof, Burnett. 



their agreement was ratified and signed, as was 
also the constitution of the State of Ohio — so 
named from its river, called by the Shawanees Ohio, 
meaning beautiful — forming its southern bound- 
ary. Of this nothing need be said, save that it 
bore the marks of true democratic feeling — of full 
faith in the people. By them, however, it was 
never voted for. It stood firm until 1852, when 
it was superseded by the present one, made neces- 
sary by the advance of time. 

The General Assembly was required to meet at 
Chillicothe, the first Tuesday of March, 1803. 
Tins change left the territory northwest of the 
Ohio River, not included in the new State, in the 
Territories of Indiana and Michigan. Subse- 
quently, in 181G, Indiana was made a State, and 
confined to her present limits. Illinois was made 
a Territory then, including Wisconsin. In 1818, 
it became a State, and Wisconsin a Territory at- 
tached to Michigan. This latter was made a State 
in 1837, and Wisconsin a separate Territory, which, 
in 1847, was made a State. Minnesota was made 
a Territory the same year, and a State in 1857, 
and the five contemplated States of the territory 
were complete. 

Preceding pages have shown how the territory 
north of the Ohio E-iver was peopled by the 
French and English, and how it came under the 
rule of the American people. The war of the 
Revolution closed in 1783, and left all America in 
the hands of a new nation. That nation brought 
a change. Before the war, various attempts had 
been made by residents in New England to people 
the country west of the Alleghanies. Land com- 
panies were formed, principal among which were 
the Ohio Company, and the company of which 
John Cleves Symmes was the agent and chief 
owner. Large tracts of land on the Scioto and 
on the Ohio were entered. The Ohio Company 
were the first to make a settlement. It was or- 
ganized in the autumn of 1787, November 27. 
They made arrangements for a party of forty-seven 
men to set out for the West under the supervision of 
Gen. Rufus Putnam, Superintendent of the Com- 
pany. Early in the winter they advanced to the 
Youghiogheny River, and there built a strong boat, 
which they named "Mayflower." It was built by 
Capt. Jonathan Devol, the first ship-builder in the 
West, and, when completed, was placed under his 
command. The boat was launched x\pril 2, 1788, 
and the band of pioneers, like the Pilgrim Fathers, 
began their voyage. The 7th of the month, 
they arrived at the mouth of the Muskingum, 



90 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



their destination, opposite Fort Harmar,* erected 
in the autumn of 1785, by a detachment of 
United States troops, under command of Maj. 
John Doughty, and, at the date of the Mayflower's 
arrival in possession of a company of soldiers. 
Under the protection of these troops, the little band 
of men began their labor of laying out a town, 
and commenced to erect houses for their own and 
subsequent emigrants' occupation. The names of 
these pioneers of Ohio, as far as can now be 
learned, are as follows: 

Gen. Putnam, Return Jonathan Meigs, Win- 
throp Sargeant (Secretary of the Territory ), Judges 
Parsons and Varnum, Capt. Dana, Capt. Jonathan 
Devol, Joseph Barker, Col. Battelle, Maj. Tyler, 
Dr. True, Capt. Wm. Gray, Capt. Lunt, the 
Bridges, Ebenezer and Thomas Cory, Andrew Mc- 
Clurc, Wm. Mason, Thomas Lord, Wm. Gridley, 
Gilbert Devol, Moody Russels, Deavens, Oakes, 
Wright, Clough, Green, Shipman, Dorance, the 
Masons, and others, whose names are now be- 
yond recall. 

On the 19th of July, the first boat of families 
arrived, after a nine-weeks journey on the way. 
They had traveled in their wagons as f\ir as Wheel- 
ing, where they built large flat-boats, into which 
they loaded their efiects, including their cattle, and 
thence passed down the Ohio to their destination. 
The families were those of Gen. Tupper, Col. 
Ichabod Nye, Col. Cushing, Maj. Coburn, and 
Maj. Goodale. In these titles the reader will ob- 
serve the preponderance of military distinction. 
Many of the founders of the colony had served 
with much valor in the war for freedom, and were 
well prepared for a life in the wilderness. 

They began at once the construction of houses 
from the forests about the confluence of the rivers, 
guarding their stock by day and penning it by 
night. Wolves, bears and Indians were all about 
them, and, here in the remote wilderness, they 
were obliged to always be on their guard. From 
the ground where they obtained the timber to erect 
their houses, they soon produced a few vegetables, 
and when the families arrived in August, they 
were able to set before them food raised for the 



♦The outlines of Fort Harmar formed a regular pentagon, 
embracing within the area about three-fourths of an acre. Its 
walls were formed of large horizontal timbers, and the bastions 
of large uprighttimberaaboutfourteen feet in height, fastened to each 
other by strips of timber, tree-nailed into each picket. In the rear 
of the fort Maj. Doughty laid out fine gardens. It continued to be 
occupied by United States troops until September 1700, when 
they were ordered to Cincinnati. A company, under Capt. Haskell, 
continued to raako the fort their headquarters during the Indian 
war, occasionally assisting the colonists at Marietta, Belpre and 
Waterford against the Indians. When not needed by the troops, 
the fort was used by the people of Marietta. 



first time by the hand of American citizens in the 
Ohio Valley. One of those who came in August, 
was Mr. Thomas Guthrie, a settler in one of the 
western counties of Pennsylvania, who brought a 
bushel of wheat, which he sowed on a plat of 
ground cleared by himself, and from which that 
fall he procured a small crop of wheat, the first 
grown in the State of Ohio. 

The Marietta settlement was the only one made 
that summer in the Territory. From their arrival 
until October, when Governor St. Clair came, they 
were busily employed making houses, and prepar- 
ing for the winter. The little colony, of which 
Washington wrote so favorably, met on the 2d day 
of July, to name their newborn city and its pub- 
lic sqares. Until now it had been known as " The 
Muskingum" simply, but on that day the name 
Marietta was formally given to it, in honor of Ma- 
rie Antoinette. The 4th of July, an ovation was 
held, and an oration delivered by James M. Var- 
num, who, with S. H. Parsons and John Arm- 
strong, had been appointed Judges of the Terri- 
tory. Thus, in the heart of the wilderness, 
miles away from any kindred post, in the forests 
of the Great West, was the Tree of Liberty watered 
and given a hearty growth. 

On the morning of the 9th of July, Governor 
St. Clair arrived, and the colony began to assume 
form. The ordinance of 1787 had provided for 
a form of government under the Governor and 
the three Judges, and this form was at once put 
into force. The 25th, the first law relating to the 
militia was published, and the next day the Gov- 
ernor's proclamation appeared, creating all the 
country that had been ceded by the Indians, east 
of the Scioto River, into the county of Washing- 
ton, and the civil machinery was in motion. From 
that time forward, this, the pioneer settlement in 
Ohio, went on prosperously. The 2d of Septem- 
ber, the first court in the Territory was held, but 
as it related to the Territory, a narrative of its pro- 
ceedings will be found in the history of that part 
of the country, and need not be repeated here. 

The 15th of July, Gov. St. Clair had published 
the ordinance of 1787, and the commissions of 
himself and the three Judges. He also assembled 
the people of the settlement, and explained to 
them the ordinance in a speech of considerable 
length. Three days after, he sent a notice to the 
Judges, calling their attention to the subject of 
organizing the militia. Instead of attending to 
this important matter, and thus providing for their 
safety should trouble with the Indians arise, the 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



91 



Judges did not even reply to the Governor's letter, 
but sent him what they called a "project" of a 
law for dividing real estate. The bill was so 
loosely drawn that St. Clair immediately rejected 
it, and set about organizing the militia himself. 
He divided the militia into two classes, "Senior" 
and "Junior," and organized them by appointing 
their officers. 

In the Senior Class, Nathan Cushing was ap- 
pointed Captain; George Ingersol, Lieutenant, 
and James Backus, Ensign. 

In the Junior Class, Nathan Groodale and Charles 
Knowls were made Captains ; Watson Casey and 
Samuel Stebbins, Lieutenants, and Joseph Lincoln 
and Arnold Colt, Ensigns. 

The Governor next erected the Courts of Pro- 
bate and Quarter Sessions, and proceeded to ap- 
point civil officers. Rufus Putnam, Benjamin 
Tupper and Winthrop Sargeant were made Jus- 
tices of the Peace. The 30th of August, the day 
the Court of Quarter Sessions was appointed, 
Archibald Cary, Isaac Pierce and Thomas Lord 
were also appointed Justices, and given power to 
hold this court. They were, in fact. Judges of a 
Court of Common Pleas. Return Jonathan Meigs 
was appointed Clerk of this Court of Quarter 
Sessions. Ebenezer Sproat was appointed Sheriff of 
Wa.shington County, and also Colonel of the militia; 
William Callis, Clerk of the Supreme Court; 
Rufus Putnam, Judge of the Probate Court, and 
R. J. Meigs, Jr., Clerk. Following these appoint- 
ments, setting the machinery of government in 
motion, St. Clair ordered that the 25th of Decem- 
ber be kept as a day of thanksgiving by the infant 
colony for its safe and propitious beginning. 

During the fall and winter, the settlement was 
daily increased by emigrants, so much so, that the 
greatest difficulty was experienced in finding them 
lodging. During the coldest part of the winter, 
when ice covered the river, and prevented navi- 
gation, a delay in arrivals was experienced, only to 
be broken as soon as the river opened to the beams 
of a spring sun. While locked in the winter's 
embrace, the colonists amused themselves in vari- 
ous ways, dancing being one of the most promi- 
nent. At Christmas, a grand ball was held, at 
which there were fifteen ladies, "whose grace," 
says a narrator, "equaled any in the East." 
Though isolated in the wilderness, they knew a 
brilliant prospect lay before them, and lived on in 
a joyous hope for the future. 

Soon after their arrival, the settlers began the 
erection of a stockade fort (Campus Martius), 



which occupied their time until the winter cf 
1791. During the interval, fortunately, no hos- 
tilities from the Indians were experienced, though 
they were abundant, and were frequent visitors to 
the settlement. 

From a communication in the American Pioneer, 
by Dr. S. P. Hildreth, the following description of 
Campus Martius is derived. As it will apply, in 
a measure, to many early structures for defense in 
the West, it is given entire : 

" The fort was made in the form of a regular 
parallelogram, the sides of each being 180 feet. 
At each corner was erected a strong block-house, 
surmounted by a tower, and a sentry box. These 
houses were twenty feet square below and twenty- 
four feet square above, and projected six feet be- 
yond the walls of the fort. The intermediate walls 
were made up with dwelling-houses, made of wood, 
whose ends were whip-sawed into timbers four 
inches thick, and of the requisite width and length. 
These were laid up similar to the structure of log 
houses, with the ends nicely dove-tailed together. 
The whole were two stories high , and covered with 
shingle roofs. Convenient chimneys were erected 
of bricks, for cooking, and warming the rooms. A 
number of the dwellings were built and owned by 
individuals who had families. In the west and 
south fronts were strong gateways ; and over the 
one in the center of the front looking to the Mus- 
kingum River, was a belfry. The chamber beneath 
was occupied by Winthrop Sargeant, as an office, 
he being Secretary to the Governor, and perform- 
ing the duties of the office during St. Clair's ab- 
sence. This room projected over the gateway, like 
a block-house, and was intended for the protection 
of the gate beneath, in time of an assault. At 
the outer corner of each block-house was erected a 
bastion, standing on four stout timbers. The floor 
of the bastion was a little above the lower story of 
the block -house. They were square, and built up 
to the height of a man's head, so that, when he 
looked over, he stepped on a narrow platform or 
" banquet " running around the sides of the bulwark. 
Port-holes were made, for musketry as well as for 
artillery, a single piece of which was mounted in 
the southwest and northeast bastions. In these, 
the sentries were regularly posted every night, as 
more convenient than the towers ; a door leading 
into them from the upper story of the block-houses. 
The lower room of the southwest block-house was 
occupied as a guard-house. 

" Running from corner to corner of the block- 
houses was a row of palisades, sloping outward. 



~~® 



^ 



92 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



and resting on stout rails. Twenty feet in advance 
of these, was a row of very strong and large pick- 
ets, set upright in the earth. Gateways through 
these, admitted the inmates of the garrison. A 
few feet beyond the row of outer palisades was 
placed a row of abattis, made from the tops and 
branches of trees, sharpened and pointing outward, 
so that it would have been very difficult for an 
enemy to have penetrated within their outworks. 
The dwelling-houses occupied a space from fifteen 
to thirty feet each, and were sufficient for the ac- 
commodation of forty or fifty families, and did 
actually contain from two hundred to three hun- 
dred persons during the Indian war. 

" Before the Indians commenced hostilities, the 
block-houses were occupied as follows : The south- 
west one, by the family of Gov. St. Clair ; the 
northeast one as an office fur the Directors of the 
Company. The area within the walls was one 
hundred and forty-four feet square, and afi'orded a 
fine parade ground. In the center, was a well 
eighty feet in depth, for the supply of water to the 
inhabitants, in case of a siege. A large sun-dial 
stood for many years in the square, placed on a 
handsome post, and gave note of the march of 
time. 

" After the war commenced, a regular military 
corps was organized, and a guard constantly kept 
night and day. The whole establishment formed 
a very strong work, and reflected great credit on 
the head that planned it. It was in a manner im- 
pregnable to the attacks of Indians, and none 
but a regular army with cannon could have reduced 
it. The Indians possessed no such an armament. 

" The garrison stood on the verge of that beauti- 
ful plain overlooking the Muskingum, on which 
are seated those celebrated remains of antiquity, 
erected probably for a similar purpose — the defense 
of the inhabitants. The ground descends into shal- 
low ravines on the north and south sides ; on the 
west is an abrupt descent to the river bottoms or 
alluvium, and the east passed out to a level plain. 
On this, the ground was cleared of trees beyond 
the reach of rifle shots, so as to affiird no shelter 
to a hidden foe. Extensive fields of corn were 
grown in the midst of the standing girdled trees be- 
yond, in after years. The front wall of palisades 
was about one hundred and fifty yards from the 
Muskingum River. The ajipearance of the fort 
from without was imposing, at a little distance re- 
sembling the military castles of the feudal ages. 
Between the outer palisades and the river were 
laid out neat gardens for the use of Gov. St. Clair 



and his Secretary, with the officers of the Com- 
pany. 

" Opposite the fort, on the shore of the river, 
was built a substantial timber wharf, at which was 
moored a fine cedar barge for twelve rowers, built 
by Capt. Jonathan Devol, for Gen. Putnam ; a 
number of pii'ogues, and the light canoes of the 
country ; and last, not least, the Mayflower, or 
' Adventure Galley,' in which the first detach- 
ments of colonists were transported from the shores 
of the ' Yohiogany ' to the banks of the Muskingum. 
In these, especially the canoes, during the war, 
most of the communications were carried on between 
the settlements of the Company and the more re- 
mote towns above on the Ohio River. Traveling 
by land was very hazardous to any but the rangers 
or spies. There were no roads, nor bridges across 
the creeks, and, for many years after the war had 
ceased, the traveling was nearly all done by canoes 
on the river." 

Thus the first settlement of Ohio provided for 
its safety and comfort, and provided also for that 
of emigrants who came to share the toils of the 
wilderness. 

The next spring, the influx of emigration was 
so great that other settlements were determined, 
and hence arose the colonies of Belpre, Waterford 
and Duck Creek, where they began to clear land, sow 
and plant crops, and build houses and stockades. 
At Belpre (French for "beautiful meadow"), were 
built three stockades, the upper, lower and middle, 
the last of which was called " Farmers' Castle," 
and stood on the banks of the Ohio, nearly oppo- 
site an island, afterward famous in Western history 
as Blennerhasset's Island, the scene of Burr's con- 
spiracy. Among the persons settling at the upper 
stockade, were Capts. Dana and Stone, Col. Bent, 
William Browning, Judge Foster, John Rowse, 
Israel Stone and a Mr. Keppel. At the Farmers' 
Castle, were Cols. Gushing and Fisher, Maj. Has- 
kell, Aaron Waldo Putnam, Mr. Sparhawk, and, 
it is believed, George and Israel Putnam, Jr. At 
the lower, were Maj. Goodale, Col. Rice, Esquire 
Pierce, Judge Israel Loring, Deacon Miles, Maj. 
Bradford and Mr. Goodenow. In the summer of 
1789, Col. Ichabod Nye and some others, built a 
block-house at Newberry, below Belpre. Col. Nye 
sold his lot there to Aaron W. Clough, who, with 
Stephen Guthrie, Joseph Leavins, Joel Oakes, 
]^]leazer Curtis, JVIr. Denham J. Littleton and Mr. 
Brown, was located at that place. 

"Every exertion possible," says Dr. Hildreth, 
who has preserved the above names and incidents, 



HISTORY" OF OHIO. 



93 



"for men in these circumstances, was made to se- 
cure food for future difficulties. Col. Oliver, 3Iuj. 
Hatfield White and John Dod<z;e, of the Water- 
ford settlement, began mills oa Wolf Creek, about 
three miles from the fort, and got them running; 
and these, the first mills in Ohio, were never de- 
stroyed during the subsequent Indian war, though 
the proprietors removed their faniiles to the fort 
at Marietta. Col. E. Sproat and Enoch Shep- 
herd began mills on Duck Creek, three miles from 
Marietta, from the completion of which they were 
driven by the Indian war. Thomas Stanley be- 
gan mills farther up, near the Duck Creek settle- 
ment. These were likewise unfinished. The Ohio 
Company built a large horse mill near Campus 
Martius, and soon after a floating mill." 

The autumn before the settlements at Belpre, 
Duck Creek and Waterford, were made, a colony 
was planted near the mouth of the Little IMiami 
River, on a tract of ten thousand acres, purchased 
from Sy mines by Maj. Benjamin Stites. In the pre- 
ceding pages may be found a history of Symmes' 
purchase. This colony may be counted the second 
settlement in the State. Soon after the colony at 
Marietta was founded, steps were taken to occupy 
separate portions of Judge Symmes' purchase, be- 
tween the Miami Rivers. Three parties were 
formed for this purpose, but, owing to various 
delays, chiefly in getting the present colony stead- 
fast and safe from future encroachments by the 
savages, they did not get started till late in the fall. 
The first of these parties, consisting of fifteen or 
twenty men, led by 31 aj. Stites, landed at the 
mouth of the Little Miami in November, 1788, 
and, constructing a log fort, began to lay out a 
village, called by them Columbia. It soon grew 
into prominence, and, before winter had thoroughly 
set in, they were well prepared for a fi-ontier life. 
In the party were Cols. Spencer and Brown, Majs. 
Gauo and Kibbey, Judges Goforth and Foster, 
Rev. John Smith, Francis Dunlavy, Capt. Flina, 
Jacob White, John Riley, and Mr. Hubbell. 

All these were men of energy and enterprise, 
and, with their comrades, were more numerous 
than either of the other parties, who commenced 
their settlements below them on the Ohio. This 
village was also, at first, more flourishing; and, for 
two or three years, contained more inhabitants 
than any other in the Miami purchase. 

The second IMiami party was formed at Lime- 
stone, under Matthias Denham and Robert Pat- 
terson, and consisted of twelve or fifteen persons. 
They landed on the north bank of the Ohio, oppo- 



site the mouth of the Licking River, the 24th of 

December, 1788. They intended to establish a 
station and lay out a town on a plan prepared at 
Limestone. Some statements affirm that the town 
was to be called " L-vs-aati-vilk-,'^ by a romantic 
school-teacher named Filson. However, be this as 
it may, Mr, Filson was, unfortunately for himself, 
not long after, slain by the Indians, and, with him 
probably, the name disappeared. He was to have 
one-third interest in the proposed city, which, 
when his death occurred, was transferred to Israel 
Ludlow, and a new plan of a city adopted. Israel 
Ludlow surveyed the proposed town, who.se lots were 
principally donated to settlers upon certain condi- 
tions as to settlement and improvement, and the 
embryo city named Cincinnati. Gov. St. Clair 
very likely had something to do with the naming 
of the village, and, by some, it is asserted that he 
changed the name from Losantiville to Cincinnati, 
when he created the county of Hamilton the en- 
suing winter. Tlie original purchase of the city'.'j 
site was made by Mr. Denham. It included about 
eight hundred acres, for which he paid 5 shillings 
per acre in Continental certificates, then worth, in 
specie, about 5 shillings per pound, gross weight. 
Evidently, the original site was a good investment, 
could Mr. Denham have lived long enough to see 
its present condition. 

The third party of settlers for the Miami pur- 
chase, were under the care of Judge Symmes, 
himself They left Limestone, January 20, 1789, 
and were much delayed on their downward jour- 
ney by the ice in the river. They reached the 
'• Bend,'' as it was then known, early in February. 
The Judge had intended to found a city here, 
which, in time, would be the rival of the Atlantic 
cities. As each of the three settlements aspired 
to the same position, no little rivalry soon mani- 
fested itself The Judge named liis proposed city 
North Bend, from the fact that it was the most 
northern bend in the Ohio below the mouth of the 
Great Kanawha. These three settlements ante- 
dated, a few months, those made near Marietta, 
already described. They arose so soon after, partly 
fi-om the extreme desire of Judge Symmes to settle 
his purchase, and induce emigration here instead 
of on the Ohio Company's purchase. The Judge 
labored earnestly for this purpose and to further 
secure him in his title to the land he had acquired, 
all of which he had so far been unable to retain, 
owing to his inability to meet his payments. 

All these emigrants came down the river in the 
flat-boats of the day, rude affairs, sometimes called 



r^ 



94 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



" Arks," and then the only safe mode of travel in 
the West. 

Judge Symmcs found he must provide for the 
safety of the settlers on his purchase, and, after 
earnestly soliciting Gen. Harmar, commander of 
the Western posts, succeeded in obtaining a de- 
tachment of forty-eight men, under Capt. Kearsey, 
to protect the improvements just commencing on 
the Miami. This detachment reached Limestone 
in December, 1788. Part was at once sent for- 
ward to guard Maj. Stites and his pioneers. Judge 
Symmes and his party started in January, and, 
about February 2, reached Columbia, where the 
Captain expected to find a fort erected for his use 
and shelter. The flood on the river, however, de- 
feated his purpose, and, as he was unprepared to 
erect another, he determined to go on down to the 
garrison at the falls at Louisville. Judge Symmes 
was strenuously opposed to his conduct, as it left 
the colonies unguarded, but, all to no purpose; the 
Captain and his command, went to Louisville early 
in March, and left the Judge and his settlement 
to protect themselves. Judge Symmes immedi- 
ately sent a strong letter to Maj. Willis, command- 
ing at the Falls, complaining of the conduct 
of Capt. Kearsey, representing the exposed situ- 
ation of the Miami settlements, stating the indi- 
cations of hostility manifested by the Indians, 
and requesting a guard to be sent to the Bend. 
This request was at once granted, and Ensign 
Luce, with seventeen or eighteen soldiers, sent. 
They were at the settlement but a short time, 
when they were attacked by Indians, and one of 
their number killed, and four or five wounded. 
They repulsed the savages and saved the set- 
tlers. 

The site of Symmes City, for such he designed it 
should ultimately be called, was above the reach of 
water, and sufficiently level to admit of a conven- 
ient settlement. The city laid out by Symmes 
was truly magnificent on paper, and promised in 
the future to fulfill his most ardent hopes. The 
plat included the village, and extended across the 
peninsula between the Ohio and Miami Rivers. 
Each settler on this plat was promised a lot if he 
would improve it, and in conformity to the stipu- 
lation, Judge Symmes soon found a large number 
of persons applying for residence. As the number 
of these adventurers increased, in consequence of 
this provision and the protection of the military, 
the Judge was induced to lay out another village 
six or seven miles up the river, which he called 
South Bend, where he disposed of some donation 



lots, but the project failing, the village site was de- 
serted, and converted into a farm. 

During all the time these various events wei-e 
transpiring, but little trouble was experienced with 
the Indians. They were not yet disposed to evince 
hostile feelings. This would have been their time, 
but, not realizing the true intent of the whites until 
it was too late to conquer them, they allowed them 
to become prepared to withstand a warfare, and in 
the end were obliged to suff'er their hunting-grounds 
to be taken from them, and made the homes of a 
race destined to entirely supersede them in the 
New World. 

By the means sketched in the foregoing pages, 
were the three settlements on the Miami made. By 
the time those adjacent to Marietta were well estab- 
lished, these were firmly fixed, each one striving to 
become the rival city all felt sure was to arise. For 
a time it was a matter of doubt which of the rivals, 
Columbia, North Bend or Cincinnati, would event- 
ually become the chief seat of business. 

In the beginning, Columbia, the eldest of the 
three, took the lead, both in number of its in- 
habitants and the convenience and appearance of 
its dwellings. For a time it was a flourishing place, 
and many believed it would become the great busi- 
ness town of the Miami country. That apparent 
fact, however, lasted but a short time. The garri- 
son was moved to Cincinnati, Fort Washington 
built there, and in spite of all that Maj. Stites, or 
Judge Symmes could do, that place became the 
metropolis. Fort Washington, the most extensive 
garrison in the West, was built by Maj. Doughty, 
in the summer of 1789, and from that time the 
growth and future greatness of Cincinnati were 
assured. 

The first house in the city was built on Front 
street, east of and near Main street. It was 
simply a strong log cabin, and was erected of the 
forest trees cleared away from the ground on which 
it stood. The lower part of the town was covered 
with sycamore and maple trees, and the upper with 
beech and oak. Through this dense forest the 
streets were laid out, and their cornel's marked on 
the trees. 

The settlements on the Miami had become 
sufficiently numerous to warrant a separate county, 
and, in January, 171H), Gov. St. Clair and his 
Secretary arrived in Cincinnati, and organized the 
county of Hamilton, so named in honor of the 
illustrious statesman by that name. It included 
all the country north of the Ohio, between the 
Miamis, as far as a line running " due east from the 



•^ 



HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



95 



Standing Stone forks " of Big Miami to its inter- 
section with the Little Miami. The erection of 
the new county, and the appointment of Cincin- 
nati to be the seat of justice, gave the town a fresh 
impulse, and aided greatly in its growth. 

Through the summer, but little interruption in 
the growth of the settlements occurred. The 
Indians had permitted the erection of defensive 
works in their midst, and could not now destroy 
them. They were also engaged in traffic with the 
whites, and, though they evinced signs of discon- 
tent at their settlement and occupation of the 
country, yet did not openly attack them. The 
truth was, they saw plainly the whites were always 
prepared, and no opportunity was given them to 
plunder and destroy. The Indian would not 
attack unless success was almost sure. An oppor- 
tunity, unfortunately, came, and with it the hor- 
rors of an Indian war. 

In the autumn of 1790, a company of thirty- 
six men went from Marietta to a place on the 
Muskingum known as the Big Bottom. Here 
they built a block-house, on the east bank of the 
river, four miles above the mouth of Meigs Creek. 
They were chiefly young, single men, but little 
ac((uainted with Indian warfare or military rules. 
The savages had given signs that an attack on the 
settlement was meditated, and several of the know- 
ing ones at the strongholds strenuously opposed 
any new settlements that fall, advising their post- 
ponement until the next spring, when the question 
of peace or war would probably be settled. Even 
Gren. Putnam and the Directors of the Ohio Com- 
pany advised the postponement of the settlement 
until the next spring. 

The young men were impatient and restless, and 
declared themselves able to protect their fort 
against any number of assailants. They might 
have easily done so, had they taken the necessary 
precautions ; but, after they had erected a rude 
block-house of unchinked logs, they began to pass 
the time iu various pursuits ; setting no guard, and 
taking no precautionary measures, they left them- 
selves an easy prey to any hostile savages that 
might choose to come and attack them. 

About twenty rods from the block-house, and a 
little back from the bank of the river, two men, 
Francis and Isaac Choate, members of the com- 
pany, had erected a cabin, and commenced clearing 
lots. Thomas Shaw, a hired laborer, and James 
Patten, another of the a.ssociates, lived with them. 
About the same distance below the block-house 
was an old "Tomahawk Improvement" and a 



small cabin, which two men, Asa and Eleazur 
BuUard, had fitted up and occupied. The Indian 
war-path, from Sandusky to the mouth of the 
Muskingum, passed along the opposite shore of 
the river. 

" The Indians, who, during the summer," says 
Dr. Hildreth, " had been hunting and loitering 
about the Wolf Creek and Plaiufield settlements, 
holding frequent and friendly intercourse with the 
settlers, selling them venison and bear's meat in ex- 
change for green corn and vegetables, had with- 
drawn and gone up the river, early in the au- 
tumn, to their towns, preparatory to going into 
winter quarters. They very seldom entered on 
any warlike expeditions during the cold weather. 
But they had watched the gradual encroach- 
ment of the whites and planned an expedition 
against them. They saw them in fancied security 
in their cabins, and thought their capture an easy 
task. It is said they were not aware of the Big 
Bottom settlement until they came in sight of it, 
on the opposite shore of the river, in the afternoon. 
From a high hill opposite the garrison, they had a 
view of all that part of the bottom, and could see 
how the men were occupied and what was doing 
about the block-house. It was not protected with 
palisades or pickets, and none of the men were 
aware or prepared for an attack. Having laid 
their plans, about twilight they crossed the river 
above the garrison, on the ice, and divided their 
men into two parties — the larger one to attack the 
block-house, the smaller one to capture the cabins. 
As the Indians cautiously approached the cabin 
they found the inmates at supper. Part entered, 
addressed the whites in a friendly manner, but 
soon manifesting their designs, made them all pris- 
oners, tieing tbem with leather thongs they found 
in the cabin." 

At the block-house the attack was far different. 
A stout Mohawk suddenly burst open the door, 
the first intimation the inmates had of the pres- 
ence of the foe, and while he held it open his 
comrades shot down those that were within. Rush- 
ing in, the deadly tomahawk completed the on- 
slaught. In the assault, one of the savages was 
struck by the wife of Isaac Woods, with an ax, 
but only slightly injured. The heroic woman was 
immediately slain. All the men but two were 
slain before they had time to secure their arms, 
thereby paying for their failure to properly secure 
themselves, with their lives. The two excepted 
were John Stacy and his brother Philip, a lad six- 
teen years of age. John escaped to the roof, 



\ 



96 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



where he was shot by the Indians, while begging 
for his Ufe. The firing at the block-house alarmed 
the Bullards in their cabin, and hastily barring the 
door, and securing their arms and ammunition, they 
fled to the woods, and escaped. After the slaughter 
was over, the Indians began to collect the plunder, 
and in doing so discovered the lad Philip Stacy. 
They were about to dispatch him, but his entrea- 
ties softened the heart of one of the chiefs, who 
took him as a captive with the intention of adopt- 
ing him into his family. The savages then piled 
the dead bodies on the floor, covered them with 
other portions of it not needed for that purpose, 
and set fire to the whole. The building, being 
made of green logs, did not burn, the flames con- , 
suming only the floors and roof, leaving the walls 
standing. 

There were twelve persons killed in this attack, 
all of whom were in the prime of life, and valuable 
aid to the settlements. They were well provided 
with arms, and had they taken the necessary pre- 
cautions, always pressed upon them when visited 
by the older ones from Marietta, they need not 
have suffered so terrible a fate. 

The Indians, exultant over their horrible victory, 
went on to Wolf's mills, but here they found the 
people prepared, and, after reconnoitering the place, 
made their retreat, at early dawn, to the great re- 
lief of the inhabitants. Their number was never 
definitely known. 

The news reached IMarietta and its adjacent 
settlements soon after the massacre occurred, and 
struck terror and dismay into the hearts of all. 
Many had brothers and sons in the ill-fated party, 
and mourned their loss. Neither did they know 
what place would fall next. The Indian hostilities 
had begun, and they could only hope for peace 
when the savages were eff"ectually conquered. 

The next day, Capt. Ptogers led a party of men 
over to the Big Bottom. It was, indeed, a melan- 
choly sight to the poor borderers, as they knew not 
now how soon the same fate might befall them- 
selves. The fire had so disfigured their comrades 
that but two, Ezra Putnam and William Jones, 
were recognized. As the ground was frozen out- 
side, a hole was dug in the earth underneath the 
block-house floor, and the bodies consigned to one 
grave. No further attempt was made to settle 
here till after the peace of 1795. 

The outbreak of Indian hostilities put a check 
on further settlements. Those that were estab- 
lished were put in a more active state of defense, 
and every preparation made that could be made 



for the impending crisis all felt sure must come. 
Either the Indians must go, or the whites must 
retreat. A few hardy and adventurous persons 
ventured out into the woods and made settle- 
ments, but even these were at the imminent risk 
of their lives, many of them perishing in the 
attempt. 

The Indian war that followed is given fully in 
preceding pages. It may be briefly sketched by 
stating that the first campaign, under Gen Ilar- 
mar, ended in the defeat of his army at the Indian 
villages on the Miami of the lake, and the rapid 
retreat to Fort Washington. St. Clair v/as next 
commissioned to lead an army of nearly three thou- 
sand men, but these were furiously attacked at 
break of day, on the morning of November 4, 
1791, and utterly defeated. Indian outrages 
sprung out anew after each defeat, and the borders 
were in a continual state of alarm. The most ter- 
rible sufi"erings were endured by prisoners in the 
hands of the savage foe, who thought to annihilate 
the whites. 

The army was at once re-organized. Gen. An- 
thony Wayne put in command by Washington, 
and a vigorous campaign inaugurated. Though 
the savages had been given great aid by the Brit- 
ish, in direct violation of the treaty of 1783, Gen. 
Wayne pursued them so vigorously that they could 
not withstand his army, and, the l^Oth of August, 
1794, defeated them, and utterly annihilated their 
forces, breaking up their camps, and laying waste 
their country, in some places under the guns of 
the British forts. The victory showed them the 
hopelessness of contending against the whites, and 
led their chiefs to sue for peace. The British, as 
at former times, deserted them, and they were again 
alone, contending against an invincible foe. A 
grand council was held at Greenville the 3d day 
of August, 1795, where eleven of the most power- 
ful chiefs made peace with Gen. Wayne on terms 
of his own dictation. The boundary established 
by the old treaty of Fort Mcintosh was confirmed, 
and extended westward from Loramie's to Fort 
Recovery, and thence southwest to the mouth of 
the Kentucky River. He also purchased all the 
territory not before ceded, within certain limits, 
comprehending, in all, about four-fifths of the State 
of Ohio. The line was long known as " The Green- 
ville Treaty line." Upon these, and a few other 
minor conditions, the United States received the 
Indians under their protection, gave them a large 
number of presents, and practically closed the war 
with the savages. 



:£. 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



97 



The only settlement of any consequence made dur- 
ing the Indian war, was that on the plat of Hamilton, 
laid out by Israel Ludlow in December, 1794. Soon 
after, Darius C. Orcutt, John Green, William Mc- 
Clennan, John Sutherland,Jolin Torrence, Benjamin 
F.Randolph, Benjamin Davis, Isaac Wiles, Andrew 
Christy and William Hubert, located here. The 
town was laid out under the name of Fairfield, but 
was known only a short time by that name. Until 
1801, all the lands on the west side of the Great 
Miami were owned by the General Government ; 
hence, vintil after that date, no improvements were 
made there. A single log cabin stood there until 
the sale of lands in April, 1801, when a company 
purchased the site of Rossville, and, in March, 
180-1, laid out that town, and, before a year had 
passed, the town and country about it was well 
settled. 

The close of the war, in 1795, insured peace, 
and, from that date, Hamilton and that part of the 
Miami Valley grew remarkably fast. In 1803, 
Butler County was formed, and Hamilton made 
the county seat. 

On the site of Hamilton, St. Clair built Fort 
Hamilton in 1791. For some time it was under 
the command of Maj. Rudolph, a cruel, arbitrary 
man, who was displaceSHBy Gen. Wayne, and who, 
it is said, perished ignobly on the high seas, at the 
hands of some Algerine pirates, a fitting end to a 
man who caused, more than once, the death of 
men under his control for minor offenses. 

On the return of peace, no part of Ohio grew 
more rapidly than the Miami Valley, especially 
that part comprised in Butler County. 

While the war with the Indians continued, but 
little extension of settlements was made in the 
State. It was too perilous, and the settlers pre- 
ferred the security of the block-house or to engage 
with the army. Still, however, a few bold spirits 
ventured away from the settled parts of the Terri- 
tory, and began life in the wilderness. In tracing 
the histories of these settlements, attention will be 
paid to the order in which they were made. They 
will be given somewhat in detail until the war of 
1812, after which time they become too numerous 
to follow. 

The settlements made in Washington — Marietta 
and adjacent colonies — and Hamilton Counties 
have already been given. The settlement at Gal- 
lia is also noted, hence, the narration can be re- 
sumed where it ends prior to the Indian war of 
1795. Before this war occurred, there were three 
small settlements made, however, in addition to 



those in Washington and Hamilton Counties. 
They were in what are now Adams, Belmont and 
Morgan Counties. They were block-house settle- 
ments, and were in a continual state of defense. 
The first of these, Adams, was settled in the winter 
of 1790-91 by Gen. Nathaniel Massie, near where 
Manchester now is. Gen. Massie determined to 
settle here in the Virginia Military Tract— in the 
winter of 1790, and sent notice throughout Ken- 
tucky and other Western settlements that he would 
give to each of the first twenty-five families who 
would settle in the town he proposed laying out, 
one in-lot, one out-lot and one hundred acres of 
land. Such liberal terms were soon accepted, and 
in a short time thirty families were ready to go 
with him. After various consultations with his 
friends, the bottom on the Ohio River, opposite 
the lower of the Three Islands, was selected as 
the most eligible spot. Here Massie fixed his sta- 
tion, and laid off into lots a town, now called 
iManchester. The little confederacy, with Massie 
at the helm, went to work with spirit. Cabins 
were raised, and by the middle of March, 
1791, the whole town was inclosed with strong 
pickets, with block-houses at each angle for de- 
fense. 

This was the first settlement in the bounds of 
the Virginia District, and the fourth one in the 
State. Although in the midst of a savage foe, 
now inflamed with war, and in the midst of a 
cruel conflict, the settlement at Manchester suf- 
fered less than any of its cotemporaries. This 
was, no doubt, due to the watchful care of its in- 
habitants, who were inured to the rigors of a front- 
ier life, and who well knew the danger about them. 
" These were the Beasleys, Stouts, Washburns, 
Ledoms, Edgingtons, Denings, Ellisons, Utts, 
McKcnzies, Wades, and others, who were fully 
equal to the Indians in all the savage arts and 
stratagems of border war." 

As soon as they had completed preparations for 
defense, the whole population went to work and 
cleared the lowest of the Three Islands, and jilanted 
it in corn. The soil of the island was very rich, 
and produced abundantly. The woods supplied an 
abundance of game, while the river furnished a 
variety of excellent fish. The inhabitants thus 
found their simple wants fully supplied. Their 
nearest neighbors in the new Territory were at 
Columbia, and at the French settlement at Gallip- 
olis; but with these, owing to the state of the 
country and the Indian war, they could hold little, 
if any, intercourse. 



rV 



98 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



The station being established, Massie continued 
to make locations and surveys. Great precautions 
were necessary to avoid the Indians, and even the 
closest vigilance did not always avail, as the ever- 
watchful foe was always ready to spring upon tlie 
settlement, could an unguarded moment be ob- 
served. During one of the spring months. Gen. 
Massie, Israel Donalson, William Lytle and James 
Little, while out on a survey, were surprised, and 
Mr. Donalson captured, the others escaping at 
great peril. Mr. Donalson escaped during the 
march to the Indian town, and made his way to 
the town of Cincinnati, after suffering great hard- 
ships, anc\ almost perishing from hunger. In the 
spring of 1793, the settlers at Manchester com- 
menced clearing the out-lots of the town. While 
doing so, an incident occurred, which shows the 
danger to which they were daily exposed. It is 
thus related in Howe's Collections : 

" Mr. Andrew Ellison, one of the settlers, 
cleared an out-lot immediately adjoining the fort. 
He had completed the cutting of the timber, rolled 
the logs together, and set them on fire. The next 
morning, before daybreak, Mr. Ellison opened one 
of the gates of the fort, and went out to throw his 
logs together. By the time he had finished the 
job, a number of the heaps blazed up brightly, and, 
as he was passing from one to the other, he ob- 
served, by the light of the fires, three men walking 
briskly toward him. This did not alarm him in 
the least, although, he said, they were dark-skinned 
fellows ; yet he concluded they were the Wades, 
whose complexions were very dark, going early to 
hunt. He continued to right his log-heaps, until 
one of the fellows seized him by the arms, calling 
out, in broken English, ' How do ? how do ? ' He 
instantly looked in their faces, and, to his surprise 
and horror, found himself in the clutches of three 
Indians. To resist was useless. 

" The Indians quickly moved off with him in 
the direction of Paint Creek. When breakfast 
was ready, Mrs. Ellison sent one of her children 
to ask its father home ; but he could not be found 
at the log-heaps. His absence created no immedi- 
ate alarm, as it was thought he might have started 
to hunt, after completing his work. Dinner-time 
arrived, and, Ellison not returning, the family 
became uneasy, and began to suspect some acci- 
dent had happened to him. His gun-rack was 
examined, and there hung his rifles and his pouch. 
Gen. Massie raised a party, made a circuit around 
the place, finding, after some search, the trails of 
four men, one of whom had on shoes; and the 



fact that Mr. Ellison was a prisoner now became 
apparent. As it was almost night at the time the 
trail was discovered, the party returned to the 
station. Early the next morning, preparations 
were made by Gen. Massie and his friends to con- 
tinue the search. In doing this, they found great 
difiiculty, as it was so early in the spring that the 
vegetation was not grovrn sufficiently to show 
plainly the trail made by the savages, who took 
the precaution to keep on high and dry ground, 
where their feet would make little or no impres- 
sion. The party were, however, as unerring as a 
pack of hounds, and followed the trail to Paint 
Creek, when they found the Indians gained so 
fast on them that pursuit was useless. 

"The Indians took their prisoner to Upper 
Sandusky, where he was compelled to run the 
gantlet. As he was a large, and not very active, 
man, he received a severe flogging. He was then 
taken to Lower Sandusky, and again compelled to 
run the gantlet. He was then taken to Detroit, 
where he was ransomed by a British officer for 
^100. The officer proved a good friend to him. 
He sent him to Montreal, whence he returned 
home before the close of the summer, much to the 
joy of his family and friends, whose feehngs can 
only be imagined." 

"Another incident occurred about this time," 
says the same volume, "which so aptly illustrates 
the danger of frontier life, that it well deserves a 
place in the history of the settlements in Ohio. 
John and Asahel Edgington, with a comrade, 
started out on a hunting expedition toward Brush 
Creek. They camped out six miles in a northeast 
direction from where West Union now stands, and 
near the site of Treber's tavern, on the road from 
Chillicothe to JMaysville. They had good success 
in hunting, killing a number of deer and bears. 
Of the deer killed, they saved the skins and hams 
alone. They fleeced the bears ; that is, they cut 
off all the meat which adhered to the hide, with- 
out skinning, and left the bones as a skeleton. 
They hung up the proceeds of their hunt, on a scaf- 
fold out of the reach of wolves and other wild ani- 
mals, and returned to Manchester for pack-horses. 
No one returned to the camp with the Edgingtons. 
As it was late in December, few apprehended dan- 
ger, as the winter season was usually a time of re- 
pose from Indian incursions. When the Edgingtons 
arrived at their camp, they alighted from their 
horses and were preparing to start a fire, when a 
platoon of Indians fired upon them at a distance 
of not more than twenty paces. They had 



~® 



'k* 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



101 



evidently found the results of the white men's labor, 
and expected they would return for it, and pre- 
pared to waylay them. Asahel Edgington fell 
dead. John was more fortunate. The sharp 
crack of the rifles, and the horrible yells of the 
savages as they leaped from their place of ambush, 
frightened the horses, who took the track for 
home at full speed. John was very active on foot, 
and now an opportunity offered which required his 
utmost speed. The moment the Indians leaped 
from their hiding-place, they threw down their 
guns and took after him, yelling with all their 
power. Edgington did not run a booty race. For 
about a mile, the savages stepped in his tracks al- 
most before the bending grass could rise. The 
uplifted tomahawk was frequently so near his head 
that he thought he felt its edge. He exerted 
himself to his utmost, while the Indians strove 
with all their might to catch him. Finally, he be- 
gan to gain on his pursuers, and, after a long race, 
distanced them and made his escape, safely reach- 
ing home. This, truly, was a most fearful and 
well-contested race. The big Shawanee chief, Capt. 
John, who headed the Indians on this occasion, 
after peace was made, in narrating the particulars, 
said, "The white man who ran away was a smart 
fellow. The white man run ; and I run. He run 
and run ; at last, the white man run clear off from 
me." 

The settlement, despite its dangers, prospered, 
and after the close of the war continued to grow 
rapidly. In two years afler peace was declared, 
Adams County was erected by proclamation of 
Gov. St. Clair, the next year court was held, and 
in 1804, West Union was made the county seat. 

During the war, a settlement was commenced 
near the present town of Bridgeport, in Belmont 
County, by Capt. Joseph Belmont, a noted Dela- 
ware Revolutionary officer, who, because his State 
could furnish only one company, could rise no 
higher than Captain of that company, and hence 
always maintained that grade. He settled on a 
beautiful knoll near the present county seat, but 
erelong suffered from a night attack by the In- 
dians, who, though unable to drive him and his 
companions from the cabin or conquer them, 
wounded some of them badly, one or two mortally, 
and caused the Captain to leave the frontier and 
return to Newark, Del. The attack was made 
in the spring of 1791, and a short time after, 
the Captain, having provided for the safety of his 
family, accepted a commission in St. Clair's army, 
and lost his life at the defeat of the General in 



November. Shortly after the Captain settled, a 
fort, called Dillie's Fort, was built on the Ohio, 
opposite the mouth of Grave Creek. About two 
hundred and fifty yards below this fort, an old 
man, named Tato, was shot d(jwn at his cabin door 
by the Indians, just as he was in the act of entering 
the house. His body was pulled in by his daugh- 
ter-in-law and grandson, who made an heroic de- 
fense. They were overpowered, the woman slain, 
and the boy badly wounded. He, however, man- 
aged to secrete himself and afterward escaped to 
the fort. The Indians, twelve or thirteen in num- 
ber, went off unmolested, though the men in the 
fort saw the whole transaction and could have 
punished them. Why they did not was never 
known. 

On Captina Creek in this same county, occurred, 
in May, 1794, the "battle of Captina," a fa- 
mous local skirmish between some Virginians from 
Fort Baker, and a party of Indians. Though the 
Indians largely outnumbered the whites, they were 
severely punished, and compelled to abandon the 
contest, losing several of their bravest warriors. 

These were the only settlements made until 
1795, the close of the war. Even these, as it will 
be observed from the foregoing pages, were tem- 
porary in all cases save one, and were maintained 
at a great risk, and the loss of many valuable lives. 
They were made in the beginning of the war,and such 
were their experiences that further attempts were 
abandoned until the treaty of Greenville was made, 
or until the prospects for peace and safety were 
assured. 

No sooner, however, had the prospect of quiet 
been established, than a revival of emigration be- 
gan. Before the war it had been large, now it 
was largely increased. 

Wayne's treaty of peace with the Indians was 
made at Greenville, in what is now Darke County, 
the 3d of August, 1795. The number of Indians 
present was estimated at 1,300, divided among the 
principal nations as follows : 180 Wyandots, 381 
Delawares, 143 Shawanees, 45 Ottawas, 46 Chip- 
pewas, 240 Fottawatomies, 73 Miamis and Eel 
River, 12 Weas and Piankeshaws, and 10 Kicka- 
poos and Kaskaskias. The principal chiefs were 
Tarhe, Buckongahelas, Black Hoof, Blue Jacket 
and Little Turtle. Most of them had been tam- 
pered with by the British agents and traders, but 
all had been so thoroughly chastised by Wayne, and 
found that the British only used them as tools, 
that they were quite anxious to make peace with 
the " Thirteen Fires." By the treaty, former ones 



103 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



were established, the boundary lines confirmed and 
enlarged, an exchange and delivery of prisoners 
effected, and permanent peace assured. 

In the latter part of September, after the treaty 
of Greenville, Mr. Bedell, from New Jersey, 
selected a site for a home in what is now Warren 
County, at a place since known as " Bedell's Sta- 
lion," about a mile south of Union Village. Here 
he erected a block-house, as a defense against the 
Indians, among whom were many renegades as 
among the whites, who would not respect the 
terms of the treaty. Whether Mr. Bedell was 
alone that fall, or whether he was joined by others, 
is not now accurately known. However that may 
be, he was not long left to himself; for, ere a year 
had elapsed, quite a number of settlements were 
made in this part of the Territory. Soon after 
his settlement was made. Gen. David Sutton, Capt. 
Nathan Kelley and others began pioneer life at 
Deerfield, in the same locality, and, before three 
yeai's had gone by, a large number of New Jersey 
people were established in their homes; and, in 
18U3, the county was formed from Hamilton. 
Among the early settlers at Deerfield, was Capt. 
Robert Benham, who, with a companion, in 1779, 
sustained themselves many days when the Captain 
had lost the use of his legs, and his companion 
his arms, from musket-balls fired by the hands of 
the Indians. They were with a large party com- 
manded by Maj. Rodgers, and were furiously 
attacked by an immense number of savages, and 
all but a few slain. The event happened during 
the war of the Revolution, before any attempt 
was made to settle the Northwest Territory. The 
party were going down the Ohio, probably to the 
falls, and were attacked when near the site of 
Cincinnati. As mentioned, these two men sus- 
tained each other many days, the one having per- 
fect legs doing the necessary walking, carrying his 
comrade to water, driving up game for him to 
shoot, and any other duties necessary; while the 
one who had the use of his arms could dress his 
companion's and his own wounds, kill and cook 
the game, and perform his share. They were 
rescued, finally, by a flat-boat, whose occupants, 
for awhile, passed them, fearing a decoy, but, 
becoming convinced that such was not the case, 
took them on down to Louisville, where they were 
nursed into perfect health. 

A settlement was made near the present town of 
Lebanon, the county seat of Warren County, in 
the spring of 1796, by Henry Taylor, who built a 
mill one mile west of the town site, on Turtle 



Creek. Soon after, he was joined by Ichabod 
Corwin, John Osbourn, Jacob Vorhees, Samuel 
Shaw, Daniel Bonte and a Mr. Manning. When 
Lebanon was laid out, in 1803, the two-story log 
house built in 1797 by Ichabod Corwin was the 
only building on the plat. It was occupied by 
Ephraim Hathaway as a tavern. He had a black 
horse painted on an immense board for a sign, and 
continued in business here till 1810. The same 
year the town was laid out, a store was opened by 
John Huston, and, from that date, the growth of 
the county was very pro.sperous. Three years 
after, the Western Star was established by 
Judge John McLain, and the current news of 
the day given in weekly editions. It was one of 
the first newspapers established in the Territory, 
outside of Cincinnati. 

As has been mentioned, the opening of naviga- 
tion in the spring of 179(5 brought a great flood 
of emigration to the Territory. The little settle- 
ment made by Mr. Bedell, in the autumn of 1795, 
was about the only one made that fall ; others made 
preparations, and many selected sites, but did not 
settle till the following spring. That spring, colo- 
nies were planted in what are now Montgomery, 
Hoss, Madison, Mahoning, Trumbull, Ashtabula 
and Cuyahoga Counties, while preparations were 
in turn made to occupy additional territory that 
will hereafter be noticed. 

The settlement made in Montgomery County 
was begun early in the spring of 1796. As early 
as 1788, the land on which Dayton now stands was 
selected by some gentlemen, who designed laying- 
out a town to be named Venice. They agreed 
with Judge Symmes, whose contract covered the 
place, for the purchase of the lands. The Indian 
war which broke out at this time prevented an 
extension of settlements from the immediate 
neighborhood of the parent colonies, and the proj- 
ect was abandoned by the purchasers. Soon after 
the treaty of 1795, a new company, composed of 
Gens. Jonathan Dayton, Arthur St. Clair, James 
Wilkinson, and Col. Israel Ludlow, purchased the 
land between the Miamis, around the mouth of 
Mad River, of Judge Symmes, and, the 4th of 
November, laid out the town. Arrangements were 
made for its settlement the ensuing spring, and 
donations of lots, with other privileges, were offered 
to actual settlers. Forty-six persons entered into 
engagements to remove from Cincinnati to Day- 
ton, but during the winter most of them scat- 
tered in different directions, and only nineteen ful- 
filled their contracts. The first families who 



3?: 






HISTORY OF OHIO. 



103 



made a permanent residence here, arrived on the 
first day of April, 1796, and at once set about 
establishing homes. Judge Symmes, however, 
becoming unable soon after to pay for his purchase, 
the land reverted to the United States, and the set- 
tlers in and about Dayton found themselves with- 
out titles to their lands. Congress, however, came 
to the aid of all such persons, wherever they had 
purchased land of Symmes, and passed a pre-emp- 
tion law, under which they could enter their lands 
at the regular government price. Some of the set- 
tlers entered their lands, and obtained titles directly 
from the United States ; others made arrangements 
with Daniel C. Cooper to receive their deeds from 
him, and he entered the residue of the town lands. 
He had been the surveyor and agent of the first 
company of proprietors, and they assigned to him 
certain of their rights of pre-emption, by which he 
became the titular owner of the land. 

When the State government was organized in 
1803, Dayton was made the seat of justice for 
Montgomery County, erected the same year. At 
that time, owing to the title question, only five 
families resided in the place, the other settlers hav- 
ing gone to farms in the vicinity, or to other 
parts of the country. The increase of the town 
was gradual until the war of 1812, when its 
growth was more rapid until 1820, when it was 
again checked by the general depression of busi- 
ness. It revived in 1827, at the commencement 
of the Miami Canal, and since then its growth has 
always been prosperous. It is now one of the 
best cities in Ohio. The first canal boats fi-om 
Cincinnati arrived at Dayton January 25, 1829, 
and the first one from Lake Erie the 24th of 
June, 1845. In 1825, a weekly line of stages 
was established between Columbus and Cincinnati, 
via Dayton. One day was occupied in coming 
from Cincinnati to Dayton. 

On the 18th of September, 1808, the Dayton 
Repertory was established by William McClureand 
George Smith. It was printed on a foolscap sheet. 
Soon after, it was enlarged and changed from a 
weekly to a daily, and, ere long, found a number 
of competitors in the field. 

In the lower part of Miamisburg, in this county, 
are the remains of ancient works, scattered about 
over the bottom. About a mile and a quarter 
southeast of the village, on an elevation more than 
one hundred feet above the level of the Miami, 
is the largest mound in the Northern States, ex- 
cepting the mammoth mound at Grave Creek, on 
the Ohio, below Wheeling, which it nearly equals 



in dimensions. It is about eight hundred feet 
around the base, and rises to a height of nearly 
seventy feet. When first known it was covered 
with forest trees, whose size evidenced great age. 
The Indians could give no account of the mound. 
Excavations revealed bones and charred earth, 
but what was its use, will always remain a con- 
jecture. 

One of the most important early settlements 
was made cotemporary with that of Dayton, in 
what is now Ross County. The same spring, 
1796, quite a colony came to the banks of the 
Scioto River, and, near the mouth of Paint Creek, 
began to plant a crop of corn on the bottom. The 
site had been selected as early as 1792, by Col. 
Nathaniel Massie* and others, who were so de- 
lighted with the country, and gave such glowing 
descriptions of it on their return — which accounts 
soon circulated through Kentucky — that portions 
of the Presbyterian congregations of Caneridge and 
Concord, in Bourbon County, under Rev. Robert 
W. Finley, determined to emigrate thither in a 
body. They were, in a measure, induced to take 
this step by their dislike to slavery, and a desire 
for freedom from its baleful influences and the un- 
certainty that existed regarding the validity of the 
land titles in that State. The Rev. Finley, as a 
preliminary step, liberated his slaves, and addressed 
to Col. Massie a letter of inquiry, in December, 
1794, regarding the land on the Scioto, of which 
he and his people had heard such glowing ac- 
counts. 

"The letter induced Col. Massie to visit Mr. 
Finley in the ensuing March. A large concourse 
of people, who wished to engage in the enterprise, 
assembled on the occasion, and fixed on a day to 
meet at the Three Islands, in Manchester, and 
proceed on an exploring expedition. Mr. Finley 
also wrote to his friends in Western Pennsylvania 

* Nathaniel Massie was born in Gfoochland County, Va., Decem- 
ber 28, 17G3. In 1780, he engaged, for a short time, in the Kevolu- 
tionary war. In 1783, he left for Kentucliy, where he acted as a 
surveyor. He was afterward made a Government surveyor, and 
labored much in that capacity for early Ohio proprietors, being paiil 
in lands, the amounts graded by the danger attached to the surv.y. 
In 1791, he established the settlement at Manchester, and a year or 
two after, continued liis surveys up the Scioto. Here he was con- 
tinually in great danger from the Iiuiians, but knew well how to 
guard against them, and thus jireserved himself. In 1790, he estab- 
lished the Cbillicotho settlement, and made bis home in the Scioto 
Valley, being now an extensive land owner by reason of his long 
surveying service. In 18(l7, he and Return J. Meigs were compet- 
itors for the office of Governor of Ohio. Meigs was elected, but 
Massie contested his eligibility to the office, on the grounds of his 
absence from the State and insuflnciency of time as a resident, as 
required by the Constitution. Meigs was declared inelicible by the 
General Assembly, and Massie declared Governor. He, however, 
renigned the office at once, not desiring it. He waa often Repre- 
Bentative afterward. He died November 13, 1813. 



104 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



informing tliem of the time and place of rendez- 
vous. 

" About sixty men met, according to appoint- 
ment, who were divided into three companies, 
under Massie, Finley and Falenash. They pro- 
ceeded on their route, without interruption, until 
they struck the falls of Paint Creek. Proceeding 
a short distance down that stream, they suddenly 
found themselves in the vicinity of some Indians 
who had encamped at a place, since called Reeve's 
Crossing, near the present town of Bainbridge. 
The Indians were of those who had refused to 
attend Wayne's treaty, and it was determined to 
give them battle, it being too late to retreat with 
safety. The Indians, on being attacked, soon fled 
with the loss of two killed and several wounded. 
One of the whites only, Joshua Robinson, was 
mortally wounded, and, during the action, a Mr. 
Armstrong, a prisoner among the savages, escaped 
to his own people. The whites gathered all their 
plunder and retreated as far as Scioto Brush 
Creek, where they were, according to expectation, 
attacked early the next morning. Again the In- 
dians were defeated. Only one man among the 
whites, Allen Gilfillan, was wounded. The party 
of whites continued their retreat, the next day 
reached Manchester, and separated for their homes. 

" After Wayne's treaty, Col. Massie and several 
of the old explorers again met at the house of 
Rev. Finley, formed a company, and agreed to 
make a settlement in the ensuing spring (1796), 
and raise a crop of corn at the mouth of Paint 
Creek. According to agreement, they met at Man- 
chester about the first of April, to the number of 
forty and upward, from Mason and Bourbon 
Counties. Among them were Joseph McCoy, 
Benjamin and William Rodgers, David Shelby, 
James Harrod, Henry, Bazil and Reuben Abrams, 
William Jamison, James Crawford, Samuel, An- 
thony and Robert Smith, Thomas Dick, William 
and James Kerr, George and James Kilgrove, 
John Brown, Samuel and Robert Templeton, Fer- 
guson Moore, William Nicholson and James B. 
Finley, later a prominent local Methodist minister. 
On starting, they divided into two companies, one 
of which struck across the country, while the 
other came on in pirogues. The first arrived 
earliest on the spot of their intended settlement, 
and had commenced erecting log huts above the 
mouth of Paint Creek, at the 'Prairie Station,' 
before the others had come on by water. About 
three hundred acres of the prairie were cultivated 
in corn that season. 



" In August, of this year — 1796 — Chillicothe* 
was laid out by Col. Massie in a dense forest. He 
gave a lot to each of the first settlers, and, by the 
beginning of winter, about twenty cabins were 
erected. Not long after, a ferry was established 
across the Scioto, at the north end of Walnut 
street. The opening of Zane's trace produced a 
great change in travel westward, it having pre- 
viously been along the Ohio in keel-boats or canoes, 
or by land, over the Cumberland Mountains, 
through Crab Orchard, in Kentucky. 

" The emigrants brought corn-meal in their pi- 
rogues, and after that was gone, their principal 
meal, until the next summer, was that pounded in 
hominy mortars, which meal, when made into 
bi'ead, and anointed with bear's-oil, was quite pal- 
atable. 

" When the settlers first came, whisky was S-4.50 
per gallon; but, in the spring of 1797, when the 
keel-boats began to run, the Monongahela whisky- 
makers, having found a good market for their fire- 
water, rushed it in, in such quantities, that the 
cabins were crowded with it, and it soon fell to 50 
cents. Men, women and children, with some excep- 
tions, drank it freely, and many who had been 
respectable and temperate became inebriates. 
Many of Wayne's soldiers and camp-women settled 
in the town, so that, for a time, it became a town 
of drunkards and a sink of corruption. There 
was, however, a little leaven, which, in a few 
months, began to develop itself 

'• In the spring of 1797, one Brannon stole a 
great coat, handkerchief and shirt. He and his 
wife absconded, were pursued, caught and brought 
back. Samuel Smith was appointed Judge, a 
jury impanneled, one attorney appointed by the 
Judge to manage the prosecution, and another the 
defense ; witnesses were examined, the case argued, 
and the evidence summed up by the Judge. The 
jury, having retired a few moments, returned with 
a verdict of guilty, and that the culprit be sen- 
tenced according to the discretion of the Judge. 
'The Judge soon announced that the criminal 
should have ten lashes on his naked back, or that 
he should sit on a bare pack-saddle on his pony, 
and that his wife, who was supposed to have had 
some agency in the theft, should lead the pony to 
every house in the village, and proclaim, 'This is 

♦Chillicothe appears to have been a favorite name among the 
Indians, as many localities were known by that name. Col. John 
Johnston says : "Chillicothe is the name of one of the principal 
tribes of the Shawanees. They would say, Chil-i-cotheotany, i. e., 
Chillicothe town. The Wyandots would say, for Chillicothe town, 
Tat-a-ra-ra, Do-tia, or town at the leaning of the bank." 



•^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



105 



Brannon, who stole the great coat, handkerchief 
and shirt ; ' and that James B. Finley, afterward 
Chaplain in the State Penitentiary, should see the 
sentence faithfully carried out. Brannon chose 
the latter sentence, and the ceremony was faith- 
fully performed by his wife in the presence of 
every cabin, under Mr. Finley 's care, after which 
the couple made off. This was rather rude, but 
effective j urisprudence. 

" Dr. Edward Tiffin and Mr. Thomas Worth- 
ington, of Berkley County, Va., were brothers-in-law, 
and being moved by abolition principles, liberated 
their slaves, intending to remove into the Ter- 
ritory. For this purpose, Mr. Worthington visited 
Chillicothe in the autumn of 1797, and purchased 
several in and out lots of the town. On one of the 
former, he erected a two-story frame house, the 
first of the kind in the village. On his return, 
having purchased a part of a farm, on which his 
family long afterward resided, and another at the 
north fork of Paint Creek, he contracted with Mr. 
Joseph Yates, a millwright, and Mr. George Haines, 
a blacksmith, to come out with him the following 
winter or spring, and erect for him a grist and saw 
mill on his north-fork tract. The summer, fall 
and following winter of that year were marked by 
a rush of emigration, which spead over the high 
bank prairie, Pea-pea, Westfall and a few miles 
up Paint and Deer Creeks. 

" Nearly all the first settlers were either regular 
members, or had been raised in the Presbyterian 
Church. Toward the fall of 1797, the leaven of 
piety retained by a portion of the first settlers be- 
gan to diffuse itself through the mass, and a large 
log meeting-house was erected near the old grave- 
yard, and Rev. William Speer, from Pennsylvania, 
took charge. The sleepers at first served as seats for 
hearers, and a split-log table was used as a pulpit. 
Mr. Speer was a gentlemanly, moral man, tall and 
cadaverous in person, and wore the cocked hat of 
the Revolutionary era. 

" Thomas Jones arrived in February, 1798, 
bringing with him the first load of bar-iron in the 
Scioto Valley, and about the same time Maj. Eli?, 
Langham, an officer of the Revolution, arrived. Dr. 
Tiffin, and his brother, Joseph, arrived the same 
month from Virginia and opened a store not far 
from the log meeting-house. A store had been 
opened previously by John McDougal. The 17th 
of April, the families of Col. Worthington and 
Dr. Tiffin arrived, at which time the first marriage 
in the Scioto Valley was celebrated. The parties 
were George Kilgore and Elizabeth Cochran. The 



ponies of the attendants were hitched to the trees 
along the streets, which were not then cleared out, 
nearly the whole town being a wilderness. Joseph 
Yates, George Haines, and two or three others, 
arrived with the families of Tiffin and Worthing- 
ton. On their arrival there were but four shingled 
roofs in town, on one of which the shingles 
were fastened with pegs. Col. Worthington's 
house was the only one having glass windows. The 
sash of the hotel windows was filled with greased 
paper. 

" Col. Worthington was appointed by Gen. Ru- 
fus Putnam, Surveyor General of the Northwest 
Territory, surveyor of a large district of Congress 
lands, on the east side of the Scioto, and INIaj. 
Langham and a Mr. Matthews, were appointed to 
survey the residue of the lands which afterward 
composed the Chillicothe land district. 

"The same season, settlements were made about 
the Walnut Plains by Samuel McCulloh and 
others; Springer, Osbourn, Dyer, and Thomas and 
Elijah Chenowith, on Darly Creek; Lamberts and 
others on Sippo ; on Foster's Bottom, the Fosters. 
Samuel Davis and others, while the following fam- 
ilies settled in and about Chillicothe: John Crouse, 
William Keys, William Lamb, John Carlisle, John 
McLanberg, William Chandless, the Stoctons, 
Greggs, Bates and some others. 

"Dr. Tiffin and his wife were the first Metho- 
dists in the Scioto Valley. He was a local preacher. 
In the fall, Worthington's grist and saw mills on 
the north fork of Paint Creek were finished, the 
first mills worthy the name in the valley. 

" Chillicothe was the point from which the set- 
tlements diverged. In May, 1799, a post office 
was established here, and Joseph Tiffin made Post- 
master. Mr. Tiffin and Thomas Gregg opened 
taverns; the first, under the sign of Gen. Anthony 
Wayne, was at the corner of Water and Walnut 
streets; and the last, under the sign of the 'Green 
Tree,' was on the corner of Paint and Water 
streets. In 1801, Nathaniel Willis moved in and 
established the Scioto Gazette, probably, the sec- 
ond paper in the Territory."* 

In 1800, the seat of government of the North- 
west Territory was removed, by law of Congress, 
from Cincinnati to Chillicothe. The sessions of 
the Territorial Assembly for that and the nest 
year were held in a small two-story, hewed-log 
house, erected in 1798, by Bazil Abrams. A wing 
was added to the main part, of two stories in 



* Recollections of Hon. Thomas Scott, of Chillicothe — Howe's 
"Annals of Ohio. 



:V 



106 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



height. In the lower room of this wing, Col. 
Thomas Gibson, Auditor of the Territory, kept 
his office, and in the upper room a small family 
lived. In the upper room of the main building 
a billiard table was kept. It was also made a re- 
sort of gamblers and disreputable characters. The 
lower room was used by the Legislature, and as a 
cqurt room, a church or a school. In the 
war of 1812, the building was a rendezvous and 
barracks for soldiers, and, in IS-IO, was pulled 
down. 

The old State House was commenced in 1800, 
and finished the next year for the accommodation 
of the Legislature and the courts. It is said to 
be the first public stone edifice erected in the Ter- 
ritory. Alaj. William Rutledge, a Revolutionary 
soldier, did the mason work, and William Guthrie, 
the carpenter. In 1801 , the Territorial Legislature 
held their first session in it. In it was also held 
the Constitutional Convention of Ohio, which be- 
gan its sessions the first Monday in November, 
1802. In March, 1803, the first State Legislature 
met in the house, and continued their sessions here 
until 1810. The sessions of 1810-11, and 1811- 
12, were held in Zanesville, and from there re- 
moved back to Chiliicothe and held in the old 
State House till 1816, when Columbus became the 
permanent capital of the State. 

INIaking Chiliicothe the State capital did much 
to enhance its growth. It was incorporated in 
1802, and a town council elected. In 1807, the 
town had fourteen stores, six hotels, two newspa- 
pers, . two churches — both brick buildings — and 
over two hundred dwellings. The removal of the 
capital to Columbus checked its growth a little, still, 
being in an excellent country, rapidly filling with 
settlers, the town has always remained a prominent 
trading center. 

During the war of 1812, Chiliicothe was made 
a rendezvous for United States soldiers, and a 
prison established, in which many British prison- 
ers were confined. At one time, a conspiracy for 
escape was discovered just in time to prevent it. 
The plan was for the prisoners to disarm the 
guard, proceed to jail, release the officers, burn the 
town, and escape to Canada. The plot was fortu- 
nately disclosed by two senior British officers, upon 
which, as a measure of security, the officers and 
chief conspirators were sent to the penitentiary 
at Frankfort, Kentucky. 

Two or three miles northwest of Chiliicothe, on 
a beautiful elevation, commanding an extensive 
view of the valley of the Scioto, Thomas Worth-- 



ington,* one of the most prominent and influential 
men of his day, afterward Governor of the State, 
in 1806, erected a large stone mansion, the wonder 
of the valley in its time. It was the most elegant 
mansion in the West, crowds coming to see it 
when it "was completed. Gov. Worthington named 
the place Adena, " Paradise " — a name not then 
considered hyperbolical. The large panes of glass, 
and the novelty of papered walls especially attracted 
attention. Its architect was the elder Latrobe, of 
Washington City, from which place most of the 
workmen came. The glass was made in Pitts- 
burgh, and the fireplace fronts in Philadelphia, the 
latter costing seven dollars per hundred pounds for 
transportation. The mansion, built as it was, cost 
nearly double the expense of such structures now. 
Adena was the home of the Governor till his death, 
in 1827. 

Near Adena, in a beautiful situation, is Fruit 
Hill, the seat of Gen. Duncan McArthur,! and 
later of ex-Gov. William Allen. Like Adena, Fruit 
Hill is one of the noted places in the Scioto Val- 
ley. Many of Ohio's best men dwelt in the valley ; 
men who have been an honor and ornament to the 
State and nation. 

Another settlement, begun soon after the treaty 
of peace in 1795, was that made on the Licking 
River, about four miles below the present city of 
Nev/ark, in Licking County. In the fall of 1798, 
John RatlifF and Elias Hughes, while prospecting 
on this stream, found some old Indian cornfields, 
and determined to locate. They were from West- 
ern Virginia, and were true pioneers, living mainly 
by hunting, leaving the cultivation of their small 
cornfields to their wives, much after the style of 



* Gov. Worthington was born in Jefferson County, Va., about the 
yearl70'J. He sytiU-din Oliio in 17;i8. He was a firm believer in 
liberty and came to the Territory al'tiT liberating his slaves. He was 
oiie of the niosi eflicifiit men of his day; was a member of the 
Constitutional Convention, and was sent on an important mission 
to Congress relative to the admiosion of Ohio to the Union. He 
was afterward a Senator to Congress, and then Governor. On 
the expiration of his guSernatorial term, he was appointed a mem- 
ber of the Board of Public Works, in which cajiacity ho did umch 
to advance the canals and ral roads, and other public improve- 
ments. He remained in this office till his death. 

t Gen. Mc.\rthur was born in Dutchess County, N. T., in 1772. 
When eight years of age, his father removed to ApVesteru Pennsyl- 
vania. When eighteen years of age, he served in Harmar's 
campaign. In 1792, he was a very elficient soldier among the front- 
iersmen, and gained their ajiprobation by liis bravery. In 1793, he 
was connected with Gen. jlassie, and afterward was engaged in 
land speculations and became very wealthy. He was made a mem- 
ber of the Legislature, in 1805 ; in 1800, a Colonel, and in 1808, a 
Major Ganeral of the militia. In this capacity he was in Hull's 
surrender at Detroit. On his return he was elected to Congress, 
and in 1813 commissioned Brigadier General. He was one of the 
most efticient officers in the war of 1812, and held many important 
posts. After the war, he was again sent to the Legislature ; in 1822 
to Congress, ar]d in 1830 elected Governor of the State. By an un- 
fortunate accident in 1830, he was maimed for life, and gradually 
declined till death came a few years after. 



i^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



107 



their dusky neighbors. They were both inveterate 
Indian-haters, and never allowed an opportunity to 
pass without carrying out their hatred. For this, 
they were apprehended after the treaty; but, 
though it was clearly proven they had murdered 
some iuolFensive Indians, the state of feeling was 
such that they were allowed to go unpunished. 

A short time after their settlement, others joined 
them, and, in a few years, quite a colony had 
gathered on the banks of the Licking. In 1802, 
Newark was laid out, and, in three or four years, 
there were twenty or thirty families, several stores 
and one or two hotels. 

The settlement of G-ranville Township, in this 
county, is rather an important epoch in the history 
of this part of the State. From a sketch pub- 
lished by Rev. Jacob Little in 18-48, in Howe's 
Collections, the subjoined statements are taken: 

"In 1804, a company was formed at Granville, 
Mass., with the intention of making a settlement 
in Ohio. This, called the Scioto Company, was 
the third of that name which effected settlemen1;g 
in Ohio. The project met with great favor, and 
much enthusiasm was elicited, in illustration of 
which a song was composed and sung to the 
tune of ' Pleasant Ohio ' by the young people in 
the house and at labor in the field. We annex 
two stanzas, which are more curious than poetical: 

"'When rambling o'er these mountains 

And rocks where ivies grow 
Thick as the hairs upon your head, 

"Mongst which you cannot go — 
Great storms of snow, cold winds that blow, 

We scarce can undergo — 
Says I, my boys, we'll leave this place 

For the pleasant Ohio. 

" <Our precious friends that stay behind. 

We're sorry now to leave; 
But if they'll stay and break their shins, 

For them we'll never grieve. 
Adieu, my friends! — Come on, my dears, 

This journey we'll forego. 
And settle Licking Creek, 

In yonder Ohio.' " 

" The Scioto Company consisted of one hundred 
and fourteen proprietors, who made a purchase of 
twenty-eight thousand acres. In the autumn of 
1805, two hundred and thirty-four persons, mostly 
from East Granville, Mass., came on to the pur- 
chase. Although they had been forty-two days on 
the road, their first business, on their arrival, hav- 
ing organized a church before they left the East, 
was to hear a sermon. The first tree cut was that 



by which public worship was held, which stood 
just in front of the Presbyterian church. 

On the first Sabbath, November 16, although 
only about a dozen trees had been felled, they held 
divine service, both forenoon and afternoon, on 
that spot. The novelty of worshiping in the 
woods, the forest extending hundreds of miles each 
way ; the hardships of the journey, the winter set- 
ting in, the thoughts of home, with all the friends 
and privileges left behind, and the impression that 
such must be the accommodations of anew country, 
all rushed on their minds, and made this a day of 
varied interest. When they began to sing, the 
echo of their voices among the trees was so differ- 
ent from what it was in the beautiful meeting- 
house they had left, that they could no longer 
restrain their tears. They ivept when they remem- 
bered Zion. The voices of part of the choir were, 
for a season, suppressed with emotion. 

"An incident occurred, which many said Mrs. 
Sigourney should have put into verse. Deacon 
Theophilus Reese, a Welsh Baptist, had, two or 
three years before, built a cabin, a mile and a half 
north, and lived all this time without public wor- 
ship. He had lost his cattle, and, hearing a low- 
ing of the oxen belonging to the Company, set out 
toward them. As he ascended the hills overlook- 
ing the town plot, he heard the singing of the 
choir. The reverberation of the sound from hill- 
tops and trees, threw the good man into a serious 
dilemma. The music at first seemed to be behind, 
then in the tree-tops, or in the clouds. He stopped, 
till, by accurate listening, he caught the direction 
of the sound ; went on and passing the brow of 
the hill, he saw the audience sitting on the 
level below. He went home and told his wife that 
' the promise of God is a bond ' ; a Welsh proverb, 
signifying that we have security, equal to a bond, 
that religion will prevail everywhere. He said : 
' These must be good people. I am not afraid to 
go among them.' Though he could not under- 
stand English, he constantly attended the reading 
meeting. Hearing the music on that occasion 
made such an impression on his mind that, when 
he became old and met the first settlers, he would 
always tell over this story. The first cabin built 
was that in which they worshiped succeeding 
Sabbaths, and, before the close of the winter, they 
had a schoolhouse and a school. That church, in 
forty years, received more than one thousand per- 
sons into its membership. 

"Elder Jones, in 1806, preached the first ser- 
mon in the log church. The Welsh Baptist 



:^ 



\^ 



108 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



Church was organized in the cabin of David 
Thomas, Septen^^ber 4, 1808. April 21, 1827, 
the Grranville members were organized into the 
Granville Church, and the corner-stone of their 
house of worship laid September 21, 1829. In 
the fall of 1810, the first Methodist sermon was 
preached here, and, soon after, a class organized. 
In 1824, a church was built. An Episcopal 
church was organized in May, 1827, and a 
church consecrated in 1888. In 1849, there 
were in this township 405 families, of whom 214 
sustain family worship ; 1431 persons over four- 
teen years of age, of whom over 800 belong to 
church. The town had 150 families, of whom 80 
have family worship. In 1846, the township 
furnished 70 school teachers, of whom 62 prayed 
in school. In 1846, the township took 621 peri- 
odical papers, besides three small monthlies. The 
first temperance society west of the mountains was 
organized July 15, 1828, in this township; and, 
in 1831, the Congregational Church passed a by- 
law to accept no member who trafficked in or used 
ardent spirits." 

It is said, not a settlement in the entire West 
could present so moral and upright a view as that 
of Granville Township; and nowhere could so 
perfect and orderly a set of people be found. 
Surely, the fact is argument enough in favor of 
the religion of Jesus. 

The narrative of Mr. Little also states that, 
when Granville was first settled, it was supposed 
that Worthington would be the capital of Ohio, 
between which and Zanesville, Granville would 
make a great half-way town. At this time, wild 
animals, snakes and Indians abounded, and many 
are the marvelous stories preserved regarding the 
destruction of the animals and reptiles — the 
Indians being bound by their treaty to remain 
peaceful. Space forbids their repetition here. 
Suffice it to say that, as the whites increased, the 
Indians, animals and snakes disappeared, until 
now one is as much a curiosity as the other. 

The remaining settlement in the southwest- 
ern parts of Ohio, made immediately after the 
treaty — fall of 1795 or year of 1796 — was in 
what is now Madison County, about a mile north 
of where the village of Amity now stands, on the 
banks of the Big Darby. This stream received its 
name from the Indians, from a Wyandot chief, 
named Darby, who for a long time resided upon it, 
near the Union County line. In the fall of 1795, 
Benj amin Springer came from Kentucky and selected 
some land on the banks of the Big Darby, cleared 



the ground, built a cabin, and returned for his 
family. The next spring, he brought them out, 
and began his life here. The same summer he was 
joined by William Lapin, Joshua and James Ew- 
ing and one or two others. 

When Springer came, he found a white man 
named Jonathan Alder, who for fifteen years had 
been a captive among the Indians, and who could 
not speak a word of English, living with an Indian 
woman on the banks of Big Darby. He had been 
exchanged at Wayne's treaty, and, neglecting to 
profit by the treaty, was still living in the Indian 
style. When the whites became numerous about 
him his desire to find his relatives, and adopt the 
ways of the whites, led him to discard his squaw — 
giving her an unusual allowance — learn the English 
language, engage in agricultural pursuits, and be- 
come again civihzed. Fortunately, he could remem- 
ber enough of the names of some of his parents' 
neighbors, so that the identity of his relatives and 
friends was easily established, and Alder became a 
most useful citizen. He was very influential with 
the Indians, and induced many of them to remain 
neutral during the war of 1812. It is stated that 
in 1800, Mr. Ewing brought four sheep into the com- 
munity. They were strange animals to the Indians. 
One day when an Indian hunter and his dog were 
passing, the latter caught a sheep, and was shot by 
Mr. Ewing. The Indian would have shot Ewing in 
retaliation, had not Alder, who was fortunately 
present, with much difficulty prevailed upon him 
to refrain. 

While the southern and southwestern parts of 
the State were filling with settlers, assured of safety 
by Wayne's victories, the northern and eastern 
parts became likewise the theater of activities. 
Ever since the French had explored the southern 
shores of the lake, and English traders had car- 
ried goods thither, it was expected one day to be 
a valuable part of the West. It will be remem- 
bered that Connecticut had ceded a large tract of 
land to the General Government, and as soon as 
the cession was confirmed, and land titles became 
assured, settlers flocked thither. Even before that 
time, hardy adventurers had explored some of the 
country, and pronounced it a "goodly land," 
ready for the hand of enterprise. 

The first settlement in the Western Reserve, 
and, indeed, in the northern part of the State, was 
made at the mouth of Conneaut* Creek, in Ash- 
tabula County, on the 4th of July, 1796. That 



'Conneaut, in the Seneca language, signifiea "many fish." 



.£. 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



109 



day, the first surveying party landed at the mouth 
of this creek, and, ou its eastern bank, near the 
lake shore, in tin cups, pledged — as they drank the 
limpid waters of the lake — their country's welfare, 
with the ordnance accompaniment of two or three 
fowling-pieces, discharging the required national 
salute. 

The whole party, on this occasion, numbered 
fifty-two persons, of whom two were females (Mrs. 
Stiles and Mrs. Gunn) and a child, and all deserve 
a lusting place in the history of the State. 

The next day, they began the erection of a large 
log building on the sandy beach on the east side 
of the stream. When done, it was named " Stow 
Castle," after one of the party. It was the dwell- 
ing, storehouse and general habitation of all the 
pioneers. The party made this their headquar- 
ters part of the summer, and continued busily 
engaged in the survey of the Reserve. James 
Kingsbury, afterward Judge, arrived soon after 
the party began work, and, with his family, was 
the first to remain here during the winter follow- 
ing, the rest returning to the East, or going south- 
ward. Through the winter, Mr. Kingsbury's 
family suffered greatly for provisions, so much so, 
that, during the absence of the head of the family 
in New York for provisions, one child, born in his 
absence, died, and the mother, reduced by her suf- 
ferings and solitude, was only saved by the timely 
arrival of the husband and father with a sack of 
flour he had carried, many weary miles, on his 
back. He remained here but a short time, re- 
moving to Cleveland, which was laid out that same 
fall. In the spring of 1798, Alexander Harper, 
William McFarland and Ezra Gregory, with their 
flimilies, started from Harpersfield, Delaware Co., 
N. Y., and arrived the last of June, at their new 
homes in the Far West. The whole population on 
the Reserve then amounted to less than one hun- 
dred and fifty persons. These were at Cleveland, 
Youngstown and at Mentor. During the summer, 
three famiHes came to Burton, and Judge Hudson 
settled at Hudson. All these pioneers suffered 
severely for food, and from the fever induced by 
chills. It took several years to become accli- 
mated. Sometimes the entire neighborhood 
would be down, and only one or two, who could 
wait on the rest "between chills," were able to do 
anything. Time and courage overcame, finally. 

It was not until 1798, that a permanent settle- 
ment was made at the mouth of Conneaut Creek. 
Those who came there in 1796 went on with their 
surveys, part remaining in Cleveland, laid out that 



summer. Judge Kingsbury could not remain at 
Conneaut, and went nearer the settlements made 
about theCuyahoga. Inthespring of 1798, Thomas 
Montgomery and Aaron Wright settled here and 
remained. Up the stream they found some thirty 
Indian cabins, or huts, in a good state of preserva- 
tion, which they occupied until they could erect 
their own. Soon after, they were joined by others, 
and, in a year or two, the settlement was permanent 
and prosperous. 

The site of the present town of Austinburg in 
Ashtabula County was settled in the year 1799, 
by two families from Connecticut, who were in- 
duced to come thither, by Judge Austin. The 
Judge preceded them a short time, driving, in 
company with a hired man, some cattle about one 
hundred and fifty miles through the woods, follow- 
ing an old Indian trail, while the rest of the party 
came in a boat across the lake. When they ar- 
rived, there were a few families at Harpersburg ; 
one or two families at Windsor, twenty miles 
southwest; also a few families at Elk Creek, forty 
miles northeast, and at Vernon, the same distance 
southeast. All these were in a destitute condition 
for provisions. In 1800, another family moved 
from Norfolk, Conn. In the spring of 1801, sev- 
eral families came from the same place. Part came 
by land, and part by water. During that season, 
wheat was carried to an old mill on Elk Creek, 
forty miles away, and in some instances, half was 
given for carrying it to mill and returning it in 
flour. 

Wednesday, October 21, 1801, a church of six- 
teen members was constituted in Austinburg. 
This was the first church on the Reserve, and was 
founded by Rev. Joseph Badger, the first mission- 
ary there. It is a fact worthy of note, that in 
1802, Mr. Badger moved his family fi-om Buffalo 
to this town, in the first wagon that ever came 
from that place to the Reserve. In 1803, noted 
revivals occurred in this part of the West, attended 
I by the peculiar bodily phenomenon known as the 
I " shakes " or "jerks." 

I The surveying party which landed at the mouth 
I of Conneaut'^ Creek, July 4, 1796, soon completed 
j their labors in this part of the Reserve, and ex- 
! tended them westward. By the first of September, 
I they had explored the lake coast as fiir west as the 
outlet of the Cuyahoga* River, then considered 



* Cuyahoga, id the Indian language, signifies "crooked."— 
Boioe'H Cnlleclions. 

"The liuiians called the river 'Cnyahoghan-uk,' 'Lake River 
It is, emphaticiUy, a Lake river. It rises in lakes and empties into 
a \a]i.e."—Atwate'-'s Hi lory of Ohio. 






110 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



by all an important Western place, and one des- 
tined to be a great commercial mart. Time has 
verified the prophecies, as now the city of Cleve- 
land covers the site. 

As early as 1755, the mouth of the Cuyahoga 
River was laid down on the maps, and the French 
had a station here. It was also considered an im- 
portant post during the war of the Ilevolution,, 
and later, of 1812. The British, who, after the 
Ilevolution, refused to abandon the lake country 
west of the Cuyahoga, occupied its shores until 
1790. Their traders had a house in Ohio City, 
north of the Detroit road, on the point of the hill 
near the river, when the surveyors arrived in 
1796. Washington, Jefferson, and all statesmen 
of that day, regarded the outlet of the Cuyahoga 
as an important place, and hence the early at- 
tempt of the surveyors to reach and lay out a town 
here. 

The corps of surveyors arrived early in Septem- 
ber, 1796, and at once proceeded to lay out a town. 
It was named Cleveland, in honor of Gen. Moses 
Cleveland, the Land Company's agent, and for 
years a very prominent man in Connecticut, where 
he lived and died. By the 18th of October, the 
surveyors had completed the survey and left the 
place, leaving only Job V. Stiles and family, and 
Edward Paine, who were the only persons that 
passed the succeeding winter in this place. Their 
residence was a log cabin that stood on a spot of 
ground long afterward occupied by the Commercial 
Bank. Their nearest neighbors were at Conne- 
aut, where Judge Kingsbury lived; at Fort 
Mcintosh, on the south or east, at the mouth of 
Big Beaver, and at the mouth of the river Raisin, 
on the west. 

The next season, the surveying party came again 
to Cleveland, which they made their headquarters. 
Early in the spring, Judge Kingsbury came over 
from Conneaut, bringing with him Elijah Gunn, 
who had a short time before joined him. Soon 
after, Maj. Lorenzo Carter and Ezekiel Hawley 
came with their fiimilies. These were about all 
who are known to have settled in this place that 
summer. The next year, 1798, Rodolphus Ed- 
wards and Nathaniel Doane and their families set- 
tled in Cleveland. Mr. Doane had been ninety- 
two days on his journey from Chatham, Conn. In 
the latter part of the summer and fill, nearly every 
person in the settlement was down with the bil- 
ious fever or with the ague. Mr. Doane's family 
consisted of nine persons, of whom Seth, a lad six- 
teen years of age, was the only one able to care for 



them. Such was the severity of the fever, that 
any one having only the ague was deemed quite 
fortunate. Much suffering for proper food and 
. medicines followed. The only way the Doane 
family was supplied for two months or more, was 
through the exertions of this boy, who went daily, 
after having had one attack of the chills, to Judge 
Kingsbury's in Newburg — five miles away, where 
the Judge now lived — got a peck of corn, mashed it 
in a hand-mill, waited until a second attack of the 
chills passed over, and then returned. At one time, 
for several days, he was too ill to make the trip, 
during which turnips comprised the chief article 
of diet. Fortunately, Maj. Carter, having only 
the ague, was enabled with his trusty rifle and dogs 
to procure an abundance of venison and other wild 
game, His family, being somewhat acclimated, 
suffered less than many others. Their situation can 
hardly now be realized. " Destitute of a physician, 
and with few medicines, necessity taught them to 
use such means as nature had placed within their 
reach. They substituted pills from the extract of 
the bitternut bark for calomel, and dogwood and 
cherry bark for quinine." 

In November, four men, who had so far recov- 
ered as to have ague attacks no oftener than once 
in two or three days, started in the only boat for 
Walnut Creek, Penn., to obtain a winter's supply 
of flour. When below Euclid Creek, a storm 
drove them ashore, broke their boat, and compelled 
their return. During the winter and summer fol- 
lowing, the settlers had no flour, except that 
ground in hand and coffee mills, which was, how- 
ever, considered very good. Not all had even that. 
During the summer, the Connecticut Land Com- 
pany opened the first road on the Reserve, which 
commenced about ten miles south of the lake 
shore, on the Pennsylvania State line, and extended 
to Cleveland. In January, 1799, Mr. Doane 
moved to Doane's Corners, leaving only Maj. Car- 
ter's family in Cleveland, all the rest leaving as 
soon as they were well enough. For fifteen months, 
the Major and his fxmily were the only white per- 
sons left on the town site. During the spring, 
Wheeler W. Williams and Maj. Wyatt built the 
first grist-mill on the Reserve, on the site of New- 
burg. It was looked upon as a very valuable acces- 
sion to the neighborhood. Prior to this, each fam- 
ily had its own hand-mill in one of the corners of 
the cabin. The old mill is thus described by a 
pioneer : 

" The stones were of the common grindstone 
grit, about four inches thick, and twenty in diame- 



L±* 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



Ill 



ter. The runner, or upper, was turned by band, 
by a pole set in the top of it, near the outer edge. 
The upper end of the pole was inserted into a hole 
in a board fastened above to the joists, immedi- 
ately over the hole in the verge of the runner. 
One person fed the corn into the eye — a hole in 
the center of the runner — while another turned. 
It was very hard work to grind, and the operators 
alternately exchanged places." 

In 1800, several settlers came to the town and 
a more active life was the result. From this time, 
Cleveland began to progress. The 4th of July, 
1801, the first ball in town was held at Major 
Carter's log cabin, on the hill-side. John and 
Benjamin Wood, and R. H. Bhnn were managers; 
and Maj. Samuel Jones, musician and master of 
ceremonies. The company numbered aboutthirty, 
very evenly divided, for the times, between the 
sexes. " Notwithstanding the dancers had a rough 
puncheon floor, and no better beverage to enliven 
their spirits than sweetened whisky, yet it is doubt- 
ful if the anniversary of American independence 
was ever celebrated in Cleveland by a more joyful 
and harmonious company than those who danced 
the scamper-down, double-shuffle, western-swing 
and half-moon, that day, in Maj. Carter's cabin." 
The growth of the town, fi-om this period on, re- 
mained prosperous. The usual visits of the Indi- 
ans were made, ending in their drunken carousals 
and fights. Deer and other wild animals furnished 
abundant meat. The settlement was constantly 
augmented by new arrivals, so that, by 181-1, Cleve- 
land was incorporated as a town, and, in 1836, as 
a city. Its harbor is one of the best on the lakes, 
and hence the merchandise of the lakes has always 
been attracted thither. Like Cincinnati and Chil- 
licothe, it became the nucleus of settlements in this 
part of the State, and now is the largest city in 
Northern Ohio. 

One of the earliest settlements made in the 
Western Reserve, and by some claimed as the first 
therein, was made on the site of Youngstown, Ma- 
honing County, by a Mr. Young, afterward a Judge, 
in the summer of 1796. During this summer, 
before the settlements at Cuyahoga and Conueaut 
were made, Mr. Young and Mr. Wilcott, proprie- 
tors of a township of land in Northeastern Ohio, 
came to their possessions and began the survey of 
their land. Just when they came is not known. 
They were found here by Col. James Hillman, 
then a trader in the employ of Duncan & Wilson, 
of Pittsburgh, " who had been forwarding goods 
across the country by pack-saddle horses since 



1786, to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, thence to be 
shipped on the schooner Mackinaw to Detroit. 
Col. Hillman generally had charge of all these 
caravans, consisting sometimes of ninety horses 
and ten men. They commonly crossed the Big 
Beaver four miles below the mouth of the She- 
nango, thence up the left bank of the Mahoning — 
called by the Indians " Mahoni" or " Mahonick" 
signifying the " lick" or " at the lick " — crossing 
it about three miles below the site of Youngstown, 
thence by way of the Salt Springs, over the sites 
of Milton and Ravenna, crossing the Cuyahoga at 
the mouth of Breakneck and again at the mouth 
of Tinker's Creek, thence down the river to its 
mouth, where they had a log hut in which to 
store their goods. This hut was there when the 
surveyors came, but at the time unoccupied. At 
the mouth of Tinker's Creek were a few log huts 
built by iMoravian Missionaries. These were used 
only one year, as the Indians had gone to the Tus- 
carawas River. These and three or four cabins at 
the Salt Springs were the only buildings erected 
by the whites prior to 1796, in Northeastern Ohio. 
Those at the Salt Springs were built at an early 
day for the accommodation of whites who came 
from Western Pennsylvania to make salt. The 
tenants were dispossessed in 1785 by Gen. Harmar. 
A short time after, one or two white men were 
killed by the Indians here. In 1788' Col. Hill- 
man settled at Beavertown, where Duncan & 
Wilson had a store for the purpose of trading 
with the Indians. He went back to Pittsburgh 
soon after, however, owing to the Indian war, and 
remained there till its close, continuing in his busi- 
ness whenever opportunity offered. In 1796, 
when returning from one of his trading expeditions 
alone in his canoe down the Mahoning River, he 
discovered a smoke on the bank near the present 
town of Youngstown, and on going to the spot 
found Mr. Young and Mr. Wolcott, as before men- 
tioned. A part of Col. Hillman's cargo consisted 
of whisky, a gallon or so of which he still had. 
The price of "fire-water " then was 81 per quart 
in the currency of the country, a deerskin being 
legal tender for $1, and a doeskin for 50 cents. 
Mr. Young proposed purchasing a quart, and 
having a frolic on its contents during the even- 
ing, and insisted on paying Hillman his cus- 
tomary price. Hillman urged that inasmuch as 
they were strangers in the country, civility re- 
quired him to furnish the means for the entertain- 
ment. Young, however, insisted, and taking the 
deerskin used for his bed — the only one he had — 






~$) "V 



113 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



paid for his quart of whisky, and an evening's 
froUc "was the result. 

" HiUman remained a few days, when they ac- 
companied him to Beaver Town to celebrate the 
4th, and then all returned, and Hilhnan erected a 
cabin on the site of Youngstown. It is not cer- 
tain that they remained here at this time, and 
hence the priority of actual settlement is generally 
conceded to Conneaut and Cleveland. The next 
year, in the fall, a Mr. Bi'own and one other per- 
son came to the banks of the Mahoning and made 
a permanent settlement. The same season Uriah 
Holmes and Titus Hayes came to the same locality, 
and before winter quite a settlement was to be seen 
here. It proceeded quite prosperously until the 
wanton murder of two Indians occurred, which, 
for a time, greatly excited the whites, lest the In- 
dians should retaliate. Through the efforts of 
Col. Hilhnan, who had great influence with the 
natives, they agreed to let the murderers stand a 
trial. They were acquitted upon some technicality. 
The trial, however, pacified the Indians, and no 
trouble came from the unwarranted and unfortu- 
nate circumstance, and no check in the emigration 
or prosperity of the colony occurred."* 

As soon as an efifective settlement had been es- 
tablished at Youngstown, others were made in the 
surrounding country. One of these was begun by 
William Feuton in 1798, on the site of the pres- 
ent town of Warren, in Trumbull County. He 
remained here alone one year, when he was joined 
by Capt. Ephraim Quimby. By the last of Sep- 
tember, the next year, the colony had increased to 
sixteen, and from that date on continued prosper- 
ously. Once or twice they stood in fear of the 
Indians, as the result of quarrels induced by 
whisky. Sagacious persons generally saved any 
serious outbreak and pacified the natives. Mr. 
Badger, the first missionary on the Reserve, came 
to the settlement here and on the Mahoning, as 
soon as each was made, and, by his earnest labors, 
succeedcid in forming churches and schools at an 
early day. He was one of the most efficient men 
on the Reserve, and throughout his long and busy 
life, was well known and greatly respected. He 
died in 18-46, aged eighty-nine years. 

The settlements given are about all that were 
made before the close of 1797. In following the 
narrative of these settlements, attention is paid to 
the chronological order, as far as this can be done. 
Like those settlements already made, many which 

* Recollections of Col. HiUman. — Boive's AnnaU. 



are given as occurring in the next year, 1798, 
were actually begun earlier, but were only tem- 
porary preparations, and were not considered as 
made until the next year. 

Turning again to the southern portion of Ohio, 
the Scioto, Muskingum and Miami Valleys come 
prominently into notice. Throughout the entire 
Eastern States they were still attracting attention, 
and an increased emigration, busily occupying their 
verdant fields, was the result. All about Chilli- 
cothe was now well settled, and, up the banks of 
that stream, prospectors were selecting sites for 
their future homes. 

In 1797, Robert Armstrong, George Skidmore, 
Lucas Sullivant, William Domigan, James Mar- 
shall, John Dill, Jacob Grubb, Jacob Overdier, 
Arthur O'Hara, John Brickell, Col. Culbertson, 
the Deardorfs, McElvains, Selles and others, came 
to what is now Franklin County, and, in August, 
Mr. Sullivant and some others laid out the town of 
Franklinton, on the west bank of the Scioto, oppo- 
site the site of Columbus. The country about this 
locality had long been the residence of the Wyan- 
dots, who had a large town on the city's site, and 
cultivated extensive fields of corn on the river bot- 
toms. The locality had been visited by the whites 
as early as 1780, in some of their expeditions, and 
the fertility of the land noticed. As soon as peace 
was assured, the whites came and began a settle- 
ment, as has been noted. Soon after Franklinton 
was established, a Mr. Springer and his son-in-law, 
Osborn, settled on the Big Darby, and, in the sum- 
mer of 1798, a scattering settlement was made on 
Alum Creek. About the same time settlers came 
to the mouth of the Gahannah, and along other 
water-courses. Franklinton was the point to which 
emigrants came, and from which they always made 
their permanent location. For several years there 
was no mill, nor any such commodity, nearer than 
Chillicothe. A hand-mill was constructed in 
Franklinton, which was commonly used, unless the 
settlers made a trip to Chillicothe in a canoe. 
Next, a horse-mill was tried ; but not till 1805, 
when Col. Kilbourne built a mill at Worthington, 
settled in 1803, could any efficient grinding be 
done. In 1789, a small store was openedin Frank- 
linton, by James Scott, but, for seven or eight 
years, Chillicothe was the nearest post office. 
Often, when the neighbors wanted mail, one of 
their number was furnished money to pay the 
postage on any letters that might be waiting, and 
sent for the mail. At first, as in all new localities, 
a great deal of sickness, fever and ague, prevailed. 



IE 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



113 



As the people became acclimated, this, however, 
disappeared. 

The township of Sharon in this county has a 
history similar to that of Granville Township in 
Licking County. It was settled by a " Scioto 
Company," formed in Granby, Conn., in the winter 
of 1801-02, consisting at first of eight associates. 
They drew up articles of association, among which 
was one limiting their number to forty, each of 
whom must be unanimously chosen by ballot, a 
single negative being sufiBcient to prevent an election. 
Col. James Kilbourne was sent out the succeeding 
spring to explore the country and select and pur- 
chase a township for settlement. He returned in 
the fall without making any purchase, through 
fear that the State Constitution, then about to be 
formed, would tolerate slavery, in which case the 
project would have been abandoned. While on 
this visit. Col. Kilbourne compiled from a variety 
of sources the first map made of Ohio. Although 
much of it was conjectured, and hence inaccurate, 
it was veiy valuable, being correct as far as the 
State was then known. 

"As soon as information was received that the 
constitution of Ohio prohibited slavery, Col. Kil- 
bourne purchased the township he had previously 
selected, within the United States military land 
district, and, in the spring of 1803, returned to 
Ohio, and began improvements. By the succeed- 
ing December, one hundred settlers, mainly from 
Hartford County, Conn., and Hampshire County, 
Mass., arrived at their new home. Obeying to the 
letter the agreement made in the East, the first 
cabin erected was used for a schoolhouse and a 
church of the Protestant Episcopal denomination ; 
the first Sabbath after the arrival of the colony, 
divine service was held therein, and on the arrival 
of the eleventh family a school was opened. This 
early attention to education and religion has left 
its favorable impress upon the people until this day. 
The first 4th of July was uniquely and appropri- 
ately celebrated. Seventeen gigantic trees, em- 
blematical of the seventeen States forming the 
Union, were cut, so that a few blows of the ax, at 
sunrise on the 4th, prostrated each successively 
with a tremendous crash, forming a national salute 
novel in the world's history."* 

The growth of this part of Ohio continued 
without interruption until the establishment of the 
State capital at Columbus, in 1816. The town was 
laid out in 1812, but, as that date is considered re- 

*IIowe's Collections. 



mote in the early American settlements, its history 
will be left to succeeding pages, and there traced 
when the history of the State capital and State 
government is given. 

The site of Zanesville, in Muskingum County, 
was early looked upon as an excellent place to form 
a settlement, and, had not hostilities opened in 
1791, with the Indians, the place would have been 
one of the earliest settled in Ohio. As it was, the 
war so disarranged matters, that it was not till 
1797 that a permanent settlement was effected. 

The Muskingum country was principally occu- 
pied, in aboriginal times, by the Wyanduts, Dela- 
wares, and a few Senecas and Shawanees. An In- 
dian town once stood, years before the settlement 
of the country, in the vicinity of Duncan's Falls, 
in Muskingum County, from which circumstance 
the place is often called "Old Town." Near Dres- 
den, was a large Shawanee town, called \5^.akato- 
maca. The graveyard was quite large, and, when 
the whites first settled here, remains of the town 
were abundant. It was in this vicinity that the 
venerable Maj. Cass, father of Lewis Cass, lived 
and died. He owned 4,000 acres, given him for 
his military services. 

The first settlers on the site of Zanesville were 
William McCulloh and Henry Crooks. The lo- 
cality was given to Ebenezer Zane, who had been 
allowed three sections of land on the Scioto, Mus- 
kingum and Hockhocking, wherever the road 
crossed these rivers, provided other prior claims 
did not interfere, for opening "Zane's trace." 
When he located the road across the Muskingum, 
he selected the place where Zanesville now stands, 
being attracted there by the excellent water privi- 
leges. He gave the section of land here to his 
brother Jonathan Zane, and J. Mclntire, who 
leased the ferry, established on the road over the 
Muskingum, to William McCulloh and Henry 
Crooks, who became thereby the first settlers. The 
ferry was kept about where the old upper bridge 
was afterward placed. The ferry-boat was made 
by fastening two canoes together with a stick. 
Soon after a flat-boat was used. It was brought 
from Wheeling, by Mr. Mclntire, in 1797, the 
year after the ferry was established. The road cut 
out through Ohio, ran from Wheeling, Va., to 
Maysville, Ky. Over this road the mail was car- 
ried, and, in 1798, the first mail ever carried 
wholly in Ohio was brought up fi"om Marietta to 
McCulloh's cabin by Daniel Convers, where, by 
arrangement of the Postmaster General, it met 
a mail from Wheeling and one from Maysville. 



\ 



114 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



McCuIIoh, who could hardly read, was authorized 
to assort the mails and send each package in its 
proper direction. For this service he received 
SoU per annum ; but owing to his inability to read 
well, Mr. Convers generally performed the duty. 
At that time, the mails met here once a week. 
Four years after, the settlement had so increased 
that a regular post office was opened, and Thomas 
Dowden appointed Postmaster. He kept his office 
in a wooden building near the river bank. 

Messrs. Zane and Mclntire laid out a town in 
1799, which they called Westbourn. When the 
post office was established, it was named Zanesville, 
and in a short time the village took the same name. 
A few families settled on the west side of the river, 
soon after McCulloh arrived, and as this locality 
grew well, not long after a store and tavern was 
opened here. Mr. Mclntire built a double log 
cabin, which was used as a hotel, and in which 
Louis Philippe, King of France, was once enter- 
tained. Although the fire and accommodations 
were of the pioneer period, the honorable guestseems 
to have enjoyed his visit, if the statements of Lewis 
Cass in his " Camp and Court of Louis Philippe" 
may be believed. 

In 1804, Muskingum County was formed by the 
Legislature, and, for a while, strenuous efforts made 
to secure the State capital by the citizens of Zanes- 
ville. They even erected buildings for the use of 
the Legislature and Governor, and during the ses- 
sion of 1810-11, the temporary seat of govern- 
ment was fixed here. When the permanent State 
capital was chosen in 181G, Zanesville was passed 
by, and gave up the hope. It is now one of the 
most enterprising towns in the Muskingum Valley. 

During the summer of 1797, John Knoop, then 
living ft)ur miles above Cincinnati, made several 
expeditions up the Miami Valley and selected the 
land on which he afterward located. The next 
spring Mr. Knoop, his brother Benjamin, Henry 
G-arard, Benjamin Hamlet and John Tildus estab- 
lished a station in what is now Miami County, near 
the present town of Staunton Village. That sum- 
mer, Mrs. Knoop planted the first apple-tree in 
the Miami * country. They all lived together for 
greater safety for two years, during which time 
they were occupied clearing their farms and erect- 
ing dwellings. During the summer, the site of 
Piquawas settled, and three young men located at a 
place known as " Freeman's Prairie." Those who 

*The word Miami in the Indian tongue signified mother. The 
Miamis wore the original owners of the valley by that name, and 
affirmed they were created there. 



settled at Piqua were Samuel Hilliard, Job Garard, 
Shadrac Hudson, Jonah Rollins, Daniel Cox, 
Thomas Rich, and a Mr. Hunter. The last named 
came to the site of Piqua first in 1797, and 
selected his home. Until 1799, these named were 
the only ones ia this locality ; but that year emi- 
gration set in, and very shortly occupied almost all 
the bottom land in Miami County. With the 
increase of emigration, came the comforts of life, 
and mills, stores and other necessary aids to civil- 
ization, were ere long to be seen. 

The site of Piqua is quite historic, being the 
theater of many important Indian occurrences, 
and the old home of the Shawanees, of which 
tribe Tecumseh was a chief. During the Indian 
war, a fort called Fort Piqua was built, near the 
residence of Col. John Johnston, so long the faith- 
ful Indian Agent. The fort was abandoned at the 
close of hostilities. 

When the Miami Canal was opened through this 
part of the State, the country began rapidly to 
improve, and is now probably one of the best por- 
tions of Ohio. 

About the same time the Miami was settled, a 
company of people fi'om Pennsylvania and Vir- 
ginia, who were principally of German and Irish 
descent, located in Lawrence County, near the iron 
region. As soon as that ore was made available, 
that part of the State rapidly filled with settlers, 
most of whom engaged in the mining and working 
of iron ore. Now it is very prosperous. 

Another settlement was made the same season, 
1797, on the Ohio side of the river, in Columbiana 
County. The settlement progressed slowly for a 
while, owing to a few difficulties with the Indians. 
The celebrated Adam Poe had been here as early 
as 1782, and several localities are made locally 
famous by his and his brother's adventures. 

In this county, on Little Beaver Creek, near its 
mouth, the second paper-mill west of the Alle- 
ghanies was erected in 1805-6. It was the pioneer 
enterprise of the kind in Ohio, and was named the 
Ohio Paper-Mill. Its proprietors were John 
Bever and John Coulter. 

One of the most noted localities in the State is 
comprised in Greene County. The Shawanee 
town, "Old Chillicothe," was on the Little Miami, 
in this county, about three miles north of the site 
of Xenia. This old Indian town was, in the an- 
nals of the West, a noted place, and is frequently 
noticed. It is first mentioned in 1773, by Cajit. 
Thomas Bullitt, of Virginia, who boldly advanced 
alone into the town and obtained the consent of 



HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



115 



the Indians to go on to Kentucky and make his 
settlement at the falls of the Ohio. His audacious 
bravery gained his request. Daniel Boone was 
taken prisoner early in 1778, with twenty-seven 
others, and kept for a time at Old Chillicothe. 
Through the influence of the British Governor, 
Hamilton, who had taken a great fancy to Boone, 
he and ten others were sent to Detroit. The In- 
dians, however, had an equal fancy for the brave 
frontiersman, and took him back to Chillicothe, 
and adopted him into their tribe. About the 1st 
of June he escaped from them, and made liis way 
back to Kentucky, in time to prevent a universal 
massacre of the whites. In July, 1779, the town 
was destroyed by Col. John Bowman and one 
hundred and sixty Kentuckians, and the Indians 
dispersed. 

The Americans made a permanent settlement in 
this county in 1797 or 1798. This latter year, a 
mill was erected in the confines of the county, 
which implies the settlement was made a short 
time previously. A short distance east of the 
mill two block-houses were erected, and it was in- 
tended, should it become necessary, to surround 
them and the mill with pickets. The mill was 
used by the settlers at " Dutch Station," in Miami 
County, fully thirty miles distant. The richness 
of the country in this part of the State attracted a 
great number of settlers, so that by 1803 the 
county was established, and Xenialaid out, and des- 
ignated as the county seat. Its first court house, 
a primitive log structure, was long preserved as a 
curiosity. It would indeed be a curiosity now. 

Zane's trace, passing from Wheeling to Mays- 
ville, crossed the Hockhocking* River, in Fairfield 
County, where Lancaster is now built. Mr. Zane 
located one of his three sections on this river, 
covering the site of Lancaster. Following this 
trace in 1797, many individuals noted the desira- 
bleness of the locality, some of whom determined 
to return and settle. " The site of the city had 
in former times been the home of the Wyandots, 
who had a town here, that, in 1790, contained 
over 500 wigwams and more than 1 ,000 souls. 
Their town was called Tarhee^ or, in English, the 
Crane-toivn, a,nd derived its name from the princi- 

* The word Hock-hock-ing in the Delaware langviago signifies 
a bottle: tlie Shawanees have it Wen-lha-kiigh-qua sope, ie ; hoUle 
rioer. John White in the Amprican Pioiietr says: "Aliout seven 
miles nort 'wcst of Lancaster, tlipre is a fall In the Hockhocking of 
about twuity feet. Above the fall for a short distance, the creek 
is very narrow and straight forming a neck, while at the falls it 
suddenly widens on each sideand swells into the appearance of the 
body of a bottle. The whole, when seen from above, appears exactly 
in the shape of a bottle, and from this fact the Indians called the 
river Hock-hock-ing."' — Howe's CoUeciioiix. 



pal chief of that tribe. Another portion of the 
tribe then lived at Toby-town, nine miles west of 
Tarhe-town (now Royaltown), and was governed 
by an inferior chief called Toby. The chief's wig- 
wam in Tarhe stood on the bank of the prairie, 
near a beautiful and abundant spring of water, 
whose outlet was the river. The wigwams of the 
Indians were built of the bark of trees, set on 
poles, in the form of a sugar-camp, with one square 
open, fronting a fire, and about the height of a 
man. The Wyandot tribe that day numbered 
about 500 warriors. By the treaty of Greenville, 
they ceded all their territory, and the majority, un- 
der their chief, removed to Upper Sandusky. The 
remainder lingered awhile, loath to leave the home 
of their ancestors, but as game became scarce, they, 
too, left for better hunting-grounds."* 

In April, 1798, Capt. Joseph Hunter, a bold, 
enterprising man, settled on Zane's trace, on the 
bank of the prairie, west of the crossings, at a 
place since known as " Hunter's settlement." For 
a time, he had no neighbors nearer than the set- 
tlers on the Muskingum and Scioto Rivers. He 
lived to see the country he had found a wilderness, 
full of the homes of industry. His wife was the 
first white woman that settled in the valley, and 
shared with him all the privations of a pioneer 
life. 

Mr. Hunter had not been long in the valley till 
he was joined by Nathaniel Wilson, John and Al- 
len Green, John and Joseph McMullen, Robert 
Cooper, Isaac Shaefer, and a few others, who 
erected cabins and planted corn. The next year, 
the tide of emigration came in with great force. 
In the spring, two settlements were made in Green- 
field Township, each settlement containing twenty 
or more families. One was called the Forks of 
the Hockhocking, the other, Yankeetowu. Set- 
tlements were also made along the river below 
Hunter's, on Rush Creek, Raccoon and Indian 
Creeks, Pleasant Run, Felter's Run, at Tobeytown, 
Muddy Prairie, and on Clear Creek. In the fall, 
— 1799 — Joseph Loveland and Hezekiah Smith 
built a log grist-mill at the Upper Falls of the 
Hockhocking, afterward known as Rock 31111. 
This was the first mill on this river. In the latter 
part of the year, a mail route was established over 
the trace. The mail was earned through on horse- 
back, and, in the settlements in this locality, was 
left at the cabin of Samuel Coates, who lived on 
the prairie at the crossings of the river. 

* Lecture of George Sanderson. — Howe's CollecHont. 



\ 



116 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



In the fall of the next year, Ebenezer Zane laid 
out Lancaster, which, until 1805, was known as 
New Lancaster. The lots sold very rapidly, at 
$50 each, and, in less than one year, quite a vil- 
lage appeared. December 9, the Governor and 
Judges of the Northwest Territory organized 
Fairfield County, and made Lancaster the county 
seat. The year following, the Rev. John Wright, 
a minister of the Presbyterian Church, came, and 
from that time on schools and churches were estab- 
lished and tliereafter regularly maintained at this 
place. 

Not far from Lancaster are immense mural es- 
carpments of sandstone formation. They were 
noted among the aborigines, and were, probably, 
used by them as places of outlook and defense. 

The same summer Fairfield County was settled, 
the towns of Bethel and Williamsburg, in Cler- 
mont County, were settled and laid out, and in 
1800, the county was erected. 

A settlement was also made immediately south 
of Fairfield County, in Hocking County, by Chris- 
tian Westenhaver, a German, from near Hagers- 
town, Md. He came in the spring of 1798, and 
was soon joined by several families, who formed 
quite a settlement. The territory included in the 
county remained a part of Ptoss, Athens and 
Fairfield, until 1818, when Flocking County was 
erected, and Logan, which had been laid out in 
181(3, was made the county seat. 

The country comprised in the county is rather 
broken, especially along the Hockhocking River. 
This broken country was a favorite resort of the 
Wyandot Indians, who could easily hide in the 
numerous grottoes and ravines made by the river 
and its affluents as the water cut its way through 
the sandstone rocks. 

In 1798, soon after Zane's trace was cut through 
the country, a Mr. Graham located on the site of 
Cambridge, in Guernsey County. His was then 
the only dwelling between Wheeling and Zanes- 
ville, on the trace. He remained here alone about 
two years, when he was succeeded by George Bey- 
mer, from Somerset, Penn. Both these persons 
kept a tavern and ferry over Will's Creek. In 
April, 1803, Mr. Beymer was succeeded by John 
Beatty, who came from Loudon, Va. His family 
consisted of eleven persons. The Indians hunted 
in this vicinity, and were frequent visitors at the 
tavern. In June, 1806, Cambridge was laid out, 
and on the day the lots were offered for sale, sev- 
eral families from the British Isle of Guernsey, 
near the coast of France, stopped here on their 



way to the West. They were satisfied with the 
location and purchased many of the lots, and some 
land in the vicinity. They were soon followed by 
other families from the same place, all of whom 
settling, in this locality gave the name to the county 
when it was erected in 1810. 

A settlement was made in the central part of the 
State, on Darby Creek, in Union County, in the 
summer of 1798, by James and Joshua Ewing, 
The next year, they were joined by Samuel and 
David Mitchell, Samuel Mitchell, Jr., Samuel 
Kirkpatrick and Samuel McCullough,and, in 1800, 
by George and Samuel Reed, Robert Snodgrass 
and Paul Hodgson. 

"James Ewing's farm was the site of an an- 
cient and noted Mingo town, which was deserted 
at the time the Mingo towns, in what is now Logan 
County, were destroyed by Gen. Logan, of Ken- 
tucky, in 1786. When Mr. Ewing took posses- 
sion of his farm, the cabins were still standing, 
and, among others, the remains of a blacksmith's 
shop, with coal, cinders, iron-dross, etc. Jonathan 
Alder, formerly a prisoner among the Indians, 
says the shop was carried on by a renegade white 
man, named Butler, who lived among the Mingoes. 
Extensive fields had formerly been cultivated in 
the vicinity of the town."* 

Soon after the settlement was established. Col. 
James Curry located here. He was quite an influ- 
ential man, and, in 1820, succeeded in getting the 
county formed from portions of Delaware, Frank- 
lin, Madison and Logan, and a part of the old In- 
dian Territory. Marysville was made the county 
seat. 

During the year 1789, a fort, called Foi-t Steu- 
ben, was built on the site of Steuben ville, but 
was dismantled at the conclusion of hostilities in 
1795. Three years after, Bezaleel Wells and Hon. 
James Ross, for whom Ross County was named, 
located the town of Steubenville about the old 
fort, and, by liberal offers of lots, soon attracted 
quite a number of settlers. In 1805, the town 
was incorporated, and then had a population of 
several hundred persons. Jefferson County was 
created by Gov. St. Clair, July 29, 1797, the year 
before Steubenville was laid out. It then included 
the large scope of country west of Pennsylvania ; 
east and north of a line from the mouth of the 
Cuyahoga ; southwardly to the Muskingum, and 
east to the Ohio ; including, in its territories, the 
cities of Cleveland, Canton, Steubenville and War- 



■ Howe's Collections. 



rV 



>^ 



IIISTOKY OF OHIO. 



119 



ren. Only a short time, however, was it allowed 
to retain this size, as the increase in emigration 
rendered it necessary to erect new counties, which 
was rapidly done, especially on the adoption c " the 
State government. 

The county is rich in early history, prior to its 
settlement by the Americans. It was the home of 
the celebrated Mingo chief, Logan, who resid id 
awhile at an old Mingo town, a few miles below t le 
site of Steubenville, the place where the troo )s 
under Col. WilHamson rendezvoused on their i i- 
famous raid against the Moravian Indians ; ar d 
also where Col. Crawford and his men met, whf n 
starting on their unfortunate expedition. 

In the Reserve, settlements were often made 
remote from populous localities, in accordance with 
the wish of a proprietor, who might own a tract of 
country twenty or thirty miles in the interior. In 
the present county of Geauga, three families located 
at Burton in 1798. They lived at a considerable 
distance from any other settlement for some time, 
and were greatly inconvenienced for the want of 
mills or shops. As time progressed, however, 
these were brought nearer, or built in their midst, 
and, ere long, almost all parts of the Reserve could 
show some settlement, even if isolated. 

The next year, 1799, settlements were made at 
Ravenna, Deerfield and Palmyra, in Portage 
County. Hon. Benjamin Tappan came to the site 
of Ravenna in June, at which time he found one 
white man, a Mr. Honey, living there. At this date, 
a solitary log cabin occupied the sites of Buffalo and 
Cleveland. On his journey from New England, 
My. Tappan fell in with David Hudson, the founder 
of the Hudson settlement in Summit County. 
After many days of travel, they landed at a prairie in 
Summit County. Mr. Tappan left his goods in a 
cabin, built for the purpose, under the care of a hired 
man, and went on his way, cutting a road to the 
site of Ravenna, where his land lay. On his return 
for a second load of goods, they found the cabin 
deserted, and evidences of its plunder by the In- 
dians. Not long after, it was learned that the man 
left in charge had gone to Mr. Hudson's settle- 
ment, he having set out immediately on his arrival, 
for his own land. Mr. Tappan gathered the re- 
mainder of his goods, and started back for Ravenna. 
On his way one of his oxen died, and he found 
himself in a vast forest, away from any habitation, 
and with one dollar in money. He did not falter 
a moment, but sent his hired man, a faithful fellow, 
to Erie, Penn., a distance of one hundred miles 
through the wilderness, with the compass for his 



guide, requesting from Capt. Lyman, the com- 
mander at the fort there, a loan of money. At 
the same time, he followed the township lines to 
Youngstown, where he became acquainted with 
Col. James Hillman, who did not hesitate to sell 
him an ox on credit, at a fair price. He returned 
to his load in a few days, found his ox all right, 
hitched the two together and went on. He was 
soon joined by his hired man, with the money, and 
together they spent the winter in a log cabin. He 
gave his man one hundred acres of land as a reward, 
and paid Col. Hillman for the ox. In a year or 
two he had a prosperous settlement, and when the 
county was erected in 1807, Ravenna was made 
the seat of justice. 

About the same time Mr. Tappan began his 
settlement, others were commenced in other locali- 
ties in this county. Early in May, 1799, Lewis 
Day and his son Horatio, of Granby, Conn., and 
Moses Tibbals and Green Frost, of Granville, 
Mass., left their homes in a one-horse wagon, and, 
the 29th of May, arrived in what is now Deerfield 
Township. Theirs was the first wagon that had 
ever penetrated farther westward in this region 
than Canfield. The country west of that, place 
had been an unbroken wilderness until within a 
few days. Capt. Caleb Atwater, of Wallingford, 
Conn., had hired some men to open a road to 
Township No. 1, in the Seventh Range, of which 
he was the owner. This road passed through 
Deerfield, and was completed to that place when 
the party arrived at the point of their destination. 
These emigrants selected sites, and commenced 
clearing the land. In July, Lewis Ely arrived 
from Granville, and wintered here, while those 
who came first, and had made their improvements, 
returned East. The 4th of March, 1800, Alva 
Day (son of Lewis Day), John Campbell and 
Joel Thrall arrived. In April, George and Rob- 
ert Taylor and James Laughlin, fi-om Pennsylvania, 
with their families, came. Mr. Laughlin built a 
grist-mill, which was of great convenience to the 
settlers. July 29, Lewis Day returned with 
his family and his brother-in-law, Maj. Rogers, 
who, the next year, also brought his family. 

" Much suffering was experienced at first on 
account of the scarcity of provisions. They were 
chiefly supplied from the settlements east of the 
Ohio River, the nearest of which was Georgetown, 
forty miles away. The provisions were brought 
on pack-horses through the wilderness. August 
22, Mrs. Alva Day gave birth to a child — a fe- 
male — the first child born in the township. 



±i^ 



120 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



November 7, the first wedding took place. John 
Campbell and Sarah Ely were joined in wedlock 
by Calvin Austin, Esq., of Warren. He was 
accompanied from Warren, a distance of twenty- 
seven miles, by Mr. Pease, then a lawyer, after- 
ward a well-known Judge. They came on foot, 
there being no road; and, as they threaded their 
way through the woods, young Pease taught the 
Justice the marriage ceremony by oft repetition. 

" In 1802, Franklin Township was organized, em- 
bracing all of Portage and parts of Trumbull and 
Summit Counties. About this time the settlement 
received accessions from all parts of the East. In 
February, 1801, Rev. Badger came and began his 
labors, and two years later Dr. Shadrac Bostwick 
organized a Methodist Episcopal church.* The 
remaining settlement in this county. Palmyra, was 
begun about the same time as the others, by David 
Daniels, from Salisbury, Conn. The next year he 
brought out his family. Soon after he was joined 
by E. N. and W. Bacon, E. Cutler, A. Thurber, 
A. Preston, N. Bois, J. T. Baldwin, T. and C. 
Gilbert, D. A. and S. Waller, N. Smith, Joseph 
Fisher, J. Tuttle and others. 

" When this region was first settled, there was 
an Indian trail commencing at Fort Mcintosh 
(Beaver, Penn.), and extending westward to San- 
dusky and Detroit. The trail followed the highest 
ground. Along the trail, parties of Indians were 
frequently seen passing, for several years after the 
whites came. It seemed to be the great aboriginal 
thoroughfare from Sandusky to the Ohio River. 
There were several large piles of stones on the 
trail in this locality, under which human skeletons 
have been discovered. These are supposed to be 
the remains of Indians slain in war, or murdered 
by their enemies, as tradition says it is an Indian 
custom for each one to cast a stone on the grave 
of an enemy, whenever he passes by. These stones 
appear to have been picked up along the trail, and 
cast upon the heaps at diiFerent times. 

"At the point where this trail crosses Silver 
Creek, Fredrick Daniels and others, in 1814, dis- 
covered, painted on several trees, various devices, 
evidently the work of Indians. The bark was 
carefully shaved off two-thirds of the way around, 
and figures cut upon the wood. On one of these 
was delineated seven Indians, equipped in a par- 
ticular manner, one of whom was without a head. 
This was supposed to have been made by a party 
on their return westward, to give intelligence to 

* Howe's Collections. 



their friends behind, of the loss of one of their 
party at this place ; and, on making search, a hu- 
man skeleton was discovered near by." * 

The celebrated Indian hunter, Brady, made his 
remarkable leap across the Cuyahoga, in this 
county. The county also contains Brady's Pond, 
a large sheet of water, in which he once made his 
escape from the Indians, from which circumstance 
it received its name. 

The locality comprised in Clark County was 
settled the same summer as those in Summit County. 
John Humphries came to this part of the State 
with Gen. Simon Kenton, in 1799. With them 
came six families from Kentucky, who settled 
north of the site of Springfield. A fort was 
erected on Mad River, for security against the In- 
dians. Fourteen cabins were soon built near it, 
all being surrounded by a strong picket fence. 
David Lowery, one of the pioneers here, built the 
first flat-boat, to operate on the Great Miami, and, 
in 1800, made the first trip on that river, coming 
down from Dayton. He took his boat and cargo 
on down to New Orleans, where he disposed of his 
load of " five hundred venison hams and bacon." 

Springfield was laid out in March, 1801. Griffith 
Foos, who came that spring, built a tavern, which 
he completed and opened in June, remaining in 
this place till 1814. He often stated that when 
emigrating West, his party were four days and a 
half getting from Franklinton, on the Scioto, to 
Springfield, a distance of forty-two miles. When 
crossing the Big Darby, they were obliged to carry 
all their goods over on horseback, and then drag 
their wagons across with ropes, while some of the 
party swam by the side of the wagon, to prevent 
its upsetting. The site of the town was of such 
practical beauty and utility, that it soon attracted 
a large number of settlers, and, in a few years, 
Springfield was incorporated. In 1811, a church 
was built by the residents for the use of all denom- 
inations. 

Clark County is made famous in aboriginal 
history, as the birthplace and childhood home of 
the noted Indian, Tecumseh."}" He was born in 



* Howe's Collections. 

f Tecumseh, or Tecumshe, was a son of Puckeshinwa, a member 
of the Kiscopoke tribe, and Methoataske, of the Turtle tribe of the 
Shawanee nation. They removed from Florida to Ohio soon after 
their marriage. The father, Puckeshinwa, rose to the rank of a chief, 
and fell at the battle of Point Pleasant, in 1774. After his death, 
the mother, Methoata-ke, returned to the south, where she died at 
an advanced age. Tecum°eh was born about the year 1768. He 
early showsd a passion for war, and, when only 27 years of age, was 
made a chief. The next year he removed to Deer Creek, in the 
vicinity of Urbana. and from there to the site of Piqua, on the 
Great Miami. In 1798 he accepted the invitation of the Delawares 
in the vicinity of White River, Indiana, and from that time made 



'.^- 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



121 



the old Indian town of Piqua, the ancient Piqua 
of the Shawanees, on the north side of Mad River, 
about five miles west of Springfield. The town 
was destroyed by the Kentucky Rangers under 
Gen. (xeorge Rogers Clarke in 1780, at the same 
time he destroyed " Old Chillicothe." Immense 
fields of standing corn about both towns were cut 
down, compelling the Indians to resort to the hunt 
with more than ordinary vigor, to sustain them- 
selves and their wives and children. This search 
insured safety for some time on the borders. The 
site of Cadiz, in Harrison County, was settled in 
April, 1799, by Alexander Henderson and his 
family, from Washington County, Penn. When 
they arrived, they found neighbors in the persons 
of Daniel Peterson and his family, who lived near 
the forks of Short Creek, and who had preceded 
them but a very short time. The next year, emi- 
grants began to cross the Ohio in great numbers, 
and in five or six years large settlements could be 
seen in this part of the State. The county was 
erected in 1814, and Cadiz, laid out in 1803, made 
the county seat. 

While the settlers were locating in and about 
Cadiz, a few families came to what is now Monroe 
County, and settled near the present town of 
Beallsville. Shortly after, a few persons settled on 
the Clear Fork of the Little IMuskingum, and a 
few others on the east fork of Duck Creek. The 



next season all these settlements received addi- 
tions and a few other localities were also occupied. 
Before long the town of Beallsville was laid 
out, and in time became quite populous. The 
county was not erected until 1813, and in 1815 
Woodsfield was laid out and made the seat of 
justice. 

The opening of the season of 1800 — the dawn 
of a new century — saw a vast emigration west 
ward. Old settlements in Ohio received immense 
increase of emigrants, while, branching out in all 
directions like the radii of a circle, other settle- 
ments were constantly formed until, in a few years, 
all parts of the State knew the presence of the 
white man. 

Towns sprang into existence here and there ; 
mills and factories were erected; post ofiices and 
post-routes were established, and the comforts and 
conveniences of life began to appear. 

With this came the desire, so potent to the mind 
of all American citizens, to rule themselves through 
representatives chosen by their own votes. Hith- 
erto, they had been ruled by a Governor and Judges 
appointed by the President, who, in turn, appointed 
county and judicial officers. The arbitrary rulings 
of the Governor, St. Clair, had arrayed the mass 
of the people against him, and made the desire for 
the second grade of government stronger, and 
finally led to its creation. 



CHAPTER X. 



FORMATION OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT— OHIO A STATE— THE STATE CAPITALS— LEGIS- 
LATION— THE "SWEEPING RESOLUTIONS"— TERRITORIAL AND STATE GOVERNORS. 



SETTLEMENTS increased so rapidly in that 
part of the Northwest Territory included in 
Ohio, during the decade from 1788 to 1798, 
despite the Indian war, that the demand for an 
election of a Territorial Assembly could not be 
ignored by Gov. St. Clair, who, having ascertained 
that 5,000 free males resided within the limits of 
the Territory, issued his proclamation October 29, 
1798, directing the electors to elect representatives 
to a General Assembly. He ordered the election 

hia home with them. He was most active in the war of 1812 
against the Americans, and from the time he began his work to 
unite the tribes, his history is so closely identified therewith that 
the reader is referred to the history of that war in succeeding pages. 
It may not be amiss to say that all stories regarding the manner 
of his death are considered erroneous. He was undoubtedly killed 
in the outset of the battle of the Thames in Canada in 1814, and his 
body secretly buried by the Indians. 



to be held on the third Monday in December, and 
directed the representatives to meet in Cincinnati 
January 22, 1799. 

On the day designated, the representatives * 
assembled at Cincinnati, nominated ten persons, 
whose names were sent to the President, who 
selected five to constitute the Legislative Council, 



* Those elected were: from Washington Clounty, Return Jona- 
than Meigs and Paul Fearing; from Hamilton County, William 
Goforth, William McMillan, John Smith, John Ludlow, Robert 
Benham, Aaron Caldwell and Isaac Martin; from St. Clair County 
(Illinois), Shadrach Bond; from Knox County (Indiana), John 
Small; from Kandolph County (Illinois), John Edgar; from Wayne 
County, Solomon Sibley, Jacob Visgar and Charles F. ( habert de 
Joncaire; from Adams County, Joseph Darlington and Nathaniel 
Massie; from Jefferson County, James Pritchard; fiom Uoss County, 
Thomas Worthington, Elias Langham, Samuel Findley and Edward 
Ti£Bn. The five gentlemen, except Vanderburgh, chosen as the 
Upper House were all from counties afterward included in Ohio. 



:^ 



122 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



or Upper House. These five were Jacob Burnet, 
James Findley, Henry Vanderburgh, Robert 
OHver and David Vance. On the 3d of March, 
the Senate confii-med their nomination, and the 
Territorial Government of Ohio* — or, more prop- 
erly, the Northwest — was complete. As this 
comprised the essential business of this body, it 
was prorogued by the Governor, and the Assembly 
directed to meet at the same place September 16, 
1799, and proceed to the enactment of laws for 
the Ten-itory. 

That day, the Territorial Legislature met again 
at Cincinnati, but, for want of a quorum, did not 
organize until the 24th. The House consisted of 
nineteen members, seven of whom were from Ham- 
ilton County, four from Ross, three from Wayne, 
two from Adams, one from Jefferson, one from 
Washington and one from Knox. Assembling 
both branches of the Legislature, Gov. St. Clair 
addressed them, recommending such measures to 
their consideration as, in his judgment, were suited 
to the condition of the country. The Council 
then organized, electing Henry Vanderburgh, Presi- 
dent ; William C. Schenck, Secretary; George 
Howard, Doorkeeper, and Abraham Carey, Ser- 
geant-at-arms. 

The House also organized, electing Edward Tif- 
fin, Speaker ; John Reilly, Clerk ; Joshua Row- 
land, Doorkeeper, and Abraham Carey, Sergeant- 
at-arms. 

This was the first legislature elected in the old 
Northwestern Territory. During its first session, 
it passed thirty bills, of which the Governor vetoed 
eleven. They also elected Wilham Henry Harri- 
son, then Secretary of the Territory, delegate to 
Congress. The Legislature continued in session 
till December 19, having much to do in forming 
new laws, when they were prorogued by the Gov- 
ernor, until the first Monday in November, 1800. 
The second session was held in Chillicothe, which 
had been designated as the seat of government by 
Congress, until a permanent capital should be 
selected. 

May 7, 1800, Congress passed an act establish- 
ing Indiana Territory, including all the country 
west of the Great Miami River to the Mississippi, 
and appointed William Henry Harrison its Gov- 
ernor. At the autumn session of the Legislature 

* Ohio never existed as a Territory proper. It was known, both 
before and after the division of the Northwest Territory, as the 
"Territory northwest of the Ohio River." Still, as the country 
comprised in its limits was the principal theater of action, the short 
resume given here is made necessary in the logical course of events. 
Ohio, as Ohio, never existed until the creation of the State in 
March, 1803. 



of the eastern, or old part of the Territory, Will- 
iam McMillan was elected to the vacancy caused 
by this act. By the organization of this Territory, 
the counties of Knox, St. Clair and Randolph, 
were taken out of the jurisdiction of the old Ter- 
ritory, and with them the representatives, Henry 
Vandenburgh, Shadrach Bond, John Small and 
John Edgar. 

Before the time for the next Assembly came, a 
new election had occurred, and a few changes were 
the result. Robert Oliver, of Marietta, was cho- 
sen Speaker in the place of Henry Vanderburgh. 
There was considerable business at this session ; 
several new counties were to be erected ; the coun- 
try was rapidly filling with people, and where the 
scruples of the Governor could be overcome, some 
organization was made. He was very tenacious of 
his power, and arbitrary in his rulings, affirming 
that he, alone, had the power to create new coun- 
ties. This dogmatic exercise of his veto power, 
his rights as ruler, and his defeat by the Indians, 
all tended against him, resulting in his displace- 
ment by the President. This was done, however, 
just at the time the Territory came from the second 
grade of government, and the State was created. 

The third session of the Territorial Legislature 
continued from November 24, 1801, to January 
23, 1802, when it adjourned to meet in Cincin- 
nati, the fourth Monday in November, but 
owing to reasons made obvious by subsequent 
events, was never held, and the third session 
marks the decline of the Territorial government. 

April 30, 1802, Congress passed an act " to 
enable the people of the eastern division of the 
territory northwest of the Ohio River, to form a 
constitution and State government, and for the 
admission of such States into the Union on 
an equal footing with the original States, and for 
other purposes." In pursuance of this act, an 
election had been held in this part of the Territory, 
and members of a constitutional convention cho- 
sen, who were to meet at Chillicothe, November 
1, to perform the duty assigned them. 

The people throughout the country contemplat- 
ed in the new State were anxious for the adoption 
of a State government. The arbitrary acts of the 
Territorial Governor had heightened this feeling ; 
the census of the Territory gave it the lawful 
number of inhabitants, and nothing stood in its 
way. 

The convention met the day designated and 
proceeded at once to its duties. When the time 
arrived for the opening of the Fourth Territorial 



1^ 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



123 



Legislature, the convention was in session and had 
evidently about completed its labors. The mem- 
bers of the Legislature (eight of whom were mem- 
bers of the convention) seeing that a speedy 
termination of the Territorial government was inev- 
itable, wisely concluded it was inexpedient and 
unnecessary to hold the proposed session. 

The convention concluded its labors the 29th of 
November. The Constitution adopted at that time, 
though rather crude in some of its details, was an 
excellent organic instrument, and remained almost 
entire until 1851, when the present one was 
adopted. Either is too long for insertion here, 
but either will well pay a perusal. The one adopted 
by the convention in 1802 was never submitted 
to the people, owing to the circumstances of the 
times ; but it was submitted to Congress February 
19, 1803, and by that body accepted, and an act 
passed admitting Ohio to the Union. 

The Territorial government ended March 3, 
1803, by the organization, that day, of the State 
government, which organization defined the pres- 
ent limits of the State. 

" We, the people of the Eastern Division of the Ter- 
ritory of tlie United States, Northwest of tlie River 
Ohio, liaving the right of admission into the General 
Government as a member of the Union, consistent with 
the Constitution of the United States, the Ordinance 
of Congress of one thousand seven hundred and eighty- 
seven, and of the law of Congress, entitled ' An act to 
enable the people of the Eastern Division of the Terri- 
tory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio, 
to form a Constitution and a State Government, and for 
the admission of such State into the Union on an equal 
footing with the original States, and for other purpo- 
ses ;' in order to establish justice, promote the well- 
fare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves 
and our posterity, do ordain and establish the follow- 
ing Constitution or form of government; and do mu- 
tually agree with each other to form ourselves into a 
free and independent State, by the name of the State 
of Ohio."* — Preamble, Constitution of 180S. 

When the convention forming the Constitution, 
completed its labors and presented the results to 
Congress, and that body passed the act forming 



* The name of the State is derived from the river forming its 
southern lioimdaiy. Its origin \<i somewliat obscure, liut is com- 
monly ascribed to the Indians. On this point. Col. Johnston says: 
" The Sliawanoese called the Ohio River ' Ki'<-ke-pi-la, Sepe, i. e., '■Engle 
Etver.' The Wyamlots were in the country generations before the 
Sliawanoese, and, consequently, their name of the river is the prim- 
itive one and should stand in preference to all others. Ohio may 
be called an improvement on the expression, '0-he-zuh,' and was, no 
doubt, adopted by the early French voyagers in their boat-songs, 
and is substantially the same wori as used by the Wyandots: the 
meaning applied by the French, fair and beautiful ' la belle river,' 
being the same precisely as that meant by the Indians — 'great, 
grand and fair to look upon.' " — Howe's CoUeclioiis. 

Webster's Dictionary gives the word as of Indian origin, and its 
meaning to be, " Beautiful." 



the State, the territory included therein was di- 
vided into nine counties, whose names and dates of 
erection were as follows: 

Washington, July 27, 1788; Hamilton, Janu- 
ary 2, 1790; (owing to the Indian war no other 
counties were erected till peace was restored); Ad- 
ams, July 10, 1797; Jeiferson, July 29, 1797; 
Koss, August 20, 1798; Clermont, Fairfield and 
Trumbull, December 9, 1800; Belmont, Septem- 
ber 7, 1801. These counties were the thickest- 
settled part of the State, yet many other localities 
needed organization and were clamoring for it, but 
owing to St. Clair's views, he refused to grant 
their requests. One of the first acts on the as- 
sembling of the State Legislature, March 1, 1803, 
was the creation of seven new counties, viz., Gal- 
lia, Scioto, Geauga, Butler, Warren, Greene and 
Montgomery. 

Section Sixth of the "Schedule" of the Consti- 
tution required an election for the various oflicers 
and Representatives necessary under the new gov- 
ernment, to be held the second Tuesday of Janu- 
ary, 1803, these ofiicers to take their seats and as- 
sume their duties March 3. The Second Article 
provided for the regular elections, to be held on 
the second Tuesday of October, in each year. The 
Governor elected at first was to hold his oflice 
until the first regular election could be held, and 
thereafter to continue in oifice two years. 

The January elections placed Edward TiSin in 
the Governor's office, sent Jeremiah Morrow to 
Congress, and chose an Assembly, who met on the 
day designated, at Chillicothe. Michael Baldwin 
was chosen Speaker of the House, and Nathaniel 
Massie, of the Senate. The Assembly appointed 
William Creighton, Jr., Secretary of State ; Col. 
Thomas Gibson, Auditor ; William McFarland, 
Treasurer; Return J. Meigs, Jr., Samuel Hun- 
tington and William Sprigg, Judges of the Su- 
preme Court ; Francis Dunlevy, Wyllys Silliman 
and Calvin Pease, President Judges of the First, 
Second and Third Districts, and Thomas Worth- 
ington and John Smith, United States Senators. 
Charles Willing Byrd was made the United States 
District Judge. 

The act of Congress forming the State, con- 
tained certain requisitions regarding public schools, 
the " salt springs," public lands, taxation of Gov- 
ernment lands, Symmes' purchase, etc., which the 
constitutional convention agreed to with a few 
minor considerations. These Congress accepted, 
and passed the act in accordance thereto. The 
First General Assembly found abundance of work 



:f- 



A: 



124 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



to do regarding these various items, and, at once, 
set themselves to the task. Laws were passed re- 
garding all these ; new counties created ; officers 
appointed for the same, until they could be elected, 
and courts and machinery of government put in 
motion. President Judges and lawyers traveled 
their circuits holding courts, often in the open air 
or in a log shanty ; a constable doing duty as 
guard over a jury, probably seated on a log under 
a tree, or in the bushes. The President Judge in- 
structed the officers of new counties in their duties, 
and though the whole keeping of matters accorded 
with the times, an honest feeling generally pre- 
vailed, inducing each one to perform his part as 
effectually as his knowledge permitted. 

The State continually filled with people. New 
towns arose all over the country. Excepting the 
occasional sicknesses caused by the new climate and 
fresh soil, the general health of the people im- 
proved as time went (5n. They were fully in ac- 
cord with the President, Jefferson, and carefully 
nurtured those principles of personal liberty en- 
grafted in the fundamental law of 1787, and later, 
in the Constitution of the State. 

Little if any change occurred in the natural 
course of events, following the change of govern- 
ment until Burr's expedition and plan of secession 
in 1805 and 1806 appeared. What his plans 
were, have never been definitely ascertained. His 
action related more to the Greneral Government, 
yet Ohio was called upon to aid in putting down 
his insurrection — for such it was thought to be — 
and defeated his purposes, whatever they were. 
His plans ended only in ignominious defeat ; the 
breaking-up of one of the finest homes in the 
Western country, and the expulsion of himself and 
all those who were actively engaged in his scheme, 
whatever its imports were. 

Again, for a period of four or five years, no 
exciting events occurred. Settlements continued ; 
mills and factories increased ; towns and cities 
grew ; counties were created ; trade enlarged, and 
naught save the common course of events trans- 
pired to mark the course of time. Other States 
were made from the old Northwest Territory, all 
parts of which were rapidly being occupied by 
settlers. The danger from Indian hostilities was 
little, and the adventurous wliites were rapidly 
occupying their country. One thing, however, 
was yet a continual source of annoyance to the 
Americans, viz., the British interference with the 
Indians. Their traders did not scruple, nor fail 
on every opportunity, to aid these sons of the 



forest with arms and ammunition as occasion 
offered, endeavoring to stir them up against the 
Americans, until events here and on the high seas 
culminated in a declaration of hostilities, and the 
war of 1812 was the result. The deluded red 
men found then, as they found in 1795, that they 
were made tools by a stronger power, and dropped 
when the time came that they were no longer 
needed. 

Before the opening of hostilities occurred, how- 
ever, a series of acts passed the Greneral Assembly, 
causing considerable excitement. These were the 
famous "Sweeping Resolutions," passed in 1810. 
For a few years prior to their passage, considera- 
ble discontent prevailed among many of the legis- 
lators regarding the rulings of the courts, and by 
many of these embryo law-makers, the legislative 
power was considered omnipotent. They could 
change existing laws and contracts did they desire 
to, thought many of them, even if such acts con- 
flicted with the State and National Constitutions. 
The " Sweeping Resolutions " were brought about 
mainly by the action of the judges in declaring 
that justices of the peace could, in the collection 
of debts, hold jurisdiction in amounts not exceed- 
ing fifty dollars without the aid of a jury. The 
Constitution of the United States gave the jury 
control in all such cases where the amount did not 
exceed twenty dollars. Tiiere was a direct con- 
tradiction against the organic law of the land — to 
which every other law and act is subversive, and 
when the judges declared the legislative act uncon- 
stitutional and hence null and void, the Legisla- 
ture became suddenly inflamed at their independ- 
ence, and proceeded at once to punish the admin- 
istrators of justice. The legislature was one of 
the worst that ever controlled the State, and was 
composed of many men who were not only igno- 
rant of common law, the necessities of a State, and 
the dignity and true import of their office, but 
were demagogues in every respect. Having the 
power to impeach officers, that body at once did 
so, having enough to carry a two-thirds majority, 
and removed several judges. Further maturing 
their plans, the " Sweepers," as they were known, 
construed the law appointing certain judges and 
civil officers for seven years, to mean seven years 
from the organization of the State, whether they 
had been officers that length of time or not. All 
officers, whether of new or old counties, were con- 
strued as included in the act, and, utterly ignoring 
the Constitution, an act was passed in January, 
1810, removing every civil officer in the State. 



-^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



125 



February 10, they proceeded to fill all these va- 
cant offices, from State officers down to the lowest 
county office, either by appointment or by ordering 
an election in the manner prescribed by law. 

The Constitution provided that the office of 
judges should continue for seven years, evidently 
seven years from the time they were elected, and 
not from the date of the admission of the State, 
which latter construction this headlong Legisla- 
ture had construed as the meaning. Many of the 
counties had been organized but a year or two, 
others three or four years ; hence an indescribable 
confusion arose as soon as the new set of officers 
were appointed or elected. The new order of 
things could not be made to work, and finally, so 
utterly impossible did the injustice of the proceed- 
ings become, that it was dropped. The decisions 
of the courts were upheld, and the invidious doc- 
trine of supremacy in State legislation received 
such a check that it is not likely ever to be repeated. 

Another act of the Assembly, during this pe- 
riod, shows its construction. Congress had granted 
a township of land for the use of a university, and 
located the township in Symmes' purchase. This 
Assembly located the university on land outside 
of this purchase, ignoring the act of Congress, as 
they had done before, showing not only ignorance 
of the true scope of law, but a lack of respect un- 
becoming such bodies. 

The seat of government was also moved from 
Chillicothe to Zanesville, which vainly hoped to be 
made the permanent State capital, but the next 
session it was again taken to Chillicothe, and com- 
missioners appointed to locate a permanent capital 
site. 

These commissioners were James Findley, Jo- 
seph Darlington, Wyllys Silliman, Reason Beall, 
and William McFarland. It is stated that they 
reported at first in favor of Dublin, a small town 
on the Scioto about fourteen miles above Colum- 
bus. At the session of 1812-13, the Assembly 
accepted the proposals of Col. James Johnston, 
Alexander McLaughlin, John Kerr, and Lyne 
Starling, who owned the site of Columbus. The 
Assembly also decreed that the temporary seat of 
government should remain at Chillicothe until the 
buildings necessary for the State officers should be 



erected, when it would be taken there, forever to 
remain. This was done in 1816, in December of 
that year the first meeting of the Assembly being 
held there. 

The site selected for the capital was on the east 
bank of the Scioto, about a mile below its junction 
with the Olentangy. Wide streets were laid out, 
and preparations for a city made. The expecta- 
tions of the founders have been, in this respect, re- 
alized. The town was laid out in the spring of 1812, 
under the direction of Moses Wright. A short 
time after, the contract for making it the capital was 
signed. June 18, the same day war was declared 
against Great Britain, the sale of lots took place. 
Among the early settlers were George McCor- 
mick, George B. Harvey, John Shields, Michael 
Patton, Alexander Fatten, William Altman, John 
Collett, William McElvain, Daniel Kooser, Peter 
Putnam, Jacob Hare, Christian Heyl, Jarvis, George 
and Benjamin Pike, William Long, and Dr. John 
M. Edminson. In 1814, a house of worship was 
built, a school opened, a newspaper — The Wtstern 
Intelligencer and Columbus Gazette^ now the 
Ohio State Journal — was started, and the old 
State House erected. In 1816, the "Borough of 
Columbus" was incorporated, and a mail route once 
a week between Chillicothe and Columbus started. 
In 1819, the old United States Court House was 
erected, and the seat of justice removed from 
Franklinton to Columbus. Until 1826, times were 
exceedingly " slow " in the new capital, and but lit- 
tle growth experienced. The improvement period 
revived the capital, and enlivened its trade and 
growth so that in 1834, a city charter was granted. 
The city is now about third in size in the State, 
and contains many of the most prominent public 
institutions. The present capitol building, one of 
the best in the West, is patterned somewhat after 
the national Capitol at Washington City. 

From the close of the agitation of the " Sweeping 
Resolutions," until the opening of the war of 1812, 
but a short time elapsed. In fact, scarcely had 
one subsided, ere the other was upon the country. 
Though the war was national, its theater of opera- 
tions was partly in Ohio, that State taking an act- 
ive part in its operations. Indeed, its liberty 
depended on the war. 



^^ '' 



.Jk s 



126 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



LIST OF TERRITORIAL AND STATE GOVERNORS, 



From the organization of the first civil government in the Northwest Territory ( 1 ' 

Ohio was apart, until the year 1880. 



to 1802), of which the State of 



NAME. 



(a) Arthur St. Clair 

*Charles Willing Byrd 

(6) Edward Tiiiin 

(c) fThomas Kirker 

Samuel Huntington 

(d) Return Jonathan Meigs. 

fOthniel Looker 

Thomas Worthington , 

(e) Ethan Allen Brown 

fAllen Trimble 

Jeremiah Morrow 

Allen Trimble 

Duncan McArthur 

Robert Lucas 

Joseph Vance 

Wilson Shannon 

Thomas Corwin 

(/) Wilson Shannon 

JThomas W. Bartley , 

Mordecai Bartley 

William Bebb , 

(g) Seabury Ford 

(h) Reuben Wood 

(i)^ William Medill 

Salmon P. Chase 

William Dennison 

David Tod 

(k) John Brough 

gCharles Anderson 

Jacob D. Cox , 

Rutherford B. Hayes , 

Edward F. Noyes , 

William Allen 

(I) Rutherford B. Hayes 

(m) Thomas L. Young 

Richard M. Bishop 

Charles Foster 



COUNTY. 



Hamilton 

Ross , 

Adams 

Trumbull 

Washington.. 

Hamilton 

Ross 

Hamilton 

Highland 

Warren 

Highland 

Ross , 

Pike 

Champaign .., 

Belmont - 

Warren 

Belmont , 

Richland 

Richland 

Butler 

Geauga 

Cuyahoga 

Fairfield 

Hamilton 

Franklin 

Mahoning 

Cuyahoga 

Montgomery. 

Trumbull , 

Hamilton , 

Hamilton 

Ross 

Sandusky 

Hamilton 

Hamilton 

Sandusky 



Term 
Commenced. 



July 13 
Nov. 

March 3 
March 4 
Dec. 12 
Dec. 

April 14 
Dec, 



Dec. 
Jan. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec, 



April 13 
Dec 



Dec. 

Jan. 

Dec. 

July 

Jan. 

Jan. 

Jan. 

Jan. 

Aug. 

Jan 

.Jan. 

Jan. 

.Jan. 

Jan. 



March 2 
Jan. 14 
Jan. 14 



1788 
1802 
, 1803 
, 1807 
, 1808 
, 1810 
, 1814 
, 1814 
, 1818 
, 1822 
, 1822 
, 1826 
, 1830 
, 1832 
, 1836 
, 1838 
, 1840 
, 1842 
, 1844 
, 1844 
, 1846 
,1849 
, 1850 
, 1853 
, 1856 
. 1860 
, 1862 
, 1864 
, 1 
, 1866 
, 1868 
, 1 
, 1874 
, 1876 
, 1877 
, 1878 
, 1880 



Term Ended. 



Nov. 

March 3 
March 4 
Dec. 12 
Dec. 8 
March 25 
Dec. 8 



Dec. 
Jan. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 
Dec. 



April 13 
Dec. 3 



Dec. 
Jan. 
Dec. 



July 15 
Jan. 14 



Jan. 
Jan. 
Jan. 



Aug. 29 
Jan. 9 



13 

8 

12 

14 

March 2 
Jan. 14 
Jan. 14 



Jan. 
Jan. 
Jan. 
Jan. 



1802 
1803 
1807 
1808 
1810 
1814 
1814 
1818 
1822 
1822 
1826 
1830 
1832 
1836 
1838 
1840 
1842 
1844 
1844 
1846 
1849 
1850 
1853 
1856 
1860 
1862 
1864 
1865 
1866 
1868 
1872 
1874 
1876 
1877 
1878 
1880 



(a) Arthur St. Clair, of Pennsylvania, was Governor of the North- 
west Territory, of which Ohio was a part.from July 13, 1788, when the 
first civil government was estahliehed in the Territory, until about 
the close of the year 1802, when he was removed by the President. 

♦Secretary of the Territory, and was acting Governor of the 
Territory after the removal of Gov. St. Clair. 

ib) Resigned March 3, 1807, to accept the office of U. S. Senator. 

(c) Return Jonathan Meigs was elected Governor on the second 
Tuesday of October, 1807, over Nathaniel Massie, who contested the 
election of Meigs, on the ground that "he had not been a resident of 
this State for four years next preceding the election, as required by 
the ConstHution,"' and the General Assembly, in joint convention, 
declared that he was not eligible. The office was not given to 
Massie, nor does it appear, from the records that he claimed it, but 
Thomas Kirker, acting Governor, continued to discharge the duties 
of the office until December 12,1808, when Samuel Huntington was 
inaugurated, he having been elected on the second Tuesday of 
October in that year. 

(d) Resigned March 25, 1814, to accept the office of Postmaster- 
General of the United States. 



(«) Resigned January 4, 1822. to accept the office of United 
States !?enator. 

(/) Resigned April 13, 1844, to accept the office of Minister to 
Mexico. 

(3) The result of the election in 1848 was not finally determined in 
joint convention of the two bouses of the General Asaembly until 
January 19,1849, and the inauguration did not take place until the 
22dof that month. 

(h) Resigned July 15, 1853 to accept the office of Consul to Val- 
paraiso. 

0) Elected in October, 1853, for the regular term, to commence 
on tlie second Monday of January, 1854. 

(k) Died August 29, 18G5. 

t Acting Governor. 

i Acting Governor, vice Wilson Shannon, resigned. 

^ Acting Governor, vice Reuben Wood, resigned. 

^ Acting Governor, vice John Brough, deceased. 

(I) Resigned March 2, 1877, to accept the office of President of 
the United States. 

(m) Vice Rutherford B. Hayes, resigned. 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



127 



CHAPTER XI. 

THE WAR OF 1812— GROWTH OF THE STATE— CANAL, RAILROADS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS 

—DEVELOPMENT OF STATE RESOURCES. 



IN June, 1812, war was declared against Great 
Britain. Before this, an act was passed by Con- 
gress, authorizing the increase of the regular army 
to thirty-five thousand troops, and a large force of 
volunteers, to serve twelve months. Under this 
act. Return J. Meigs, then Governor of Ohio, in 
April and May, 1812, raised three regiments of 
troops to serve twelve months. They rendez- 
voused at Dayton, elected their officers, and pre- 
pared for the campaign. These regiments were 
numbered First, Second and Third. Duncan Mc- 
Arthur was Colonel of the First ; James Findlay, 
of the Second, and Lewis Cass, of the Third. 
Early in June these troops marched to Urbana, 
where they were joined by Boyd's Fourth Regiment 
of regular troops, under command of Col. Miller, 
who had been in the battle of Tippecanoe. Near 
the middle of June, this little army of about 
twenty-five hundred men, under command of Gov. 
William Hull, of Michigan, who had been author- 
ized by Congress to raise the troops, started on 
its northern march. By the end of June, the 
army had reached the Maumee, after a very severe 
march, erecting, on the way. Forts McArthur, Ne- 
cessity and Findlay. By some carelessness on the 
part of the American Government, no ofiicial word 
had been sent to the frontiers regarding the war, 
while the British had taken an early precaution to 
prepare for the crisis. Gov. Hull was very care- 
ful in military etiquette, and refused to march, or 
do any ofi"ensive acts, unless commanded by his 
superior officers at Washington. While at the 
Maumee, by a careless move, all his personal 
effects, including all his plans, number and strength 
of his army, etc., fell into the hands of the enemy. 
His campaign ended only in ignominious defeat, 
and well-nigh paralyzed future efi"orts. All Mich- 
igan fell into the hands of the British. The com- 
mander, though a good man, lacked bravery and 
promptness. Had Gen. Harrison been in com- 
mand no such results would have been the case, 
and the war would have probably ended at the 
outset. 

Before Hull had surrendered, Charles Scott, 
Governor of Kentucky, invited Gen. Harrison, 



Governor of Indiana Territory, to visit Frankfort, 
to consult on the subject of defending the North- 
west. Gov. Harrison had visited Gov. Scott, and 
in August, 1812, accepted the appointment of 
Major General in the Kentucky militia, and, by 
hasty traveling, on the receipt of the news of the 
surrender of Detroit, reached Cincinnati on the 
morning of the 27th of that month. On the 30th 
he left Cincinnati, and the next day overtook the 
army he was to command, on its way to Dayton. 
After leaving Dayton, he was overtaken by an ex- 
press, informing him of his appointment by the 
Government as Commander-in-Chief of the armies 
of the Indiana and Illinois Territories. The army 
reached Piqua, September 3. From this place 
Harrison sent a body of troops to aid in the de- 
fense of Fort Wayne, threatened by the enemy. 
On the 6th he ordered all the troops forward, and 
while on the march, on September 17, he was 
informed of his appointment as commander of the 
entire Northwestern troops. He found the army 
poorly clothed for a winter campaign, now ap- 
proaching, and at once issued a stirring address to 
the people, asking for food and comfortable cloth- 
ing. The address was not in vain. After his 
appointment. Gen. Harrison pushed on to Au- 
glaize, where, leaving the army under command of 
Gen. Winchester, he returned to the interior of the 
State, and establishing his headquarters at Frank- 
liuton, began active measures for the campaign. 

Early in March, 1812, Col. John Miller raised, 
under orders, a regiment of infantry in Ohio, and 
in July assembled his enlisted men at Chillicothe, 
where, placing them — only one hundred and forty 
in number — under command of Captain Ang-us 
Lewis, he sent them on to the frontier. They erect- 
ed a block-house at Piqua and then went on to 
Defiance, to the main body of the armv. 

In July, 1812, Gen. Edward W. ^Tupper, of 
Gallia County, raised one thousand men for six 
months' duty. Under orders from Gen. Winches- 
ter, they marched through Chillicothe and Urbana, 
on to the Maumee, where, near the lower end of 
the rapids, they made an ineffectual attempt to 
drive off" the enemy. Failing in this, the enemy 



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128 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



attacked Tupper and his troops, who, though worn 
down with the march and not a Httle disorganized 
through the jealousies of the officers, withstood 
the attack, and repulsed the British and their red 
allies, who returned to Detroit, and the Americans 
to Fort McArthur. 

In the fall of 1812, Gcii. Harrison ordered a 
detachment of six hundred men, mostly mounted, 
to destroy the Indian towns on the Missisineway 
River, one of the head-waters of the Wabash. 
The winter set in early and with unusual severity. 
At the same time this expedition was carried on, 
Bonaparte was retreating from Moscow. The expe- 
dition accomplished its design, though the troops 
suffered greatly from the cold, no less than two 
hundred men being more or less frost bitten. 

Gen. Harrison determined at once to retake 
Michigan and establish a line of defense along the 
southern shores of the lakes. Winchester was 
sent to occupy Forts Wayne and Defiance; Perkins' 
brigade to Lower Sandusky, to fortify an old 
stockade, and some Pennsylvania troops and artil- 
lery sent there at the same time. As soon as 
Gen. Harrison heard the results of the Missis- 
ineway expedition, he went to Chillicothe to con- 
sult with Gov. Meigs about further movements, 
and tlie best methods to keep the way between the 
Upper Miami and the Maumee continually open. 
He also sent Gen. Winchester word to move for- 
ward to the rapids of the Maumee and prepare for 
winter quarters. This Winchester did by the 
middle of January, 1813, establishing himself on 
the northern bank of the river, just above Wayne's 
old battle-ground. He was well fixed here, and 
was enabled to give his troops good bread, made from 
corn gathered in Indian corn-fields in this vicinity. 

While here, the inhabitants of Frenchtown, on 
the Raisin River, about twenty miles from Detroit, 
sent Winchester word claiming protection from the 
threatened British and Indian invasion, avowing 
themselves in sympathy with the Americans. A 
council of war decided in favor of their request, 
and Col. Lewis, with 550 men, sent to their relief 
Soon afler. Col. Allen was sent with more troops, 
and the enemy easily driven away from about 
Frenchtown. Word was sent to Gen. Winchester, 
who determined to march with all the men he 
could spare to aid in holding the post gained. He 
lefl, the 19th of January, with 250 men, and ar- 
rived on the evening of the 20th. Failing to 
take the necessary precaution, from some unex- 
plained reason, the enemy came up in the night, 
established his batteries, and, the next day, sur- 



prised and defeated the American Army with a 
terrible loss. Gen. Winchester was made a pris- 
oner, and, finally, those who were intrenched in 
the town surrendered, under promise of Proctor, 
the British commander, of protection from the 
Indians. This promise was grossly violated the 
next day. The savages were allowed to enter the 
town and enact a massacre as cruel and bloody as 
any in the annals of the war, to the everlasting 
ignominy of the British General and his troops. 

Those of the American Army that escaped, ar- 
rived at the rapids on the evening of the 22d of 
January, and soon the sorrowful news spread 
throughout the army and nation. Gen. Harrison 
set about retrieving the disaster at once. Delay 
could do no good. A fort was built at the rapids, 
named Fort Meigs, and troops from the south and 
west hurriedly advanced to the scene of action. 
The investment and capture of Detroit was aban- 
doned, that winter, owing to the defeat at French- 
town, and expiration of the terms of service of 
many of the troops. Others took their places, 
all parts of Ohio and bordering States sending 
men. 

The erection of Fort Meigs was an obstacle in 
the path of the British they determined to remove, 
and, on the 28th of February, 1813, a large band 
of British and Indians, under command of Proc- 
tor, Tecumseh, Walk-in-the-water, and other In- 
dian chiefs, appeared in the Maumee in boats, and 
prepared for the attack. Without entering into 
details regarding the investment of the fort, it is 
only necessary to add, that after a prolonged siege, 
lasting to the early part of May, the British were 
obliged to abandon the fort, having been severely 
defeated, and sailed for the Canadian shores. 

Next followed the attacks on Fort Stephenson, 
at Lower Sandusky, and other predatory excur- 
sions, by the British. All of these failed of their 
design; the defense of Maj. Croghan and his men 
constituting one of the most brilliant actions of the 
war. For the gallant defense of Fort Stephenson by 
Maj. Croghan, then a young man, the army merited 
the highest honors. The ladies of Chillicothe voted 
the heroic Major a fine sword, while the whole 
land rejoiced at the exploits of him and his band. 

The decisive efforts of the army, the great num- 
bers of men offered — many of whom Gen. Harrison 
was obliged to send home, much to their disgust — 
Perry's victory on Lake Erie, September 10, 
1813 — all presaged the triumph of the American 
arms, soon to ensue. As soon as the battle on 
the lake was over, the British at Maiden burned 



[ii 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



129 



their stores, and fled, wliile the Americans, under 
their gallant commander, followed them in Perry's 
vessel to the Canada shore, overtaking them on 
the River Thames, October 5. In the battle that 
ensued, Tecumseh was slain, and the British Army 
routed. 

The war was now practically closed in the "West. 
Ohio troops had done nobly in defending their 
northern frontier, and in regaining the Northwest- 
ern country. Gen. Harrison was soon after elected 
to Congress by the Cincinnati district, and Gen. 
Duncan McArthur was appointed a Brigadier 
General in the regular army, and assigned to the 
command in his place. Gen. McArthur made an 
expedition into Upper Canada in the spring of 
1814, destroying considerable property, and driv- 
ing the British farther into their own dominions. 
Peace was declared early in 1815, and that spring, 
the troops were mustered out of service at Chilli- 
cothe, and peace with England reigned supreme. 

The results of the war in Ohio were, for awhile, 
similar to the Indian war of 1795. It brought 
many people into the State, and opened new por- 
tions, before unknown. Many of the soldiers im- 
mediately invested their money in lands, and became 
citizens. The war drove many people from the 
Atlimtic Coast west, and as a result much money, 
for awhile, circulated. Labor and provisions rose, 
which enabled both workmen and tradesmen to 
enter tracts of land, and aided emigration. At the 
conclusion of Wayu-^'s war in 1795, probably 
not more than five thousand people dwelt in the 
limits of the State ; at the close of the war of 1812, 
that number was largely increased, even with the 
odds of war against them. After the last war, tlie 
emigration was constant and gradual, building up 
the State in a manner that betokened a healthful 
life. 

As soon as the effects of the war had worn off, 
a period of depression set in, as a result of too 
free speculation indulged in at its close. Gradu- 
ally a stagnation of business ensued, and many 
who found the'inselves unable to meet contracts 
made in "flush" times, found no alternative but 
to fail. To relieve the pressure in all parts of 
the West, Congress, about 1815, reduced the 
price of public lands from $2 to $1.25 
per acre. This measure worked no little 
hardship on those who owned large tracts of 
lands, for portions of which they had not fully 
paid, and as a consequence, these lands, as well 
as all others of this class, reverted to the 
Government. The general market was in New 



Orleans, whither goods were transported in flat- 
boats built especially for this pupose. This com- 
merce, though small and poorly repaid, was the 
main avenue of trade, and did much for the slow 
prosperity prevalent. The few banks in the State 
found their bills at a discount abroad, and gradu- 
ally becoming di-ained of their specie, either closed 
business or failed, the major part of them adopt- 
ing the latter course. 

The steamboat began to be an important factor 
in the river navigation of the West about this 
period. The first boat to descend the Ohio was 
the Orleans, built at Pittsburg in 1812, and in 
December of that year, while the fortunes of war 
hung over the land, she made her first trip fi-om the 
Iron City to New Orleans, being just twelve days 
on the way. The second, built by Samuel Smith, 
was called the Comet, and made a trip as far 
south as Louisville, in the summer of 1813. The 
third, the Vesuvius, was built by Fulton, and went 
to New Orleans in 1814. The fourth, built by 
Daniel French at Brownsville, Penn., made two 
trips to Louisville in the summer of 1814. The 
next vessel, the ^tna, was built by Fulton & 
Company in 1815. So fast did the business 
increase, that, four years after, more than 
forty steamers floated on the Western waters. 
Improvements in machinery kept pace with the 
building, until, in 1838, a competent writer stated 
there were no less than four hundred steamers in 
the West. Since then, the erection of railways 
has greatly retarded ship-building, and it is alto- 
gether probable the number has increased but 
little. 

The question of canals began to agitate the 
Western country during the decade succeeding the 
war. They had been and were being constructed 
in older countries, and presaged good and prosper- 
ous times. If only the waters of the lakes and 
the Ohio River could be united by a canal run- 
ning through the midst of the State, thought the 
people, prosperous cities and towns would arise on 
its banks, and commerce flow through the land. 
One of the firmest friends of such improvements 
was De Witt Clinton, who had been the chief man 
in forwarding the " Clinton Canal," in New York. 
He was among the first to advocate the feasibility 
of a canal connecting Lake Erie and the Ohio 
River, and, by the success of the New York canals, 
did much to bring it about. Popular writers of the 
day all urged the scheme, so that when thi; Assem- 
bly met, early in December, 1821, the resolution, 
offered by Micajah T. Williams, of Cincinnati, 



:f^ 



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130 



HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



for the appointment of a committee of five mem- 
bers to take into consideration so much of the 
Governor's message as related to canals, and see if 
some feasible plan could not be adopted whereby a 
beginning could be made, was quickly adopted. 

The report of the committee, advising a survey 
and examination of routes, met with the approval 
of the Assembly, and commissioners were ap- 
pointed who were to employ an engineer, examine 
the country and report on the practicability of a 
canal between the lakes and the river. The com- 
missioners employed James Gleddes, of Onondaga 
County, N. Y., as an engineer. He arrived in 
Columbus in June, 1822, and, before eight months, 
the corps of engineers, under his direction, had 
examined one route. During the next two sum- 
mers, the examinations continued. A number of 
routes were examined and surveyed, and one, from 
Cleveland on the lake, to Portsmouth on the Ohio, 
was recommended. Another canal, from Cincin- 
nati to Dayton, on the Miami, was determined on, 
and preparations to commence work made. A 
Board of Canal Fund Commissioners was created, 
money was borrowed, and the morning of July 
4, 1825, the first shovelful of earth was dug near 
Newark, with imposing ceremonies, in the presence 
of De Witt Clinton, Grovernor of New York, and 
a mighty concourse of people assembled to witness 
the auspicious event. 

Gov. Clinton was escorted all over the State to 
aid in developing the energy everywhere apparent. 
The events were important ones in the history of 
the State, and, though they led to the creation of 
a vast debt, yet, in the end, the canals were a 
benefit. 

The main canal — the Ohio and Erie Canal — 
was not completed till 1832. The Maumee Canal, 
from Dayton to Cincinnati, was finished in 1834. 
They cost the State about $G,000,UOO. Each of 
the main canals had branches leading to important 
towns, where their construction could be made 
without too much expense. The Miami and Mau- 
mee Canal, from Cincinnati northward along the 
Miami River to Piqua, thence to the Maumee 
and on to the lake, was the largest canal made, 
and, for many years, was one of the most important 
in the State. It joined the Wabash Canal on the 
eastern boundary of Indiana, and thereby saved 
the construction of many miles by joining this 
great canal from Toledo to Evansville. 

The largest artificial lake in the world, it is said, 
was built to supply water to the Miami Canal. It 
exists yet, though the canal is not much used. It 



is in the eastern part of Mercer County, and is 
about nine miles long by from two to four wide. 
It was formed by raising two walls of earth from 
ten to thirty feet high, called respectively the east 
and west embankments ; the first of which is about 
two miles in length ; the second, about four. These 
walls, with the elevation of the ground to the 
north and south, formed a huge basin, to retain 
the water. The reservoir was commenced in 1837, 
and finished in 1845, at an expense of several 
hundred thousand dollars. When first built, dur- 
ing the accumulation of water, much malarial 
disease prevailed in the surrounding country, owing 
to the stagnant condition of the water. The citi- 
zens, enraged at what they considered an innova- 
tion of their rights, met, and, during a dark night, 
tore out a portion of the lower wall, letting the 
water flow out. The damage cost thousands of 
dollars to repair. All who participated in the 
proceedings were liable to a severe imprisonment, 
but the state of feeling was such, in Mercer County, 
where the offense was committed, that no jury 
could be found that would try them, and the affair 
gradually died out. 

The canals, so efficacious in their day, were, 
however, superseded by the railroads rapidly find- 
ing their way into the West. From England, 
where they were early used in the collieries, the 
transition to America was easy. 

The first railroad in the United States was built 
in the summer of 1826, from the granite quarry 
belonging to the Bunker Hill Monument Associa- 
tion to the wharf landing, three miles distant. The 
road was a slight decline from . the quarry to 
the wharf, hence the loaded cars were pro- 
pelled by their own gravity. On their return, 
when empty, they were drawn up by a single 
horse. Other roads, or tramways, quickly followed 
this. They were built at the Pennsylvania coal 
mines, in South Carolina, at New Orleans, and at 
Baltimore. Steam motive power was used in 1831 
or 1832, first in America on the Baltimore & Ohio 
Railroad, and in Charlestown, on a railroad there. 

To transfer these highways to the West was the 
question of but a few years' time. The prairies of 
Illinois and Indiana offered superior inducements 
to such enterprises, and, early in 1835, they began 
to be agitated there. In 1838, the first rail was 
laid in Illinois, at Meredosia, a little town on the 
Illinois River, on what is now the Wabash Railway. 

"The first railroad made in Ohio," writes Caleb 
Atwater, in his "History of Ohio," in 1838, "was 
finished in 1836 by the people of Toledo, a town 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



131 



some two years old then, situated near the mouth 
of Maumee River. The road extends westward in- 
to Michigan and is some thirty miles in length. 
There is a road about to be made from Cincinnati 
to Springfield. This road follows the Ohio River 
up to the Little Miami River, and there turns 
northwardly up its valley to Xenia, and, passing 
the Yellow Springs, reaches Springfield. Its length 
must be about ninety miles. The State will own 
one-half of the road, individuals and the city of 
Cincinnati the other half This road will, no 
doubt, be extended to Lake Erie, at Sandusky 
City, within a few short years." 

"There is a railroad." continues Mr. Atwater, 
"about to be made from Painesville to the Ohio 
River. There are many charters for other roads, 
which will never be made." 

Mr. Atwater notes also, the various turnpikes as 
well as the famous National road from Baltimore 
westward, then completed only to the mountains. 
This latter did as much as any enterprise ever en- 
acted in building up and populating the West. 
It gave a national thoroughfare, which, for many 
years, was the principal wagon-way from the At- 
lantic to the Mississippi Valley. 

The railroad to which Mr. Atwater refers as 
about to be built from Cincinnati to Springfield, 
was what was known as the Mad River Railroad. 
It is commonly conceded to be the first one built 
in Ohio.* Its history shows that it was chartered 
March 11, 1836, that work began in 1837; that 
it was completed and opened for business from 
Cincinnati to Milford, in December, 1842; to Xe- 
nia, in August, 1845, and to Springfield, in Au- 
gust, 1846. It was laid with strap rails until 
about 1848, when the present form of rail was 
adopted. 

One of the earliest roads in Ohio was what was 
known as the Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark Rail- 
road. It was chartered at first as the Monroeville 
& Sandusky City Railroad, March 9, 1835. March 
12, 1836, the Mansfield & New Haven road was 
chartered; the Columbus & Lake Erie, March 12, 

1845, and the Huron & Oxford, February 27, 

1846. At first it ran only from Sandusky to 
Monroeville, then from Mansfield to Huron. These 

* Hon. E D. Mansfield states, in 1873, that the " first actual piece 
of railroad laid in Ohio, was made on the Cincinnati & Sandusky 
Railroad; hut, about the same time we have the Little Miami Rail- 
road, which was surveyed in 1836 and 1837. If this, the generally 
accepted opinion, is correct, then Mr. Atwater's statement as given, 
is wrong. His history is, however, generally conceded to be correct. 
Written in 1838, he surely ought to know whereof he was writing, 
as the railroads were then only in construction ; but few, if any, 
in operation. 



two were connected and consolidated, and then ex- 
tended to Newark, and finally, by connections, to 
Columbus. 

It is unnecessary to follow closely the history of 
these improvements through the years succeeding 
their introduction. At first the State owned a 
share in nearly all railroads and canals, but finally 
finding itself in debt about $15,00U,000 for such 
improvements, and learning by its own and neigh- 
bors' experiences, that such policy was detrimental 
to the best interests of the people, abandoned the 
plan, and allowed private parties entire control of 
all such works. After the close of the Mexican 
war, and the return to solid values in 1 854 or there- 
abouts, the increase of railroads in all parts of Ohio, 
as well as all parts of the West, was simply marvel- 
ous. At this date there are more than ten thou- 
sand miles of railroads in Ohio, alongside of which 
stretch innumerable lines of telegraph, a system of 
swift messages invented by Prof Morse, and adopted 
in the United States about 1851. 

About the time railroad building began to as- 
sume a tangible shape, in 1840, occurred the cele- 
brated political campaign known in history as the 
" Hard Cider Campaign." The gradual encroach- 
ments of the slave power in the West, its arrogant 
attitude in the Congress of the United States and 
in several State legislatures : its forcible seizure of 
slaves in the free States, and the enactment and 
attempted enforcement of the "fugitive slave" law 
all tended to awaken in the minds of the Northern 
people an antagonism, terminating only in the late 
war and the abolishment of that hideous system in 
the United States. 

The "Whig Party" strenuously urged the 
abridgment or confinement of slavery in the 
Southern States, and in the contest the party took 
a most active part, and elected William Henry 
Harrison President of the United States. As he 
had been one of the foremost leaders in the war of 
1812, a resident of Ohio, and one of its most pop- 
ular citizens, a log cabin and a barrel of cider were 
adopted as his exponents of popular opinion, as 
expressive of the rule of the common people repre- 
sented in the cabin and cider, in turn representing 
their primitive and simple habits of life. He 
lived but thirty days after his inauguration, dying 
on the 9th of April, 1841, when John Tyler, the 
Vice President, succeeded him as Chief Executive 
of the nation. 

The building of railroads ; the extension of com- 
merce ; the settlement of all parts of the State ; 
its growth in commerce, education, reHgion and 






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132 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



population, are the chief events from 1841 to the 
Mexican war. Hard times occurred about as often 
as they do now, preceded by " flush" times, when 
speculation ran rife, the people all infatuated with 



an insane idea that something could be had for 
nothing. The bubble burst as often as inflated, 
ruining many people, but seemingly teaching few 
lessons. 



CHAPTER XII. 

MEXICAN WAR— CONTINUED GROWTH OF THE STATE— WAR OF THE REBELLION— OHIO'S 

PART IN THE CONFLICT. 



THE Mexican War grew out of the question of 
the annexation of Texas, then a province of 
Mexico, whose territory extended to the Indian 
Territory on the north, and on up to the Oregon 
Territory on the Pacific Coast. Texas had been 
settled largely by Americans, who saw the condi- 
tion of aft'airs that would inevitably ensue did the 
country remain under Mexican rule. They first 
took steps to secede from Mexico, and then asked 
the aid of America to sustain them, and annex the 
country to itself. 

The Whig party and many others opposed this, 
chiefly on the grounds of the extension of slave 
territory. But to no avail. The war came on, 
Mexico was conquered, the war lasting from April 
20, 1846, to May 30, 1848. Fifty thousand vol- 
unteers were called for the war by the Congress, 
and $10,000,000 placed at the disposal of the 
President, James K. Polk, to sustain the army and 
prosecute the war. 

The part that Ohio took in the war may be 
briefly summed up as follows : She had five vol- 
unteer regiments, five companies in the Fifteenth 
Infantry, and several independent companies, with 
her full proportion among the regulars. When 
war was declared, it was something of a crusade to 
many ; full of romance to others ; hence, many 
more were offiered than could be received. It was 
a campaign of romance to some, yet one of reality, 
ending in death, to many. 

When the first call for troops came, the First, 
Second and Third Regiments of infantry responded 
at once. Alexander Mitchell was made Colonel of 
the First; John E. Wellerits Lieutenant Colonel ; 
and Major L. Giddings, of Dayton, its Major, 
Thos. L. Hamer, one of the ablest lawyers in Ohio, 
started with the First as its Major, but, before the 
regiment left the State, he was made a Brigadier 
General of Volunteers, and, at the battle of Mon- 
terey, distinguished himself; and there contracted 



disease and laid down his life. The regiment's 
Colonel, who had been wounded at Monterey, came 
home, removed to Minnesota, and there died. 
Lieut. Col. Weller went to California after the 
close of the war. He was United States Senator 
from that State in the halls of Congress, and, at 
last, died at New Orleans. 

The Second Regiment was commanded by Col. 
George W. Morgan, now of Mount Vernon ; Lieut. 
Col. William Irwin, of Lancaster, and Maj. Will- 
iam Wall. After the war closed, Irwin settled in 
Texas, and remained there till he died. Wall lived 
out his days in Ohio. The regiment was never in 
active field service, but was a credit to the State. 

The ofiicers of the Third Regiment were. Col. 
Samuel R. Curtis; Lieut. Col. G. W. McCookand 
Maj. John Love. The first two are now dead ; 
the Major lives in McConneUsville. 

At the close of the first year of the war, these 
regiments (First, Second and Third) were mustered 
out of service, as their term of enlistment had 
expired. 

When the second year of the war began, the 
call for more troops on the part of the Government 
induced the Second Ohio Infantry to re-organize, 
and again enter the service. William Irwin, of the 
former organization, was chosen Colonel ; William 
Latham, of Columbus, Lieutenant Colonel, and 
William H. Link, of Circleville, Major. Nearly 
all of them are now dead. 

The regular army was increased by eight Ohio 
companies of infantry, the Third Dragoons, and 
the Voltigeurs — light-armed soldiers. In the Fif- 
teenth Regiment of the United States Army, there 
were five Ohio companies. The others were three 
from Michigan, and two from Wisconsin. Col. 
Moi'gan, of the old Second, was made Colonel of 
the Fifteenth, and John Howard, of Detroit, an 
old artillery ofiicer in the regular army. Lieutenant 
Colonel. Samuel Wood, a captain in the Sixth 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



133 



United States Inftintry, was made Major ; but was 

afterward succeeded by Mill, of Vermont. 

The Fifteenth was in a number of skirmishes at first, 
and later in the battles of Contreras, Cherubusco 
and Chapultepec. At the battle of Cherubusco, 
the Colonel was severely wounded, and Maj. Mill, 
with several oflacers, and a large number of men, 
killed. For gallant service at Contreras, Col. Mor- 
gan, though only twenty-seven years old, was made 
a Brevet Brigadier General in the United States 
Army. Since the war he has delivered a number 
of addresses in Ohio, on the campaigns in Mex- 
ico. 

The survivors of the war are now few. Though 
seventy-five thousand men from the United States 
went into that conflict, less than ten thousand now 
survive. They are now veterans, and as such de- 
light to recount their reminiscences on the fields of 
Mexico. They are all in the decline of life, and 
ere a generation passes away, few, if any, will be 
left. 

After the war, the continual growth of Ohio, 
the change in all its relations, necessitated a new 
organic law. The Constitution of 1852 was the 
result. It re-affirmed the political principles of 
the "ordinance of 1787" and the Constitution of 
1802, and made a few changes necessitated by the 
advance made in the interim. It created the 
office of Lieutenant Governor, fixing the term of 
service at two years. This Constitution yet stands 
notwithstanding the prolonged attempt in 1873-74: 
to create a new one. It is now the organic law of 
Ohio. 

From this time on to the opening of the late war, 
the prosperity of the State received no check. 
Towns and cities grew ; railroads multiplied ; com- 
merce was extended; the vacant lands were rapidly 
filled by settlers, and everything tending to the 
advancement of the people was well prosecuted. 
Banks, after much tribulation, had become in a 
measure somewhat secure, their only and serious 
drawback being their isolation or the confinement 
of their circulation to their immediate localities. 
But signs of a mighty contest were apparent. A 
contest almost without a parallel in the annals of 
history ; a contest between freedom and slavery ; 
between wrong and right ; a contest that could 
only end in defeat to the wrong. The Republican 
party came into existence at the close of President 
Pierce's term, in 1855. Its object then was, prin- 
cipally, the restriction of the slave power ; ultimately 
its extinction. One of the chief exponents and sup- 
porters of this growing party in Ohio, was Salmon P. 



Chase ; one who never faltered nor lost faith ; and 
who was at the helm of State; in the halls of Con- 
gress; chief of one the most important bureaus of 
the Government, and, finally, Chief Justice of the 
United States. When war came, after the election 
of Abraham Lincoln by the Republican party, Ohio 
was one of the first to answer to the call for troops. 
Mr. Chase, while Governor, had re-organized the 
militia on a sensible basis, and rescued it from the 
ignominy into which it had fallen. When Mr. 
Lincoln asked for seventy-five thousand men, 
Ohio's quota was thirteen regiments. The various 
chaotic regiments and militia troops in the State 
did not exceed 1,500 men. The call was issued 
April 15, 1861 ; by the 18th, two regiments were 
organized in Columbus, whither these companies 
had gathered; before sunrise of the 19th the Jirst 
and second regiments were on their way to Wash- 
ington City. The President had only asked for 
thirteen regiments; thirty were gathering; the 
Government, not yet fully comprehending the 
nature of the rebellion, refused the surplus troops, 
but Gov. Dennison was authorized to put ten 
additional regiments in the field, as a defensive 
measure, and was also authorized to act on the 
defensive as well as on the offensive. The immense 
extent of southern border made this necessary, 
as all the loyal people in West Virginia and Ken- 
tucky asked for help. 

In the limits of this history, it is impossible to 
trace all the steps Ohio took in the war. One of 
her most talented sons, now at the head of one of 
the greatest newspapers of the world, says, regard- 
ing the action of the people and their Legislature : 

"In one part of the nation there existed a grad- 
ual growth of sentiment against the Union, ending 
in open hostility against its integrity and its Con- 
stitutional law ; on the other side stood a resolute, 
and determined people, though divided in minor 
matters, firmly united on the question of national 
supremacy. The people of Ohio stood squarely 
on this side. Before this her people had been di- 
vided up to the hour when — 

'"That fierce and sudden flash across the rugged black- 
ness broke, 

And, with a voice that shook the land, the guns of Sum- 
ter spoke ; 
********* 

And whereso'er the summons came, there rose the 
angry din, 

As when, upon a rocky coast, a stormy tide sets in.' 

" All waverings then ceased among the people 
and in the Ohio Legislature. The Union must be 



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134 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



preserved. The white heat of patriotism and fe- 
alty to the flag that had been victorious in three 
wars, and had never met but temporary defeat 
then melted all parties^ and dissolved all hesitation, 
and, April 18, 1861, by a unanimous vote of 
ninety-nine Representatives in its favor, there was 
passed a bill appropriating $500,000 to carry into 
effect the requisition of the President, to protect 
the National Government, of which sum $4.50,000 
were to purchase arms and equipments for the 
troops recjuired by that requisition as the quota of 
Ohio, and $50,000 as an extraordinary contingent 
fund for the Governor. The commissioners of the 
State Sinking Fund were authorized, by the same 
bill, to borrow this money, on the per cent bonds 
of the State, and to issue for the same certificates, 
freeing such bonds from taxation. Then followed 
other such legislation that declared the property of 
volunteers free from execution for debt during 
their term of service; that declared any resident 
of the State, who gave aid and comfort to the 
enemies of the Union, guilty of treason against 
the State, to be punished by imprisonment at hard 
labor for life; and, as it had become already evi- 
dent that thousands of militia, beyond Ohio's 
quota of the President's call, would volunteer, the 
Legislature, adopting the sagacious suggestion of 
Gov. Dennison, resolved that all excess of volunteers 
should be retained and paid for service, under 
direction of the Governor. Thereupon a bill 
was passed, authorizing the acceptance of volunteers 
to form ten regiments, and providing $500,000 
for their arms and equipments, and $1,500,000 
more to be disbursed for troops in case of an in- 
vasion of the State. Then other legislation was 
enacted, looking to and providing against the ship- 
ment from or through the State of arms or mu- 
nitions of war, to States either assuming to be 
neutral or in open rebellion ; organizing the whole 
body of the State militia; providing suitable offi- 
cers for duty on the staff of the Governor; re- 
quiring contracts for subsistence of volunteers to 
be let to the lowest bidder, and authorizing the 
appointment of additional general officers. 

" Before the adjournment of that Legislature, 
the Speaker of the House had resigned to take 
command of one of the regiments then about to 
start for Washington City ; two leading Senators 
had been appointed Brigadier Generals, and many, 
in fact nearly all, of the other members of both 
houses had, in one capacity or another, entered the 
military service. It was the first war legislature 
ever elected in Ohio, and, under sudden pressure. 



nobly met the first shock, and enacted the first 
measures of law for war. Laboring under difficul- 
ties inseparable from a condition so unexpected, 
and in the performance of duties so novel, it may 
be historically stated that for patriotism, zeal and 
ability, the Ohio Legislature of 1861 was the 
equal of any of its successors ; while in that exu- 
berance of patriotism which obliterated party lines 
and united all in a common effort to meet the 
threatened integrity of the United States as a 
nation, it surpassed them both. 

" The war was fought, the slave power forever 
destroyed, and under additional amendments to her 
organic law, the L^nited States wiped the stain of 
human slavery from her escutcheon, liberating over 
four million human beings, nineteen-twentieths of 
whom were native-born residents. 

" When Lee surrendered at Appomattox Court 
House, Ohio had two hundred regiments of all 
arms in the National service. In the course of 
the war, she had furnished two hundred and thirty 
regiments, besides twenty-six independent batteries 
of artillery, five independent companies of cavalry, 
several companies of sharpshooters, large parts of 
five regiments credited to the West Virginia con- 
tingent, two regiments credited to the Kentucky 
contingent, two transferred to the United States 
colored troops, and a large proportion of the rank 
and file of the Fifty-fourth and Sixty-fifth Massa- 
chusetts Regiments, also colored men. Of these or- 
ganizations, twenty-three were infantry regiments 
furnished on the first call of the President, an ex- 
cess of nearly one-half over the State's quota ; one 
hundred and ninety-one were infantry regiments, 
furnished on subsequent calls of the President — 
one hundred and seventeen for three years, twenty- 
seven for one year, two for six months, two for 
three months, and forty-two for one hundred days. 
Thirteen were cavalry, and three artillery for three 
years. Of these three-years troops, over twenty 
thousand re-enlisted, as veterans, at the end of 
their long term of service, to fight till the war 
would end." 

As original members of these organizations, Ohio 
furnished to the National service the magnificent 
army of 310,654 actual soldiers, omitting from 
the above number all those who paid commuta- 
tion money, veteran enlistments, and citizens who 
enlisted as soldiers or sailors in other States. The 
count is made from the reports of the Provost 
Marshal General to the War Department, Penn- 
sylvania gave not quite 28,000 more, while Illinois 
fell 48,000 behind; Indiana, 116,000 less; 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



137 



Kentucky, 235,000, and Massachusetts, 164,000. 
Thus Ohio more than maintained, in the National 
army, the rank among her sisters which her popu- 
lation supported. Ohio furnished more troops than 
the President ever required of her ; and at the 
end of the war, with more than a thousand men in 
the camp of the State who were never mustered 
into the service, she still had a credit on the rolls 
of the War Department for 4,332 soldiers, beyond 
the aggregate of all quotas ever assigned to her; 
and, besides all these, 6,479 citizens had, in lieu of 
personal service, paid the commutation ; while In- 
diana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New York 
were all from five to one hundred thousand behind 
their quotas. So ably, through all those years of 
trial and death, did she keep the promise of the 
memorable dispatch from her first war Governor : 
'' If Kentucky refuses to fill her quota, Ohio will 
fill it for her." 

"Of these troops 11,237 were killed or mor- 
tally wounded in action, and of these 6,563 were 
left dead on the field of battle. They fought on 
well-nigh every battle-field of the war. Within 
forty-eight hours after the first call was made for 
troops, two regiments were on the way to Wash- 
ington. An Ohio brigade covered the retreat from 
the first battle of Bull Run. Ohio troops formed 
the bulk of army that saved to the Union the 
territory afterward erected into West Virginia ; 
the bulk of the army that kept Kentucky from 
seceding ; a large part of the army that captured 
Fort Donelson and Island No. 10 ; a great part of 
the army that from Stone River and Chickamauga, 
and Mission Ridge and Atlanta, swept to the sea 
and captured Fort McAllister, and north through 
the Carolinas to Virginia." 

When Sherman started on his famous march to 
the sea, someone said to President Lincoln, "T hey 
will never get through; they will all be captured, 
and the Union will be lost." " It is impossible," 
replied the President ; "it cannot be done. There 
is a 'mighty sight of fight iji one hundred thou- 
sand Western men^ 

Ohio troops fought at Pea Ridge. They charged 
at Wagner. They helped redeem North Carolina. 
They were in the sieges of Vicksburg, Charleston, 
Mobile and Richmond. At Pittsburg Landing, 
at Antietam, Gettysburg and Corinth, in the 
Wilderness, at Five Forks, before Nashville and 
Appomattox Court House; "their bones, reposing 
on the fields they won and in the graves they fill, are 
a perpetual pledge that no flag shall ever wave over 
their graves but that flag they died to maintain." 



Ohio's soil gave birth to, or furnished, a Grant, 
a Sherman, a Sheridan, a McPherson, a Rosecrans, 
a McClellan, a McDowell, a Mitchell, a Gilmore, a 
Hazen,a Sill, a Stanley, a Steadmau,and others — all 
but one, children of the country, reared at West Point 
for such emergencies. Ohio's war record shows 
one General, one Lieutenant General, twenty Major 
Generals, twenty seven Brevet Major Generals, and 
thirty Brigadier Generals, and one hundred and 
fifty Brevet Brigadier Generals. Her three war 
Governors were William Dennison, David Todd, and 
John Brough. She furnished, at the same time, 
one Secretary of War, Edwin M. Stanton, and 
one Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase. 
Her Senators were Benjamin F. Wade and John 
Sherman. At least three out of five of Ohio's 
able-bodied men stood in the line of battle. On 
the head stone of one of these soldiers, who gave 
his life for the country, and who now lies in a 
National Cemetery, is inscribed these words : 

" We charge the living to preserve that Constitution we 
have died to defend." 

The close of the war and return of peace brought 
a period of fictitious values on the country, occa- 
sioned by the immense amount of currency afloat. 
Property rose to unheard-of values, and everything 
with it. Ere long, however, the decline came, and 
with it " hard times." The climax broke over the 
country in 1873, and for awhile it seemed as if 
the country was on the verge of ruin. People 
found again, as preceding generations had found, 
that real value was the only basis of true prosper- 
ity, and gradually began to work to the fact. The 
Government established the specie basis by 
gradual means, and on the 1st day of January, 
1879, began to redeem its outstanding obligations 
in coin. The efi"ect was felt everywhere. Busi- 
ness of all kinds sprang anew into life. A feeling 
of confidence grew as the times went on, and now, 
on the threshold of the year 1880, the State is en- 
tering on an era of steadfast prosperity ; one which 
has a sure and certain foundation. 

Nearly four years have elaped since the great 
Centennial Exhibition was held in Philadelphia ; 
an exhibition that brought from every State in the 
Union the best products of her soil, factories, and 
all industries. In that exhibit Ohio made an ex- 
cellent display. Her stone, iron, coal, cereals, 
woods and everything pertaining to her welfare were 
all represented. Ohio, occupying the middle ground 
of the Union, was expected to show to foreign na- 
tions what the valleys of the Mississippi and Ohio 



V 



Jl- 



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138 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



could produce. The State nobly stood the test 
and ranked foremost among all others. Her cen- 
tennial building was among the first completed 
and among the neatest and best on the grounds. 
During the summer, the Centennial Commission 
extended invitations to the Governors of the several 
States to appoint an orator and name a day for his 



delivery of an address on the history, progress and 
resources of his State. Gov. Hayes named the 
Hon. Edward D. Mansfield for this purpose, and 
August 9th, that gentleman delivered an address 
so valuable for the matter which it contains, that 
we here give a synopsis of it. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

OHIO IN THE CENTENNIAL— ADDRESS OF EDWARD D. MANSFIELD, LL. D., PHILADELPHIA, 

AUGUST 9, 1876. 



ONE hundred years ago, the whole territory, 
from the Alleghany to the Rocky Mountains 
was a wilderness, inhabited only by wild beasts and 
Indians. The Jesuit and Moravian missionaries 
were the only white men who had penetrated the 
wilderness or beheld its mighty lakes and rivers. 
While the thirteen old colonies were declaring 
their independence, the thirteen new States, which 
now lie in the western interior, had no existence, 
and gave no sign of the future. The solitude of 
nature was unbroken by the steps of civilization. 
The wisest statesman had not contemplated the 
probability of the coming States, and the boldest 
patriot did not dream that this interior wilderness 
should soon contain a greater population than the 
thirteen old States, with all the added growth of 
one hundred years. 

Ten years after that, the old States had ceded 
their Western lands to the General Government, 
and the Congress of the United States had passed 
the ordinance of 1785, for the survey of the pub- 
lic territory, and, in 17 87, the celebrated ordinance 
which organized the Northwestern Territory, and 
dedicated it to freedom and intelligence. 

Fifteen years after that, and more than a quarter 
of a century after the Declaration of Independ- 
ence, the State of Ohio was admitted into the 
Union, being the seventeenth which accepted the 
Constitution of the United States. It has since 
grown up to be great, populous and prosperous 
under the influence of those ordinances. At her 
admittance, in 1803, the tide of emigration had 
begun to flow over the Alleghanies into the Valley 
of the Mississippi, and, although no steamboat, no 
railroad then existed, nor even a stage coach helped 
the immigrant, yet the wooden " ark " on the 
Ohio, and the heavy wagon, slowly winding over 



the mountains, bore these tens of thousands to the 
wilds of Kentucky and the plains of Ohio. In 
the spring of 1788 — the first year of settlement — 
four thousand five hundred persons passed the 
mouth of the Muskingum in three months, and 
the tide continued to pour on for half a century in 
a widening stream, mingled with all the races of 
Europe and America, until now, in the hundredth 
year of America's independence, the five States of the 
Northwestern Territory, in the wilderness of 1776, 
contain ten millions of people, enjoying all the 
blessings which peace and prosperity, freedom and 
Christianity, can confer upon any people. Of these 
five States, born under the ordinance of 1787, Ohio 
is the first, oldest, and, in many things, the greatest. 
In some things it is the greatest State in the Union. 
Let us, then, attempt, in the briefest terms, to 
draw an outline portrait of this great and remark- 
able commonwealth. 

Let us observe its physical aspects. Ohio is 
just one-sixth part of the Northwestern Territory 
— 10,000 square miles. It lies between Lake Erie 
and the Ohio River, having 200 miles of navigable 
waters, on one side flowing into the Atlantic Ocean, 
and on the other into the Gulf of Mexico. Through 
the lakes, its vessels touch on G,000 miles of 
interior coast, and, through the Mississippi, on 
36,000 miles of river coast; so that a citizen of 
Ohio may pursue his navigation through 42,000 
miles, all in his own country, and all within naviga- 
ble reach of his own State. He who has circumnavi- 
gated the globe, has gone but little more than 
half the distance which the citizen of Ohio finds 
within his natural reach in this vast interior. 

Looking upon the surface of this State, we find 
no mountains, no barren sands, no marshy wastes, 
no lava-covered plains, but one broad, compact 



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HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



139 



body of arable land, intersected with rivers and 
streams and running waters, while the beautiful 
Ohio flows tranquilly by its side. More than three 
times the surface of Belgium, and one-third of the 
whole of Italy, it has more natural resources in 
proportion than either, and is capable of ultimately 
supporting a larger population than any equal sur- 
face in Europe. Looking from this great arable 
surface, where upon the very hills the grass and 
the forest trees now grow exuberant and abundant, 
we find that underneath this surface, and easily 
accessible, lie 10,000 square miles of coal, and 
4,000 square miles of iron — coal and iron enough 
to supply the basis of manufacture for a world ! 
All this vast deposit of metal and fuel does not in- 
terrupt or take from that arable surface at all. 
There you may find in one place the same machine 
bringing up coal and salt water from below, while 
the wheat and the corn grow upon the surface 
above. The immense masses of coal, iron, salt and 
freestone deposited below have not in any way 
diminished the fertility and production of the soil. 

It has been said by some writer that the char- 
acter of a people is shaped or modified by the 
character of the country in which they live. If 
the people of Switzerland have acquired a certain 
air of liberty and independence from the rugged 
mountains around which they live; if the people 
of Southern Italy, or beautifiil France, have ac- 
quired a tone of ease and politeness from their 
mild and genial clime, so the people of Ohio, 
placed amidst such a wealth of nature, in the tem- 
perate zone, should show the best fruits of peace- 
ful industry and the best culture of Christian 
civilization. Have they done so? Have their 
own labor and arts and culture come up to the ad- 
vantages of their natural situation? Let us exam- 
ine this growth and their product. 

The first settlement of Ohio was made by a 
colony from New England, at the mouth of the 
Muskingum. It was literally a remnant of the 
officers of the Revolution. Of this colony no 
praise of the historian can be as competent, or as 
strong, as the language of Washington. He says, 
in answer to inquiries addressed to him: "No col- 
ony in America was ever settled under such favor- 
able auspices as that which has just commenced at 
the Muskingum. Information, prosperity and 
strength will be its characteristics. I know many 
of the settlers personally, and there never were 
men better calculated to promote the welfare of 
such a community," and he adds that if he were 
a young man, he knows no country in which he 



would sooner settle than in this Western region." 
This colony, left alone for a time, made its own 
government and nailed its laws to a tree in the vil- 
lage, an early indication of that law-abiding and 
peaceful spirit which has since made Ohio a just 
and well-ordered community. The subsequent 
settlements on the Miami and Scioto were made by 
citizens of New Jersey and Virginia, and it is cer- 
tainly remarkable that among all the early immi- 
gration, there were no ignorant people. In the 
language of Washington, they came with " infor- 
mation," qualified to promote the welfare of the 
community. 

Soon after the settlement on the Muskingum 
and the Miami, the great wave of migration 
flowed on to the plains and valleys of Ohio and Ken- 
tucky. Kentucky had been settled earlier, but the 
main body of emigrants in subsequent years 
went into Ohio, influenced partly by the great 
ordinance of 1787, securing freedom and schools 
forever, and partly by the greater security of 
titles under the survey and guarantee of the 
United States Grovernment. Soon the new State 
grew up, with a rapidity which, until then, was 
unknown in the history of civilization. On the 
Muskingum, where the buffalo had roamed; on 
the Scioto, where the Shawanees had built their 
towns ; on the Miami, where the great chiefs of 
the Miamis had reigned ; on the plains of San- 
dusky, yet red with the blood of the white man ; 
on the Maumee, where Wayne, by the victory of 
the " Fallen Timbers," had broken the power of 
the Indian confederacy — the emigrants fi-om the 
old States and from Europe came in to cultivate 
the fields, to build up towns, and to rear the insti- 
tutions of Christian civilization, until the single 
State of Ohio is greater in numbers, wealth, and 
education, than was the whole American Union 
when the Declaration of Independence was made. 

Let us now look at the statistics of this growth 
and magnitude, as they are exhibited in the cen- 
sus of the United States. Taking intervals of 
twenty years, Ohio had: In 1810, 230,760; in 
1830, 937,903; in 1850, 1,980,329; in 1870, 
2,665,260. Add to this the increase of population 
in the last six years, and Ohio now has, in round 
numbers, 3,000,000 of people — half a million 
more than the thirteen States in 1776 ; and 
her cities and towns have to-day six times the 
population of all the cities of America one hund- 
red years ago. This State is now the third in 
numbers and wealth, and the first in some of 
those institutions which mark the progress of 



:\" 



140 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



mankind. That a small part of the wilderness of 
1771) should be more populous than the whole 
Union was then, and that it should have made a 
social and moral advance greater than that of any 
nation in the same time, must be regarded as one 
of the most startling and instructive facts which 
attend this year of commemoration. If such has 
been the social growth of Ohio, let us look at its 
physical development ; this is best expressed by the 
aggregate productions of the labor and arts of a 
people applied to the earth. In the census statistics 
of the United States these are expressed in the 
aggregate results of agriculture, mining, manufact- 
ures, and commerce. Let us simplify these statis- 
tics, by comparing the aggregate and ratios as 
between several States, and between Ohio and some 
countries of Europe. 

The aggregate amount of grain and potatoes — 
farinaceous food, produced in Ohio in 1870 was 
134,938,413 bushels, and in 1874, there were 157,- 
323,597 bushels, being the largest aggregate 
amount raised in any State but one, Illinois, and 
larger per square mile than Illinois or any other 
State in the country. The promises of nature 
were thus vindicated by the labor of man ; and 
the industry of Ohio has fulfilled its whole duty 
to the sustenance of the country and the world. 
She has raised more grain than ten of the old 
States together, and more than half raised by 
Great Britain or by France. I have not the 
recent statistics of Europe, but McGregor, in his 
statistics of nations for 1832 — a period of pro- 
found peace — gives the following ratios for the 
leading countries of Europe : Great Britain, area 
120,324 miles; amount of grain, 262,500,000 
bushels; rate per square mile, 2,190 to 1; 
Austria — area 258,003 miles ; amount of grain, 
366,800,000 bushels; rate per square mile, 1,422 to 
1 ; France — area 215,858 miles ; amount of grain, 
233,847,300 bushels ; rate per square mile, 1,080 
to 1. The State of Ohio — area per square miles, 
40,000 ; amount of grain, 150,000,000 bushels ; 
rate per square mile, 3,750. Combining the great 
countries of Great Britain, Austria, and France, 
we find that they had 594,785 square miles and 
produced 863,147,300 bushels of grain, which was, at 
the time these statistics were taken, 1 ,450 bushels per 
square mile, and ten bushels to each one of the 
population. Ohio, on the other hand, had 3,750 
bushels per square mile, and fifty bushels to each 
one of the population ; that is, there was five 
times as much gi-ain raised in Ohio, in proportion 
to the people, as in these great countries of Europe. 



As letters make words, and words express ideas, so 
these dry figures of statistics express facts, and 
these facts make the whole history of civilization. 

Let us now look at the statistics of domestic 
animals. These are always indicative of the state 
of society in regard to the physical comforts. The 
horse must furnish domestic conveyances ; the 
cattle must furnish the products of the dairy, as 
well as meat, and the sheep must furnish wool. 

Let us see how Ohio compares with other States 
and with Europe : In 1870, Ohio had 8,818,000 
domestic animals ; Illinois, 6,925,000 ; New York, 
5,283,000; Pennsylvania, 4,493,000; and other 
States less. The proportion to population in these 
States was, in Ohio, to each person, 3.3 ; Illinois, 
2.7; New York, 1.2; Pennsylvania, 1.2. 

Let us now see the proportion of domestic ani- 
mals in Europe. The results given by McGregor's 
statistics are : In Great Britain, to each person, 
2.44; Russia, 2.00; France, 1.50 ; Prussia, 1.02; 
Austria, 1.00. It will be seen that the proportion 
in Great Britain is only two-thirds that of Ohio ; 
in France, only one-half; and in Austria and 
Prussia only one-third. It may be said that, in 
the course of civilization, the number of animals 
diminishes as the density of population increases ; 
and, therefore, this result might have been ex- 
pected in the old countries of Europe. But this 
does not apply to Russia or Germany, still less to 
other States in this country. Russia in Europe 
has not more than half the density of population 
now in Ohio. Austria and Prussia have less than 
150 to the square mile. The whole of the north 
of Europe has not so dense a population as the 
State of Ohio, still less have the States of Illinois 
and Missouri, west of Ohio. Then, therefore, 
Ohio showing a larger proportion of domestic ani- 
mals than the north of Europe, or States west of 
her, with a population not so dense, we see at once 
there must be other causes to produce such a 
phenomenon. 

Looking to some of the incidental results of this 
vast agricultural production, we see that the United 
States exports to Europe immense amounts of 
grain and provisions ; and that there is manufact- 
ured in this country an immense amount of woolen 
goods. Then, taking these statistics of the raw 
material, we find that Ohio produces one-fifth of 
all the wool ; one-seventh of all the cheese ; one- 
eighth of all the corn, and one-tenth of all the 
wheat ; and yet Ohio has but a fourteenth part of 
the population, and one-eightieth part of the sur- 
face of this country. 



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HISTOEY OF OHIO. 



141 



Let us take another — a commercial view of this 
matter. We have seen that Ohio raises five times 
as much grain per square mile as is raised per 
square mile in the empires of Great Britain, France 
and Austria, taken together. After making allow- 
ance for the differences of living, in the working 
classes of this country, at least two-thirds of the 
food and grain of Ohio are a surplus beyond the 
necessities of life, and, therefore, so much in the 
commercial balance of exports. This corresponds 
with the fact, that, in the shape of grain, meat, 
liquors and dairy products, this vast surplus is con- 
stantly moved to the Atlantic States and to Europe. 
The money value of this exported product is equal 
to $100,000,000 per annum, and to a solid capital 
of $1,500,000,000, after all the sustenance of the 
people has been taken out of the annual crop. 

We are speaking of agriculture alone. We are 
speaking of a State which began its career more 
than a quarter of a century after the Declaration 
of Independence was made. And now, it may be 
asked, what is the real cause of this extraordinary 
result, which, without saying anything invidious of 
other States, we may safely say has never been 
surpassed in any country? We have already 
stated two of the advantages possessed by Ohio. 
The first is that it is a compact, unbroken body of 
arable land, surrounded and intersected by water- 
courses, equal to all the demands of commerce and 
navigation. Next, that it was secured forever to 
freedom and intelligence by the ordinance of 1787. 
The intelligence of its future people was secured 
by immense grants of public lands for the purpose 
of education ; but neither the blessings of nature, 
nor the wisdom of laws, could obtain such results 
without the continuous labor of an intelligent 
people. Such it had, and we have only to take 
the testimony of Washington, already quoted, and 
the statistical results I have given, to prove that 
no people has exhibited more steady industry, nor 
has any people directed their labor with more in- 
telligence. 

After the agricultural capacity and production 
of a country, its most important physical feature 
is its mineral products; its capacity for coal and 
iron, the two great elements of material civiliza- 
tion. If we were to take away from Great Britain 
her capacity to produce coal in such vast quanti- 
ties, we should reduce her to a third-rate position, 
no longer numbered among the great nations of the 
earth. Coal has smelted her iron, run her steam 
engines, and is the basis of her manufactures. 
But when we compare the coal fields of Great 



Britain with those of this country, they are insig- 
nificant. The coal fields of all Europe are small 
compared with those of the central United States. 
The coal district of Durham and Northumberland, 
in England, is only 880 square miles. There are 
other districts of smaller extent, making in the 
whole probably one-half the extent of that in 
Ohio. The English coal-beds are represented as 
more important, in reference to extent, on account 
of their thickness. There is a small coal district 
in Lancashire, where the workable coal-beds are in 
all 150 feet in thickness. But this involves, as is 
well known, the necessity of going to immense 
depths and incurring immense expense. On the 
other hand, the workable coal-beds of Ohio are 
near the surface, and some of them require no ex- 
cavating, except that of the horizontal lead from 
the mine to the river or the railroad. In one 
county of Ohio there are three beds of twelve, six 
and four feet each, within fifty feet of the surface. 
At some of the mines having the best coal, the 
lead from the mines is nearly horizontal, and just 
high enough to dump the coal into the railroad 
cars. These coals are of all qualities, from that 
adapted to the domestic fire to the very best qual- 
ity for smelting or manufacturing iron. Recollect- 
ing these facts, let us try to get an idea of the coal 
district of Ohio. The bituminous coal region de- 
escending the western slopes of the Alleghanies, 
occupies large portions of Western Pennsylvania, 
West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee. I 
suppose that this coal field is not less than fifty 
thousand square miles, exclusive of Western iMary- 
land and the southern terminations of that field in 
Georgia and Alabama. Of this vast field of coal, 
exceeding anything found in Europe, about one- 
fifth part lies in Ohio. Prof Mather, in his 
report on the geology of the State (first Geologi- 
cal Report of the State) says: 

" The coal-measures within Ohio occupy a space 
of about one hundred and eighty miles in length by 
eighty in breadth at the widest part, with an area 
of about ten thousand square miles, extending 
along the Ohio from Trumbull County in the north 
to near the mouth of the Scioto in the south. 
The regularity in the dip, and the moderate incli- 
nation of the' strata, afford facilities to the mines 
not known to those of most other countries, espe- 
cially Great Britain, where the strata in which the 
coal is imbedded have been broken and thrown out 
of place since its deposit, occasioning many slips 
and faults, and causing much labor and expense in 
again recovering the bed. In Ohio there is very 



Is 



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142 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



little difficulty of this kind, the faults being small 
and seldom found." 

Now, taking into consideration these geological 
facts, let us look at the extent of the Ohio coal 
field. It occupies, wholly or in part, thirty-six 
counties, including, geographically, 14,000 square 
miles ; but leaving out fractions, and reducing the 
Ohio coal field within its narrowest limits, it is 
10,000 S(piare miles in extent, lies near the surface, 
and has on an average twenty feet thickness of work- 
able coal-beds. Let us compare this with the coal 
mines of Durham and Northumberland (England), 
the largest and best coal mines there. That coal 
district is estimated at 850 square miles, twelve 
feet thick, and is calculated to contain 9,000,000,- 
000 tons of coal. The coal field of Ohio is twelve 
times larger and one-third thicker. Estimated by 
that standard, the coal field of Ohio contains 180,- 
000,000,000 tons of coal. Marketed at only $2 
per ton, this coal is worth $360,000,000,000, or, 
in other words, ten times as much as the whole 
valuation of the United States at the present time. 
But we need not undertake to estimate either its 
quantity or value. It is enough to say that it is a 
quantity which we can scarcely imagine, which is 
tenfold that of England, and which is enough to 
supply the entire continent for ages to come. 

After coal, iron is beyond doubt the most val- 
uable mineral product of a State. As the mate- 
rial of manufacture, it is the most important. 
What are called the " precious metals " are not to 
be compared with it as an element of industry or 
profit. But since no manufactures can be success- 
fully carried on without fuel, coal becomes the first 
material element of the arts. Iron is unquestion- 
ably the next. Ohio has an iron district extending 
from the mouth of the Scioto River to some point 
north of the Mahoning River, in Trumbull County. 
The whole length is nearly two hundred miles, and 
the breadth twenty miles, making, as near as we can 
ascertain, 4,000 square miles. The iron in this dis- 
trict is of various qualities, and is manufactured 
largely into bars and castings. In this iron dis- 
trict are one hundred furnaces, forty-four rolling- 
mills, and fifteen rail-mills, being the largest num- 
ber of either in any State in the Union, except 
only Pennsylvania. 

Althoughonly the seventeenth State inits admis- 
sion, I find that, by the census statistics of 1870, 
it is the third State in the production of iron and iron 
manufactures. Already, and within the life of 
one man, this State begins to show what must in 
future time be the vast results of coal and iron. 



applied to the arts and manufactures. In the 
year 1874, there were 420,000 tons of pig iron 
produced in Ohio, which is larger than the prod- 
uct of any State, except Pennsylvania. The 
product and the manufacture of iron in Ohio 
have increased so rapidly, and the basis for 
increase is so great, that we may not doubt that 
Ohio will continue to be the greatest producer of 
iron and iron fabrics, except only Pennsylvania. 
At Cincinnati, the iron manufacture of the Ohio 
Valley is concentrating, and at Cleveland the ores 
of Lake Superior are being smelted. 

After coal and iron, we may place salt among 
the necessaries of life. In connection" with the 
coal region west of the Alleghanies, there lies in 
Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio, a large 
space of country underlaid by the salt rock, which 
already produces immense amounts of salt. Of 
this, Ohio has its full proportion. In a large 
section of the southeastern portion of the State, 
salt is produced without any known limitation. 
At Pomeroy and other points, the salt rock lies 
about one thousand feet below the surface, but 
salt water is brought easily to the surface by the 
steam engine. There, the salt rock, the coal 
seam, and the noble sandstone lie in successive 
strata, while the green corn and the yellow wheat 
bloom on the surface above. The State of Ohio 
produced, in 1874, 3,500,000 bushels of salt, 
being one-fifth of all produced in the United 
States. The salt section of Ohio is exceeded only 
by that of Syracuse, New York, and of Saginaw, 
Michigan. There is no definite limit to the 
underlying salt rock of Ohio, and, therefore, the 
production will be proportioned only to the extent 
of the demand. 

Having now considered the resources and the 
products of the soil and the mines of Ohio, we 
may properly ask how far the people have employed 
their resources in the increase of art and manu- 
facture. We have two modes of comparison, the 
rate of increase within the State, and the ratio 
they bear to other States. The aggregate value 
of the products of manufacture, exclusive of 
mining, in the last three censuses were: in 1850, 
$62,692,000; in 1860, $121,691,000; in 1870, 
$269,713,000. 

The ratio of increase was over 100 per cent in 
each ten years, a rate far beyond that of the in- 
crease of population, and much beyond the ratio of 
increase in the whole country. In 1850, the man- 
ufiictures of Ohio were one-sixteenth part of the 
aggregate in the country ; in 1860, one-fifteenth 



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HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



143 



part; in 1870, one-twelfth part. In addition to 
this, we find, from the returns of Cincinnati and 
Cleveland, that the value of the manufactured prod- 
ucts of Ohio in 1875, must have reached $400,- 
000,000. and, by reference to the census tables, it 
will be seen that the ratio of increase exceeded that 
of the great manufacturing States of New York, 
Massachusetts and Connecticut. Of all the States 
admitted into the Union prior to Ohio, Pennsylvania 
alone has kept pace in the progress of manufacture. 
Some little reference to the manufacture of leading 
articles may throw some light on the cause of this. 
In the production of agricultural machinery and 
implements, Ohio is the first State ; in animal and 
vegetable oils and in pig iron, the second; in cast 
iron and in tobacco, the third ; in salt, in machinery 
and in leather, the fourth. These facts show how 
largely the resources of coal, iron and agriculture 
have entered into the manufactures of the State. 
This great advance in the manufactures of Ohio, 
when we consider that this State is, relatively to 
its surface, the first agricultural State in the 
country, leads to the inevitable inference that its 
people are remarkably industrious. When, on 
forty thousand square miles of surface, three mill- 
ions of people raise one hundred and fifty million 
bushels of grain, and produce manufactures to the 
amount of $269,000,000 (which is fifty bushels 
of breadstuff to each man, woman and child, and 
$133 of manufacture), it will be difficult to find 
any community surpassing such results. It is a 
testimony, not only to the State of Ohio, but to 
the industry, sagacity and energy of the American 
people. 

Looking now to the commerce of the State, we 
have said there are six hundred miles of coast line, 
which embraces some of the principal internal ports 
of the Ohio and the lakes, such as Cincinnati, Cleve- 
land, Toledo and Portsmouth, but whose commerce 
is most wholly inland. Of course, no comparison 
can be made with the foreign commerce of the 
ocean ports. On the other -hand, it is well known 
that the inland trade of the country far exceeds 
that of all its foreign commerce, and that the larg- 
est part of this interior trade is carried on its 
rivers and lakes. The materials for the vast con- 
sumption of the interior must be conveyed in its 
vessels, whether of sail or steam, adapted to these 
waters. Let us take, then, the ship-building, the 
navigation, and the exchange trades of Ohio, as 
elements in determining the position of this State 
in reference to the commerce of the country. At 
the ports of Cleveland, Toledo, Sandusky and Cin- 



cinnati, there have been built one thousand sail and 
steam vessels in the last twenty years, making an 
average of fifty each year. The number of sail, 
steam and all kinds of vessels in Ohio is eleven 
hundred and ninety, which is equal to the number 
in all the other States in the Ohio Valley and the 
Upper Mississippi. 

When we look to the navigable points to which 
these vessels are destined, we find them on all this 
vast coast line, which extends from the Gulf of 
Mexico to the Yellowstone, and from Duluth to 
the St. Lawrence. 

Looking again to see the extent of this vast in- 
terior trade which is handled by Ohio alone, we 
find that the imports and exports of the principal 
articles of Cincinnati, amount in value to $500,- 
000,000; and when we look at the great trade of 
Cleveland and Toledo, we shall find that the an- 
nual trade of Ohio exceeds $700,000,000. The 
lines of railroad which connect with its ports, are 
more than four thousand miles in length, or rather 
more than one mile in length to each ten square 
miles of surface. This great amount of railroads is 
engaged not merely in transporting to the Atlantic 
and thence to Europe, the immense surplus grain 
and meat in Ohio, but in carrying the largest part 
of that greater surplus, which exists in the States 
west of Ohio, the granary of the West. Ohio 
holds the gateway of every railroad north of the 
Ohio, from the Mississippi to the Atlantic, and 
hence it is that the great transit lines of the coun- 
try pass through Ohio. 

Let us now turn from the progress of the arts 
to the progress of ideas ; from material to intellect- 
ual development. It is said that a State consists 
of men, and history shows that no art or science, 
wealth or power, will compensate for the want of 
moral or intellectual stability in the minds of a 
nation. Hence, it is admitted that the strength 
and perpetuity of our republic must consist in the 
intelligence and morality of the people. A re- 
public can last only when the people are enlight- 
ened. This was an axiom with the early legislators 
of this country. Hence it was that when Vir- 
ginia, Connecticut and the original colonies ceded 
to the General Government that vast and then un- 
known wilderness which lay west of the Allegha- 
nies, in the valleys of the Ohio and Mississippi, thoy 
took care that its future inhabitants should be an 
educated people. The Constitution was not formed 
when the celebrated ordinance of 1787 was passed. 

That ordinance provided that, " Religion, mor- 
ality, and knowledge being necessary to good 



sW*" 



t. 

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144 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



government and the happiness of mankind, schools 
and the means of education shall be forever en- 
couraged;" and by the ordinance of 1785 for the 
survey of public lands in the Northwestern Terri- 
tory, Section 16 in each township, that is, one 
thirty-sixth part, was reserved for the maintenance 
of public schools in said townships. As the State 
of Ohio contained a little more than twenty-five 
millions of acres, this, together with two special 
grants of three townships to universities, amounted 
to the dedication of 740,000 acres of land to the 
maintenance of schools and colleges. It was a 
splendid endowment, but it was many years before 
it became available. It was sixteen years after the 
passage of this ordinance (in 1803), when Ohio 
entered the Union, and legislation upon this grant 
became possible. The Constitution of the State 
pursued the language of the ordinance, and de- 
clared that "schools and the means of education 
shall forever be encouraged by legislative provision." 
The Governors of Ohio, in successive messages, 
urged attention to this subject upon the people; 
but the thinness of settlement, making it impossi- 
ble, except in few districts, to collect youth in suf- 
ficient numbers, and impossible to sell or lease 
lands to advantage, caused the delay of efficient 
school system for many years. In 1825, however, 
a general law establishing a school system, and levy- 
ing a tax for its support, was passed. 

This was again enlarged and increased by new 
legislation in 183(3 and 1846. From that time to 
this, Ohio has had a broad, liberal and efficient sys- 
tem of public instruction. The taxation for schools, 
and the number enrolled in them at different pe- 
riods, will best show what has been done. In 
1855 the total taxation for school purposes was 
$2,672,827. The proportion of youth of school- 
able age enrolled was 67 per cent. In 1874 the 
amount raised by taxation was $7,425,135. The 
number enrolled of schoolable age was 70 per 
cent, or 707,943. 

As the schoolable age extends to twenty-one 
years, and as there are very few youth in school 
after fifteen years of age, it follows that the 70 
per cent of schoolable youths enrolled in the ])ub- 
lic schools must comprehend nearly the whole 
number between four and fifteen years. It is im- 
portant to observe this fact, because it has been 
inferred that, as the whole number of youth be- 
tween five and twenty-one have not been enrolled, 
therefore they are not educated. This is a 
mistake; nearly all over fifteen years of age have 
been in the public schools, and all the native 



youth of the State, and all foreign born, young 
enough, have had the benefit of the public schools. 
But in consequence of the large number who 
have come from other States and from foreign 
countries, there are still a few who are classed by 
the census statistics among the "illiterate;" the 
proportion of this class, however, is less in propor- 
tion than in twenty-eight other States, and less in 
proportion than in Connecticut and Massachusetts, 
two of the oldest States most noted for popular 
education. In fact, every youth in Ohio, under 
twenty-one years of age, may have the benefit of a 
public education ; and, since the system of graded 
and high schools has been adopted, may obtain a 
common knowledge from the alphabet to the classics. 
The enumerated branches of study in the pub- 
lic schools of Ohio are thirty-four, including 
mathematics and astronomy, French, German and 
the classics. Thus the State which was in the 
heart of the wilderness in 1776, and was not a 
State until the nineteenth century had begun, now 
presents to the world, not merely an unrivaled de- 
velopment of material prosperity, but an unsur- 
passed system of popular education. 

In what is called the higher education, in the 
colleges and universities, embracing the classics 
and sciences taught in regular classes, it is the pop- 
ular idea, and one which few dare to question, that 
we must look to the Eastern States for superiority 
and excellence ; but that also is becoming an as- 
sumption without proof; a proposition difficult to 
sustain. The facts in regard to the education of 
universities and colleges, their faculties, students 
and course of instruction, are all set forth in the 
complete statistics of the Bureau of Education for 
1874. They show that the State of Ohio had the 
largest number of such institutions; the largest 
number of instructors in their faculties, except one 
State, New York ; and the largest number of stu- 
dents in regular college classes, in proportion to 
their population, except the two States of Connect- 
icut and Massachusetts. Perhaps, if we look at 
the statistics of classical students in the colleges, 
disregarding preparatory and irregular courses, we 
shall get a more accurate idea of the progress of 
the higher education in those States which claim 
the best. In Ohio, 36 colleges, 258 teachers, 
2,139 students, proportion, 1 in 124; in Penn- 
sylvania, 27 colleges, 239 teachers, 2,359 students, 
proportion, 1 in 150; in New York, 26 colleges, 
343 teachers, 2,764 students, proportion, 1 in 176; 
in the six NewEngland States, 17 colleges, 252 teach- 
ers, 3,341 students, proportion, 1 in 105; in Illi- 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



145 



nois, 24 colleges, 219 teachers, 1,701 students, 
proportion, 1 in 140. 

This shows there are more collegiate institutions 
in Ohio than in all New England ; a greater num- 
ber of college teachers, and only a little smaller ratio 
of students to the population ; a greater number of 
such students than either in New York or Pennsyl- 
vania, and, as a broad, general fact, Ohio has made 
more progress in education than either of the old 
States which formed the American Union. Such 
a fact is a higher testimony to the strength and the 
beneficent influence of the American Government 
than any which the statistician or the historian 
can advance. 

Let us now turn to the moral aspects of the 
people of Ohio. No human society is found with- 
out its poor and dependent classes, whether made 
so by the defects of nature, by acts of Providence, 
or by the accidents of fortune. Since no society 
is exempt from these classes, it must be judged 
not so much by the fact of their existence, as by 
the manner in which it treats them. In the civil- 
ized nations of antiquity, such as Greece and 
Rome, hospitals, infirmaries, orphan homes, and 
asylums for the infirm, were unknown. These 
are the creations of Christianity, and that must be 
esteemed practically the most Christian State which 
most practices this Christian beneficence. In Ohio, 
as in all the States of this country, and of all 
Christian countries, there is a large number of the 
infirm and dependent classes; but, although Ohio 
is the third State in population, she is only the 
fourteenth in the proportion of dependent classes. 
The more important point, however, was, how does 
she treat them ? Is there wanting any of all 
the varied institutions of benevolence? How does 
she compare with other States and countries in 
this respect? It is believed that no State or coun- 
try can present a larger proportion of all these 
institutions which the benevolence of the wise and 
good have suggested for the alleviation of suffer- 
ing and misfortune, than the State of Ohio. With 
3,500 of the insane within h§r borders, she has 
five great lunatic asylums, capable of accommodat- 
ing them all. She has asylums for the deaf and 
dumb, the idiotic, and the blind. She has the 
best hospitals in the country. She has schools 
of reform and houses of refuge. She has " homes " 
for the boys and girls, to the number of 800, who 
are children of soldiers. She has penitentiaries 
and jails, orphan asylums and infirmaries. In 
every county there is an infirmary, and in every 
public institution, except the penitentiary, there is a 



school. So that the State has used every human 
means to relieve the suff'ering, to instruct the igno- 
rant, and to reform the criminal. There are in 
the State 80,000 who come under all the various 
forms of the infirm, the poor, the sick and the 
criminal, who, in a greater or less degree, make 
the dependent class. For these the State has 
made every provision which humanity or justice 
or intelligence can require. A young State, de- 
veloped in the wilderness, she challenges, without 
any invidious comparison, both Europe and Amer- 
ica, to show her superior in the development of 
humanity manifested in the benefaction of public 
institutions. 

Intimately connected with public morals and 
with charitable institutions, is the religion of a 
people. The people of the United States are a 
Christian people. The people of Ohio have man- 
ifested their zeal by the erection of churches, of 
Sunday schools, and of religious institutions. So 
far as these are outwardly manifested, they are 
made known by the social statistics of the census. 
The number of church organizations in the leading 
States were : In the State of Ohio, 6,488 ; in 
the State of New York, 5,627 : in the State of 
Pennsylvania, 5,984 ; in the State of Illinois, 4,298. 
It thus appears that Ohio had a larger number 
of churches than any State of the Union. The 
number of sittings, however, was not quite as 
large as those in New York and Pennsylvania. 
The denominations are of all the sects known in 
this country, about thirty in number, the majority 
of the whole being Methodists, Presbyterians and 
Baptists. Long before the American Independ- 
ence, the Moravians had settled on the Mahoning 
and Tuscarawas Rivers, but only to be destroyed ; 
and when the peace with Great Britain was made, 
not a vestige of Christianity remained on the 
soil of Ohio ; yet we see that within ninety years 
from that time the State of Ohio was, in the num- 
ber of its churches, the first of this great Union. 

In the beginning of this address, I said that 
Ohio was the oldest and first of these great States, 
carved out of the Northwestern Territory, and that 
it was in some things the greatest State of the 
American Union. I have now traced the physi- 
cal, commercial, intellectual and moral features of 
the State during the seventy-five years of its 
constitutional history. The result is to establish 
fully the propositions with which I began. These 
facts have brought out : 

1. That Ohio is, in reference to the square 
miles of its surface, the first State in agriculture 



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146 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



of tlie American Union; this, too, notwithstand- 
ing it has 800,000 in cities and towns, and a large 
development of capital and products in manu- 
factures. 

2. That Ohio has raised more grain per square 
mile than either France, Austria, or Great Britain. 
They raised 1,450 bushels per square mile, and 
10 bushels to each person. Ohio raised 3,750 
bushels per square mile, and 50 bushels to each 
one of the population ; or, in other words, five 
times the proportion of grain raised in Europe. 

3. Ohio was the first State of the Union in 
the production of domestic animals, being far in 
advance of either New York, Pennsylvania or Illi- 
nois. The proportion of domestic animals to each 
person in Ohio was three and one-third, and in 
New York and Pennsylvania less than half that. 
The largest proportion of domestic animals pro- 
duced in Europe was in Great Britain and Russia, 
neither of which come near that of Ohio. 

4. The coal-field of Ohio is vastly greater than 
that of Great Britain, and we need make no com- 
parison with other States in regard to coal or iron ; 
for the 10,000 square miles of coal, and 4,000 
square miles of iron in Ohio, are enough to supply 
the whole American continent for ages to come. 

5. Neither need we compare the results of 
commerce and navigation, since, from the ports of 
Cleveland and Cincinnati, the vessels of Ohio 
touch on 42,000 miles of coast, and her 5,000 
miles of railroad carry her products to every part 
of the American continent. 

6. Notwithstanding the immense proportion 
and products of agriculture in Ohio, yet she has 
more th*an kept pace with New York and New 
England in the progress of manufactures during 
the last twenty years. Her coal and iron are pro- 
ducing their legitimate results in making her a 
great manuflicturing State. 

7. Ohio is the first State in the Union as to 
the proportion of youth attending school ; and the 
States west of the Alleghanies and north of the 
Ohio have more youth in school, proportionably, 
than New England and New York. The facts on 
this subject are so extraordinary that I may be 
excused for giving them a little in detail. 

The proportion of youth in Ohio attending 
school to the population, is 1 in 4.2; in Illinois, 1 
in 4.3; in Pennsylvania, 1 in 4.8; in New York, 
1 in 5.2 ; in Connecticut and Massachusetts, 1 in 
8.7. 

These proportions show that it is in the West, 
and not in the East, that education is now advanc- 



ing; and it is here that we see the stimulus given 
by the ordinance of 1787, is working out its great 
and beneficent results. The land grant for educa- 
tion was a great one, but, at last, its chief effort 
was in stimulating popular education ; for the State 
of Ohio has taxed itself tens of millions of dollars 
beyond the utmost value of the land grant, to 
found and maintain a system of public education 
which the world has not surpassed. 

We have seen that above and beyond all this 
material and intellectual development, Ohio has 
provided a vast benefaction of asylums, hospitals, 
and infirmaries, and special schools for the support 
and instruction of the dependent classes. There is 
not within all her borders a single one of the deaf, 
dumb, and blind, of the poor, sick, and insane, not 
an orphan or a vagrant, who is not provided for 
by the broad and generous liberality of the State 
and her people. A charity which the classic ages 
knew nothing of, a beneficence which the splendid 
hierarchies and aristocracies of Europe cannot 
equal, has been exhibited in this young State, 
whose name was unknown one hundred years ago, 
whose people, from Europe to the Atlantic, and 
from the Atlantic to the Ohio, were, like Adam 
and Eve, cast out — " the world be/ore them where 
to choose^ 

Lastly, we see that, although the third in pop- 
ulation, and the seventeenth in admission to the 
Union, Ohio had, in 1870, 6,400 churches, the 
largest number in any one State, and numbering 
among them every form of Christian worship. 
The people, whose fields were rich with grain, 
whose mines were boundless in wealth, and whose 
commerce extended through thousands of miles 
of lakes and rivers, came here, as they came to 
New England's rock-bound coast — 

" With freedom to worship God." 

The church and the schoolhouse rose beside the 
green fields, and the morning bells rang forth to 
cheerful children going to school, and to a Chris- 
tian people going to the church of God. 

Let us now look at the possibilities of Ohio in 
the future development of the American Repub- 
lican Republic. The two most populous parts of 
Europe, because the most food-producing, are the 
Netherlands and Italy, or, more precisely, Belgium 
and ancient Lombardy ; to the present time, their 
population is, in round numbers, three hundred to 
the square mile. The density of population in 
England proper is about the same. We may 
assume, therefore, that three hundred to the square 



■^ 



HISTORY or OHIO. 



147 



mile is, in round numbers, the limit of comfortable 
subsistence under modern civilization. It is true 
that modern improvements in agricultural machin- 
ery and fertilization have greatly increased the 
capacity of production, on a given amount of 
land, with a given amount of labor. It is true, 
also, that the old countries of Europe do not 
possess an equal amount of arable land with Ohio 
in proportion to the same surface. It would seem, 
therefore, that the density of population in Ohio 
might exceed that of any part of Europe. On 
the other hand, it may be said with truth that the 
American people will not become so dense as in 
Europe while they have new lands in the West 
to occupy. This is true ; but lands such as those 
in the valley of the Ohio are now becoming 
scarce in the West, and we think that, with her 
great capacity for the production of grain on one 
hand, and of illimitable quantities of coal and 
iron to manufacture with on the other, that Ohio 
will, at no remote period, reach nearly the density 
of Belgium, which will give her 10,000,000 of 
people. This seems extravagant, but the tide of 
migration, which flowed so fast to the West, is 
beginning to ebb, while the manufactures of the 
interior offer greater inducements. 

With population comes wealth, the material for 
education, the development of the arts, advance 
in all the material elements of civilization, and the 
still grander advancements in the strength and 
elevation of the human mind, conquering to itself 
new realms of material and intellectual power, 
acquiring in the future what we have seen in the 
past, a wealth of resources unknown and undreamed 
of when, a hundred years ago, the fathers of the 
republic declared their independence. I know 
how easy it is to treat this statement with easy 
incredulity, but statistics is a certain science ; the 
elements of civilization are now measured, and we 
know the progress of the human race as we know 



that of a cultivated plant. We know the resources 
of the country, its food-producing capacity, its 
art processes, its power of education, and the unde- 
fined and illimitable power of the human mind 
for new inventions and unimagined progress. With 
this knowledge, it is not difiicult nor unsafe to say 
that the future will produce more, and in a far 
greater ratio, than the past. The pictured scenes 
of the prophets have already been more than ful- 
filled, and the visions of beauty and glory, which 
their imagination failed fully to describe, will be 
more than realized in the bloom of that garden 
which republican America will present to the 
eyes of astonished mankind. Long before another 
century shall have passed by, the single State of 
Ohio will present fourfold the population with which 
the thirteen States began their independence, more 
wealth than the entire Union now has ; greater 
universities than any now in the country, and a 
development of arts and manufacture which the 
world now knows nothing of. You have seen 
more than that since the Constitution was adopted, 
and what right have you to say the future shall 
not equal the past ? 

I have aimed, in this address, to give an exact 
picture of what Ohio is, not more for the sake of 
Ohio than as a representation of the products 
which the American Republic has given to the 
world. A State which began long after the 
Declaration of Independence, in the then unknown 
wilderness of North America, presents to-day 
the fairest example of what a republican govern- 
ment with Christian civilization can do. Look 
upon this picture and upon those of Assyria, 
of Greece or Rome, or of Europe in her best 
estate, and say where is the civilization of the 
earth which can equal this. If a Roman citizen could 
say with pride, " Civis Romanus sum," with far 
greater pride can you say this day, "I am an 
American citizen." 




■"I e) 






r^ Q 



148 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



EDUCATION* — EARLY SCHOOL LAWS — NOTES — INSTITUTES AND EDUCATIONAL JOURNALS- 
SCHOOL SYSTEM — SCHOOL FUNDS— COLLEGES A.ND UNIVERSITIES. 



WHEN the survey of the Northwest Terri- 
tory was ordered by Congress, March 20, 
1785, it was decreed that every sixteenth section 
of hind should be reserved for the "maintenance 
of pubhc schools within each township." The 
ordinance of 1787 — thanks to the New England 
Associates — proclaimed that, " religion, morality 
and knowledge being essential to good government, 
schools and the means of education should forever 
be encouraged." The State Constitution of 1802 
declared that " schools and the means of instruc- 
tion should be encouraged by legislative provision, 
not inconsistent with the rights of conscience." 
In 1825, through the persevering eflforts of Nathan 
Guilford, Senator from Hamilton County, Ephraim 
Cutler, Representative from Washington County, 
and other friends of education, a bill was passed, 
" laying the foundation for a general system of 
common schools." This bill provided a tax of one- 
half mill, to be levied by the County Commis- 
sioners for school purposes ; provided for school 
examiners, and made Township Clerks and County 
Auditors school officers. In 1829, this county 
tax was raised to three-fourths of a mill ; in 1834 
to one mill, and, in 1836, to one and a half mills. 
In March, 1837, Samuel Lewis, of Hamilton 
County,was appointed State Superintendent of Com- 
mon Schools. He was a very energetic worker, trav- 
eling on horseback all over the State, delivering ad- 
dresses and encouraging school officers and teachers. 
Through his efforts much good was done, and 

* From the School Commissioners' Reports, principally those of 
Thomns W. Harvey, A. M. 

Note 1. — The first school taught in Ohio, or in the Northwestern 
Territory, was iu 1791. The first teacher was Maj. Austin Tiipper, 
eldestson of Gen. Benjamin Tnpper, both Revolutionary officers. 
The room occupied was the same as that in which the first Court was 
held, and was situated in the northwest block-house of the garrison, 
called the stockade, at Marietta. During the Indian war school 
was al.so taught at Fort Harmar, Point Marietta, and at other set- 
tlements. A meeting was held in Marietta, April 29, 1797, to con- 
sider the erection of a school building suitable for the instruction 
of the youth, and for conducting religious services. Resolutions 
were adopted which led to the erection of a building called the 
Muskingum Academy. The building was of frame, forty feet long 
and twenly-four feet wide, and is yet(lS78)standing. Thebuilding 
was twelve ffet higlj, with an arched ceiling. It stood upon astone 
foundation, three steps from the ground. There were two chimneys 
and a lobby projection. There was a cellar under the whole build- 
ing. It stood upon a beaiitiful lot, fronting the Muskingum River, 
and about sixty feet back fiom the street. Some large trees were 



many important features engrafted on the school 
system. He resigned in 1839, when the office was 
abolished, and its duties imposed on the Secretary 
of State. 

The most important adjunct in early education 
in the State was the college of teachers organized 
in Cincinnati in 1831. Albert Pickett, Dr. Joseph 
Ray, William H. McGuffey — so largely known by 
his Readers — and Milo G. Williams, were at its 
head. Leading men in all parts of the West at- 
tended its meetings. Their published deliberations 
did much for the advancement of education among 
the people. Through the efforts of the college, 
the first convention held in Ohio for educational 
purposes was called at Columbus, January 13, 
1836. Two years after, in December, the first 
convention in which the different sections of the 
State were represented, was held. At both these 
conventions, all the needs of the schools, both com- 
mon and higher, were ably and fully discussed, 
and appeals made to the people for a more coi'dial 
support of the law. No successful attempts were 
made to organize a permanent educational society 
until December, 1847, when the Ohio State Teach- 
ers' Association was formed at Akron, Summit 
County, with Samuel Galloway as President; T. 
W. Harvey, Recording Secretary; M. D. Leggett, 
Corresponding Secretary ; William Bowen, Treas- 
urer, and M. F. Cowdrey, Chairman of the Executive 
Committee. This Association entered upon its 
work with commendable earnestness, and has since 

upon the lot and on the street in front. Across the street was an 
open common, and beyond that the river. Immediately opposite 
tlie door, on entering, was a broad aisle, and, at the end of the 
aisle, against the wall, was a desk or pulpit. On the right and left 
of the pulpit, against the wall, and fronting the pulpit, was a row 
of slips. On each sideof the door, facing the pulpit, were two slips, 
and, at each end of the room, one slip. These slips were stationary, 
and were fitted with desks that could be let down, and there were 
boxes in the desks for holding books and papers. In the center of 
the room was an open space, which could be filled with movable 
seats. The first school was opened here in 1800." — Letter of A. T. 
Nye. 

Note 2. — Another evidence of the character of the New England 
Associates is the founding of a public library as early as 1796, or 
before. Another was also established at Belpre about the same time. 
Abundant evidence proves the existence of these libraries, all tend- 
ing to the fact that the early settlers, though conquering a wilder- 
ness and a savage foe, would not allow their mental faculties to 
lack for food. The character of the books shows that "solid" 
reading predominated. 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



149 



never abated its zeal. Semi-annual meetings were 
at first held, but, since 1858, only annual meetings 
occur. They are always largely attended, and al- 
ways by the best and most energetic teachers. 
The Association has given tone to the educational 
interests of the State, and has done a vast amount 
of good in popularizing education. In the spring 
of 1851, Lorin Andrews, then Superintendent of 
the Massillon school, resigned his place, and be- 
came a common-school missionary. In July, the 
Association, at Cleveland, made him its agent, and 
instituted measures to sustain him. He remained 
zealously at work in this relation until 1853, when 
he resigned to accept the presidency of Kenyon 
College, at Gambler. Dr. A. Lord was then chosen 
general agent and resident editor of the Journal 
of Education, which positions he filled two years, 
with eminent ability. 

The year that Dr. Lord resigned, the ex officio 
relation of the Secretary of State to the common 
schools was abolished, and the office of school com- 
missioner again created. H. H. Barney was 
elected to the place in October, 1853. The office 
has since been held by Rev. Anson Smyth, elected 
in 1856, and re-elected in 1859 ; E. E. White, 
appointed by the Grovernor, November 11, 1863, 
to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of C. 
W. H. Cathcart, who was elected in 1862; John 
A. Norris, in 1865; W. D. Henkle, in 1868; 
Thomas W. Harvey, in 1871; C. S. Smart, in 
1875, and the present incumbent, J. J. Burns, 
elected in 1878, his term expiring in 1881. 

The first teachers' institute in Northern Ohio 
was held at Sandusky, in September, 18-15, con- 
ducted by Salem Town, of New York, A. D. Lord 
and M. F. Cowdrey. The second was held at Char- 
don, Geauga Co., in November of the same year. 
The first institute in the southern part of the 
State was held at Cincinnati, in February, 1837; 
the first in the central part at Newark, in March, 
1848. Since then these meetings of teachers have 
occurred annually, and have been the means of 
great good in elevating the teacher and the public 
in educational interests. In 1848., on petition of 
forty teachers, county commissioners were author- 
ized to pay lecturers from surplus revenue, and the 
next year, to appropriate $100 for institute pur- 
poses, upon pledge of teachers to raise half that 
amount. By the statutes of 1864, applicants for 
teachers were required to pay 50 cents each as an 
examination fee. One-third of the amount thus 
raised was allowed the use of examiners as trav- 
eling expenses, the remainder to be applied to in- 



stitute instruction. For the year 1871, sixty-eight 
teachers' institutes were held in the State, at which 
308 instructors and lecturers were employed, and 
7,158 teachers in attendance. The expense incurred 
was $16,361.99, of which $10,127.13 was taken 
from the institute fund; $2,730.34, was contrib- 
uted by members; $680, by county commis- 
sioners, and the balance, $1,371.50, was ob- 
tained from other sources. The last report of the 
State Commissioners — 1878 — shows that eighty- 
five county institutes were held in the State, con- 
tinuing in session 748 days; 416 instructors were 
employed; 11,466 teachers attended; $22,531.47 
were received from all sources, and that the ex- 
penses were $19,587.51, or $1.71 per member. 
There was a balance on hand of $9,460.74 to com- 
mence the next year, just now closed, whose work 
has been as progressive and thorough as any former 
year. The State Association now comprises three 
sections; the general association, the superintend- 
ents' section and the ungraded school section. All 
have done a good work, and all report progress. 

The old State Constitution, adopted by a con- 
vention in 1802, was supplemented in 1851 by 
the present one, under which the General Assem- 
bly, elected under it, met in 1852. Harvey Rice, 
a Senator from Cuyahoga County, Chairman of 
Senate Committee on "Common Schools and 
School Lands," reported a bill the 29th of March, 
to provide "for the re-organization, supervision 
and maintenance of common schools." This bill, 
amended in a few particulars, became a law 
March 14, 1853. The prominent features of the 
new law were : The substitution of a State school 
tax for the county tax ; creation of the office of 
the State School Commissioner; the creation of a 
Township Board of Education, consisting of repre- 
sentatives from the subdistricts ; the abolition of 
rate-bills, making education free to all the youth of 
the State ; the raising of a fund, by a tax of one- 
tenth of a mill yearly, " for the purpose of fur- 
nishing school libraries and apparatus to all the 
common schools." This "library tax" was abol- 
ished in 1860, otherwise the law has remained 
practically unchanged. 

School journals, like the popular press, have 
been a potent agency in the educational history of 
the State. As early as 1838, the Ohio School 
Director was issued by Samuel Lewis, by legisla- 
tive authority, though after six months' continu- 
ance, it ceased for want of support. The same 
year the Fesfalozzian, by E. L. Sawtell and II. 
K. Smith, of Akron, and the Common School 



150 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



Advocate, of Cincinnati, were issued. In 1846, 
the School Journal began to be published by A. 
I). Lord, of Kirtland. The same year saw the 
Free School Clarion, by W. Bowen, of Massillon, 
and the School Friend, by W. B. Smith & Co., 
of Cincinnati. The next year, W. H. Moore & 
Co., of Cincinnati, started the Western School 
Journal. In 1851, the Ohio Teacher, by 
Thomas Rainey, appeared; the News and Edu- 
cator, in 1863, and the Educational Times, in 
1866. In 1850, Dr. Lord's Journal of Educa- 
tion was united with the School Friend, and 
became the recognized organ of the teachers in 
Ohio. The Doctor remained its principal editor 
until 1856, when he was succeeded by Anson 
Smyth, who edited the journal one year. In 1857, 
it was edited by John D. Caldwell ; in 1858 and 
and 1859, by W. T. Coggeshall; in 1860, by Anson 
Smyth again, when it passed into the hands of 
E. E. White, who yet controls it. It has an 
immense circulation among Ohio teachers, and, 
though competed by other journals, since started, 
it maintains its place. 

The school system of the State may be briefly 
explained as follows: Cities and incorporated vil- 
lages are independent of township and county con- 
trol, in the management of schools, having boards 
of education and examiners of their own. Some 
of them are organized for school purposes, under 
special acts. Each township has a board of edu- 
cation, composed of one member from each sub- 
district. The township clerk is clerk of this board, 
but has no vote. Each subdistrict has a local 
board of trustees, which manages its school affairs, 
subject to the advice and control of the township 
board. These officers are elected on the first 
Monday in April, and hold their offices three 
years. An enumeration of all the youth between 
the ages of five and twenty-one is made yearly. 
All public schools are required to be in session at 
least twenty-four weeks each year. The township 
clerk reports annually such facts concerning school 
affiiirs as the law requires, to the county auditor, 
who in turn reports to the State Commissioner, 
who collects these reports in a general report to 
the Legislature each year. 

A board of examiners is appointed in each 
county by the Probate Judge. This board has 
power to grant certificates for a term not exceed- 
ing two years, and good only in the county in 
which they are executed ; they may be revoked on 
sufficient cause. In 1864, a State Board of 
Examiners was created, with power to issue life cer- 



tificates, valid in all parts of the State. Since 
then, up to January 1, 1879, there have been 188 
of these issued. They are considered an excellent 
test of scholarship and abiHty, and are very credit- 
able to the holder. 

The school funds, in 1865, amounted to |3,27l,- 
275.66. They were the proceeds of appropriations 
of land by Congress for school purposes, upon 
which the State pays an annual interest of 6 per 
cent. The funds are known as the Virginia Mili- 
tary School Fund, the proceeds of eighteen quar- 
ter-townships and three sections of land, selected 
by lot from lands lying in the United States 
Military Reserve, appropriated for the use of 
schools in the Virginia Military Reservation; the 
United States Military School Fund, the proceeds 
of one thirty-sixth part of the land in the United 
States Military District, appropriated "for the u.se 
of schools within the same;" the Western Reserve 
School Fund, the proceeds from fourteen quarter- 
townships, situated in the United States Military 
District, and 37,758 acres, most of which was lo- 
cated in Defiance, Williams, Paulding, Van Wert 
and Putnam Counties, appropriated for the use of 
the schools in the Western Reserve; Section 
16, the proceeds from the sixteenth section of 
each township in that part of the State in which 
the Indian title was not extinguished in 1803; the 
Moravian School Fund, the proceeds from one 
thirty-sixth part of each of three tracts of 
4,000 acres situated in Tuscarawas County, orig- 
inally granted by Congress to the Society of United 
Brethren, and reconveyed by this Society to the 
United States in 1824. The income of these funds 
is not distributed by any uniform rule, owing to 
defects in the granting of the funds. The territo- 
rial divisions designated receive the income in 
proportion to the whole number of youth therein, 
while in the remainder of the State, the rent of 
Section 16, or the interest on the proceeds 
arising from its sale, is paid to the inhabitants of 
the originally surveyed townships. In these terri- 
torial divisions, an increase or decrease of popula- 
tion must necessarily increase or diminish the 
amount each youth is entitled to receive ; and the 
fortunate location or judicious sale of the sixteenth 
section may entitle one township to receive a large 
sum, while an adjacent township receives a mere 
pittance. This inequality of benefit may be good 
for localities, but it is certainly a detriment to the 
State at large. There seems to be no legal remedy 
for it. In addition to the income from the before- 
mentioned funds, a variable revenue is received 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



151 



from certain fines and licenses paid to either county 
or township treasurers for the use of schools; 
from the sale of swamp lands ($25,720.07 allotted 
to the State in 1850), and from personal property 
escheated to the State. 

Aside from the funds, a State school tax is fixed 
by statute. Local taxes vary with the needs of 
localities, are limited by law, and are contingent 
on the liberality and public spirit of different com- 
munities. 

The State contains more than twenty colleges 
and universities, more than the same number of 
female seminaries, and about thirty normal schools 
and academies. The amount of property invested 
in these is more than $6,000,000. The Ohio 
University is the oldest college in the State. 

In addition to the regular colleges, the State 
controls the Ohio State University, formerly the 
Agricultural and Mechanical College, established 
from the proceeds of the land scrip voted by Con- 
gress to Ohio for such purposes. The amount 
realized from the sale was nearly $500,000. This 
is to constitute a permanent fund, the interest only 
to be used. In addition, the sum of $300,000 
was voted by the citizens of Franklin County, in 
consideration of the location of the college in that 
county. Of this sum $111,000 was paid for three 
hundred and fifteen acres of land near the city of 
Columbus, and $112,000 for a college building. 



the balance being expended as circumstances re- 
quired, for additional buildings, laboratory, appa- 
ratus, etc. Thorough instruction is given in all 
branches relating to agriculture and the mechanical 
arts. Already excellent results are attained. 

By the provisions of the act of March 14, 1853, 
township boards are made bodies politic and cor- 
porate in law, and are invested with the title, care 
and custody of all school property belonging to 
the school district or township. They have control 
of the central or high schools of their townships ; 
prescribe rules for the district schools ; may appoint 
one of their number manager of the schools of the 
township, and allow him reasonable pay for his 
services ; determine the text-books to be used ; fix 
the boundaries of districts and locate schoolhouse 
sites ; make estimates of the amount of money re- 
quired ; apportion the money among the districts, 
and are required to make an annual report to the 
County Auditor, who incorporates the same in his 
report to the State Commissioner, by whom it 
reaches the Legislature. 

Local directors control the subdistricts. They 
enumerate the children of school age, employ and 
dismiss teachers, make contracts for building and 
furnishing schoolhouses, and make all necessary 
provision for the convenience of the district schools. 
Practically, the entire management rests with 
them. 



CHAPTER XV. 

AGRICULTURE— AREA OP THE STATE— EARLY AGRICULTURE IN THE WEST— MARKETS— LIVE 

STOCK — NURSERIES, FRUITS, ETC. — CEREALS — ROOT AND CUCURBITACEOUS 

CROPS— AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS— AGRICULTURAL SOCIETIES— 

POMOLOGICAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. 



" Oft did the harvest to their sickles yield, 

Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke ; 

How jocund did they drive their teams afield ! 

How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke." 

THE majority of the readers of these pages are 
farmers, hence a resume of agriculture in the 
State, would not only be appropriate, but valuable 
as a matter of history. It is the true basis of 
national prosperity, and, therefore, justly occupies 
a foremost place. 

In the year 1800, the Territory of Ohio con- 
tained a population of 45,365 inhabitants, or a 
little more than one person to the square mile. At 



this date, the admission of the Territory into the 
Union as a State began to be agitated. When the 
census was made to ascertain the legality of the 
act, in conformity to the "Compact of 1787," no 
endeavor was made to ascertain additional statis- 
tics, as now ; hence, the cultivated land was not 
returned, and no account remains to tell how 
much existed. In 1805, three years after the ad- 
mission of the State into the Union, 7,252,856 
acres had been purchased from the General Gov- 
ernment. Still no returns of the cultivated lands 
were made. In 1810, the population of Ohio was 
230,760, and the land purchased from the Gov- 






±1 



152 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



ernment amounted to 9,933,150 acres, of which 
amount, however, 3,569,314 acres, or more than 
one-third, was held by non-residents. Of the lauds 
occupied by resident land-owners, there appear to 
have been 100,968 acres of first-rate, 1,929,600 
of second, and 1,538,745 acres of third rate lands. 
At this period there were very few exports from 
the farm, loom or shop. The people still needed 
all they produced to sustain themselves, and were 
yet in that pioneer period where they were obliged 
to produce all they wanted, and yet were opening- 
new liirms, and bringing the old ones to a productive 
state. 

Kentucky, and the country on the Monongahela, 
lying along the western slopes of the Alleghany 
Mountains, having been much longer settled, had 
begun, as early as 1795, to send considerable quan- 
tities of flour, whisky, bacon and tobacco to the 
lower towns on the Mississippi, at that time in the 
possession of the Spaniards. At the French set- 
tlements on the Ilhnois, and at Detroit, were 
being raised much more than could be used, and 
these were exporting also large quantities of these 
materials, as well as peltries and such commodities 
as their nomadic lives furnished. As the Missis- 
sippi was the natural outlet of the West, any at- 
tempt to impede its free navigation by the various 
powers at times controlling its outlet, would lead 
at once to violent outbreaks among the Western 
settlers, some of whom were aided by unscrupulous 
persons, who thought to form an independent 
Western country. Providence seems to have had 
a watchful eye over all these events, and to have 
so guided them that the attempts with such objects 
in view, invariably ended in disgi-ace to their per- 
petrators. This outlet to the West was thought 
to be the only one that could carry their produce to 
market, for none of the Westerners then dreamed 
of the immense system of railways now covering 
that part of the Union. As soon as ship-building 
commenced at Marietta, in the year 1800, the 
farmers along the borders of the Ohio and Musk- 
ingum llivers turned their attention to the culti- 
vation of hemp, in addition to their other crops. In a 
few years sufficient was raised, not only to furnish 
cordage to the ships in the West, but large quan- 
tities were worked up in the various rope-walks 
and sent to the Atlantic cities. Iron had been 
discovered, and forges on the Juniata were busy 
converting that necessary and valued material into 
implements of industry. 

By the year 1805, two ships, seven brigs and 
three schooners had been built and rigged by the 



citizens of Marietta. Their construction gave a 
fresh impetus to agriculture, as by means of them 
the surplus products could be carried away to a 
foreign market, where, if it did not bring money, 
it could be exchanged for merchandise equally 
valuable. Captain David Devoll was one of the 
earliest of Ohio's shipwrights. He settled on the 
fertile Muskingum bottom, about five miles above 
Marietta, soon after the Indian war. Here he 
built a "floating mill," for making flour, and, in 
1801, a ship of two hundred and fifty tons, called 
the Muskingum, and the brig Eliza Greene, of one 
hundred and fifty tons. In 1804, he built a 
schooner on his own account, and in the spring 
of the next year, it was finished and loaded for a 
voyage down the Mississippi. It was small, only of 
seventy tons burden, of a light draft, and intended 
to run on the lakes east of New Orleans. In 
shape and model, it fully sustained its name. Nonpa- 
reil. Its complement of sails, small at first, was 
completed when it arrived in New Orleans. It 
had a large cabin to accommodate passengers, was 
well and finely painted, and sat gracefully on the 
water. Its load was of assorted articles, and shows 
very well the nature of exports of the day. It con- 
sisted of two hundred barrels of flour, fifty barrels of 
kiln-dried corn meal, four thousand pounds of 
cheese, six thousand of bacon, one hundred sets 
of rum puncheon shooks, and a few grindstones. 
The flour and meal were made at Captain Devoll's 
floating mill, and the cheese made in Belpre, at that 
date one of Ohio's most flourishing agricultural dis- 
tricts. The Captain and others carried on boating as 
well as the circumstances of the days permitted, fear- 
ing only the hostility of the Indians, and the duty 
the Spaniards were liable to levy on boats going 
down to New Orleans, even if they did not take 
it into their erratic heads to stop the entire navi- 
gation of the great river by vessels other than 
their own. By such means, merchandise was car- 
ried on almost entirely until the construction of 
canals, and even then, until modern times, the 
flat-boat was the main-stay of the shipper inhabit- 
ing the country adjoining the upper Ohio and 
Mississippi Rivers. 

Commonly, very little stock was kept beyond 
what was necessary for the use of the family and 
to perform the labor on the farm. The Scioto 
Valley was perhaps the only exception in Ohio to 
this general condition. Horses were brought by the 
emigrants from the East and were characteristic 
of that region. In the French settlements in Illi- 
nois and about Detroit, French ponies, marvels of 



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HISTORY OF OHIO. 



155 



endurance, were chiefly used. They were impractic- 
able in hauHng the immense emigrant wagons over 
the mountains, and hence were comparatively 
unknown in Ohio. Until 1828, draft horses 
were chiefly used here, the best strains being 
brought by the "Tunkers," " Mennonites," and 
" Ormish," — three religious sects, whose members 
were invariably agriculturists. In Stark, Wayne, 
Holmes, and Richland Counties, as a general thing, 
they congregated in communities, where the neat- 
ness of their farms, the excellent condition of 
their stock, and the primitive simplicity of their 
manners, made them conspicuous. 

In 1828, the French began to settle in Stark 
County, where they introduced the stock of horses 
known as " Selim," "Florizel," "Post Boy" and 
" Timolen." These, crossed upon the descents of 
the Norman and Conestoga, produced an excellent 
stock of farm horses, now largely used. 

In the Western Reserve, blooded horses were in- 
troduced as early as 1825. John I. Van Meter 
brought fine horses into the Scioto Valley in 1815, 
or thereabouts. Soon after, fine horses were 
brought to Steubenville from Virginia and Penn- 
sylvania. In Northern Ohio the stock was more 
miscellaneous, until the introduction of improved 
breeds from 1815 to 1835. By the latter date 
the strains of horses had greatly improved. The 
same could be said of other parts of the State. 
Until after 1825, only farm and road horses were 
required. That year a race-course — the first in 
the State — was established in Cincinnati, shortly 
followed by others at Chillicothe, Dayton and Ham- 
ilton. From that date the race-horse steadily im- 
proved. Until 1838, however, all race-courses 
were rather irregular, and, of those named, it is 
difiicult to determine which one has priority of 
date over the others. To Cincinnati, the prece- 
dence is, however, generally given. In 1838, the 
Buckeye Course was established in Cincinnati, and 
before a year had elapsed, it is stated, there were 
fifteen regular race-courses in Ohio. The eifect 
of these courses was to greatly stimulate the stock 
of racers, and rather detract from draft and road 
horses. The organization of companies to import 
blooded horses has again revived the interest in 
this class, and now, at annual stock sales, these 
strains of horses are eagerly sought after by those 
having occasion to use them. 

Cattle were brought over the mountains, and, 
for several years, were kept entirely for domestic 
uses. By 1805, the country had so far settled 
that the surplus stock was fattened on corn and 



fodder, and a drove was driven to Baltimore. The 
drove was owned by George Renick, of Chillicothe, 
and the feat was looked upon as one of great im- 
portance. The drove arrived in Baltimore in ex- 
cellent condition. The impetus given by this 
movement of Mr. Renick stimulated greatly the 
feeding of cattle, and led to the improvement of 
the breed, heretofore only of an ordinary kind. 

Until the advent of railroads and the shipment 
of cattle thereon, the number of cattle driven to 
eastern markets from Ohio alone, was estimated at 
over fifteen thousand annually, whose value was 
placed at $600,000. Besides this, large numbers 
were driven from Indiana and Illinois, whose 
boundless prairies gave free scope to the herding of 
cattle. Improved breeds, "Short Horns," "Long 
Horns" and others, were introduced into Ohio as 
early as 1810 and 1815. Since then the stock 
has been gradually improved and acclimated, until 
now Ohio produces as fine cattle as any State in 
the Union. In some localities, especially in the 
Western Reserve, cheesemaking and dairy interests 
are the chief occupations of whole neighborhoods, 
where may be found men who have grown wealthy 
in this business. 

Sheep were kept by almost every family, in pio- 
neer times, in order to be supplied with wool for 
clothing. The wool was carded by hand, spun in 
the cabin, and frequently dyed and woven as well 
as shaped into garments there, too. All emigrants 
brought the best household and farming imple- 
ments their limited means would allow, so also did 
they bring the best strains of horses, cattle and 
sheep they could obtain. About the year 1809, 
Mr. Thomas Rotch, a Quaker, emigrated to Stark 
County, and brought with him a small flock of 
Merino sheep. They were good, and a part of 
them were from the original flock brought over 
from Spain, in 1801, by Col. Humphrey, United 
States Minister to that country. He had brought 
200 of these sheep, and hoped, in time, to see 
every part of the United States stocked with Me- 
rinos. In this he partially succeeded only, owing 
to the pi'ejudice against them. In 1816, Messrs. 
Wells & Dickenson, who were, for the day, exten- 
sive woolen manufacturers in Steubenville, drove 
their fine flocks out on the Stark County Plains 
for the summer, and brought them back for the 
winter. This course was pursued for several years, 
until farms were prepared, when they were per- 
manently kept in Stark County. This flock was 
originally derived from the Humphrey importation. 
The failure of Wells & Dickenson, in 1824, placed 



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156 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



a good portion of this flock in the hands of Adam 
Hildebrand, and became the basis of his celebrated 
flock. Mr. T. S. Humrickhouse, of Coshocton, 
in a communication regarding sheep, writes as fol- 
lows: 

" The first merinos brought to Ohio were doubtr- 
less by Seth Adams, of Zanesville. They were 
Humphrey's Merinos — undoubtedly the best ever 
imported into the United States, by whatever 
name called. He kept them part of the time in 
Washington, and afterward in Muskingum County. 
He had a sort of partnership agency from Gen. 
Humphrey for keeping and selling them. They 
were scattered, and, had they been taken care of 
and appreciated, would have laid a better found- 
ation of flocks in Ohio than any sheep brought 
into it from that time till 1852. The precise date 
at which Adams brought them cannot now be as- 
certained ; but it was prior to 1813, perhaps as 
early as 1804." 

"The first Southdowns," continues Mr. Hum- 
rickhouse," " New Leicester, Lincolnshire and Cots- 
wold sheep I ever saw, were brought into Coshocton 
County from England by Isaac Maynard, nephew 
of the famous Sir John, in 1834. There were 
about ten Southdowns and a trio of each of the 
other kinds. He was ofi"ered ^500 for his Lin- 
colnshire ram, in Buffalo, as he passed through, 
but refused. He was selfish, and unwilling to put 
them into other hands when he went on a farm, 
all in the woods, and, in about three years, most of 
them had perished." 

The raising and improvement of sheep has kept 
steady tread with the growth of the State, and 
now Ohio wool is known the world over. In quan- 
tity it is equal to any State in America, while its 
quality is unequaled. 

The first stock of hogs brought to Ohio were 
rather poor, scrawny creatures, and, in a short 
time, when left to themselves to pick a livelihood 
from the beech mast and other nuts in the woods, 
degenerated into a wild condition, almost akin to 
their originators. As the country settled, however, 
they were gathered from their lairs, and, by feed- 
ing them corn, the farmers soon brought them out 
of their semi-barbarous state. Improved breeds 
were introduced. The laws for their protection 
and guarding were made, and now the hog of to- 
day shows what improvement and civilization can 
do for any wild animal. The chief city of the 
State has become famous as a slaughtering place ; 
her bacon and sides being known in all the civil- 
ized world. 



Other domestic animals, mules, asses, etc., have 
been brought to the State as occasion required. 
Wherever their use has been demanded, they have 
been obtained, until the State has her complement 
of all animals her citizens can use in their daily 
labors. 

Most of the early emigrants brought with them 
young fruit trees or grafts of some favorite variety 
from the " old homestead." Hence, on the West- 
ern Reserve are to be found chiefly — especially in 
old orchards — New England varieties, while, in the 
localities immediately south of the Reserve, Penn- 
sylvania and Maryland varieties predominate ; but 
at Marietta, New England fruits are again found, 
as well as throughout Southeastern Ohio. One of 
the oldest of these orchards was on a Mr. Dana's 
farm, near Cincinnati, on the Ohio River bank. It 
consisted of five acres, in which apple seeds and 
seedlings were planted as early as 1790. Part of 
the old orchard is yet to be seen, though the trees 
are almost past their usefulness. Peaches, pears, 
cherries and apples were planted by all the pioneers 
in their gardens. As soon as the seed produced 
seedlings, these were transplanted to some hillside, 
and the orchard, in a few years, was a productive 
unit in the life of the settler. The first fruit 
brought, was, like everything else of the pioneers, 
rather inferior, and admitted of much cultivation. 
Soon steps were taken by the more enterprising 
settlers to obtain better varieties. Israel Putnam, 
as early as 179G, returned to the East, partly to 
get scions of the choicest apples, and, partly, on 
other business. He obtained quite a quantity of 
choice apples, of some forty or fifty varieties, and 
set them out. A portion of them were distrib- 
uted to the settlers who had trees, to ingraft. 
From these old grafts are yet to be traced some of 
the best orchards in Ohio. Israel Putnam was one 
of the most prominent men in early Ohio days. 
He was always active in promoting the interests of 
the settlers. Among his earliest efforts, that of 
improving the fruit may well be mentioned. He 
and his brother, Aaron W. Putnam, living at Bel- 
pre, opposite Blennerhasset's Island, began the 
nursery business soon after their arrival in the 
West. The apples brought by them from their 
Connecticut home were used to commence the busi- 
ness. These, and the apples obtained from trees 
planted in their gardens, gave them a beginning. 
They were the only two men in Ohio engaged in 
the business till 1817. 

In early times, in the central part of Ohio, 
there existed a curious character known as "Johnny 



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HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



157 



Appleseed." His real name was John Chapman. 
He received his name from his habit of planting, 
along all the streams in that part of the State, 
apple-seeds from which sprang many of the old 
orchards. He did this as a religious duty, think- 
ing it to be his especial mission. He had, it is 
said, been disappointed in his youth in a love 
affair, and came West about 1800, and ever after 
followed his singular life. He was extensively 
known, was quite harmless, very patient, and did, 
without doubt, much good. He died in 1847, at 
the house of a Mr. Worth, near Fort Wayne, 
Indiana, who had long known him, and oflen 
befriended him. He was a minister in the Swed- 
enborgian Church, and, in his own way, a zealous 
worker. 

The settlers of the Western Reserve, coming 
from New England, chiefly from Connecticut, 
brought all varieties of fruit known in their old 
homes. These, whether seeds or grafts, were 
planted in gardens, and as soon as an orchard 
could be cleared on some favorable hillside, the 
young trees were transplanted there, and in time 
an orchard was the result. Much confusion 
regarding the kinds of fruits thus produced arose, 
partly from the fact that the trees grown from 
seeds did not always prove to be of the same qual- 
ity as the seeds. Climate, soil and surroundings 
oflen change the character of such fruits. 
Many new varieties, unknown to the growers, 
were the result. The fruit thus produced was 
often of an inferior growth, and when grafts were 
brought from the old New England home and 
grafted into the Ohio trees, an improvement as 
well as the old home fruit was the result. After 
the orchards in the Reserve began to bear, the 
fruit was very often taken to the Ohio River for 
shipment, and thence found its way to the South- 
ern and Eastern seaboard cities. 

Among the individuals prominent in introducing 
fi-uits into the State, were Mr. Dille, of Euclid, Judge 
Fuller, Judge Whittlesey, and Mr. Lindley. 
George Hoadly was also very prominent and ener- 
getic in the matter, and was, perhaps, the first to 
introduce the pear to any extent. He was one of 
the most persistent and enthusiastic amateurs in 
horticulture and pomology in the West. About 
the year 1810, Dr. Jared Kirtland, father of 
Prof. J. P. Kirtland, so favorably known 
among horticulturists and pomologists, came from 
Connecticut and isettled in Poland, Mahoning 
County, with his family. This family has done 
more than any other in the State, perhaps, to 



advance fruit culture. About the year 1824, 
Prof J. P. Kirtland, in connection with his brother, 
established a nursery at Poland, then in Trumbull 
County, and brought on from New England above 
a hundred of their best varieties of apples, cherries, 
peaches, pears, and smaller fruits, and a year or 
two afler brought from New Jersey a hundred of 
the best varieties of that State ; others were ob- 
tained in New York, so that they possessed the larg- 
est and most varied stock in the Western country. 
These two men gave a great impetus to fruit cult- 
ure in the West, and did more than any others 
of that day to introduce improved kinds of all 
fi-uits in that part of the United States. 

Another prominent man in this branch of indus- 
try was Mr. Andrew H. Ernst, of Cincinnati. 
Although not so early a settler as the Kirtlands, 
he was, like them, an ardent student and propa- 
gator of fine fi'uits. He introduced more than 
six hundred varieties of apples and seven hun- 
dred of pears, both native and foreign. His 
object was to test by actual experience the most 
valuable sorts for the diversified soil and climate 
of the Western country. 

The name of Nicholas Longworth, also of Cin- 
cinnati, is one of the most extensively known of any 
in the science of horticulture and pomology. For 
more than fifty years he made these his especial 
delight. Having a large tract of land in the 
lower part of Cincinnati, he established nurseries, 
and planted and disseminated every variety of 
fruits that could be found in the United States — 
East or West — making occasional importations 
from European countries of such varieties as 
were thought to be adapted to the Western climate. 
His success has been variable, governed by the 
season, and in a measure by his numerous experi- 
ments. His vineyards, cultivated by tenants, gen- 
erally Gi-ermans, on the European plan, during the 
latter years of his experience paid him a hand- 
some revenue. He introduced the famous Catawba 
grape, the standard grape of the West. It is 
stated that Mr. Longworth bears the same relation 
to vineyard culture that Fulton did to steam navi- 
gation. Others made earlier effort, but he was the 
first to establish it on a permanent basis. He has 
also been eminently successful in the cultivation of 
the strawberry, and was the first to firmly establish 
it on Western soil. He also brought the Ohio Ever- 
bearing Raspberry into notice in the State, and 
widely disseminated it throughout the country. 

Other smaller fi-uits were brought out to the 
West like those mentioned. In some cases fruits 



158 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



indigenous to the soil were cultivated and improved, 
and as improved fruits, are known favorably where- 
ever used. 

In chronology and importance, of all the cereals, 
corn stands foremost. During the early pioneer 
period, it was the staple article of food for both 
man and beast. It could be made into a variety 
of forms of food, and as such was not only palata- 
ble but highly nutritious and strengthening. 

It is very difficult to determine whether corn 
originated in America or in the Old World. Many 
prominent botanists assert it is a native of Turkey, 
and originally was known as " Turkey wheat." Still 
others claimed to have found mention of maize in 
Chinese writings antedating the Turkish discovery. 
Grains of maize were found in an Egyptian mum- 
my, which goes to prove to many the cereal was 
known in Africa since the earliest times. Maize 
was found in America when first visited by white 
men, but of its origin Indians could give no ac- 
count. It had always been known among them, 
and constituted their chief article of vegetable diet. 
It was cultivated exclusiveFy by their squaws, the 
men considering it beneath their dignity to engage 
in any manual labor. It is altogether probable corn 
was known in the Old World long before the New 
was discovered. The Arabs or Crusaders probably 
introduced it into Europe. How it was introduced 
into America will, in all probability, remain un- 
known. It may have been an indigenous plant, 
like many others. Its introduction into Ohio dates 
with the settlement of tlie whites, especially its 
cultivation and use as an article of trade. True, 
the Indians had cultivated it in small quantities ; 
each lodge a little for itself, but no effort to make 
of it a national support began until the civilization 
of the white race became established. From that 
time on, the increase in crops has grown with the 
State, and, excepting the great corn States of the 
West, Ohio produces an amount equal to any State 
in the Union. The statistical tables printed in 
agricultural reports show the acres planted, and 
bushels grown. Figures speak an unanswerable 
logic. 

Wheat is probably the next in importance of the 
cereals in the State. Its origin, like corn, is lost 
in the mists of antiquity. Its berry was no doubt 
used as food by the ancients for ages anterior to 
any historical records. It is often called corn in 
old writings, and under that name is frequently 
mentioned in the Bible. 

"As far back in the vistas of ages as human 
records go, we find that wheat has been cultivated. 



and, with corn, aside from animal food, has formed 
one of the chief alimfentary articles of all nations ; 
but as the wheat plant has nowhere been found wild, 
or in a state of nature, the inference has been 
drawn by men of unquestioned scientific ability, 
that the original plant from which wheat has been 
derived was either totally annihilated, or else cul- 
tivation has wrought so great a change, that the 
original is by no means obvious, or manifest to bot- 
anists." 

It is supposed by many, wheat originated in 
Persia. Others affirm it was known and cultivated 
in Egypt long ere it found its way into Persia. It 
was certainly grown on the Nile ages ago, and 
among the tombs are found grains of wheat in a 
perfectly sound condition, that unquestionably 
have been buried thousands of years. It may be, 
however, that wheat was grown in Persia first, and 
thence found its way into Egypt and Africa, or, 
vice versa. It grew first in Egypt and Africa and 
thence crossed into Persia, and from there found 
its way into India and all parts of Asia. 

It is also claimed that wheat is indigenous to 
the island of Sicily, and that from there it spread 
along the shores of the Mediterranean into Asia 
Minor and Egypt, and, as communities advanced, 
it was cultivated, not only to a greater extent, but 
with greater success. 

The goddess of agriculture, more especially of 
grains, who, by the Grreeks, was called Demeter, 
and, by the Romans, Ceres — hence the name ce- 
reals — was said to have her home at Euna, a fertile 
region of that island, thus indicating the source 
from which the Greeks and Romans derived their 
Ceralia. Homer mentions wheat and spelt as 
bread; also corn and barley, and describes his 
heroes as using them as fodder for their horses, as 
the people in the South of Europe do at present. 
Rye was introduced into Greece from Thrace, or 
by way of Thrace, in the time of Galen. In 
Caesar's time the Romans grew a species of wheat 
enveloped in a husk, hke barley, and by them 
called "Far." 

During the excavations of Herculaneum and 
Pompeii, wheat, in an excellent state of preserva- 
tion, was frequently found. 

Dr. Anson Hart, Superintendent, at one time, of 
Indian Affiiirs in Oregon, states that he found 
numerous patches of wheat and flax growing wild 
in the Yackemas country, in Upper Oregon. There 
is but little doubt that both cereals were intro- 
duced into Oregon at an early period by the Hud- 
son Bay, or other fur companies. Wheat was also 



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^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



159 



found by Dr. Boyle, of Columbus, Ohio, growing 
in a similar state in tbe Carson Valley. It was, 
doubtless, brought there by the early Spaniards. 
In 153(>, one of Cortez's slaves found several grains 
of wheat accidentally mixed with the rice. The 
careful negro planted the handful of grains, and 
succeeding years saw a wheat crop in Mexico, 
which found its way northward, probably into 
California. 

Turn where we may, wherever the foot of civil- 
ization has trod, there will we find this wheat 
plant, which, like a monument, has perpetuated 
the memory of the event; but nowhere do we find 
the plant wild. It is the result of cultivation in 
bygone ages, and has been produced by "progress- 
ive development." 

It is beyond the limit and province of these 
pages to discuss the composition of this important 
cereal ; only its historic properties can be noticed. 
With the advent of the white men in America, 
wheat, like corn, came to be one of the staple prod- 
ucts of life. It followed the pioneer over the 
mountains westward, where, in the rich Missis- 
sippi and Illinois bottoms, it has been cultivated 
by the French since 1690. When the hardy New 
Englanders came to the alluvial lands adjoining 
the Ohio, Muskingum or Miami Kivers, they 
brought with them this "staiF of life," and forth- 
with began its cultivation. Who sowed the first 
wheat in Ohio, is a question Mr. A. S. Guthrie 
answers, in a letter published in the Agricultural 
Report of 1857, as follows: 

" My father, Thomas Guthrie, emigrated to the 
Northwest Territory in the year 1788, and arrived 
at the mouth of the Muskingum in July, about 
three months after Gen. Putnam had arrived with 
the first pioneers of Ohio. My father brought a 
bushel of wheat with him from one of the frontier 
counties of Pennsylvania, which he sowed on a 
lot of land in Marietta, which he cleared for that 
purpose, on the second bottom or plain, in the 
neighborhood of where the Court House now 
stands." 

Mr. Guthrie's opinion is corroborated by Dr. 
Samuel P. Hildreth, in his " Pioneer Settlers of 
Ohio," and is, no doubt, correct. 

From that date on down through the years of 
Ohio's growth, the crops of wheat have kept pace 
with the advance and growth of civilization. The 
soil is admirably adapted to the growth of this ce- 
real, a large number of varieties being grown, and 
an excellent quality produced. It is firm in body, 
and, in many cases, is a successful rival of wheat 



produced in the great wheat-producing regions of 
the United States — Minnesota, and the farther 
Northwest. 

Oats, rye, barley, and other grains were also 
brought to Ohio from the Atlantic Coast, though 
some of them had been cultivated by the French 
in Illinois and about Detroit. They were at first 
used only as food for home consumption, and, until 
the successful attempts at river and canal naviga- 
tion were brought about, but little was ever sent 
to market. 

Of all the root crops known to man, the potato 
is probably the most valuable. Next to wheat, 
it is claimed by many as the staff of life. In 
some localities, this assumption is undoubtedly 
true. What would Ireland have done in her fam- 
ines but for this simple vegetable? The potato is 
a native of the mountainous districts of tropical 
and subtropical America, probably from Chili to 
Mexico ; but there is considerable difficulty in 
deciding where it is really indigenous, and where 
it has spread after being introduced by man. 
Humboldt, the learned savant, doubted if it had 
ever been found wild, but scholars no less fiimous, 
and of late date, have expressed an opposite 
opinion. In the wild plant, as in all others, the 
tubers are smaller than in the cultivated. The 
potato had been cultivated in America, and its 
tubers used for food, long before the advent of the 
Europeans. It seems to have been first brought 
to Europe by the Spaniards, from the neighbor- 
hood of Quito, in the 4?eginning of the sixteenth 
century, and spread through Spain, the Netherlands, 
Burgundy and Italy, cultivated in gardens as an 
ornament only and not for an article of food. 
It long received through European countries the 
same name with the batatas — sweet potato, which 
is the plant meant by all English writers down to 
the seventeenth century. 

It appears that the potato was brought from 
Virginia to Ireland by Hawkins, a slave-trader, 
in 1565, and to England by Sir Francis Drake, 
twenty years later. It did not at first attract much 
notice, and not until it was a third time imported 
from America, in 1623, by Sir Walter Raleigh, 
did the Europeans make a practical use of it. 
Even then it was a long time before it was exten- 
sively cultivated. It is noticed in agricultural 
journals as food for cattle only as late as 1719. 
Poor people began using it, however, and finding it 
highly nutritious, the Royal Geographical Society, 
in 1663, adopted measures for its propagation. 
About this time it began to be used in Ireland as 



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x: 



IGO 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



food, aad from the beginning of the eighteenth cent- 
ury, its use hiis never declined. It is now known 
in every (juarter of the world, and has, by cultiva- 
tion, been greatly improved. 

The inhabitants of America learned its use 
frorc. the Indians, who cultivated it and other 
root crops — rutabagas, radishes, etc., and taught 
the whites their value. When the pioneers of 
Ohio came to its fertile valleys, they brought 
improved species with them, which by cultiva- 
tion and soil, are now greatly increased, and are 
among the standard crops of the State. 

The cucurbitaceous plants, squashes, etc., were, 
like the potato and similar root crops, indigenous 
to America — others, like the melons, to Asia — 
and were among the staple foods of the original 
inhabitants. The early French missionaries of 
the West speak of both root crops and cucurbi- 
taceous plants as in use among the aboriginal inhab- 
itants. "They are very sweet and wholesome," 
wrote Marquette. Others speak in the same terms, 
though some of the plants in this order had found 
their way to these valleys through the Spaniards 
and others through early Atlantic Coast and Mex- 
ican inhabitants. Their use by the settlers of the 
West, especially Ohio, is traced to New England, 
as the first settlers came from that portion of the 
Union. They grow well in all parts of the State, 
and by cultivation have been greatly improved in 
quality and variety. All cucurbitaceous plants 
require a rich, porous soil, and by proper atten- 
tion to their cultivation, excellent results can be 
attained. 

Probably the earliest and most important im])le- 
ment of husbandry known is the plow. Grain, 
plants and roots will not grow well unless the soil 
in which they are planted be properly stirred, 
hence the first requirement was an instrument that 
would fulfill such conditions. 

The first implements were rude indeed ; gener- 
ally, stout wooden sticks, drawn through the earth 
by thongs attached to rude ox-yokes, or fastened 
to the animal's horns. Such plows were in use 
among the ancient Egyptians, and may yet be 
found among uncivilized nations. The Old Testa- 
ment furnishes numerous instances of the use of 
the plow, while, on the ruins of ancient cities and 
among the pyramids of Egypt, and on the buried 
walls of Babylon, and other extinct cities, are rude 
drawings of this useful implement. As the use 
of iron became apparent and general, it was util- 
ized for plow-points, where the wood alone would 
not penetrate the earth. They got their plow- 



shares sharpened in Old Testament days, also 
coulters, which shows, beyond a doubt, that iron- 
pointed plows were then in use. From times 
mentioned in the Bible, on heathen tombs, and 
ancient catacombs, the improvement of the plow, 
like other farming tools, went on, as the race of 
man grew in intelligence. Extensive manors in 
the old country required increased means of turning 
the ground, and, to meet these demands, ingenious 
mechanics, from time to time, invented inqjroved 
plows. Strange to say, however, no improvement 
was ever made by the farmer himself This is ac- 
counted for in his habits of life, and, too often, 
the disposition to "take things as they are." When 
America was settled, the plow had become an im- 
plement capable of turning two or three acres per 
day. Still, and for many years, and even until 
lately, the mold-board was entirely wooden, the 
point only iron. Later developments changed the 
wood for steel, which now alone is used. Still 
later, especially in prairie States, riding plows are 
used. Like all other improvements, they were 
obliged to combat an obtuse public mind among 
the ruralists, who surely combat almost every 
move made to better their condition. In many 
places in America, wooden plows, straight ax 
handles, and a stone in one end of the bag, to bal- 
ance the grist in the other, are the rule, and for no 
other reason ui the world are they maintained than 
the laconic answer: 

" My father did so, and why should not I? Am 
I better than he? " 

After the plow comes the harrow, but little 
changed, save in lightness and beauty. Formerly, 
a log of wood, or a brush harrow, supplied its 
place, but in the State of Ohio, the toothed instru- 
ment has nearly always been used. 

The hoe is lighter made than formerly, and is 
now made of steel. At first, the common iron 
hoe, sharpened by the blacksmith, was in constant 
use. Now, it is rarely seen outside of the South- 
ern States, where it has long been the chief imple- 
ment in agriculture. 

The various small plows for the cultivation of 
corn and such other crops as necessitated their use 
are all the result of modern civilization. Now, 
their number is large, and, in many places, there 
are two or more attached to one carriage, whose 
operator rides. These kinds are much used in the 
Western States, whose rootless and stoneless soil is 
admirably adapted to such machinery. 

When the grain became ripe, implements to cut 
it were in demand. In ancient times, the sickle 



■^ 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



161 



was the only instrument used. It was a short, 
curved iron, whose inner edge was sharpened and 
serrated. In its most ancient form, it is doubtful 
if the edge was but little, if any, serrated. It is 
mentioned in all ancient works, and in the Bible is 
frequently I'eferred to. 

" Thrust in the sickle, for the harvest is 
ripe," wrote the sacred New Testament, while 
the Old chronicles as early as the time of Moses : 
"As thou beginnest to put the sickle to the 
corn." 

In more modern times, the handle of the sickle 
was lengthened, then the blade, which in time led 
to the scythe. Both are yet in use in many parts 
of the world. The use of the scythe led some 
thinking person to add a " finger " or two, and to 
change the shape of the handle. The old cradle 
was the result. At first it met considerable oppo- 
sition from the laborers, who brought forward the 
old-time argument of ignorance, that it would 
cheapen labor. 

Whether the cradle is a native of America or 
Europe is not accurately decided; probably of the 
mother country. It came into common use about 
1818, and in a few years had found its way into 
the wheat-producing regions of the West. Where 
small crops are raised, the cradle is yet much used. 
A man can cut from two to four acres per day, 
hence, it is much cheaper than a reaper, where the 
crop is small. 

The mower and reaper are comparatively mod- 
ern inventions. A rude reaping machine is men- 
tioned by Pliny in the first century. It was pushed 
by an ox through the standing grain. On its 
front was a sharp edge, which cut the grain. It 
was, however, impracticable, as it cut only a por- 
tion of the grain, and the peasantry preferred the 
sickle. Other and later attempts to make reapers 
do not seem to have been successful, and not till 
the present century was a machine made that would 
do the work required. In 1826, Mr. Bell, of 
Scotland, constructed a machine which is yet used 
in many parts of that country. In America, Mr. 
Hussey and Mr. McCormick took out patents for 
reaping machines of superior character in 1833 
and 1834. At first the cutters of these machines 
were various contrivances, but both manufacturers 
soon adopted a serrated knife, triangular shaped, at- 
tached to a bar, and driven through " finger 
guards " attached to it, by a forward and backward 
motion. These are the common ones now in use, 
save that all do not use serrated knives. Sincf 
these pioneer machines were introduced into the 



harvest fields they have been greatly improved and 
changed. Of late years they have been constructed 
so as to bind the sheaves, and now a good stout 
boy, and a team with a " harvester," will do as 
much as many men could do a few years ago, and 
with much greater ease. 

As was expected by the inventors of reapers, 
they met with a determined resistance from those 
who in former times made their living by harvest- 
ing. It was again absurdly argued that they would 
cheapen labor, and hence were an injury to the 
laboring man. Indeed, when the first machines 
were brought into Ohio, many of them were torn 
to pieces by the ignorant hands. Others left fields 
in a body when the proprietor brought a reaper to 
his farm. Like all such fallacies, these, in time, 
passed away, leaving only their stain. 

Following the reaper came the thresher. As 
the country filled with inhabitants, and men in- 
creased their possessions, more rapid means than 
the old flail or roller method were demanded. At 
first the grain was trodden out by horses driven over 
the bundles, which were laid in a circular inclosure. 
The old flail, the tramping-out by horses, and the 
cleaning by the sheet, or throwing the grain up 
against a current of air, were too slow, and 
machines were the result of the demand. In Ohio 
the manufacture of threshers began in 1846, in 
the southwestern part. Isaac Tobias, who came 
to Hamilton from Miamisburg that year, com- 
menced building the threshers then in use. They 
were without the cleaning attachment, and simply 
hulled the grain. Two years later, he began 
manufficturing the combined thresher and cleaner, 
which were then coming into use. He continued 
in business till 1851. Four years after, the in- 
creased demand for such machines, consequent 
upon the increased agricultural products, induced 
the firm of Owens, Lane & Dyer to fit their estab- 
lishment for the manufacture of threshers. They 
afterward added the manufacture of steam engines 
to be used in the place of horse power. Since 
then the manufacture of these machines, as well as 
that of all other agricultural machinery, has greatly 
multiplied and improved, until now it seems as 
though but little room for improvement remains. 
One of the largest firms engaged in the manufact- 
ure of threshers and their component machinery is 
located at Mansfield — the Aultman & Taylor 
Co. Others are at Massillon, and at other cities 
in the West. 
I Modern times and modern enterprise have devel- 
I oped a marvelous variety of agricultural implements 



rv 



162 



HISTOKY OF OHIO. 



— too many to be mentioned in a volume like 
this. Under special subjects they will occasionally 
be found. The farmer's life, so cheerless in pioneer 
times, and so full of weary labor, is daily becom- 
ing less laborious, until, if they as a class profit 
by the advances, they can find a life of ease 
in farm pursuits, not attainable in any other 
profession. Now machines do almost all the work. 
They sow, cultivate, cut, bind, thresh, winnow 
and carry the grain. They, cut, rake, load, mow 
and dry the hay. They husk, shell and clean the 
corn. They cut and split the wood. They do al- 
most all ; until it seems as though the day may 
come when the farmer can sit in his house and 
simply guide the affairs of his farm. 

Any occupation prospers in proportion to the 
interest taken in it by its members. This interest 
is always heightened by an exchange of views, hence 
societies and periodicals exercise an influence at 
first hardy realized. This feeling among prominent 
agriculturists led to the formation of agricultural 
societies, at first by counties, then districts, then 
by States, and lastly by associations of States. 
The day may come when a national agricul- 
tural fair may be one of the annual attractions of 
America. 

Without noticing the early attempts to found 
such societies in Europe or America, the narrative 
will begin with those of Ohio. The first agricul- 
tural society oi'ganized in the Buckeye State was 
the Hamilton County Agricultural Society. Its 
exact date of organization is not now preserved, 
but to a certainty it is known that the Society held 
public exhibitions as a County Society prior to 
1823. Previous to that date there were, doubt- 
less, small, private exhibitions held in older local- 
ities, probably at Marietta, but no regular organi- 
zation seems to have been maintained. The 
Hamilton County Society held its fairs annually, 
with marked success. Its successor, the present 
Society, is now one of the largest county societies 
in the Union. 

During the legislative session of 1832— .33, the 
subject of agriculture seems to have agitated the 
minds of the people through their representatives, 
for the records of that session show the first laws 
passed for their benefit. The acts of that body 
seem to have been productive of some good, for, 
though no records of the number of societies or- 
ganized at that date exist, yet the record shows 
that " many societies have been organized in con- 
formity to this act," etc. No doubt many societies 
held fairs from this time, for a greater or less 



number of years. Agricultural journals* were, 
at this period, rare in the State, and the subject of 
agricultural improvement did not receive that at- 
tention from the press it does at this time ; and, 
for want of public spirit and attention to sustain 
these fairs, they were gradually discontinued until 
the new act respecting their organization wa.s 
passed in 184G. However, records of several 
county societies of the years between 1832 and 
1846 yet exist, showing that in some parts of the 
State, the interest in these fairs was by no means 
diminished. The Delaware County Society re- 
ports for the year 1833 — it was organized in June 
of that year — good progress for a beginning, and 
that much interest was manifested by the citizens 
of the county. 

Ross County held its first exhibition in the 
autumn of that year, and the report of the mana- 
gers is quite cheerful. Nearly all of the exhibited 
articles were sold at auction, at greatly advanced 
prices from the current ones of the day. The en- 
try seems to have been ft-ee, in an open inclosure, 
and but little revenue was derived. Little was ex- 
pected, hence no one was disappointed. 

Washington County reports an excellent cattle 
show for that year, and a number of premiums 
awarded to the successful exhibitors. This same 
year the Ohio Importation Company was organ- 
ized at the Ross County fair. The Company began 
the next season the importation of fine cattle from 
England, and, in a few years, did incalculable good 
in this respect, as well as make considerable money 
in the enterprise. 

These societies were re-organized when the law 
of 1846 went into eff"ect, and, with those that had 
gone down and the new ones started, gave an im- 
petus to agriculture that to this day is felt. Now 
every county Iuls a society, while district. State 
and inter-State societies are annually held; all 
promotive in their tendency, and all a benefit to 
every one. 

The Ohio State Board of Agriculture was organ- 
ized by an act of the Legislature, passed February 
27, 1846. Since then various amendments to the 
organic law have been passed from time to time as 

*The Western TiVJerwas published in Cincinnati, in 1826. It was 
"miscellaneous," but cuutaiued many excellent articles on agri- 
culture. 

The Farmers' Record was published in Cincinnati, in 1831, and 
continued for several years 

The Ohio Fanner was piitilished at Batavia, Clermont County, in 
1833, by Hon. Samuel Medary. 

These were the early agricultural journals, some of which yet 
suri'ive, though in new name8,and under new management. Others 
have, also, since been added, some of which havH an exceedingly 
large circulation, and are an influence for much good in the State. 



>> 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



163 



the necessities of the Board and of agriculture in 
the State demanded. The same day that the act 
was passed creating the State Board, an act was 
also passed providing for the erection of county and 
district societies, under which law, with subsequent 
amendments, the present county and district agri- 
cultural societies are managed. During the years 
from 1 846 down to the present time, great improve- 
ments have been made in the manner of conduct- 
ing these societies, resulting in exhibitions unsur- 
passed in any other State. 

Pomology and horticulture are branches of in- 
dustry so closely allied with agriculture that a 
brief resume of their operations in Ohio will be 
eminently adapted to these pages. The early 
planting and care of fruit in Ohio has already been 
noticed. Among the earliest pioneers were men of 
fine tastes, who not only desired to benefit them- 
selves and their country, but who were possessed 
with a laudable ambition to produce the best fruits 
and vegetables the State could raise. For this end 
they studied carefully the topography of the coun- 
try, its soil, climate, and various influences upon 
such culture, and by careful experiments with fruit 
and vegetables, produced the excellent varieties now 
in use. Mention has been made of Mr. Longworth 
and Mr. Ernst, of Cincinnati ; and Israel and Aaron 
W. Putnam, on the Muskingum River ; Mr. Dille, 



Judges Fuller and Whittlesey, Dr. Jared Kirtland 
and his sons, and others — all practical enthusiasts in 
these departments. At first, individual efforts alone, 
owing to the condition of the country, could be 
made. As the State filled with settlers, and means 
of communication became better, a desire for an in- 
terchange of views became apparent, resulting in 
the establishment of periodicals devoted to these 
subjects, and societies where diflFerent ones could 
meet and discuss these things. 

A Horticultural and Pomological Society was 
organized in Ohio in 1866. Before the organiza- 
tion of State societies, however, several distinct or 
independent societies existed ; in fact, out of these 
grew the State Society, which in turn produced 
good by stimulating the creation of county societies. 
All these societies, aids to agriculture, have pro- 
gressed as the State developed, and have done much 
in advancing fine fruit, and a taste for aesthetic cul- 
ture. In all parts of the West, their influence is 
seen in better and improved fruit ; its culture and 
its demand. 

To-day, Ohio stands in the van of the Western 
States in agriculture and all its kindred associa- 
tions. It only needs the active energy of her 
citizens to keep her in this place, advancing 
as time advances, until the goal of her ambition is 
reached. 



CLIMATOLOGY— OUTLINE - 



CHAPTER XVI. 

-VARIATION IN OHIO— ESTIMATE IN DEGREES— RAINFALL - 
—VARIABILITY. 



-AMOUNT 



THE climate of Ohio varies about four degrees. 
Though originally liable to malaria in many 
districts when first settled, in consequence of a 
dense vegetation induced by summer heats and 
rains, it has became very healthful, owing to clear- 
ing away this vegetation, and proper drainage. 
The State is as favorable in its sanitary char- 
acteristics as any other in its locality. Ohio is re- 
markable for its high productive capacity, almost 
every thing grown in the temperate climates being 
within its range. Its extremes of heat and cold 
are less than almost any other State in or near the 
same latitude, hence Ohio suffers less from the ex- 
treme dry or wet seasons which affect all adjoining 
States. These modifications are mainly due to the 
influence of the Lake Erie waters. These not 



only modify the heat of summer and the cold of 
winter, but apparently reduce the profusion of 
rainfall in summer, and favor moisture in dry pe- 
riods. No finer climate exists, all conditions consid- 
ered, for delicate vegetable growths, than that por- 
tion of Ohio bordering on Lake Erie. This is 
abundantly attested by the recent extensive devel- 
opment there of grape culture. 

Mr. Lorin Blodget, author of "American Clima- 
tology," in the agricultural report of 1853, says; 
"A district bordering on the Southern and West- 
ern portions of Lake Erie is more favorable in this 
respect (grape cultivation ) than any other on the 
Atlantic side of the Rocky Mountains, and it will 
ultimately prove capable of a very liberal extension 
of vine culture." 



:V 



1G4 



HISTOKY or OHIO. 



Experience has proven Mr. Blodget correct in 
his theory. Now extensive fields of grapes are 
everywhere found on the Lake Erie Slope, while 
other small fruits find a sure footing on its soil. 

" Considering the climate of Ohio by isother- 
mal lines and rain shadings, it must be borne in 
mind," says Mr. Blodget, in his description of 
Ohio's climate, from which these ficts are drawn, 
" that local influences often requii'e to be considered. 
At the South, from Cincinnati to Steubenville, the 
deep river valleys are two degrees warmer than the 
hilly districts of the same vicinity. The lines are 
drawn intermediate between the two extremes. 
Thus, Cincinnati, on the plain, is 2° warmer than 
at the Observatory, and 4° warmer for each year 
than Hillsboro, Highland County — the one being 
5U0, the other 1,000, feet above sea-level. The 
immediate valley of the Ohio, from Cincinnati to 
Gallipolis, is about 75° for the summer, and 54° 
for the year; while the adjacent hilly districts, 
800 to 500 feet higher, are not above 73° and 52° 
respectively. For the summer, generally, the 
river valleys are 73° to 75° ; the level and central 
portions 72° to 73°, and the lake border 70° to 
72°. A peculiar mildness of climate belongs to 
the vicinity of Kelley's Island, Sandusky and 
Toledo. Here, both winter and summer, the cli- 
mate is 2° warmer than on the highland ridge ex- 
tending from Norwalk and Oberlin to Hudson and 
the northeastern border. This ridge varies from 
500 to 750 feet above the lake, or 850 to 1,200 
feet above sea level. This high belt has a summer 
temperature of 70°, 27° for the winter, and 49° 
for the year ; while at Sandusky and Kelley's 
Island the summer is 72°, the winter 29°, and the 
year 50°. In the central and eastern parts of 
the State, the winters are comparatively cold, the 
average falling to 32° over the more level districts, 
and to 29° on the highlands. The Ohio Kiver 
valley is about 35°, but the highlands near it fall 
to 31° and 32° for the winter." 

As early as 1824, several persons in the State 
began taking the temperature in tlieir respective 
localities, for the spring, summer, autumn and win- 
ter, averaging them for the entire year. From time 
to time, these were gathered and published, inducing 
others to take a step in the same direction. Not 
long since, a general table, from about forty local- 



ities, was gathered and compiled, covering a period 
of more than a quarter of a century. This table, 
when averaged, showed an average temperature of 
52.4°, an evenness of temperature not equaled 
in many bordering States. 

Very imperfect observations have been made 
of the amount of rainfall in the State. Until 
lately, only an individual here and there through- 
out the State took enough interest in this matter 
to faithfully observe and record the averages of 
several years in succession. In consequence of 
this fact, the illustration of that feature of Ohio's 
climate is less satisfactory than that of the 
temperature. "The actual rainfall of different 
months and years varies greatly," says Mr. Blod- 
get. "There may be more in a month, and, 
again, the quantity may rise to 12 or 15 inches 
in a single month. For a year, the variation may 
be from a minimum of 22 or 25 inches, to a maxi- 
mum of 50 or even 60 inches in the southern part 
of the State, and 45 to 48 inches along the lake 
border. The average is a fixed quantity, and, 
although requiring a period of twenty or twenty- 
five years to fix it absolutely, it is entirely certain 
and unchangeable when known. On charts, these 
average quantities are represented by depths 
of shading. At Cincinnati, the last fifteen years 
of observation somewhat reduce the average of 
48 inches, of former years, to 46 or 47 inches." 

Spring and summer generally give the most rain, 
there being, in general, 10 to 12 inches in the 
spring, 10 to 14 inches in the summer, and 8 to 
10 inches in the autumn. The winter is the most 
variable of all the seasons, the southern part of 
the State having 10 inches, and the northern part 
7 inches or less — an average of 8 or 9 inches. 

The charts of rainfall, compiled for the State, 
show a fall of 30 inches on the lake, and 46 inches 
at the Ohio River. Between these two points, the 
fall is marked, beginning at the north, 32, 34, 36 
and 38 inches, all near the lake. Farther down, 
in the latitude of Tuscarawas, Monroe and Mercer 
Counties, the fall is 40 inches, while the south- 
western part is 42 and 44 inches. 

The clearing away of forests, the drainage of 
the land, and other causes, have lessened the rain- 
fall, making considerable difference since the days 
of the aborioines. 



:^ 



'k. 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



105 



CHAPTER XVII.* 

PUBLIC LANDS OF OHIO— THR MYSTERIES OF THE EARLY SURVEYS- 
ITS ORIGIN AND ORGANIZATION. 



-THE NEW rONNECTICUT— 



TO the inexperienced student of the history of 
Ohio, nothing is more perplexing and un- 
satisfactory, than the account of its pubUc lands. 
Held theoretically by the conflicting claims of col- 
onies, each jealous of the other's prestige, and prac- 
tically controlled by the determined assertion of his 
cLiim by the Indian, its territory came under the 
acknowledged control of the General Government 
in a fragmentary way, and in the early surveys it 
lacks that regular arrangement which marks the 
larger part of the old Northwestern Territory. But, 
to the early colonist, Ohio was the land of promise. 
The reports of the early explorers who had been 
sent to spy out the land were such as to stimulate 
the rapacity of greedy adventurers to the highest 
pitch, and Ohio became at once the center of at- 
traction, not only to that class, but also to the pio- 
neer settlements of the East. The spirit of land 
speculation was fostered by the system of royal 
charters and favoritism, and colonial officials were 
rapidly acquiring titles to large tracts of the fertile 
lands of the Northwest. Lord Dunmore, who rep- 
resented the crown in Virginia, had made arrange- 
ments to secure a large portion of this territory, 
which were only frustrated by the precipitation of 
the Revolutionary struggle. In all these operations 
the rights or interests of the Indians were ignored. 
Might was the measure of the white man's right, 
and, in the face of formal treaties very favorable to 
the whites, the lands reserved to the natives were 
shamelessly bought and sold. Titles thus secured 
were obviously of no value if the integrity of sol- 
emn treaties were to be respected, but, so generally 
had the public mind been corrupted by the greed 
for gain, that this consideration offered no hindrance 
whatever to this sort of traffic in land titles. In 
1776, however, the colonies having renounced 
their allegiance to the mother country, and having 
assumed a position as sovereign and independent 
States, a summary end was put to this speculation, 
and all persons were forbidden to locate in this ter- 
ritory, until its ownership and jurisdiction should 

♦Compiled from Howe's Historical rollpctions of Ohio, and a 
pamphlet by Judge W. W. Boynton, of the Supreme Court of Ohio. 



be determined. Each State claimed the right of 
soil, the jurisdiction over the district of country 
embraced by the provisions of its charter, and the 
privilege of disposing of the land to subserve its 
own interests. The States, on the contrary, which 
had no such charter, insisted that that these lands 
ought to be appropriated for the benefit of all the 
States, as the title to them, if secured at all, would 
be by the expenditure of the blood and moneys of 
all alike. The treaty of peace with England was 
signed at Paris, September 3, 1783, and Congress 
at once became urgent in seconding this demand of 
the non charter-holding States. Under the char- 
ters held by the individual State, the General Gov- 
ernment was powerless to fulfill its agreement with 
the troops, to grant land to each soldier of the 
war, and the general dissatisfaction occasioned by 
this state of things, formed a powerful influence 
which finally brought about a general cession of 
these unappropriated lands, held by the different 
States. In March, 1784, Virginia ceded her terri- 
tory situated northwest of the River Ohio, reserving 
the tract now known as the Virginia Military 
Lands. In 1786, Connecticut ceded her territory, 
save the " Western Reserve ;" reserved cessions 
were made by Massachusetts in 1785, and by New 
York in 1780. 

When Ohio was admitted into the Federal 
Union in 184)3, as an independent State, one of the 
terms of admission was, that the fee simple to all 
the lands within its limits, excepting those pre- 
viously granted or sold, should vest in the Ignited 
States. A large portion of the State, however, had 
been granted or sold to various individuals, compa- 
nies and bodies politic before this, and subsequent 
dispositions of Ohio public lands have generally 
been in aid of some public State enterprise. The 
following are the names by which the principal 
bodies of land are designated, taking their titles 
from the different forms of transfer: 

1. Congress Lands. 

2. United States Military Lands. 

3. Ohio Company's Purchase. 

4. Donation Tract. 



?>MV 



■l±^ 



166 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



5. Symmes' Purvliase. 

6. Refugee Tract. 

7. French Grant. 

8. Dohrman's Grrant. 

9. Moravian Lands. 

10. Zane's Grant. 

11. Maumee Road Lands. 

12. Turnpike Lands. 

13. Ohio Canal Lands. 

14. School Lands. 

15. College Lands. 

16. Ministerial Lands. 

17. Salt Sections. 

18. Virginia Military Lands. 

19. Western Reserve. 

20. Fire Lands. 

These grants, however, may properly be di- 
vided into three general classes — Congress Lands, 
the Virginia Reserve and the Connecticut Reserve ; 
the former including all lands of the State, not 
known as the Virginia Military Land or the 
W(, stern Reserve. Previous to any grants of this 
territory, the Indian title had to be acquired. Al- 
though the United States has succeeded to the 
rights acquired by the English from the Iroquois, 
there were numerous tribes that disputed the right 
of the dominant nation to cede this territory, and a 
treaty was accordingly made at Fort Stanwix, in 
1784, and in the following year at Fort Mcin- 
tosh, by which the Indians granted all east of a 
line drawn from the mouth of the Cuyahoga 
River to the Ohio, and all south of what subse- 
quently became known as the Greenville Treaty 
line, or Indian boundary line. By this treaty, this 
line extended from the Portage, between the Cuya- 
hoga and the Tuscarawas Branch of the Muskingum, 
" thence down that branch, to the crossing above 
Fort Laurens, then westerly to the Portage of the 
Big Miami, which runs into the Ohio, at the 
mouth of which the fort stood, which was taken 
by the French in 1752; thence along said Portage 
to the Great Miami, or Omee River," whence 
the line was extended westward, by the treaty of 
Greenville, in 1705, to Fort Recovery, and thence 
southwest to the mouth of the Kentucky River. 

Congress Lands are so called becau.se they are 
sold to purchasers by the immediate officers of the 
General Government, conformably to such laws as 
are, or may be, from time to time, enacted by 
Congress. They are all regularly surveyed into 
townships of six miles square each, under the au- 
thority and at the expense of the National Govern- 



ment. All these lands, except Marietta and a part 
of Steubenville districts, are numbered as follows : 



6 


5 


4 


3 


2 
11 


1 


7 
18 


8 


9 


10 


12 


17 


16 


15 


14 


13 


19 


20 


21 


22 


23 


24 


30 


29 


28 


27 


26 


25 


31 


32 


83 


34 


35 


36 



The seven Ranges, Ohio Company's Purchase, 
and Symmes' Purchase are numbered as here ex- 
hibited : 



36 


30 


24 


18 


12 


6 


35 


29 


23 


17 


11 


5 


34 


28 


22 


16 


10 


4 


83 


27 


21 


15 


9 


8 


32 


26 


20 


14 


8 


2 


31 


25 


19 


13 


7 


1 



The townships are again subdivided into sec- 
tions of one mile square, each- containing 640 acres, 
by lines running parallel with the township and 
range lines. The sections are numbered in two 
different modes, as exhibited in the preceding fig- 
ures or diagrams. 

In addition to the foregoing division, the sec- 
tions are again subdivided into four equal parts, 
called the northeast quarter-section, southeast 
quarter section, etc. And again by a law of Con- 
gress, which went into effect July, 1820, these 
quarter-sections are also divided by a north-and- 



riV 



'\^ 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



167 



s 


30 4 


R 
T 

S 


213 
3 

1 



south line into two equal parts, called the east half 
quarter-section No. — , and west half quarler-sec- 
tion No. — , which contain eighty acres each. The 
minimum price was reduced by the same law from 
$2 to $1.25 per acre, cash down. 

In establishing the township and sectional cor- 
ners, a post was first planted at the point of inter- 
section ; then on the tree nearest the post, and 
standing within the section intended to be desig- 
nated, was numbered with the marking iron the 
range, township, and number of the section, thus : 

R 21 R 20 

T 4 T 4 

1 S 31 The quarter corners are marked 
— 1 — 4 south, merely. 

2R 20 

T 3 

S 6 

Section No. 16 of every township is perpet- 
ually reserved for the use of sclools, and leased or 
sold out, for the benefit ot schools, under the State 
government. All the others may be taken up 
either in sections, fractions, halves, quarters, or 
half-quarters. 

For the purpose of selling out these lands, they 
were divided into eight several land districts, called 
after the names of the towns in which the land of- 
fices are kept, viz., Wooster, Steubenville, Zanes- 
ville, Marietta, Chillicothe, etc., etc. 

In May, 1785, Congress passed an ordinance for 
a.scertaining the mode of disposing of these lands. 
Under that ordinance, the Jifst seven ranges, 
bounded on the north by a line drawn due west 
from the Pennsylvania State line, where it crosses 
the Ohio River, to the United States Military 
Lands, forty-two miles; and, on the west, by the 
same line drawn thence south to the Ohio River, 
at the southeast corner of Marietta Township, and 
on the east and south by the Ohio River, were 
surveyed in 1786-87, and in the latter year, and 
sales were efl'ected at New York, to the amount of 
$72,974. In 1796, further portions of these lands 
were disposed of at Pittsbuigh, to the amount of 
S43,44B, and at Philadelphia, amounting to $5,- 
120. A portion of these lands were located under 
United States Military land warrants, and the rest 
was disposed of at the Steubenville Land Office, 
which was opened July 1, 1801. 

United States Military Lands are so called from 
the circumstance of their having been appropriat- 
ed, by an act of Congress of the 1st of June, 
1796, to satisfy certain claims of the officers and 



soldiers of the Revolutionary war. This tract of 
country, embracing tlie.se lands, is bounded as fol- 
lows : Beginninir at the northwest corner of the 
original seven ranges of townships, thence south 
titty miles, thence west to the Scioto River, thence 
up i^aid river to the Greenville treaty line, thence 
northeasterly with said line to old Fort Laurens, 
on the Tuscarawas River, thence due east to the 
place of beginning, including a tract of about 
4,000 square miles, or 2,560,000 acres of land. 
It is, of course, bounded on the north by the Green- 
ville treaty line, east by the " seven ranges of town- 
ships," south by the Congress and Refugee lands, 
and west by the Scioto River. 

These lands are surveyed into townships of five 
miles square ; these townships were then again, 
originally, surveyed into quarter townships, of two 
and a half miles square, containing 4,000 acres 
each; and, subsequently, some of these quarter- 
townships were subdivided into forty lots, of 100 
acres each, for the accommodation of those soldiers 
holding warrants for only 100 acres each. And 
again, after the time originally assigned for ihe 
location of these warrants had expired, certain 
quarter-townships, which had not then been loca- 
ted, we re divided into sections of one mile .square 
each, and sold by the General Government, like 
the main body of Congress lands. 

The quarter-townships are numbered as exhib- 
ited in the accompanying figure, 
the top being considered north. 
.The place of each township is ascer- 
tained by numbers and ranges, the 
same as Congress lands ; the ranges 
being numbered from east to west, 
and the numbers from south to north. 

Ohio Company's Purchase is a body of land 
containing about 1,500.000 acr>s; including, how- 
ever, the donation tract, school lands, etc., lying 
along the Ohio River ; and including Meigs, nearly 
all of Athens, and a consideralile jiart of Wash- 
ington and Gallia Counties. This tract was pur- 
chased by the General Government in the year 
1787, by Manasseh Cutler and Winthrop Sar- 
geant, from the neighhorhood of Salem, in ^Lassa- 
chusetts, agents for the " Ohio Company," so 
called, which had then been formed in Massachu- 
setts, foi- the purpo.se of a settlement in the Ohio 
country. Only 964,285 acres were ultimately 
paid for, and, of cour.se. patented. This body of 
land was then apportioned out into 817 shares, of 
1,173 acres each, and a town lot of one-third of 
an acre to each share. These shares were made 



2 


1 


8 


4 



IT^ 



168 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



up to each proprietor in tracts, one of 640 acres, 
one of 262, one of 160, one of 100, one of 8, and 
another of 3 acres, besides the before-mentioned 
town lot. Besides every section 16, set apart, as 
elsewhere, for the support of schools, every Section 
29 is appropriated for the support of religious 
institutions. In addition to which were also 
granted two six-mile-square townships for the use 
of a college. But, unfortunately for the Ohio 
Company, owing to their want of topographical 
knowledge of the country, the body of land selected 
by ihem, with some partial exceptions, is the 
most hilly and sterile of any tract of similar ex- 
tent in the State. 

Donation Tract is a body of 100,000 acres, set 
oif in the northern limits of the Ohio Company's 
tract, and granted to them by Congress, provided 
they should obtain one actual settler upon each 
hundred acres thereof, within five years from the 
date of the grant ; and that so much of the 100,- 
000 acres aforesaid, as should not thus be taken 
up, shall revert to the Greneral Government. 

This tract may, in some respects, be considered 
a part of the Ohio Company's purchase. It is 
situated in the northern limits of Washington 
County. It lies in an oblong shape, extending 
nearly seventeen miles from east to west, and about 
seven and a half north to south. 

Symmes' Purchase is a tract of 311,682 acres of 
land in the southwestern quarter of the State, 
between the Great and Little Miami Rivers. It bor- 
ders on the Ohio River a distance of twenty-seven 
miles, and extends so far back from the latter between 
the two Miamis as to include the quantity of land 
just mentioned. It was patented to John Cleves 
Symmes, in 1794, for 67 cents per acre. Every 
sixteenth section, or square mile, in each town- 
ship, was reserved by Congress for the use of 
schools, and Sections 29 for the support of relig- 
ious institutions, besides fifteen acres around Fort 
Washington, in Cincinnati. This tract of land is 
now one of the most valuable in the State. 

Refugee Tract, a body of 100,000 acres of land, 
granted by Congress to certain individuals who 
left the British Provinces during the Revolutionary 
war and espoused the cause of freedom, is a nar- 
row strip of country, four and a half miles broad 
from north to south, and extending eastwardly 
from the Scioto River forty -eight miles. It has 
the United States twenty ranges of military or army 
lands north, twenty-two ranges of Congress lands 
south. In the western borders of this tract is 
situated the town of Columbus. 



French Grant is a tract of 24,000 acres of land, 
bordering upon the Ohio River, in the south- 
eastern quarter of Scioto County. A short time 
after the Ohio Company's purchase began to be 
settled, an association was formed under the name 
of the Scioto Land Company. A contract was 
made for the purchase of a part of the lands in- 
cluded in the Ohio Company's purchases. Plats 
and descriptions of the land contracted for were 
made out, and Joel Barlow was sent as an agent 
to Europe to make sales of the lands for the bene- 
fit of the company; and sales were effected of a 
considerable part of the land to companies and 
individuals in France. On February 19, 1791, 
two hundred and eighteen of tlusc purchasers left 
Havre de Grace, in France, and arrived in Alex- 
andria, J). C, on the 3d of May following. On 
their arrival, they were told that the Scioto Com- 
pany owned no land. The agent insisted that 
they did, and promised to secure them good titles 
thereto, which he did, at Winchester, Brownsville 
and Charleston (now Well;>burg). When they 
arrived at Mai-ietta, about fifty of them landed. 
The rest of the company proceeded to Gallipolis, 
which was laid out about that time, and were as- 
sured by the agent that the place lay within their 
purchase. Every efi"ort to secure titles to the 
lands they had purchased having failed, an appli- 
cation was made to Congress, and in March, 1795, 
the above grant was made to these persons 
Twelve hundred acres additional, were afterward 
granted, adjoining the above mentioned tract at its 
lower end, toward the mouth of the Little Scioto 
River. 

Dohrman's Grant is one six-mile-square town- 
ship of 23,040 acres, granted to Arnold Henry 
Dohrman, formerly a wealthy Portuguese merchant 
in Lisbon, fur and in consideration of his having, 
during the Revolutionary war, given shelter and 
aid to the American cruisers and vessels of war. 
It is located in the southeastern part of Tuscara- 
was County. 

Moravian Lands are three several tracts of 
4,000 acres each, originally granted by the old 
Continental Congress in July, 1787, and confirmed 
by act of Congress of June 1, 1796, to the Mora- 
vian brethren at Bethlehem, in Pennsylvania, in 
trust and for the use of the Christianized Indians 
living thereon. They are laid out in nearly square 
farms, on the Muskingum River, in what is now 
Tuscarawas County. They are called by the namrs 
of the Shoenbrun. Gnadenhutten and Salem tract.s. 

Zane's Tracts are three several tracts of one mile 






HISTORY OF OHIO. 



169 



squire each — one on the Muskingum River, which 
incUides the town of Zuncsville - one at the cross 
of the Hocking River, on which the town of Lancas- 
ter is laid out, and the third on the left bank of the 
Scioto River, opposite Chillicothe. They were 
granted by Congress to one Ebenezer Zane, in 
May, 1786, on condition that he should open a 
road tlirough them, from Wheeling, Va., to Mays- 
ville, Ky. 

There are also three other tracts, of one mile 
square each, granted to Isaac Zane, in the year 
1802, in consideration of his having been taken 
prisoner by the Indians, when a boy, during the 
Revolutionary war, and living with them most of 
his life ; and having during that time performed 
m;!i)y acts of kindness and beneficence toward the 
American people. These tracts are situated in 
Champaign County, on King's Creek, from three 
to five miles northwest from Urbana. 

The Maumee Road's Lands are a body of lauds 
averaging two miles wide, l^ing along one mile on 
each side ofthe road, from the Maumee River, at Per- 
rysburg, to the western limits of the Wesiern Re- 
serve, a distance of about forty-six miles, and com- 
prising nearly 60,000 acres. They were originally 
granted by the Indian owners, at the treaty of 
Brownstown, in 1808, to enable the United States 
to miike a road on the line just mentioned. The 
General Grovernment never moved into the busi- 
ness until Fibruary, 1823, when Congress passed 
an act making over the aforesaid lands to the 
State of Ohio, provided she should, within four 
years thereafter, make and keep in repair a good 
road throughout the aforei-aid route of forty-six 
miles. This road the State government has 
already made, obtained possession, and sold most 
of the land. 

Turnpike Lands are forty-nine sections, amount- 
ing to 31,360 acres, situated along the western 
side of the Columbus and Sandusky turnpike, in 
the eastern parts of Seneca, Crawford and Marion 
Counties. They were originally granted by an act 
of Congress on March 3, 1827, and more specifi- 
cally by a supplementary act the year following. 
The considerations for which these lands were 
granted were that the mail stages and all troops 
and property of the United States, which should 
ever be moved and transported along this road 
should pass free fi-om toll. 

The Ohio Canal Lands are granted by Congress 
to the State of Ohio, to aid in constructing her 
extensive canals. These lands comprise over one 
million of acres. 



School Lan Js — By compact between the United 
States and the State of Ohio, when the latter was 
admitted into the Union, it was stipulated, for and 
in consideration that the State of Ohio should never 
tax the Congress lands until after they should have 
been sold five years, and in consideration tl at the 
public lands would thereby more readily sell, that 
the one-thirty-sixth part of all the territory in- 
cluded within the limits of the State should be 
set apart for the support of common schools there- 
in. And for the purpose of getting at lands 
which should, in point of quality of soil, be on an 
average with the whole land in the country, they 
decreed that it should be selected by lots, in small 
tracts each, to wit: That it should consist of 
Section No. 16, let that section be good or 
bad, in every township of Congress land, also 
in the Ohio Company's and in Symmes' Pur- 
chases, all of which townvhips are composed of 
thirty-six sections each ; and for the United States 
military lands and Connecticut Reserve, a num- 
ber of quarter-townships, two and a half miles 
square each (being the smallest public surveys 
therein, then made), should be selected by the 
Secretary of the Treasury in different townships 
throughout the United States military tract, 
equivalent in quantity to the one thirty-sixth 
part of those two tracts respectively ; and, for 
the Virginia military tract, Congress enacted 
that a quantity of land equal to the one- 
thirty-sixth part of the estimated quantity of 
land contained therein, should be selected by 
lot, in what was then called the " New Pur- 
chase," in quarter - township tracts of three 
miles square each. Most of these selections were 
accordingly made, but in some instances, by the 
carelessness of' the officers conducting the sales, or 
from some other cause, a few Sections 16 have 
been sold, in which case Congress, when applied 
to, has generally granted other lands in lieu 
thereof, as, for instance, no Section 16 was re- 
served in Montgomery Township, in which Co- 
lumbus is situated, and Congress afterward 
granted therefor Section 21, in township corner- 
ing thereon to the southwest. 

College Townships are three six-mile-square 
townships, granted by Congress ; two of them to 
the Ohio Company, for the use of a coll ge to be 
established within their purchase, and one for the 
use of the inhabitants of Symmes' Purchase. 

Ministerial Lands — In both the Ohio Company 
and the Symmes' Purchase every Section 29 (equal 
to every one-thirty-sixth part of every township) 



4f 



170 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



3 2 

4 1 



is reserved as a permanent fund for the Mipp(jrt of 
a settled minister. As the purchasers of these two 
tracts came from parts of the Union where it was 
customary and deemed necessary to have a regu- 
lar settled clergyman in every town, they therefore 
stipulated in this original purchase that a perma- 
nent fund in lands should thus he set apiirt for 
this purchase. In no other part of the State, 
other than these two pui'chases, are any lands set 
apart f )r this object. 

The Connecticut Western Reserve and the 
Fire Lands are surveyed into townships of about 
five miles square each ; and these townships are 
then subdivided into four quarters ; 
and these quarter- townships are 
numbered as in the accompanying 
figure, the top being considered 
north. And for individual conven- 
ience, these are again subdivided, 
by private surveys, into lots of from fifty to five 
hundi'ed acres each, to suit individual purchasers. 

In its history, the Western Reserve is far more 
important than any other of the early arbitrary 
divisions of the State. It was peopled by a dom- 
inant class that brought to this wilderness social 
forms and habits of thought that had been fostered 
in the Puritan persecutions of England, and crys- 
tallized by nearly half a century of pioneer life in 
Connecticut, into a civilization that has not yet 
lost its distinctive characteristics. Dating their 
history back to the early part of the seventeenth 
century, the true descendant of the Puritan points 
with pride to the permanency of their traditions, 
to the progressive character of their institutions, 
and marks their influence in the commanding 
power of the schoolhouse and church. 

The earliest measure which may be said to have 
affected the history of the Reserve, originated in 
1609. In this year, James I, granted to a com- 
pany called the London Company, a charter, under 
which the entire claim of Virginia to the soil 
northwest of the Ohio was asserted. It was 
clothed with corporate powers, with most of its 
members living in London. The tract of country 
embraced within this charter was immense. It 
commenced its boundaries at Point Comfort, on 
the Atlantic, and ran south 200 miles, and thence 
west across the continent to the Pacific ; com- 
mencing again at Point Comfort, and running 
200 miles north, and from this point northwest to 
the sea. This line ran through New York and 
Pennsylvania, crossing the eastern end of Lake 
Erie, and terminated in the Arctic Ocean. The 



vast empire lying between the south line, the east 
line, the diagonal line to the northwest, and the 
Pacific Ocean, was claimed by virtue of this char- 
ter. It included over half of the North American 
Continent. Notwithstanding the charter of the 
London Company included all the territory now 
embraced witliin the boundaries of Ohio, James I, 
on the 3d of November, 1620, by royal letters 
patent, granted to the Duke of Lenox and others, 
to be known as the Council of Plymouth, all the 
territory lying between the fortieth and fortv- 
eighth degrees of north latitude, and bounded on 
the east by the Atlantic, and on the west by the 
Pacific. This description embraced a large tract 
of the lands granted to the Virginia or London 
Company. In 1630, a portion of the same ter- 
ritory was granted to the Earl of Warwick, and 
afterward confirmed to him by Charles I. In 
1631, the Council of Plymouth, acting by the 
Earl of Warwick, granted to Lord Brook and Vis- 
counts Say and Seal, what were supposed to be 
the same lands, altliMUgh by a very imperfect de- 
scription. In 1662, Charles II granted a charter 
to nineteen patentees, with such associates as 
they should from time to time elect. This asso- 
ciation was made a body corporate and politic, by 
the name of the Governor and Company of the 
English Cotiony of Connecticut. This charter 
constituted the organic law of the State for up- 
ward of one hundi-ed and fifty years. The bound- 
aries were Massachusetts on the north, the sea 
on the south, Narragansett River or Bay on the 
east, and the South Sea (Pacific Ocean) on the 
west This description embraced a strip of land 
upward of six miles wide, stretching from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific, including a part of New 
York and New Jersey, and all the territory now 
known as the Western Reserve. 

In 1681, for the consideration of £16,000 and 
a fealty of two beaver skins a year, Charles II 
granted to ^Villiam Penn a charter embracing 
within its limits the territory constituting the 
present State of Pennsylvania. This grant in- 
cluded a strip of territor}- running across the en- 
tire length of the State on the north, and upward 
of fifty miles wide, that was embraced within the 
Connecticut charter. Massachusetts, under the 
Plymouth Charter, claimed all the land between 
the forty-first and forty-fifth degrees, of north lati- 
tude. In 1664, Charles II ceded to his brother, 
the Duke of York, afterward James II, by Icttei-s 
patent, all the countrybetween the St. Croix and 
the Delaware. After the overthrow of the gov- 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



173 



ernnient of " New Netherlands," then existing 
upon that territory, it was chiimed that the grant 
of the Duke of York extended west into the Mis- 
sissippi A'alley. 

Thus matters stood at the commencement of 
the Revolution. Virginia claimed all the territory 
northwest of the Ohio. Connecticut strenuously 
urged her titles to all lands lying between the par- 
allels -11° and 42° 2' of north latitude, from 
the Atlantic to the Pacific. Pennsylvania, under 
the charter of 1G81, had taken possession of the 
disputed land lying in that State, and had granted 
much of it to actual settlers. New York and 
Massachusetts were equally emphatic in the asser- 
tion of ownership to land between those lines of lat- 
itude. The contention between claimants under 
the Connecticut and Pennsylvania charters, on the 
Susquehanna, frequently resulted in bloodshed. 
The controversy between those two States was 
finally submitted to a Court of Commissioners, ap- 
pointed by Congress, upon the petition of Pennsyl- 
vania, under the ninth article of the confederation, 
which gave Congress power to establish a Court of 
Commissioners, to settle disputed boundaries be- 
tween States, in case of disagreement. The court 
decided in favor of Pennsylvania, and this decision 
terminated the controversy. The question of the 
title to lands lying west of Pennsylvania, was not 
involved in this adjudication, but remained a sub- 
ject for future contention. A party sprung up 
during the war that disputed the title of the 
States asserting it, to lands outside of State 
limits, and which insisted upon the right of the 
States by whose common treasure, dominion was to 
be secured, to participate in the benefits and results 
arising from the joint and common 'effort for inde- 
pendence. This party was particularly strong in 
the smaller States. Those colonies that had not 
been the favored recipients of extensive land 
grants, were little inclined to acquiesce in claims, 
the justice of which they denied, and which could 
be secured to the claimants, only by the success of 
the Revolution. 

There is little doubt, that the conflict in the 
early charters, respecting boundaries, grew out of 
the ignorance of the times in which they were 
granted, as to the breadth or inland extent of 
the American Continent. During the reign of 
James I, Sir Francis Drake reported, that, from 
the top of the mountains on the Isthmus of Pan- 
ama, he had seen both oceans. This led to the 
supposition that the continent, from east to west, 
was of no considerable extent, and that the South 



Sea, by which the grants were limited on the 
west, did not lie very far from the Atlantic ; and as 
late as 1740, the Duke of Newcastle addressed his 
letters to the ''Island of New Il]ngland." Hence 
it was urged as an argument against the claims of 
those States asserting title to Western lands, that 
the term, in the grants, of South Sea, being, by 
mutual mistake of the parties to the charter, an 
erroneous one — the error resulting from misinfor- 
mation or want of certainty concerning the local- 
ity of that sea — the claiming State ought not to 
insist upon an ownership resting upon such a foot- 
ing, and having its origin in such a circumstance. 
Popular feeling on the subject ran so high, at times, 
as to cause apprehension for the safety of the confed- 
eration. In 1780, Congress urged upon the States 
having claims to the Western country, the duty to 
make a surrender of a part thereof to the United 
States. 

The debt incurred in the Revolutionary contest, 
the limited resources for its extinguishment, if the 
public domain was unavailable for the purpose, the 
existence of the unhappy controversy growing out 
of the asserted claims, and an earnest desire to ac- 
commodate and pacify conflicting interests among 
the States, led Congress, in 1784, to an impressive 
appeal to the States interested, to remove all cause 
for further discontent, by a liberal cession of their 
domains to the General Government, for the com- 
mon benefit of all the States. The happy termi- 
n .tion of the war found the public mind in a con- 
dition to be easily impressed by appeals to its pat- 
riotism and liberality. New York had, in 1780, 
ceded to the United States, the lands that she 
claimed, lying west of a line running south from 
the west bend qf Lake Ontario ; and, in 1785, Mas- 
sachusetts relinquished her claim to the same lands 
— each Stat© reserving the same 19,000 square 
miles of ground, and each asserting an independent 
title to it. This controversy between the two 
States was settled by an equal division between 
them, of the disputed ground. Virginia had given 
to her soldiers of the Revolutionary war, and of the 
war between France and England, a pledge of 
bounties payable in Western lands ; and, reserving 
a sufiicien amount of land to enable her to meet 
the pledge thus given, on the 1st of March, 1784, 
she relinquished to the United States, her title to 
all other lands lying northwest of the Ohio. On 
the 14th day of September, 1786, the delegates in 
Congress, from the State of Connecticut, being au- 
thorized and directed so to do, relinquished to the 
United States, all the right, title, interest, jurisdic- 



IK* 



J^« 



174 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



tion and claim that she possessed to the hinds ly- 
ing west of a line running north from the 41° 
north latitude, to 42° 2', and being 120 miles west of 
the western line of Pennsylvania. The territory 
lying west of Pennsylvania, for the distance of 120 
miles, and between the above-named degrees of lat- 
itude, although not in terms reserved by the in- 
strument of conveyance, was in fact reserved — not 
having been conveyed — and by reason thereof, was 
called the Western Reserve of Connecticut. It 
embraces the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull, 
Portage, Geauga, Lake, Cuyahoga, Medina, Lorain, 
Huron, Erie, all of Summit, save the townships of 
Franklin and Greene ; the two northern tiers of 
townships of Mahoning; the townships of Sulli- 
van, Troy and Ruggles, of Ashland ; and the 
islands lying north of Sandusky, including Kelley's 
and Put-in-Ba3% 

During the Revolution, the British, aided by 
Benedict Arnold, made incursions in the heart of 
Connecticut, and destroyed a large amount of 
property in the towns of Greenwich, Norwalk, 
Fairfield, Danbury, New and East Haven, New 
London, Richfield and Groton. There were up- 
ward of 2,000 persons and families that sustained 
severe losses by the de2")redations of the enemy. 
On the 10th of May, 1792, the Legislature of 
that State set apart and donated to the suffering 
inhabitants of these towns, 500,000 acres of the 
west part of the lands of the Reserve, to compen- 
sate them for the losses sustained. These lands 
were to be bounded on the north by the shore of 
Lake Erie, south by the base line of the Reserve, 
west by its western line, and east by a line par- 
allel with the western line of Pennsylvania, and 
so far from the west line of the Reserve as to in- 
clude within the described limits the 500,000 
acres. These are the lands now embraced within the 
counties of Huron and Erie, and the Township 
of Ruggles, in Ashland County. The islands 
were not included. The lands so given were called 
'• Suff"erers' Lands," and those to whom they were 
given were, in 1796, by the Legislature of Con- 
necticut, incorporated by the name of the " Pro- 
prietors of the half-million acres of land lying 
south of Lake Erie." After Ohio had become an 
independent State, this foreign corporation was 
not found to work well here, not being subject to 
her laws, and, to relieve the owners of all embar- 
rassment, on the 15th of April, 1803, the Legisla- 
ture of this State conferred corporate power on 
the owners and proprietors of the " Half-million 
acres of land lying south of Lake Erie," in the 



county of Trumbull, called " Sufferers' Land." 
An account of the losses of the inhabitants had 
been taken in pounds, shillings and pence, and a 
price placed upon the lands, and each of the suf- 
ferers received land proportioned to the extent of 
his loss. These lands subsequently took the 
name of " Fire Lands," from the circumstance 
that the greater part of the losses suff"ered resulted 
from fire. 

In 1795, the remaining portion of the Reserve 
was sold to Oliver Phelps and thirty-five others, 
wh I formed what became known as the " Connect- 
icut Land Company." Some uneasiness concern- 
ing the validity of the title arose fi-om the fact 
that, whatever interest Virginia, Massachusetts or 
New York may have had in the lands reserved, 
and claimed by Connecticut, had been transferred 
to the United States, and, if neither of the claim- 
ing States had title, the dominion and ownership 
passed to the United States by the treaty made 
with England at the close of the Revolution. 
This condition of things was not the only source of 
difficulty and trouble. The Reserve was so far 
from Connecticut as to make it impracticable for 
that State to extend her laws over the same, or 
ordain new ones for the government of the inhabit- 
ants; and, having parted with all interest in the 
soil, her right to provide laws for the people was 
not only doubted, but denied. Congress had 
provided by the ordinance of 1787 for the gov- 
ernment of the territory nurthwest of the Ohio ; 
but to admit jurisdiction in the United States to 
govern this part of that territory, would cast grave 
doubt upon the validity of the company's title. It 
was therefore insisted that the regulation.": pre- 
scribed by that instrument for the government of 
the Northwest Territory had no operation or 
effect within the limits of the Reserve. To quiet 
apprehension, and to remove all cause of anxiety 
on the subject. Congress, on April 28, 1800, 
authorized the President to execute and deliver, 
on the part of the Unite 1 States, letters patent to 
the Governor of Connecticut, whereby the United 
States released, for the uses named, all ight and 
title to the soil of the Reserve, and 3onfirmed it 
unto those who had purchased it from that State. 
The execution and delivery, however, of the letters 
patent were upon the condition that Connecticut 
should forever renounce and release to the United 
States entire and complete civil jurisdiction 
over the territory released. This condition was 
accepted, and thereupon Connecticut transferred 
her jurisdiction to the United States, and the 



HISTORY OF OHIO 



175 



United States released her claim and title to the 
soil 

While this controversy was going on, there was 
another contestant in the field, having the advan- 
tage of actual occupancy, and in no wise inclined 
to recognize a title adverse to his, nor yield, upon 
mere invitation, a possession so long enjoyed. 
This contestant was the Indian. By the treaty at 
Greenville in 1795, preceding treaties were con- 
firmed, and the different tribes released their 
claims to all territory east of the line of the Cuya- 
hoga River and south of the Indian boundary line. 
This left the larger part of the territory of 
the Western Reserve still in the hands of 
the savMge. On July 4, 18(l5, a treaty 
was made at Fort Industry with the chiefs 
and warriors of the different nations settled 
in the northern and western sections of the 
State, by which the Indian title to all the lands 
of the Reserve, lying west of the Cuyahoga, was 
extinguished. By this treaty all the lands lying 
between the Cuyahoga and the Meridian, one 
hundred and twenty miles west of Pennsylvania, 
were ceded by the Indians for $20,000 in goods, 
and a perpetual annuity of $9,500, payable in 
goods at first cost. The latter clause has become 
a dead letter, because there is no one to claim it. 
Since this treaty, the title to the land of the Re- 
serve has been set at rest. 

The price for which this vast tract of land was 
sold to the Connecticut Land Company was 
$1,200,000, the subscriptions to the purchase fund 
ranging from $1,683, by Sylvanus Griswold. to 
$168,185, by Oliver Phelps. Each dollar sub- 
scribed to this fund entitled the subscriber to one 
twelve hundred thousandth part in common and 
undivided of the land purchased. Having ac- 
quired the title, the Company, in the following 
spring, commenced to survey the territory lying 
east of the Cuyahoga, and during the years of 1796 
and 1797, completed it. The first surveying 
party arrived at Conneaut, in New Connecticut, 
July 4, 1796, and proceeded at once to celebrate 
the twentieth anniversary of American Independ- 
ence. There were fifty persons in the party, 
under the lead of Gen. Moses Cleveland, of Can- 
terbury, Conn. There will be found in Whittle- 
sey's Early History of Cleveland an extract from 
the journal of Cleveland, describing the particu- 
lars of the celebration. Among other things noted 
by him was the following : ''The day, memora 
ble as the birthday of American Independence 
and freedom from British tyrrany, and commemo- 



rated by all good, freeborn sons of America, and 
memorable as the day on which the settlement of 
this new country was commenced, and ( which j in 
time may raise her head among the most enlight- 
ened and improved States" — a prophecy already 
more than fulfilled. 

For the purposes of the survey, a point wher ; 
the 41st degree of north latitude intersected the 
western line of Pennsylvania, was found, and from 
this degree of latitude, as a base line, meridian lines, 
five miles apart, were run north to the lake. 
Lines of latitude were then run, five miles apart, 
thus dividing the territory into townships five 
miles square. It was not until after the treaty of 
1805 that the lands lying west of the Cuyahoga 
were surveyed. The meridians and parallels were 
run out in 1806, by Abraham Tappan and his 
assistants. The base and western lines of the Re- 
serve were run by Seth Pease, for the Govern- 
ment. The range of townships were numbered 
progressively west, from the western boundary of 
Pennsylvania. The first tier of townships, run- 
ning north and south, lying along the border of 
Pennsylvania, is Range No. 1 ; the adjoining tier 
west is range No. 2, and so on throughout the 
twenty-four ranges. The township lying next 
north of the 41st parallel of latitude in each range, 
is Township No. 1 of that range. The township 
next north is No. 2, and so on progressively to 
the lake. It was supposed that there were 4,- 
000,000 acres of land between Pennsylvania and 
the Fire Lands. If the supposition had proved 
true, the land would have cost 30 cents per 
acre ; as it resulted, there were less than 3,000,- 
000 acres. The misca'culation arose from the 
mistaken assumption that the south shore of Lake 
Erie bore more nearly west than it does, and also 
in a mistake made in the length of the east-and- 
west line. The distance west from the Pennsyl- 
vania line, surveyed in 1796-97, was only fifty-six 
miles, the survey ending at the Tuscarawas River. 
To reach the western limits of the Reserve a dis 
tance of sixty-four miles was to be made. Abra- 
ham Tappan and Anson Sessions entered into an 
agreement with the Land Company, in 1805, to 
complete the survey of the lands between the P^ire 
Lands and the Cuyahoga. This they did in 1806, 
and, from the width of Range 19, it is very evident 
that the distance from the east to the west line of 
the Reserve is less than one hundred and twenty 
miles. This range of townships is gore-shaped, 
and is much less than five miles wide, circum- 
stances leading the company to divide all below 



176 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



Township 6 into tracts for the purpose of equaliza- 
tion. The west line of Range 19, from north to 
south, as originally run, bears to the west, and 
between it and Eange 20, as indicated on the map, 
tliere is a strip of land, also gore-shaped, that was 
left in the first instance unsurveyed, the surveyors 
not knowing the exact whereabouts of the eastern 
line of the "half-million acres" belonging to the suf- 
ferers. In 180G, Amos Spafford, of Cleveland, and 
Almon Ilugiiles, of Huron, were agreed on by the 
two companies to ascertain and locate the line be- 
tween the Fire Lands and the lands of the Connecti- 
cut Company. They first surveyed off the " half- 
million acres " belonging to the " sufferers," and, 
not agreeing with Seth Pease, who had run out 
the base and west lines, a dispute arose between 
the two companies, which was finally adjusted be- 
fore the draft, by establishing the eastern line of 
the Fire Lands wher.) it now is. This left a strip 
of land east of the Fire Lands, called surplus lands, 
which was included in range 19, and is embraced 
in the western tier of townships of Lorain County. 
The mode of dividing the land among the indi- 
vidual purchasers, was a little peculiar, though 
evidently just. An equalizing committee accom- 
panied the surveyors, to make such observations 
and take such notes of the character of the town- 
ships as would enable them to grade them intelli- 
gently, and make a just estimate and equalization 
of their value. The amount of purchase money was 
divided into 400 shares of $3,000 a share. Certifi- 
cates were issued to each owner, showing him to be 
entitled to such proportion of the entire land, as the 
amount he paid, bore to the purchase price of the 
whole. Four townships of the greatest value were 
first selected from that part of the Western Reserve, 
to which the Indian t tie had been extinguished, and 
were divided into lots. P]ach township was di- 
vided into not less than 100 lots. The number of 
lots into which the four townships were divided, 
would, at least, equal the 400 shares, or a lot to a 
share, and each person or company of persons en- 
titled to one or more shares of the Reserve — each 
share being one four-hundredth part of the Re- 
serve — was allowed to participate in the draft that 
was determined upon for the division of the joint 
property. The committee appointed to select the 
four most valuable townships for such division, was 
directed to select of the remaining townships, a 
sufficient number, and of the best quality and 
greatest value, to be used for equalizing purposes. 
After this selection was made, they were to choose 
the best remaining township, and tliis township was 



the one, to the value of which all others were 
brought by the equalizing process of annexation, 
and if there were several of equal value with the 
one so selected, no annexations were to be made to 
them. The equalizing townships were cut up into 
parcels of various size and value, and these parcels 
were annexed to townships inferior in value to the 
standard toicnship, and annexations of land from 
the equalizing townships, were made to the inferior 
townships, in quantity and quality, sufficient to 
make all equal in value to the standard adopted. 
When the townships had thus all been equalized, 
they were drawn by lit. There were ninety-three 
equalized parcels drawn east of the Cuyahoga, and 
forty-six on the west. The draft of the lands east 
of the river, took place prior to 1800, and of those 
west of that river, on the 4th day of April, 18()7. 
]n the first draft, it required an ownership of 
$12,903.23 of the original purchase money, to en- 
title the owner to a township ; and in the second 
draft, it required an ownership of §26,087 in the 
original purchase-money, to entitle the owner to a 
township. 

The same mode and plan were followed in each 
draft. The townships were nuiubered, and the 
numbers, on separate pieces of paper, placed in a 
box. The names of the proprietors who liad sub- 
scribed, and were the owners of a sufficient amount 
of the purchase-money to entitle them to a township, 
were arranged ia alphabetical order, and when it 
was necessary for several persons to combine, be- 
cause not owning severally, a sufficient amount of 
the purchase-money, or number of shares, to en- 
title them to a township, the name of the person of 
the company that stood alphabetically first, was 
used to represent them in the draft, and in case the 
small owners were unable, from disagreement 
among themselves, to unite, a committee was ap- 
pointed to select and class the proprietors, and 
those selected were required to associate them- 
selves together, for the purpose of the draft. The 
township, or parcel of land, corresponding to the 
first number drawn from the box belonged to the 
person whose name stood first on the list, or to the 
persons whom he represented; and the second 
drawn belonged to the second person, and so down 
through the list. This w'as the mode adopted to 
sever the ownership in common, and to secure to 
each individual, or company of individuals, their 
interest in severalty. Soon after the conveyance to 
the land company, to avoid complications arising 
from the death of its members, and to facilitate the 
transmission of title.'', the company conveyed the 



>k. 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



177 



entire purchase, in trust, to John Morpran, John 
Cadwell and Jonathan Brace ; and as titles were 
wanted, either before or after the division by draft, 
conveyances were made to the purchasers by these 
trustees. 

Little was known of this country at the time of 
its purchase by the Land Company. It was for- 
merly inhabited by a nation of Indians called the 
Erigas or Eries, from which the lake took its 
name. This nation was at an early date destroyed 
by the Iroquois. In his '■ History of New France," 
published in 1744, in speaking of the south shore 
of Lake Erie, Charlevoix says : "All this shore is 
nearly unknown." An old French map, made in 
1755, to be seen in the rooms of the Western Re- 
serve Historical Society, in Cleveland, names the 
country between the Cuyahoga and Sandusky 
Rivers, as Cauahogue ; and east of the Cuyahoga, 
as Gwahoga. This is also the name given to that 
river which is made to empty into Cuyahoga Bay; 
and the country designated as Cauahogue is indi- 
cated as the seat of war, the Mart of Trade, and 
the chief hunting grounds of the Six Nations of the 
lake. The earliest settlement was on the Reserve, 
at Warren, in 1798, though salt was made in 
Weathersfield, Mahoning County, as early as 1755, 
by whites, who made short sojourns there for that 
purpose. The number of settlers increased in this 
section until, in 1800, there were some sixteen fam- 
ilies. In 1796, the first surveying party for the 
Land Company, landed at Conneaut, followed three 
years later by the first permanent settler. Then 
followed settlements in Geauga and Cuyahoga, in 
1798; in Portage and Lake, in 1799; Summit, in 
1800; Lorain. 1807, and iMedina, in 1811. "The 
settlement of the Reserve commenced in a manner 
somewhat peculiar. Instead of beginning on one 
side of a county, and progressing gradually into 
the interior, as had usually been done in similar 
cases, the prorrietors of the Reserve, being gov- 
erned by ditterent and separate views, began their 
improvements wherever their individual interests 
led them. Here we find many of the first settlers 
immersed in a dense forest, fifteen or twenty miles 
or more from the abode of any white inhabitants. 
In consequence of their scattered situation, jour- 
neys were sometimes to be performed of twenty or 
fifty miles, for the sole purpose of having the staple 
of an ox-yoke mended, or some other mechanical 
job, in itself trifling, but absolutely essential for 
the successful prosecution of business. These jour- 
neys had to be performed through the wilderness, 
at a great expense of time, and, in many cases, the 



only safe guide to direct their course, were the 
town.ship lines made by the surveyors. The want 
of mills to grind the first harvest, was in itself a 
great evil. Prior to 1800, many families used a 
small hand-mill, properly called a .sweat-mill, which 
took the hard labor of two hours to supply flour 
enough for one person a single day. About the year 
1800, one or two grist-mills, operating by water- 
power, were erected. One of these was at Newburg, 
now in Cuyahoga Co. But the distance of many 
of the settlements from the mills, and the want 
of roads, often rendered the expense of grinding a 
single bushel equal to the value of two or three,"* 
Speaking of the settlement of the Fire Lands, C. 
B. Squier, late of Sandusky City, says : " The 
largest suff'erers, and, consequently, those who 
held the largest interest in the Fire LandS; pur- 
chased the rights of many who held smaller inter- 
ests. The proprietors of these lands, anxious that 
their new territory should be settled, off"ered strong 
inducements for persons to settle in this then un- 
known region. It is quite difficult to ascertain who 
the first settlers were, upon these lands. As early, 
if not prior to the organization of the State, sev- 
eral persons had squatted upon the lands at the 
mouth of the streams and near the shore of the lake, 
led a hunter's life, and trafficked with the Indians. 
But they were a race of wanderers, and gradually 
disappeared before the regular progress of the set- 
tlements. Those devoted missionaries, the Mora- 
vians, made a settlement, which they called New 
Salem, as early as 1790, on Huron River, about 
two miles below Milan. The first regular settlers, 
however, were Col. Ji'rard Ward, who came in the 
spring of 1808, and Almon Ruggles and Jabez 
Wright, in succeeding autumn." The next year 
brought a large inflow of immigration, which spread 
over the greater portion of both Erie and Huron 
Counties, though tlie first settlement in Sandusky 
City was not made until 1817. 

It was not until the year 1800 that civil govern- 
ment was organized on the Western Reserve. The 
Governor and Judges of the Northwest Territory, 
under the ordinance of 1787, by proclamation in 
the following year, organized the county of Wash- 
ington, and included within it all of the Western 
Reserve east of the Cuyahoga; and in 1790, the 
year of the first occupation by the whites of the 
New Connecticut, the county of Wayne was erected, 
which included over one-ha'f of Ohio, all of the 
Western Reserve west of the Cuyahoga, with a 
part of Indiana, all of Michigan^ and the Ameri- 

*Juiige Arazi Atwater. 



178 



HISTORY OF OHIO 



can ])ortion of Lakes Superior, Huron, St. Clair 
and Erie, to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, with the 
county scat at Detroit. In 1797, Jefferson County 
was estabUshed, and the Western lleserve, east of 
the Cuyahoga, became a part of it, by restricting 
the hiuits of Wiushington. Connecticut and the 
Land Company refused to recognize the right of 
the General Government to make such disposition 
of the Reserve. The act of including this territory 
within the counties of Washington, Jefferson and 
Wayne, they declared to be unwarranted, and the 
power of Congress to prescribe rules for the gov- 
ernment of the same, they denied, and from the 
opening settlement in 1796, until the transfer of 
jurisdiction to the General Government was com- 
plete, on May 30, 1800, the new settlers were entirely 
without municipal laws. There was no regulation 
governing the transmission of, or success to, prop- 
erty on the decease of the owner ; no regulations 
of any kind securing the protection of rights, or 
the redress of wrongs. The want of laws for the 
government of the settlers was seriously felt, and 
as early as 1796, the company petitioned the 
Legislature of Connecticut to erect the Reserve 
into a county, with proper and suitable laws to 
regulate the internal policy of the territory for a 
limited period. This petition, however, was not 
granted, and for upward of four years the inter- 
course and conduct of the early settlers were regu- 
lated and restrained only by their New England 
sense of justice and right. But on the 10th of 
July, 1800, after Connecticut had released her 
jurisdiction to the United States, the Western 
Reserve was erected into a county, by the name of 
Trumbull, in honor of the Governor of Connecti- 
cut, by the civil authority of Ohio. At the elec- 
tion in the fall of that year, Edward Paine received 
thirty-eight votes out of the forty-two cast, for 
member of tlie Territorial Legislature. The elec- 
tion was held at Warren, the county seat, and 
was the first participation that the settlers had in 
the affaiis of government here. During the same 
year the Court of Quarter Sessions, a tribunal that 
did not survive the Constitution of 1802, was es- 
tablished and organized, and by it the ccmnty was 
divided into eight organized townships. The town- 
ship of Cleveland was one, and embraced a large 
portion of territory east of the Cuyahoga, but all the 
Reserve lying west of that river. On December 1 , 
1805, Geauga County was erected. It included 
within its limits, nearly all the present counties of 
Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake and Cuyahoga. On 
February 10, 1807, there was a mire general di- 



vision into counties. That part of the Western 
Restrve lying west of the Cuyahoga and north of 
Township No. 4, was attached to Geauga, to be a 
part thereof until Cuyahoga should be organized. 
In the same year Ashtabula was erected out of 
Trumbull aud Geauga, to be organized whenever 
its population would warrant it ; also, all that part 
of Trumbull which lay west of the fifth range of 
townships, was erected into a county by the name 
of Portage, all of the Western Reserve west of the 
Cuyahoga and south of Townsbip No. 5, being 
attached to it. The C' unty of Cuyahoga was 
formed out of Geauga, on the same date, February 
10, 1807, to be organized whenever its population 
should be sufficient to require it, which occurred 
in 1810. 

On February 8, 1809, Huron County was 
erected into a county, covering the Fire Lands, 
but to remain attached to Geauga and Portage, for 
the time being, for purposes of government. The 
eastern boundary of this county was subsequently, 
in 1811, moved forward to the Black River, but, 
in the year 1822, it was given its present bounda- 
ries, and, in 1838, Erie County was erected, di- 
viding its territory. On the 18th of February, 
1812, Medina was formed, and comprised all the 
territory between the eleventh range of townships 
and Huron County, and south of Township No. 
5. It was attached to Portage, however, until 
January 14, 1818, when it received an indepcLd- 
ent organization. Lorain County was formed on 
the 2Gth day of December, 1822, from the outly- 
ing portions of Huron, Medina and Cuyahoga 
Counties. It was organized with an independent 
local administration, January 21, 1824. In 1840, 
were organized Summit County, on March 3, and 
Lake County on March G; the former drawing 
from Medina and Portage, and taking two town- 
ships from Stark County, and the latter being 
formed from Geauga and Cuyahoga. ' In 1846, 
Ashland County was formed, taking three town- 
ships of the Reserve, on February 26, and Maho- 
ning, on March 1, taking ten townships from 
Trumbull, leaving the boundaries of the Reserve 
as marked at present. 

In the history of its social development, the 
Western Reserve is not less interesting or peculiar 
than in the beginning of its material interests. 
The history of the mother State was peculiar, and 
the Reserve, it was fondly hoped, would be a re- 
production of the maternal features and graces, a 
New Connecticut. A chronicler* of the early 

*C'liarles W. Elliott. 



'ku 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



179 



history of New England, writing of the New Ha- 
ven Colony of 1G37, says: "During the first 
year, little ' government ' was needed or exercised. 
Each man was a lord to himself. On the 4th of 
June (1638), the settlers met in Mr. Neuman's 
barn, and bound themselves by a sort of Constitu- 
tion. * * * They decided to make the Bible 
their law-book ; but by and by new towns were 
made, and new laws were needed, and they had 
the good sense to make them. Their State was 
founded upon their church, thus expressed in 
their first compact, signed by one hundred and 
eleven persons : ' That church members only 
shall be free Burgesses, and that they only shall 
choose Magistrates and officers among themselves, 
to have the power of transacting all publique civil 
affairs of this plantation, of making and repealing 
laws, dividing of inheritances, deciding of differ- 
ences that may arise, and doing all things or busi- 
nesses of like nature.' " Twenty-seven years later, 
when circumstances made a union of the two 
Connecticut Colonies necessary, the greatest and 
most lasting objection on the part of the New Ha- 
ven Colony was the lessening of the civil power 
of the church which would follow the union. In 
1680, the Governor of the United Colonies, thus 
describes the community: "The people are strict 
Congregationalists. There are four or five Seven- 
day men, and about as many Quakers. We have 
twenty-six towns and twenty-one churches. Beg- 
gars and vagabonds are not suffei-ed, but are bound 
out to service." These characteristics of Connect- 
icut have been marked by all historians as well as 
the facts, that she " Early established and sup- 
ported schools and colleges ; her people have, from 
the outset, been industrious and honest ; crime has 
not abounded ; while talent and character, and 
courage and cleanliness, have been common through 
all her history." It was to reproduce these 
characteristics throughout the territory embraced 
within the provisions of her charter, that the 
mother State labored. For one hundred and 
tliirty years she followed this purpose with an un- 
deviating method. " One tract after another, suf- 
ficient for a municipal government, was granted 
to trusty men, who were to form a settlement of 
well assorted families, with the church, the meet- 
ing house, the settled ministry of the Gospel, the 
seliool, the local magistracy, and the democratic 
town-meeting represented in the General Assem- 
bly. Under this method, se'f-governed towns in 
what is now a part of Pennsylvania, were once 
represented in the General Assembly at Hartford 



and New Haven.'"* It was with the hope of ex- 
tending this method to the Reserve that Connecti- 
cut so strenuously asserted her jurisdiction to her 
Western lands ; but in the years of rapid growth 
succeeding the war of the Revolution, the old 
method proved no longer practicable, and the par- 
ent surrendered her offspring to the hands of 
abler guardians. But there remained a field in 
which solicitous regard could find action, and 
the impress of her work in this direction is 
plainly apparent to this day. It was her method 
of " missions to the new settlements " which had 
become crystallized into a system about this time. 
Of the scope and character of this work. Rev. 
Leonard Bacon thus speaks : " At first, individ- 
ual pastors, encouraged by their brethren, and ob- 
taining permission from their churches, performed 
long and weary journeys on horseback into Ver- 
mont and the great wilderness of Central New 
York, that they might preach the Word and ad 
minister the ordinances of religion to such mem- 
bers of their flocks, and others, as had emigrated 
beyond the reach of ordinary New England priv- 
ileges. By degrees the work was enlarged, and 
arrangements for sustaining it were systematized, 
till in the year 1798, the same year in which the 
settlement of the Reserve brgan, the pastors of 
Connecticut, in then- General Association, instituted 
the Missionary Society of Connecticut. In 1802, 
one year after the jurisdiction of the old State 
over the Reserve was formally relinquished, the 
Trustees of the Missionary Society were incorpo- 
rated. As early as 1800, only two years alter 
the first few families from Connecticut had planted 
themselves this side of Northwestern Pennsylvania, 
the first missionary made hig appearance among 
them. This was the Rev. Joseph Badger, the 
apostle of the Western Reserve — a man of large 
and various experience, as well as of native force, 
and of venerable simplicity in character and man- 
ners. In those days the work of the missionary 
to the new settlements was by no means the same 
with what is now ca'lcd ' Home Missionary ' work. 
Our modern Home Missionary has his station and 
his home ; his business is to gather around him- 
self a permanent congregation ; his hope is to 
grow up with the congregation which he gathers, 
and the aid which he receives is given to help the 
church support its pa-tor. But the old-fashioned 
' missionary to the new settlements,' was an itiner- 
ant. He had no station and no settled home. If 
he had a family, his work was continually calling 

*AJdrrss by Leonard Bacon, D. D. 









180 



HISTORY OF OHIO. 



him away from them. He went from one little 
settlement to another — from one lonely cabin to 
another — preaching from house to house, and not 
often spending two consecutive Sabbaths in one 
place. The nature of the emigration to the wilder- 
ness, in those days, required such labors. 

" It was soon felt that two mi-ssionaries were 
needed for the work among the scattered settle- 
ments. Accordingly, the Rev. Ezekiel J. Chap- 
man was sent. He arrived on the Reserve at the 
close of the year 1801, and returned to Connecti- 
cut in April, 1803. His place was soon supplied 
by a young man ordained expressly to the work, 
the Rev. Thomas Robbins, who continued labor- 
ing in this field from November, 1803, till April, 
1806. In a letter of his, dated June 8, 1805, 
I find the following statement : ' Since the be- 
ginniag of the present year, I have been taking 
pains to make an actual enumeration of the fami- 
lies in this county.* The work I have just com- 
pleted. There are one or more families in sixty- 
four towns. January 1, 1804, the number of 
families wa^ about 800. The first of last January 
there were a little more than 1100, of which 450 
are Yankees. There were twenty- four schools. 
There are seven churches, with a pr. spect that 
two more vail be organized soon, and more than 
twenty places where the worship of God is regu- 
larly maintained on the Sabbath.' " Such was the 
beginning of an influence to which the people of 
the Reserve are principally indebted for the early 
and secure foundation of the church and school, 
and for that individuality which marks them as a 
peculiar and envied people in a great common- 
wealth made up of the chosen intellect and brawn 
of a whole nation. 

Owing to the peculiar relation of the Reserve to 
the General Government in early years, the history 
of its public school fund is exceptional. Ry the ordi- 
nance of Congress in 1785, it was declared that 
Section 16 of every township should be reserved 
for the maintenance of public schools in the town- 
ship. The ordinance of 1787, re-afhrmed the 
policy thus declared. The provisions ofthe.se ordi- 
nances, in this respect, were not applicable to, nor 
operative over, the region of the Reserve, because 
of the fact that the United States did not own its 
soil ; and, although the entire amount paid to 
Connecticut by the Land Company for the terri- 

*Trumbull County then iucludcd the whole of the Reserye. 



tory of the Reserve was set apart for, and devoted 
to, the maintenance of public schools in that State, 
no part of that fund was appropriated to purposes 
of education here. There was an inequality of 
advantages between the people of the Reserve and 
the remai.ider of the State, in that respect. This 
inequality was, however, in a measure removed in 
1803, by an act of Congress, which set apart and 
appropriated to the Western Reserve, as an e(|uiv- 
alent for Section 16, a sufficient quantity of land 
in the United States Military District, to compen- 
sate the loss of that section, in the lands lying east 
of the "Cuyahoga. This amount was equal to one- 
thirty-sixth of the land of the reserve, to which 
the Indian title had before that time been extin- 
guished. The Indian title to the lands of the Re- 
serve west of the Cuyahoga, not then having been 
extinguished, the matter seemed to drop from 
public notice, and remain so until 1829. At this 
date, the Legislature, in a memorial to Congress, 
directed its attention to the fact, that, by the treaty 
of Fort Industry, concluded in 1805, the Indian 
title to the land west of the Cuyahoga, had been 
relinquished to the United States, and prayed in 
recognition of the fact, that an additional amount 
of land lying within the United States Military 
District, should be set apart for the use of the 
public schools of the Reserve, and equal in quan- 
tity to one thirty-sixth of the territory ceded 
to the United States by that treaty. The memo- 
rial produced the desired result. In 1834, Con- 
gress, in compliance with a request of the Leg- 
islature, granted such an additional amount 
of land to the Reserve for scho 1 purposes, 
as to equalize its di.stribu'ion of lands for 
such purpose, and in furtherance of its ob- 
ject to carry into effect its determination to 
donate one thirty-sixth part of the public domain 
to the purposes of education. The lands first 
allotted to the Reserve for such purpose, were sit- 
uated in the Counties of Holmes and Tuscarawas, 
and in 1831, were surveyed and sold, the proceeds 
arising from their sale as well as the funds arising 
from the sale of those subsefiuently appropri- 
ated, being placed and invested with other 
school funds of the State, and constitute one of 
the sources from which the people of the Reserve 
derive the means of supporting and maintaining 
their common schools. 



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PART II. 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



CHAPTER I.* 

INTRODUCTORY— DESCRIPTION— TOPOGRAPHY, ETC.— GEOLOGY— ALTITUDES IN THE COUNTY— THE 
DRIFT— COAL DEPOSITS— AGRICULTURE, ETC. 



"And riper eras ask for history's trutli." 

—Vliviir Wendell HnJmes. 

ri^^HE advantages resulting from the local his- 
_L tory of cities and countries is no longer a 
matter of doubt. Whether considered solel}' as 
objects of interest or amusement, or as having the 
still wider utilit}' of the places they describe, 
these records are worthy of high consideration. 
And although in a country like ours, this depart- 
ment of history can claim to chronicle no great 
events, nor to relate any of those local tradi- 
tions that make many of the countries of the 
Old World so famous in story and song, yet 
they can fulfill the equal use of directing the 
attention of those abroad to the rise, progress 
and present standing of places which ma}' fairly 
claim, in the future, what has made others great 
in the past. And in any age, when everj' en- 
ergy of the whole brotherhood of maij is 
directed to the future, and when mere utilitari- 
anism has taken the place of romance, it is a 
matter of more than ordinary- interest and value 
to all, to note the practical advancement, and 
so to calculate, upon the basis of the past, the 
probable results of the future of those places 
which seem to present advantages, either social 
or pecuniar}', to that large class of foreigners 
and others, who are constantly seeking for 
homes or means of occupation among us. Nor 
is it to these alone that such local history is of 
value. The country already possesses much 
unemployed capital seeking for investment, 
while many, having already procured the means 
of living well, are seeking for homes more con- 
genial to their tastes than the places where they 

* Contributed by W. II. Perrin. 



have lived but for pecuniary profit. To both 
of these, the history of individual localities is 
an invaluable aid in helping the one to discover 
a means of advantageously employing his sur- 
plus money, and in aiding the other to find a 
home possessing those social advantages which 
will render him comfortable and happy. But 
it is to the emigrant foreigner that local his- 
tory is of the greatest benefit. Leaving, as he 
does, a country, with whose resources, social, 
moral and political, he is intimately acquainted, 
for one of which he knows almost nothing, such 
works, carefully and authentically written, are 
to him what the guide-books of the Old World 
are to the wonder-seeking traveler ; they pre- 
sent him at once with a faithful view of the 
land of his adoption, and point out to him 
every advantage and disadvantage, every chance 
of profit or of pleasure, every means of gain, 
every hope of gratification, that is anywhere to 
be afforded. 

Impressed with these opinions, it is proposed 
to present the citizens of Summit County with 
an authentic and impartial history ; one which 
may be implicitly relied on in its calcula- 
tions and statistical details, and which shall 
present as accurate and faithful a survey as can 
bo obtained from any data known to ihe writers 
of the diflferent departments, or attainable by 
them. With all the care that may be exercised, 
however, the record will no doubt be found im- 
perfect; incidents and names be left out, and 
matters escape notice which many will deem 
unpardonable omissions. This is one of the 
things which detract from the pleasure of writing 
local annals. But it is more or less unavoid- 



ip^ 



182 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



able, as no one can know and remember every- 
thing, and both the time and space allotted to 
us are limited. 

Summit County lies in the northeastern part 
of the State, witli but one count}^ between it 
and the lake, and is bounded on the north by 
Cuyahoga County, on the east b}^ Portage, on 
the south by Stark, on the west by Medina, 
and embraces within its limits seventeen town- 
ships (including Cuyahoga Falls). It is sit- 
uated on the highlands, or the " summit " 
(from which it derives the name of Sum- 
mit), which separate the tributaries of the 
Ohio from the waters flowing north into Lake 
Erie, and has an average elevation of about 
five hundred feet above the lake. " The Cuya- 
hoga River, rising in the northern part of 
Geauga County, runs for forty miles in a 
southwesterly direction, then in the center of 
Summit County turns sharply to the north, and 
pursues a nearly straight course to the lake. 
In Geauga and Portage, the Cuyahoga flows on 
the surface of a plateau composed of the car- 
boniferous conglomerate. At the town of 
Cuyahoga Falls, in this county, this plateau is 
cut through in a series of cascades which give 
rise to much beautiful scenery. The river here 
falls 220 feet in two miles, so that from the vi- 
cinity of Akron to the north line of the county, 
it flows through a narrow valley or gorge more 
than three hundred feet deep. At frequent in- 
tervals, the Cuyahoga receives tributaries, both 
from the east and the west, and the valleys of 
these streams contribute their part to give va- 
riety to the topography of the central portion 
of the county." * 

In the geological and physical features of 
the county, we shall draw our information prin- 
cipall}^ from the State Geological Survey. It 
is the official report of the State on these sub- 
jects, and may be relied on as substantially 
correct. And as there were but a limited num- 
ber of them printed, and they are even now be- 
coming scarce, the extracts from them incorpo- 
rated in this work will be found of interest and 
value to our readers. We quote further, as 
follows : 

" The highest lands in Summit are the hills 
most distant from the channels of drainage, in 
Richfield, Norton, Green, Springfield, Tallmadge, 
and Hudson. In all these townships, summits 
rise to the height of 650 above the lake. The 

* Geological Survey. 



bottom of the Cuyahoga Valley, in the north- 
ern part of Northfield, is less than fifty feet 
above Lake Erie, so that within the county we 
have differences of level which exceed 600 feet. 
The altitudes in Summit County ai'e thus offi- 
cially given : Tallmadge, Long Swamp, above 
Lake Erie 470 feet ; Tallmadge road, east of 
Center, 543 feet ; Tallmadge, Coal No. 1, New- 
berry's mine, 520 feet ; Tallmadge, Coal No. 1, 
D. Upson's mine, 492 feet ; Tallmadge, summit 
of Coal Hill, 636 feet ; Akron, door-sill of 
court house, 452.65 feet ; Akron, railroad 
depot. 428.13 feet ; Akron, summit level, 
Ohio Canal, highwater, 395 feet ; Akron, P. 
& O. Canal, 370.64 feet ; Cuyahoga Falls, rail- 
road depot, 428.13 feet ; Monroe Falls, road 
before Hickok house, 460 feet ; Hudson Station, 
496 feet ; Hudson town, 547 feet ; Boston, 
Ohio Canal, 94.66 feet ; Peninsula, Ohio Ca- 
nal, 125.66 feet ; Yellow Creek, Ohio Canal, 
180 feet ; Old Portage, Ohio Canal, 188 feet ; 
Green, summit of Valley Railroad, 532 feet; 
New Portage, street in front of tavern, 400 
feet ; lake, between New Portage and Johnson's 
Corners, 399 feet ; Wolf Creek, below Clark's 
mill, 390.74 feet ; Wolf Creek, in Copley, one 
mile west of north-and-south center road, 419- 
.78 feet ; Little Cuyahoga, Mogadore, 477 feet ; 
Little Cuyahoga, at Gilchrist's mill-dam, 457 
feet ; Little Cuyahoga, old forge at trestle, 439 
feet ; Richfield,^East Center, 531.80 feet ; Rich- 
field, highest land (over), 675 feet ; Yellow 
Creek, one-fourth mile west of Ghent, 371 feet. 
" The soil of Summit County is somewhat 
varied. In the northern part, even where un- 
derlaid by the conglomerate in full thickness, 
the soil derived from the drift contains a great 
deal of clay, and Northfield, Twinsburg, Hudson, 
etc., are, as a consequence, dairy towns. The 
southern half of the countj^, however, has a 
loam soil, and the attention of the farmers has 
been directed more to grain-growing than stock- 
raising. This difference of soil was clearly in- 
dicated by the original vegetable growth. In 
Hudson and Twinsburg the forest was com- 
posed, for the most part, of beech, maple, bass- 
wood and elm, while in Stow, Tallmadge, and 
southward, the prevailing forest growth was 
oak. In Franklin and Green, the soil is decid- 
edly gravelly ; the original timber was oak, in 
groves and patches, and these townships form 
part of the famous wheat-growing district of 
Stark, Wayne, etc. In the central part of the 



'-^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



18a 



county, between Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, 
a few thousand acres, called " The Plains," 
formerly presented a marked contrast to the 
rolling and densely- timbered surface of all the 
surrounding area. This is a nearly level dis- 
trict of which the peculiar features are mostly- 
obliterated by cultivation, but when in the state 
of nature, it had the aspect of the prairies of 
the West. It was almost destitute of timber, 
was covered with grass and scrub-oak (quercus 
baru'steri), and, in spring, was a perfect flower- 
garden ; for a much lai^ger number of wild 
flowers were found here than in any other part 
of the county. The origin of these peculiar 
features ma}' be traced to the nature of the 
substructure of the district. This area forms 
a triangle between the two branches of the 
Cuyahoga and the coal-hills of Tallmadge ; 
the soil is sandy, und this is underlaid by beds 
of gravel of unknown depth. It seems that 
there once existed here a deeply excavated rock 
basin, which was subsequently partly filled up 
with drift deposits and parti}' by water ; in 
other words, that it was, for a time, a lake. 
The waters of this lake deposited the sand 
which now forms the soil. and. in its deeper 
portions, a series of lacustrine clays, which are 
well shown in the cutting recently made for a 
road on the north side of the valley of the Lit- 
tle Cuyahoga, near Akron. The sections of 
these beds are as follows : 

FKET. INCHES. 

1. Stratified sand 10 

2. Bkie clay 4 

3. Mixed yellow and blue clay, stratified 1 1 

4. Blue clay 10 

5. Yellow clay 10 

6. Blue clay 1 

7. Red clay 1 

8. Yellow clay 1 

9. Blue clay 8 

10. Red clay 2 

11. Blue clay 6 

12. Redclav 10 

13. Blue clay 1 6 

14. Red clay 3 

15. Yellow clay 1 6 

16. Blue clay 3 

17. Red clay 1 

18. Fine yellow sand 1 

19. Yellow clay 3 

20. Blue clay 4 

21. Yellow clay 3 

22. Blue clay 4 

" In another section, exposed neaoly in the 
valley of the Little Cuyahoga, the beds which 
have been enumerated are seen to be underlaid 



by about sixty feet of stratified sand and 
gravel to the bed of the stream. To what 
depth they extend is not known. On the op- 
posite side of the Little Cuyahoga, on the main 
road leading into Akron, the banks of the old 
valley present a very dirterent section from 
either of those to which I have I'eferred above. 
There we find a hill composed of finely washed 
and irregularly stratified sand, quite free from 
pebbles. About ten or twelve feet of the up- 
per part is yellow ; the lower part, as far as ex- 
posed, white ; a waved line separating the two 
colors. East and north of the locality where 
the detailed section given above was taken, 
heavy beds of gravel are seen to occupy the 
same horizon ; from which we may learn that 
these finely laminated clays were deposited in 
a basin of water, of which the shore was formed 
by gravel hills. A portion of the city of Ak- 
ron is underlaid by thick beds of stratified 
sand and gravel. These are often cross-strati- 
fied, and show abundant evidences of current 
action. They also contain large angular blocks 
of conglomerate attd many fragments of coal, 
some of which are of considerable size. ^Ye 
apparently have some of the materials which 
were cut out of the valleys that separate the 
isolated outliei's of the coal measures which are 
found in this part of the county. Beds of 
gravel and sand stretch away southward from 
Akron, and form part of a belt which extends 
through Stark County, partially filling the old, 
deeply-cut valley of the Tuscarawas, and ap- 
parently marking the line of the southern ex- 
tension of the valley of Cuyahoga when it was 
a channel of drainage from the lake basin to 
the Ohio. This old and partially obliterated 
channel has been referred to in the chapter on 
the physical geography of the State, and it will 
be more fully described in the chapters on sur- 
face geology and those formed by the reports 
on Stark and Tuscarawas Counties. I will only 
refer to it, in passing, to say that the line 
of the Ohio Canal, of which the summit is 
at Akron, was carried through this old water 
gap, because it still forms a comparatively low 
pass. In the western part of the State, the 
Miami Canal traverses a similar pass, and an- 
other, having nearly tlie same level with those 
mentioned, in Trumbull County, connects the 
valleys of Grand River and the Mahoning. 

" The thick beds of gravel and sand which 
underlie the plain and stretch eastward up the 



'^P' 



184 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



valley of the Little Cuj'ahoga, through Southern 
Tallmadge, perhaps form part of the great 
gravel belt to which I have already alluded, 
but may be of mere local origin. It seems to 
me quite possible that the Cuyahoga, in former 
times, passed eastward of its present course, 
from Kent or Monroe Falls to Akron ; that the 
falls of the Cuyahoga were then near the ' Old 
Forge,' and that this excavated basin beneath 
the ' plains ' was scooped out by them. We 
know that the position of the falls has been 
constantl}^ changing ; that they were once in 
Cuyahoga County, and have gradually receded 
to their present position. When they had 
worked back to the great bend of the Cuyahoga, 
the}' seem to have swung round the circle for 
some time before starting on their present line 
of progress. In this interval, the river appears 
to have flowed over a bi'oad front of the con- 
glomerate, and, cutting away the shales below, 
to have produced the rock basin which has 
been described. When the falls of the Cuya- 
hoga were at the north line of the count}', they 
must have had a perpendicular height of at 
least two hundred feet, for the hard layers in 
the Cu^'ahoga shale which produce the ' Big 
Falls ' do not extend so far north. The entire 
mass of the Cuyahoga shale there is soft argil- 
laceous material, which must have been cut out 
beneath the massive conglomerate, producing a 
cascade at least equal in height to that of Ni- 
agara. 

" The north-south portion of the Cuyahoga 
Valley seems to have been once continued 
southward, and to have been connected with 
the old valley of the Tuscarawas, which is ex- 
cavated far below the bed of the present 
stream. At the north line of the count}', the 
valley of the Cuyahoga is cut down two hun- 
dred and twent}' feet below the present river 
bottom, as we learn by wells bored for oil. The 
bottom of the valley of the Tuscarawas is, at 
Canal Dover, one hundred and sevent3'-five feet 
below the surface of the stream, and there are 
many facts which indicate that there was once 
a powerful current of water passing from the 
lake basin to the Ohio through this deeply ex- 
cavated channel. Subsequently, this outlet was 
dammed up by heav}' Ijeds of drift; and the 
Cuyahoga, cut from its connection with the 
Tuscarawas, to which it had been a tributary, 
was forced to turn sharpl}' to the north, form- 
ing the abrupt curve that has always been re- 



garded as a peculiar feature in the course of 
this stream. The courses of the tributaries of 
the Maumee are not unlike that of the Cuj-a- 
hoga, and are probably dependent upon the 
same cause, namel}-, the depression of the lake 
level and the diversion of the drainage from the 
Mississippi system, with which it was formerly 
connectecl, into the lake basin. The drift clays 
which underlie the northern part of Summit 
County are plainly of northern origin, as they 
contain innumerable fragments of the Huron, 
Erie and Cuyahoga shales, and no such mass of 
argillaceous material could be derived from the 
conglomerate and coal measures which underlie 
all the country toward the south. The direc- 
tion of the glacial striae in the county is nearly- 
northwest and southeast, and these clays are 
plainly the result of glacial action. It is inter- 
esting to note, however, that in the drift cla}' at 
Hudson a large number of masses of coal have 
been found, some of which were several inches 
in diameter. This fact, taken in connection 
with the character and histoiy of the drift 
clays, proves — what we had good reason to be- 
lieve from other causes — that the coal rocks 
once extended at least as far north as the 
northern limits of the count}', and that from all 
the northern townships they were removed and 
the conglomerate laid bare by glacial erosion. 
A considerable portion of the drift gravels in 
the southern part of the county are of foreign 
and nox'thern orighi. As I have elsewhere re- 
marked, these gravels and the associated lands 
show distinct marks of water action, and have 
apparently been sorted and stratified by the 
sliore waves of the lake when it stood several 
hundred feet higher than now. The bowlders 
which are strewn over the surface in all parts 
of the county are mostly composed of Lanren- 
tian granite from Canada, and I have attributed 
their transportation to icebergs. In North- 
ampton, many huge bowlders of corniferous 
limestone are found, and these evidently came 
from the islands in Lake Erie. 

" One of the most striking of the surface 
features of Summit County is the great num- 
ber of small lakes which are found here. These 
are generally beautiful sheets of pure water, en- 
closed in basins of drift, gravel and sand. They 
form part of the great series of lake basins 
which mark the line of the water-shed from 
Pennsylvania to Michigan, and they have been 
described, and their origin explained, in the 



^, 



,\^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



185 



chapter on ' Physical Geography.' When a resi- 
dent of Summit County, I mapped and visited i 
nearly one hundred of these little lakes within 
a circle of twenty miles radius drawn around 
Cu^'ahoga Falls. Aside from the variety and 
beauty which these lakelets give to the surface, 
they afford many objects of scientific interest. 
They are usually stocked with excellent fish, 
and many rare and peculiar plants grow in and 
about them. They also contain great numbers 
of shells, some of which are rare. Springfield 
Lake, for example, is the only known locality 
of Melania gracilis, and Congress Lake contains 
two species of lAnnea {L. gracilis and L. stag- ; 
nalis), both of which are found in few, if any. ; 
other, localities in the State. i\Lany of these 
are being gradually filled up Ijy a growth of 
vegetation that ultimately forms peat. Li all 
those lakes where the shores are marshy and 
shake under the tread, peat is accumulating. ! 
We have evidence, too, that many lakelets have | 
been filled up and obliterated by this process ; 
for we find a large number of marshes in which 
there is now little water, but the surface is un- { 
derlaid b}' peat and shell marl, sometimes to 
the depth of twent}' or thirty feet. Every town- 
ship contains more or less of these, and some 
of them are quite extensive. The larger ones 
are usually known as whortleberry swamps or 
cranberry marshes, sometimes as tamarack 
swamps, from the growth of larch which fre- 
quently covers the surface. Among the largest 
of these is that west of Hudson, on Mud Brook, 
in which the peat is fifteen feet deep. Another 
lies east of Hudson, near the county line. In 
Stow, on Mud Brook, is a long peat swamp, in 
which the peat is not less than thirty feet deep. 
In Coventry is one in which the peat is said to 
be thirty or forty feet deep, and from this con- 
siderable peat of excellent quality has been 
manufactured b}^ J. F. Brunot. These peat 
bogs have excited some interest as possible 
sources of supply of fuel, and yet, where coal 
is as cheap and good as in Summit County, it 
seems hardl3' probably that peat can be profit- 
abl}' emplo^'ed as a fuel. The best of peat, 
when air-dried, contains nearly 20 per cent of 
water and 20 per cent of oxygen, and has a heat- 
ing power not greater than half that of our 
coals, while it occupies double the space. Hence, 
unless it can be produced at half the price of 
coal in the markets of Summit County, it can 
hardly compete with it. Peat is, however, an 



excellent fertilizer, and many, even of the 

smaller peat bogs, maj^ be made very valuable 
to the agriculturist. In some localities, such 
deposits of peat have been cleared up and cul- 
tivated for many years, without a suspicion 
that there was an^'thing of interest or value 
below the surface. Deposits of shell marl 
are frequently found underl3ang peat in ' cat 
swamps ' and filled-up lakelets. This marl is 
composed of the remains of the shells of mol- 
lusks, which, after the death of the animals that 
inhabited them, have accumulated at the bot- 
tom of the water. In some instances, these 
mai'ls are white, and nearly pure lime ; in others 
they are mixed with more or less earth}' and veg- 
etal3le matter. Such deposits occur in nearly 
every township in the count}', but they have 
attracted little attention, and their valuable 
fertilizing properties have been very sparingly 
made available. The deposit of shell marl on 
the road between Hudson and Stow, on land 
of Charles Darrow, is at least twelve feet deep 
and very pure. Similar marl-beds, though less 
extensive, are known in Hudson, Northampton 
and other parts of the county. Usually a sheet 
of peat or muck covers the marl, and it is not 
likely to be discovered, unless by ditching or 
special search. The simplest method of ex- 
ploring marshes for peat or shell marl is with an 
auger made from an old two-inch or three-inch 
carpenter's auger welded to a small, square rod 
of iron, on which a handle is made to slide, and 
fasten with a key. With this all marshes may 
be probed to the depth of eight or ten feet with 
the greatest facility. 

" The Erie shale is the lowest formation ex- 
posed in Summit County, and is visible only in 
the bottom of the valley of the Cuyahoga, where 
it is cut deepest, in the township of Northfield. 
About one hundred feet of the upper portion of 
the Erie shale is exposed in the cliffs which 
border the river, being a continuation of the 
outcrops which have been fully described in the 
report on the geology of Cuyahoga County. 
The same fossils have been found in the Erie 
shale in Northfield, as those collected in the 
valleys of Chii)i)ewa and Tinker's Creeks. 

'' The Lower Carboniferous or Waverly group 
is freely opened in the valley of the Cuyahoga, 
and we here find some of the most satisfactory 
sections of this formation that can be seen in 
the State. It has also yielded, perhaps, as 
large a number of fossils in Summit Countv as 



:i£k 



186 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



have been obtained from this group in any 
other localities. The Cleveland shale is the 
bi luminous shale which forms the base of the 
Waverly group, and has been fully described 
in the reports on the counties which form the 
northern border of the State. The outcrops of 
the Cleveland shale which are visible in the 
valley of the Cuyahoga are continuations south- 
ward of those noticed in Cuyahoga County. 
As the dip of all the strata is here gently 
southward, and the valley gradually deepens 
toward its mouth, the Cleveland shale, though 
on the north line of the county more than lUO 
feet above the bed of the stream, sinks out of 
sight near Peninsula, less than ten miles from 
the county line. The average thickness of the 
Cleveland shale in Summit County is about 
fifty feet, and it presents precisely the same 
lithological characters here as farther north. 
No fossils have been discovered in it at the lo- 
calities where it has been examined in this 
count}', but more careful search would undoubt- 
edly result in the discovery of the scales and 
teeth of fishes similar to those found at Bed- 
ford. As in Trumbull, Cuyahoga and Medina 
Counties, the outcrops of the Cleveland shale in 
Summit are marked by oil and gas springs, 
which are plainl}' produced b}- the decomposi- 
tion or spontaneous distillation of the lai'ge 
amounts of carbonaceous matter it contains. 
Tlie oil and gas springs which have been no- 
ticed on the sides of the Cuyahoga Valley at 
and below Peninsula, are distinctly' connected 
with the Cleveland shale, and have, as a conse- 
quence, misled those who have been influenced 
by them to l)ore for oil in the bottom of the 
valley. 

'•The Bedford shale, a member of the Wa- 
verly group, is not well exposed in the valley 
of the Cuyahoga, though visible at a number of 
localities. It outcrops usuall}' from slopes 
covered with debris. Where the limits of the 
formation are concealed, judging from the 
glimpses obtained of it, the Bedford shale is 
apparenily about seventy feet thick in the valley 
of the Cu^'ahoga, and consists mainly of soft, 
blue, argillaceous strata, similar to those in the 
gorge of Tinker's Creek, at Bedford. In some 
localities it is more or less red, and has been 
here, as elsewhere, used as a mineral paint. In 
the \alley of Braudywine Creek, below the 
falls, the Bedford shale is fossiliferous, and 
contains the same species found at Bedford. 



Among these, Syringothyrls typa is the most 
conspicuous and abundant, and slabs may be 
obtained here which are thickly set with this 
fine fossil, forming beautiful specimens for the 
cabinet. 

'■ The Berea sandstone is well exposed in the 
valley of the Cu3'ahoga in the northern part of 
the county, and forms two lines of outcrop — 
one on each side of the river — running from 
Peninsula to Independence on the west, and 
to Bedford and Newburg on the East. At 
Peninsula, the Berea grit has been extensively 
quarried for many years. The base of the 
formation is here from thirty to sixt}' feet above 
the canal, so that the quarries are worked 
with facility, and their product shipped with 
comparatively, Utile expense. The entire thick- 
ness of the formation in the valley' of the 
Cuyahoga is about sixty feet. The stone it 
furnishes varies considerably in character in 
the different localities where it is exposed. At 
the quarries of Mr. Woods, at Peninsula, it is 
lighter in color than at Independence, resem- 
bling the Berea stone in this respect, as also in 
hardness. Some layers are nearly white, and a 
large amount of excellent building stone has 
been shipped from this locality and used for the 
construction of various public buildings at 
Cleveland, Detroit, Buffalo, Oswego, etc. This 
stone is more firm and durable, but is harder 
and less homogeneous than that from the Am- 
herst quarries ; it is, however, so highly es- 
teemed, that a read}' market has been found 
for all that has been taken from the quarries. 
During 1871, the stone shipped from Peninsula 
was equal to 2,800 car loads of ten tons each. 
Between Peninsula and the county line, the 
outcrops of the Berea grit have been but imper- 
fectly explored. They are much obscured b}' 
the debris of the higher portion of the clifts, 
and the examinations necessary to determine 
the value of the stone would require the ex- 
penditure of considerable time and money. 
There is every probability, however, that good 
quarries could be opened at a great number of 
localities, and I think that I am quite safe in 
predicting that in future j-ears this portion of 
the valley of the Cu3'ahoga will be the theater 
of a very active industr}' growing out of the 
quarrying of Berea grit for the Cleveland mar- 
ket. Should the railroad, now proposed, be 
constructed through the valle^', this, with the 
canal, will supply such facilities for transporta- 



^W 



fk* 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



187 



tion, that, if the quality of the stone should 
be found suitable, this district will contribute 
as largely as any other to the market of the 
great lakes. From the differences which are 
everywhere exhibited iia the quality of the 
stone in neighboring outcrops of the Berea 
grit, the banks of the Cuyahoga should be 
carefully examined, in order to discover such 
localities as will furnish stone of a superior 
quality. It is not too much to expect that 
some of these will have gTeat pecuniar}' value. 
The Berea grit forms the solid stratum that 
produces the falls of the Brand^^wine at Bran- 
dywine Mills, and it is here considerably more 
massive than at the outcrops further north on 
the same side of the Cu3-ahoga. No fossils 
have been found in the Berea grit in Summit 
County. It is elsewhere, as a general rule, re- 
markably barren, and yet, at Chagrin Falls, fos- 
sil fishes have been obtained from it, and at 
Bedford a Discina, a Lingida and an Annularia. 
These, and perhaps other fossils, may hereafter 
be met with in the Cuyahoga Valley. 

" The Cuyahoga shale is the upper division 
of the Waverly group, and is better exhibited in 
Summit Count}' than in any other part of the 
State. It has a thickness of from 150 to 200 
feet, and has been given the name it bears, be- 
cause it forms the greater pai't of the banks of the 
Cuyahoga, from Cuyahoga Falls, to the north 
line of the county. A short distance above 
Peninsula, the Berea grit sinks beneath the 
river, and the whole thickness of the Cuyahoga 
shale is revealed in the interval between that 
rock and the Conglomerate which caps the 
bluffs. In this part of the valley, the Cuya- 
hoga shale exhibits little variety in composi- 
tion, and consists of a mass of soft argillaceous 
material, inter-stratified with thin and local 
sheets of fine grained sandstone, rarel}' thick 
enough to serve as flagging. The surfaces of 
these sheets are marked with mud furrows, 
and, occasionally-, with the impressions of 
fucoids. At the ' Big Falls ' of the Cu^'ahoga, 
eighty feet below the conglomerate, a number 
of layers of fine-grained sandstone, from six to 
twelve inches in thickness, and occup3'ing a 
vertical space of about twenty feet, locall}' re- 
place the softer material of the Cuyahoga 
shale, and produce the beautiful waterfall at 
this locality. These harder strata ma}^ be 
traced for a mile or more down the river, but 
are not distinguishable in the sections of the 



Cuyahoga shale in the northern part of the 
county. The sandstone of the Big Falls is a 
compact, homogeneous rock, almost identical 
in character and utility with the ' blue stone ' 
of the East Cleveland quarries, although lying 
at a considerably higher level ; the East Cleve- 
land stone being a local modification of the 
lower portion of the Bedford shale. The upper 
part of the Cuyahoga shale near the Big Falls, 
has furnished a great number of fine specimens 
of 'cone-in-cone,' and they are referred to by 
Dr. Hildreth, in his notes on Cuyahoga Valley, 
published in Silinians Journal in 1836. This 
singular structure has given rise to much specu- 
lation ; it was, at one time, supposed to be or- 
ganic ; subsequently, the result of crystalliza- 
tion, and it is now considered by Prof 0. C. 
Marsh as of purely mechanical origin. The 
' cone-in-cone ' consist, as is well known, of a 
series of hollow cones, like extinguishers, placed 
one within another, and it sometimes makes up 
the entire mass of a stratum, several inches in 
thickness and man}' feet in lateral extent. It 
is by no means confined to this horizon, but is 
found in the older paleozoic rocks, in the coal 
measures, and is, perhaps, more abundant than 
anywhere else, in the cretaceous formation in 
the far West. This structure is apparently 
confined to rocks of a peculiar chemical com- 
position, viz. : to earthy limestones, or argilla- 
ceous shales impregnated with lime. The con- 
cretions, which include the great fishes of the 
Huron shale, not unfrequentl}' exhibit the ' cone- 
in-cone ' structure, and, in some instances, where 
the calcareous material forms simply a crust on 
the fossil, that ci'ust still shows more or less of 
it. From the locality under consideration, in 
the valley of the Cuyahoga. I have obtained 
specimens of ' cone-in-cone ' enveloping nodules 
of iron ore, and radiating in all directions from 
such nuclei. Specimens of this character, and 
the bones of BimchtJii/s, coated in all their 
irregularities, with 'cone-in-cone,' seemed to 
me incompatible with the theory that this 
structure is the product of mechanical forces, 
and appear rather to confirm the conclusion 
that it is an imperfect crystallization. Through- 
out most of its mass, and in most places, the 
Cuyahoga shale is. very barren of fossils. This, 
however, is fully compensated for b}' the ex- 
treme richness of some layers and some locali- 
ties. This is the rock which was excavated in 
the formation of the canal in the valley of the 



-^ ry 



188 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY 



Cuyahoga, below the falls, and through which 
an effort was made to conduct the water of the 
river to the proposed town of Summit. In this 
excavation, the formation was fully opened for 
several miles, and yet, with the most careful 
search, at various times during the progress of 
the work, I was only able to obtain a mere 
handful of fossils. At the base of the forma- 
tion, however, immediately over the Berea grit, 
the Cuyahoga shale is sometimes crowded with 
millions of Linyula melia and Discina New- 
herryi. The same species also occur at the 
' Big Falls ' of the Cuyahoga, and the valley of 
the Little Cuyahoga, near Akron. In the up- 
per part of the Cuj-ahoga shale, in vainous 
parts of Medina County, and at Richfield, in 
Summit Count}-, immense numbers of fossils 
are found, and those which form a long list of 
species. The Richfield locality is already quite 
famous, as extensive collections were made 
there before the commencement of the present 
survey by Messrs. IMeek & Worthen and Dr. 
Kellogg. Quite a large number of crinoids 
were discovered here hy the latter gentleman, 
which proved new to science, and were described 
by Prof. James Hall. 

"The carboniferous conglomerate underlies 
all the higher portions of the county, and forms 
the surface rock over all the middle and north- 
ern portions, except where cut through by the 
Cuyahoga and its tributaries. Though gener- 
ally covered and concealed b}' beds of drift, 
the conglomerate is exposed and quarried in 
all of the townships north of Akron. It is, 
however, best seen in the valley of the Cuya- 
hoga, where it forms cliffs sometimes 100 feet 
in perpendicular height. The rock is about 
100 feet in thickness, generally a coarse-grained, 
light drab sandstone, but in some localities, and 
especially near the base of the formation, be- 
coming a mass of quartz-pebbles, with just 
enough cement to hold them together. There 
are also some local bands of the conglomerate 
which are red or brown in color, and furnish a 
building-stone of great beauty. At Cu^'ahoga 
Falls, such a band has been quarried for many 
years, and has been used for the construction 
of the best buildings in the town. This stone 
is brown, contains much iron, and is very strong 
and durable. At Akron, a similar local strat- 
um in the conglomerate at Wolf's quarry, has 
a deep, reddish-purple color, and forms, per- 
haps, the most beautiful building-stone in the 



State. This has been quite extensively used 
in Cleveland. Unfortunately, the quantitv of 
this variety of building stone is not large. Its 
peculiar color is probably due to the fact that the 
iron of which it contains a large quantity, is in 
the condition of anh\'drous sesquioxide, and has 
associated with it a small percentage of manga- 
nese. Splendid sections of the conglomerate are 
seen in the gorge of the Cuyahoga, below Cuya- 
hoga Falls. Here, nearly the entire thickness of 
the formation is exposed, and vertical and over- 
hanging walls of 100 feet in height give great 
variety and beauty to the scener}'. In descend- 
ing the valley of the Cuyahoga, the walls of con- 
glomerate recede from the river, of which the 
immediate banks are formed by the underlj'ing 
shales. J^y the w^ashing out of these, the 
Mocks of conglomerate have been undermined 
and thrown down, and thus the valley' has been 
widened until in Boston and Northfield the con- 
glomerate cliffs are several miles apart. They 
still preserve their typical character, however, 
and this is well exemplified by the 'ledges' in 
Boston, which — like those of Nelson, in Por- 
tage County, on the other side of the conglom- 
erate plateau — are favorite places of resort to 
the lovers of the picturesque. The fossils of 
the .conglomerate are exclusively plants. These 
are generally broken and floating fragments, 
but are exceedingly numerous, their casts often 
making up a large part of the rock. In certain 
localities we find evidence that they have been 
gathered by the waves into some receptacle, 
and heaped up in a confused mass, like drift- 
wood on a shore at the present da\'. Since 
the conglomerate is composed of coarse mate- 
rials which could be only transported by water 
in rapid motion, it is evident all delicate plants 
would be destroyed from the trituration they 
would suflTer in the circumstances of its depo- 
sition; hence, we only find here the remains of 
woody plants, and of these usually only frag- 
ments. The most common plants are trunks 
and branches of Lepidodendron, Sigillaria and 
Calamites, also the nuts which have been de- 
scribed under the name of Trigonoearpon. Of 
all these, the calamites are the most common, 
and they are sometimes entire, showing not 
only the upper extremity but also the roots. 
More frequently, however, they are broken, 
and it is not at all uncommon to find the nuts 
to which I have referred, in the interior of a 
calamite, indicating that when floating about 



A 



iL 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



189 



they were washed into the hollow, rush-like 
stem. Grenerall}', the plants of the conglomer- 
ate are represented simply by casts ; their car- 
bonaceous matter having been entirely re- 
moved. Occasionally, however, a sheet of coal 
is found, surrounding the cast of each, and in 
some localities ever}' plant is preserved in this 
way, the amount of coal enveloping the casts 
corresponding to the quantity of woody matter 
in the plant. Still more rarely, when many 
plants have accumulated, their carbon has 
made an irregular coal seam, but never exceed- 
ing a few inches in thickness, and a few rods 
or feet in extent. These coal seams, however, 
differ in many respects from coals of the over- 
lying coal measure, as they have no underclays, 
are very limited in extent, and evidently rep- 
resent heterogeneous collections of drifted, 
woody matter. The pebbles of the more peb- 
bl}^ portions of the conglomerate are sometimes 
as large as one's fist, but more generally range 
from the size of a hickory nut to that of an 
egg. They are most alwa}- s composed of quartz, 
but in every locality where they are abundant, 
more or less of them ma}' be found which are 
composed of quartzite or silicious slate, which 
shows lines of stratification. Sometimes these 
quartz pebbles, when in contact with the im- 
pressions of plants, are distinctly marked by 
such impressions. This circumstance has given 
rise to the theory that they are concretionary 
in character ; i. e., that they have been formed 
where found, and are not fragments of trans- 
ported quartz rock. There can be no question, 
however, that these pebbles are portions of 
quartz veins, which have been brought hun- 
dreds of miles from some area where meta- 
morphic crvstalliue rocks have suffered erosion. 
In process of transportation, the attrition to 
which these fragments were subjected, commi- 
nuted all but the most resistant, viz.: the 
quartz. The banded, silicious slates which are 
represented in the pebbles that accompany 
those of pure quartz, as well as the internal 
structure of the quartz-pebbles themselves, 
afford conclusive evidence that their origin is 
such as I have described. * * * * 

" All the southern part of Summit County is 
underlaid by the productive coal measures, and 
workable seams of coal are known to exist in 
Tallmadge, Springfield, Coventry, Norton, Cop- 
ley, Franklin and Green Townships. The line 
of the margin of the coal basin passes from 



Portage County into Summit in the northeast- 
ern portion of Tallmadge. It then runs west- 
erly nearly to Cuyahoga Falls, and then sweeps 
round to inclose what is known as Coal Hill ; 
the continuity of the coal measures being sev- 
ered by ' Long Swamp ' and the valley of Camp 
Brook. On the east side of this stream, the 
outcrop of the coal rocks passes southward to 
the valley of the Little Cuyahoga ; turning up 
this to the line of Portage County ; thence 
sweeping back on the south side of the valley 
across the township of Springfield to the vicin- 
ity of Middlebury. It thence runs southwest- 
erly to New Portage, where it crosses the Tus- 
carawas and strikes northwesterly through 
Norton and the corner of Copley to the Medina 
line. There is also a narrow patch of coal- 
measure rocks forming an isolated hill (Sher- 
bondy Hill) southwest of Akron, on the west 
side of Summit Lake. Along the line I have 
traced, we find the outcrops of only the lowest 
coal seam — Coal No. 1 (the Briar Hill coal) — 
and this not with any great constancy, inas- 
much as the coal occupies limited basins, and 
their margins are exceedingly sinuous and ir- 
regular. A large part of the territory which 
holds the place of the coal, fails to hold the 
coal itself, from one or the other of two causes, 
which frequently disappoint the miner in this 
region, as well as in the valley of the Mahon- 
ing. These causes are : First, that the lowest 
seam was formed from peat-like carbonaceous 
matter which accumulated on the irregular 
bottom of the old coal marsh, and the margin 
of this marsh ran into innumerable bights and 
channels, which were separated by ridges and 
hummocks where the coal was never deposited ; 
second, in many localities where the coal was 
once found, it was subsequently removed by 
erosion. The heavy bed of sandstone which 
lies a little above Coal No. 1, was deposited by 
currents of water moving rapidly and with such 
force as to cut away the coal in many channels, 
and leave in its place beds of sand, which, sub- 
sequently hardened, have become sandstone. 
These are frequently encountered by the miner, 
and are designated by him, as Iwrsehacks. 
Hence this excellent stratum of coal has been 
discovered to be wanting over much of the area 
where it was supposed to exist, and has there- 
fore been of less value to Summit County than 
was anticipated in the earlier days of coal min- 
ing. The first mineral coal used on the lake 



190 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



shore was sent to Cleveland b\^ ray father, 
Henry Newberrj^, from his mines in Tallmadge, 
in 1828. It was there offered as a substitute 
for wood in the generation of steam on the lake 
boats. Wood, however, was so abundant, and 
the population was so habituated to its use, that 
it proved ver^' difficult to supplant this by an}^ 
other fuel ; and it was necessary that nearly 
twenty years should pass before the value of 
the coal beds of Summit County was fully real- 
ized. Then coal-mining began with real vigor, 
and many thousand tons of excellent coal liave 
since been sent every year to Cleveland from 
the mines in Tallmadge and Springfield. As 
has been stated, the coal of these townships 
proved to be ver}' irregular in its distribution, 
and variable in thickness and quality. It is 
restricted to basins of limited extent, and is 
wanting over much of the area where it was 
supposed to be present. In the deeper por- 
tions of the basins or channels it occupies, the 
seam is from four and one-half to six feet in 
thickness, and the coal a bright, handsome 
open-burning variety, containing little sulphur, 
and a small percentage of ash. It is softer and 
more bituminous than the coal of the same 
seam in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties, 
but is still capable of being used in the raw 
state in the furnace, and is very highly valued 
both as a steam coal and a household fuel. In 
the southern part of the county. Coal No. 1 is 
more continuous, and has been proved, by recent 
researches to exist over a large part of Spring- 
field, Franklin and Green, and to reach into 
Coventry and Norton. Many mines have been 
opened in the townships referred to, and about 
two hundred and fift}' thousand tons are now 
sent from this region annuall}' to Cleveland. 
Most of this coal is similar in quality to that of 
Tallmadge, but in some localities, as at John- 
son's shaft in Franklin, we find a recurrence of 
the block charactei', which distinguishes the 
coal of the Mahoning Valley. In former years, 
nearly all of the coal used or exported from the 
count}', was mined in Tallmadge, and this 
mainly from ' Coal Hill,' which lies between the 
center of Tallmadge and CuA'alioga Falls. 
Several mines were once in active operation in 
this hill. Of these mines, that of Henry New- 
berry was situated at the north end of the hill, 
and those of Dr. D. Upson, Asaph Whittlesey 
and Francis Wright on the east side. On the 
opposite side of the valley, mines were opened 



b}' Mr. D. Harris and Dr. Amos Wright. In 
all these mines the coal has been nearly ex- 
hausted, as it was found to rise and run out 
in the interior of the hill. From this fact, a 
belief has come to be quite general, that the 
coal is pinched out in the body of this and 
other hills, by the weight of the superincum- 
bent material ; whereas, we have here only an 
instance of what has been before referred to, of 
the thinning out of the coal on the margin of 
the old coal swamp. In the central and east- 
ern portion of Tallmadge, most of the land rises 
high above the coal level, and basins of coal will 
doubtless be hereafter discovered there, but the 
same causes which have rendered coal mining 
so uncertain heretofore, will undoubtedly limit 
the productiveness of the nominally large coal 
area which is included within the township lines. 
In the southern part of Tallmadge, the surface 
is occupied by heav}' beds of drift, by which 
the underlying geology is very much obscured. 
Here, as in the adjoining township of Brimfield, 
in Portage County, nothing but patient and 
careful search will determine the limits of the 
basins of coal which unquestionably exist in 
this vicinity. As the dip of the coal rocks is 
toward the south and east, in Springfield, 
Grreen and Franklin, Coal No. 1 lies lower than 
in the more northerly townships where it occurs ; 
hence it can only be reached by boring, and 
that sometimes to the depth of 100 feet or per- 
haps even 200 feet. We have every reason to 
believe, however, that a considerable area in 
Green Township is underlaid b}' Coal No. 1, 
where it lies far below drainage ; and it is 
almost certain that careful search, by boring, 
will reveal the presence of basins of coal in this 
township, such as are not now suspected to ex- 
ist, and such as will contribute largelj' to the 
wealth of the count}-. 

''In Summit County the lowest seam of coal 
is usually separated from the conglomerate by 
an interval of from twenty-five to fift}' feet, 
which is filled with shale or shaly sandstone, 
and, immediately beneath the coal, by a seam 
of fire-clay, from two to six feet in tliickness. 
This fire-clay is, in some places, of good qualit}-, 
and may be used for fire-brick and pottery, 
but it is generally more sandy and contains 
more iron than the under-clay of the higher 
seam — Coal No. 3 — to which I shall have occa- 
sion to refer again. Coal No. 1 is usually 
overlaid immediately by gray shale, from ten 



k. 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



191 



to forty feet in thickness. This shale contains, 
especially where it forms the roof of the coal, 
large numbers of fossil plants, which are fre- 
quentl}' preserved in great beaut}' and profu- 
sion. About 150 species have already been 
collected from the shale of Coal No. 1, in the 
northern part of the State, and nearh' all of 
these are found in Summit Count}'. 

" Coal No. 2 is found thirty to fifty feet above 
Coal No. 1 in many parts of Summit Count}' — 
as in the Valley of the Mahoning — the second 
seam of coal in the ascending series, and which 
we have called Coal No. 2. It is usually from 
twelve to eighteen inches in thickness, and, 
though persistent over a large area, is nowhere 
in Summit County of workable thickness. 
Above Coal No. 2, and frequently cutting it 
out, is a bed of massive sandstone, which is a 
marked feature in "the geology of the county. 
This is well seen in Coal Hill, Tallmadge, and 
extends through the southern part of the county, 
passing through Stark, where, in the valley of 
the Tuscarawas, about and above Massillon, it 
is quarried in many places along the bank of 
the canal. The thickness of this sandstone 
varies very much in different localities, and it 
may be said to range from forty to one hundred 
feet. It is also somewhat variable in character, 
but is often massive, and affords a building- 
stone of excellent quality. It may generally 
be distinguished from the sandstones of the 
carboniferous conglomerate by the absence of 
quartz pebbles. So far as I know, no pebbles 
are found in the sandstone over the coal in 
Summit County. In Trumbull and Medina 
there are some local exceptions to this rule, for 
patches of conglomerate are sometimes found 
there immediately overlying the lowest coal 
seam. In Summit County the -pebble rock,' 
found in the explorations for coal, aflibrds infall 
ible evidence, when it is reached, that the hor- 
izon of the coal has been passed. 

" Coals Nos. 3 and 4 come next in order. 
Near Mogadore, in Springfield Township ; the 
higher lands are found to be underlaid by a 
stratum of limestone, beneath which are usually 
a thin seam of coal and a thick stratum of fire- 
clay, the latter supplying the material from 
which nearly all the stoneware of the county 
is manufactured. From twenty-five to forty 
feet aboA'e the limestone to which I have re- 
ferred, is another, which also overlies a coal 
seam. Both these mav be seen in Green 



Township, between Greenburg and Greentown, 
and they may be traced thence southerly, 
through Stark, Tuscarawas and Holmes Coun- 
ties, and, indeed, nearly or quite to the Ohio 
River. These are the limestone coals that 
will be found frequently referred to in the re- 
ports on the counties that have been mentioned, 
and those on Portage, Trumbull and Mahoning. 
The lowest of these limestones lies from 130 to 
ItiO above Coal No. 1; the upper limestone 
about 150 to 200 feet. Hent;e they will serve 
as useful guides in boring for the lower coal 
seam in those parts of the county where it lies 
considerably beneath the surface. 

" I have already alluded to the former pro- 
ductiveness of the coal mines of Tallmadge, 
and have mentioned the fact that most of these 
mines are now abandoned ; the basins of coal 
in which they were located having been practi- 
cally exhausted. Considerable coal is, how- 
ever, still produced in the township, and it is 
altogether probable, that with proper search, 
other basins will be discovered, from which its 
coal industry will be revived. The ' Centre ' 
and a large area north, south and east of it, lie 
considerably above the coal level, and as the 
dip is southeast, there are some localities where 
the horizon of the coal is nearly one hundred 
and fifty feet below the surface. Over most of 
the district I have mentioned, borings should be 
made to at least the depth of one hundred feet 
befoi'e the search is abandoned. It should be 
remembered, too, that the basins of Coal No. 1 
are frequently narrow, and the territory will 
only be fairly tested by borings made at fre- 
quent intervals. The principal center of coal 
industry in the county at present, is in Spring- 
field and Coventry. Steer's Mine, the mines of 
the Brewster Coal Company, and Brewster 
Brothers, and the Middlebury Shaft — all located 
near the line between the above mentioned 
townships— are now producing a large quantity 
of coal for shipment to Akron and Cleveland. 
The maximum thickness of the coal seam here 
is about five feet, and it thins out on all sides 
toward the margin of the basin. Doubtless here, 
as elsewhere, the basins of coal are connected, 
and future explorations will result in tracing 
such connection south and east into other im- 
portant deposits. ****** 

" At the Franklin Coal Company's mine, in 
the Northern part of Franklin, the coal is four 
and a half feet thick, of good quality, closely 






J^ 



192 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



resembling that obtained at Massillon. It lies 
from sixty to one hundred feet below the sur- 
face, the massive sand rock above it ranging 
from forty to fift^^ feet in thickness. In the 
southwest corner of Franklin Township, the coal 
where opened is not as thick or as good as in 
the last-mentioned localities. At Steer's new 
shaft in Coventry, the coal is 4|- feet thick, 
90 to no feet from the surface, overlaid b}^ 15 
feet of black shale and from 30 to 40 feet of 
sandstone. Little coal has yet been mined here, 
but it seems to be of excellent quality. A sec- 
tion taken near the north line of Franklin Town- 
ship includes the following strata : 

1. Sandstone 40 to 60 feet. 

3. Shale 20 to 30 feet. 

3. Hard iron ore 1 foot. 

4. Coal 4ifeet. 

" On the land of Mr. Thomas Britton, one 
and a half miles east of Middlebury, is an im- 
portant deposit of iron ore, which I refer, with 
some hesitation, to the horizon of Coal No. 1. 
The drift from which the ore is taken exposes 
four feet of rock, which includes a thickness of 
about two feet of ore. Sherbondy Hill, west of 
Akron, is capped with the coal rocks, but gives 
no indication of any valuable deposit of coal. 
A band of iron ore, similar in character to that 
referred to above, but thinner, is exposed in this 
locality. A sheet of the coal measures under- 
lies the surface in the west part of Norton Town- 
ship, and a small area in Copley', but up to the 
present time no important coal strata have been 
found there. A boring made half a mile north 
of the center of Norton revealed the following 
section : 

1. Earth 17 feet. 

2. Shale 16 feet. 

3. Conglomerate 75 feet. 

All the borings made for coal in the township 
give similar results, the conglomerate being 
struck after passing through a thin bed of coal 
shale. ******** 

" The fire-claj^ which underlies Coal No. 3 
has already become one of the important ele- 
ments of wealth to the county. This deposit, in 
parts of Summit County, is of unusual thickness 
and purity, making excellent stoneware and fire- 
brick. It is estimated that there are produced 
from this stratum of clay in Springfield Town- 
ship alone, about one and a half millions of gal- 
lons of stoneware each year ; and a very large 
amount of the material is transported into other 
parts of the county and State. It is of interest 



to notice in this connection that this bed of fire- 
clay is the same with that worked at Atwater, 
in Portage, and still more extensively in Co- 
lumbiana Count3\ Over how large an area in 
Summit County it maintains the dimensions 
and excellence it exhibits in Springfield, we 
have, as yet, no means of knowing. At East 
Liberty it is apparently of good thickness and 
quality, but in central and southern Stark 
County — where exposed in the valleys of the 
Nimisiiillen and Sandy — it is of less value. The 
Springfield clay is eminentl}^ plastic, and hence 
better fitted for stoneware than fire-brick, but 
by mixing it largely with sand, and, still better, 
with the hard clay of Mineral Point, Mr. J. 
Parke Alexander, of Akron, has produced fire- 
brick scarcely inferior in quality to an}'- other 
made in the State, or even any imported. To 
get the best results with this clay alone, in mak- 
ing fire-brick, it should be first ground, made 
into a paste, and this burned, then again coarsely 
ground and the fragments cemented with one- 
sixth to one-tenth of fresh plastered clay, 
molded and burned again. 

" The following analyses will give additional 
information in regard to the useful minerals of 
this countv. They were made by Dr. Worm ley. 
State Chemist, with the exception of No. 4, 
which was made by Prof W. W. blather : 

1. Peat — Coventry Peat Company, Coventry. 

Ultimate Composition in Normal State. Per cent. 

Carbon 50.56 

Hydroijen 6.43 

Nitrogen 1.23 

Sulplmr 0.33 

Oxygen 34.85 

Ash 6.6 

100.00 

Moisture 10.40 

Consisting of hydrogen 4.15 

Oxygen 6.25 

2. Coal No. 1 — Johnson's shaft, Franklin Town- 
ship. 

3. Coal No. 1 — Franklin Coal Company, Frank- 
lin Township. 

4. Coal No. 1 — D. Upson's mine, Tallmadge 
Township. 

5. Coal No. 3 — Greentown, both benches. 



Specific gravity 

Water 

Volatile combust, matter.. 

Fixed Carbon 

Ash 



No. 



1.256 

2.70 
37.30 
58.00 

2.00 



100.00 



No. 3. No. 4. 




No. 5. 



100.00100.00 



3.25 
38.75 
55.05 

2.95 

100.00 



:xr 



;Rr 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



193 



No. 1. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. 

Sulphur.... 0.93 0.799 0.549 1.73 

Ash White. White White. 

Colie Compact. Compact Compact. 

6. Iron Ore— H. Roberts, Middlebury. 

7. Iron Ore— Over Coal No. 3, Greentown. 



Specific gravity 

Moisture combined. 
Silicious matter. . . . 
Iron, Carbonate . . . . 
Iron, Sesquioxide. . . 

Alumina 

Manganese 

Lime phosphate . . . . 
Lime carbonate .... 
Magnesia carbonate 

Sulphur 

Phosphoric acid . . . 



No. 6. 1 No. 7. 



3.333 
1.24 

21.08 
58.76 
4.53 
1.00 
0.80 
1.81 
4.25 
5.22 
0.41 



3.342 
2.65 

12.23 
70.68 

0.40 
1.65 

7.66 

5.54 

0.17 

0.013 



99.10 100.333 



Metallic Iron 

Phosphoric acid 

8. Fire Clay — Mogadore. 

9. Fire Clay— East Liberty. 



31.53 
0.83 



34.12 
0.013 





No. 8. 

5.45 
70.70 
21.70 


No. 9. 


Water (combined) 


7 00 


Silicic acid 


62.00 


Alumina 


24.80 


Iron 


traces 


Lime 


0.40 
0.37 


1.75 


Magnesia 


0.42 


Potash and soda 


3.22 










98.62 


99.39 



The foregoing comprises the geology of Sum- 
mit County, together with its coal deposits 
and mineral resources. Closely connected with 
the geology of a country is the science of agri- 
culture. Indeed, "the geology of a countr3'," it 
has been truthfully said, "determines the char- 
acter of the industrial vocation of the inhabit- 
ants of that country." In accordance with the 
geological formations, mining, farming, herding 
flocks, manufacturing, or even fishing, becomes 
the prominent industry. "From the connection 
of geology with agriculture, mining and manu- 
factures, it ma}^ be said that in its different 
branches this science lies at the foundation of 
our modern civilization, inasmuch as the occu- 
pations, the wealth and power of communities 
and nations, in many, we may, perhaps, sa}' in 
most, instances, depend directly upon the char- 
acter, structure and resources of that portion 
of the earth which the}^ inhabit."* From the 

* state Report. 



wealth, then, of Mother Earth, we draw our 
sustenance, and when we have run out our 
span of life, we return to her sheltering bosom. 

" Where is the dust that has not been alive? 
The spade, the plow, disturb our ancestors; 
From human mold we reap our daily bread." 

It is said that the agriculture of the State of 
Ohio may be regarded, in a general sense, as 
"being of a mixed character." The same may 
very truthfully be said of Summit County. 
Its agricultural resources are not only exten- 
sive, but the adaptability of the soil in the dif- 
ferent sections of the count}^ to agriculture, is 
to be found in but few counties of the State. 
In the southern part, wheat is the main staple ; 
in the central and northern portions, grazing, 
perhaps, predominates, while corn is exten- 
sively grown. In the last State Agricultui-al 
Report, we find, pertaining to Summit County, 
the following statistics : 

Wheat, 25,955 acres, yielding 518,979 bush- 
els ; rye, 852 acres, yielding 5,150 bushels ; 
oats, 14,284 acres, yielding 542,382 bushels ; 
barley, 63 acres, yielding 14,010 bushels ; corn, 
15,422 acres, yielding 1,077,945 bushels; tim- 
othy, 22,788 acres, j'ielding 31,951 tons of hay ; 
clover, 4,882 acres, yielding 6,910 tons of hay. 
While much attention is devoted to stock-rais- 
ing, the breeding of fine stock is not carried to 
that extent that it is in man}' sections of Ohio. 
More attention is given to cattle and sheep 
than to other stock, and to the two (cattle and 
sheep) the former is considered of more value 
in this community, and the dairy business is 
one of the largest ' interests of the agricultural 
class, not only of Summit Count}- but of the 
Western Reserve. From the State Report 
above quoted, we extract the following of this 
county : " Number of cattle, 24,348, value, 
$364,184 ; number of pounds of butter, 775,- 
915 ; number of pounds of cheese, 1,389,735." 
The same report has the following in regard to 
the dairy business of the Reserve : " x\lready, 
complaints are made that dairy farming is 
deteriorating the soil, but this complaint can 
scarcely be well founded, or, if well founded, 
must have reference more to the mechanical 
than tlie chemical condition of the soil. Soils 
very similar, geologically considered, haA'e been 
pastured and tilled in England since the days 
of the Saxon heptarchy, and no recuperating 
process practiced until within the past hundred 
years, and yet these British soils were at no 



Tv 



194 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



time barren. There is no distinctive breed of 
cattle recognized on the Reserve as being pecu- 
liarly a dairy breed, but those in highest favor 
are generally a cross breed, such as short-horn 
or Devon crossed on the ' native.' * '"' * 
The factory system of cheese-making was in- 
troduced some years since, and has proved 
eminently successful. Having no reliable statis- 
tics at hand, there is no hazard in stating that 
there are fuU^' one hundred and fifty factories in 
active operation at the present time." Our 
space, however, will not admit of an extended 
notice in this connection, but the subject will 
be alluded to again in the several township 
histories. In addition to the cattle statistics of 
the count}' from the same report, we gather the 
following ; Number of horses, 8,552, value, 
$-169,010; number of mules, 179, value, $8,750 ; 
number of hogs, 11,577, value, $32,220 ; num- 
ber of sheep, 24,965, value, $58,817 ; number 
of pounds of wool shorn, 75,168. 

Without going further into this branch of the 
subject, we will now give place to the following- 
interesting sketch of the Agricultural Society 
of Summit County, prepared especially for 
this work by S. A. Lane, Esq., and which will be 
found of value to our readers : 

The loss, by fire, of the records pertaining to 
the Agricultural Societ}- matters of Summit 
County prior to 1859, made the task of collat- 
ing the proper materials for the commencement 
of this chapter somewhat difficult, there being 
radical differences in the recollections of the 
several living participants upon whom the writ- 
er called for information. By a patient search 
of the files of the Summit County Beacon of 
those da^'s, though its columns were far less 
prolific of local news then than now, we have 
been able to present to the reader a reliable, if 
not a very attractive, resume of the matters 
proper to be here treated of Though for some 
years there had been a growing interest in the 
subject thi;oughout the State, and, under the 
fostering care and aid given thereto b}' the Leg- 
islature of Ohio, a State Agricultural Society, 
and quite a number of county societies, had 
been organized previous to that date, the first 
move looking to the organization of a society 
in Summit County, was in 1849. From his po- 
sition as Auditor of the county, N. W. Good- 
hue, Esq., had abundant opportunity to ascer- 
tain the views of the people of the county upon 
the subject, and, believing, after consultation 



with Col. Simon Perkins and others, that a fa- 
vorable and hearty response would be made 
thereto, on the 31st day of October, 1849, Mr. 
Goodhue caused to be published in the Beacon 
the following notice : 

AGRICULTURAT; MEETING. 

I, N. W. Goodhue, Auditor of Summit County, 
Ohio, hereby give notice that a public meeting will 
be held at the court house, in Akron, on the 14th 
day of November next, at 2 o'clock, P. M., for the 
purpose of perfecting the organization of a County 
Agricultural Society, the preliminary steps contem- 
plated in the act of March, 1839, having been al- 
ready taken. 

Nath'l W. Goodhue, 
County Auditor. 
Aiiditor's Office, Summit Co., ) 
Akron, October 31, 1849. \ 

An editorial in the same issue of the Beacon 
thus calls attention to the above notice : 

Attention is called to the notice of the Auditor, 
in another cohuiin, issued in pursuance of law, for 
an agricultural meeting on the 14th proximo. We 
rejoice that a move has been made in the matter, by 
the agriculturists of Summit County. The neigh- 
boring counties have their agricultural associations 
in successful operation. They have seen and felt 
the advantages flowing from them. And while the 
whole State seems to be awakening to a new inter- 
est, and searching after an improved agriculture, it 
would be mortifying to see the experienced and en- 
terprising farmers of Summit County asleep. Speed 
the plow ! Let tlie good work go forAvard in earn- 
est ! 

In the Beacon of November 21, 1849, ap- 
pears the following official report of the pro- 
ceedings of this preliminary meeting : 

AGRIOUIiTURAL MEETING. 

Agreeably to public notice, previously given, a 
large number of gentlemen met in the court house 
in Akron, at 2 o'clock P. M., November 14, 1849, for 
the purpose of perfecting the organization of a 
County Agricubural Society. The meeting was 
called to order hy the County xluditor. A tempo- 
rary organization was liad by appointing Capt. 
Amos Seward, President; H. G. Weaver, Vice Presi- 
dent and Nathaniel W. Goodhue, Secretary. After 
the object of the meeting had been stated, the 
Chair, on motion, appointed a committee of five to 
report a constitution and code of by-laws for tlie 
government of tlie society, consisting of Lucius W. 
Hitchcock and William A. Hanford, of Tallmadge; 
Talman Beardsley, of Coventry'; Sylvester H. 
Thompson, of Hudson, and John Hoy, of Franklin. 
On motion, a committee of one from each township 
was appointed to procure members to the society as 
follows: Bath, William Hale; Boston, Hiram V. 
Bronson; Copley, Jonathan Starr; Coventry, Avery 
Spicer; Franklin, John Hoy; Green, Alexander 
Johnston; Hudson, Van R. Humphrey; Northamp- 



^ 



[£ 



■^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



195 



ton, Reese Jones; Northfield, John C. Wallace; 
Norton, Henry Van Hyning; Portage, Lucius V. 
Bicrce; Riclificld, Isaac T. Welton; Spring-field, 
Henry G. Weaver; Stow, Edwin Wetmore: Tall- 
madge, Samuel Treat; Twinsburg, Lyman Cham- 
berlain; Akron, Lucius S. Peck; Middlebury, Na- 
thaniel W. Goodhue; Cuyahoga Falls, Henry Wet- 
more; Hudson, Sylvester H. Thompson. 

On motion, Lucius V. Bierce and Van R. Hum- 
phrey, Esqs., were requested to deliver addresses 
at the next meeting. 

On motion, ordered that the proceedings of the 
meeting be published in the several papers of the 
county. On motion, adjourned to meet in the court- 
room "on Wednesdaj^ the 28th inst., at 10 o'clock 
A.M. 

Amos Seward, President. 

H. G. Weaver, Vice President. 

N. W. GooBHUE, Secretari/. 

From a postscript attached to the foregoing 
report, it is learned, that at this meeting, about 
sevent}' names were presented for membership. 
In the Beacon of December 5, 1849, is found 
the full report of the second meeting of the 
embryo society, as follows : 

agriculturaIj meeting. 

The Summit County Agricultural Society met 
November 28, at 1 o'clock P. M., pursuant to ad- 
jom'nment, and was called to order by Capt. Amos 
Seward, Chairman. In the absence of Henry G. 
Weaver, Vice President, Milo Stone, Esq., of Tall- 
madge, was chosen Vice President. 

On motion, a committee of one from each town- 
ship represented, was appointed by the Chair, to 
recommend oflicers for the .society. 

Committee appointed at former meeting, reported 
a constitution for the society, as folloAvs: 

■'Article 1. This society shall be called the Sum- 
mit County Agricultural Society. 

"Art. 2. The officers of this society shall consist 
of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer 
and five managers, who, together, shall constitute a 
Board of Directors for the general management of 
the affairs of the society; they shall be elected an- 
nually by the members of the society, and hold 
their offices until their successors are appointed. 
The President shall preside at all meetings of the 
society, and of the Board of Directors; sign orders 
on the Treasurer for awards of premiums and other 
appropriations of the Board of Directors. The 
Vice President, in the absence of the President, 
shall be the presiding officer of the society and 
Board. The Secretary shall keep an accurate record 
of the proceedings of the society, and of the Board 
of Directors; attend to correspondence ordered by 
the Board, and report annually to tlie State Board 
of Agriculture. The Treasurer shall receive the 
funds of the society, and pay them in accordance 
with the awards of the committees on premiums, 
and the votes of the Board of Directors, upon the 
order of the President, and shall, at the annual 
meeting, render a full account of his doings. The 
Board of Directors shall meet at the call of the 



President; a majority shall constitute a quorum for 
the transaction of business, and the Board shall 
have power to transact all business for the society, 
that shall not conflict with this instrument. 

"art, 3. Members of this society must be res- 
idents of this county, and pay $1 annually to the 
Treasurer of the society. 

"Art. 4. All competitors for premiums nuist be 
members of the society. 

"iVRT. 5. A list of the premiums offered by the .so- 
ciety must be printed in the several newspapers pub- 
lished in the county, at least one month previous to 
the day of exhibition. 

"Art. 6. All articles offered for premiums must 
be owned by the persons offering the same, or by 
members of their families, and products of the soil, 
or manufactured articles, must be produced or man- 
ufactured within the county. 

"Art. 7. Premiums on grain and grass crops shall 
not be awarded for less than one acre. 

"Art. 8. The awarding committees shall consist 
of three persons each, and shall be annually ap- 
pointed by the Directors of the society. 

"Art. 9. The annual exhibition of the society 
shall be held between the 1st day of September and 
the 1st day of November in each year, of which no- 
tice shall be given with the list of premiums offered. 

"Art. 10. The annual meeting of this society 
shall be at the court house, on the third Wednesday 
in November of each year, at 10 o'clock A. M., at 
which time oflicers of the society shall be chosen. 

"Art. 11. This Constitution may be amended at 
any regular meeting, by a majority of the votes cast." 

L. V. Bierce, Esq., addressed the meeting. 

Committee reported oflBcers for the society, which 
report was accepted, and the persons recommended 
were unanimously chosen officers of the society, as 
follows : Simon Perkins, President ; Henry G. Wea- 
ver, Vice President ; William A. Hanford, Secretary ; 
William H. Dewey, Treasurer ; John Hoy, Sylvester 
H. Thompson, Avery Spicer, Philo C. Stone aud 
James W. Weld, Managers. 

On motion— " Eesohed : That the thanks of this 
society be presented to L. V. Bierce, Esq., for his 
interesting address, and that he be requested to fur- 
nish a copy for publication." 

Mr. J. Teesdale presented a circular from the St ate 
Board of Agriculture, which was referred to the 
President, Secretary and Capt. Amos Seward for 
reply. On motion, adjourned. 

Amos Seward, President. 
Mn.o Stone, Vice President. 
N. W. Goodhue, Secretari/. 

Thus was the " Summit County Agricultural 
Society " duly and legally organized, and en- 
titled to draw from the county treasury, yearly, 
for its support, the sum of $137.50, as provided 
by law. The various oflicers, directors and 
committees, together with the people of the 
county, generally, both farmers and villagers, 
from this time on worked heartily and cordially 
for the success of the society, and for the 
favorable outcome of its first annual fair. In 



•y 



ji^ 



196 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



the Beacon of August 21, 1850, appears this 
announcement : 

AGRICULTURAL NOTICE. 

The Board of Directors for the Summit County 
Agricultural Society will meet at the office of L. V. 
Bierce, Esq., on Tliursday, the 22dinst., at 1 o'clock 
P. M., to appoint committees to award premiums at 
the Annual Fair, to be held at Akron, on the 2d and 
3d days of October next. Those who have obtained 
members will please forward the names and money 
to th(! Auditor's office at Akron. 

Simon Perkins, President. 
W. A. IIanpord, Secretary. 

Akron, August 19, 1850. 

In the Beacon of September 11, 1850, ap- 
pears the premium list, offering premiums rang- 
ing from $1 to 1^8 on cattle ; from $3 to $8 on 
horses ; from $2 to $5 on sheep ; from $2 to $4 
on swine ; best kept dair}^, $10 ; best butter, 
$3 ; best cheese, $3 ; from $1 to $3 on farm 
implements ; from 50 cents to $3 on domestic 
manufactures ; from $2 to $3 on factory flan- 
nels and cloths ; $1 on grains and seeds ; from 
$1 to $2 on vegetables and fruits ; from $1 to 
$5 on field crops. Following, is a list of the 
awarding committees : Cattle — Milo Stone, of 
Tallmadge ; Frederick Baldwin, of Hudson ; 
Marcus Newton, of Richfield, Horses — Thad- 
deus H. Botsford, of Middlebuiy ; John Hoy, 
of Franklin ; Henry Van Hyning, of Norton. 
Saxony Sheep — John Brown (old " Ossawata- 
mie " of Harper's Ferry fame), of Portage; Jus- 
tin P. Goodale, of Middlebury ; Anson A. 
Brewster, of Hudson. Merino and other Sheep 
— Isaac T. Welton, of Richfield ; Jacob Allen, 
of Akron ; Jonathan Starr, of Copley. Swine 
— Miner Spicer, of Akron ; William Wetmore, 
of Stow ; Simon P. Starr, of Copley. Dairies 
— Edgar B. Ellsworth, of Hudson ; John B. 
Clark, of Hudson ; Ethan Ailing, of Twinsburg. 
Butter and Cheese— Mrs. Dana D. Evans, of 
Akron ; Mrs. Daniel Hine, of Tallmadge ; Mrs. 
Amos Avery, of Tallmadge ; Mrs. P^dwin Wet- 
more, of Stow. Farm Implements — Samuel 
Treat, of Tallmadge ; Alexander Johnston, of 
Green ; Mills Thompson, of Hudson. Domes- 
tic Manufactures — Mrs. Henry G. Weaver, of 
Springfield ; Mrs. George Kirkum, of Akron ; 
Mrs. John Hoy, of Franklin ; Mrs. N. W. Good- 
hue, of Middlebury. Factory Products — Ros- 
well Kent, of Middlebury ; Anson A. Brewster, 
of Hudson ; Orlando Hall, of Akron ; Grains 
and Seeds — Nathaniel Fiuch, of Akron ; Will- 
iam Hale, of Bath ; Philo Atwood, of Spring- 



field. Vegetables and Fruits — Van R. Hum- 
phrey, of Hudson ; Lucius S. Peck, of Portage ; 
Prof Sej-mour, of Hudson. Field Crops — 
Clark Sackett, of Tallmadge ; John Hall, of 
Springfield ; Talmon Beardsley, of Coventiy. 
Non-enumerated Articles — Joseph Hawkins, of 
Twinsburg ; Peter Voris, of Bath ; Daniel Hine, 
of Tallmadge. A " plowing match " was also 
announced for the second day of the fair ; pre- 
miums, $5 and $3. No trotting nor racing pre- 
miums were offered. 

The Beacon of September 18, 1850, editorially 
says : 

We are gratified to find that much interest is 
being awakened in the approaching agricultural 
fair in this county. As there has not been an ex- 
hibition of that character in the county since its 
organization, those who have charge of the arrange- 
ments have not the benefit of that amount of expe- 
rience they Avould like in the performance of their 
dutj'. Still, they have done and will do what they 
can. The work of preparation should be entered 
into in earnest. Hundreds can contribute their mite 
to the interest of the occasion. Let the exhibition 
be worthy of the object in view, and let there be a 
gathering which will render the day a memorable 
one. 

The First Fair, October 2 and 3, 1850.— 
Having no grounds nor buildings of its own, by 
permission of the County Commissioners, the 
court house and surrounding grounds were 
made use of b}'^ the society in giving its initial 
exposition. In the Beacon of October 16, 1850, 
is the official report of President Perkins and 
Secretary Hanford, together with a full list of 
the premiums awarded, aggregating about $100 
— quite a sum, when it is considered that no 
entrance fees on articles exhibited were 
charged, while admission to the fair was also 
free. " A team of thirty-four 3'oke of oxen, 
from Tallmadge, and another of fifteen span of 
horses, from the same town, attracted consider- 
able attention," says the report. Gen L. V. 
Bierce, of Akron, delivered the annual ad- 
dress. 

The Beacon of same date editorially says : 

The highest expectations were more than realized. 
The attendance on both days was very large, several 
thousand persons being present, all of whom seemed 
inspired by the happiest spirit, and abundant ly 
compensated for what of labor and care was inci- 
dent to the exhibition. * * * The display of stock 
was unexpectedly good, the arrangements being 
such as to give a fair opportunity for exhibiting the 
animals brought in. The specimens of fruit, grain 
and vegetables were exceedingly fine. * * * A va- 
riety of farming implements were exhibited. * * * 






HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



197 



The court-house was fitted up for the horticultural 
exhibition and the handiwork of Flora. The high- 
est praise is due to the ladies for their taste in adorn- 
ing the room, and the myriad evidences of their skill 
displayed on every hand. The pyramid of flowers, 
prepared at Mrs. Dodge's, and the various smaller 
pyramids and rich bouquets exhibited, were the cen- 
ter of attraction, exciting universal praise by their 
gorgeous display of colors. The display of" fancy 
needle-work would have excited admiration any- 
where. Among other things exhibited in the ladies' 
department, worthy of note, were a variety of bed- 
quilts ; a counterpane, richly worked ; worsted work ; 
a strcm-bonnet made from straw raised in this county ; 
.some fancy cotton work, etc., etc. * * * An exhi- 
bition terminating so propitiously cannot but lead 
the way to others, and establish permanently a so- 
ciety whose first fruits are so pleasant to the eye and 
taste. In the awards of the future the managers of 
the fair should not be forgotten. 

/Second Annual Meeting. — The second annual 
meeting of the society was held at the court 
house, November 20, 1850. Treasurer Dewey 
reported : " Total receipts, $327.58 : total pay- 
ments to date, $221.86; balance in treasury, 
$105.72 — $100 of which is due for premiums." 
Officers were chosen for the ensuing- year, as 
follows : Simon Perkins, of Portage, President ; 
Amos Seward, of Tallmadge, Vice President ; 
Nelson B. Stone, of Akron, Treasurer ; Nathan- 
iel W. (loodhue, of Middlebury, Secretary ; 
Henry Van Hyning, of Norton ; Daniel Hine, of 
Tallmadge ; JNIilo Stone, of Tallmadge ; James 
M. Hale, of Akron, and Harvey Baldwin, of 
Hudson, Managers. On motion, the thanks of 
the society were presented to Secretary Will- 
iam A. Hanford, and his assistants, Messrs N. 
W. Goodhue and C. B. Bernard, for their serv- 
ices to the societ}'. 

Second Annual Fair. — In the Beacon of Sep- 
tember 10, 1851, appears the notice of Presi- 
dent Perkins and Secretary (xoodhue, announc- 
ing the second annual fair of the society, to be 
held at the court house in Akron, October 16 
and 17, with a somewhat enlarged premium list. 
Committees ns follows : Cattle — John Newton, 
of Richfield : Perry C. Carotliers. of Tallmadge ; 
Frederick Baldwin, of Hudson. JMilch Cows — 
William II. Devyey, of Akron ; Joseph Haw- 
kins, of Twinsburg ; Clark Sackett, of Tall- 
madge. Oxen — Perley Mansur, of Hudson ; 
Isaac T. Welton, of Richfield ; Kbenezer Par- 
dee, of Norton. Fat Oxen — Dennis A. Hine, 
of Middlebury ; David French, of Green ; 
Henry Van Hyning. of Norton. Best ten yoke '■ 
oxen in a strin<j:. from one township, and best 
ten span horses — Jedediah D. Cominins. of ! 



Akron ; Charles W. Brown, of Portage ; Charles 
B. Cobb, of Akron. Horses — Thaddeus H. 
Botsford, of Middlebury ; John Miller, of Nor- 
ton ; Ezra Starkweather, of Twinsburg. Long- 
wool Sheep — Jacob Allen, of Akron ; William 
Hale, of Bath ; Samuel N. Goodale, of Akron. 
Merinos— James W. Wallace, of Northfield ; 
Jonathan Starr, of Copley ; Van R. Humphrey, 
of Hudson. Saxons — William A. Hanford, of 
Cuyahoga Falls ; Lucius W. Hitchcock, of Tall- 
madge ; Peter A. More, of Copley. Swine — 
Avery Spicer, of Coventry ; George Darrow, 
of Hudson ; John Hoy, of Franklin. Pottery 
Ware — Allan Hibbard, Lorenzo B. Austin and 
James Christy, all of Akron. Farming Imple- 
ments, First Class — Alexander Johnston, of 
Green ; Benjamin Bear, of Franklin ; Samuel 
M. Combs, of Tallmadge. Second Class- 
John B. Clark, of Hudson ; George Lillie, of 
Northfield ; Talmon Beardsley, of Coventry. 
Harness Work — Jonathan Page, of Richfield ; 
John Johns, of Middlebury ; Harvey S. Weld, 
of Richfield. Boots and Shoes — Zebulon Jones, 
of Akron ; Peter Voris, of Bath ; John M. 
Cutler, of Akron. Stoves, Castings and 3Ia- 
chinery — Bradbury T. Blodgett, of Akron ; 
Harrison N. Gillett, of Cuyahoga Falls ; Will- 
iam S. Irish, of Middlebury. Carriages, etc. — 
David A. Scott, Lewis, Benjamin and Nathan- 
iel Finch, all of Akron. Musical Instruments 
— ^Amos Wright, of Tallmadge ; George P. 
Ashmun, of Hudson ; Henry Bill, of Cuyahoga 
Falls. Cabinet Ware — Henry S. Abbe}', of 
Akron ; Joseph T. HoUoway, of Cuyahoga 
Falls ; Henry B. Horton, of Akron. Blank 
Books, etc. — Elisha N. Sill, of Cuyahoga Falls ; 
Lucius S. Peck and Jared Jennings, of Akron. 
Flannels, etc. — Mrs. Henry G. Weaver, of 
Springfield ; Mrs. Elias W. Howard, Mrs. 
George Kirkum and Mrs. Allan Hibbard, of 
Akron. Linens — Mrs. Louisa A. Baldwin, of 
Middlebury ; Mrs. Harvey Baldwin, of Hud- 
son ; Miss Sarah A. Stone, of Tallmadge ; Mr. 
Alvin C. Voris, of Akron. Stockings, etc.— 
Mrs. Dana D. Evans, of Akron ; Mrs. Ira Haw- 
kins, of Portage; Mrs. Daniel Hine and 3Irs. 
Lucius C. Walton, of Tallmadge. Factors- 
Products — Roswell Kent, of Midcllebury ; Har- 
vey B. Spell man, of Akron, and Ezra S. Corn- 
stock, of Cuyahoga Falls. Grains and Seeds 
— Solomon Markliam, of Green ; Jeremiah B. 
Lambert, of Bath ; Andrew Harris of Spring- 
field. Vegetables and Fruits — Daniel McNaugh- 



■^|C* 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



ton, of Middlebury ; John E. King, and Lu- 
cius V. Bierce, of Akron. Crops — Daniel Hine, 
of Tallraadge ; Aver}' Spicer, of Coventry ; 
Edwin Wetmore, of Stow. Farms — Jolm C. 
Wallace, of Northfield ; James W. Weld, of 
Richfield ; Andrew Hale, of Bath. Butter — 
Mrs. Samuel M. Combs, of Tallmadge ; Mrs. 
John Hoy, of Franklin ; Mrs. William L. 
Clarke, and Mrs. Frederick Wadsworth of Ak- 
ron. Cheese — Mrs. Simon Perkins and Mrs. 
Sebried Dodge, of Portage ; Mrs. Mills Thomp- 
son, of Hudson ; Mrs. William L. Clarke, of 
Akron. Fancy-work — Mrs. Henry W. King, of 
Akron ; Mrs. Lucius C. Walton, of Tallmadge ; 
Mrs. George E. Pierce, of Hudson ; Mrs. Hoyt 
L. Henry, of Middlebury ; Mrs. John B. Clark, 
of Hudson ; Mr. Charles B. Bernard, of Akron. 

Of this second exhibition, the Beacon, of Oc- 
tober 22, 1851, says : 

The annual fair of the Summit County Agricult- 
ural Society was held on Thursday and Friday of 
last week. They were festive days among the 
farmers of Summit, and such a congregating to- 
gether of the true nobility of our county — the toil- 
ing masses, whose brows are browned by heaven's 
sunlight, whose hands are hardened by honest toil, 
and whose hearts are softened by the kindlier sym- 
pathies of humanity — we have rarely seen. The 
turn-out was tremendous, exceeding "largely, it is 
thought, that of last year. There was a perfect 
jam in and around the court house throughout each 
day, rendering it almost impossible to see many ob- 
jects of interest, and demonstrating the absolute 
necessity of erecting a suitable building for the fut- 
ure agricultural and mechanical exhibitions of the 
county. * * * Hon. Van R. Humphrey, of 
Hudson, delivered an address to the multitude, 
who were assembled in the court house inclosure 
for want of a building of sufficient capacity to re- 
ceive them. It was listened to with interest and 
profit, and was in keeping with the interest of the 
occasion. *^ * * It will afford much gratification 
to our citizens generally to learn that Col. Simeon 
Perkins, the President of the society, with a munifi- 
cence characteristic of the man, has donated to the 
society several acres south of Akron, admirably 
adapted for future exhibitions, the erection of suit- 
able buildings, etc., for the use of the society. A 
subscription'was started for inclosing the ground, 
and we cannot permit ourselves to doubt the suc- 
cess of the laudable enterprise. 

In the BeMcon of November 26, 1851, is the 
official report of the annual meeting of the so- 
ciety for 1851, held in the court house Novem- 
ber 19. The officers elected for the ensuing 
year were as follows : President, Avery Spicer, 
of Coventry ; Vice President, Daniel Hine, of 
Tallmadge ; Secretary, Nathaniel W. Goodhue, 
of Middlebury ; Treasurer, Nelson B. Stone, of 



Akron. Managers — Peter Voris, of Bath ; 
Thomas H. Goodwin, of Akron ; Isaac T. Wel- 
ton, of Richfield ; Samuel M. Combs, of Tall- 
madge ; Solomon Markham, of Green. A com- 
mittee of one from each township and village 
in the county was appointed "to solicit sub- 
scriptions to defray the expenses to be incurred 
during the coming year in the erection of suit- 
able buildings and fences and preparing other 
permanent fixtures for the use of the society." 
Among the proceedings of this meeting is 
found this highly commendable item : 

Resolved, That this society will award no premi- 
ums on anything that will intoxicate. 

At a meeting of the Directors, held at the 
court house, it was arranged that the fair for 
1852 should be held on Wednesday and Thurs- 
da}', October 6 and 7, at the court house, the 
new grounds donated by Col. Perkins not being 
yet fitted up. The premium list, as published 
in the Beacon of September 8, is about the 
same as in 1851, and the committees judi- 
ciously selected from every portion of the 
county. The court-room was used solely as a 
floral and fine-art department. A small admis- 
sion fee to this department was charged, the 
receipts being something over $100. The hall 
was occupied by a display of fashionable fur- 
niture, stoves, etc. On the north side of the 
building was erected a temporary frame struct- 
ure, forty by sixty feet, for the display of 
fancy work, mechanical products, farming im- 
plements, vegetables, fruits, etc. Horses, cattle, 
sheep, hogs, poultry, etc., were grouped, at con- 
venience of exhibitors, in various parts of the 
inclosure. In its editorial notice of this Third 
Annual Fair, the Beacon, of October 13, 1852, 
says : " It was attended by a larger number 
of persons, and, what is equally gratifying, the 
exhibition, taken as a whole, was, undoubtedl}', 
far in advance of its predecessors. * * * 
The gorgeous flower-tree, nearly ten feet high, 
blazing with dahlias of every conceivable shade, 
was a thing of beauty. * * * From the 
garden of Hon. E. N. Sill, of Cuyahoga Falls, 
as also from the gardens of Col. Perkins and 
Mrs. Dodge, were some of the finest dahlias 
we have ever seen. A design of cut flowers 
of every variety, arranged lay Mr. Thomas 
Wills, Mr. Sill's gardener, excited universal 
admiration. * * * But one opinion was 
expressed on one point, viz. : the necessity of 
the immediate erection of suitable buildings 



-ik^ 



^ 6) 



1^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



199 



for the agi'icultural fairs of Summit. It is 
foll}^ to expend more on temporary buildings. 
If eacli townsliip will move and select a good 
committee-man, as Tallmadge has done, the 
amount for the buildings, etc., ma}' be raised in 
a fortnight. Col. Perkins is still ready to 
donate the use of six acres of land as the site. 
If the society does not take the work in hand, 
the Commissioners should do so." The annual 
address was delivered by Herman Canfield, 
Esq., of Medina. \\\ their report, the officers 
of the societ}' say : " The necessity of a perma- 
nent building is apparent to all. The officers 
of the society labor under much embarrass- 
ment, and all that is necessary is the co-opera- 
tion of each township, and the means requisite 
for inclosing six acres of ground and erecting 
a large and commodious building, can be raised. 
We hope that the importance of immediate 
attention to this matter will be borne in mind, 
and that measures will be taken immediately 
for raising whatever sum is ne(!essary." 

At the annual meeting of the society held at 
the court house in Akron, November 17, 1852, 
officers for the ensuing year were elected as fol- 
lows : President, Daniel Hine, of Tallmadge ; 
Vice President, Sylvester H. Thompson, of Hud- 
son ; Secretaiy, Nathaniel W. Goodhue, of 
Akron ; Treasurer, Nelson B. Stone, of Akron ; 
Directors, Talmon Beardsley, of Coventry ; 
Andrew Hale, of Bath ; William Payne, of 
Richfield ; Lucius W. Hitchcock, of Tallmadge ; 
Henry W. Howe, of Akron. A committee of 
one in each township was appointed to solicit 
funds to build permanent buildings for the use 
of the society. 

The Beacon of September 7, 1853, editorially 
says : " The Board of Directors of the Summit 
County Agricultural Society have contracted 
for inclosing the new fairgrounds of the society, 
the erection of a suitable hall for future exhi- 
bitions, etc. The work is to be completed by 
October 10 ; the expense to be paid mainl}- by 
subscriptions, the county- doing its share." The 
grounds, six and a half acres, were substantially 
fenced, a building 40x100 feet was erected, and 
the grounds otherwise fitted up, at a total ex- 
pense of about $1,800, and the fourth annual 
fair was held there on VVednesday and Thurs- 
day October 12 and 13, 1853. Increased in- 
terest and attendance were manifested. A small 
entrance fee of 10 cents was charged, by which 
between $700 and $800 was realized, and, 



though somewhat in debt on improvements, the 

society was at last firmly established on a sound 
financial basis. 

The fifth annual meeting of the society was 
held at the court house on Wednesday, Novem- 
ber IG, 1853. Officers elected — President, 
Daniel Hine, of Tallmadge ; A^ice President, 
James M. Hale, of Akron ; Secretary, Nathaniel 
W. Goodhue ; Treasurer, Nelson B. Stone ; Di- 
rectors, Talmou Beardsley, of Coventry' ; Samuel 
M. Bronson, of Tallmadge ; Henry W. HowBj 
of Akron; Ethan Ailing, of Twinsburg; and 
Jeremiah B. Lambert, of Bath. 

The fifth annual fair was held on the grounds 
of the society October 1 1 and 12, 1854. Though 
the season had been very dry. there was a very 
fine display of field and garden products, fruits, 
flowers, etc., and, while stock and other de- 
partments were quite largel}' represented, 
"Ladies' Equestrianship " was a prominent 
feature of this exhibition, and added ver^' ma- 
terially to the niterest as well as to the financial 
results of the fair. Beceipts, $800. 

The sixth annual meeting was held on the 
22d day of November, 1854, at the court house, 
officers and Directors of previous year being 
re-elected. 

The sixth annual fair was held October 3, 4 
and 5, 1855. Yearly- membership badges were 
sold at $1 each, and a gate fee of 10 cents was 
collected, the total receipts with ground rents 
being $903. Ladies' horsemanship, both driv- 
ing and equestrianism, was the chief attraction 
of the fair ; premiums being awarded as fol- 
lows : Mi.ss Harriet J. More, of Copley, $20 ; 
Miss Anna E. Howe, of Akron, $15 ; Miss C. 
L. Stauffcr, of Springfield, $10. A premium of 
$20, donated by spectators, was also awarded to 
Miss Cordelia Alden, of Medina, for her supe- 
rior equestrianism, the awards of the society be- 
ing confined to residents of the county. At 
this fair also ever\- department in which pre- 
miums were offered was a success, both in point 
of number and quality of animals and articles 
exhibited. 

At the seventh annual meeting held at the 
court house in Akron November 21, 1855, offi- 
cers for the ensuing year were elected as fol- 
lows : President, Talmon Beardsley, of Cov- 
entry ; Vice President. Andrew Hale, of Bath ; 
Secretary, Henry W. Howe, of Akron ; Treas- 
urer, Charles B. Bern:ird, of Akron ; Directors, 
Wm. B. Ashmun, of Tallmadge; Simon V. Starr, 






200 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



of Copley ; James M. Hale, of Akron ; Houston 
Sisler, of Franklin; Julius Pond, of Hudson. 

Secretary Howe announces, in the Beacon of 
September 17, ISoG, that the Summit County 
Agricultural Society have added to tlieir list 
of premiums, to be awarded at their next an- 
nual fair, the following : " Fastest trotting horse 
owned within the county, $30 ; fastest trotting 
horse, under four years old, owned witliin the 
county, $20. A half-mile ring has been pre- 
pared, and a lively competition may be ex- 
pected." In a subsequent issue, Secretary Howe 
thus expatiates : " The farmers and mechanics 
of the county will remember that this is es- 
peciall}' their festival, while all the ' rest of 
mankind ' intend to be there to join them. The 
list of premiums is large, the grounds are 
beautiful and convenient ; the contests, upon 
two days, between the fast trotting horses, will 
be spirited ; the ' ladies riding,' upon the last 
day of the fair, will attract all who love ' women 
and horses,' and the smiling faces of friends 
will everywhere greet those who are in attend- 
ance. * * * Come all who delight in seeing 
the best of stock, the finest of fruits, grains and 
vegetables, who have a taste for the products 
of the 'glide housewife,' andean appreciate the 
value of churns and cultivators, carpets and 
carriages. Come all who can admire the beau- 
tiful in flowers, in needlework, in painting ; or 
can find pleasure in ' crowds of fair women and 
brave men,' expecting a rare entertainment, and 
you need not go away disappointed." 

Of this, the Seventh Annual Fair, held on 
the 8th, 9th and lUth days of October, 185G, 
the Beacon concludes a lengthy and enthusiastic 
editorial as follows : " On the whole, we are 
satisfied that the Summit County Fair of 1856, 
not only surpassed all its former fairs, but, in 
point of numbers attending and of a substan- 
tial excellence of stock, grains, vegetables, me- 
chanical and artistic skill, and whatever else 
makes up the show, was beyond any county 
fair of Ohio or any other State. We feel con- 
fident that Summit is entitled to the premium. 
In this judgment, we are supported by the vol- 
untary expressions of manj' witnesses who 
were present from abroad." The receipts at 
this fair were $1,230.50, which, with receipts 
from county authorized by law, paid the entire 
indebtedness of the society, running expenses, 
premiums, balance due for buildings, etc., and 
left a surplus in the treasury of $224.73. 



At the Eighth Annual Meeting, held No- 
vember 19, 1856, the following officers were 
elected : President, Talmon Beardsley, of Cov- 
entry ; Vice President, Andrew Hale, of Bath ; 
Secretar}', Henry W. Howe, of Akron ; Treas- 
urer, Alvin C. Voris, of Akron ; Directors, Jo- 
seph Hawkins, of Twinsburg ; William John- 
ston, of Copley; Lucius L. Strong, of Tallmadge ; 
Adam Yen-ick, of Green ; John R. Buchtel, of 
Coventry. 

Eighth Annual Fair held October 7 , 8 and 9, 
1857.— Increased number of entries, increased 
interest and increased attendance ; nearly three 
columns in the Beacon of October 14 being 
devoted to an editorial review of the fair. At 
the Ninth Annual Meeting, held on the 18th 
of November, 1857, officers were elected as fol- 
lows : President, Samuel M. Combs, of Tall- 
madge ; Vice President, Andrew Hale, of Bath ; 
Secretary, Dudley Seward, of Akron ; Treas- 
urer, Alvin C. Voris, of Akron ; Directors, 
Avery Spicer, of Portage ; Lucius L. Strong, 
of Richfield ; William B. Ashmun, of Tall- 
madge ; Joseph Stauffer, of Green ; Horace P. 
Cannon, of Twinsburg. 

Ninth Annual Fair, October 6, 7 and 8, 1858. 
— The crowd upon and about the little six-acre 
inclosure, with the teams of visitors and ani- 
mals for exhibition, produced, according to the 
local reporter, " a perfect jam," and the cry for 
larger grounds was universal. Total entries 
for premiums, 965, as follows : Cattle, 105 ; 
horses, 152 ; sheep, 48 ; swine, 10 ; poultry, 
19 ; grain and seeds, 64 ; fruits, 40 ; garden 
products, 154; field crops, 9; butter, cheese 
and sugar, 51 ; farm implements, 30 ; domestic 
productions, 124 ; flowers and shrubbery, 44 ; 
carriages and harness, 17 ; boots, shoes, etc., 
10 ; bonnets, etc., 7 ; fine ax'ts, 17 ; iron and 
tin ware, 7 ; miscellaneous, 45 ; female eques- 
trians, 6. Total receipts, $1,350. 

At the Tenth Annual meeting, November 17, 
1858, the following officers were elected : Presi- 
dent, Samuel M. Combs, of Tallmadge ; Vice 
President, Horace P. Cannon, of Twinsburg ; 
Secretary, J. l*ark Alexander, of Akron ; Treas- 
urer, John R. Buchtel, of Akron. Directors — 
Avery Spicer, of Portage ; Lucius L. Strong, of 
Richfield ; Lewis Ailing, of Twinsburg ; Ed- 
win Upson, of Tallmadge ; Charles Coe, of 
Norton. At this meeting, the question of pro- 
curing other and more extensive grounds was 
discussed, and an adjourned meeting for the 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



201 



further consideration of the subject was held at 
the office of Edgerton & Sanders, in iVkron, 
January 8, 1859. At this meeting, President 
Combs, Vice President Cannon and Treasurer 
Buchtel " were appointed a committee to re 
ceive sealed proposals from au}- of the town- 
ships within the county for the site of fair 
grounds, and that such proposals be established 
by approved security for the amount sub- 
scribed. The attention of those interested is 
solicited. Proposals te be handed to Mr. Buch- 
tel by October 29." 

Of this action, the Beacon of January 12, 
1859, editorially, says : " The citizens of Cuya- 
hoga Falls, we are informed, propose to give 
$6,000 for the permanent location of the fair 
grounds at or near that village. The question is 
of importance to local interests as well as to 
those of the society itself The latter will be, 
we doubt not, the governing consideration with 
those who will decide upon the matter. Other 
things being equal, the count}' seat would seem 
to be the proper location for a count}' society; 
but there is some plausibility in the claim that 
Cuyahoga Falls is more central, and, if the citi- 
zens of that village subscribe $G,000 in good 
faith for that purpose, the}' exhibit a high ap- 
preciation of the advantages of secviring the 
annual fair as a permanent institution. We 
commend the consideration of this subject, in 
all its bearings, to the business men, property- 
holders and citizens of Akron, only observing 
that the competition of the people of Cuyahoga 
Falls is formidable and may be successful." 

At an adjourned meeting, held January 29, 
1859, the following proposal was submitted : 
" The society can have the present location of 
the fair grounds for |125 per acre by paying 
$150 down and $200 each January following, 
with 6 per cent annual interest, and that they 
can have more or less land south of the present 
grounds, in addition, at $80 per acre, or an ex- 
change on the opposite side of the road, acre 
for acre." This proposition was accepted b}' a 
vote of forty-nine in favor to ten against. At 
an adjourned meeting, held February 19, 1859, 
it was voted " to confine the society to the pres- 
ent location of the grounds." 

Thus matters stood until late in the follow- 
ing summer. In the meantime, not only had 
the contiguous lands been sold to other parties, 
but there was a rapidly growing conviction in 
the public mind that the future success of the 



society demanded both more room and a more 
eligible location than the old grounds afltbrded. 
So, too, in consequence of the differences of 
opinion which had obtained as to the matter of 
location, spirited rivalry had grown up, not only 
in the two " union " organizations in the north- 
east corner of the county, at Twinsburg, and 
the northwest corner of the county, at Rich- 
field, but in the spirited "union" association 
then being projected at Cuyahoga Falls. These 
considerations stimulated a number of the most 
active promoters of the society, in connection 
with the officers, to a combined and vigorous 
effort to the accomplishment of the desired 
change. At this juncture, our public-spirited 
fellow-citizen, Hon. David L. King, submitted 
a proposition, which, being at once accepted, 
placed the society in possession of Summit 
Grove — nearly thirty acres overlooking the city 
on the west— the beautiful grounds now occu- 
pied by the fine residences of Lewis Miller, 
Esq., Capt. Arthur L. Conger, and others, on 
Ash street and Park place, and immediately 
east of the southern portion of the beautiful 
grounds of the Akron Rural Cemetery. This 
fine tract of land was leased to the society for 
five years, at a reasonable annual rental, 31r 
King stipulating to either sell the ground to 
the society, at a price to be named by him, or 
to pa}- the society for its buildings, fences, etc., 
at their appraised value, on the expiration of 
the lease. 

Of these grounds, and the estimation in 
which they were held by the public, the follow- 
ing extracts from the Beacon, of September 7 
and 14, 1859, abundantly testify : 

The spot, has been appropriately named Summit 
Grove. It is an elevated plateau, witli sparse but 
large spreading oaks, of native growth, fm-uishing 
resting-place and shade, free from undergrowth, 
airy and dry ; in short, a natural park. * * * For 
the purpose of securing and inclosing this elegant 
piece of ground, erecting the proper buildings, and 
putting it in order for this and future fairs, the cit- 
izens of Akron, responsible business men, have con- 
tributed something more than $1,500. * * * We 
have never seen so much energy on the part of com- 
mittees and citizens, in any public enterprise, as 
has b(>en displayed in prep'aring the County Fair 
Grounds at Summit Grove. * * * Nf)t in the 
East or the West has any society a location more 
inviting, etc., etc. 

The buildings, fences, etc., from the old were 
removed to the new grounds, which, with the 
necessary additions, the erection of sheds, sta- 



•^^Is r- 



202 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



bles, pens, etc., the construction of a superb 
half-mile track, and other improvements, in- 
volved an expense of $3,128.60, of which 
amount $1,870.07 was contributed by the cit- 
izens of Akron, and $1,258.53 was paid b}- the 
societ}- ; a large amount of labor, of men and 
teams, also being donated by the people of 
Akron and contiguous towns, in the lltting-up 
of the grounds. 

From this time forward, the Summit County 
Fair became, emphatically, tlic Fair of Northern 
Ohio, not onW drawing together, in annual 
'' Harvest Home Festival," in Octol)er of each 
year, the great mass of the people of Summit 
County, but attracting man}' visitors from con- 
tiguous counties, and even from the more re- 
mote portions of the State. 

At the annual meeting of November 1 6. 1859, 
a new constitution was adopted increasing the 
number of directors from five to eighteen — one 
for each township. At this meeting, officers 
were elected as follows : President, Horace P. 
Caimon, of Twinsburg ; Vice President, Will- 
iam Wise, of Green ; Secrctar}-, James Mathews, 
of Akron ; Treasurer, John II. Buchtel, of Ak- 
ron. Directors : Bath, Andrew Hale ; Boston, 
Edmund H. Cole ; Coventr}-, William Buchtel ; 
Cu3'ahoga Falls. George Sackett ; Copley, Vin- 
cent G. Harris ; Franklin, Henr}' Daile}- ; Green, 
George Crouse ; Hudson, Julius Pond ; Middle- 
bury, Charles A. Collins ; Northampton, Beese 
Jones ; Northfield, John C. Wallace ; Norton, 
Charles Coe ; Portage, Avery Spicer ; Rich- 
field, John E. Hurlbut ; Springfield, John Ewart ; 
Stow, Virgil M. Thompson ; Tailmadge, Clark 
Sackett ; Twinsburg, Lewis Ailing. 

Resolutions were unanimously adopted ex- 
pressive of sorrow and condolence at the death 
of Capt. Amos Seward, of Tailmadge, the first 
President of the society under its written con- 
stitution, and one of its most enthusiastic sup- 
porters. Also a resolution tendering to the re- 
tiring Seci'etary, J. Park Alexander, the thanks 
of the societ}^ for his able and efficient services 
during the preceding year. 

Ax the expiration of the time for which the 
grounds had been leased, Mr. King, pursuant to 
his agreement, submitted a proposition to the 
officers of the society, to sell them the entire 
tract for $5,000, on ver}^ easy terms of payment, 
stipulating only, that should the grounds ever 
cease to be used for fair purposes, they should 
revert back to him. his heirs, etc. This truly 



munificent proposition, unfortunatel}' for the 
society and the county, was not accepted, a 
portion of the management, comparing the price 
named with the value of farming lands less 
eligibly situated, and more remote from the 
city, not being able to appreciate the magnificent 
prize they were letting slip through their fingers 
until it was too late. The society now leased, 
for the period of ten years, of Mr. P. D. Hall, 
about thirty acres of land, covered by a fine 
grove of original forest trees, in the western 
part of the city, fronting on Maple street upon 
the south, and Balch sti-eet upon the west, and a 
short distance northwest of Akron Rural Ceme- 
tery. To these grounds was removed the Imild- 
ings, fences and fixtures from " Summit Grove," 
and others were added, trotting track graded, 
etc., at an expense of over $1,000 to the societ}', 
over and above the liberal contributions of both 
money and labor, from the citizens of Akron 
and surrounding townships. These grounds 
were first occupied by the society in October, 
1864, the fair of that year not onl}' proving a 
very great success, but being followed up with 
such increasing interest, year by 3'ear, that the 
management were enabled to accumulate a fund 
of several thousand dollars in the treasury of 
the society, with which to purchase grounds at 
the expiration of their ten years' lease. In the 
meantime, however, the rapid growth of the city 
of Akron had so enhanced the value of the 
grounds then occupied as to place them entirely 
bej'ond the reach of the societ}^, while most of 
the lands adjacent to the cit}^, suitable for fair 
purposes, had been taken up and improved, or 
were held so high as not to be within the sup- 
posed ability of the society to purchase. 

At the annual meeting in January, 1870, a 
committee was appointed to select grounds to 
be purchased by the societ}', the committee 
reporting to the Directors March 15, 1870, the 
propositions which had been made to them, as 
follows : S. W. Bartges, thirty-five acres of the 
Mallison farm, on Wooster avenue, at $500 per 
acre; S. H. Coburn and Samuel Thornton, 
thirty acres, south of city limits and west of 
Main street, at $400 per acre ; A. C. Voris and 
E. Steinbacher, twenty-six acres, on the south 
line of city and east of Main street, at $500 per 
acre ; Messrs. Falor and AUyn, such portion 
of their lands on the north line of Coventry 
Township as the society might need, at $400 
per acre ; and Mr. J. H. Kramer, a tract of 






^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



203 



twenty acres along the Ohio Canal, south of 
cit}' limits, at $250 per acre. 

June 4, 1870, at a meeting of the society, 
called to consider these several propositions, 
the vote to purchase grounds was reconsidered, 
and the matter for the time being was dropped. 
October 24, 1870, another resolution to pur- 
chase grounds forthwith was adopted, and the 
committee, consisting of Edward Cranz, of 
Bath, James Hammond, of Copley, and David 
S. Alexander, of Akron, were, on motion of 
King J. Ellet, of Springfield, instructed to pur- 
chase the Coburn and Thornton tract, at a price 
not to exceed $400 per acre. At the annual 
meeting, January 18, 1871, the minutes of the 
October meeting were amended so as to show 
that a resolution offered by William Wheatley, 
of Richfield, was adopted, authorizing the com- 
mittee to look around and purchase grounds 
which, in their judgment, would be for the best 
interest of the society ; the committee in the 
meantime having purchased of James McAl- 
lister thirty acres off from the east portion of 
his farm, on the north side of the Medina 
road, one mile west of Akron, at $200 per acre, 
with a cash payment of $2,000. February 14, 
1872, committee reported grounds all paid for, 
with a balance due the Treasurer of $153.94. 

A ver}^ considerable number of the members 
and patrons of the society, both in the city of 
Akron and in the eastern, northern and south- 
ern townships of the county, dissatisfied with 
the location which had been selected, had so 
agitated and discussed the question, that, at 
the annual meeting of the society, held January 
20, 1874, after quite a stormy debate, a resolu- 
tion offered by Mr. Jacob H. Wise, that it was 
impracticable for the society to use the Mc- 
Allister grounds, and that a committee be ap- 
pointed to sell said grounds and secure others, 
accessible by railroad running through the 
county, was referred to the officers of the so- 
ciet}', with instructions to report at the next 
annual meeting. At an adjourned meeting, 
held February 7, 1874, a resolution was adopted 
that Nelson V. Wadsworth, of Hudson ; John 
H. Christy, of Akron ; Jared Barker, of Bath ; 
King J. Ellet, of Springfield ; Daniel Hine, of 
Tallmadge ; James Hammond, of Copley ; and 
Dennis Treat, of Tallmadge, constitute a com- 
mittee to report to the Directors at their next 
meeting what, if anything, should be done in 
the matter of disposing of the McAllister 



grounds and purchasing others. April 9, 1874, 
the committee submitted a majority report in 
favor of retaining and improving the grounds 
owned by the society, and a minority report 
in favor of disposing of those grounds and pur- 
chasing the Fouse tract, near Bettes' Corners, 
northeast of Akron, the majority report being 
adopted by a vote of ten to six. October 7, 
1874, the Directors resolved, by a vote of eight 
to five, to proceed at once to improve the Mc- 
Allister grounds. January 20, 1875, at the 
annual meeting of the society, the officers of 
the society, to whom was referred the resolu- 
tion offered by Mr. J. H. Wise, at the previous 
annual meeting, reported in favor of purchas- 
ing the Fouse tract, Mr. Fouse submitting a 
proposition to sell fift^^ acres to the society at 
$200 per acre. Mr. A. T. Burrosvs also sub- 
mitted a proposal to sell forty-five acres of his 
land on the •' Chuckery," at $400 per acre, or 
the whole tract at $450 per acre. A ballot on 
grounds resulted as follows : Burrows tract, 
336 ; McAllister grounds, 218. March 6, 1875, 
Dennis Treat, John H. Christy and Stephen H. 
Pitkin were appointed a committee, by ballot, 
and empowered to purchase the Burrows tract 
and sell the McAllister grounds. April 24, 
committee reported that they were unable to 
either buy or sell. A resolution was then 
adopted, appointing Dennis Treat, of Tallmadge, 
and William Wheatly, of Richfield, who, with 
a third man, to be selected by them from with- 
out the county, should finally decide the matter. 
May 24, 1875, Mr. Treat reported that Hon. 
R. P. Cannon, of Portage County, had been se- 
lected as the third member of the committee, 
and that a tract offered by Mr. Jacob H. Wise, 
on the " Chuckery," had been agreed upon by 
a majority of the committee, Mr. Wheatly dis- 
senting ; but that, since his return home, Mr. 
Cannon had receded from his action, and de- 
clined to make any further report. A resolu- 
tion was adopted, authorizing the committee to 
call to their aid Hon J. P. Robinson, of Cuya- 
hoga County, and that the committee, as thus 
constituted, proceed to locate grounds. June 
19, 1875, Mr. Treat reported that the committee 
had failed to agree upon a location, ]Mr. Wheatly 
reporting that the committee had failed for 
want of effort, Mr. Treat not aiding him (Mr. 
W.) in urging Dr. Robinson for an opinion. 
Letters from Dr. Robinson were read, coun- 
seling the society to meet and agree upon a 



204 



IIISTOllY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



location. Tlie following resolution was then 
adopted : 

Reiiolreil, That all of the Directors meet June 26, 
and view all the grounds offered, and then meet at 
the Secretary's ottice for a final vote. 

June 26, 1875, the Directors visited the Long, 
AUyn, Howe, Powder, Fouse, Barrows, Wise, 
Alexander and McAllister tracts, and adjourned 
to July 3. At the adjourned meeting, July 3, 
1875, the Directors proceeded to ballot for lo- 
cation, with the following result : First ballot 
— McAllister, 7 ; Fouse, 5 ; Burrows, 2 ; AUyn. 
1 ; Powder, 6 — 21 votes. Second ballot — Mc- 
Allister, 7 ; Fouse, 2 ; Burrows, 1 ; Alexander, 
1; Powder, 10—21 votes. Third ballot— Mc- 
Allister, 7 ; Fouse, 3 ; Alexander, 1 ; Powder, 
10—21 votes. Fourth ballot— McAllister, 8 ; 
Fouse, 3 ; Wise, 1 ; Powder, 9—21 votes. Fifth 
ballot — McAllister, 8 ; Fouse, 1 ; Wise, 1 ; Pow- 
der, 11 — 21 votes. The Powder tract having 
thus received the majority of the ballots cast, 
it was ordered that the President and Secretary 
proceed to close a contract for said tract, con- 
veying to the owners thereof the McAllister 
grounds, and executing the necessary papers to 
secure to them the balance of the purchase 
price, $5,000. 

The grounds thus selected, derisively called 
the "Powder Patch," from the fact that the 
works of the Austin Powder Company, now of 
Cleveland, were originally located thereon, is a 
tract of forty-five acres, in the valley of the 
Little Cuyahoga Ptiver, and within the corpor- 
ate linaits of the city of Akron. It is contigu- 
ous to both the New York, Pennsjivania & 
Ohio, and the Cleveland, Mount Vernon &' 
Columbus Railroads, while the track of the 
Valley Railway, from Cleveland to Canton, 
which originally ran on a high trestle, directl3^ 
through the grounds, has been thrown around 
the southern edge of the inclosure, thus doing 
away with one of the main objections which 
was urged against their selection, while adding 
very greatly to its accessibility and conven- 
ience in the transportation of stock and visit- 
ors to and from the fair. It is a romantic and 
picturesque spot, with the ever-limpid waters 
of the Little Cuyahoga, meandering through 
them from southeast to northwest, while in- 
numerable large springs, on the adjacent hills, 
furnish an abundant supply of water for artifi- 
cial lakes, fountains, etc ; the name of " Foun- 
tain Park "■ having been given to the grounds 



by common consent. A substantial high picket 
fence incloses the grounds, and commodious 
floral, commercial, agricultural, mechanical, 
domestic and dining halls and offices have been 
erected ; an abundant supply of cattle-pens 
and stables have been provided ; one of the 
finest half-mile trotting tracks in the State has 
been built ; an extensive covered stand with 
ample seating capacity, erected ; thousands of 
hitching posts provided ; ornamental trees and 
shrubbery planted, and the preliminary work 
done toward making " Fountain Park," not 
only one of the most convenient and beautiful 
fair grounds in the State, but, as contemplated 
improvements are completed, one of the most 
desirable pleasure resorts in Summit County. 

The first meeting held upon the society's 
own grounds, in October, 1875, notwithstanding 
the bitterness of feeling that had been engen- 
dered in regard to their selection, was a very 
decided success, as has been each subsequent 
yearly exposition of the society, the growth 
and steadily increasing popularity of its annual 
fairs, being well illustrated by its semi-decennial 
gross receipts, from 1850 to 1880, which, in 
round numbers, were as follows : For 1850, 
$327 ; for 1855, $903 ; for 1860, $2,100 ; for 
1865, $2,800; for 1870, $3,698; for 1875, 
$5,014 ; for 1880, $7,444. This munificent in- 
crease of patronage, has not only enabled the 
society, besides pajing its heavy running ex- 
penses, premiums, etc., to go steadily forward 
with the improvement of its grounds, and to 
pay the interest and very considerably reduce 
the principal of the debt incurred in the pur- 
chase of the original grounds, and the erection 
of the necessary buildings thereon, but has 
warranted the management in purchasing be- 
tween seven and eight acres of additional land 
at $200 per acre, the fair grounds, proper, now 
covering an area of something over fifty-two 
acres. In 1876, the constitution was so amended 
as to give a Director to each ward of the city of 
Akron, thus making the present number of 
Directors of the society twenty-four. 

The space assigned to this chapter not per- 
mitting a detailed statement of the proceedings 
of the successive annual meetings of the societ}' 
during its entire history, we can only give, in 
brief, the name, place of residence, and term of 
service, of the several gentlemen who have 
filled the offices of President, Vice President, 
Secretary and Treasurer, from 1860 to the pres- 



ii4i 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



205 



ent date (1881). Presidents — -Perry C. Caro- 
thers. Tallmadge, 1861, 18G2 ; Horace P. Can- 
non, Twinsburg, 1863, 186-4 ; J. Park Alexan- 
der, Akron, Januar}', 1865, to March, 1870, 
when, tendering his resignation, John II. Buch- 
tel, of Akron, was elected to fill the vacancy ; 
James Hammond, Cople^', 1871 to 1874, inclu- 
sive ; Dennis Treat, Tallmadge, 1875, 1876 ; 
John F. Moore, Copley, 1877, 1878, 1879 ; Ste- 
phen H. Pitkin, Portage, 1880 ; Simeon Dick- 
erman, Northampton, 1881. Vice Presidents — 
Charles Coe, Norton, 1861, 1862, 1863 ; Den- ! 
nis Treat, Tallmadge, 1864, 1865, 1866 ; James | 
Hammond, Copley, 1867 to 1870, inclusive ; 
Dennis Treat, Tallmadge, 1871 to 1874, inclu- 
sive ; John F. Moore, Cople}^ 1875, 1876 ; King 
J. Ellet, Springfield, 1877, 1878; Wellington 
Miller, Norton, 1879, 1880, 1881. Secretaries- 
James Mathews, Akron, 1861, 1862 ; J. Park 
Alexander, Akron, 1863, 1864 ; Hiram Viele, 
Akron, elected for 1865, but resigning, James 
Atkins, Akron, appointed to fill vacancy ; Jon- 
athan Starr. Akron, 1866, 1867 ; Othello W. 
Hale, Bath, Secretary ; Hiram S. Falor, Cov- 
entry, Assistant Secretary. 1868 ^ George W. 
Crouse, Akron, Secretar}^ ; Hiram S. Falor, As- 
sistant, 1869 ; Hiram S. Falor, Secretary, 1870 ; 
Stephen H. Pitkin, Portage, 1871 to 1879, 
inclusive ; John H. Christy, Akron, 1880, 1881. 
Treasurers— John K. Buchtel, 1861, 1862 ; Ja- 
cob H. Wise, Akron, 1863 ; George D. Bates, 
Akron, 1864 to 1870, inclusive ; John H. 
Christy, Akron, 1871 to 1875, inclusive. Mr. 
Christy resigning September 15, 1875, John J. 
Wagoner, Akron, appointed to fill vacancy ; 
John H. Christ}' again elected for 1876, but 
again resigning September 6, 1876, William B. 
Raymond, Akron, elected to fill vacancy, and 
re-elected for 1877 ; Herbert A. Peck, Tall- 
madge, 1878 to 1881, inclusive. 

A considerable number of the people of the 
western, northwestern and southwestern por- 
tions of the county being dissatisfied with the 
selection of the "Powder Patch " by the Sum- 
mit County Agricultural Societ}-, and honestly 
believing that the location was not only ineli- 
gible and inconvenient, on account of the bro- 
ken nature of the ground, but absolutely dan- 
gerous for stock, because of its pi'oximity to 
railroads, formed themselves into a joint-stock 
company, with a capital of $5,000, leased the 
Hall grounds, recently vacated b}' the old so- 
ciet}', and, refitting them in good stjde with 



new buildings, fences, sheds, etc., under the 
name and style of the " Summit County Fair 
Association,'" held a very successful fair of four 
days in September, 1875, with James Ham- 
mond, of Copley, President ; Frank A. Foster, 
of Copley, Vice President ; Wellington Miller, 
of Norton, Secretary ; and Philander D. Hall, 
Jr., of Akron, Treasurer. Vigorous efforts were 
made by the officers and members of the organ- 
ization to make the " Summit County Fair 
Association " one of the permanent institutions 
of the county, and its second exhibition, in 
Septembei", 1876, was also reasonably success- 
ful. Exhibitors and visitors, however, not par- 
ticularly desiring to contribute equally to the 
support of two rival fairs so near together in 
point of time and locality, and the new grounds 
of the old societj' rapidlj^ growing into public 
favor, the interest in the '• new fair on the old 
grounds " gradually died out, and the associa- 
tion disbanded, its affairs being placed in the 
hands of a receiver for liquidation. The " little 
unpleasantness " in regard to the selection of 
grounds by the old society having given way 
to general good feeling among the agriculturists, 
manufacturers, merchants and other fair pro- 
moters and supporters, it may be safel}' pre- 
dicted that all will henceforth vie with each 
other to make the Summit County Agricultural 
Society and its truly delightful grounds the 
model institution of its kind in Ohio. 

The great distance of the extreme north- 
eastern and northwestern townships of the 
county from the county seat, together with the 
remoteness of contiguous townships in adjoin- 
ing counties from their respective county seats, 
led to the formation of prosperous and spirited 
union fair organizations in the localities indi- 
cated, some twenty -five years ago. In 1851, the 
people of Richfield organized a township soci- 
ety, under the name and style of " Richfield 
Agricultural Club," the annual exhibitions of 
which became so popular that, in 1858, six 
other townships, viz.: Bath and Boston, in 
Summit; Brecksville and Royalton, in Cuya- 
hoga, and Hinckley and Granger, in Medina, 
united with her in an association known as the 
" Union Agricultural and Mechanic Art So- 
ciety," which was admirably managed for a 
number of years, the grounds being leased for 
the period of ten years, and the building, fenc- 
ing, etc.. being largely done by voluntary con- 
tributions. On the expiration of its lease, the 



r 



206 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



association re-orgauized as a stock company, 
and purchased the grounds previously occu- 
pied, increased vitality and activity following 
the re-organization for several years. As the 
county fairs, however, of Summit and adjoining 
counties, increased their attractions, the inter- 
est in the local organization began to wane, 
and the society disbanded in 1875, selling its 
grounds and closing up its affairs in 1876. At 
Twinsburg, also, after a township exhibition 
upon the public square for two or three suc- 
cessive years, there was organized a " union 
fair " association, composed of the townships 
of Twinsburg, Hudson and Northfield, in 
Summit Count}' ; Aurora, in Portage County, 
and Solon and Bedford, in Cu^^ahoga County. 
The first meeting of the society was in Septem- 
ber, 1856, and, like the Richfield association, 
its annual fairs were, for many years, very suc- 
cessful and popular, the society owning its own 
grounds of some thirteen acres. The patrons 
and promoters of this fair being largel}^ inter- 
ested and engaged in dairying, and other kin 
dred industries, a succession of dry and unpro- 
ductive seasons, together with the decease and 
removal of a number of its most active sup- 
porters, so dampened the ai'dor of its remain- 
ing members that the meetings were at length 
discontinued, the last fair of the society being 
held in September, 1871, the grounds being sold 
and the affairs of the societj' closed in 1872. 

The Summit Count}' Agricultural Societ}' 
failing to accept the ver}^ liberal proposition 
which had been made by the people of Cuya- 
hoga Falls for the location of the county fair 
grounds at or near that place, a number of the 
citizens of that and adjacent townships organ- 
ized a Union Fair Association in 1859, and 
fitted up grounds, about a mile north of the 
village, on the Hudson Road. The first regular 
fair of the societj' was held September 1 , 2 and 
3, 1859, and was in ever}^ respect a first-class 
exhibition, both in point of display and at- 
tendance, netting its projectors some $600 over 
and above expenses. In addition to the usual 
list of premiums offered for cattle, horses and 
other farm stock, agricultural and mechanical 
products, domestic manufactures, etc., especial 
encouragement was given to matters pertaining 
to the turf, many local celebrities in the way of 
high and fast steppers being attracted thither. 
The managers, however, failing to secure the 
attendance of the intended " bis card " — the 



then greatest of American trotters, Flora Tem- 
ple — for the regular fiiir, arranged for a meet- 
ing on the 28th day of October, the same year, 
at which that renowned animal was pitted 
against another reputed very fast nag, " Ike 
Cook." The weather proved to be unpropitious 
and the track heav}^, but though the attendance 
was meager, the match came off on time, the 
Beacon of November 2 recording the result as 
follows : "Flora Temple, 1, 2, 1 ; Ike Cook, 2, 
1, 2. Time — First heat, 2.28 ; second heat, 
2.34 ; third heat, 2.33. This enterprise proved 
a losing venture, absorbing nearly, if not quite, 
all the profits of the September fair. Again in 
1860, September 5, 6 and 7, the regular annual 
fair of the society was held, also being reason- 
ably successful, though little more, if any, than 
paying the running expenses. The third an- 
nual fair was held upon the grounds of the 
society September 23, 24 and 25, 1861. The 
war of the rebellion was then upon us. and 
military displays at local fairs became very 
popular. The show was a very fine one, but 
the attendance was small, except on the last day. 
the military display' and competition drawing 
together quite a large crowd. There were pres- 
ent the Bath Guards, Capt. Schoonover; the 
Buckeye Guards, of Copley, Capt. Sackett ; 
and the Cowles Tiger Zouaves, from Bedford,. 
Cuyahoga County ; the latter, however, a very 
fine company, being excluded from competition 
for the prize by reason of being one member 
short of the required number. After a drill 
of thirty minutes each, the first prize, a silk 
flag, was awarded to the Bath Guards, and the 
second, a worsted flag, was awarded to the Cop- 
ley Guards. At the conclusion of the drill, 
a fantastic cavalry company, consisting of some 
seventy-five or eighty horsemen (representing 
the secesh army), came upon the grounds, and 
after skirmishing around awhile, to the infinite 
amusement of the crowd, were finally sur- 
rounded, and the entire company taken pris- 
oners, by the three companies of " regulars," 
assisted by the Tallmadge Artillery, Capt. 
Baimes, and the Young America Gun Squad, 
of Cuyahoga Falls, who performed the batter}- 
service of the occasion. The military and a 
large number of invited guests were given a 
free dinner upon the grounds, by the members 
of the society and the citizens of Cuyahoga 
Falls, and vicinity. Though a success as a 
show, this third fair was a financial unsuccess, 



^" 



-1^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



207 



the receipts being less tlian the disbursements, 
and war mattei's and other enterprises engaging 
the attention of its promoters, no further meet- 
ings were held, and the affairs of the society 
were closed. 

The writer trusts that no apology is needed 
from him for the space devoted to the subject 
of the Agricultural Societ}' matters of Summit 
County. A careful perusal of the foregoing 
pages not onl^^ forcibly illustrates the value of 
harmony and unity of purpose, in all efforts to 



promote the public welfare, but also clearly 
shows the inestimable worth of such associa- 
tions, as educators of the people, not alone in 
matters of husbandry, manufactures and sim- 
ilar sciences, but also in a social and moral 
point of view ; for who does not acknowledge 
the benign influences arising from the friendly 
mingling together of the masses of the people 
from time to time, in such pleasant and cheer- 
ful gatherings as the annual fairs of the Summit 
Count}^ Agricultural Societ}' have grown to l)e. 



CHAPTER IL* 

THE EARLY INHABITANTS— A CLASSIFICATION OF TIIK M()UNl)-15UILDEliS' WORKS — rKE-HlSTOHlC 

OCCUPATION AND REMAINS OF SUMMIT COUNTV— SKETCHES OF THE INDIAN TRIBES 

— CUVAHOGA VALLEY INDIANS DUItlNd THE BORDER AVAIIS. 



"Fought eye to eye, and hand to hand, 

Alas! 'twas but to die! 
In vain the rifle's deadlj^ flash 
Scorched eagle plume and wampum sash — 

The hatchet liissed on high ; 
And down they fell in crhnsou heaps 
Like the ripe corn the sickle reaps." 

I^i the remote past ages of life upon the earth, 
at a period that lies wholly within the prov- 
ince of conjecture, and upon which the light of 
sleepless inquiry fails to fall, a strange and 
semi-civilized people, whose origin, customs 
and final fate are enshrouded in comparative 
obscurity, inhabited almost the entire territory 
of the Western Continent. All attempts to un- 
ravel the mysterj^ enveloping their peculiar 
lives meet with an uncompromising rebuff, save 
where the fast-decaying remnants of their works 
cast a feeble ray of light on the otherwise im- 
penetrable darkness. The first thought that 
enters the mind of the antiquarian in this de- 
partment of research, is, Whence originated 
this peculiar people ? So far, no satisfactory 
answer has been reached. Though many emi- 
nent men have devoted the best years of their 
lives in endeavoring to discover the origin of 
man, or, more specifically, the origin of the 
Mound-Builders, yet no word of encourage- 
ment comes fi'om the past to cheer on the pa- 
tient, tireless worker. Accepting the Mosaic 
account of the creation, we are led to believe 
that the Mound-Builders were the lineal de- 
scendants of Adam. When they came to 

*Co!itributcdby W. A. Goodspoed. 



America, or how, does not alter the significance 
and unquestionable correctness of the statement. 
There were but two persons — Adam and Eve — 
created, and from them, if we accept the record 
of Moses, have sprung all the countless hosts 
that have ever peopled the earth. If the Mosaic 
account of man's origin be rejected, we are still 
in darkness, on the sea of conjecture, tossed b}- 
the wild waves of doubt and unbelief, without 
helm or compass and with no land in sight. This 
perplexing situation is to be met, and what can 
l3e said ? Is the race of man descended from 
the lower animals, and through them as inter- 
mediate states ? or did it spring as a separate 
growth from the common mother of life — the 
Earth ? Had all life, both animal and vegeta- 
ble, a common origin, or was each species, of 
whatever kind, created apart from its fellows ? 
In either case, whence originated the primitive 
germ or seed from which life first sprung ? 
Was it created by a new condition or relation 
of its composing elements — by a new relation 
of the natural laws under which the elements 
united and quickened into life ? In the proc- 
ess of the development of natural laws, acting 
under new conditions, upon the simple organic 
and in-organic elements, did that remarkable 
phenomenon occur, bj' which the primitive 
germ of life was created. If so, why is not a 
repetition of the creative process possible ? 
Has the tide of evolution swept beyond the 
point at which the conditions of elements and 
relations could originate life ? Is it not true 



i^ 



a1± 



208 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



that spontaneous generation, at one stage of 
evolution, miglit have been possible, and that 
it also, at a later period, might have become 
extinct from natural causes ? x\ll these ques- 
tions are pertinent in discussing the origin of 
the Mound-Builders ; but no detinite answer is 
received, and even the manner and time of their 
appearance upon this continent, by whatever 
means, are problems for coming generations to 
solve. The most interesting point to be deter- 
mined regarding these people is. Whether they 
were created originally in America, or are the 
descendants of pre-historic Asiatics, who crossed 
over by way of Behring's Straits. Neither side 
of the question can be answered. The majority 
of authorities agree in sa}- ing that the Indians 
had no knowledge, traditional or otherwise, of 
the Mound-Builders, except what was derived 
from their works. They denied having any 
knowledge of the erection of the approximate 
10,000 mounds scattered throughout the State. 
or of the limitless number scattered throughout 
the continent. It is urged that, inasmuch as 
the Indians kept no record of events, their mea- 
ger and short-lived traditions could not cover 
the lapse of time since the Mound-Builders' oc- 
cupancy of the soil, and that possibly the 
former were the descendants of the latter. On 
the other hand, it seems probable that, if this be 
true, the Indians would have some traditional 
or other knowledge of the mounds, fortifica- 
tions, sepulchers, templar structures and va- 
rious species of implements, undoubtedly be- 
longing to the earlier race. However, with few 
exceptions, they profess utter ignorance. In 
opposition to this view, it is claimed that the 
Indians have deteriorated in mental power- 
have lost the use of many arts, etc., known to 
their alleged remote ancestors. And again, to 
meet this, it is asserted that many centuries 
elapsed from the Mound-Builders' period to the 
Indians, thus precluding the idea that the latter 
were their descendants. From their works is 
derived all that we know of their history, hab- 
its, modes of life, degree of civilization, knowl- 
edge of the arts of peace and war, mental and 
moral progress ; but their fate is wrapped in 
darkness. Many of their mounds and other 
earthworks have been found from time to time 
in Summit County ; and so much interest has 
been aroused regarding this almost unknown 
race of people, and so much light thrown b}^ 
patient labor upon their m3'stei"ious lives, that 



a brief statement will here be given of the prog- 
ress that has been made in this branch of 
archaeological research, before entering upon 
the description of the mounds in this county. 

Of all States or countries of the same limit, 
Ohio furnishes a greater number of earthworks, 
supposed to have been erected by Mound- 
Builders, than any other. The extent, variety, 
magnitude and labyrinthian intricacy of the 
Ohio mounds have rendered them of great value 
to antiquarians, who have come in pursuit of 
knowledge from distant parts of the globe. 
Here may be seen the perishing remains of 
gigantic artificial structures, that reared their 
summits high in the air, long years before the 
State was covered with its present qualit}' of 
timber, and unknown 3' ears before the Indians' 
occupancy of the soil. These structures, or 
mounds, have been properly divided into mounds 
proper, effigies and iuclosures. Mounds proper 
have been subdivided into sepulchral, templar, 
sacrificial, memorial and observatory. Effigies 
are animal, emblematic and symbolical. Iu- 
closures are military, covered or sacred.* The 
greater portion of the above works were con- 
structed of earth, a few of stone, and fewer 
still of earth and stone combined. Sepulchral 
mounds are usuall}' conical, and some of them, 
notwithstanding the lapse of time, are seventy 
feet in height. Tliey are more numerous than 
any other class, and beyond doubt were erected 
as memorials to the dead. The}' always con- 
tain one or more skeletons, together with im- 
plements and ornaments supposed to have been 
placed there when the individual was buried, 
for use in the Spirit Land. The mounds are 
of all sizes, and it has been conjectured that 
their magnitude bears some relation to the 
prominence of the persons in whose honor they 
were erected. Ashes and cliarcoal are often 
found in proximity to the skeletons, under con- 
ditions which render it probable that fires were 
used in the burial ceremony. With the skel- 
etons are also found specimens of mica, pot- 
tery, bone and copper beads, and animal bones. 
Though in this class of mounds, ordinarily but 
one skeleton is found, yet sometimes several 
are unearthed. A few years ago, a mound, sit- 
uated in Licking County, was opened, and 
found to contain, in whole or in part, seventeen 
skeletons. But the most noteworthy of all the 
mounds was one in Hardin Count}', which con- 

*Isaac Smucker, in Ohio Statistics. 



^_ 



HISTOEY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



209 



tained 300 crumbling skeletons. Col. Whittle- 
sey and others, however, entertained the opin- 
ion that they belonged to the Indians, who had 
used the mounds for burial purposes. Templar 
mounds are few in number, and are ordinarily 
circular. They are invariably truncated, and 
are often surrounded with embankments, in- 
clined planes or spiral pathways or steps, lead- 
ing to the summit. They are found round, 
square, oblong, oval and octangular, and rest 
generally upon a large base, but have a lim- 
ited altitude. It is supposed that these eleva- 
tions were surmounted with wooden temples, 
all traces of which have been removed by the 
ravages of time. These mounds and the build- 
ings at their summits are thought to have been 
erected for religious purposes. Sacrificial 
mounds are ordinaril}' stratified, with convex 
layers of claj- and loam above a stratum of 
sand. Thej' generally contain ashes, charcoal, 
igneous stones, calcined animal bones, beads, 
stone implements, pottery and specimens of 
I'ude sculpture. They are often found within 
inclosures, which are supposed to have been 
connected with the religious ceremonies of the 
Mound-Builders. Altars of igneous clay or 
stone are often found. Evidences of fire upon 
the altars A^et remain, showing that various ani- 
mals and probably human beings were immo- 
lated to secure the favor of the Great Spirit. 
These mounds infrequently contain skeletons, 
together with implements of war ; mica from 
the Alleghanies ; shells from the Gulf of Mex- 
ico ; difTerentl}- colored varieties of obsidian ; 
red, purple and green specimens of porph3-ry ; 
and silver, copper and other metallic ornaments 
and utensils. Mounds of observation were ap- 
parentl}- designed for alarm-towers ■ or signal 
stations. Some writers have fancied that they 
" occur in chains, or regulai systems, and that 
many of them still bear traces of the beacon 
fires that were once burning upon them." They 
are often found built like towers from the sum- 
mits of embankments surrounding inclosures. 
One of the latter, in Licking County, has a 
height of twenty-five feet. " Along the Miami 
River," says Judge Force, " are dotted small 
mounds or projecting highlands, which seem to 
have been built to carry intelligence by signals 
along the valley." Memorial mounds are of 
that class of ^(/Hn/7/ intended to commemorate 
some important event, or to perpetuate the 
memory of some distinguished character. Most 



of the stone mounds belong to this class, and 
usually contain no bones, for the supposed rea- 
son that they were used only for sepulchers. 
They are thought to correspond in design with 
the Bunker Hill Monument, and with the beau- 
tiful marble column on the field of Gettysburg. 
Eflfigies are elevations of earth in the form of 
men, beasts, birds, reptiles and, occasionally, of 
inanimate objects, varying in height from one 
foot to six feet above the surrounding soil, 
and often covering many acres of land. Mr. 
Schoolcraft expresses the belief that this class 
of mounds was designed for "totems" or tribu- 
lar symbols ; while Prof Daniel Wilson and 
other writers of distinction entertain the opin- 
ion that the}^ were erected in accordance with 
the religious belief of the various tribes of 
Mound-Builders, who worshiped, or in some 
way venerated, the animals or objects repre- 
sented by the elevations. A large mound near 
Newark represents a bird of enormous size, 
with its wings outspread in the act of flight. 
Its total length is about 200 feet. An excava- 
tion in. this efflg}' disclosed a clay and stone 
altar, upon which were evidences of fire, to- 
gether with ashes and charcoal. The sur- 
roundings indicated that the altar had been 
used for sacrificial offerings. It is called "Eagle 
Mound " from its fancied resemblance to that 
bird. Another mound near Newark repre- 
sents a huge alligator, having a total length 
of 200 feet. Prof Wilson believes that it 
"symbolizes some object of special awe and 
veneration, thus reared on one of the chief 
'high places' of the nation, with its accompanj-- 
ing altar, upon which these ancient people of 
the valley could witness the celebration of the 
rites of their worship, its site having been ob- 
viousl}' selected as the most prominent feature 
in a populous district abounding witli militarj'. 
civic and religious structures." The greatest 
breadth of the bodj' is twenty feet, and its 
bod}' from hind legs to fore legs is fifty feet. 
Each limb is twent3'-five feet long. The prin- 
cipal portions of the animal are elevated about 
six feet, wliile other portions are much lower. 
The most remarkable mound in Ohio is in 
Adams County. Its form is that of an enor- 
mous serpent, more than a thousand feet in 
length, with body in graceful, anfractuos folds, 
and tail ending in triple coils. The greatest 
width of the bodj' is thirty feet, and the effigy 
is elevated about five feet above the surround- 



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210 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY. 



ing soil " The neck of the figure," saj^s the 
American Cyclopedia, " is stretched out and 
slightly curved, and the mouth is opened wide, 
as if in the act of swallowing or ejecting an 
oval figure, which rests partly within the dis- 
tended jaws. The combined figure has been 
regarded by some as a representation of the 
oriental cosmological idea of the serpent and 
the egg.' 

Defensive inclosures are irregular in form, and 
are always on high ground, in positions dififl- 
cult to approach b}^ a savage foe. "The walls," 
sa3-s the American Cyclopedia, " generally wind 
ax'ound the borders of the elevations they occu- 
py, and when the natui'e of the ground renders 
some points more accessible than others, the 
height of the wall and the depth of the ditch 
at these weak points are proportionally in- 
creased. The gateways are narrow and few in 
number, and well guarded by embankments of 
earth placed a few j-ards inside of the openings 
or gateways, and parallel with them, and pro- 
jecting somewhat be^'ond them at each end, 
thus fully covering the entrances, which, iu some 
cases, are still further protected by projecting 
walls on either side. These works are some- 
what numerous, and indicate a clear apprecia- 
tion of, at least, the elements of fortification, 
and unmistakably point out the purpose for 
which they were constructed. A large num- 
ber of these defensive woi'ks consist of a line 
of ditches and embankments, or several lines, 
carried across the neck of peninsulas or bluff 
headlands, formed within the bends of streams 
— an easy and obvious mode of fortification 
common to all rude peoples." The embank- 
ments of one of this class in Warren County 
are nearly four miles in length, varying in 
height from ten to twenty feet to accord with 
the locality to be protected, and inclose several 
hundred acres. Covered ways or parallel walls 
are often found, either connecting diflTerent in- 
closures or portions of the same. The}' were 
undoubtedly designed to protect those passing 
back and forth within. There are large num- 
bers of sacred inclosures in the form of circles, 
squares, hexagons, octagons, ellipses, parallelo- 
grams and others, many of which were designed 
with surprising geometrical accuracy. They 
are sometimes found within military inclosures, 
and very likely were connected with the relig- 
ious rites and ceremonies of the people, as small 
elevations are found within them, which were 



evidently used for altars, upon which sacrifices 
of various kinds were offered. Some archiBolo- 
gists maintain that many of the so-called sacred 
inclosures were intended and used for national 
games and celebrations, and it is probable that 
those without the altar were used as such. 

The mounds and their contents afllbrd abun- 
dant opportunity to speculate as to the charac- 
ter and customs of the ancient people, of whom 
notliins; is left save their crumblins; habitation?. 
They were a numerous people, as is clearly 
proved by the magnitude and elaboration of 
their works. Their presence here, beyond ques- 
tion, antedates the coming of Columbus, and 
very probabl}' extends back a thousand years or 
more. Perhaps a majority of intelligent men 
who have made the subject a stud}', place the 
Mound- Builders' period back to that of the 
Egyptians, Assyrians and Babylonians — to a 
period two or three or more thousand years be- 
fore the Christian era. Many interesting and 
important considerations, too lengthy to be 
narrated here, have been discovered in com- 
paring the customs of the Mound-Builders with 
those of ancient nations in the East. An un- 
accountable similarity is found in religion, in 
the arts of war and peace, in character and 
quality of habitations, in methods of agricul- 
ture, in domestic alfairs, and in many other essen- 
tial particulars. The Mound-Builders were un- 
questionably subservient to rulers, or superiors, 
who had power to enforce the erection of gigan- 
tic structures, which, considering the semi- 
barbarous condition of the people, their lack of 
suitable implements of labor, and their imper- 
fect and insufficient knowledge of mechanical 
principles, are surprisingly vast in extent and 
ingenious in design. Their works indicate that 
the people were warlike ; that they were famil- 
iar with many mathematical and mechanical 
rules ; that they were religious and probably 
idolatrous ; that they were skilled in the man- 
ufactui'e of bone and metnllic ornaments and 
pottery ; that they had attained no little degree 
of perfection in the working of metals ; and 
that they were essentially homogeneous in cus- 
toms, pursuits, religion and government. They 
of necessity were an agricultural people, being 
too numerous to live by the chase alone. They 
offered burnt and other sacrifices and oblations, 
to both good and bad spirits. Dr. Foster says 
they worshiped the elements, such as fire, air 
and water — also the sun, moon and stars, and 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



211 



offered human sacrifices to the gods the}' wor- 
shiped. Yet many of these views are specu- 
lative, and have but little substantial evidence 
upon which to rest. Authorities are widely at 
variance in their views. But little can ever be 
known of the history of these people, yet 
throughout all the future, the civilized world 
will look with awe upon the decaying remnants 
of their works, and weave the bright fabric of 
romance about their mysterious lives. 

This much has been given on the authority, 
among others, of Schoolcraft, Wilson, Pidgeon, 
Smucker, the American Cyclopedia and others, 
to prepare the way for the classification and 
detailed description of the ancient earth and 
stone works in this county. While almost every 
township can boast of the presence of these 
works within its limits, 3'et they are found in 
greatest number and magnitude along the val- 
Ic}' of the Cuyahoga K-iver, or on the adjacent 
highlands. It not infrequently happened that 
Indian villages were built on the sites of these 
ancient works, and care must be used to pre- 
vent confounding Indian earthworks with those 
of the Mound-Builders. A few of the princi- 
pal mounds and inclosures in the county have 
l)een personally' inspected by the writer, and 
these and all others of sufficient importance 
will be described. The inclosures usually oc- 
cupy naturall}^ strong, defensive positions, and, 
where necessary, are formed by earth embank- 
ments, varying in altitude and basal diameter, 
and protected on the outer side by a deep pit 
or moat. On the farm of Milton Arthur, Esq., 
Northfield Township, is an ancient earth forti- 
fication, of which the following description is 
given by Charles Whittlesey : " The engineers 
who selected the site of this fortitication un- 
derstood very well the art of turning natural 
advantages to good account. Wh}' they did 
not embrace in their plan the whole of the level 
space on the crest of the blutf is not easil}' ex- 
plained, unless we presume that their numbers 
were few, and not sufficient to defend the 
whole. On all sides, the gullies are from eighty 
to one hundred and ten feet deep, and are worn 
by running water into the blue and yellow 
hard-pan that here forms the bluffs along the 
Cuyahoga River. The earth is as steep as it 
will stand, and, in fact, is subject to slides, which 
leave the soil in terraces, resembling platforms 
made by art. Before the ground was cultivated, 
the ditches are said by the owner to have been 



so deep that a man standing in them could not 
look over the wall. In the gully on the north, 
the water is permanent at all seasons. But the 
ancient inhabitants appear to have dug wells 
within the fort at two or more points, and these, 
as stated by old settlers, were stoned up like 
our wells. On the western face of the bluff, 
near where the road descends, is a small spring, 
not reliable at all seasons. There are double 
earth embankments on each exposed side of 
the fortification, though they do not extend en- 
tirely across the necks of land, there being in 
two or three cases a small space left at the ends, 
apparentl}' for a passage-way. There is one 
small mound within the inclosure, and another 
just without. The approach is along a sharp 
I'idge, called a hog's back, nearly broad enough 
for a single road track, for the distance of thirty 
rods, and the sides are as steep as any part of 
the bluffs adjacent. It is not very evident why 
a few rods of ground were cut off by lines at 
the southwest angle, nor why part of the ditch 
was made on the inside on the north and west." 
It must be observed that inclosures of this 
character in the county are formed by an earth 
embankment and a moat or ditch running along 
its side, sometimes within and sometimes with- 
out the fort. There are two or more others in 
Northfield, similar in construction to the one 
described. One of these is protected on one 
side by a steep declivity, while on the exposed 
sides is a semi-circular embankment in the 
form of the curved portion of the letter D. 
Near the residence of John Hovey, in Northamp- 
ton, is a fort which, in early years, must have 
been one of the finest in the county. The em- 
bankment inclosed several acres, and was five 
or six feet in height, and near the walls were 
sevei'al low mounds, and small circular excava- 
tions, apparently designed for arrow pits. The 
walls can still be traced, although they have 
been plowed over many 3ears. Several small 
forts are to be seen in JBoston Township. There 
are mounds at the fai-ms of Ambrose Bliss, 
Mr. Wetmore, James Fairweather, Mr. McKay, 
and the old farm of Watrous Mather. These 
are usually some five or six feet in height, and 
twenty or twenty-five feet in diameter at the 
base. Several have been opened, but nothing 
noteworthy was discovered. In the western 
part of Northampton Township, where Hale 
Run and Furnace Run come quite close to- 
gether, is perhaps the most important fortifica- 



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212 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



tion of the kind in the county. The streams 
approach each other, and form a steep, narrow 
ridge, barely wide enough for the passage of a 
wagon. This ridge descends some ten feet l:)e- 
low the mainland, to which it is connected, and 
extends about fifteen rods, when it gradually 
assumes a width of some ten rods, and, finally, 
after a distance of perhaps eighty rods from 
the mainland is reached, the blutf terminates 
perpendicularly- to the railroad track. When 
the ridge begins to widen, it ascends until on a 
level with the mainland. Beyond the neck or 
ridge, the summit of the bluff consists of about 
eight acres, and at the eastern extremity, where, 
on all sides except the western, the bluff ter- 
minates as abruptly as the soil will rest, is a 
well-defined earth fortification. Back toward 
the mainland, at a distance to leave at the ex- 
tremity of the bluff about five acres, an unusually 
large earth embankment, with its ditch, extends 
across the ridge at right angles to its course. 
The embankment is much larger than an}' other 
seen by the writer in the county, and at each 
end is an open space, evidenth' designed as a 
passage. On both sides of these two open 
spaces, are perhaps fifteen small circular exca- 
vations, arranged so as to guard the passages, 
and seemingly intended for arrow pits. The 
embankment is four or five rods in length, and 
on the side toward the extremity of the bluff, 
several of the supposed arrow pits are found 
at a considerable distance from the open spaces. 
In fact, proceeding from the embankment to- 
ward the termination of the bluff, it becomes at 
once apparent that arrow pits Avere dug along 
the edge of the bluflf, to defend the position 
from an assaulting foe, that might make the 
eflTort to ascend the steep sides. At the eastern 
end of the bluff, within a small area, are some 
fifteen or twenty more arrow pits, one of them 
being about eight feet across and three feet 
deep. This is one of the strongest positions of 
the kind in the county. 

In the same neighborhood are several other 
forfs, two of them being small with quite high, 
irregular walls, which seem to be strengthened 
by Ijastions, though William Hale and others 
reject this idea as improbable. These inclos- 
ures comprise from two to five square rods of 
land, and the interior has the appearance, as if 
a party of men, with spades, had thrown up 
the irregular embankment, leaving the surface 
extremel}' uneven. There are, also, in the 



same neighborhood, in a cultivated field, eight 
mounds, one of them, over which the plow has 
run for many years, being four feet high and 
eighty feet in diameter at the base. This is 
said to have been over eight feet high in early 
years. An Indian skeleton, in a fair state of 
preservation, was unearthed a number of 3'ears 
ago on the summit about two feet below the 
surface. An excavation was made to the cen- 
ter of this mound, and a small quantit}' of 
crumbled and crumbling bones was found. 
William Hale, who was present at the time, 
states that the bones were found in a position 
to lead to the inference that the party or parties 
were buried in a sitting posture, as the bones 
of the body, save those of the arms and legs, 
were together, while the latter extended out 
into the sandy soil like lines of chalk. Tlie 
remains, when found, were sufficiently well pre- 
served to prove beyond doubt that they were 
bones, though whether they were human bones 
or not is another question, not quite so well 
cleared up. The evidence satisfied all present, 
however, that the remains were those of human 
beings. The other seven mounds are not quite 
so large, and those which have been opened 
contained nothing of importance. It is thought 
that the large mound contained the crumbling 
bones of more than one person. The quantity 
found, and its state of preservation, would 
lead to this view. One of the small, irregular 
forts referred to above and found in this neigii- 
borhood on quite low land, has a double wall 
on the side adjoining the river. Another in- 
closure near this, but on high land, is an irregu- 
lar octagon in shape, and comprises over half 
an acre of land. William Hale's residence is 
situated in a small valley, which, in his opinion, 
was once a cultivated field. At the earliest 
settlement, the land was covered with a heavy 
forest ; but, when this was removed and the 
soil turned up by the plow, various implements 
were found, among which were arrow and spear 
heads ; fleshing instruments of flint ; pestles 
and mortars ; a small, smooth, hard, flat stone, 
shaped like a diamond, with the central portion 
elongated and perforated with a hole near each 
end, supposed to have been used in weaving a 
coarse cloth; and a rough, irregular stone, six 
or eight inches in diameter, flat on two sides, 
on one of which were from one to six artificial 
holes, about an inch deep and an inch and a 
half across, the use of which is extremely diffi- 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



213 



cult to determine. Many of these various liinds 
are found a few rods north of Botzurn Sta- 
tion, on the extremity of a blutf, through which 
the railroad cut has been made, in an Indian 
burying-ground. It comprises about an acre of 
land, and some forty skeletons, the most of 
which were in a fair state of preservation, have 
been unearthed, and many more are yet in the 
ground. They were first discovered in 1843, 
when an addition made to the canal disclosed 
several at the point of the bluff. When the 
r.'iilroad was cut through the center of this 
burying-ground, thirt}' or forty skeletons wei'e 
plowed out in almost as many minutes. They 
were lying in somewhat irregular rows, which 
extended north and south, v.'hile the individ- 
uals la}- with their heads some to the east and 
some to the west. There were skeletons of 
males and females, and perhaps one-third of 
these belonged to children. Many crumbled 
to pieces immediatel}' ; but quite a number of 
skulls and some of the larger bones were pre- 
served for several years — are perhaps in exist- 
ence yet. The soil where each skeleton lay, 
was discolored — was black — and in one of the 
graves was found a stone kettle, four inches 
deep and eight inches across. Various imple- 
ments have been found in the soil and on the 
surface. The skeletons were lying about two 
feet beneath the surface. The teeth were as 
sound and white, apparently, as when their 
owners used them. Ver}' likely many of the 
owners of these skeletons had been killed dur- 
ing the latter part of the last century, b}' dar- 
ing borderers from Virginia and Penns^dvania. 
Perhaps the grandfathers of those who assisted 
in unearthing these skeletons, were among 
these borderers. Probably the most important 
earth inclosure in the county, is in Copley 
Township, near the residence of Delos Bosworth. 
In the center of a swamp of muck and marl 
and partially formed peat, is a circular island 
about twenty-five rods across, which is elevated 
from five to fifteen feet above the surface of 
the swamp. There is no natural approach to 
this island. It is surrounded on all sides by 
twenty or thirty rods of what, in earl}^ years, 
must have been an impassable swamp. On 
this island and almost covering it, is an artifi- 
cial inclosure of earth. The embankment is 
about two feet high, and the ditch is on the 
outside. There are twelve or fifteen openings 
in the wall, and a causeway of earth leads from 



these across the ditch, down to the edge of the 
swamp. In some places, as on the south, a 
distance of three or four rods lies from the 
swamp to the edge of the wall ; but usually 
the distance is much smaller, and in some cases 
is reduced to a minimum. Supposing the sui-- 
rounding swamp to have been extremely wet 
and nasty (a Saxon word), as it must have 
been at an early day, the position was practi- 
cally impregnable. The island is covered with 
large trees, mostly hard maple, and no critical 
and extended examination has 3'et been made 
of the soil and what it contains. Within the 
inclosui'e may be seen numerous small mounds, 
but these may have been thrown up b}' trees 
that were blown down. Several of these have 
been opened without any important discover}-. 
The mainland approaches closest on the east 
side, and here is a large gateway in the em- 
bankment. A goodly number of arrow-heads 
have been picked up on the point of mainland 
closest to the fort. This island is called " Fort 
Island." and a short distance south of it is an- 
other called " Beech Island." On the southern 
extremity of the last, are a great number of 
small mounds which Gen. Bierce conceives to 
be Indians' or Mound-Builders' graves. The 
writer does not concur in this view, but refers 
their formation to natural causes, or to beavers. 
Several have been opened, but nothing was 
found. Just south of Botzurn Station is a 
very large mound, some thirty feet in height, 
and about a hundred feet in diameter at the 
base. Tliis was opened a few years ago by 
students from Akron, but nothing was discov- 
ered, save evidence from the soil to prove that 
the mound was a natural formation. Tbe soil 
was found to be similar to that of the adjacent 
bluffs, and dissimilar to that in the valley where 
the mound stands. Three hundred yards west 
is a very large mound, having a truncated sum- 
mit. This is connected by a low ridge with 
the main formation of bluffs, and, in the opin- 
ion of the writer, the other mound was once 
similarly connected to this one, the whole form- 
ing a bluff-projection into the valley. The 
following is kindly furnished by J. M. Mc- 
Creery, of Akron : •' On the land of Thomas 
Barnes, in Norton Township, the conglomerate 
sandstone rises into a very high knob, and 
from the top a view may be had of the country 
beyond Cuyahoga Falls in one direction, and of 
that nine miles across the Tuscarawas Vallev 



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214 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



in the other, while the view north and south is 
ahnost as extended. At the time Mr. Barnes' 
father settled on this farm, some sixt^-five or 
seventy 3'ears ago, there was a mound built of 
" hardheads" on the highest point of this knob. 
It was about ten feet long and eight feet wide, 
and, although some of the top stones had 
fallen or been thrown down, it was still about 
three feet high. A chestnut tree, twelve or 
fourteen inches in diameter, was growing at 
one corner, and in its growth had thrown the 
corner down. There seems to be but little 
doubt, that this elevated point was nsed as a 
signal station, as a fire on its summit could be 
seen farther than from an}" other point for 
miles around, though whether this is Mound- 
Builders' work, or that of the Indians, is diffi- 
cult to determine. Owing to the scarcity of 
' hardheads,' or cobble-stones, in the vicinity, 
the building of this mound was quite a labori- 
ous task." Mr. McCreery also says : " Near 
Turkey -Foot Lake, are two very singular works, 
which are different from any I have ever seen 
elsewhere. They are funnel-shaped depres- 
sions, some ten or twelve feet across the top 
and eight or nine feet deep, running to a point 
at the bottom. They are walled around with 
small bowlders, and unless they were used for 
fire pits, I am unable to imagine any use to 
which they could have been put, as the stone 
work is too loose to suppose thej' were intended 
for cisterns." 

The principal earthworks in the county have 
now been described, though there are many 
others which as yet are comparativel}' un- 
known, and which some future searcher may 
moi'e fully disclose. Quite a number of small 
circular inclosures and insignificant mounds 
other than those above described are found 
throughout the county, more especially along 
the valley of the Cuyahoga and on the adja- 
cent bluffs. A special description of these is 
unnecessar}', as they are ver}- similar in con- 
struction to some of those referred to above. 
So far as can be determined, all the inclosures 
in the county belong to the military class. 
None seem to have been used as sacred or cov- 
ered. Some of the mounds are certainly sepul- 
chral, and beyond question some were me- 
morial. Those containing bones were sepul- 
chers, wherein were deposited the bodies of dis- 
tinguished characters, while those without 
bones and without any evidences that they 



once contained bones are probably memorial 
mounds. The ancient inhabitants had no need 
to erect mounds of observation in this count}^, 
as high bluffs in prominent positions furnished 
abundant natural facilities for watchfulness 
over a wide scope of country. There are sev- 
eral places in the county — as at Turkey' Foot 
Lake, at the gigantic truncated mound near 
Botzurn Station, at the elevated inclosure in 
northwestern Northampton and at various 
other places along the Cuyahoga and through- 
out the county — where, beyond doubt, fires 
were kindled in ancient times. The stones 
found at these places reveal this fact, and in 
some cases ashes and charcoal have been dis- 
covered. Of course, it is highly probable that 
the Indians, and not the mound builders, 
might have kindled these fires, and possibl}' 
erected some of the earthworks. Indian vil- 
lages were often found on the site of these 
ancient works, and it is to be presumed that 
some alterations were made. It is often diffi- 
cult, and sometimes impossible, to distinguish 
the individual works of these two people, yet in 
general no difficulty is experienced by persons 
well informed on the subject. 

It is impossible and unnecessary to give a 
description of all the ancient implements, orna- 
ments and utensils that have been found in the 
county. They are numbered by the thousand, 
and include all the varieties of stone axes, 
mauls, hammers, celts, mortars, pestles, flint 
arrow and spear heads, fleshing and skinning 
instruments, ceremonial stones, shuttles, col- 
ored slate ornaments, breast-plates of stone or 
shell, ornamental charms and totems, shell or- 
naments, rude and imperfect specimens of pot- 
ter}', bone and metallic ornaments, igneous 
stones, and a multitude more of all sizes and 
shapes, whose uses are unknown. In April, 
1877, there was found buried in muck, about 
three miles west of Akron, a heap of one hun- 
dred and ninety-seven flint instruments. Of 
these, one hundred and eighty-five were evi- 
dentl}' designed for arrow and spear heads, 
though the usual notches at one end are lack- 
ing. They are probably unfinished ari-ow and 
spear heads. They may be seen in the museum 
of the cit}" library at Akron. The various im- 
plements, ornaments, etc., just referred to, evi- 
dently belonged partly to the Indian and 
partly to the Mound Builder. It may be that 
both races used the same implements, as it is 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



215 



quite likel}- that the Indian would learn some- 
thing from the scattered remnants of the 
Mound Builders' works. Will the history of 
this strange people ever be known ? Can re- 
search ever clear up the mystery of their origin 
and fate ? Who can sa}- what the human mind 
will accomplish ? May not the evolution of 
tliought into new and numerous fields so widen 
the human understanding tliat existing evi- 
dences may be sufficient to disperse the gloom 
enveloping the origin of man ? If the theory 
of evolution be true, and man is spared upon 
the earth, who can measure the final result ? 
the children of men will come and go upon the 
earth ; imitated ideals will become loftier ; ex- 
cellence in all the arts of mind and spirit will 
be attained ; limitless intelligence will assume 
startling forms of power and penetration ; 
boundless wisdom will lead to prophecy ; 
prophecy perfected will become a science, by 
which past and future will be blotted out, and 
time be measured b}^ the present ; new and 
wonderful taculties of mind will be created by 
the developing laws of evokition ; new percep- 
tions and cognitions and emotions will open 
Ijroad fields of beauty to the mind that before 
were beyond the reach of human capabilities ; 
man's capacity will be multiplied a thousand- 
fold, and evidences will augment in a similar 
degree ; mental conclusions will peer into the 
sanctuarj' of creation, and the origin of life will 
be reached. When this state is reached, the 
history of the Mound Builders will be read as 
in a book, but, if it be not reached, their origin 
and fate will never be known until all mankind 
shall stand face to face before the bar of God. 
The Indian history of Summit County, though 
somewhat meager as I'egards prominent events, 
contains many interesting incidents, the princi- 
pal of which will be recorded. In the 3'ear 
l(Ji)U, the date at which the aboriginal history 
of Northeastern Ohio begins, a tribe of Indians, 
called the Eries, inhaliited that section of coun- 
try.* How far their lands extended southward 
from the lake is somewhat indefinite, although 
it is probable that they included the greater 
portion of Summit County, and, possibly, all 
the soil within its present limits. It is gener- 
ally admitted that the Eries were a member of 

* I'e Witt Clintdn in hid Historical Discourse ii|)on tlie Imlians 
of North America; Louis llciiiiepin, a Franciscan friar, whuse 
travels in "New France" were piiblislicd in 1698; Brant, the Mo- 
hawk chief, in a letter to Timothy Pick'jrinjr, November 20, 17a4, 
and Charlevoix, the historian of " New France," all assign the 
Kries or Erigas to the south shore of Lake Erie. 



the Iroquois family, as distinguished from the 
Algonquin tribes. At the date above given, 
the Iroquois, consisting of the confederated 
Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and 
Senecas, occupied New York and Northern 
Pennsylvania. These confederated tribes, called 
the Five Nations, had formed their alliance as 
early as 1605 ; and, so powerful had they be- 
come, that their lands, acquired by conquest, 
covered a large tract of country. When the 
Tuscaroras were added to the alliance, the lat- 
ter were styled the Six Nations. AH other 
Northern tribes of Indians than those men- 
tioned above were Algonquins. The leading 
tribe of the latter was the Lenni Lenape, or 
Delaware, whose traditions declare it to be the 
parent stem whence other x\lgonquin tribes 
have sprung. Other tribes of this family were 
Wyandots, Ottawas, Shawanese, etc. The Iro- 
quois, grown strong and arrogant b}' years of 
confederated conquest, steadily enlarged their 
lands from the spoils of conquered tribes. 
About the middle of the seventeenth eentur}', 
they drove, the Hurons or Wyandots from their 
home in Canada, and took possession of their 
lands. They likewise conquered the Neutral 
Nation, the Andastes, the Satanas. or Shawanese, 
and others. "In 1655, the}' turned against 
their Erie brethren, and using their canoes as 
scaling ladders, invaded the Erie strongholds, 
leaping down like tigers among the defenders 
and butchering them withohj. mere}'."* Those 
that were not massacred or driven awa}-, were 
adopted by the conquerors. So powerful had 
the Iroquois become, that they conquered, with a 
few exceptions, all the Indian tribes east of 
the Mississippi. They thus came to own large 
tracts of country, much of which was afterward 
ceded by treaty to the colonies. In 1726, the\' 
ceded their lands to England under certain 
specified conditions, and from that time ceased 
to occupy the arrogant position of conquering 
tribes. After 1663, when the war broke out 
between the Iroquois and the Canadian colo- 
nists, the former could no longer continue their 
conquests in Ohio, and several Indian tribes 
hastened to occupy this beautiful country. In 
1750, there were living in Ohio, among others, 
the following Indian tribes : The Wyandots 
(called Hurons by the French) ; the Delawares 
and Shawanese (both members of the Algon- 



*Histor)' of the Stat? 
James W. Taylor. 



of Ohio: Fir.^t Period, 1G50-1787, by 



^ 



® w- 



216 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



quin group) ; the Miamis (also called Twig- 
twees) ; the Mingoes (a branch of the Iroquois 
or Six Nations), and the Ottawas and Chip- 
pewas. The Wyandots occupied the countr}^ 
in the vicinity of Sandusky River. The Dela- 
wares were established on the Muskingum and 
Tuscarawas Rivers, and at a few other points. 
The Shawanese were chiefly' found on the Scioto 
and Mad Rivers. The Miamis were on the 
Great and Little Miami Rivers. The Mingoes 
were in great force at Mingo Bottom, near Steu- 
benville and at several other points in Ohio. 
The Ottawas occupied the valleys of the Mau- 
mee and Sandusky Rivers, and the Chippewas, 
few in number, were confined to the southern 
shore of Lake Erie. From 1750 to the war of 
1812, these Indian tribes were found in differ- 
ent portions of Ohio, and a great portion of the 
time were engaged in border wars with the 
daring pioneers. The history of these wars 
would fill volumes. Parties of savages, dressed 
in the spangled paraphernalia of war, would 
hover about the settlements, and, when the ven- 
turesome pioneers were off their guard, would 
swoop down upon them, with horrid 3'ells, to 
massacre and pillage and carry into hopeless 
captivity, or for purposes of heart-rending tor- 
ture. To punish the savages, bands of daring 
borderers would make incursions into their 
country, laying waste their homes and slaughter- 
ing the inhabitants. Some of these Ohio tribes 
were almost constantly at war with the whites 
during the period mentioned. While members 
of all the tribes mentioned above were found 
in Ohio, only four tribes were, in numbers, 
sufficient to merit a special sketch. These are 
the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanese and 
Ottawas. 

The Wyandots, as indicated by the idioms 
and other characteristics of their language, were 
related to the Iroquois, but about the middle of 
the seventeenth century they embraced the re- 
ligious faith of the Roman Catholics, and, for 
some reason unknown, severed their connection 
with their relatives, the Iroquois, and cast their 
lot with the powerful Algonquins.* Their 
original residence was in Canada, some author- 
ities fixing their location on Georgian Bay, and 
others, as Mr. Schoolcraft, on Montreal Island. 
Their number is estimated to have been about 
40,000 souls. Some time after this, the}^ be- 

♦From the American Cyclopedia the sketches of these four 
Indian tribes have been taken. 



came involved in a war with the Iroquois, by 
whom they were nearly exterminated, after 
which they removed first to Charity Island and 
finally to Quebec. They were found south of 
the great lakes, in 16G0, by some French trad- 
ers, and, ten years later, having become in- 
volved in a war with the powerful Sioux, they 
removed to Michilimackinac, and were accom- 
panied by Father Marquette. Afterward, they 
established themselves at Detroit, their hunt- 
ing-grounds extending into Northern Ohio. In 
1778, remnants of the tribe were yet in Can- 
ada, while that at Detroit was estimated to con- 
tain about one hundred and eighty warriors. 
In 1829, a small band of the tribe was located 
in Michigan. They numbered about forty, and 
were provided with annuities b}^ the Govern- 
ment. Immediately after the war of 1812, the 
principal portion of the Wyandots, numbering 
about six hundred, was established on the San- 
dusky River on a tract of land eighteen miles 
long east and west, and twelve miles wide. In 
1835, the Wyandots decided to sell a strip of 
land five miles wide on the eastern border of 
their reservation, and the land was accordingly 
thrown into market, very likel}' through the in- 
fluence of the whites, who coveted the pos- 
sessions of the Indian. In 1843, the Wyan- 
dots were transferred to Kansas, where they 
have since resided, and the land of their reser- 
vation was annexed to the adjoining counties. 
The Shawanese are an erratic tribe of the 
Algonquin family. A tradition of recent origin 
makes them primarily one with the Kickapoo 
nation ; but they moved eastward, and a part 
are said to have remained, in 1648, along the 
Fox River, while the main body was met south 
of Lake Erie by the Iroquois, and was driven 
to the Cumberland River. Some passed thence 
to Florida and some to Carolina. One band 
was in Pennsylvania at the close of the seven- 
teenth century. Those in Florida lived at 
peace with the Spaniards, and afterward be- 
came known as Savannahs, or Yemassees. 
These retired to the Creeks, and finally- joined 
the Northern Shawanese. The Iroquois claimed 
sovereignty over the Shawanese, and drove 
them West. In 1731, they aided the French ; 
but, in 1758, they sided with the English. They 
joined the conspiracy of Pontiac, and were 
active in war until subdued by Boquet. In 
1774, enraged at the attacks of Col. Cresap, 
they roused most of the Western tribes, and, in 



*^ 



[iL 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



217 



October, defeated the Virginians at Pleasant 
Point, but sued for peace the following year. 
Col. Bowman, who marched against them in 
1779, was twice defeated. They joined the 
peace of 1786 ; but took part in the Miami war, 
in the campaigns against Harmar and St. Clair, 
but were reduced by Gen. Wayne, and then 
entered the peace treaty of 1795. The main 
body was at this time on the Scioto ; but a few 
had gone to Missouri, and another band had 
moved South. During the war of 1812, urged 
In^ Tecumseh and his brother, the Prophet, they 
endeavored to unite the Western Indians 
against the Americans ; but those in Ohio re- 
mained faithful. The Missouri band ceded 
their laud to the Government in 1825, and the 
Ohio band in 1831. In 1854, the band of 
Shawanese proper, living in that part of the 
Indian Territory now included in Kansas, and 
consisting of 1,600,000 acres, numbered 900 ; 
but at this time, or soon after the tribal rela- 
tion was dissolved by treaty, and the lands 
were divided in severalty. Besides these, there 
were, in 1872, 90 in the Quapau Agency, and 
663 in the Sac and Fox Agency. 

The Ottawas, when first known to the French 
explorers, were located on the Manitoulin 
Islands, and on the northwest shore of the 
Michigan peninsula. The}^ believed in Micha- 
l:)ou, "the great hare," a mythical personage, 
who formed the earth and developed men from 
animals ; in Mirabichi, " god of the water ;" in 
Missabizi, "the great tiger." Soon after 16-49, 
they fled before the Iroquois to Green Bay, 
thence west beyond the Mississippi to the 
country of the Sioux, with whom they became 
involved in war, when they fell back to Che- 
goimegon, before 1660, and finally to Mackin- 
naw. The tribe became considerably divided 
here, one of the divisions settling near Detroit, 
and the one at Mackinaw passing over to Ar- 
Iire Croche. The greater number of the Otta- 
was were in the last war with the French, and 
at its close Pontiac, an Ottawa chief, and one 
of the ablest Indians of any tribe that ever 
lived, organized a vast conspiracv for the de- 
struction of the English. They were under 
English influence during the Revolution, and 
at this time numbered about 1,500. They par- 
ticipated in the treaties of 1785, 1789 and 1795, 
and afterward, by other treaties, the}" acquired 
a tract of land on the Miami, thirty-four miles 
square. By the treaty of 1833, they ceded 



their land around Lake Michigan for land south 
of the Missouri River, and soon ceased to be a 
distinct band. A band of Ottawas at Maumee, 
in 1836, ceded 49,000 acres to Ohio, and 200 
emigrated to the Osage River, locating south of 
the Shawanese. Some 230 remained and be- 
came scattered in detached bands. In 1867, 
they became citizens, and in 1870 were re- 
moved to a reservation of 24,960 acres in In- 
dian Territory. Several thousand are yet liv- 
ing in scattei-ed bands in Michigan and Canada, 
and all are self-supporting. 

The Delawares are a tribe of the Algonquin 
family, and, when first known to the whites, 
were dwelling in detached bands, under sepa- 
rate sachems, on the Delaware River. They 
styled themselves Renappi, or, as now written, 
Lenape or Lenni Lenape. The Dutch began 
trading with them in 1616, and enjoyed friendl}' 
intercourse with them until 1632, when the set- 
tlement at Swanendael was utterly destroyed 
by a sudden attack, but trade was soon after- 
ward resumed. The Swedes made attempts to 
Christianize them, and had Luther's Catechism 
printed in their language. The Delawares claim 
to have come from the West with the Minguas, 
who soon afterward reduced them to a state of 
vassalage, and when the}' were conquered by 
the Five Nations, they were termed women by 
the latter. The Delawares formed three fami- 
lies, or clans — the Turtle, the Turkey and the 
Wolf At the time of the " walking treat}" " 
made by Penn, the Delawares complained that 
they had been defrauded in the interpretation 
of the treaty, and showed a reluctance to " walk," 
upon which the authorities called upon the Six 
Nations, who ordered the Delawai-es, as women, 
to retire. The Delawares were now thrown 
among warring people, and, though previously 
mild and peaceable, they now became energetic, 
and conducted their wars with great ferocity. 
In a war with the Cherokees, they reached the 
Ohio, where a portion remained until 1773. 
They took up arms and fought with the French 
at Braddock's Defeat and elsewhere, but suffered 
so much from English attacks that they finally 
treated for peace, part of them in 1757, and 
the others after the fall of Fort Du Quesne. 
They then centered on the Susquehanna, and a 
small nuinber soon afterward settled on the 
Muskingum. They took up arms in the border 
war, but were badly defeated at Bushy Run, 
August, 1763, by Boquet. Their towns on the 









218 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Susquehanna were pillaged and burned, many 
were killed and dispersed, and in 1768, they 
emigrated to Ohio. In 1774. they were again 
badly defeated at Pleasant Point, and a part 
were afterward engaged in the Revolution. In 
1772. the Christian Delawares settled on the 
Muskingum, but were hastily removed to San- 
dusky, in 1781, by the English. Early the fol- 
lowing 3'ear, ninetj'-four who returned were 
murdered by a party of enraged borderers 
under Col. Williamson. By the treaty of 1785, 
the Delawares occupied the soil between 
the rivers Cuyahoga and Miami. At this 
time there were many scattered bands of 
Delawares, several of which were Christian, 
and at peace with the whites. The main tribe, 
at Grand Blaze, with 480 warriors, was hostile, 
and 400 under Buckongahelas were at the de- 
feat of St. Clair, in 1791 ; but four 3'ears later, 
they joined the peace treat}' at Greenville. In 
1808, there were 800 at Wapeminskink, a few 
at Sandusk}', a few on the Muskingum, and a 
large bod}- at Fairfield, Canada. In 1818, the 
Delawares, 1.800 strong, ceded their lands to the 
United States and emigrated to Missouri. In 
1829, many went to Kansas, and some south of 
the Red River. In 1853, they sold all their lands 
to the United States, except that in Kansas. 
During the last war, out of 201 able-bodied 
warriors, 170 enlisted and served in the arm}'. 
The}' sold their lands, in 1868, to the Missouri 
Railroad, and settled on the Verdigris and Cone. 
In 1866, they became citizens, though their 
clans — Turtle, Turkey and Wolf — still exist. 

During the border wars of the last half of 
the last century, the Indian villages, in what is 
now Summit County, were actively engaged.* 

*Wheti these villagps wi-rs first Pitulilisbed is not definitely 
liiiown ; but from an i>l(i mnp wliich Wiis publisherl in 1755, by 
Lewis Evans it is .ascertained tliat at tU;it tirue there was a Mingo 
vilbioje on the west liarjk of the river, pnibtbly in wliat is r,ow 
ensteni Rath, and an Ottawa villago on the opposite side of the 
river in Northampton, i>r peihaps, as 'omesay, in Boston. There is 
also marUeil on the ni ip a Krench trading-bouse-, which was located 
eitlicr in northwestern Boiton Township, or on the Cuyahoga, five 
miles from its month The bitter view is rendered improbable, 
from the fact, among othors, tint tlie house on the map is loeati^d 
very near the Ottawa village. The house, beyond reasonable doubt, 
was located on the bank of the river, about forty rods north of 
Boston Village. A few old apple trees were found growing near the 
ppotby the early settlers. These were probably idanted by the 
French. When the whites appeared, this place was occupied by the 
Ottawas, under their Chief Stigwanisli, while a hatf-milo northwest 
was a Seneca village under the Chief Ponty. There were two other 
Indian villages, in early years, at Cuyahoga Falls. On the north 
side of the river was an encampment of Ilela wares, and on the Bonth, 
one ol the Iroquois. There vvas a Delaware village in Coventry 
Township, under Capt. Pipe, or in the Indian language, Tauhango- 
cauponye, or IIopDcan. There were also, at times, temporary en- 
campments in almost every township in the county. The Chippe- 
was were found among others, as were also a few Wyandots. 



They sent numerous small bands to Western 
Pennsylvania to massacre the white pioneers 
on the border, and destroy their habitations. 
It is extremely probable that some of the 
borderers who were captured on these ex- 
peditions were tortured to death at the vil- 
lages in Summit County. Perhaps these spots, 
now so quiet and peaceful, once echoed with 
the frenzied death-cries of white men, while 
around, on every hand, circled the leaping and 
exulting savages, tearing up with hot iron 
the bleeding flesh of the despairing sufferers, 
and filling the air with their dreadful yells 
of revenge. Here the dusky savages, decked 
in the gaudy ornaments of border war, invoked 
the favor of their god before descending like 
death upon the defenseless settlements. Here 
could be heard their wild chants — 

" Ne-gau nls-sau — ne-gau nissau 
Kitchi-mau-li-sau — negau nissau" — 
(I will kill— I will kill 
The white man — I will kill)— 

before they started on those expeditions, of 
which we read in histories. In 1759, there 
lived in Cumberland County, Penn., a family 
named Campbell, consisting of the father and 
a bright little girl, about seven years old, named 
Mary. Residing in the same house was an 
other family named Stuart, consisting of the 
husband and wife, and four or five children, one 
of these being an infant. One day, when the 
men were absent, Mrs. Stuart left her children 
in charge of the little girl Mary, and went a 
mile or two distant to the house of a neighbor. 
In her absence, a small band of Delaware In- 
dians took possession of the cabin, and made 
all the children prisoners, much to the conster- 
nation of little Mary, who was old enough to 
know that some awful calamity was pending. 
The Indians, knowing that the adult members 
of the families were not far away, made prep- 
arations to receive them. As Mrs. Stuart, on 
her return, approached the house, she heard 
the children screaming, and hurried forward, 
but was instantly made prisoner by the savages, 
who then thought it best not to await the re- 
turn of the men, but, with their prisoners, 
started for their camp in Armstrong County. 
They soon became tired of carrying the in- 
fant, which was fretful, and one of them finally 
took it, and, in the presence of its shrieking 
mother, dashed its brains out against a tree, 
and cast its quivering body in the bushes. The 



"Tl. 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



219 



Indians pushed on rapidly, uroiug their weary 
and agonized prisoners to their best pace, and 
carrying those that finally gave out. A little 
boy about seven years old, named Samni}', was 
carried upon the back of one of the Indians 
until the latter was tired. On the third day, 
this Indian fell behind the others, and when he 
again appeared, the little boy was missing, 
while at his belt Mrs. Stuart recognized the 
curly locks of her little Samni}-. The poor 
mother and her children were hurried on until 
at last, weary and footsore, they reached the 
Indian village. Here they were soon separated, 
and one or more of them was adopted by the 
Indians. The following 3"ear, Netawatwees, the 
chief of this band, removed with his followers 
and prisoners to their village at the " Big Falls " 
of the Cuyahoga, now in Summit County, Ohio. 
^liivy had been adopted by the chief, and was 
treated with uniform kindness, occupying a 
position of equality with the Indian children. 
Here the prisoners I'emained until 1764, when 
they were delivered to Col. Boquet, at his fort 
in Tuscarawas County, and soon afterward 
were returned to their friends in Penns3'lvania. 
It is vei'3' probable that other white prisoners 
from the Indian villages in Summit County 
were delivered up at this treaty. Col. Boquet 
had come out with an army of 1,500 men. The 
appearance of this force awed the Indians, and 
they sued for peace in the most abject manner, 
delivering up at the same time, some 300 white 
captives. Fathers, brothers and husbands had 
come out in hopes of finding their lost friends, 
and when the captives were given up the scene 
beggars description. " There were seen," says 
a writer in the Historical Ilecord, " fathers and 
mothers recognizing and clasping their once 
captive little ones ; husbands hung around 
their newly-recovered wives ; brothers and sis- 
ters met after long separation, scarcely able to 
speak the same language, or to realize that 
they were children of the same parents ! In the 
interviews, there w^as inexpressible J03' and 
rapture ; while, in some cases, feelings of a very 
different character were manifested by looks or 
language. Man}' were flying from place to 
place, making eager inquiries after relatives 
not found, trembling to receive answers to their 
questions, distracted with doubts, hopes and 
fears ; distressed and grieved on obtaining no 
information about the friends they sought, and, 
in some cases, petrified into living monuments 



of horror and woe on learning their unhappy 
fate." " In many cases," Albach says, " strong 
attachments had grown up between the savages 
and their captives, so that they were reluctantly- 
surrendered, some even not without tears, ac- 
companied with some token of remembrance." 
The girl, Mary Campbell, and Mrs. Stuart and 
her children, were the first white persons known 
to have lived in what is now Summit County. 
During and after the Revolution, the Indians 
of the Cuyahoga Valley were very troublesome 
to the Pennsylvania pioneers. The details of 
their savage barbarity would sicken the heart. 
All along the Ohio Iliver, on both sides, the 
Indians and borderers met in terrific conflicts, 
which resulted in the death or captivity of one 
of the parties. Almost the entire half of the 
last century was a succession of border wars. 
So dreadful and frequent became the attacks of 
the savages that many expeditions were sent 
to reduce their villages and slaughter the peo- 
ple or drive them far off into the forest. Young 
men on the border were trained to the one pur- 
suit of killing Indians, and the names of Poe, 
Kenton, Wetzel, Brady and a host of others 
will ever bear a prominent place on the page 
of the American border wars. The daring and 
intrepidity of many of these Indian slayers 
were astonishing. They seemed to delight in 
the awful work and courted death and torture 
with a reckless courage that arouses the keen- 
est interest of those who read of their exploits. 
Hundreds of Indians werfe killed without any 
pretext, save the sport afforded the intrepid 
borderers, or to avenge wrongs done by the 
savages. Horse-stealing became a great pas- 
time, in which the borderers and their savage 
foes freely indulged ; and man}- of the fierce 
pei'sonal conflicts, read of all over the country, 
were occasioned by lawless incursions of this 
character. Small armies were sent at various 
times to different portions of Ohio to defeat 
the Indians or treat with them for peace. 
Among these were the expeditions of Cols. 
Bradstreet and Boquet, in 1704, by which com- 
parative peace was secured until 1774, when a 
border war again slowly broke out. About 
this time, several unfortunate attacks on the 
Indians were made, in one of which the inof- 
fensive relatives of Logan, the Mingo chief, 
were ruthlessly murdered by a small command 
under Col. Michael Cresap. This barbarous 
act precipitated events, and the Indians, roused 



r 



:^i 



>> 



2'20 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



for vengeance, began scouring the border to 
murder and pillage. The utmost terror, gloom 
and consternation pervaded all the frontier set- 
tlements. Gen. Mcintosh conducted an expe- 
dition against the Indians in 1778, and Col. 
John Bowman the following year. Col. Q. K. 
Clarke marched against them in 1780 ; Gen. 
Daniel Broadhead in 1781 ; Col. Lowry the 
same year ; Col. Williamson in 1782 ; Col. 
Crawford the same year ; Gen. Clarke again in 
1782; Col. Benj. Logan in 1786; and, besides 
these, there were many others. It became the 
pi'actice on the border to organize small com- 
panies of " rangers," who, when the savages 
swept down upon some family and either killed 
or captured the members, would hastil}' assem- 
ble and pursue the enemy, to chastise them 
and recover the captives. A noted leader of 
these rangers, in Western Pennsylvania, was 
Capt. Samuel Brady. He was a man of pro- 
digious size, strength, endurance, activity and 
courage, and became known to all the Northern 
Indians, who made desperate attempts to either 
capture or kill him. A few years previous to 
this, his father and brother had been killed b}' 
the Indians, and he is said to have taken a 
solemn vow to devote his future life to revenge. 
The following is quoted from Howe's " Histori- 
cal Collection :" " Brad3''s residence was on 
Chartier Creek, on the south side of the Ohio, 
and being a man of herculean strength, activity 
and courage, he was generally selected as the 
leader of the hardy borderers in all their in- 
cursions into the Indian Territor}^ north of the 
river. In about the 3'ear 1780, a large party 
of warriors from the falls of the Cuyahoga and 
the adjacent country had made an inroad on 
the south side of the Ohio, in the lower part 
of what is now Washington County, on what 
was then known as the settlement of ' Cattish 
Camp,' after an old Indian of that name who 
had lived there when the whites first came into 
the Moaongahela Valley. This party had mur- 
dered several families, and with the ' plunder ' 
had recrossed the Ohio before effectual pur- 
suit could be made. Brady immediatel}' se- 
lected a few chosen rangers of known courage 
and activity, perhaps twelve or fifteen or more 
in number, and hastened on after the Indians, 
who, having one or two days the start, could 
not be overtaken in time to prevent their re- 
turn to their villages. Near the spot where 
the town of Ravenna now stands, the Indians 



separated into two parties, one of which went 
to the north and the other west to the falls of 
the Cuyahoga.* Brady's men also divided, a 
part pursuing the northern trail, and a part 
going with their commander to the Indian vil- 
lage laying on the river in the present township 
of Northampton, in Summit County. Although 
Brady made his approaches with the utmost 
caution, the Indians, expecting a pursuit, were 
on the lookout, and ready to receive him with 
numbers four times as great. When Brady's 
men were attacked, it was instantly seen that 
their only safet}' was in hasty flight, which, 
from the ardor of the pursuit, soon became a 
perfect rout. Brady directed his men to sep- 
arate, and each one to take care of himself; 
but the Indians knowing Brady, and having 
a most inveterate hatred and dread of him, 
from the numerous chastisements he had given 
them, left all the others, and, with united 
strength, pursued him alone. The Cuyahoga 
makes a wide bend just liefore entering Sum- 
mit County, thus forming a peninsula of sev- 
eral square miles of surface, within which the 
pursuit was hotly contested. The Indians, by 
extending their line to the right and left, forced 
him on to the bank of the stream. Having, in 
times of peace, often hunted over this ground 
with the Indians, and knowing ever}^ turn of 
the Cuyahoga as familiarly as the villager 
knows the street? of his own hamlet, Brady 
directed his course to the river at a spot where 
the width of the stream is compressed by the 
rocky cliffs, into a narrow channel of only 
twenty-two feet across the top of the chasm, al- 
though it is considerably wider beneath, near 
the water, and in height more than twice that 
number of feet above the current. As he ap- 
proached the chasm, Brady, knowing that life 
or death was the issue, concentrated his utmost 
efforts and leaped the river at a single bound. 
It so happened that on the opposite side, the 
leap was favored by a low place, into which he 
dropped, and, grasping the bushes, he was thus 
enabled to ascend to tlie top of the cliflT. The 

*A celebrated Iiiilian w;ii'-path, extending from Sandusky lo 
Bearer (Fort Mcfntosh), passed through Summit Cuuntj'. This was 
the tr«il traversed by the Indians of Northern Ohio, in their expe- 
ditions af;ainst the l)order settlements in Pennsylvania. The trail 
crossed the Cuyahoga in Franklin Township. Portage County, at 
what is called " Standing Slone," and divided at Fish Creek, the 
northern branch extending across Stow and Northampton Town- 
ships, to the Indian village in tlie latter, tlience across the river to 
the INlingo village in Bath, and tlience westward, while the s lutliern 
bran'h extending somewhat snuth of w. st, led to the villages at 
Cuyahoga Falls, thence on through Portage and Coventry, to the 
Tuscarawas lliver and the Delawaie village in Coventry. 



^ 



.1^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



331 



Indians, who were in close pursuit, were for a 
few moments lost in wonder and admiration, 
and before the}^ had recovered their recollection 
he was half way up the side of the opposite 
hill, but still within reach of their ritles. They 
could easily have shot him at any moment be- 
fore ; but, being bent on taking him alive for 
torture and to glut their long-delayed revenge, 
they forbore to use the rifle ; but seeing him 
now likely to escape thej^ all fired upon him, 
one bullet severely wounding him in the hip, 
liut not so badly as to prevent his pi'ogress. 
The Indians had to make considerable of a cir- 
cuit before the}' could cross the river, and b}' 
this time Brady had advanced a good distance 
ahead. His limb was growing stiff from the 
wound, and, as the Indians were gaining on 
him, he made for the pond, which now bears 
his name, and, plunging in. swam under water 
a considerable distance, and came up under the 
trunk of a large oak which had fallen into the 
pond. This, although leaving only a small 
breathing place to support life, still completely 
sheltered him from their sight. The Indians, 
tracing him by blood to the water, made dili- 
gent search all around the pond ; but, finding 
no sign of his exit, finally came to the conclu- 
sion that he had sunk and was drowned. As 
they were at one time standing on the very 
tree beneath which be was concealed — he, un- 
derstanding their language, was very glad to 
hear the result of their deliberations, and after 
they had gone he emerged from his hiding- 
l)lace, and, weary, lame and hungry, made good 
his retreat to his own home. His companions 
also returned in safety. The chasm across 
which he leaped is in sight of the bridge, where 
it crosses the Cuyahoga, and is known in all 
that region as "Brady's Leap." The pond 
where he concealed himself is also known as 
Brady's Pond. Just where he was first at- 
tacked by the Indians is not definitel}' known, 
but it was somewhere in Northampton Town- 
ship. It is not likely that the Indians, who 
were expecting an attack, delayed their move- 
ment upon the rangers until the latter reached 
their village. It is probable that the}^ were in 
ambush not far from their village, and the cau- 
tion of the rangers alone prevented their being 
caught in the trap. The savages came on in 
great numbers, and the rangers very likely kept 
together for several miles, or until they were 
somewhere in Stow Township, when they sep- 



arated, and each man provided for his own 
safet}'. Brady, on another occasion very simi- 
lar to the one above narrated, leaped a stream 
in Pennsylvania, twenty-three feet wide, and 
escaped from a large part}' of Indians, who 
were almost upon him. 

The Mingo village in Bath was no doubt 
often visited by Logan, the famous Indian 
chief He was the son of Shikellimus, a Cay- 
uga chief, who dwelt at Shamokin, Penn., in 
1742. The father was a personal friend of 
James Logan, the Secretary' of the Province, in 
whose honor the sou was named. They came 
to Ohio about 1772, locating at Mingo Bot- 
tom, near Steubenville. Here it was that, 
about 1774, at the breaking-out of Lord Dun- 
more's war, Logan's relatives were murdered. 
This I'oused him to vengeance, and he began 
an indiscriminate and extensive slaughter of 
all the whites he met. Within six or eight 
months, Logan alone murdered twenty or thirty 
persons. The following speech, though im- 
proved by Jefferson and others, was delivered 
by Logan to John Gibson, an interpreter, who 
had been sent out by Lord Dunmore to the 
Indian towns. According to Gibson, Logan 
asked him to walk out in the woods, and when 
the two had reached a lonely copse and had 
sat down, Logan, with many tears, delivered 
his celebrated speech : 

I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he en- 
tered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not 
meat; if ever he came cold and naked, and he clothed 
him not. During the course of the last long and 
bloody war, Logan remained idle in his cabin, an 
advocate for peace. Such was my love for the 
whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed, 
and said: "Logan is the friend of white men." I 
had even thought to have lived with you, but for 
the injuries of one man. Col. Cresap, the last 
spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all 
the relations of Logan, not even sparing my women 
and children. There runs not a drop of my blood 
in the veins of any living creature. This called on 
me for revenge. I have sought it. I have killed 
many. I have fully glutted my vengeance. For 
my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace. But 
do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of 
fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on 
his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn 
for Logan? Not one. 

Mr. Jeflferson says : " I may challenge the 
whole orations of Demosthenes and Cicero, and 
of any more eminent orator, if Europe has fur- 
nished any more eminent, to produce a single 
passage superior to the speech of Logan, the 



» .. 

^ 



223 



HISTOIIY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Mingo chief." It is considered a masterpiece 
of Indian eloquence. Logan is said to have 
been one of the noblest specimens of humanitj^ 
of any race, that ever lived. He was, as he 
said, the friend of the whites ; but the deliberate 
murder of his relatives inflamed his savage 
nature, and he "fully glutted his vengeance." 
He had a high sense of honor, and when trusted 
would die sooner than betray- the trust. He 
undoubtedly visited the Mingo village in Bath. 
At the mouth of Yellow Creek, in Northampton, 
is an extensive Indian cemetery, which prob- 
ably belonged to the Mingoes. This creek was 
named for the one down the river from Steu- 
benville, at which was the Mingo village, where 
Logan's relations were murdered.* 

The Delaware villages in Summit County, 
about the time of Lord Dunmore's war, were 
well populated ; though the larger villages of 
this tribe, in Eastern Ohio, were on the Mus- 
kingum. In the wars between Great Britain 
and France for an extension of territory in 
America, great efforts were made by both na 
tions to secure the Indians as allies, for thereby 
a dreaded and powerful weapon could be 
wielded. Sometimes the French were success- 
ful, and then the English pioneers in Pennsyl- 
vania and Virginia experienced the horrors of 
barbarous border wars. At other times, the 
English succeeded and the French were made 
to suffer in a like manner. Many times tribes 
of Indians remained neutral, while the French 
and English were struggling for the mastery ; 
or perhaps portions of some tribe would en- 
gage in the wars, while others would proclaim 
their neutrality and remain at peace, cultivat- 
ing their fields and engaging in the chase. 
After the murder of the relatives of Logan, 
several weeks were spent by the hostile Indian 
tribes to effect a confederation of all the Ohio 
Indians, for the blood}' purpose of an extermi- 
nating and universal border war against the 
American settlers. The Senecas and Shawa- 
nese were eager for hostilities to begin ; but 
the Delawares refused to join the confederation 
as a nation, though many of her young men 
were induced to take up the hatchet. They 
could not endure the derisive title — Shoioon- 

*This is not positivelj' known to the writer, though thorp are 
numerous evidences to indicate its truth. No one in the county 
who wa'i intprvicweii could tell why Yellow Creek was thus named, 
but from tlu- fact that, after the murder of Logan's relatives, the 
Jlingoes, or at least a large band of them, located in Bath near this 
stream, it seems highly probable that the stream received its name 
as stated iu the text. 



noks, or white people — which their war-like 
neighbors threw in their faces. The Delaware 
bands in Summit County remained at peace, 
though beyond a doubt many of their young 
men joined the tide of hostilities. The neu- 
trality of the Delawares, no doubt shortened 
the war and prevented a concentration of the 
hostile Indian forces. Just before the Ilevolu- 
tion, when it was seen that war was inevitable, 
great efforts were made by both the British and 
the Americans to secure the assistance of the 
Indians. It was estimated that the Indians in 
New York, Ohio, and near the lakes, could 
bring 10,000 warriors into the field ; and, it 
was plainly apparent that this large force 
might turn the pending crisis either way. The 
English, through their artful emissaries, made 
great efforts to effect an alliance, and were gen- 
erally successful. Four out of the six tribes 
of the Six Nations joined the British ; but, a 
majority of the Delawares and a numerous 
party of the Shawanese were for neutralit\'. 
At the Pittsburgh conference, Capt. White Eyes, 
a distinguished Delaware chief, boldly advo- 
cated the American cause, much to the anno}'- 
ance of the Senecas, who were for war in the 
interest of the British. The Wolf faction of 
the Delawares, under Newalike and Capt. Pipe, 
withdrew toward Lake Erie to join the British ; 
but Netawatwees, the Delaware chief, one of 
whose villages was at Cuyahoga Falls, sustained 
the view of Capt. White P]yes, as did also Big 
Cat, Capt. John, Killbuck and others. These 
chiefs sent embassies to all the hostile tribes, 
exhorting them not to take up the hatchet or 
to join either side. It will thus be seen that 
the powerful Delaware tribe was the only one 
in Ohio, which, as a nation, refused to take 
up the hatchet. In New York, the friendship 
of the Oneidas and Tuscaroras was secured. 
However, the Delawares were afterward swept 
into the vortex of war, but not until after the 
French alliance had been consummated, where- 
by much of the horror on the border was pre- 
vented. By 1777, the hostile Indians had be- 
gun their work in earnest, and the white settlers 
sought the protection of the forts, or fled to the 
colonies in the East. Numerous war parties of 
savages, under their chiefs, or the white rene- 
gades, Girty, McKee, Elliott, and others of their 
ilk, conducted their dreadful expeditions with 
such malignant ferocity as to cast gloom and 
terror over the frontier settlements. The Otta- 



■K* 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY. 



223 



was, Senecas and Miiigoes, of Summit County, 
were active in the war in the cause of the Brit- 
ish, and, beyond question, Simon Girt}-, who 
became a Seneca b}- adoption, and George 
Girt}', wlio became a Delaware, were often at 
these villages. The Delaware chiefs mentioned 
above, who advocated neutrality, had been 
mostly converted by the Moravian missiona- 
ries. The venerable Netawatwees, chief of the 
Turtle branch of the Delawares, was among 
the number. As near as can be learned, it was 
a band of the Turtle Delawares that had a vil- 
lage at Cuj-ahoga Falls ; while, ver^' likel}-, the 
band in Coventr}' was under Capt Pipe, or 
Kogieschquano-heel, the celebrated Delaware 
war-chief It was almost whoU}- due to the 
missionaries and their converts that the Dela- 
ware bands upon the Muskingum refused to 
take part in the border wars. To these men — 
the.se noble missionaries — should be accorded 
the honor of preventing, in a material degree, 
man}' of the direful results of the Indian bor- 
der wars. Beyond all probability, these mis- 
sionaries visited the Indian towns, in Summit 
County, to conduct their good work of spiritual 
regeneration. Indian villages were strewn all 
along the valle}^ of the Tuscarawas, and on the 
portage path in this county. So successful 
were the missionaries in their efforts to secure 
peace, that at last the renegades, Girty, McKee 
and Elliott, complained to the British com- 
mandant at Detroit, saying that the Moravians 
not onl}^ prevented the Delawares from joining 
the British, but held constant communication 
with the Americans on the state of the war. 
Immediatel}' after the Coshocton campaign, 
when the peace-chiefs of the Delawai'es were 
subordinated to the war-chiefs, Buckongahelas 
became the controlling power at the head of 
this nation, and through his influence the In- 
dians, including many of those who had been 
converted, took up the hatchet. The Christian 
Indians were removed to Sandusk}' ; but a 
number who afterward returned were cruelly 
murdered ; but their death was bitterly avenged 
by the defeat of Crawford, and the awful death 
of himself and man}' of his command. 

On the 21st of Januar}', 1785, the treaty of 
Fort Mcintosh (Beaver) was effected, b}^ which 
the boundary line between the United States 
and the Delaware and Wyandot nations was 
fixed as follows : To begin at the mouth of the 
Cuyahoga, thence up said river to the portage 



between it and the Tuscarawas ; thence down 
said branch to the forks above Fort Laurens ; 
thence west to the portage of the Big Miami ; 
thence along said portage to the Ome River, 
and down the southeast side of the river to its 
month ; thence along the south shore of Lake 
Erie to the mouth of the Cuyahoga. It will 
thus be seen that the Delawares and W3'andots 
were confined to the west side of the Cuyahoga, 
the summit portage path, and the Tuscarawas ; 
while the tribes of the Six Nations were east of 
this dividing line. This boundary was con- 
firmed by subsequent treaties ; but, in 1805, at 
Fort Industry, the Delawares, Ottawas, Wyan- 
dots, Chippewas, Shawanese, Menses and Pot- 
tawatomies were removed to the western part 
of the State, and the celebrated Cuyahoga 
boundarv line became a thing of the past. The 
Senecas relinquished their rights to the land 
east of the Cuyahoga in 1796. This brings the 
Indian annals down to the time of the first ap- 
pearance of white settlers in the county. 

In the year 1800, there wei'e living in what 
is now Summit County^ bands of Delawares, 
Senecas, Wyandots, Chippewas, Ottawas, Min- 
goes, and very likel}' members of other tribes. 
But six 3'ears before, the most of these had 
been at war with the whites, and it was no wise 
impossible that the savages might again fall 
upon the settlers at an}- moment. All the war- 
like customs of the tribes were retained and 
practiced, probably to keep the warriors in 
trim for another struggle, should it break out. 
By 1805, many settlers had appeared in the 
county, and the movements of the Indians be- 
gan to be closely observed. They mingled freely 
with the whites, and although many personal 
encounters occurred, yet no general outbreak 
was made. It became the custom of the white 
hunters, many of whom had participated in the 
fierce border wars, to assemble at the Indian 
villages to talk with the natives, trade with 
them, race with them, shoot with them, and 
silently observe their peculiar customs. The 
Indians, regardless of the prospect for continued 
peace, still held their war and scalp dances, and 
engaged in all their wild and savage customs. 
The hunters, when present, were often invited 
to join the revelry, which they frequently did, 
but not with the peculiar and graceful skill of 
the natives. Large fires were lighted, and the 
savages, armed and painted as if for the war- 
path, surrounded them in circles, and then, with 



•IT 



>L> 



324 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



a wild, monotonous song accompaniment, they 
began their dance around the tire, springing up 
and down, first on one foot and then on the 
other, chanting in the meantime a guttural " he, 
he, he ; iuiw, haw, haw ! " blending their dance 
with innumerable antics, grimaces and contor- 
tions, and interspersing their song with wild 
whoops, made to quaver at first by the motion 
of the hand on the lips, but ending with a clear- 
ness and force that made the forest ring. Liquor 
they dearl}' loved, and, when thirsty, would 
part with anything they possessed to secure an 
ample potation of their favorite beverage. Un- 
der its influence, their savage and warlike 
spirit became dominant, and they were ready 
and anxious to assert their demands, and en- 
force them if the}' were denied. The}' often 
entered cabins and demanded whisky, and, if 
it was denied them, they often took it, espe- 
cially if the men were away from home. In a 
case of this kind, the women were usually wise 
enough to get rid of their guests at the earliest 
possible moment, before the liquor began to as- 
sert itself, as otherwise fright, anxiety, danger 
and, possibly, injur}', were sure to result. Some- 
times, however, the Indians refused to go, but 
remained to flourish their scalping-knives and 
tomahawks around the heads of the children, 
and terrify the distracted mother by threats of 
death. Sometimes the husband and father 
would return while the Indians were at the 
height of their deviltry, in which case a fight, 
often accompanied with wounds, was sure to 
ensue. Numerous instances of this character 
will be found in the chapters of township 
history. Capt. Heman Oviatt established a 
store in Hudson Township, where liquor was 
kept for sale. The Indians were drawn thither, 
and numerous drunken brawls occurred in the 
neighborhood. In the absence of Mr. Oviatt, 
his wife occupied the position behind the coun- 
ter (if there was such a piece of furniture), and 
dealt out goods and liquor to the whites and 
Indians. On one occasion of this kind, when 
there was a small temporary encampment of 
some twenty Indians, under the sub-chief, Wab- 
raung, near the store, and the men were at work 
in the woods, at a considerable distance from 
the house, and out of sight, an Indian pre- 
sented himself, saying that the chief, Wabmung, 
had sent him to the store to get a small keg of 
whisky. The credit of the chief was good, 
and Mrs. Oviatt gave the messenger the liquor. 



It occurred to her soon afterward that the chief 
had not sent for the whisky at all, but that the 
Indians, having no money nor credit, and desir- 
ing a spree, had adopted the ruse to secure the 
liquor. She instantly made up her mind to re- 
gain what was left, at any rate. The Indians 
were taking on at a great rate, and did not per- 
ceive her until she had seized the keg, and had 
gone some distance, on the run, toward the 
store. A few half-drunken ones immediately 
set up a yell and pursued her, but she succeeded 
in reaching the store before the Indians. Eliz- 
abeth Walker, a hired girl, was holding the 
door, and she slammed it shut as soon as Mrs. 
Oviatt had entered, but not before the foremost 
Indian had caught up a frying-pan that was 
on a bench at the side of the house, and had 
struck savagely at the hired girl, preventing, at 
the same time, the complete closing of the 
door. He began pushing hai'd at the door, and 
as the two women saw that he was half-helpless 
on account of the liquor he had drunk, they 
suddenly threw the door open, seized the Indian, 
who had fallen prostrate, dragged him into the 
room, and closed and barred the door just as 
several others threw themselves against it. The 
Indian in the room began kicking and thrashing 
around, whereupon the two women got some 
loose ropes and tied him securely. By this 
time, the Indians on the outside were pounding 
loudly on the door, demanding admittance ; but 
Mrs. Oviatt caught up a rifle, and pointing it 
through the window, warned them to leave or 
she would fire, at which they withdrew a short 
distance. She directed Betsy Walker to go to 
the loft and blow the horn for the men, which 
was promptly done, and soon they appeared, 
whereupon the Indians beat a retreat. The 
captive Indian was kept until dark, when his 
squaw appeared, and asked for the person of 
her recreant lord, but this was denied until he 
was completely sober, when he was allowed to 
depart with the ropes still about his arms. The 
last seen of the couple was the tumble they 
took together over a rail fence.* This event is 
narrated to illustrate a common occurrence, 
differing only in minor particulars. Sometimes 
the difficulties resulted in severe fights, but 
usually all the transactions between the two 
races were amicable. When the Indians ex- 

*Thiis circumstance is narrated on the autliority of Mrs. Eliza- 
beth (Walker) Tappan. the hired girl who wslh present, and who is 
yet living in Boston Township, at the unnsual age of ninety-three 
yoar-i. 



!) y 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



225 



pected to have a " loud " time with whisky, it was 
their custom to give up their weapons to their 
squaws, so that no lives would be lost. In 
1806, their difficulty with Daniel Diver occurred, 
by which Nicksaw, a son-in-law of the chief, 
John Bigson, was shot by the Indian slayer, 
Jonathan Williams, an account of which will 
be fouud in another chapter of this volume. 
The village of Stigwanish was on the Cuyahoga, 
in Boston Township. Here the tribe had 
erected a wooden god, probably Missabiza, " the 
great tiger," and when they departed on their 
hunting expeditions, they were accustomed to 
hang their choicest tobacco around his neck. 
Some of the earliest settlers, knowing this, and 
being very fond of " the weed " (not altogether 
an unusual circumstance), often shiy appropri- 
ated it. So far as known, no judgment was 
ever sent against them for the sacrilegious act. 
At the time of the Diver difficulty, the In- 
dians held a council, in which some of the war- 
riors insisted that the Indians should begin an 
indiscriminate slaughter of the whites before 
the latter had time to unite on a defense. The 
Indians were thoroughly incensed, but after a 
time better counsel prevailed. They saw that, 
while they might have a temporary advantage, 
and perhaps sla}' many of tlie whites, the tide 
of war was sure to turn against them with 
overwhelming force. The white hunters often 
got the Indians drunk for no other purpose 
than to get the better of them in trade. When 
their senses returned, the Indians, not recollect- 
ing anything of the affair, demanded their prop- 
erty, and, in case of a non-compliance with 
their demands, a light was sure to ensue. As 
winter approached, it was the custom of the 
Indians to lay in an abundance of wild meat 
and provisions, and seek the shelter of their 
larger and permanent villages, there to remain 
during the cold months in comparative com- 
fort ; but when spring came, witli her pleasant 
weather and green leaves and grass, the winter 
residences became almost deserted, and the 
tribe, divided into small bands, often compris- 
ing the members of but one family, traveled 
far and near, to spend the warm months in 
hunting and trapping. They pitched their wig- 
wams on the banks of streams or by some 
pleasant lake where an abundance of fish could 
be obtained. It is asserted b}' the old settlers 
that the Indians never wantonly slaughtered 
the game, allowing the meat to lie in quantity 



on the ground. On the contrary, they killed 
onl}^ what they expected to use. They were 
often hired to hunt for the settlers. They 
would bring in a deer and exchange it for pro- 
visions, such as potatoes, turnips, pumpkins, 
melons, etc. At other times, the}' would agree 
to furnish so much game for a specified quan- 
tit}' of whisky, corn meal, flour or money. 
Stigwanish, the chief of the Ottawas, and John 
Bigson, his son, are said to have been fine 
specimens of the North American Indian. The 
latter was about six feet in height, straight as 
a reed, possessing an enormous chest ; was 
long- armed and powerfully built, with a pair 
of coal-black e3'es that seemed to see every- 
thing at once. In truth, he was as fine a man 
as was ever pictured on the page of Cooper. 
Stigwanish is also said to have been a fine old 
fellow. He possessed some noble traits of 
character that made him prominent among his 
tribe, and a model for the imitation of the 
whites. 

Thus the years passed by, until the war of 
1812. A great deal of apprehension was felt 
among the settlers at this time, that the Indians 
might unite in the war on the side of the 
British, as they were almost sure to do, in 
which case a fearful time of blood and death 
might be expected. They were numerous, and 
a short time before the war an unusual number 
of war and scalp dances were held, and the 
Indians seemed livelier than they had been for 
ten 3'ears before. They would brandish their 
weapons in a menacing manner, and the set- 
tlers were aware that something unusual was 
about to transpire. Some efforts were made to 
ward off the coming calamity, and it is said 
that a block-house was erected in the western 
part of the county, where a few settlers assem- 
bled for protection. During the early summer 
of 1811, the Indians became very bold and 
insolent ; but finally they all suddenly van- 
ished, and a few days later, news of the battle 
of Tippecanoe reached the whites. It was 
afterward ascertained that, if the British had 
been successful at Tippecanoe, the Indians 
would have swept in fury upon the borderers. 
As it was, they were silenced, and departed 
towai'd the setting sun. A few afterward re- 
turned to the scenes they knew so well, but 
some of these were killed, and the others dis- 
persed, and the story of the red man is now 
told as a bright romance of the past. 



Tv 



3L> 



I2£ 



226 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



CHAPTER III.* 



EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE WHITES — ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY —PUBLIC BUILDINGS- 
COUNTY SEAT QUESTION — SETTLED BY VOTE — COUNTY OFFICIALS — CON- 
GRESSMEN AND ELECTORS — THE COUNTY INFIRMARY, ETC. 



IN presenting a brief liistory of Summit 
County — its earl}' settlement, organization, 
erection of public buildings, etc. — the writer will 
not attempt to rehearse the generally well- 
known early history of Ohio and the Western 
Reserve, nor give in detail the thrilling experi- 
ences of the hardy, enterprising and patriotic 
pioneers by whom the several townships com- 
posing the county were originally settled. It 
is sufficient for the present purpose to say that 
the first known settlement of whites, within the 
present limits of Summit County, was made in 
Hudson, in the year 1800, followed by North- 
ampton in 1802 ; Stow in 1804 ; Boston, Cov- 
entry and Springfield in 1806 ; Northfield and 
Tallmadge in 1807; Green in 1809; Bath, 
Norton and Richfield in 1810; Portage in 
1811; Copley and Franklin in 1814; and 
Twinsburg in 1817; and that to the indomi- 
table energy and fortitude, superior intelligence 
and unswerving integrity of those early set- 
tlers, the present owners and occupiers of the 
finely cultivated farms, and the dwellers in the 
thriving villages and cities within its borders, 
are wholly indebted for the priceless heritage 
which they now enjoy. 

Of the sixteen townships composing Summit 
County, ten — viz., Northfield, Twinsburg, Bos- 
ton, Hudson, Northampton, Stow, Portage, Tall- 
madge, Coventry and Springfield — originally 
belonged to Portage County ; four — viz., Rich- 
field, Bath, Copley and Norton — to Medina 
County ; and two — viz., Green and Franklin — 
to Stark County. Interesting and appropriate 
sketches of the several townships here enumer- 
ated, with biographical sketches of the pioneer 
settlers and other citizens thereof, will be found 
elsewhere, under their appropriate titles. 

With the opening of the Ohio Canal, finished 
from Cleveland to Akron in 1827, and through to 
Portsmouth in 1830, and the greatly increased 

•■■vontrihuted by S. A. Lane. 



facilities for travel and transportation which it 
afforded, not only were the agricultural interests 
of the State, along its entire line, ver}- largely 
stimulated, but a ver^- marked impetus was there- 
by given to commercial and manufacturing in- 
terests, also. Thus, while the ver}- considerable 
business operations previousl}' existing at Mid- 
dlebury, and one or two other points in the 
Cuyahoga Valley, were materially increased 
thereby, the completion of the canal was imme- 
diately followed b}' the utmost activity at Ak- 
ron and Cuyahoga Falls, then just springing 
into existence as manufacturing villages, both 
being largely supplied with water-power — at 
that early day the great desideratum in all man- 
ufacturing enterprises. 

So rapid was the development of these vil- 
lages, and the several townships contiguous to 
the great " thoroughfare," that the people soon 
began to feel that their respective seats of jus- 
tice, Ravenna, JMedina and Canton, where they 
were compelled to go to serve as jurors and wit- 
nesses, and for the payment of their taxes, were 
too far from their business centers, and, as early 
as 1835, began to talk " new count}'." The 
proposition was not at all kindly received by 
the county officials, and the people of the more 
remote portions of Portage, Medina and Stark, 
out of whose fair proportions the required ter- 
ritory for the new county, if erected, would 
have to be carved, and nothing was definitely 
accomplished in that direction until 1840. 

In the fall of 1839, by a special effort nnd 
united action of the voters — both Whigs and 
Deraocrats^of the two tiers of townships which 
it was proposed to detach from Portage County. 
Rufus P. Spalding, Esq., then practicing law in 
Ravenna, and E|)hraim B. Hubbard, an influen- 
tial farmer of Deerfield Township, were elected 
as Representatives to the State Legislature, 
both of those gentlemen being Democrats, but 
pledged to the new county project, thus l)eing 



A 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY, 



227 



elected over the regular Whig nominees, Por- 
tage County at that time, pai'ticularly the west 
era portion, being largely Whig, on strict party 
issues ; Simon Perkins, Jr., tlien as now a resi- 
dent of Portage Township, a member of the 
Whig party, being at the time a member of the 
State Senate. 

The Legislature convened and organized on 
the 2d day of December, 1839, and, on the 17th 
day of the same month, Hon. James Hoagland, 
of Holmes County, as Chairman of the com- 
mittee on new counties, reported to the house 
" a bill to erect the county of Summit," which 
was read the first time. The Stark Count}- 
Representatives, Hons. John Smith and James 
Welch, the Medina County Representative, Hon. 
James S. Carpenter and the Lorain County 
Representative, Hon. Albert A. Bliss, all di- 
rectly and vigorously opposed the movement ; 
the first three because of the curtailment of 
their respective counties, in providing the re- 
quisite territory for the proposed new county, 
and the last because of the proposition to trans- 
fer the townships of Spencer and Homer from 
Lorain to Medina, to keep the territory of the 
latter up to the constitutional requirement, after 
being shorn of her eastern tier of townships. 
Representatives of several other counties in 
different portions of the State, in danger of be- 
ing dismembered by similar new county proj- 
ects, also earnestly opposed the measure, so 
that it had to be fought through inch bj^ inch, 
passing the House by a majority of three only, 
on the 6th day of February, 1840. 

In the Senate, also, the struggle was equall}^ 
determined and severe. Senators Hostetter, of 
Stark, Birch, of Lorain, Nash, of Meigs, and 
Thomas, of Miami, actively and energetically 
opposing the bill. Active and influential "lob- 
bjnsts," both for and against the measure, were 
also in attendance in full force, and the various 
tactics and devices resorted to in promoting 
the measure on the one hand, and retarding it 
on the other, would make a good-sized volume 
of "mighty interesting reading" if it could be 
correctly written up. The progress of the bill 
through the House and Senate, as briefly re- 
corded in the proceedings of the two Houses, 
will give the reader a pretty fair idea of the 
bitterness of the fight, though b}- no means 
conveying to the mind anything like an ade- 
quate conception of the vast amount of argu- 
ment, eloquence, repartee, vituperation, ridicule 



and fun indulged in during the four months, 
nearly, that it was under consideration. 

On motion of Mr. Spalding, the bill was taken 
up for consideration, December 21, when, on 
motion of Mr. Welch, the further consideration 
of the bill was postponed until the second 
Thursday in January. Yeas, 42 ; nays, 28. 

On motion of Mr. Spalding, the bill was 
again taken up, January 11, when Mr. Welch 
moved to recommit the bill to the Committee 
on New Counties, with instructions to report 
the number of petitioners and remonstrants for 
and against the project — which was agreed to. 

The committee having made its report, on mo- 
tion of Mr. Spalding, the bill was again taken 
up, Januar}' 17, when Mr. Welch moved to 
postpone the further consideration of the bill 
until the first Monday of December next, 
which was lost — j'eas, 28 ; nays 32. The bill 
was then laid on the table. 

Mr. Spalding moved to take the bill from the 
table, January 27, which was lost — yeas, 25 ; 
na^'S 30. 

Feb. 6. — On motion of Mr. Spalding, the bill 
was again taken up, and, after some delay, 
caused by Mr. Welch moving a call of the 
House, was put upon its passage and carried — 
yeas, 34 ; naj'S, 31. 

The bill, as received from the House, was 
read for the first time in the Senate February 7, 
and February 27, Mr. Hostetter, of Stark, 
moved to strike out of the bill that part of 
the territory belonging to Stark County. Lost 
— yeas, 15 ; na\^s, 18. 

'Mr. Nash, of Meigs, moved to strike out 
that portion of the bill exempting the people 
resident in the Stark County townships from 
taxation for the erection of the public build- 
ings for the proposed new county. Lost — 
3'eas, 14 ; nays, 19. 

On being read the third time, February 28, 
Mr. Thomas, of 3Iiami, moved to recommit the 
bill to the Committee on New Counties, with 
instructions to so amend as to strike out that 
part exempting Green and Franklin Townships 
from taxation for public buildings. Lost — 
yeas, 13 ; nays, 21. 

Mr. Hostetter then moved that the further 
consideration of the bill be postponed until the 
first Monday of December next. Lost — yeas, 
7 ; nays, 27. 

Mr. Birch, of Lorain, moved to refer the bill 
to the Judiciarv Committee, with instructions 



^ 



228 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



to so amend as to strike out the two Lorain 
townsliips. Lost — yeas, 9 ; nays, 25. 

Mr. Hostetter moved to amend so as to leave 
the matter to the voters of the proposed new 
county, at the next October election. Lost — 
yeas, 10 ; nays, 24. 

The question then recurring on the final pas- 
sage of the bill, Mr. Hostetter demanded the 
yeas and nays, which were ordered, and were 
as follows: yeas, 19; nays, 15. The bill as 
passed is as follows : 

.Section 1. Be it enacted by the General AssenMy 
of tlie State of Ohio, That so much of the counties 
of Portage, Medina and Stark, as comes within the 
following boundaries, be, and the same is liereby 
erected into a separate countj'. which shall be known 
by the name of Summit, to wit : Beginning at the 
northwest corner of the county of Portage ; tlience 
east on the county line to the northeast corner of 
the township of Twinsburg, in said county of Port- 
age ; thence south on the line between the ninth and 
tenth ranges of townships of the Western Reserve 
to the southeast corner of the township of Spring- 
field, in said county ; thence west on the line be- 
tween the counties of Portage and Stark to the 
northeast corner of the township of Green, in said 
Stark Coimty ; thence south on tlie east line of said 
township of Green, to the southeast corner of tlie 
same ; thence west on the south line of the town- 
ships of Green and Franklin, in saidcoiuity of Stark, 
to the soiitlnvest corner of said township of Frank- 
lin ; thence north on the line between the counties 
of Stark and Wayne to the soutli line of the county 
of Medina ; thence west on the south line of the 
county of ]\Iedina to the southwest corner of the 
township of Norton, in said county ; thence north 
on the line between the tw^dfth and thirteenth 
ranges of townships of the Western Reserve to the 
northwest corner of the township of Richfield, in 
said county ; thence east on the north line of said 
county to tlie southwest corner of tlie township of 
Nortlifield, in Portage County ; tlience north on th(> 
west line of said Portage County to the place of 
beginning; and for the purpose of restoi-ing the 
county of Medina to its constitutional limits; the 
townships of Spencer and Homer, in the county of 
Lorain, be, and the same are hereby, attached to, and 
made a part of, the said county of Medina. 

Sec. 2. That all suits, whether of a civil or 
criminal nature, which shall be pending within the 
limits of those parts of the comities of Portage, 
Medina and Stark, so to be set off and erected into 
a new county previous to the organization of said 
county of Summit; and all suits pending within the 
limits of said townships of Spencer and Homer, pre- 
vious to the taking effect of this act, shall be prose- 
cuted to final judgment and execution within the 
counties of Portage, Medina, Stark and Lorain, re- 
spectively, in the same manner they would have 
been if said county of Summit had not been erected, 
and the said townships of Spencer and Homer had 
not been attaclied to and made a part of said Me- 
dina County ; and the Slicriffs, Coroners and Consta- 



bles of the said counties, respectively, shall execute 
all such process as shall be necessary to carry into 
effect sncli suits, prosecutions and judgments, and 
the collectors of the taxes for said counties, respect- 
ively, shall collect all taxes that shall be levied and 
unpaid within the parts of the aforesaid counties, 
previous to the taking effect of this act. 

Sec. 3. That all Justices of the Peace within 
those parts of the counties of Portage, Medina and 
Stark, which by this act are erected into a new 
county; and also within said townships of Spencer 
and Homer, shall continue to exercise the duties of 
their offices until their times of service shall expire, 
in the same manner as if they had been commis- 
sioned for the counties of Summit and Medina, re- 
spectively. 

Sec. 4. That on the first Monday of April next, 
the legal voters residing Avithin the county of Sum- 
mit shall assemble within their respective townships 
at the usual places of holding elections, and proceed 
to elect their different county officers, who shall 
hold their offices until the next annual election, and 
until their successors are elected and qualified. 

Sec. 5. That the Courts of Common Pleas and 
Supreme Court of said county shall be holden at 
some convenient house in the town of Akron until 
the permanent seat of justice for said county shaU 
be esta1)lished. 

Sec. 6. That Commissioners shall be appointed 
agreeably to the act entitled, "An act for the estab- 
lishment of seats of justice," to fix upon a perma- 
nent seat of justice for said count}' of Summit, 
agreeably to tlie provisions of the above-recited act; 
and the Commissioners aforesaid shall receive a com- 
pensation for their services out of the treasury of 
said county of Summit ; and said Commissioners 
shall be authorized to receive propositions for the 
erection of suitalde county buildings by the citizens 
of such towns and villages as ma_y desire to have the 
seat of justice of said county established within their 
respective limits ; and in no event shall an}' tax for 
the erection of county buildings for said county of 
Summit be imposed upon the citizens of the town- 
ships of Franklin aiul Green, which townships are 
taken from the county of Stark, for and during th(; 
term of fifty years from and after the passage of 
this act. 

Thomas J. Buchanan, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
William McLaughlin, 

Speaker of the Senate. 

Makch 3, 1840. 

The next thing in order was the passage of 
a joint resolution appointing Commissioners to 
locate the county seat, which was adopted by 
the House, February 7, and concurred in by 
the Senate, February 10, as follows: 

Besolved, By the Senate and House of Represent- 
atives, that Jacob J. Williard, of Columbiana 
County, James McConnell, of Holmes County, and 
Warren Sabin, of Clinton County, be, and they are 
hereby appointed Commissioners to establish the 
seat of justice for Summit County, pursuant to an 







" "iry 




HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



229 



act entitled "An act establishing seats of justice," 
passed Februaiy 33, 1834. 

Thomas J. Buchanan, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
William McLaughlin, 
Speaker of tJie Senate. 

The next stage in the proceedings, was the 
passage of a bill to organize the new county, 
which passed the House without opposition, 
on the -Jrth da}" of March, 1840, and unani- 
mousl}' concurred in by the Senate, March 10, 
as follows: 

Sec 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of 
the State of Ohio: That the county of Summit be, 
' and the same is hereby organized into a separate 
and distinct county. 

Sec 2. All Justices of the Peace and Constables 
within the territory taken from Portage, Medina 
and Stark Counties, shall continue to discharge the 
duties of their resi3ective offices until their com- 
missions or terms of office shall expire, and until 
their successors shall be chosen and qualified; and 
suits commenced before the taking effect of this 
act, shall proceed and be prosecuted as though this 
act had not been passed. Provided, That all writs 
and other legal process to be issued after the tirst 
Monday of April next, shall be styled of Summit 
County, instead of Portage, Medina or Stark County. 

Sec 3. That on the tirst Monday of April next, 
the legal voters residing within the limits of the 
County of Summit, shall assemble in their respect- 
ive townships, at the usual places of holding elec- 
tions, and proceed to elect their different county 
officers in the same manner pointed out in the act 
to regulate elections, who shall hold their offices 
until the next annual election, and until their suc- 
cessors are chosen and qualified. 

Sec 4. It shall be The duty of the Commission- 
ers of said county of Summit, on or before the first 
day of June next, to take charge of all paupers, 
idiots and insane persons belonging to either of the 
townships included in said county of Summit, and 
now supported by either of the counties of Portage, 
Medina or Stark, and the same to maintain there- 
after at the proper expense of said Summit Count}'. 

Sec 5. The countj^ of Summit, for judicial pur- 
poses, is hereby attached to the Third Judicial Cir- 
cuit, and the first Court of Common Pleas to be 
holden in said county, shall commence its session 
in the town of Akron, on the second day of July 
next, and the second term of said court shall com- 
mence on the eighth day of December next. 

Sec. 6. That'' the Auditor of State in the re-ap- 
apportionment of the surplus revenue received from 
the General Government, according to the enumer- 
ation of the year 1839, shall apportion to the county 
of Summit "that snnount, which according to the 
enumeration of the several townshii^s taken from 
the Counties of Portage, Medina and Stark, said 
county will l)e entitled to receive, wliicli revenue 
shall be paid to the order of the Fund Commis- 
sioners of said county on the first day of January. 
1841. Provided, If within three months from said 
first day of January, 1841, said Fund Commission- 



ers do not draw for said revenue, the Auditor of 
State shall be governed in the disposition of the 
same by the first section of the act to provide for 
the distril)ution and investment of the State's pro- 
portion of the surplus revenue, pas.sed March 88, 
1837. 

Sec 7. That in all elections for members of Con- 
gress, the count}' of Summit shall be attached to the 
Fifteenth Congressional District. 

Thomas J. Buchanan, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
William McLAr(;iii,[N, 
Speaker of the Senate. 

As soon as the news of the final passage of 
the bill erecting the new county reached Akron, 
by the arrival of the overland mail from Co- 
lumbus, on Monday evening, March 2, 1840, 
(the bill having passed the Senate the previous 
Saturday, February 28, though not engrossed 
and signed by the Speakers of the two houses 
until March 3), there being no railroads or tele- 
graphs in those days, an impromptu jollifica- 
tion took place, which is thus graphically de- 
scribed in one of the local journals of the da}' : 
'' With the rapidity of lightning, the news was 
spread from house to house, and in less than 
half an hour the whole town was in motion. 
Cheers, congratulations, bonfires and illumina- 
tions were the order of the day, while the deep- 
toned thunder of our cannon continued to pro- 
claim the birth of the new count}' to all the 
surrounding country. Such a spontaneous and 
universal burst of feeling has seldom been wit- 
nessed under any circumstances. It was a 
scene to be looked upon, but cannot be de- 
scribed ; such a noise as the shrouds make at 
sea in a stiff tempest, as loud, and to as many 
tunes. Hats, caps and cloaks, I think, flew up, 
and, had their faces then been loose, this night 
had lost them." In fact, the recollection of 
the writer is to-day vivid and distinct, looking 
back through the dim vista of the forty-one 
intervening years, that through the entire night, 
" until broad daylight in the morning," both 
solid and liquid jollity and liappiness prevailed. 
Nor did the citizens of Akron confine the re- 
joicing over the glorious result to themselves 
alone, but immediately took the initiatory 
steps for a general new county celebration on 
Wednesday, March 4. A committee of twelve 
citizens of Akron and one from each town- 
ship was appointed, and measures taken to 
spread the '' glad tidings " as widely as possi- 
ble. Dr. Jedediah D. Commins was made 
President of the day ; Col. James W. Phillips, 



;t^ 



'll 



.k 



230 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Col. Justus Gale and Jacob Brown, Esq., of j 
Akron, and Col. Frederick A. Sprague and i 
Benjamin Rouse, Esq., of Kichfield, and Col. ; 
Solomon Markham, of Green, Vice Presidents ; 
Gen. Lucius V. Bierce, of Akron, was consti- 
tuted Chief Marshal, with Col. Erastus Torrey 
and Maj. Ithiel Mills, of Akron, as assistants. 
A national salute was fired from the high 
ground between the two villages, North and i 
South Akron (the present court house site) at 
sunrise. The militar}^ display was very fine, 
being participated in by the Summit Guards, 
the Akron Light Infantry and Cavalry, the 
Copley Light Artillery, the Akron Band, under 
the leadership of Mr. Henry S. Abbey, and the 
Military Band, under the lead of Capt. Cleve- 
land. The procession of several thousand men 
and boys, after marching through several 
streets, was joined by a large cortege of ladies, 
dressed uniformly alike and carrying parasols, 
who took their position between the Committee 
of Arrangements and the military, and marched 
the balance of the route to the place of feast- 
ing, on the present court house grounds. After 
dinner (abundant and toothsome), the following 
regular toasts were announced and responded 
to by the firing of cannon, music and cheers : 
1. The Legislature of Ohio — They have at 
length done justice to themselves and us. Bet- 
ter late than never ! 2. Our Senator and Rep- 
resentatives — Many have done well, but, these 
have excelled them all ! 3. The County of 
Summit — An infant Hercules. Give him a 
wide berth, for he'll be a whopper ! 4. Our 
Struggle — Almost another Trojan siege. The 
pangs and throes it has cost our parents to 
bring us forth are a certain presage of future 
greatness. 5. Akron — Look at her as she was, 
as she is, and as she iviU be ! 6. Our Young 
County — The pride of our affections ; unsur- 
passed in the elements of future greatness ; al- 
ready populous and wealthy. If such is its 
childhood, what will it be when it becomes a 
man? 7. Portage, Stark aiul Medina — Among 
them they have hatched a young eagle, full- 
fledged and on the wing. She will soar above 
them all ! 8. The Buckeye State — A germ of 
future empire, marching right ahead in the road 
of prosperity. She will not be turned aside 
from the high destiny that awaits her. 9. Our 
Canals and Public Improvements— \t such 
things be done in the green tree, what will be 
done in the dry? 10. The Late Meeting at 



Ravenna — Malignity feeding on envy ; daws 
pecking at eagles ; a striking instance of folly 
re-acting on itself ! 11. The Memory of Greg- 
ory Powers — We mourn the untimely fate of 
this patriot, statesman and jurist. His memory 
will long be cherished in the county of Summit, 
his native and resting place. 12. The memory 
of George Washington — The greatest and best 
man ever produced in the tide of time. When 
nature had formed him, she broke the mold, that 
he might stand peerless and alone ! 13. The 
Ladies of Summit — It is the summit of our ambi- 
tion to stand in the summit of their affections ! 
At the conclusion of the regular toasts, volun- 
teer toasts were oflfered by Benjamin Rouse, 
Esq., of Richfield ; Gen. Samuel D. Harris, of 
Ravenna ; Hiram Bowen, Esq., editor of the 
Beacon, Akron ; Dr. Joseph Cole, Akron ; Col. 
Justus Gale, Akron ; Maj. Ithiel Mills, Akron ; 
Col. Erastus Torrey, Akron ; Capt. Philo 
Chamberlin, Akron ; John Hunsberger, Esq., of 
Green ; Dr. Jedediah D. Commins, Akron ; 
Julius A. Sumner, of Springfield ; Robert K. 
Dubois, Akron ; Col. James W. Phillips, Ak- 
ron ; Dr. Asa Field, Akron, and others. These 
" sentiments " would, no doubt, be interesting 
to the readers of these pages, but are altogether 
too voluminous for the space at our disposal 
in this chapter. In the evening, a convivial 
party partook of a very fine supper at the 
Ohio Exchange (present site of Woods' Block, 
corner of Main and Market streets), and, says 
the local reporter. " the day was closed with- 
out accident or other untoward circumstance 
to mar the festivities, amid bonfires and every 
demonstration of joy. The 4th of March, 1840, 
will long be remembered in Akron ! " 

In accordance with the provisions of the bill 
to organize the new county, an election for 
county officers was held on the first Monday of 
April, 1840, both Whigs and Democrats placing 
tickets in the field, the Whigs securing the as- 
cendency, and electing their entire ticket as 
follows : 

Commissioners — John Hoy, of Franklin ; 
Jonathan Starr, of Copley, and Augustus E. 
Foote, of Twinsburg. 

Auditor — Birdsey Booth, of Cuyahoga Falls. 

Treasurer — William O'Brien, of Hudson. 

Recorder — -Alexander Johnston, of Green. 

Sheriff"— Thomas Wilson, of Northfield. 

Prosecuting Attorney — George Kirkum, of 
Akron. 



s 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



231 



Coroner — Elisha Hinsdale, of Norton. 

Real Estate Appraiser — Frederick A. Sprague, 
of Kichfield. 

Assistant Appraisers — Milo Stone, of Tall- 
madge, and Thomas E. Jones, of Franklin. 

The Clerlv of tlie Court of Common Pleas, 
was at that time appointed by the Judges of 
the Court ; the Judges, in turn, being appointees 
of the Legislature. The offices of Probate 
Judge and County Surve^-ors were then un- 
known among the County officials of Ohio. 

Having given the requisite notice, the Com- 
missioners elect, Messrs Hoy, Starr and Foote, 
met, according to the record, at " McDonald's 
Tavern," northeast corner of Main and Ex- 
change streets (a portion of the same buikling 
still remains standing in the same site), on the 
9th da}' of April, 1840, for the organization of 
the county offices. The Commissioners having 
had the usual oath of office administered to them 
l)y the one of Justices of the Peace of Portage 
Township, one of their number administered a 
similar oath to the other officers elect, and the 
organization of the county was complete. 

At this meeting, proposals for the I'ent of 
rooms for county offices and court purposes, 
pending the permanent location of the seat of 
justice, and the erection of county buildings, 
were received from Jacob Brown, Esq., for 
May's Block, corner of Main and Exchange 
streets, now the Clarendon Hotel, owned by F. 
Schumacher, Esq. ; Benjamin W. Stephens, 
Esq., for his three-story brick block on South 
Main street, now part of Merrill's Pottery, and 
from Hii-am Payne, Esq.. for the upper part of 
the large three-story stone block, corner of 
Howard and JMarket streets, on the site now oc- 
cupied by the fine brick stores of M. W. Henry, 
Esq., and Major E. Steinbacher. 

At a subsequent meeting of the Commission- 
ers, held on the 11th day of ^lay, the proposi- 
tion of Mr. Payne was accepted, the large room 
in the third story, afterward for several years 
known as " Military Hall," being used as a 
court-room, with entrance from Market sti'cet, 
the southeast corner of the hall being partitioned 
off for a jail, the county offices being located in 
other portions of the second and thii'd stories 
of the building. 

The Locating Commissioners, ^lessrs. Will- 
iard,McConnell and Sal)in, assembled in Akron 
and entered upon the task assigned to them 
about the middle of 3Lay, 1840. In the mean- 



time, not onl}' had a sharp rivalry sprung up 
between North and South Akron for the prize, 
but Cuyahoga Falls also put forth a vigorous 
effort to wrest it from both, claiming, with a 
good degree of plausibility and justice, not only 
superior water-power for manufacturing pur- 
poses, but also to be considerably nearer to the 
geographical center of the county than Akron 
was ; and also claiming for that village superi- 
or healthfulness, and a more advantageous lo- 
cation for the building-up of a large manufact- 
uring town or city, while the completion of the 
Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal, then about to 
be opened through from Akron to the Ohio 
River, would give them transportation facilities 
fully equal to those of Akron. 

At that time, too, " The Portage Canal and 
Manufacturing Company." with a capital stock 
of $500,000, was in the full tide of " prospective " 
prosperity. The managers of that corporation 
claimed that on the consummation of their 
project of bringing the entire waters of the 
Big Cuyahoga River, through the race they 
were then constructing, to " Summit Citv," 
now known under the chaste and classical name 
of the " Chucker}'," just north of the present 
limits of the citj- of Akron, and one of its most 
pleasant suburbs, a great manufacturing town 
— a second Lowell — would immediately spring 
into existence. As a compromise, therefore, 
between Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, as well as 
in its own behalf, and in the intei'ests of the 
people of the county at large, the " Chuckery " 
put in its claim for the location of the seat of 
justice of the new county within its borders, 
and, through its officers, urged the advantages 
of the location upon the attention of the Com- 
missioners. 

After visiting and fully examining the sev- 
eral localities named, and patieatlv listening to 
the arguments of the several claimants, pro and 
con, the Commissioners decided unanimously in 
favor of Akron, and accordingly proceeded, in 
the presence of a large concourse of interested 
and jubilant spectators, to stick the stakes for 
the county buildings upon the " gore " (where 
they still stand), then a wedge-shaped piece of 
unplatted land between North and South Akron, 
belonging to Gen. Simon Perkins, of Warren, 
the father of our present venerable fellow-citi- 
zen. Col. Simon Perkins, of Akron. 

The people of Akron were, of course, greatly 
elated over the decision of the Commissioners 






h 



^H 



A-. 



232 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



in their favor, and as tlie buildings liad been 
located upon neutral ground, about as t»con- 
venient to the one as to the other, local jeal- 
ousies were for the time being subordinated to 
the common weal, and the people of the two 
rival villages, cordially " shaking hands across 
the yore-y chasm," set themselves vigorously 
and unanimously at work to raise the neces- 
sary amount of money and materials to con- 
struct the public buildings, which, together 
with the grounds, were to be provided free of 
expense to the tax-payers of the county. The 
land was donated by Gen. Perkins, by deed re- 
ceived by the Commissioners, July 14, 1840, 
and the building fund was raised by voluntary- 
contributions ; the contract for the erection of 
the court house and jail being entered into be- 
tween the Count}' Commissioners and Simon 
Perkins, Jr., and others, as Trustees, on the 
24th da}' of September, 1840. The sub-con- 
tractors, Maj. Ithiel Mills, of Akron, upon the 
court house, and Sebbeus Saxton, of Norton, 
upon tlie jail, commenced work at once, the 
foundations of both structures being completed 
before the closing in of winter the same 3'ear. 
The term of Mr. Perkins, as State Senator, 
having expired, Elisha N. Sill, Esq., of Cuya- 
hoga Falls, was chosen as his successor in Oc- 
tober, 1840. Though Mr. Sill, in behalf of the 
people of Cuyahoga Falls, had made a valiant 
tight for the location of the seat of justice within 
the limits of that enterprising village, there 
was very little if any opposition made to his 
nomination and election by the people of Akron, 
for the reason that it was supposed that, the 
location having been legally and fairl}- made, 
and the public buildings commenced, ajfinality 
had been reached, and that the arrangement 
could not be disturbed. Through the influence 
of Senator Sill, however, aided largely by the 
same interests, if not the same men, that had 
opposed the erection of the new county the 
3'ear before, the question of location was re- 
opened, during the winter of 1840-41, Summit 
County's Representative in the House, Hon. 
Henry 0. AVeaver, of Springfield, making a 
vigorous but unsuccessful opposition against 
the scheme. The following is the new act in 
relation to the matter : 

An Act to Review and Estabt.isii the Seat of 
Justice of Summit County : 
Section 1 . Be it enncted by the Oeneral Assembly 
of the State of Ohio: That Jacob C. Hoaglaud, of 



Highland County, Valentine "Winters, of Montgom- 
ery .County, and William Kendall, of Scioto County, 
be, and they are, hereby appointed Commissioners 
to review the scat of justice of Summit County; and 
if, in their opinion, the public interest requires it, 
t ) relocate said seat of justice at such point in said 
connty of Summit as they may deem most in ac- 
cordance with the put)lic interest and convenience; 
and said Commissioners shall be governed, in all 
their doings, by an act passed February 3, 1824, es- 
tablishing seats of justice. 

Sec 2." That if the above-named Commissioners 
shall, upon review, change the location of said 
county seat, all su))scriptions of money and land, 
and ail bonds shall be void which have been made 
to the County Commissioners of said Summit 
County, and which were conditioned upon the loca- 
tion of the county seat at its present location; and 
all sums of money or other propertj', if any, which 
may have been paid on account of said subscrip- 
tions to the Commissioners of said Summit County, 
shall be repaid by the Commissioners to the said 
subscribers having so paid the same; or if said 
money or other property has been expended by said 
Commissioners according to law, the same shall be 
repaid, as above, out of the subscriptions provided 
for in the third section of this act; and the property 
for which said expenditures may have been made 
shall be appropriated by said Commissioners toward 
erecting the county buildings of said county where 
the county seat shall be relocated. 

Sec 3. That the above-named Commissioners 
shall be authorized to receive subscriptions, payable 
to the Connty Commissioners, for the purpose of 
erecting county buildings for said Summit County, 
and said Committee of review, hereby appointed, 
shall relocate said county seat only upon condition 
that said county buildings shall be erected b}' such 
subscriptions at the place where said committee 
shall so relocate. 

Sec 4. That each of said Commissioners shall 
receive the sum of |3 for each day he may be em- 
ployed in the discliarge of his duties under this act, 
and |3 for each twenty miles travel in going to and 
returning from the seat of justice of said county, to 
be paid out of the treasury of said county. 
Seabuky Ford, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
William M. McLaughlin, 

March 25, 1841. ^i'"'^'''' ^^ *^'' ^''"'*''- 

The reviewing Commissioners, Messrs. Hoag- 
land. Winters and Kendall, came upon the 
ground early in the summer of 1841. After 
examining the several localities named, they 
resolved themselves into a high court of inqui- 
I'y, at the stone church — then Universalist, 
now Baptist — on North High street, when the 
claims of the different points were exhaustively 
argued before them by the following gentle- 
men, viz.: Hon. R. P. Spalding, for Akron; 
Hon. E. N. Sill, for Cuyahoga Falls, and Dr. 
E. W. Crittenden, for Summit City: the church. 



*:?1; 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



233 



throughout, being crowded to its utmost capac- 
ity by tlie anxious, and, at times, demonstra- 
tive, baclvers of the respective speakers. After 
listening to the able and eloquent addresses 
from the gentlemen named, and " sleeping over 
it " during an intervening night, the committee 
proceeded the next morning to the " chuckery," 
and, upon the first narrow bench of level land 
north of the Little Cuyahoga River, at a point 
about where the house of Mr. 11. A. Grimwood 
now stands, commenced measuring off the 
ground and formally sticking the stakes for 
the count}' buildings, in the presence of a large 
crowd of interested, as well as indignant specta- 
tors. While thus engaged. Dr. Daniel Upson, of 
Tallmadge, who, though living and having large 
property interests somewhat nearer to Cuyaho- 
ga Falls than Akron, rather favored the latter 
place, rode up from the direction of Bettes' Cor- 
ners. After watching the proceedings for a 
few minutes, the old Doctor, with the emphatic 
tone of voice and the peculiar curl of lip, so 
characteristic of him when aroused, exclaimed : 
'■ Nobody but fools or knaves would think of 
locating county buildings in such a place as 
that!" 

The bluff old Doctors indignant remax'k so 
aroused the ire of the majority of the Commis- 
sioners, already probaljly somewhat prejudiced 
against xlkron, that they forthwith gathered up 
their locating paraphernalia and drove straight 
to Cuyahoga Falls, where they struck the stakes 
for the county buildings, on the very handsome 
site now occupied by the Congregational 
Church, on the south side of Broad street, and 
between Broad and Second streets east and 
west. 

The relocating committee were not unani- 
mous, however, as will be seen by the following 
extract from the journal of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas of July 23. 1841 : 

In the matter of the revieio and relocation of the 
seat of justice for Suinmit County, Jacob C. Hoag- 
land and Valentine Winter.s, two of the Commis- 
sioner.s appointed by the Legislature to review and 
locate the seat of justice of Summit County, having 
returned to the oflfiee of the Clerk of this Court their 
joint report, and WiHiam Kendall, the other Com- 
missioner, having returned to the Clerk of this Court 
his separate report, this day George Kirkuni, Esq., 
a citizen and Prosecuting Attorney for said count}^ 
presented the same reports to the Coiu't, and moved 
that the report of said Hoagland and Winters be 
filed and entered of record. Whereupon, the Com- 
missioners of said county of Summit appear hy their 



attorney and object to the filing and entering of said 
reports of record, for various reasons by them set 
forth, and the parties were heard by counsel, and 
the Court, being ec(ually divided in opinion: It is 
ordered that the said George Kirkum, Esq,, take 
nothing by his said motion. 

The Court being thus divided as to the legal- 
ity of the proceedings, and the County Com- 
missioners also being divided in opinion on the 
same subject. Commissioner Foote favoring the 
majority report, and Messrs. Starr and Hoy the 
minority report, the county ofticers also assum- 
ing the prerogative of deciding, each for him- 
self, where his office should be kept. Auditor 
Booth establishing his headquarters at Cuya- 
hoga Falls, and Treasurer O'Brien having his 
main office at the Falls, though maintaining a 
branch office in Akron, no further action was 
had in regard to the public buildings, the work 
already commenced in Akron remaining in statu 
quo until the following year. 

At the October election, in 1841, the county- 
seat question being the issue, Rufus P. Spald- 
ing and Simon Perkins, Jr., were elected to the 
Legislature, Summit Count}* that year being en- 
titled to two members of the House, Represent- 
atives, under the old constitution, being elected 
annually, instead of bienniall}', as now. Sen- 
ators, then, as now, being elected for two years. 
Mr. Sill of course held his position during the 
session of 1841-42. Through the exertions of 
Messrs. Spalding and Perkins, the following 
fjill, submitting the question to popular vote, 
was enacted, the filibustering tactics to retard 
and defeat it being much less determined and 
persistent in the House than upon the original 
bill for the erection of the new county, but vig- 
orousl}' opposed in the Senate, the vote stand- 
ing, in the House, 3'eas, 45 ; na3's, 19 ; and in 
the Senate, 3'eas, 20 ; nays, 16, on the final pas- 
sage of the bill, as follows : 

An Act to establish permanently the Seat of 
Justice of Summit County: 
Section 1. Be it enacted hi/ the General Assembly 
of the State of Ohio: That the (pialified electors of 
Summit County shall be authorized to express their 
preference for either Akron, or Cuj^ahoga Falls, as 
the seat of justice for said coiuity, by placing on 
their ticket.s', at the township elections, to be held 
on the first Monda.y of April ne.xl, the words: "Seat 
of Justice at Akroii," or, "Seat of Justice at Cuya- 
hoga Falls," as their choice maj' be; and it shall be 
the duty of the Trustees or Judges of the Election, 
in the several townships in said county, to make re- 
turn of the said votes in regard to the seat of justice 
within three da^'s thereafter to the Clerk of the 



IV 



231 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Court of Common Pleas of said county, whose duty 
it shall be to canvass said votes, in the same man- 
ner that by law he is required to canvass votes for 
State and county officers. 

Sec. 2. ff eitlier one of said towns shall receive a 
majorit}^ of all the votes given, the same shall be 
thenceforward the permanent seat of justice for 
said (;ounty of Summit; but if neither shall receive 
such majority, then, and in that case, the subject 
shall remain open for the future action of the Gen- 
eral Assembly. 

Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of said Clerk to return 
to the Coui't of Common Pleas of said county, next 
to be held after the said election, an abstract of said 
votes, duly certified, that tiie same may be entered 
upon the journal of said court. 

Sec. 4. Nothing herein contained shall be so con- 
strued, as to release, or in any way discharge any 
subscription of land, money, or materials lieretofore 
made, for the pm-pose of erecting a court house and 
jail at the place that may be selected by the people 
as the permanent seat of justice for said county. 

Sec. 5. The electors of Summit County shall be 
notified of the passage of this act. by publication of 
the same in some newspaper printed in said county, 
at least two weeks previous to said election. 

Rupus P. Spalding, 
Speaker of the House of RepresentaUves. 
James J. Fakan, 

March 2, 1842. Speaker of the Senate. 

On the passage of this bill, a lively election- 
eering campaign immediately commenced, the 
different parties in interest holding meetings, 
making speeches, circulating documents, etc., 
in ever}- portion of the count}', the activity and 
bitterness of a modern political campaign be- 
ing moderation and mildness itself compared 
with it. 

The result of the active measures thus taken, 
was a very full vote, almost two-thirds declar- 
ing in favor of Akron, as will be seen by the 
fcjUowing abstract taken from the journal of 
the Court of Common Pleas, May term, 1842, 
as certified to by Lucian Swift, Esq., Clerk of 
said court. 

To the Honorable, the Court of Common Pleas of 
the County of Summit, next to be holden in and for 
said county: I do hereby certify that the following 
is the a!)stract of votes given for the seat of justice 
of said county, at the election held on the lirst Mon- 
day of April, 1842, pursuant to an act of the Gen- 
eral Assembly entitled "an act to establish perma- 
nently the seat of Justice for Summit County," 
passed March 2, 1842, as the same were returned to 
me by the township authorities, respectively, and 
as the same were canvassed; as witness my hand 
and seal of office, this sixth day of April A. I). 1842. 
Lucian Swift, Clerk [Seal]. 

State of Ohio, Summit County, ss. : 

We do hereby certify that at an election held on 
the 4t]! day of April, inst., in pursuance of a law 



passed by the Fortieth General Assembly of the State 
of Ohio, entitled "An act to establish permanently 
the seat of justice of Summit County" there were 
two thousand, nine hundred and seventy-eight votes 
given for the "seat of justice at Akron;" one 
thousand, three hundred and eighty -four votes given 
for the "seat of justice at Cuyahoga Falls;" one 
hundred and one votes given for the "seat of jus- 
tice at Summit," two votes "North Akron" and 
twent.y-two blanks. 

H. II. Johnson, Justice of the Peace. 

L. L. Howard, Justice of the Peace. 

Lucian Swift, Clerk of Court of Common 
Pleas for Summit County. 
April 6, A. D. 1842. 

abstract of votes. 





Akron. 


y- r. 

6 


S --3 




c 


Bath 


191 

66 

271 

232 

250 

289 

16 

29 

30 

295 

621 

153 

348 

6 

181 


41 
54 

1 


2 
60 


1 




Boston 


'^ 


Copley 


1 


Coventry 








Franklin 


4 

1 

235 

132 

143 






1'^ 


Green 






'?, 


Hudson 








Northampton . . . 
Northfield 


7 
9 




2 


Norton 






Portage 


5 

16 

15 

361 

177 
199 


15 

1 


1 




Richfield 




Springfield 

Stow 




1 






1 


Tallmadge 

Twinsburg 


7 




1 










Total 


2978 


1384 


101 1 2 


2'>, 











For Akron 2978 

Total Opposition 1509 

Majority for Akron 1469 

The "vexed question" of location being now 
definitely settled, the public buildings were 
again proceeded with ; though, building opera- 
tions not being conducted as rapidly then as 
now, the}^ were not completed until late in the 
following 3'car, as will be seen by the following 
extract from the proceedings of the Count}' 
Commissioners, under date December 5, 1843: 

Dec. 5, 1843. Simon Perkins, Jr., Jedediah D. 
Commins and Richard Howe, the trustees for build- 
ing the court house and jail, and Ithiel Mills, the 
court house contractor, submitted the court house 
for inspection of the board for their acceptance. 

Dec. 6. Having examined the court house, the 
board proposed, as an offset to the general bad 
character of the work, which the building trustees 



37i' 



J^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



235 



fully admitted, to accept it, if the windows were 
made to work freely up and down, the doors better 
hung or fastened, and provided with more suitable 
latches and locks, and the windows in the Auditor's, 
Clerk's and Recorder's offices secured by iron blinds 
or shutters, made and fitted into them. 

The contractor on the jail, Mr. Sebbens Sax- 
ton, having died in August, 1841, on the final 
settlement of the question of location the con- 
tract was assumed by his younger brother, 
Mr. Harve}^ Saxton, and the structure com- 
pleted by him. Though the jail was accepted 
by the Commissioners, and though, at the time, 
it was regarded as well built, and as really a 
model institution of its kind, it did not prove 
to be remarkably safe, as the ver}^ first batch 
of prisoners, some eight or nine in number, 
confined therein, made their escape the very 
first night, by pushing from the wall one of 
the blocks of stone of which it was composed. 
This defect was subsequently remedied by the 
insertion of iron dowels, and no escapes from 
that cause have since been made, though often 
attempted. The jail building remains the same 
as when constructed, with the exception of the 
small brick wing upon the north side, added 
some thirty years ago, and some slight interior 
improvements. Though the doweling of the 
walls has prevented the prisoners from pushing 
out the blocks of stone, as in the instance 
named, at least a score of escapes have since 
been effected through other weak spots, and, 
from the experience which the writer has had 
therewith, he unhesitatingly affirms that both 
in a sanitar}^ point of view, as well as in the 
matter of safety and convenience, a new jail 
structure is an immediate and pressing public 
necessity. 

The court house, however, has been very 
raateriall}^ changed. The two wings, with the 
porch and sustaining columns in front, have 
been added upon the west end, and the smaller 
porch upon the east end, while the court-room 
and public offices have been correspondingly 
enlarged, the additions and improvements being 
authorized by a special act of the Legislature, 
passed March 29, 1867. The entire space upon 
the north side of the hall, upon the ground 
floor, is now occupied by the County Treasurer, 
greatl}' to the conA^enience of that officer, as 
well of the tax-paying public, the same space 
having originally been divided up into a grand 
jurj- room upon the west, the Sheriff's office 
upon the east, with the Treasurer's office in the 



center, only one- third its present dimensions. 
On the south side of the hall the Probate 
Judge formerly occupied the room upon the 
east end, now occupied by the Sheriff, the en- 
tire space now occupied by the Auditor's and 
Commissioner's oflices having been originally 
about equally divided between the Auditor, 
Clerk and liecorder. On the upper floor, a 
stairwa}^, ante-room and jury-room, occupj'ing 
about twelve feet of the east end of the build- 
ing, have been thrown into the court-room, 
greatly to the convenience of the court and bar 
and all persons having business thei'ein. The 
upper floor of the north wing is devoted to a 
jury-room and a consultation-room, and the 
lower floor to the joint use of the Recorder and 
Surveyor, while the upper floor of the south 
wing is occupied by the County Clerk, and the 
lower floor by the Probate Judge. Notwith- 
standing these improvements, taking increase 
of population and a corresponding increase of 
the public business, the present structure — to 
say nothing of its yearl}' increasing condition 
of dilapidation — is wholly inadequate to the 
public requirements, and Summit County can- 
not do itself a more important service than b}- 
immediately inaugurating a movement for the 
erection of a new court house — one that will 
not only be commensurate with the public 
necessities, but a credit, also, to the proverbial 
good taste and public spirit of its people. 

On the 5th day of March, 1851, Hosea Paul 
and others presented to the County Commis- 
sioners a numerously signed petition for the 
creation of the township of Cuyahoga Falls, 
and the board, being satisfied that the proper 
preliminary steps had been taken, unanimously 
granted the petition, the necessary territory', 
an average of about two miles square, being 
taken from the northeast corner of Portage, the 
northwest corner of Tallmadge, the southwest 
corner of Stow and the southeast corner of 
Northampton Townships, the incorporated vil- 
lage of Cuyahoga Falls also occupying a por- 
tion of said territor}'. 

The township of Middlebury was also, in 
like manner, erected in March, 1857, the nec- 
essary territory being taken fi'om Portage, 
Tallmadge, Springfield and Coventry. Subse- 
quently, the township of Middlebury became, 
by legal annexation, the Sixth Ward of the city 
of Akron, though still retaining a distinctive 
township organization, to the extent of electing 



^ 



236 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



for itself a Justice of tlie Peace and one Con- 
stable. 

Under the old constitution of Ohio, the local 
judiciary consisted of a Circuit or President 
Judge, having jurisdiction over from four to 
twelve counties, with three Associate Judges for 
each county, all of whom were appointed by 
the Legislature, their respective terms of office 
being seven years, "(/'so long tliey behave tcell." 
All Probate business was at that time trans- 
acted by Common Pleas Courts, one or more 
of the Associate Judges ofliciating for that pui*- 
pose, as occasion required, during vacation. 

Summit County on its organization became 
a part of the Third Judicial Circuit, embracing, 
as reconstructed under the act of April 11, 
1840, the counties of Ashtabula, Trumbull, 
Portage and Summit. Hon. Yan E. Humphre}', 
of Hudson, was the Presiding Judge of the 
Circuit on the accession of Summit thereto. 
Hon. Eben Newton, of Canfield, then in Trum- 
bull Count}', now Mahoning, succeeded Judge 
Humphrey at the expiration of his term in IS-t-l. 
Judge Newton resigned his position on the bench 
in the winter of 1846-47, and was succeeded 
by Hon. Benjamin F. Wade, of Jefferson, Ashta- 
bula Count}', who in turn resigned on being 
elected to the United States Senate March 15, 
1851, Gov. HeubenWood filling the vacancy by 
the appointment of Hon. (leorge Bliss, of Akron, 
who held the position onh' nntil the taking 
effect of the new constitution in February, 1852, 
Common Pleas Judges thereafter being elected 
by the people, one Judge only sitting in place 
of the three or four under the old rule. 

The first term of the Court of Common Pleas 
for the new county of Summit, convened in 
Akron on the 2d day of July, 1840, pre- 
sided over by Hon. Van E,. Humphrey, with 
Hon. Robert K. Dubois, of Akron, Hon. Charles 
Sumner, of Middlebury, and Hon. Hugh R. 
Caldwell, of Franklin, as Associate Judges: 
though considerable probate and other busi- 
ness, proper to be transacted in vacation, had 
previously been done by one or the other of the 
Associate Judges. 

In 1845, Judges Sumner and Dubois de- 
ceased, the former June 19 and the latter Oc- 
tober 14. They were succeeded b}' Hon. John 
B. Clark, of Hudson, and Hon. James R. Ford, 
of Akron ; Hon. Sylvester H. Thompson, of Hud- 
son, in turn succeeding Judge Clark, on the res- 
ignation of the latter in 1846. 



Judge Caldwell was succeeded by Hon. John 
Hoy, of Frankhn, in April, 1847. Hon. Samuel 
A. Wheeler, of Akron, also succeeding Judge 
Ford on the death of the latter gentleman, at 
the April term in 1849. 

Judge Wheeler resigning his position on 
leaving for California in the spring of 1850, 
Hon. Peter Yoris, of Bath, was appointed his 
successor ; Judges Thompson, Ho}^ and Yoris 
serving thenceforth until the taking effect of the 
new constitution in February, 1852. Though 
none of the Associate Judges named were bred 
lawyers, their duties, often delicate and intricate, 
were discharged to the general satisfaction of 
the people of the county during their respective 
terms of service. 

On the taking effect of the new constitution, 
in 1852, Summit Count}' was attached to the 
Second Subdivision of the Fourth Judicial Dis- 
trict of the State, this subdivision embracing 
Summit, Medina and Lorain Counties. Hon. 
Samuel Humphreville, of Medina, was elected 
Common Pleas Judge, in October, 1851, for five 
years, serving his full term. Hon. James S. 
Carpenter, of Akron, was elected Judge in Oc- 
tober, 1856, also serving his full term of five 
years. 

There appearing to be an excess of business 
upon the dockets of the several counties of the 
subdistrict, on petition of the members of the 
bar of said counties, an extra judgeship was 
created for said subdistrict, by an act passed 
by the Legislature in April, 1858. Hon. Will- 
iam H. Canfield, of Medina, was elected to said 
extra Judgeship in October, 1858, for five 
years. Legal business becoming largely dimin- 
ished, in the earlier years of the war, the extra 
judgeship was abolished, at the close of Judge 
Canfield's term, by an act of the Legislature, 
passed April 16, 1862. Hon. Stephenson 
Burke, of Elyria, was elected as Judge Carpen- 
ter's successor in October, 1861, and re-elected 
in 1866, but resigned the position and retired 
from the bench, about two years before the ex- 
piration of his second term. Hon. Washington 
W. Boynton, of Elyria, was appointed by Gov. 
Rutherford B. Hayes, in the spring of 1869, to 
fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation 
of Judge Burke, and at the expiration of the 
time for which he was appointed, in October, 

1871, was elected for five years, from May, 

1872, serving, besides the fraction of Judge 
Burke's term, a single full term only, because 



^ 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



237 



of his election to tlie Supreme Bench of Ohio, 
in October, 1S76. 

After the close of the war, legal business 
again began to accumulate, and, at length, be- 
came altogether too great for a single Judge to 
properly perform. An extra judgeship, for 
the Second Subdivision, was accordingl}' created 
by act of the Legislature, in the spring of 1870. 
Hon. Samuel W. McClure, of Akron, was elected 
to this new Judgeship, in October, 1870, serving 
to the end of his term, and declining to be a can- 
didate for a second term. Hon. Newell D. Tib- 
bals, of Akron, as Judge McClure's successoi", 
was elected in October, 1875, for five years, from 
Mav, 1876, and re-elected for a second term in 
October, 1880. Hon. John C. Hale, of Elyria, 
as Judge Boynton's successor, on the latter's 
accession to the Supreme Bench, was elected in 
October, 1876, taking his seat upon the bench 
in May, 1877, for the term of five years. 

It is. perhaps, proper to remark that, while 
the present judicial system of Ohio has been, 
generally, and particularh-, a vei'y great im- 
provement over the old system, though still 
^■ery far from perfect, the manner in which its 
functions ha^■e been performed b}' the several 
successive Judges of the Second Subdivision of 
the Fourth Judicial District, will take and 
hold a commanding rank in the judicial pro- 
ceedings of Ohio, or any sister State. 

As heretofore mentioned, up to the adoption 
of the new constitution, in 1851, the probate 
business of the State had been done by the 
Common Pleas Courts. Charles G. Ladd, of 
Akron, was elected Probate Judge of Summit 
Count}', in October 1851, for the term of three 
3-ears. Judge Ladd's health failing soon after 
his election to the office, Alvin C. Voris, Esq., 
was appointed as his Deputy Clerk, and, for the 
most part, performed the functions of the office 
until the death of Judge Ladd, in August, 1852. 
Roland 0. Hammond, of Akron, was appointed 
b}- Gov. Reuben Wood, to fill the vacancy oc- 
casioned by the deatli of Judge Ladd, to serve 
until the next annual election, and until his 
successor was elected and qualified. Constant 
Br3-an, of Akron, was elected in October, 1852, 
for the balance of Judge Ladd's term, two years. 
Noah M. Humphrey, of Richfield, was elected 
in 1854, and re-elected in 1857. holding the po- 
sition two full terms, of three years each. Will- 
iam M. Dodge, of Akron, was elected in October, 
1860, for three years, but died in July, 1861. 



Samuel A. Lane, of Akron, without solicita- 
tion on the part of either himself or his friends, 
was, on the 24th day of July, 1861, appointed 
and commissioned as Judge Dodge's successor, 
by Gov. William Dennison, but declined to ac- 
cept the honor. Asahel H. Lewis, of Akron, 
on petition of himself and friends, was then ap- 
pointed to fill the vacancy until the next gen- 
eral election. Stephen H. Pitkin, of Hudson, 
was elected in October, 1861, for the balance of 
Judge Dodge's term, two 3'ears ; re-elected in 
1863, and again in 1866, holding the office 
eight years. Ulysses L. Marvin, of xlkron, 
elected in October, 1869. and re-elected in 1872, 
serving two full terms of three 3-ears each. 
Samuel C. Williamson, of Akron, elected in 
October, 1875, and re-elected in 1878. 

On the first organization of the Court of 
Common Pleas, under the old constitution, in 
1840, at a special term, held April 9, Rufus P. 
Spalding, Esq., was appointed Clerk pro tem., 
and was re-appointed at the first regular ses- 
sion of said court, Jul}- 2, 1840 ; Clerks at that 
time being appointed b}- the Judges of the 
courts in which the}* were to serve, instead of 
being elected by the people, as now. Mr. 
Spalding held the office, his brother-in-law, Mr. 
Lucian Swift, acting as his deputy, until De- 
cember 14, 1840, when, tendering his resigna- 
tion as Clerk pro tem., Mr. Swift was appointed 
Clerk for the term of seven j^ears, resigning his 
office ten days before the expiration of his 
term, on the 3d da}' of December, 1847. Lu- 
cius S. Peck, of Akron, appointed to fill the 
vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Mr. 
Swift, December 3, 1847, and also for the full 
term of seven years. The adoption of the new 
constitution in 1851 brought Mr. Peck's term 
of office to a close after a service of about four 
years. Nelson B. Stone, of Akron, was elected 
first Clerk under the new Constitution, in Oc- 
tober, 1851, for three 3'ears, serving one term 
onl3-. Edwin P. Green, of Akron, elected in 
October, 1854, and re-elected in 1857, serving 
two full terms. John A. Means, of Northfield, 
was elected in October, 1860, for three years. 
In 1861, Clerk [Means entered the army, the 
duties of the office being performed by his 
son, Mr. Nathan A. Means, during the I'e- 
mainder of the term. Charles Rinehart, of 
Franklin, elected in October, 1863, and re- 
elected in 1866, serving two full terms of three 
years each. Capt. John A. Means was again 



238 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



elected in October, 1864, serviug a single term 
onl}'. George W. Weeks, of Copley, was elected 
in October, 1872, and re-elected in 1875, serv- 
ing two full terms. Sumner Nash, of Akron, 
elected in October, 1878, for three years from 
February, 1879. 

William M. Dodge, of Akron, was elected 
Prosecuting Attorney at the first election for 
county officers held in the new county, in 
April, 1840, and i-e-elected in October of the 
same year for two years. George Kirkum, of 
Akron, was elected in October, 1842, serving a 
single term of two years only. William S. C. 
Otis, of Akron, was elected in October, 1844, 
also serving but one term. Samuel W. Mc- 
Clure, of Cuyahoga Falls, was elected in Octo- 
ber, 1846, serving but a single term. William 
H. Upson, of Akron, was elected in October, 
1848, holding the position but two years. 
Harvc}' Wheedon, of Hudson, was elected in 
October, 1850, also retiring at the end of two 
years. Sidney Edgerton, of Akron, was elected 
in October, 1852, and re-elected in 1854, holding 
the office four years. Henrj' McKinney, of 
Cuyahoga Falls, was elected in October, 1856, 
and re-elected in 1858. N. D. Tibbals, of 
Akron, was elected in October, I860, and re- 
elected in 1862. Mr. Tibbals going into the 
100-days service in 1864, E. P. Green was ap- 
pointed, and served as Prosecuting Attorney 
ad interim. Edward Oviatt, of Akron, was 
elected in October, 1864, and re-elected in 1866. 
Jacob A. Kohler, of Akron, was elected in Oc- 
tober, 1868, and re-elected in 1870. Henry C. 
Sanford, of Akron, was elected in October, 
1872, retaining the office but a single term. 
James M. Poulson, of Akron, was elected in 
October, 1874, holding the position but a single 
term. P]dward W. Stuart, of Akron, was elected 
in October, 1876, and re-elected in 1878, serv- 
ing two full terms. Charles Baird, of Akron, 
was elected in October, 1880. 

Thomas Wilson, of Northfield, was elected 
Sheriff in April, 1840, to serve until the next 
annual election ; was re-elected in October, 
1840, and again in 1842, serving, in all, four 
years and seven months, notwithstanding the 
constitutional provision that no Sheriff shall 
serve more than four years, in any consecutive 
six years — a provision for which no reason can 
be assigned that would not equally apply to any 
other county or State official. Lewis M. Janes, 
of Boston, elected in October, 1844 ; re-elected 



in 1846. William L. Clarke, of Middlebury, 
elected in October, 1848 ; re-elected in 1850. 
Dudley Seward, of Tallmadge, elected in Octo- 
ber, 1852 ; re-elected in 1854. Samuel A. 
Lane, of Akron, elected in October, 1856, and 
re-elected in 1858. During his first term, the 
law was changed so as to give Sheriffs elect 
possession of their offices on the first Monday 
of Januar}' instead of the first Monday of 
November, after their election, so that the con- 
stitution was again " fractured " by this incum- 
bent holding the office four years and two 
months, though supposed to have been mended 
by his filing a new bond for the extra two months. 
Jacob Chisnell, of Green, elected in October, 
1860 ; re-elected in 1862. James Burlison, of 
Middlebury, elected in October, 1864 ; re-elected 
in 1866. Augustus Curtiss, of Portage, elected 
in October, 1868, and re-elected in 1870. 
Levi J. McMurray, of Franklin, elected in Oc- 
tober, 1872 ; and re-elected in 1874. Samuel 
A. Lane, after an interregnum of sixteen years, 
then sixty-one years of age, was again elected 
Sheriff in October, 1876, and re-elected in 1878, 
holding the position, in all, eight years, a dis- 
tinction accorded to no other incumbent of the 
office in the history of the county. William 
McKinney, of Twinsburg, elected in October, 
1880. 

Birdsey Booth, of Cu3'ahoga Falls, was 
elected County Auditor in April, 1840, to serve 
until the next annual election, and re-elected in 
October, 1840, for the term of two years. The- 
ron A. Noble, of Middlebury, elected in Octo- 
ber, 1842 ; re-elected in 1844 and again in 
1846, serving in all six 3'ears. Nathaniel W. 
Goodhue, of Middlebury, elected in October, 
1848 ; re-elected in 1850. Henr}' Newberry, of 
Cuyahoga Falls, elected in October, 1852, serv- 
ing but a single term. Charles B. Bernard, of 
Akron, elected in October, 1854 ; re-elected in 
1856. George W. Crouse, of Akron, elected in 
October, 1858, and re-elected in 1860. Treasur- 
er, Sullivan S. Wilson, having resigned his office, 
the Count}" Commissioners appointed Mr. Crouse 
to fill the vacancy, to serve from the 16th of Feb- 
ruary, 1863, till the first Monday of the follow- 
ing September, Mr. Crouse resigning his position 
as Auditor (m his accession to the treasurershi p. 
Sanford M. Burn ham, of Akron, elected in 
October, 1862. Two weeks before the time 
fixed by law for taking possession, Mr. Burn- 
bam was appointed by the County Commis- 



3<i: 



J^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUi^TY. 



239 



sioners to fill the vacancy occasioned b^'^ the 
resignation of Auditor Grouse to take the 
treasurership. Mr. Burnham was successiA^ely 
re-elected in 1864, 1866 and 1868. B.y act of 
the Legislature, passed April 18, 1870, the time 
for taking possession of the office was changed 
from the first of March to the second Monday 
of November, the then incumbents holding over 
until that time. Before the expiration of his 
term, as thus extended, Mr. Ijurnham was 
chosen to represent the people of Summit 
County in the State Legislature, and resigned 
his position as Auditor October 9, 1871, hav- 
ing served in all nearly eight years and eight 
months. Hosea Paul, of Cuyahoga Falls, was 
appointed b}' the Commissioners to fill the va- 
cancy occasioned by the resignation of Auditor 
Burnham, from October 9 until the second 
Tuesday in November. 1871 ; Mr. Burnham, 
however, continuing to perform the duties of 
the office as Mr. Paul's clerk, until the close of 
the term. Edward Buckingham, of Middle- 
bury, was elected in October, 1871, and suc- 
cessively re-elected in 1873, 1875 and 1877, 
the last time for three years, an act changing 
the term of service from two to three j'ears, 
having been passed March 28, 1877, being in 
continuous service nine 3'ears ; Aaron Wag- 
oner, of Akron, elected in October, 1880. 

William O'Brien, of Hudson, was elected 
County Treasurer, April, 1840, to serve until 
the next annual election, and re-elected for two 
3-ears in October, 1840, dying before the expi- 
ration of his term, in February, 1842 ; Greorge 
Y. Wallace, of Northfield, was appointed by 
the County Commissioners, February 15, 1842, 
to fill the vacancy occasioned b}' the death of 
Treasurer O'Brien ; Milton Arthur, of North- 
field, elected in October, 1842, re-elected in 
1844, and again in 1846; William H. Dewey, 
of Akron, elected in October, 1848, holding the 
office for one term only ; Frederick Wadsworth, 
of Akron, elected in October, 1850, also serv- 
ing but a single term ; Chester W. Rice, of 
Cu3-ahoga Falls, elected in October, 1852, oue 
term only ; Houston Sisler. of Franklin, elected 
in October, 1854, and re-elected in 1856 ; Sul- 
livan S. Wilson, of Northampton, elected in 
October, 1858, and re-elected in 1860, resign- 
ing his office in Februar}-, 1863 ; Treasurers 
under the law, not taking possession of their 
offices until the first Monday in September 
(nearly a j'ear) after their election ; George W. 



Crouse, of Akron, appointed by the Commis- 
sioners to fill the vacancy occasioned bj' the 
resignation of Treasurer Wilson, to serve from 
February 16, 1863, till the first Monday of the 
following September, a little over seven months; 
Israel E. Carter, of Akron, elected in October, 
1862, and re-elected in 1864 ; Arthur L. Con- 
ger, of Boston, elected in October, 1866, and 
re-elected in 1868 ; Schuyler R. Oviatt, of 
Richfield, elected in October, 1870, and re- 
elected in 1872 ; David R. Paige, of Akron, 
elected in October, 1874, and re-elected in 1876 ; 
Henry C. Viele, of Akron, elected in October, 
1878, and re-elected in 1880. 

[Note. — Under the present State Constitu- 
tion, Count}^ Treasurers, like Sheriffs, are pro- 
hibited from serving more than four 3'ears in 
an}' consecutive six years, a provision for whicli 
it is difficult to find a good and valid reason.] 

Alexander Johnston, of Green, was elected 
County Recorder in April, 1840, and again for 
a full term of three 3-ears in October, of the 
same year ; Nahum Fa^', of Akron, was elected 
in October, 1843, and re-elected in 1846; Jared 
Jennings, of New Portage, was elected in Oc- 
tober, 1849, serving one term onl}- ; Henr^' 
Purdy, of Springfield, was elected in October, 
1852, and re-elected in 1855 ; Philip P. Bock, 
of Akron, elected in October, 1858, and re- 
elected in 1861 ; James A. Lantz, of Akron, 
elected in October, 1864, and re-elected in 
1867 ; Grenville Thorp, of Bath, elected in Oc- 
tober, 1870, and died before the expiration of 
his first term in Februar}^, 1872 ; Henry C. 
Viele, of Akron, appointed by the Count}- Com- 
missioners to fill the vacancy occasioned b}' the 
death of Recorder Thorp, to serve until the 
next annual election ; George H. Payne, of 
Akron, elected in October, 1872, and re-elected 
in 1875 ; Albert A. Bartlett, of Akron, elected 
in October, 1878. 

Russell H. Ashmun, ofTallmadge. was elected 
Count}' Survej'or, in April, 1840. and again elect- 
ed for a full term of three j'^ears, the following 
October ; Peter A^oris, of Bath, elected in Oc- 
tober, 1843, serving one term onl}' ; Frederick 
Seward, of Tallmadge, elected in October, 1846, 
also holding the office but one terra ; Dwight 
Newton, of Akron, elected in October, 1849, for 
one term onl}^ ; Schuyler R. Oviatt, of Rich- 
field, elected in October, 1852, for a single term 
onl}- ; Hosea Paul, of Cuyahoga Falls, elected 
in October, 1855, and re-elected successively in 



V3' 



[^ 



240 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



1858, 1861, 1864 and 1867, dying in June, 
1870, after continuously holding the office for 
nearly fifteen 3'ears ; Robert S. Paul, of Akron, 
appointed by the Commissioners to fill the 
vacancy occasioned by the death of his father, 
Hosea Paul, in June, 1870, and elected to the 
office in October of the same 3'ear ; Jacob 
Mishler, of Springfield, elected in October, 
1873, after qualifying, resigned without enter- 
ing upon the duties of the office ; Robert S. 
Paul, appointed by the Commissioners, Feb- 
ruary' 3, 1874, to fill the vacancy, until the 
next annual election ; John W. Seward, of 
Tallmadge, elected in October, 1874, serving a 
single term of three years only ; Robert S. Paul, 
of Akron, elected in October, 1877, and re- 
elected in 1880. 

Elisha Hinsdale, of Xorton, was elected 
County Coroner in April, 1840, and again in 
the following October for a full term of two 
years, and re-elected in 1842 ; Ithiel Mills, of 
Akron, elected in October 1844, and re-elected 
in 1846 ; Joseph T. Holloway, of Cu3'ahoga 
Falls, elected in October, 1848, holding a single 
term only ; John Nash, of 3Iiddlebury, elected 
in October, 1850, re-elected in 1852, died Sep- 
tember 7, 1853 ; Oliver E. Gross of Stow, elect- 
ed in October 1853. serving a single term only; 
William L. Clarke, of Akron, elected in Octo- 
ber, 1855, serving but one term ; Noah Inger- 
soll, of Coventry, elected in October, 1857, and 
re-elected in 1859 ; Joseph T. Holloway, of 
Cuyahoga Falls, elected in October, 1861, hold- 
ing as before, but a single terra ; Porter Gr. 
Somers, of Cuyahoga Falls, elected in October, 
1863, re-elected in 1865, and by reason of a lapse 
in the election of that officer, in 1867, holding 
over until the election of his successor in 1868 ; 
Oliver E. Gross, of Stow, elected in October, 
1868, and re-elected in 1870 ; Almon Brown, of 
Middlebury, elected in October, 1872, and suc- 
cessively re-elected in 1874, 1876, 1878 and 
1880. 

The following gentlemen have served as 
County Commissioners — Augustus E. Foote, 
of Twinsburg, from April, 1840, to December, 
1843 ; Jonathan Starr, of Coplev, from April, 
1840, to December, 1844 ; John Hoy, of Frank- 
lin, from April, 1840, to December, 1845 ; Mills 
Thompson, of Hudson, from December, 1843, 
to December, 1849 ; James W. Weld, of Rich- 
field, from December, 1844, to December, 1853 : 
Henry G. Weaver, of Springfield, from Decem- 



ber, 1845, to December, 1851 ; Edwin Wetmore, 
of Stow, from December, 1849, to December, 
1 858 ; Hiram Weston, of 3Iiddlebury, from De- 
cember, 1851, to December, 1854; James A. 
Metlin, of Norton, from December, 1853, to De- 
cember, 1856 ; Ambrose W. Bliss, of North- 
field, from December, 1854, to December, 1860 ; 
John S. Gilcrest, of Spiingfleld, from Decem- 
ber, 1856, to December, 1862 ; John McFarlin, 
of Bath, from December, 1858, to December. 
1861 ; Nelson Upson, of Twinsburg, from De- 
cember, 1860, to March, 1866. when he resigned ; 
George Buel, of Akron, from December, 1861, 
to Ma}-, 1864, when he resigned ; David E. 
Hill, of Middlebury, from December, 1862, to 
December, 1868 ; George D. Bates, of Akron, 
appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned by the 
resignation of Mr. Buel, from Mav, 1864. to 
December, 1864 ; Sidney P. Conger, of Boston, 
appointed to fill the vacancy occasioned b}' the 
resignation of Nelson Upson, from Ma}', 1866, 
to December, 1866 ; John McFarlin, of Bath, 
from December, 1864, to December, 1867 ; John 
C. Johnston, of Northampton, from December, 
1866, to December, 1872 ; George Sackett, of 
Cuyahoga Falls, from Decembei'. 1867, to De- 
cember, 1870 ; Orson M. Oviatt,' of Richfield, 
from December, 1868, to December, 1874 ; 
John Hill, of Norton, from December, 1870, to 
December, 1879; George W. Crouse, of Akron, 
from December, 1872, to December, 1875 ; Giles 
L'Hommedieu, of Cuyahoga Falls, from De- 
cember, 1874, to December, 1877 ; William Sis- 
ler, of Akron, elected in October, 1875, re- 
elected in October, 1878 ; Moses D. Call, of 
Stow, elected in October, 1877, and re-elected in 
October, 1880 ; Hiram Hart, of Richfield, 
elected in October, 1879. 

Summit County has been represented in the 
State Legislature by the following gentlemen : 
Rufus P. Spalding and Ephraim B. Hubbard, 
in office at time of erection of Summit County, 
winter of 1839-40 ; Henry G. Weaver, of Spring- 
field, elected October, 1840, term, one year ; 
Rufus P. Spalding and Simon Perkins, of Ak- 
ron, elected in October, 1841, for one year; 
Amos Seward, of Tallmadge, elected in Octo- 
ber, 1842; for one year ; John H. McMillen, of 
Middlebury, and Augustus E. Foote. of Twins- 
burg. elected in October, 1843, for one year ; 
George Kirkum, of Akron, elected in October, 
1844, for one year ; Hiram Bowen, of Akron, 
elected in October, 1845, for one year ; Alex- 



w 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



241 



fk* 



auder Johnston, of Grreen, elected in October, 
1 84G, for one 3'ear ; Peter Voris, of Bath, and 
Amos Seward of Tallmadge, elected in October, 
1847, for one 3'ear, Mr. Seward being elected 
as a " float," jointly- by Summit and Portage 
Counties ; Samuel W. McClure, of Cuyahoga 
Falls, elected in October, 1848, for one year ; 
Harvey B. Spelman, of Akron, elected in Octo- 
ber, 1849, for one year ; Nathaniel Finch, of 
Akron, elected in October, 1850, for one year. 
The new Constitution of Ohio, adopted in 1851, 
made the term of office for Representative two 
years instead of one year, as under the old Con- 
stitution. Noah M. Humphrey, of Richfield, 
elected in October, 1851, for two years ; Porter 
Gr. Somers, of Cuyahoga Falls, elected in October, 
185o, for two 3-ears ; Mendall Jewett, of Mog- 
adore, elected in October, 1855, for two years ; 
Ira P. Sperry, of Tallmadge, elected in October, 
1857, for two years ; Sylvester H. Thompson, 
of Hudson, and Alvin C. Voris, of Akron, 
elected in 1859, for two years ; John Johnston 
of Middlebury, elected in October, 1861, and 
re-elected in 1863, four years ; John Encell, of 
Cople}', elected in October, 1865, for two years ; 
William Sisler, of Franklin, elected in October, 
1867, for two years ; Alfred Wolcott, of Boston, 
elected in October, 1869, for two years : Sanford 
M. Burnham, of Akron, elected in October, 1871, 
for two years ; Hiram H. Mack, of Bath, elected 
in October, 1873, for two years ; Orrin P. 
Nichols, of Twinsburg, elected in October, 1875, 
but died before the expiration of his term, in 
1877 ; Hiram H. Mack, of Bath, again elected 
in October, 1877, for two years ; John Hill, of 
Norton, and Leonidas S. Ebright, of Akron, 
elected in October, 1879, for two years. 

The following have been State Senators from 
Summit and Portage Counties : Simon Per- 
kins, Jr., in office at time of erection of Summit 
County, in the winter of 1839-40 ; Elisha N. 
Sill, of Cuyahoga Falls, elected in October, 
1840, for twoj'ears ; John E. Jackson, of Port- 
age County, elected in October, 1842, for two 
years ; William Wetmore, of Stow, elected in 
October, 1844, fortwo3ears ; Asahel H. Lewis, 
of Portage County, elected in October, 1846, 
for two years ; Lucian Swift, of Akron, elected 
in October, 1848, for two years ; Darius Lyman, 
of Portage County, elected in October, 1850, 
for two years, but cut off at the end of one year 
by new constitution ; Ransom A. Grillette, of 
Portage County, elected in October, 1851, for 



two 3'ears ; William H. Upson, of Akron, elect- 
ed in October, 1853, for two 3-ears ; Oliver P. 
Brown, of Portage Count}', elected in October, 
1855, for two years ; George P. Ashmun, of 
Hudson, elected in October, 1857, for two years ; 
James A. Garfield, of Portage Count}^, elected 
in October, 1859, for two 3'ears ; Lucius Y. 
Bierce, of Akron, elected in October, 1861, for 
two 3'ears ; Luther Da3', of Portage .bounty, 
elected in October, 1863, but, being placed in 
nomination as a Judge of the Supreuie Court, 
in 1864, resigned his position as State Senator ; 
Alphonso Hart, of Portage Count3', elected in 
October, 1864, for one year, to fill vacanc}' 
caused b3' resignation of Senator Day ; Newell 
D. Tibbals, of Akron, elected in October, 1865, 
for two years ; Philo B. Conant, Of Portage 
County, elected in October, 1867, for two years, 
but resigned after serving one year ; William 
Stedman, of Portage County, elected in Octo- 
ber, 1868, for one 3'ear, to fill vacanc3' ; Henr3'' 
McKinney, of Akron, elected in October, 1869, 
for two 3^ears ; Alphonso Hart, of Portage 
County, elected in October, 1871, for two 3'ears ; 
Nathaniel W. Goodhue, of Akron, elected in 
October, 1873, for two 3'ears ; Marvin Kent, of 
Portage County, elected in October, 1875, for 
two years ; David Duncan Beebe, of Hudson, 
elected in October, 1877, and re-elected in Oc- 
tober, 1879 — the first successive re-election of 
an incumbent of that office in the district. 

Following the county officers and Representa- 
tives, it is not inappropriate to mention the 
names of those who have been called to repre- 
sent our count3' in still higher stations of the 
public service. Of these higher dignitaries, we 
will notice, first, our Representatives in Con- 
gress. 

Summit County has been represented in the 
Lower House of the National Legislature, in 
common with other counties associated with 
her in Congressional Districts, as follows : In 
1840, Fifteenth District, composed of Cuya- 
hoga, Portage, Summit, Medina and Lorain — 
Hon. Sherlock J. Andrews, of Cuyahoga, Whig, 
one term. In 1842-44, Nineteenth District, com- 
posed of Trumbull, part of Mahoning, Portage 
and Summit — Hon. Daniel R. Tilden, of Portage, 
Whig, two terms. In 1846-48, Nineteenth Dis- 
trict, same counties as above — Hon. John Crow- 
ell, of Trumbull, Whig, two terms. In 1850, 
Nineteenth District, same as above — Hon. Eben 
Newton, of Mahoning. Whig, one term. In 






^<t^ 



242 



HISTORY OF su:\rMiT cou:n^ty. 



1852, Eighteenth District, composed of Port- 
age, Summit and Starli — Hon. George Bliss, of 
Summit, Democrat, one term. In 1854-56, 
Eighteenth District, same as al)ove — Hon. Ben- 
jamin F. Leiter, of Starli, Republican, two 
terms. In 1858-60, Eigliteenth District, same 
as above — Hon. Sidney Edgerton, of Summit, 
Republican, two terms. In 1862-64-66, Eight- 
eenth District, composed of Lalce, Cuyahoga 
and Summit — Hon. Rufus P. Spalding, of Cuy- 
ahoga, Republican, three terms. In 1868-70, 
Eighteenth District, same as above — Hon. Will- 
iam H. Upson, of Summit, Republican, two 
terms. In 1872-74-76-78, Eighteenth District, 
composed of Lorain, Medina, Waj-ne and Sum- 
mit--Hou. James Monroe, of Lorain, Repub- 
lican, four terms. In 1880, Eighteenth Dis- 
trict, same as above — Hon. Addison S. 3Ic- 
Clure, of Wayne, Republican. 

Since the organization, in April, 1840, Sum- 
mit County has been associated, Congression- 
ally, in various combinations, with Cuyahoga, 
Lake, Portage, Trumbull, part of Mahoning, 
Stark, Wayne, Medina and Lorain Counties, 
and in Districts Fifteen, Eighteen and Nine- 
teen. In each of the twelve Presidential elec- 
tions which have been held, the district to' 
which Summit County was for the time being 
attached, was represented in the Electoral Col- 
lege b^' the following-named gentlemen, the po- 
litical party l\y which they were elected, and 
the candidates for President and Vice President 
for whom the}' severally voted, also being des- 
ignated : In 1840, Fifteenth District, composed 
of Cuyahoga, Portage, Summit, Medina and 
Lorain, Hon. David King, of Medina, Wiiig — 
voted for William Henry Harrison, of Ohio, for 
President, and John Tyler, of Virginia, for Vice 
President. In 1844, Nineteenth District, com- 
posed of Trumbull, part of Mahoning, Portage 
and Summit Counties, Hon. Jacob H. Baldwin, of 
Trumbull, Whig — voted for Henry Clay, of Ken- 
tuck}-, forPresident, and Theodore Frelinghuy- 
sen,of New York, for Vice President. In 1848, 
Nineteenth District, same counties as above, Hon. 
John Caldwell, of Trumbull, Democrat — voted 
for Lewis Cass, of Michigan, for President, and 
William 0. Butler, of Kentucky, for Vice Pres- 
ident. In 1852, Eighteenth District, composed 
of Portage, Summit and Stark Counties, Hon. 
Samuel D. Harris, of Portage, Democrat — 
voted for Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire, 
for President, and William R. King, of Ala- 



bama, for Vice President. In 1856, Eighteenth 
District, same as above, Hon. John S. Herrick, 
of Portage, Republican — voted for John C. 
Fremont, of California, for President, and Will- 
iam L. Dayton, of New Jersey, for Vice Presi- 
dent. In 1860. Eighteenth District, same as 
above, Hon. William K. IJpham, of Stark, Re- 
publican — voted for Abraham Lincoln, of Illi- 
nois, for President, and Hannibal Hamlin, of 
Maine, for Vice President. In 1864, Eight- 
eenth District, composed of Cu3^ahoga, Lake 
and Summit Counties, Hon. Seth Marshall, of 
Lake, Republican — voted for Abraham Lincohi, 
of Illinois, for President, and Andrew Johnson, 
of Tennessee, for Vice President. In 1868, Eigh- 
teenth District, same as above, Hon. Stephen H. 
Pitkin, of Summit, Republican — voted for Ulys- 
ses S. Grant, of Illinois, for President, and 
Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, for Vice President. 
In 1872, Eighteenth District, composed of Sum- 
mit, Wayne, Medina and Lorain Counties, Hon. 
John R. Buchtel, of Summit, Republican — 
voted for Ulysses S. Grant for President, and 
Henry Wilson, of Massachusetts, for Vice Pres- 
ident. In 1876, Eighteenth District, same as 
above, Hon. Samuel G. Barnard, of Medina, Re- 
publican — voted for Rutherford B. Hayes, of 
Ohio, for President, and William A. AVheeler, 
of New York, for Vice President. In 1880, 
Eighteenth District, same as above, Hon. Na- 
thaniel W. Goodhue, of Summit, Republican — ■ 
voted for James A. Garfield, of Ohio, for Pres- 
ident, and Chester A. Arthur, of New York, for 
Vice President. 

William S. C. Otis, Esq., of Akron, was Summit 
County's representative to the State Constitu- 
tional Convention of 1850. The convention 
met on the 6th day of Ma}', 1850, in Columbus. 
July 9, adjourned to meet in Cincinnati on the 
first Monday in December. The convention 
completed its labors and adjourned sine die 
March 10, 1851. The constitution was adopted 
for twenty years at a special election held on 
the 21st day of June, 1851, the vote of Sum- 
mit County standing 2,025 "for" and 2,013 
" against," being a majority of twelve only in 
its favor. Gen. Alvin C. Voris, of Akron, was 
the Summit County member of the Ohio Consti- 
stitutional Convention of 1873. The convention 
met in the House of Representatives, in Colum- 
bus, May 13, 1873. On the 8th day of August, the 
convention adjourned to meet in Cincinnati on 
the 2d dav of December. On concluding its 



^w 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



243 



business, the convention adjourned on the 3d 
da}^ of Februar}-, 1874. The new constitution, 
as presented by the convention, tliougli re- 
garded by man}' of the most intelligent people 
of the State as a great improvement upon the 
constitution of 1850, was rejected by the peo- 
ple of Ohio at a special election held August 
18, 1874, the vote of Summit Count}' standing 
2,112 " for" and 2,774 " against," being a neg- 
ative majorit}' of 662. 

In this chapter, devoted as it is to matters 
pertaining to the count}' at large, we should 
not omit an extended mention of the Summit 
Count}' Infirmary. Up to 1849, the poor of the 
county had been provided for in the temporary 
quarters leased for the purpose, but altogether 
inadequate for the proper accommodation and 
care of that unfortunate portion of our popula- 
tion. On the 12th day of January, 1849, the 
County Commissioners, Messrs. Mills Thomp- 
son, of Hudson, James W. Weld, "of Richfield, 
and Henry G. Weaver, of Springfield, purchased 
the McCune farm, one mile west of the corpor- 
ate limits of Akron, consisting of 147 49-100 
acres of land, for the sum of $3,953.33, pay- 
ments to be made as follows : $400 April 1, 
1849; $800 Februarv 1. 1850; $1,000 February 
1, 1851; $1,000 February 1, 1852; $753.33 Feb- 
ruary 1, 1853 ; interest at the rate of 6 per cent 
to be paid annually. 

On the 21st day of January, 1849, the 
County Commissioners contracted with Mr. 
Leander Starr, of Hudson, for the erection of 
the necessary buildings for the accommodation 
of the poor of the county for the sum of $1,- 
958, the work to be completed by the 1st day 
of July of the same year, the dwelling-house 
already upon the premises being devoted to 
the use of the Superintendent of the Infirmary 
and his assistants. Mr. Starr's job was finished 
on time, and formally accepted July 10, 1849, 
with an allowance, in addition to the contract 
price, of $8 for extra labor. 

On the 11th day of July, 1849, the Commis- 
sioners appointed Messrs. Roswell Kent, of 
Middlebury, Avery Spicer, of Coventry, and 
Lucius V. Bierce, of Akron, as 1he first regu- 
larly constituted Board of Directors for the 
management of the farm and the care of the 
poor of the county, to hold their offices until 
the next ensuing October election. The board 
organized by electing Roswell Kent, President, 
and L. V. Bierc6, Clerk, and by the appoint- 



ment of Abraham Siehley as Superintendent. 
Under the fostei'ing care of these four gentle- 
men, aided by the County Commissioners, the 
foundation was laid firm and broad for the sys- 
tematic and liberal care of our poor, which, 
steadily growing and improving from year to 
year, has made the Summit County Infirmary 
one of the very best local charitable institu- 
tions in the State. 

The buildings originally provided, as above 
stated, with sundry additions which had been 
made from time to time as necessity required, 
becoming considerably dilapidated and, as our 
population increased, altogether too straitened 
for the accommodation of the inmates, the 
County Commissioners and Infirmary Direct- 
ors, in 1863, determined on the erection of a 
more commodious and substantial structure. 
To this end, legislative authority was invoked, 
resulting in the passage, on the 23d dav of 
March, 1864, of 

An Act to Authorize the County op Summit 
TO Build a County Infirmary, make Con- 
tracts AND Increase the tax levy upon 

THE TAXABLE PROPERTY OF SAID COUNTY: 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly 
of the State of Ohio: That the County Commission- 
er.s of Summit County be, and they are hereby, 
authorized to build a County Infirmary for the use 
of said county, at a cost not exceeding $16,000, upon 
such plan and in such manner as, in their opinion, 
will be conducive to the best interests of the count J^ 
and make all contracts necessary to carry out the 
23rovisious of this act. 

Sec. 2. To anticipate the receipts which may 
come into the County Treasury by virtue of the tax 
levied under the authority of this act, said Com- 
missioners are hereby authorized to temporarily 
transfer from moneys in the treasury of said county 
belonging to the railroad fund, not exceeding fo.OOO, 
and may also use, in the construction of said build- 
ing, any unexpended money heretofore levied for 
building purposes in said count}^ 

Sec. 3. That for the purpose of providing money 
to defray the expenses of building said infirmary, 
and to re-imburse the money transferred from the 
railroad fund, so provided in Section 2 of tliis act, 
said Commissioners are hereby authorized to in- 
crease the tax levy upon the "taxable property of 
said county one lialf mill on the dollar in each of 
the years 1864 and 186.5. 

Sec 4. This act shall be in force from and after 
its passage. 

The making of the brick was done upon the 
infirmary farm — most excellent clay for the 
purpose being foinid thereon — under the super- 
intendence of 3Ir. Elijah C. Briggs, of Akron. 
The farm help, and, so far as practicable, pauper 



244 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



labor, was emplo3-ed in the manufacture of brick, 
not only for the buildings in question, but to a 
considerable extent for market, several hundred 
thousand having been sold in and hauled to 
the cit}- during the progress of the work, thus 
bringing the material for the work within com- 
paratively low figures. The stone for the found- 
ations, of a most durable quality, were quarried 
in the neighborhood, and bought by the perch, 
delivered upon the ground. The mechanical 
labor upon the foundation and walls was done 
b}^ the day, under the superintendence of 3Ir. 
George Allison, of Tallmadge, a practical brick- 
mason. 

The wood-work was done on contract by Mr. 
George Thomas, of Akron, the architect being- 
Col. S. C. Porter, of Cleveland, the entire job 
being completed under the direct supervision 
of Infirmary Director, Avery 8picer, and 
County Commissioner David E. Hill, the latter 
gentleman being constituted general superin- 
tendent of the work by a vote of the board, 
January 4, 1865. The building, being con- 
structed upon the economical plan indicated, 
was nominall}' brought within the provisions of 
the act authorizing its construction, though, by 
the application of home labor and material, the 
actual cost was in reality several thousand dol- 
lars more. It is of the following general de- 
scription and dimensions : The main or central 
building, two stories higii, exclusive of base- 
ment and attic, is 26x40 feet in size, fronting 
end to the north ; two wings on either side, 
same height as main building, are each 25x32 
feet, with a rear wing 30x32 feet, and a still 
further rear extension 30x36 feet, for the use 
of insane patients, and connected with the main 
rear wing by a covered hall, or archway, eight 
feet in width. The style of architecture is of a 
mixed order, approximating to Gothic, with 
brackets and five large dormer windows in the 
roof to light the capacious garret. The main 
building is entered from the north by a flight 
of cut stone steps, surmounted by a handsome 
porch. The front hall is seven feet in width, 
with stairs leading to the second story and 
basement. On the right of the hall, on the 
ground floor, is the parlor, 15x20 feet, with bed- 
room, 10x12 feet, and store-room, 8x12 feet. 
On the left of the hall is the sitting-room, 15x20 
feet, with bed-room, 12x12 feet, and two closets, 
each about six feet square. Each side wing- 
lias its separate entrance, east and west, with 



seven foot hall and stairs, similar to the front 
hall.. Each wing (fir.st floor), contains two bed- 
rooms, each 0x12 feet, on the north side of hall, 
and each a sitting-room, 12x24 feet, for the use 
of the inmates on the south side of halls. The 
rear wing has, on the main floor, a dining-room, 
14x16 feet, two bed-rooms, 8x9 feet; pantiy, 
6x9 feet, and kitchen, 15x18 feet, besides a 
stairwa}^ extending from the basement to gar- 
ret. In the basement of the entire structure, 
besides several commodious cellars for the stor- 
age of vegetables, fruits and other supplies, 
there are two dining-rooms, 12x36 feet each, 
kitchen, including pantiy, 16x28 feet, and wash- 
room, 15x18 feet. In the second story, on 
either side of the hall, in main part, are sick- 
rooms, each 15x20 feet ; and in rear, extending 
into rear wing, two wards, each 13x29 feet, back 
of which are two 7x9-bed-rooms, with a 6x9 
feet linen closet, hall, stairway, etc. On the 
second floor of each side wing, there are five 
9x12 feet bed-rooms, besides halls, stairways, 
etc. The attic is mainly devoted to storage, 
drying clothes, etc., though within a few years 
past, an apartment has been partitioned off and 
fitted up therein for the use of " tramps " and 
other transient applicants for food and lodging. 
In the insane department, at the extreme rear, 
there are six cells, 5x8 feet, substantially built 
with heavily grated doors. The corridor, on 
either side, is lighted by three large Avindows, 
one opposite each cell, the whole well ventilated, 
and as well supplied with sanitaiy conveni- 
ences as the insane habits of the inmates will 
admit of. 

The new infirmary building was not orticially 
accepted by the County Commissioners until 
the 5th day of March, 1866, though it was oc- 
cupied and formally opened on the evening of 
February 3 by a public supper, under the aus- 
pices of the Directors and Superintendent 
Frank T. Husong. A large number of invited 
guests — representative men and women — from 
eveiy portion of the count}' were present, and 
all expressed themselves as greatly pleased with 
the building and its appointments, and the in- 
vestment which had thus been made by them 
and their fellow-citizens, in the interest of b.'- 
nevolence and humanity. At the close of the 
supper, the guests organized by appointing 
George D. Bates, Esq., Chairman, when short 
approbatory speeches were made bv Gen. A. C. 
Yoris. Wilfiam T. Allen, S. A. Lane. Dr. E. W. 



:tz 



thL 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



245 



Howard and others. Closing bj^ the unanimous 
adoption of the following resolution : 

Resolved, That the County Commissioners and 
Directors of the County Infirmary, together with 
those wlio have so faitlifully aided them in the un- 
dertalving, are entitled to the thanks of the citizens 
of Summit County, for the able manner in which 
they have planned and prosecuted to completion, the 
erection of an infirmary edifice, which is at once an 
ornament and an honor to the county, and a mark 
of the exalted humanity and liberality of its people. 

Director Spicer and Commissioner Hill, duly 
appreciating the advantages of having an 
abundance of pure water in and about tlie in- 
firmar}' buildings and grounds, entered into 
negotiations with Mr. James McAllister for the 
use of the surplus waters from the large spring in 
front of his residence on the Medina road, and 
directly north of the infirmary farm. The 
Directors proposed to properly inclose and pro- 
tect the spring by a suljstantial stone house, 
with conveniences for using the water both by 
Mr. McAllister and the pul)lic, and to convey 
the surplus water by iron or leaden pipes across 
the farm of Mr. McAllister to the infirmary 
grounds and into the basement of the infirmary 
building. On visiting Mr. McAllister for the 
purpose of legall}' perfecting the arrangement, 
that gentleman receded from the terms that had 
been named, and seemingly acceded to, and 
demanded a bonus of $500 before signing any 
papers — a larger sum of money than Messrs. 
Hill and Spicer felt justified in paying for the 
privilege in question, especially in view of the 
large outlay that would be required in building 
the spring-house, and excavating for and laying 
the pipes for so long a distance, and the proj- 
ect was abandoned. In the meantime Mr. 
Spicer made a thorough examination of the in- 
firmary farm itself, and on a high knoll some 
thirty or forty rods southeast of the new build- 
ing, by digging a few feet only, struck a large 
spring of pure soft water, not only of sufficient 
abundance for the wants of the institution, but 
with sufficient head to earr}' the water one story 
higher in the building, while costing far less to 
fit it up and put in the pipes and fixtures, than 
the McAllister project would have done. 

The Directors have from time to time, as their 
resources would admit of, besides erecting: com- 
modious Ijarns and other outbuildings, beauti- 
fied the grounds, laying them out into suitable 
drives and walks, planting with trees, shrubber3% 
etc., thus rendering them both pleasant to the 



inmates and attractive to visitors, while the 
farm, from the largely wild and uncultivated 
condition in which it was purchased, has be- 
come one of the most tidy and productive farms 
in the county, and very largely profitable in the 
way of giving employment to that portion of 
its unfortunate inmates mentally and physically 
able to perform manual labor, and through its 
annual products, rendering the institution 
largely self-sustaining. 

As commodious and as ample as the infirm- 
ary buildings erected in 1864-65-66 were sup- 
posed to be, they were found at the end of ten 
years inadequate to the necessities of the county. 
Accordingly, at the instance of the Board of 
Directors and the County Commissioners, 
Senator N. W. Goodhue and Representative 
Hiram H. IMack, secured the passage of a 
special law authorizing the building of an ad- 
dition to said infirmary buildings, the bill be- 
coming a law on the 30th day of March, 1875, 
and reading as follows : 

An Act authorizing the County Commissioners 
OP THE County of Summit to levy taxes 

for building an addition to THE COUNTY 

Infirmary, and to borrow money and issue 

BONDS therefor: 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly 
of the State of Ohio: That the County Commission- 
ers of Summit County be, and they hereby are, em- 
powered and authorized to levy a tax of any amount 
they may deem necessary, not exceeding |10,000, 
upon the taxable property of said county, for the 
purpose of constructing and furnishing an addition 
to the County Infirmary of said county, to be col- 
lected by the County Treasurer upon the grand 
duplicate as other taxes, and to be paid out upon 
the order of the County Commissioners. 

Sec. 2. That for the purpose of anticipating the 
collection of taxes provided for in the first section 
of this act, the said County Commissioners be, and 
the}' are hereby, authorized to borrow any sura, 
not exceeding $10,000, at a rate of interest not ex- 
ceeding eight per cent, and to issue bonds therefor, 
payable at any time not exceeding two j'ears from 
the date thereof, and to be sold for not less than 
their par value. 

Sec 3. This act shall be in force from and after 
its passage. 

In accordance with the provisions of this 
law, a contract was entered into, on the 27th 
day of July, 1875, with Messrs. Derhamer, 
Steese & Co., to erect a building upon the west 
side, and attached to the west wing transversely, 
corresponding in general appearance to the 
central building, for the sum of $7,294.37, with 
Jacob Snyder, Esq., as architect, at 3^ per cent 
on the contract price, for his services in fur- 



-\ 



\ 



246 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



nishing the plan and superintending the work. 
This addition was completed substantiall}' 
according to contract, in a style and finish cor- 
responding to the original structure, and is of 
the following dimensions : I]ntire size, 32x42 
feet. First floor divided as follows : Hall, 6x30 
feet ; hall for stairs, 7 feet 6 inches by 14 feet 
6 inches; sitting-room, 18x30; bed-room, 9 
feet 6 inches by 14 feet 6 inches ; bath-room, 
6x14 feet 6 inches ; store-room, 7x14 feet 6 
inches. Second floor : Hall, 6x30 ; hall for 
stairs, 7 feet 6 inches by 14 feet 6 inches ; three 
bed-rooms respectively, 9 feet 6 inches by 14 
feet 6 inches ; 12 feet 6 inches by 14 feet 6 
inches; 11x18 feet; sick-room, 18x19 feet. 
Attic : Hall for stairs, 7x21 feet ; two sleeping- 
rooms, 15x22 feet 6 inches, and 18x30 feet, 
respectively ; wardrobe, 7x22 feet. Basement : 
Dining-room, 17x30 ; sitting-room, 12 by 13 
feet 6 inches; bed-room, 12x13 feet 6 inches, 
and hall 6x30 feet. The completion of this 
fine improvement has enabled the Directors 
and Superintendent not only to more comfort- 
ably arrange and care for the ordinary number 
of inmates, but to provide for such considera- 
ble additions, as, in seasons of unusual severity' 
or distress, may need the benefits of this mu- 
nificent public charity. In addition, the Direct- 
ors last year (1880), caused to be erected a 
separate building for laundry and storage pur- 
poses, a few rods east of the rear wing. It is 
a substantial brick structure, 20x30 feet in 
size. First floor: Store-room, 10x16 feet ; wash- 
room, 17 feet 6 inches by 18 feet, with boiler 
and other improved washing conveniences. 
Second floor : Drying and laundry room, 18 
feet 6 inches by 28 feet 6 inches. The aver- 
age number of inmates during the year 1880, 
was eighty-seven, though as usual, a large 
amount of outside assistance was afforded to 
the needy during inclement portions of the year. 
After the purchase of the infirmary farm, the 
County Commissioners, as before stated, on the 
11th day of July, 1849, appointed Roswell 
Kent, of Middlebury, Avery Spicer of Coven- 
try, and Lucius V. Bierce, of Akron, as Infirm- 
ary Directors, to hold their offices until the 
next ensuing October election. The board or- 
ganized by the election of Roswell Kent as 
President and Lucius V. Bierce as Clerk. 
From among the several applicants for the sit- 
uation, Abraham Sichley, of Portage, was ap- 
pointed Superintendent. 



In October, 1849, the people of the county 
elected Timothy L. Miller, of Cuyahoga Falls, 
Roswell Kent, of Middlebury, and Gibbons J. 
Ackle}', of Akron, Infirmary Directors for one, 
two and three years, respectively. Mr. Miller 
declining to serve, Avery Spicer, of Coventry, 
was appointed by the County Commissioners to 
fill the vacancy. President of the Board, Ros- 
well Kent ; Clerk, Gibbons J. Ackley ; Abra- 
ham Sichley continued as Superintendent. 

In October, 1850, Avery Spicer was elected 
for three years. Organization as before. Mr. 
Gibbons J. Ackle}' having died before the ex- 
piration of his term of office, Mr. Joseph E. 
Wesener, of Akron, was, on the 9th day of Au- 
gust, 1851, appointed b}' the Commissioners to 
fill the vacancy until the ensuing October elec- 
tion, Mr. Wesener also, by vote of the board, 
filling Mr. Ackley's position as Clerk of the 
Board. In October, 1851, Ira Hawkins, of 
Portage, was elected for three years, and 
George D. Bates, of Akron, for one year — the 
balance of the unexpii'ed term of Mr. Ackley. 
deceased — Messrs. Kent and Wesener retiring. 
Spicer, President ; Bates, Clerk ; Sichley, Su- 
perintendent. In October, 1852, George D. 
Bates, of Akron, was re-elected for three years. 
Organization same as before. In October, 
1853, George Sherbondy, of Portage, was 
elected for three j^ears, Mr. Spicer, retiring. 
Hawkins, President ; Bates, Clerk ; Sichley, 
Superintendent. In October, 1854, Ira Hawk- 
ins, of Portage, was re-elected. Organization 
same as before. In March, 1855, Mr. William 
Chandler, of Akron, by vote of the board, suc- 
ceeded Mr. Sichley as Superintendent of the In- 
firmary. In October, 1855, Charles Hanscom. 
of Akron, was elected for three years, Mr. 
Bates retiring. Hawkins, President ; Hans- 
com, Clerk ; Chandler, Superintendent. In 
October, 1856, David A. Scott, of Akron, was 
elected for three 3'ears, Mr. Sherbondy retiring. 
Organization as before. In October, 1857. 
Avery Spicer, of Akron, was elected for three 
3'ears. Mr. Hawkins retiring. Scott, Presi- 
dent ; Hanscom, Clerk ; Chandler, Superintend- 
ent. In October, 1858, William Johnston, of 
Cople}', was elected for three 3'ears, Mr. Hans- 
com retiring. Spicer, President ; Scott, Clerk ; 
Chandler, Superintendent. In October, 1859, 
Richard B. Walker, of Akron, was elected for 
three years, Mr. Scott retiring. Spicer, Presi- 
dent ; Walker, Clerk ; Chandler, Superintend- 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY 



247 



ent. In October, 1860, Mr. Spicer was re- 
elected for three j-ears. Organization as be- 
fore. In January, 1861, ^Ir. Francis T. Hu- 
song, of Copley, succeeded Mr. Chandler as Su- 
perintendent of the Infirmary. In October, 
1861, Alfred R. Townsend, of Akron, was 
elected Director for three years, Mr. Johnston 
retiring. Spicer, President ; Walker, Clerk ; 
Husong, Superintendent. In October, 1862, 
Mr. Walker was re-elected for three yeai-s. Or- 
ganization as before. . In October, 1863, -Mr. 
Spicer was re-elected for three 3'ears. Organi- 
zation as before. In October, 186-4, Mr. Town- 
send was re-elected for three 3'ears. Organiza- 
tion as before. In October, 1865, Mr. Walker 
was re-elected for three years. Spicer, Presi- 
dent ; Townsend, Clerk ; Husong, Superintend- 
ent. In October, 1866, Jonathan H. Brew- 
ster, of Coventry, was elected for three years, 
Mr. Spicer retiring. Walker, President ; Town- 
send, Clerk ; Husong, Superintendent. In Oc- 
tober, 1867, William M. Cunningham, of Ak- 
ron, was elected for three 3'ears, Mr. Townsend 
retiring. Walker, President ; Cunningham, 
Clerk ; Husong, Superintendent. In April, 
1868, George W. G lines, of Gates" Mills, Cuya- 
hoga County-, by appointment of the Directors, 
superseded Mr. Husong as Superintendent of 
the Infirmar3^ In October, 1868, Francis T. 
Husong, of Akron, was elected Director for 
three j'ears, i^Ir. Walker, retiring. Brewster, 
President ; Cunningham, Clerk ; Glines, Super- 
intendent. In October, 1860, Mr. Brewster 
was re-elected for three years. Organization 
same as before. In October, 1870, Mr. Cun- 
ningham was re-elected for three years. Or- 
ganization same as before. In October, 1871, 
Webster B. Storer, of Portage, was elected for 
three years, Mr. Husong retiring. Organiza- 
tion same as before. In October, 1872, Mr. 
Brewster was re-elected for three years. 
Storer, President ; Cunningham, Clerk ; Glines, 
Superintendent. In October, 1873, A. K 
Townsend, of Akron, was again elected for 
three 3'ears, Mr. Cunningham retiring. Storei-, 
President ; Townsend, Clerk ; Glines, Superin- 
tendent. In October, 1874, Levi S. Herrold, of 
Akron, was elected for three years, Mr. Storer 
retiring. Herrold, President ; Townsend, 
Clerk ; Glines, Superintendent. In October, 
1875, Clement J. Kolb, of Akron, was elected 
for three years, Mr. Brewster retiring. Organ- 
ization same as before. In October, 1876, 



H'enry Frederick, of Portage, was elected for 
thi'ee years, Mr. Townsend retiring. Herrold, 
President ; Kolb, Clerk ; Glines, Superintend- 
ent. In October, 1877, A. R. Townsend was 
again elected for three 3-ears, 3Ir. Herrold re- 
tiring. Frederick, President ; Kolb, Clerk ; 
Glines, Superintendent. Mr. Glines, whose 
health had been failing for several 3'ears, d3ing 
March 4, 1878, his assistant, ^Ir. George Feich- 
ter, was, on the 1st day of April, 1878, tempo- 
raril3' appointed Superintendent b3' the Direct- 
ors, Mrs. Glines still continuing in charge as 
Matron and General Manager. In October, 
1878, Mr. Kolb was re-elected for three years. 
Organization same as before. March 1, 1879, 
the resignation of Mr. Feichter, as Superintend- 
ent, was accepted, and Mrs. Julia F. Glines 
was appointed to the position, and it is safe to 
sa3^ that the institution has never been more 
abl3' conducted than during the past two years' 
incumbency of Mrs. Glines. In 1870, by 
reason of his I'cmoval from the count)', Mr. 
Townsend resigned his position as Director, 
and, in October of that year, William South- 
ma3'd, of Stow, was elected to till the vacancy 
for one 3'ear, Mr. Frederick also being re- 
elected for three yeai's. Frederick, President ; 
Kolb, Clerk ; Mrs. Glines, Superintendent. In 
Octol^er, 1880, Mr. Southmayd was re-elected 
for three years. Southmayd, President ; Fred- 
erick, Clerk ; Mrs. Glines, Superintendent. 

Looking to the future necessities and conven- 
ience of the institution, in the latter part of 
1870, the County Commissioners contracted 
with Mr. James McAllister for the purchase of 
^^Tin7 ^cres off the southwest corner of his 
farm, and adjoining the western portion of the 
Infirmar3' farm upon the north. The price 
stipulated to be paid was $112.50 per acre, and 
on the 0th da3' of March, 1880, the administra- 
tor of Mr. McAllister executed a deed therefor, 
the total cost of the addition being $4,223.25. 
Though the cost per acre was more than four- 
fold the original purchase, it is still regarded as 
a highl3' desirable investment, adding to the 
farm precisely the quality of land, and in the 
precise locality where an addition was needed, 
while if the Commissioners should desire to do 
so they can at any time dispose of ten or twelve 
acres off from the east end, the site of the orig- 
inal infirmary buildings, at a figure equal to, if 
not greater- than the cost of the new purchase. 
Thus does ■' Little Summit,'" one of the 3'ounger 



r 



248 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



as well as one of the smaller counties of the 
State, occup}' an exalted position, not only 
phj-sicall^y and altitudinally, but for the extent 
and excellence of the provision which she has 
made for the support and care of the indigent 
and unfortunate portion of her population. 

At the date of its erection and organization, 
in 1840, Summit County had a total population 
of 22,469, distributed as follows: Bath, 1,425; 
Boston, 845; Copley, 1,439; Coventry, 1,308; 
Franklin, 1,436 ; Green, 1,536 ; Hudson, 1,220 ; 
Northampton, 963 ; Northfield, 1,031 ; Norton, 
1,497 ; Portage (including Akron, then contain- 
ing 1,664 inhabitants) 2,382 ; Richfield, 1,108 ; 
Stow (including Cuyahoga Falls), 1,533 ; Spring- 
field.(including part of Middlebury), 1,573 ; Tall- 
raadge (including part of Middlebur}-), 2,134 ; 
Twinsburg, 1,039. The census of 1880 makes 
the total population of the county 43,788, a 
gain in forty years of 21,319, about two-thirds 
of the increase being in Akron alone. 

Though one of the smallest counties in the 
State, territoriall}'. Summit County is more di- 
versified in it^ productions, and more nearl}' 
independent of the " outside world " than, per- 
haps, an}' other county in the State, large or 
small. The two southern tiers of townships 
are unsurpassed as grain producers, while 
equally well adapted to the growing of other 
field crops, fruits, sheep, swine, cattle horses, 
etc. The eight northern are particularly adapted 
to, and noted for, their dairy products, and, be- 
sides producing large quantities of the finest 
butter and cheese in the world, and many fine 
cattle in excess of home requirements, are 
nearly, if not quite, fully self-sustaining in the 
matter of cereals, vegetables, fruits, wool, ma- 
ple sugar, sirup, etc. The middle townships 
are a happy combination of all the excellent 
qualities of the two sections named, being 
equally adapted to the raising of stock, grain, 
fruits and general farm products ; and though 
some portions of the northern townships, bor- 
dering upon the river, are somewhat broken, 
and a few hundred acres in the southern town- 
ships are covered by the waters of the lakes 
and reservoirs which feed the Ohio Canal and 
supply water for milling and manufacturing pur- 



poses, there is, perhaps, as little waste land in 
Summit County as in the same area of contigu- 
ous territory in any other portion of the State. 

But, besides these varied and excellent ag- 
ricultural advantages. Summit County possesses 
mineral and manufacturing resources superior 
to those of j^ny other county in Ohio. Nearly 
the entire area of at least five townships in the 
count}' are underlaid with the very best bitumin- 
ous coal, large quantities of which are mined 
yearly, not only for home consumption, but for 
shipment to Cleveland and the upper lakes. The 
finest building-stone in the State — both coarse 
and fine grained sandstones — are largely quar- 
ried in the middle and northern townships of the 
county. Inexhaustible deposits of the very 
best quality of potter's clay, from which mill- 
ions of gallons of common and fine stoneware 
are fabricated yearly, underlie the surface of 
several of the townships of the county, the 
same localities furnishing the material from 
which has grown that immense manufacturing 
interest that is supplying the vitrified sewer- 
pipe, from one to thirty inches in diameter, 
with which the cities of both the East and the 
West are being so largely and so rapidly hon- 
ey-combed, in the shape of drains and sewers, 
at the present time, to say nothing of the im- 
mense quantities now being used by the farm- 
ers of the country in underdraining their lands, 
and in the construction of gutters and sluices 
upon public highways. The materials for 
building-brick are not only abundant, but the 
fire-brick and the roofing- tile manufactured 
here are fast attaining an extensive sale and a 
national reputation. 

Added to the extensive water-power hereto- 
fore alluded to, these accessory aids to manu- 
factures have justly earned for Summit County 
and her " tip-top " capital city, a reputation 
for snap and push second to no other county 
or city in the United States. The enumeration 
of the varied enterprises that go to make up 
this reputation and this thrift will be given in 
detail by other writers, in the separate histories 
of the city of Akron and the several villages 
and townships of the county elsewhere in this 
volume. 



^^ 



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lA 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY, 



249 



CHAPTER IV.* 

WAR HISTORY— THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE— SECOND WAR WITH ENGLAND— THE MEXICAN 

WAR— THE GREAT REBELLION— SUMMIT COUNTY TROOPS— SOLDIERS' 

MONUMENTS- AID SOCIETIES, ETC., ETC. 



' ' War must be 
While men are what they are ; while they have 
Bad passions to be rous'd up." — Bailey. 

OVER one hundred years ago, George III and 
his arrogant cabinet assumed to themselves 
the right to tax their American colonies at will, 
and without representation in the home Govern- 
ment. This Ifed to what is known in American 
history as the " Revolutionaiy war," a long 
and sanguinary struggle, which resulted in the 
colonies throwing off forever the galling yoke 
of the haughty Briton, and of achieving their 
liberty and independence. Liberty and Inde- 
pendence ! Often as the wheels of time roll on 
the anniversafj' of American Independence, so 
often does the patriotic zeal of the sons of 
liberty blaze out from one end of the Union to 
the other, in commemoration of those brave, 
war-worn veterans 

' ' who fell 

In Trenton's morning light, 
Who crossed the freezing Delaware, 

That cold December night; 
When, as the columns onward marched 

With firm, unbroken ranks. 
The blood-marked footprints thick were left 

Upon the wintry banks," 

and the thousands and thousands of others 
who fought and bled for the liberty we, their 
descendants, enjoy to-da}-. When the war was 
over, and our independence acknowledged by 
the mother countr}-, our patriot soldiery were 
paid off in valueless paper or in Western lands. 
The bankrupt Government had no other means 
of rewarding her faithful soldiers, and large 
tracts of land in the then Northwestern Territory 
(Ohio Territory) were set apart as a remunera- 
tion for the long service of her patriotic sol- 
diers. This brought many of these old Revo- 
lutionary heroes to the Ohio Territory. How 
many came to what is now Summit County we 
are unable to say, but as settlements were made 
here in less than a score of years after the close 
of the Revolution, it is more than probable that 

♦Contributed by W. H. Perrin. 



a number of them were among the early settlers 
of Summit County. We have, however, an ac- 
count of but four : Simeon Prior, who settled 
in Northampton Township in June, 1802, was 
a native of Massachusetts, and served in the 
Revolutionary war, in the old " Ba}- State 
Line." He died in 1837, at the age of eighty- 
four years, and lies buried in Northampton 
Cemeter3^ Nathaniel W. Bettis also served in 
the Revolution. He was one of the early set- 
tlers in the western part of Tallmadge Town- 
ship, and when he died was buried with the 
honors of war, and the solemn rites of Free- 
masonry. Another of these veterans was Isaac 
Seward, the grandfather of Col. Sewai'd, of 
Akron. And still another, David Galpin, who 
is buried in Akron Rural Cemetery. William 
Neal, Capt. John Wright, David Preston and 
Conrad Boosinger were likewise Revolutionary- 
soldiers, and among the early settlers of Tall- 
madge Township. But it is not intended to go 
into a history of the Revolutionary war. It is 
merely mentioned by way of introduction to 
other wars in which the county bore an active 
part. 

In our second war with Great Britain, or the 
war of 1812, although Summit County had not 
3^et been organized, the territory of which it is 
now composed contained a number of inhabit- 
ants. Being near the seat of war, most of the 
able-bodied male citizens participated in the 
struggle at some time during the period of its 
continuation. The opening scenes of this " un- 
pleasantness," were characterized by defeat, dis- 
aster and disgrace, but toward the close of the 
struggle, a series of brilliant achievements made 
amends for these misfortunes. Says a chronicle 
of the time : '• Croghan's gallant defense of Fort 
Stephenson ; Perry's victory on Lake Erie ; the 
total defeat, by Harrison, of the allied British 
and savages, under Proctor and Tecumseh, on 
the Thames ; and the great closing triumph of 
Jackson, at New Orleans, reflected the most 
brilliant luster on the American arms. In every 



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250 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



vicissitude of this contest, the conduct of Ohio 
was eminently patriotic and honorable. When 
the necessities of the National Grovernment 
compelled Congress to resort to a direct tax, 
Ohio, for successive years, cheerfully assumed 
and promptly paid her quota out of her State 
Treasury. Her sons volunteered with alacrity 
their services in the field ; and no troops more 
patiently endured hardship or performed better 
service. Hardly a battle was fought in the 
Northwest in which some of these brave citizen 
soldiers did not seal their devotion to their 
countrj- with their blood." And what is true, 
and to the honor of the State at large, is 
equally true of the soldiers from this particular 
section. 

As a matter of some interest to our modern 
soldiers, we give the following abstract from 
the Quartermasters Department during the war 
of 1812 : Rations : One and a quarter pounds 
of beef, three-quarters of a pound of pork, 
thirteen ounces of bread or flour, one gill of 
whisky. At the rate of two quarts of salt, four 
quarts of vinegar, four pounds of soap, and 
one and three-quarter pounds of candles to 
ever}* 100 rations. And from tlie Paymaster's 
Department : Colonel, $75 per month, five ra- 
tions and $12 for forage ; Major, $50 per month 
and three rations ; Captain, $40 per month and 
three rations ; First Lieutenant, $30 and two 
rations ; Second Lieutenant, $20 and two 
rations ; Ensign, $20 and two rations ; Ser- 
geant Major, $9 ; Quartermaster's Sergeant 
$9 ; other Sergeants, $8 ; Corporals, $7 ; Musi- 
cians, $6, and Privates, $6 per month. 

It has been a matter of much difficulty to 
learn the particulars of this war, so far as the 
few settlers of this section participated in it. 
Most of these old veterans have met and con- 
quered the last enem}' — death. A \evy few of 
them are known to be now living. Nor could 
the names of all who went from what is now 
Summit County be obtained, but it is believed 
that most of the able-bodied men of requisite 
age took part in this war. Among those who 
served from this county, we have the names of 
the following: Col. Kiall McArthur, Joseph 
D. Baird. John Hall, Timoth}' Holcomb (a Lieu- 
tenant), Alexander Hall, James Baird, Lee More, 
Nathaniel De Haven, Martin Willis, Hiram 

King (an Ensign), Lusk (a Captain), 

William I'rior, Timothy Sherwood, William 
Wright, Joseph Foster, Henry Wood. George 



Showandy, Timothy Clark, John Ellsworth, 

McCook, Buck, Alfred Parker, 

Benjamin Stark. John Dillamater, Andrews 
Ma}^, Israel Lac}' and Jacob Harter. A few 
years ago, when these old veterans were pen- 
sioned by the Government, there were then 
thirty-three living in the county, but, with per- 
haps two or three exceptions, they are now all 
gone. 

"Soldiers, rest, thy warfare o'er, 
Sleep the sleep thiit knows no waking." 

After the close of the war of 1812, our peace 
was no more disturbed, except by an occasional 
Indian skirmish, until the war with Mexico. 
If war with '^ blood-red tresses deepening in 
the sun," and " death-shot glowing in his fiery 
hands," raged in countries of the bid world, his 
thunder came to us but as the - mutterings of 
a distant cloud, whose lightnings could harm 
us not." 

The Mexican war grew out of the admission 
of Texas, as a State, into the Federal Union. 
The circumstances were briefly these : Texas 
had been a province of Mexico, but had seceded 
(as she tried to do from Ihicle Sam in after 
years, but with less success), and for years its 
citizens had been carrying on a kind of guerrilla 
warfare with the mother country-. This war- 
fare had been attended with varying results, 
sometimes the one party, and sometimes the 
other, being successful. But in 183G, the 
famous battle of San Jacinto was fought, in 
which the Texans were victorious, and cap- 
tured Santa Anna, then Dictator of IMexico, 
while his whole army was either killed or made 
prisoners. Santa Anna was held in strict con- 
finement, and finally induced to sign a treaty 
acknowledging the independence of Texas. 
But the Bej^ublic of Mexico, in violation of 
every principle of honor, refused to recognize 
this treaty, and continued to treat Texas and 
the Texans just as she hatl previously done. 
From this time on, petitions were frequently 
presented by the Texans to the United States 
Government, praying admission into the Union. 
But Mexico, through sheer spite, endeavored to 
prevent this step, constantly declaring that the 
admission of Texas would be regarded as a 
sufficient cause for a declaration of war, of the 
opinion, doubtless, that this would serve to in- 
timidate the United States. 

In the Presidential contest of 1844, between 
Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and James K. Polk, 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



251 



of Tennessee, the annexation of Texas was one 
of the leading questions before the people, and 
Mr. Polk, whose party (the Democrats) favored 
the admission of Texas, being elected, this was 
taken as a public declaration on the subject. 
After this. Congress had no hesitancy in grant- 
ing the petition of Texas, and, on the 1st of 
March, 1845, formally received the " Lone Star" 
into the sisterhood of States. In her indigna- 
tion, Mexico at once broke off all diplomatic 
relations with the United States, calling home 
her Minister immediately. This, of itself, was 
a declaration of war, and war soon followed. 
Congress passed an act authorizing the Presi- 
dent to accept the services of 50,000 volunteers 
(which were to be raised at once), and appro- 
priating $10,000,000 for the prosecution of the 
war. In this call for 50,000 troops, Ohio was 
required to furnish three regiments. With her 
characteristic patriotism, she filled her quota 
in a few weeks. Upon the organization of 
these regiments at Cincinnati, the place of 
rendezvous, there were almost men enough left 
to form another regiment. These were fui'- 
nished transportation to their homes at the ex- 
pense of the Government. The regiments, as 
organized, were officered as follows : First 
Regiment, A. M. Mitchell, of Cincinnati, Colonel ; 
John B. Weller, of Butler County, Lieutenant 
Colonel ; T. L. Hamer, of Brown County, Ma- 
jor. Second Regiment, Gr. W. Morgan, of Knox 
County, Colonel ; William Irvin, of Fairfield, 
Lieutenant Colonel ; William Hall, of Athens, 
Major. Third Regiment, S. R. Curtis, of Wayne 
County, Colonel ; Gr. W. McCook, of Jefferson, 
Lieutenant Colonel, and J. S. Love, of Morgan, 
Major. Under a second call for men, which 
was known as the " Ten Regiments Bill," Ohio 
filled up her quota without delay. Upon this 
second call, made just after the fall of Mon- 
terey, and in opposition to the war generally, 
Hon. Thomas Corwin in the United States Sen- 
ate made one of the ablest speeches of his life. 
In this speech it was that he used the memora- 
ble language, since grown almost into a prov- 
erb : " If I were a Mexican I would tell you, 
' Have you not room in your own country to 
bury your dead men? If you come into mine, 
we will greet you with bloody hands, and wel- 
come you to hospitable graves.'" 

The majority of the Whig party, as we have 
said, opposed the annexation of Texas upon 
the grounds that it would cause a war between 



the United States and Mexico, a war that, they 
held, would be unjust and uncalled for. As 
Summit County at that time was largely Whig 
in its political sentiments, like a great majority 
of that party it opposed the war, and declined 
taking any active part in it. Hence, the num- 
ber of men furnished by the county in the 
different calls for troops was exceedingly 
small. We have been enabled to learn the 
names of onl}- the following : George, Otis 
and Eliphaz Capron, Oliver P. Barney, Joseph 
Gouder, Zettle, William H. and Ezra Try- 
on and Adam Hart. There were, perhaps 
others, but diligent inquiries have failed to 
" materialize " any of them. Of those men- 
tioned. Hart enlisted at Pittsburgh, Penn., and 
Gouder, in Tennessee. Two of the Caprons 
and 0. P. Barne}' are dead ; Eliphaz Capron 
lives at Ellis' Corners ; Zettle and Gouder live 
in Akron, and Hart lives in Middlebury. Bar- 
ne}' was a Sergeant in the Mexican war, and 
the following incident is still remembered by 
many, as having been told by himself: When 
Gen. Taylor's little arm}' was encamped at 
Matamoras, Barney was on picket duty-, and 
was lassoed by the Mexicans and pretty roughly 
handled. The following paragraph in regard 
to it, is from an old file of the Akron Democrat : 
" We are sorry to observe that Sergt. 0. P. 
Barney of this place has had both his feet 
frozen during the late cold weather. The gal- 
lant Sergeant has seen service on the line be- 
tween Matamoras and Buena Vista, but he has 
found a more formidable antagonist in Jack 
Frost, than in the Mexican troopers and their 
lassoes." Mr. Barney entered the late war, and 
some years ago, died at the Soldiers' Home at 
Dayton. 

The great rebellion burst upon the country 
in the spring of 1861, threatening to sweep 
every^thing before it to destruction. Hitherto, 
we had been called to measure arms with for- 
eign foes, or with the howling savages, but now 
a war among ourselves was inaugurated — a 
civil war without parallel in the annals of his- 
tory : 

•• O war ! begot in pride and luxury. 
1 The child of malice and revengeful hate : 

■ Thou impious good, and good impiety ! 

Thou art tlie foul refiner of a State, 
Unjust scourge of men's iniquity, 
Sharp easer of corruptions desperate !" 

Of all the wars that have ever scourged God's 



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252 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



earth, a civil war, wherein " the brother betraj's 
the brother to death, and the father the son, 
and children rise up against their parents, and 
cause them to be put to death," is the most 
dreadful. The rival houses of York and Lan- 
caster, with their emblems of " White " and 
" Red," shook old England to her center, filling 
her houses with mourning, her fields with car- 
nage, and wasting the blood of her bra\'est and 
best ; but compared to our " war between the 
States," it is dwarfed into insignificance. A per- 
fect histor}' of our great civil war has never 
been written ; it never can be written. Though 
the " pen of inspiration were dipped in the gloom 
of earthquake and eclipse," it could not write a 
true history of those four long dreary years as 
they were. All the evils of war, and all the 
horrors of civil war were crowded into them, 
and the refined cruelties known to the civiliza- 
tion of the enlightened age in which we live, 
were practiced by the opposing parties. Starva- 
tion, the prison-pen, and the tortures incident to 
the times, were the common doom of the unfoi't- 
unate who fell into enem3''s hands. But after 
four terrible years of strife, the Goddess of 
Peace once more waved the olive branch over 
the land, and the unnatural war was brought to 
a close. That which had so long been deemed 
a curse to the country, was developed into a 
blessing, and it is safe to predict that the same 
cause will never originate another war on Ameri- 
can soil. Now that the trouble is over, and 
peace and prosperity smile upon the land from 
one end of the nation to the other, it is a source 
of congratulation that the cause for strife be- 
tween the sections is forever removed. In the 
union of " the Roses" was found the germ of 
England's future greatness and resplendent 
glory, and in the harmonious blending of " the 
Blue " and " the Gray," who shall limit the 
greatness and the glory of America ? 

It is highly creditable to Summit County that 
she was represented in some of the first regi- 
ments organized in the spring of 1861. When 
the news was sent flying over the country that 
the flag had been insulted, the people were 
aroused to instant action. Who does not re- 
member the blaze of excitement which followed 
the bombardment of Sumter, when martial mu- 
sic was heard in every town and hamlet, and 
tender women, no less than brave men, were 
wild with enthusiasm ? Wives encouraged their 
husbands to enlist ; mothers urged their sons to 



patriotic devotion, and sisters tenderly gave 
their brothers to the cause of their country. 
But ho reminders are necessary to revive a rec- 
ollection of those stirring scenes, nor to recall 
the names of the patriots who participated in 
the struggle ; who " fought the good fight unto 
the end," or, from the prison, the hospital and 
the battle-field, crossed over to mingle with the 
grand army beyond the river. Some of them 
sleep in unknown graves, " in the land of cotton 
and cane," where the palm-trees wave over their 
tombs ; where the birds carol their matins above 
them, and where the flowers sweeten the air 
around them with their fragrance ; and it is no 
reproach to their valor that they fell before foes 
as brave as themselves. They are held memoria 
ill (I'terna, and their patriotism is recorded in 
the nation's history. Those who survived and 
returned in safet}- to home and friends, have 
their reward in the knowledge that the old flag 
still floats over all the States. 

A brief sketch of the regiment, containing 
organized bodies of men from this county, will 
now be given, together with all the local facts 
to be obtained, of the companies recruited here 
and mustered into the United States service. 
Every exertion has been made to get the list of 
county organizations complete. Newspaper files 
have been examined, ex-offlcers and soldiers 
consulted, and all publications on the subject 
perused with care. And while there may be 
slight errors and omissions in some cases, we 
believe, however, that in the main the record 
willbe found substantiall}' correct. 

The first regiment in which Summit County 
was represented was the Nineteenth Infantry'. 
This regiment was originally organized for 
three months, and drew two companies from 
this count}', viz., G and K. Company G. was 
recruited as " Company A, Akron Light In- 
fantry," but, in organizing the regiment, was 
changed to G. The original officers were Lewis 
P. Buckley, Captain ; A. J. Fulkerson, First 
Lieutenant, and G. S. Carpenter, Second Lieu- 
tenant. Capt. Buckley was promoted to Major, 
and, at the expiration of the term of service of 
the regiment, was appointed Colonel of the 
Twenty-ninth Infantrj-. Company K was re- 
cruited as " Company B, Akron Union Light 
Infantry," and, upon organization, became Com- 
pany K, with the following officers : Andrew 
J. Konkle, Captain ; Paul T. Kirby, First Lieu- 
tenant, and James Nelson, Second Lieutenant. 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUJ^TY. 



253 



The regiment was filled up by the 15th of 
May, and on the 27th it left Camp Taylor — 
the place of rendezvous — for Columbus, and 
occupied Camp Jackson. Hei'e it elected reg- 
imental officers. Companies A and B were 
armed and equipped and sent to Bellaire, 
where they were employed guarding the ferry 
until June 3, while the other eight companies 
were sent to Camp Goddard, at Zanesville, to 
perfect themselves in the drill. On the 20th 
of June, Companies A and B joined the reg- 
iment, and, with the Seventeenth and Twenti- 
eth, were sent to Parkersburg. At Parkers- 
burg the Nineteenth, Eighth and Tenth Ohio, 
and Thirteenth Indiana were organized into a 
brigade, under Brigadier-General W. S. Rose- 
crans. The regiment, with its brigade, went 
to Clarksburg on the 25th, and to Buckhannon 
on the 29th, where it arrived on July 2. It 
participated in the battle of Rich Mountain on 
the 7th. The behavior of the Nineteenth in 
this engagement, won from Gen. Rosecrans the 
following : " The Nineteenth distinguished itself 
for the' cool and handsome manner in which it 
held its post against a flank attack, and for the 
manner in which it came into line and delivered 
its fire near the close of the action." The term 
of service expired on the 23d, and it returned 
to Columbus, Ohio, and was mustered out of 
the service. Many of the officers busied them- 
selves in recruiting for the three years' service, 
and with such marked success that by the 26th 
of September, nine full companies had reported 
and were mustered in. 

In the re-organization of the regiment for 
three j^ears. Company K was made up of Sum- 
mit County men, and went into the service with 
the following officers : Paul T. Kirby, Cap- 
tain ; G. R. Lentz, First Lieutenant, and J. J. 
Agard, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Kirby re- 
signed December 2, 1862. Lieutenant Lentz 
resigned August 1, 1862. Lieut. Agard was 
promoted to First Lieutenant February 9, 
1862, to Captain June 19, 1863, and honor- 
ably discharged January 27, 1865. Albert 
Upson was promoted from First Sergeant to 
Second Lieutenant February 9, 1862, to First 
Lieutenant January 2, 1868, and to Captain 
July 25, 1864, and, as such, mustered out with 
the regiment. Wesle}- l^pson was promoted 
from Third Sergeant to Second Lieutenant 
January 2, 1863, and to First Lieutenant July 
2, 1864. J. S. Cochran was promoted from 



Second Sergeant to Second Lieutenant Jul}'' 2, 
1864. Of other promotions we could obtain 
no information. 

The re-organization of the Nineteenth took 
place at Camp Dennison, and, b}- the 7th of 
November, 1861, it was full}' artned and 
equipped and read}' for the field. It left camp 
on the 16th and proceeded to Louisville, Ky., 
by way of Cincinnati, and was the first reg- 
iment to go into Camp Jenkins, five miles from 
Louisville. It remained here, in command of 
Gen. 0. M. Mitchell, until the 6th of December, 
when it moved to Lebanon, Ky., and thence to 
Columbia, where it arrived on the 10th, and 
was brigaded with the Fifty-ninth Ohio, Sec- 
ond and Ninth Kentucky Infantry and Hag- 
gard's Regiment of Cavalry, Gen J. T. Boyle 
commanding. 

The following pleasant episode occurred 
while stationed at Columbia : A beautiful silk 
flag was received as a present from the ladies 
of Canton to the Nineteenth. It was presented 
to the regiment in a neat little speech by Mr. 
A. Kitt. Capt. Mandersou received it, and, in 
behalf of the Nineteenth, made appropriate 
acknowledgment. 

The Nineteenth, together with the Third 
Kentucky Infantry, was ordered to the mouth 
of Renick's Creek, near Burksville, on the 
Cumberland River, on the 17th of January, 
1 862, and soon after moved to Jamestown, where 
they were joined by the Sixth Ohio Battery 
of Artillery. The battle of Mill Springs took 
place soon after, resulting in the defeat of the 
rebels under Gen. Zollicoffer, when the troops 
returned to Columbia. While lying at Colum- 
bia, the men suffered severely from sickness, 
and a number of the Nineteenth died, among 
them Lieut. S. Lentz, of Company E. The 
regiment was finally ordered to Nashville, 
where it arrived on the 10th of March, and 
went into camp five miles out on the Murfrees- 
boro Pike. On the 1 8th of March it left Nash- 
ville, with its brigade, for Savannah, on the 
Tennessee River, and on the 6th of April, when 
within fourteen miles of that place, the heavy 
booming of cannon was heard in the direction 
of Pittsburg Landing, and the troops started 
on the double-quick, hoping to get there in time 
to participate in the battle. But owing to a 
lack of transportation, it was dark before they 
arrived, and the dreary, rainy night was spent 
in line on the battle-field. In the second day's 



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25i 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



fight, the Nineteenth took an active part. Gen. 
Boyle, who commanded the brigade, said of 
the Nineteenth : " The Colonel and Capt. Man- 
derson (acting Major) held their men steady, 
and deported themselves, as did their officers 
and men, with coolness and conrage, until the 
Colonel ordered them back to a position from 
under the fire of the enemy's battery. This 
position was held until the guns of the enemy 
were silenced by the well-directed fire of Capt. 
Bartlett's battery. Maj. Edwards, acting Lieu- 
tenant Colonel, was shot dead from his horse, 
and a number of privates were killed and 
wounded." Among the killed and wounded of 
the gallant Nineteenth, were Privates 0. T. 
Powell and Horace H. Bailey, of Compan}^ C, 
and Corporal W. E. Gribson, of Company H, 
killed ; Lieut. William A. Sutherland, of Com- 
pany H, severely wounded. 

The next active duty of the regiment was at 
the siege of Corinth. It entered that place on 
the 29th of May, with the army, and on the 3d 
of June marched in pursuit of the enemy, pro- 
ceeding as far as Brownsboro, when it returned 
to luka and joined Gen. Buell's forces. It 
marched with his column to Florence, Ala., 
and to Battle Creek, where it arrived on the 
14th of July. On the 21st of August, it moved 
to Nashville with Gen. McCook's division, 
where it became a portion of Gen. Buell's 
army, and with it made that famous march to 
Louisville, Ky. The Nineteenth marched out 
of Louisville on the 1st of October, with Gen. 
Crittenden's division, and reached Perryville 
on the 8th, in time to witness a portion of that 
battle, but not to participate. Upon the retreat 
of the rebel army from Kentucky, the Nine- 
teenth marched through Somerset and Glasgow, 
to Gallatin, Tenn., where it remained two 
weeks on provost duty, then joined its division 
at the '' Hermitage," and, passing through 
Nashville, went into camp near its old quarters 
on the Murfreesboro turnpike. It moved with 
the army on the 26th of December, in the 
advance on Murfreesboro. In command of Maj. 
Charles F. Manderson, it was thrown across 
Stone River on the 31st, with a view of swinging 
around into Murfreesboro, but the disaster of 
McCook's right wing compelled its withdrawal, 
and, recrossing the river, it passed to the right, 
and by a determined resistance, aided to check 
the advance of the rebels. Under the personal 
lead of Gen. Rosecrans, Beatty's brigade 



charged the enemy, drove him about three- 
fourths of a mile, and held the position until 
relieved by Col. M. B. Walker's brigade. On 
the 2d of January, 1863, the Nineteenth, with 
its division, crossed Stone River, and received 
the charge of the rebel column under Gen. 
Breckeuridge. They were forced to retreat, 
but the pursuing rebels coming under the range 
of the masked artiller}-, were driven back over 
the river and beyond it with great slaughter. 
The Nineteenth Ohio and the Ninth Kentucky 
were the first to cross Stone River, and with 
the assistance of men of other regiments, capt- 
ured four pieces of artiller}^ from the famous 
Washington (La.) batter^'. The regiment suf- 
fered severel}' in this battle. It entered it 
with 449 men, rank and file, and lost in killed, 
wounded and missing, 213, nearly one-half 
Upon the fall of Murfreesboro, the regiment 
went into camp on the Liberty turnpike. The 
whole army remained at Murfreesboro until 
the 29th of June, during which time the Nine- 
teenth guarded an ammunition train to Man- 
chester, and thence proceeded to McMinn- 
ville, where it remained until the 16th of 
August. It then crossed the Cumberland 
Mountains to Pikeville, and with the division 
passed over Lookout Mountain to Lee & Gor- 
don's Mills, arriving on the 13th of September. 
At Crawfish Springs, the regiment had a brisk 
skirmish with the rebels, in which several men 
were killed and wounded. 

In the battle of Chickamauga, the Nineteenth 
did its part of the hard fighting. On the 18th 
of September, it was, together with the Seven- 
ty-ninth Indiana, supported by the Ninth and 
Seventeenth Kentucky, ordered to advance up- 
on the enemy. With a cheer they advanced, 
drove the enemy and captured a rebel battery, 
with some prisoners. In the second day's 
battle, the Nineteenth held an important posi- 
tion, and performed its full share of hard fight- 
ing. As a proof of the gallantr}^ of the regi- 
ment, a private of Company G received severe 
wounds during the first da^^'s battle. Capt. 
Irwin received a wound from which he after- 
ward died ; Lieut. McHenry was also severely 
wounded. The aggregate loss was 100 men 
killed, wounded and missing. At Orchard 
Knob, on the 23d of November, the Nineteenth 
lost twenty men killed and wounded. On the 
25th, it took part in the charge of the rebel 
works at the foot of Mission Ridge, where it 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



255 



lost oue man killed and thirteen wounded. It 
was next sent with Sherman toward Knoxville. 
This march was one of unexampled severity. 
The men were ragged and shoeless, and their 
footprints were marked with blood on the 
SHOW}' ground. Finding that Gen. Longstreet 
had raised the siege of Nashville, the army 
moved to Strawberry Plains and Flat Creek. 
Here, on the 1st of January, 1864, 400 of the 
Nineteenth re-enlisted as veteran volunteers, 
and, upon reaching Chattanooga on the 4th of 
January, the three j'ears' regiment was mus- 
tered out, and the veterans mustered into serv- 
ice for another three years. It then returned 
home on furlough, reaching Cleveland on the 
IGth of February-. Upon the expiration of 
their furlough, they returned immediately to 
the front, arriving at Knoxville on the 24th of 
March. The first active duty of the Nineteenth 
was in the Atlanta campaign, which opened on 
the 6th of Maj", and the regiment was sent to 
Parker's Gap, to hold that pass. On the 20th, 
it rejoined its brigade, and, moving with the 
column, it participated in the fight at New 
Hope Church, in which it lost forty-four killed 
and wounded. Capt. Brewer, of Compan}- E, 
was killed ; Maj. Nash lost his left hand, and 
Capt. Smith, of Compan}' G, was severel}' 
wounded. It was engaged at Kenesaw, at 
Peach Tree Creek, and at the crossing of the 
Chattahoochie River, and was under fire daily 
up to the evacuation of Atlanta. The regiment 
participated in the action of Lovcjoy Station 
and lost seventy men killed and wounded. 
Capt. Miller, of Compan^^ I, was killed ; Col. 
Manderson was severely wounded, also Capt. 
Agard, of Compan}' K. The entire loss of the 
Nineteenth in the Atlanta campaign was, killed, 
two commissioned officers and twenty-eight 
men ; wounded, six commissioned officers and 
ninety -six men ; missing, thirteen men ; total, 
145. Lieut. McHenry, of Company I, was 
killed in front of Atlanta on the 24th of Au- 
gust, and Capt. Fix, of Company B, wounded 
on the same day. 

When Sherman started on his famous march 
to the sea, the Nineteenth, forming a part of 
Gen. Thomas' command, left Atlanta and 
marched toward Nashville to aid in opposing 
Hood. At the battle of Franklin, on the 29th 
of October, it was held in reserve. It partici- 
pated in the battle of Nashville, with slight 
loss, and then followed in pursuit of the demor- 



alized army of Gen. Hood to the Tennessee 
River. On the 5th of January-, 1865, the reg- 
iment was at Huntsville, Ala., where comforta- 
ble quarters were erected. Col. Manderson 
resigned March 17, from physical disability, 
and Col. Stratton having resigned some months 
earlier, Maj. Nash was promoted to Lieutenant 
Colonel, and remained in command of the regi- 
ment until mustered out. From Huntsville, it 
moved into East Tennessee, marching as far as 
the Virginia line, and then returned to Nash- 
ville. It formed a part of that body of troops 
sent to Texas, and arrived at Green Lake July 
14, 1865, and at San Antonio on the 23d of 
September. On the 21st of October, it was 
mustered out of service at San Antonio, and 
reached Columbus, Ohio, on the 22d of Novem- 
ber, where it was paid off and discharged. 

The Twenty-ninth Infantry contained a large 
number of men from this county, some of 
whom served in the old Nineteenth under its 
three months' organization. Of the Twenty- 
ninth, Companies D, G and H ma}- be termed 
Summit Count}- companies (as we learn from 
Capt. Nash), and were recruited almost wholly 
in the count}'. Company D was organized 
with the following commissioned officers : P. C. 
Hard, Captain ; B. F. Perr}-, First Lieutenant, 
and J. H. Grinnell, Second Lieutenant. Capt. 
Hard did not leave camp with the regiment, 
but resigned early. Lieut. Perry resigned, 
June 20, 1862. Lieut. Grinnell was promoted 
to First Lieutenant May 25, 1864, and honor- 
ably discharged June 14, 1864. George W. 
Dice was made First Lieutenant April 13, 1862, 
promoted to Captain May 25, 1864, and killed 
June 16, 1864. Companj^ G was organized 
with John S. Clemmer, Captain ; James Treen, 
First Lieutenant, and J. J. Wright, Second 
Lieutenant. Capt. Clemmer was pi'omoted to 
Major December 31, 1861, and resigned Decem- 
ber 12, 1862. Lieut. Treen was promoted to 
Captain October 1, 1862, but, owing to age, was 
unable to withstand the fatigue incident to sol- 
diering, and resigned Ma}- 22, 1863, but left 
two stalwart sons in the ser\ice to represent 
him. Second Lieut. J. J. Wright was pro- 
moted to Captain December 21, 1861, and hon- 
orably discharged October 1, 1862. C. H. Rus- 
sell was promoted to Second Lieutenant April 
13, 1862. to First Lieutenant January 24, 1863, 
and honorably dischai'ged November 30, 1864. 
W. F. Chamberlain was promoted to Second 



1^ 



256 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY, 



Lieutenant January 24, 1862. to First Lieu- 
tenant Ma}' 25, 1864, to Captain October 12, 
1864, and mustered out with the regiment. 
Company H was organized with Jonas Schoon- 
over, Captain ; A. J. Fulkerson, First Lieuten- 
ant, and Henry Mack, Second Lieutenant. 
Capt. Schoonover was at one time transferred 
to Company E, Seventh Infantry, but afterward 
back to his own regiment, and was regularly 
promoted until he became its Colonel, and 
as such was mustered out with it. Lieut. 
Fulkerson was discharged August 15, 1864. 
Second Lieut. Mack, owing to ill health, re- 
signed earl}', and Thomas F. Nash became 
Second Lieutenant October 27, 1862. Lieut. 
Nash was promoted to First Lieutenant May 
25, 1864, to Captain October 12, 1864, and 
transferred to Company E. and was mustered 
out with the regiment. D. W. Thomas was 
promoted to First Lieutenant January 6, 1865, 
to Captain April 10, 1865, and mustered out 
with regiment. Thomas Folger was promoted 
to First Lieutenant January 6, 1865, was made 
adjutant of regiment, and, July 12, 1865, pro- 
moted to Captain, but as such was not mus- 
tered. James B. Storer, present Postmaster of 
Akron, was promoted to Second Lieutenant 
April 13, 1862, to First Lieutenant January 
26, 1863, and became Adjutant of the regiment. 
From wounds received, disabling him for life, 
Lieut. Storer was honorably discharged No- 
vember 30, 1864. Jacob Buck was promoted 
to First Lieutenant July 12, 1865, and as such 
mustered out. 

Lewis P. Buckley, a resident of Akron, and 
late Major 'of the Nineteenth Infantry (three 
months' service) was appointed the first Col- 
onel of the Twenty-ninth. The following 
sketch of the life of Colonel Buckley is pub- 
lished in a pamphlet descriptive of the Sol- 
diers' Memorial Chapel in the Akron Rural 
Cemeter}', and is given in this connection, as a 
tribute to a worth}' soldier : 

Lewis P. Buckley was born at Cayuga Lake, in 
the State of New York, and became a resident of 
Akron, Ohio, about the year 1834. Though — having 
in early life received a military education at West 
Point — he took considerable interest in the military 
affairs of Akron and vicinity, at one time holding a 
commission in one of the independent companies of 
the village, his entire life, after coming to Akron, 
was devoted to civil pursuits, until the breaking-out 
of the rebellion, about two years of the intervening 
time (from 1849 to 1851) being spent upon the Pacitic 
coast at Sacramento City. On the call of President 



Lincoln, in April, 1861, for three months' troops, 
Mr. Buckley, though the disease which finally ter- 
minated his life was even then beginning to develop 
itself, promptly responded to the call, and raised a 
company in Akron, with which he reported to Camp 
Taylor, near Cleveland, about the middle of May. 
With nine other companies, raised in Northeastern 
Ohio, one of which was also from Akron, on the 
27th of May they proceeded by rail to Camp Jack- 
son, near Columbus, where they were organized 
into the Nineteenth Regiment of Ohio Volunteer 
Infantry, Capt. Buckley being elected Major of the 
regiment. Securing their arms, the regiment pro- 
ceeded to Camp Goddard, near Zanesville, to per- 
fect themselves in drill. Remaining there until the 
20th of June, the Nineteenth proceeded to West 
Virginia, where it became ine()r])orated in Gen. 
Rosecrans' Brigade, and a part of Gen. McClellan's 
"Provisional Army of West Virginia." In his re- 
port of the battle of Rich Mountain, Gen. Rose- 
crans, in one portion, says: "The Nineteenth de- 
ployed into line and delivered two splendid volleys, 
when the enemy broke;" and, in another portion: 
"The Nineteenth distinguished itself for the cool 
and handsome manner in which it held its post 
against a flank attack, and for the manner in which 
it came into line and delivered its fire, near the close 
of the action." 

On the mustering-out of the three mouths' men, 
about the 1st of August, 1861, Maj. Buckley imme- 
diately set himself to work, under the auspices of 
Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, to raise a regiment for 
the three years' service. So promptly was this 
done, that the Twenty-ninth Ohio Volunteer In- 
fantry was organized at Camp Giddings, near Jef- 
ferson, Ashtabula County, August 26, 1861, with 
Maj. Bucklej' as its Colonel. This regiment, as a 
part of the Army of the Potomac, participated in 
the l)attles of Winchester, ]\Iarch 28, 1862; Port Re- 
public, June 9-12, 1863, and Cedar Mountain, August 
9, 1862, the gallantry of its Colonel being conspicu- 
ous throughout. Following, with his regiment, the 
varied fortunes of the Army of the Potomac, dur- 
ing the balance of the year 1862, the rapidly declin- 
ing health of Col. Buckley compelled him to reluc- 
tantly resign his command and return home, his 
resignation taking effect Jaiuiary 26, 1863. * * * 
* * * On returning to Akron, though a constant 
sufferer from the disease that was preying upon 
him, he rendered valuable aid during the remainder 
of the war, at the close of which, on the recom- 
mendation of Hon. R. P. Spalding, Col. Buckley 
received the appointment of Assistant Doorkeeper 
of the House of Representatives at Washington. 
He served faithfully in that capacity through the 
Thirty-ninth Congress, and again entered upon his 
duties at the beginning of the Fortieth Congress, 
but soon became so feeble that he was compelled to 
accept the leave of absence tendered him, and re- 
turn home to die, struggling bravely and hopefully 
to the last, his death, from consumption, occurring 
Thursday, June 25, 1868, at the age of sixty-four 
years. Tlie funeral of Col. Buckley was the largest 
and most imposing ever held in Akron. It was at- 
tended by the entire Masonic fraternity of Summit 
and adjoining counties; by the surviving members 



fe* 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



257 



of the Nineteenth and Twenty-ninth regiments, 
and by the representatives of a large number of 
other regmaents, both of infantry, cavalry and ar- 
tillery, and b}' almost the entire population of the 
city and surrounding towns, the immense procession 
being commanded by Lieut. Col. Edward Hayes, of 
WaiTen, one of the original officers of the Twenty- 
ninth regiment. 

Lewis P. Buckley was a faithful friend, a true 
patriot, a brave soldier. Let us cherish his virtues, 
by naming after him the Post of which we, as sol- 
diers, are members, and bj^ erecting in his honor, 
properljr inscribed and adorned, a beautiful window 
in tlie magnificent memorial chapel which we, as 
soldiers and citizens, this day dedicate. 

The Twenty-ninth* was organized at Camp 
Giddings. near Jefferson, Ashtabula County, 
August 26, 1861, and was among the first to 
answer the President's call for three years' serv- 
ice. Owing to the man}' difficulties by which 
it was surrounded, it was the 25th of December 
before it was ready for the field. It then pro- 
ceeded to Camp Chase, where it remained until 
the 17th of January, 1862, when it was ordered 
to Cumberland, Md. While at Cumberland, it 
was brigaded with the Fifth, Seventh and Six- 
ty-sixth Ohio, and the One Hundred and Tenth 
Pennsylvania Regiments, commanded by Col. 
E. B. Tyler, of the Seventh Ohio. The division 
to which the brigade belonged was commanded 
b}' Gen. Lander until his decease, about the 
1st of March, 1862, when the command passed 
to Gen. Shields. The troops, including the 
Twent^'-ninth, remained but a few weeks at 
Cumberland, when it joined the Army of the 
Potomac, and with it participated in the battle 
of Winchester on the 23d of March, in which 
the rebels, under "Stonewall" Jackson, were 
defeated. The brigade to which the Twenty- 
ninth belonged pursued the enem}' all the next 
day, halting near Cedar Creek, and again on 
the next da}' (the 25th) beyond Strasburg some 
two miles (Nash's notes), when the pursuit was 
abandoned and the troops returned. On the 
9th of June, the regimennt participated in the 
battle of Port Republic, in which a number of 
prisoners were taken, including Capt. Nash 
(then Lieutenant in Compau}' H), and taken to 
Salisbury, North Carolina. Capt. Nash re- 
mained a prisoner of war nearly two months, 
and was then released. He proceeded to Wash- 

*We are indebted to Opt. Ttiomas W. Niwb and J. G. Caskey, 
Esq., members of this pallant obi regiment, f.T the principal facts 
from which this sketch is compiled. Tliey have both preserved 
notes and memoranda of the regiment's movementn and operations, 
which they kindly placed at our disposal, and for which they have 
our thanks. 



ington, where he arrived August 20, and, after 
a short visit home, returned to his regiment. 
In the battles of Cedar Mountain and the Sec- 
ond Bull Run the Twenty-ninth took part, and 
acquitted itself with honor. From the latter 
battle until that of Chancellorsville, the regi- 
ment was inactive, except camp routine and an 
occasional scout or foraging expedition. In 
May, 1863, occurred the battle of Chancellors- 
ville. The following extracts are from Mr. 
Caskey's notes : 

At this moment the battle of Chancellorsville 
opened in our front in dead earnest. ***** 
The battle lasted foin- days— 1st, 2d, 3d and 4th days 
of May. On the 2d, both armies seemed to be plan- 
ning the best mode of attack and defense. A spy 
gave reliable information concerning the rebels 
and their plan of attack. Our artillery opened fire 
in the direction indicated bj' the spy, and made 
openings in the woods at every discharge. Limbs 
and small trees were falling; sharpshooters who 
had climbed into the trees were seen tumbling to 
the ground. The "rebel yell" and the shrieks of 
the wounded were mingled together. About sun- 
set, Lee came up on our center three lines deep, but 
was repulsed with heavy loss. ******* 
On the 3d, Lee massed on our right center, in front 
of the Eleventh Corps, took it by surprise, when it 
broke and fell back on ours (the Twelfth), and, un- 
der a cross-fire from the rebels we suffered severel3\ 
But the reserves were brought up and the enemy 
were checked. ***** That night at dark 
we were in close action. It was very pretty, but 
rather dangerous fire-works. On Monday night 
our army commenced to retreat, and fell back to our 
old camp. 

An incident, partaking somewhat of the hu- 
morous, is thus related b}^ Mr. Caskey in his 
" reminiscences " of the Twenty-ninth : 

About the last of May we had a grand review of 
the Potomac Army. Gen. Green was reviewing- 
officer, and we were marched four miles from camp 
in the sand on the banks of the Potomac. The 
weather was hot and dry and the roads dusty. 
Gen. Green had brought his wife and daughters 
down from Washington to see us. They were nicely 
ensconced in their carriage, and we were " hoofing" 
it back and forth through the sand, almost choked 
for water — for it was a part of the red-tape of the 
occasion that we were not allowed to leave rank to 
get water or fill our canteens. FinallJ^ we were 
ready to pass the reviewing-officer, the line was 
nearly by, when one of the General's daughters 
called to him, saying: "Trot 'em round again, papa; 
I like to see them.'^ I don't know whether it was 
wicked to swear about that time or not. If it was, 
the boys were very wicked. We didn't trot round 
again, all the same. 

The Twenty-ninth participated in the battle 
of Gettysburg, where it did its full duty. This 



IV 



258 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



was one of the severest battles of the entire 
Avar. The cannonading commenced earl}^ on 
the morning of Jul}' 2, 1863, and for two whole 
days the fighting continued almost constantly, 
when, on the morning of the 4th, it was as- 
certained that the rebels had retreated. This 
was the last service of the Twenty-ninth in the 
Army of the Potomac. On the 25th of Sep- 
tember, it proceeded via Washington, Colum- 
bus, Indianapolis and Louisville, to Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn. Its first service in this depart- 
ment was with the army of Gen. Hooker, and 
on the 24th of November it participated in the 
battle of Lookout Mountain, the famous " fight 
above the clouds," where, in the language of 
Prentice, 

"* * * * * they burst 
Like spirits of destruction throu.ii-h tlie clouds, 
And mid a thousand luirtlinii- missiles swept 
Tlieir foes before them as the whirlwind sweeps 
The strong oaks of the forest." 

The regiment re-enlisted the latter part of 
December. 1863, and came home on a forlough 
of thirty days. At the expiration of that time, 
it returned to the front, and on the 4th of May, 
1864, it joined the Atlanta campaign, and dur- 
ing those days of arduous service, it bore its 
part with its accustomed bravery. During the 
entire campaign, until the fall of Atlanta, the 
regiment was almost constantly under arms, 
and engaged much of the time in fighting and 
skirmishing. On the 15th of November, the 
Twenty-ninth left Atlanta with Sherman on his 
march to the sea, and bearing its part in all the 
marches and skirmishes. It remained in North 
and South Carolina until the close of the war, 
when, on the 29th of April, 1865, it proceeded 
to "Washington City, via Richmond. In Wash- 
ington it took part in the grand review, and on 
the 10th of June started for Louisville, Ky., 
where it remained in camp until the 13th of 
July ; then went to Cleveland, Ohio, and, on 
its arrival at Camp Taylor, was paid off and 
discharged, on the 22d and 23d of July, from 
the United States service. 

The Sixty-fourth Infantry was a regiment in 
which Summit County was represented, but to 
what extent we have been unable to learn def- 
initely. Company G was made up wholly or 
in part in this county, but of its commissioned 
officers, we could learn but little beyond the 
fact that R. S. Chamberlain, Dudley C. Carr, 
Alonzo Hancock, Wilbur F. Sanders and A. M. 



Bloom, served as such, the first three named 
rising to the rank of Captain. Chamberlain 
was honorably discharged on the 23d of Sep- 
tember, 1864 ; Carr declined to accept a cap- 
taincy, and Hancock was mustered out as Cap- 
tain with tlie regiment. 

This regiment formed part of the brigade 
raised by Senator Sherman, and was organized 
at Camp Buckingham, near Mansfield, in No- 
vember, 1861. The Sixty-fourtii and Sixty- 
fifth Regiments of Infantry, and the Sixth In- 
dependent Battery, comprised the Sherman 
Brigade. The Sixty-fourth served in Ken- 
tucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisi- 
ana and Texas. It witnessed the battle of 
Perryville, Ky., without being permitted to 
participate in it. It was at Stone River where 
it lost heavily. In the Tullahoma campaign, 
in which it took an active part, it lost over one 
hundred men. The siege of Knoxville was an- 
other service in which it was engaged. The 
1st of January, 1864, about three-fourths of 
the regiment re-enlisted for another three ^-ears' 
service. At the expiration of its veteran fur- 
lough, it reported at Chattanooga, and accom- 
panied Gen. Sherman in his Atlanta campaign, 
participating in all the liattles of that stirring 
period. The Sixty-fourth also took part in the 
battles of Franklin and Nashville — the closing 
battles of the war. After the war ended, it was 
sent to Texas, where it remained on duty until 
the 3d of December, 1865, and it was then 
mustered out, sent home, and paid oflf and dis- 
charged. 

The One Hundretl and Fourth Infantry 
drew a large number of men from Summit 
Count}'. Company H, entire, and several othei- 
parts of companies were recruited here. Com- 
pan}' H entered the field officered as followed : 
Walter B. Scott, Captain ; Hobart Ford. First 
Lieutenant, and Samuel F. Shaw, Second Lieu- 
tenant. Capt. Scott died March 25, 1863, and 
Lieut. Ford was promoted to Captain in his 
place, but afterward placed on detached duty 
on Gen. Cox's staff. Second Lieut. Shaw was 
promoted to First Lieutenant May 20, 1863, 
and detached at his own request. First Sergt. 
B. L. Robertson was promoted to Second Lieu- 
tenant February 26, 1863, to First Lieutenant 
May 9, 1864, and to Captain May 11, 1865, 
but mustered out as a First Lieutenant. Second 
Sergeant Abram Paulus was promoted to 
Second Lieutenent August 19, 1864, and to 



"7i; 



>u 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



•259 



First Lieutenant May 11, 1865, but mustered 
out as Second Lieutenant. 

This regiment was organized at Camp Mas- 
sillon in 1862. It was mostl}' recruited in the 
counties of Summit, Stark, Portage and Colum- 
biana, and was mustered into the United States 
service at Camp Massillon, its place of rendez- 
vous, on the 30th of August, 1862, and on the 
1st of September left for the seat of war. The 
first active duty of the regiment was at Cov- 
ington, Ky., where, upon its arrival, it went 
into camp on the Alexandria Turnpike, near 
that city. The rebel General, Kirb}' Smith, 
was then menacing Cincinnati, and the One 
Hundred and Fourth acted as the outpost of 
the national forces. In a few days it was sent 
to Fort Mitchell, near by, where the advanced 
pickets of the rebel army Avere met. A slight 
skirmish followed, in which the regiment lost 
one man killed and five wounded — the first and 
only blood spilled in defense of Cincinnati. On 
the 12th of September, the One Hundred and 
Fourth marched in pursuit of the rebel army 
toward Lexington, and being its first march, 
was very severe on the men. It reached Lex- 
ington on the morning of the 15th of October, 
just after the rear guard of the rebels had 
evacuated the city. It remained here until 
the 6th of December, perfecting itself in drill 
and discipline, and with such success as to car- 
ry off the palm in a competitive drill of the 
forces at that place. On the 6th of December, 
the regiment, with its brigade, resumed its 
march, and on the evening of the 7th, arrived at 
Kichmund, Ky., where the command, compris- 
ing the One Hundredth, Fort3'-fourth and One 
Hundred and Fourth, Ohio, and the Nine- 
teenth Ohio Battery, built quite formidable 
earthworks. The march was resumed on the 
27th of December, and on the 28th the regi- 
ment reached Danville. This movement was 
made for the purpose of intercepting the rebe' 
Gen. Morgan, then maneuvering in that vicini- 
ty, but, be3'ond light skirmishing, nothing oc- 
curred. From Danville it went to Frankfort, 
the State capital, where it performed provost 
duty, until the 21st of February, 1863. While 
the brigade was in Frankfort, the Forty-fourth 
Ohio was mounted. The regiment started for 
Danville on the 21st of February, and contin- 
ued to operate in that portion of Kentucky 
until the first of September, when it joined Gen. 
Burnside's army in East Tennessee, arriving at 



Knoxville about the 5th. Before leaving Ken- 
tucky, the One Hundred and Fourth had been 
placed in the First Brigade, Third Division, 
Twenty-third Army Corps, under Gen. Hart- 
suff. The regiment, with its brigade, after a 
short rest at Knoxville, was sent to Cumber- 
land Gap, where it arrived on the 7th ot 
September. Gen. Burnside demanded the sur- 
render of the place, which was complied with 
by Gen. Frazier, the commandant, who sur- 
rendered his entire force as prisoners of war. 
The One Hundred and Fourth was the first 
regiment to enter the works, and received the 
surrender of the rebel force and stores. The 
regiment, after this, returned to Knoxville, 
where for a time it was engaged on provost 
dut}'. Its next active duty was in the siege 
of Knoxville by Gen. Longstreet, where it was 
held in reserve, but being ordered to the south 
side of Holston River, it had an engagement in 
which the enemy was repulsed. During the 
siege it bore its part of active duty, and suffered 
severely from exposure and privation. Its 
rations were limited and inferior in quality ; 
the weather was cold, drizzly- and disagreeable, 
and the men, without tents, were compelled to 
take their rest upon the mudd}' ground. Says 
a war chronicle: "The One Hundred and 
Fourth Ohio, with the national arm}', joined in 
the pursuit of Longstreet, and followed him up 
to Blain's Cross Roads, participating in the 
various skirmishes of that pursuit. It wintered 
in this inhospitable region during the whole of 
that inclement season, and endured hardships 
and privations like those suffered by our Revo- 
lutionary forefathers at Valley Forge. Half- 
starved, half-clad, those brave bo3's and self- 
sacrificing men maintained their integrity to 
the old flag, and in the midst of these terrible 
sufferings declared a willingness to enter on 
another three years' term of service, but their 
enlistment not expiring within the time speci- 
fied, thej- were not allowed to veteranize. '^ 

The One Hundred and Fourth took part in 
the Atlanta Campaign in 1864, and participated 
in all the general engagements of that stirring 
period. In the desperate assault at Utoy Creek 
on the 6th of August, the loss of the brigade 
was 600 killed and wounded ; the One Hundred 
and Fourth lost twenty-six officers and men 
killed and wounded. In the latter part of Au- 
gust it proceeded to Jonesboro, and took part 
in that engagement, and remained in the vicinity 



©" 



V9 ^ 



260 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



until the fall of Atlanta, when it marched for 
Decatur. During the month of October" it 
operated against Hood's forces, and on the 6th 
of November took the cars for Nashville. Un- 
til the 26th almost dail}^ skirmishing was had, 
in which it lost several men. It participated 
in the battle of Franklin on the 30th, in which 
it lost sixty men killed and wounded. Lieut. 
Kimball, of Company C, and Capt. Bard, of 
Company I, were killed in this battle. After 
the battle, the regiment marched with the na- 
tional forces to Nashville, bearing with it eleven 
battle-flags captured from the enemy. It 
reached Nashville on the morning of December 
1, and took position in the front near Fort Neg- 
ley. Nothing of note occurred until the 15th, 
except the intense suffering of the men from 
cold weather. It moved with the corps to 
which it belonged, on the 1 5th, to the right to 
support the cavalry, and had a brisk skirmish 
in which several men were killed. After the 
rebel works were taken, the regiment moved 
in pursuit of the enemy and did not stop, ex- 
cept a short halt at Columbia, until it reached 
Clifton, Tenn., on the 6th of January, 1865. 
It remained in camp here until the 16th, when 
it embarked on a steamer for Cincinnati, and, 
on the 22d, took the cars for Washington City, 
and thence was transferred to North Caro- 
lina, arriving at Federal Point on the 9th of 
February. During the remainder of the month 
it was actively engaged, skirmishing with the 
enemy much of the time, and on the 4tli of 
March it made a forced march to Kingston to 
the relief of Gen. Cox, who was threatened by 
overpowering numbers. 

The regiment proceeded to Goldsboro from 
Kingston, where it arrived on the 21st of March, 
and where it remained until the 11th of April, 
when it went to Raleigh. At the grand review 
in Raleigh on the 21st of April, the regiment 
received some high compliments from Gen. 
Sherman and others for their etticiency in drill 
and soldierly bearing. It remained in Raleigh 
until May 2, when it was selected by Gen. Cox, 
commanding the corps, to repair to Greensboro 
and receive the arms and stores of Gen. John- 
ston's army. It remained in Greensboi'o as pro- 
vost guard until the 17th of June, 1865, when 
it was mustered out and ordered to Camp Ta}'- 
lor, near Cleveland, for final pay and discharge. 
It arrived in Cleveland on the 24th, and, on the 
27th of June, was paid off and mustered out. 



The One Hundred and Seventh Infantry con- 
tained nearly half a company' from Summit 
County. This was a German regiment, and 
was made up under special authority' from Gov- 
ernor Tod, to serve under Gen. Sigel. Com- 
pany I was made up in this and Tuscarawas 
County, and of the first commissioned officers 
the First Lieutenant was from the latter county, 
while the Captain and Second Lieutenant were 
from Summit. The company was organized 
with Richard Ferederle, Captain ; Hamilton 
Starkweather, First Lieutenant, and W. F. 
Bechtel, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Ferederle 
and Lieut. Starkweather both resigned early ; 
Lieut. Bechtel resigned December 8, 1862. 
George Billow, of Akron, was promoted to Sec- 
ond Lieutenant November 30, 1862, to First 
Lieutenant December 1, 1863, and to Captain 
November 3, 1864, and as such was mustered 
out at the close of the war. Capt. Billow 
served but little with his company after his 
promotion to Captain, but was detached as 
Brigade Commissary, Post Commissary and 
as Provost Marshal. 

This regiment, as we have said, was com- 
posed wholl}' of Germans, and was organized 
at Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, in the latter 
part of August, 1862. It was ordered to Cov- 
ington, Ky., to repel an expected attack of the 
rebel Gen. Kirby Smith. In November it was 
ordered to Virginia, where it was assigned to 
the Eleventh Army Corps, commanded by Gen. 
Sigel. It served in Virginia until the 1st of 
August, 1863, taking part in all the principal 
battles of that period, including Chaucellors- 
ville. It was in this battle that the Eleventh 
Corps was fianked by Stonewall Jackson, in 
which disastrous affair the One Hundred and 
Seventh suffered severely, losing 220 officers and 
men killed, wounded and prisoners. It also 
participated in the battle of Gettj-sburg, where 
it covered itself with honor. Its total loss in 
killed, wounded and missing in this battle 
amounted to over 400, out of 550, rank and 
file engaged. August 1, 1863, the One Hun- 
dred and Seventh was sent to South Carolina, 
where it performed picket duty until January, 
1864. It served in this department, scouting, 
foraging and skirmishing with the enemy, until 
the close of the war. While on a scout near 
Georgetown, S. C, it received the news of the 
surrender of Lee and Johnston's armies. A few 
weeks later, it proceeded to Charleston, where 



1^-. 





/ -Oxc/iy^^^n^^^y^—-^' 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



261 



it performed provost dut}', until the 10th of 
Jul}-, 1865, when it was mustered out, sent 
home to Cleveland, where it was paid off and 
discharged. 

The One Hundred and Fifteenth Infantry was 
well represented by Summit County men. Com- 
panies C and Gr were raised in this county, 
with perhaps some twenty men in Company I. 
The commissioned officers of Company C were 
John A. Means, Captain ; John Eadie, First 
Lieutenant ; and George L. Waterman, Second 
Lieutenant. Capt. Means was mustered out 
with regiment at the close of its service. 
Lieut. Eadie was promoted to Captain, but 
commission was returned ; Lieut. Waterman 
died of wounds September 19, 1863 ; John C. 
Ely was promoted from Third Sergeant to Sec- 
ond Lieutenant February 8, 1865, and was lost 
on the steamer Sultana. The first commis- 
sioned oflSicers of Company' Gr were A. W. Fitch, 
Captain ; D. A. Lowry, First Lieutenant ; and 
A. L. Conger, Second Lieutenant. In the or- 
ganization of the regiment, Capt. Fitch was 
promoted to Major. This led to a promotion 
of the Lieutenants of Company G — Lowry to 
Captain, and Conger to First Lieutenant. Sum- 
ner Nash was made Second Lieutenant. Maj. 
Fitch was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel July 
20, 1864, and I'esigned Januarj- 5, 1865 ; Capt. 
Lowry was lost on steamer Sultana April 27, 
1865 ; Lieutenant Conger was mustered out 
with regiment ; Lieut. Nash was promoted to 
First Lieutenant August 11, 1864, and as such 
mustered out with the regiment. M. S. Hurd 
was promoted from First Sergeant, to Second 
Lieutenant August 11, 1864. Of the men in 
Company I from this count}^ Capt. Edward 
Buckingham, late County Auditor, is the only 
commissioned officer among them, so far as we 
can learn. He went out as First Lieutenant, 
and was promoted to Captain February 8, 1863, 
and in that position was mustered out at the 
close of the war. 

This regiment was mostl}^ engaged during 
its term of service on guard and provost duty. 
It was organized at Camp Massillon in August, 
1862, and mustered into the United States 
service on the 18th of September. October 4, 
it received orders to report to Gen. Wright at 
Cincinnati, wliere, on the 9th, it was divided 
— five companies, under command of Lieut. 
Col. Boone, was sent to Columbus (Camp Chase) 
to perform guard duty. The remaining five 



companies, under command of Col. Luc}', re- 
mained in Cincinnati, acting as provost guard. 
The remainder of its history, during its service, 
is thus given : 

In November, 1863, the battalion at Columbus 
was ordered to Maysville, Ky., uuder command of 
Col. Lucy, leaving Lieut. Col. Boone in command 
of the battalion at Cincinnati. In December, the 
battalion at Maysville was ordered to Covington, 
where it performed provost duty until October, 

1863. It was then relieved, and ordered to report to 
Gen. Rosecrans, at Chattanooga, Tenn. Reaching 
Murfreesboro, it was ordered to report to the Post 
Commander for duty. Part of the regiment was at 
once mounted and sent out against the guerrillas, 
then infesting the countrj" between Nashville and 
Tullahoma. In June, 1864, that part of the regi- 
ment not mounted was stationed on the line of the 
Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad, in block-houses, 
to prevent the guerrillas from destroying it. August, 

1864, Block-House No. 4, in command of Sergt. 
Flohr, of Company B, was captured by the forces 
of the rebel Gen. Wheeler. Block-House No. 5, 
commanded by Lieut. Orr, of Company B, was 
attacked at the same time, and three men were 
killed and seven wounded out of the detachment 
of forty men. In this attack the rebels were hand- 
somely repulsed, and failed in their desperate at- 
tempt to capture the garrison. Shortly after this 
affair, Company K (mounted), surprised and capt- 
ured a squad of guerrillas, and lost Sergt. Richmond 
killed, and three men wounded. During Hood's ad- 
vance on Nashville, in December, 1864, Block-Houses 
Nos. 1, 3 and 4 were assaulted by a large force of rebels 
under Forrest, and their garrisons, consisting of 
parts of Companies C, F and G, captured. The gar- 
risons of Block-Houses Nos. 5 and 6 were, by order 
of Gen. Thomas, withdrawn to Murfreesboro. 
Block-House No. 7 was assaulted and surrounded by 
the rebels, and for fifteen days the garrison dared 
not venture outside. The garrison of Block-House 
No 2, under command of Lieut. Harter, was as- 
saulted December 9, 1864, by the enemj% with three 
pieces of ritied artillery, and a continuous fire kept 
up from 9 o'clock in the morning until dark. Two 
of the garrison were killed and live wounded. Un- 
der cover of the night, the garrison withdrew and 
reached Nashville in safety. Shortly after this 
afEair, the rebel Gen. Buford made a desperate 
charge on Murfreesboro, but after tive hours of 
hard fighting was driven back Avith heavj^ loss. On 
the national side there was one killed and three 
wounded. The garrison of Murfreesboro, at this 
time, consisted of a battalion of the One Hundred 
and Fifteenth Ohio, and the Fourth and Twenty- 
ninth Michigan Regiments, under command of Gen. 
Rousseau. 

On April 2.5, 1865, the l^attalion of the One 
Hundred and Fifteenth Ohio, captured by tlie rebels 
at Block-Houses 1, 3 and 4, in December. 1864, was 
on l)oard the ill-fated steamer Sultana, whicli ex- 
ploded on the Mississippi River, near Memphis, 
Tenn., and Capts. D. N. Lowry and John Eadie, 
Lieut. J. C. Ely and eighty men were lost. The}^ 



\ 



262 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



belonged to Companies B, C, F and G. These un- 
fortunate men were on their way to Columbus, Ohio, 
having been paroled for that purpose. The regiment 
performed garrison duty at Murfreesboro, and guard 
duty on tlie line of the Nashville & Chattanooga 
Railroad, from Nashville to Tullahoma, until the 
23d of June, 1865, when it was mustered out of the 
service, and received its final discharge and pay at 
Cleveland July 7, 1865. 

The One Hundred and Twent3^-ninth In- 
fantry contained a fractional part of a company 
from this county, in which Capt. J. J. Wright, 
formerly of the Twenty-ninth Infantry, was 
Second Lieutenant. The regiment was organ- 
ized in the latter part of the summer of 1863, 
at Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, and mustered 
into the service for six months. Its service, 
during the term of its enlistment, was princi- 
pally in Southeastern Kentucky and East Ten- 
nessee. Although but a six months' regiment, 
it saw hard service. It was mustered out at 
Cleveland in March, 1864. 

The Fifty-fourth Battalion of the National 
Guard was made up wholly in Summit County. 
The three companies forming the battalion, 
were A, B and C, and were mustered into the 
service (one hundred da^s) with the following 
commissioned otflcers : Company A — N. L. 
Everett, Captain ; D. W. Storer, First Lieuten- 
ant, and C. R. Howe, Second Lieutenant. Com- 
pany B — D. F. Hunsberger, Captain ; N. J. 
Schroop, First Lieutenant, and D. J. Mettinger, 
Second Lieutenant. Company C — N. S. Keller, 
Captain ; F. H. Wright, First Lieutenant, and 
Thomas E. Strong, Second Lieutenant. 

Upon the organization at Camp Taylor, the 
Fifty-fourth Battalion was consolidated with 
the Forty-ninth Regiment of National Guard 
from Seneca County. The consolidation was 
effected on the 6th of May, 1864, and the reg- 
iment became the One Hundredth and Sixty- 
fourth Volunteer Infantry National Guard. It 
was mustered into the United States service on 
the 11th of May; was armed and equipped, 
and on the 14th, left Cleveland for Washington 
City, where it arrived on the 17th. It was 
commanded by Col. John Calvin Lee, who was 
brevetted Brigadier General at the close of 
the war for meritorious services, and, later, was 
Lieutenant Governor (two terms) with Gov. 
(now ex-President) Haj'^es. Upon the arrival of 
the regiment in Washington, it took position in 
the defenses on the south side of the Potomac, 
and during its one hundred days' service, 



garrisoned Forts Smith, Strong, Bennett, Hag- 
garty and other forts. It was very thoroughly 
drilled, both in infantry and heavy artillery 
tactics. During Gen. Early's invasion, the One 
Hundred and Sixty-fourth was kept on duty 
almost constantl}', and ever3' night was spent 
either on the advance or beside the guns. 
At the expiration of its term of enlistment, the 
regiment received the thanks of President 
Lincoln for the service it had performed, and 
returned to Cleveland via Baltimore, Harris- 
burg and Pittsburgh, where, on the 27th of 
August, it was mustered out of the service and 
discharged. 

The Second Cavalry drew on Summit County 
for a large number of men. Compau}' A was 
made up in this county, while several other 
companies were more or less represented by 
Summit County recruits. The commissioned 
officers of Company A were George A. Puring- 
ton. Captain ; Dudley Seward, First Lieuten- 
ant, and M. J. Collier, Second Lieutenant. 
Capt. Purington was promoted to Major Sep- 
tember 24, 1861, to Lieutenant Colonel June 
25, 1863, and to Colonel, but as such was not 
mustered, and retired from the service at the 
end of three years. First Lieut. Seward was 
promoted to Captain September 30, 1861, to 
Major September 18, 1862, to Lieutenant 
Colonel May 9, 1864, and to Colonel June 20. 
1865, and as such mustered out with the regi- 
ment. Second Lieut. Collier was promoted to 
First Lieutenant May 10, 1861, and mustered 
out by the consolidation, and afterward com- 
missioned Major of the Twelfth Cavalry. Hen- 
r}' 0. Hampson, Orderly- Sergeant, was pro- 
moted to Second Lieutenant Juh' 22, 1862, 
and resigned July 23, 1863. Sergt. A. N. 
Bernhard was promoted to Second Lieutenant 
December 20, 1861, to First Lieutenant July 
15, 1862, to Captain February 17, 1863, trans- 
ferred to Company K, and honorably' discharged 
November 29, 1864. Sergt. L. J. McMurray 
was promoted to Second Lieutenant May 9, 

1863, and honorably discharged September 6, 

1864. Capt. Purington was in the Nineteenth 
(three months) Infailtry, as Orderly Sergeant, 
and was promoted to Second Lieutenant ; and 
Seward was in the same regiment as Third Ser- 
geant. 

The Second Cavalry saw hard service and a 
great deal of it. From its organization as a reg- 
iment to its muster-out at the close of the war. 









HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



26:i 



its duties were varied, and extended over avast 
range of country. Says Wliitelaw Reid in his 
" Oliio in the War :" " The Second fought under 
the following general officers : Buell, Wright, 
Hunter, Denver, Sturgis, Blunt, Salomon, Cur- 
tis, Schofield, Burnside, Carter, Gilmore, Shack- 
elford, Foster, Kautz, Sedgwick, Wilson, Mcin- 
tosh, Torbett, Sheridan, Custer, Meade and 
Grant. Its horses have drank from, and its 
troopers have bathed in, the waters of the Ar- 
kansas, Osage, Cygnes, Missouri, Mississippi, 
Ohio, Scioto, Miami, Cumberland, Tennessee, 
Holston, Potomac, Shenandoah, Ilappahannock, 
Rapidan, Bull Run, Mattapony, Pamunkey, 
Chickahominy, James, Appomattox, Black- 
water, Nottaway and Chesapeake. It has cam- 
paigned through thirteen States and a Territorj- : 
Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, 
Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Geoi'gia, Alabama, 
West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and Indian 
Territory. It has traveled as a regiment on 
foot, horseback, by railroad and steamboat, on 
land, river, bay and ocean. It has marched an 
aggregate distance of twenty-seven thousand 
miles ; has fought in ninety-seven battles and 
engagements. It has served in five different 
armies : The Army of the Frontier, of the Mis- 
souri, of the Potomac, of the Ohio, and of the 
Shenandoah — forming a continuous line of ar- 
mies from the head-waters of the Arkansas to 
the mouth of the James ; and its dead, sleep- 
ing where they fell, form a vidette-line half 
across the continent, a chain of prostrate senti- 
nals two thousands miles long. Even in their 
graves, may not these patriotic dead still guard 
the glory and the integrity of the Republic for 
which they fell ?" No regiment could desire a 
more glorious record or prouder name. 

This regiment was organized in the fall of 
1861, under special authorit}- from the Seci'e- 
tar}' of War. It rendezvoused at Camp Wade, 
near Cleveland, where, on the 10th day of Octo- 
ber, the last company was mustered in, and the 
regiment was ready for duty. It was recruited 
wholly in what is known as the " Western Re- 
serve," and, being the second regiment of cav- 
alry raised in the State, and the first in the 
northern part of the State, it contained " a 
large proportion of wealth, intelligence, capac- 
ity and culture." In the last of November, 
the regiment was ordered to Camp Dennison, 
where it received sabers and continued in the 
drill and discipline which had been begun be- 



fore leaving Cleveland. Early in January, 
18(32, it received orders from the War Depart- 
ment to report to Gen. Hunter at Platte City, 
Mo., and at once proceeded to that place. Up- 
on its arrival there, it spent several weeks in 
scouting the Missouri border. On the 22d of 
Februar}', a scouting party from the Second, 
consisting of one hundred and twenty men, had 
a skirmish with a detachment under the notori- 
ous Quantrell, in which the latter was defeated. 
Doubleday's Brigade, to which the Second be- 
longed, proceeded to Fort Scott, Kan., where 
it arrived on the 1st of March. The regiment 
was armed, at this time, with sabers, navy pis- 
tols and Austrian carbines. The arm}- was 
concentrated at Fort Scott in the latter part of 
May, and early in June it moved into the In- 
dian Territory by various roads, concentrating 
again at Spring River. The entire command 
soon moved to Baxter Springs, Indian Terri- 
tory, where three regiments of loyal Indians, 
mounted on ponies and armed with stpiirrel 
rifles, joined the command. Later, the column 
moved from Baxter's Springs southward, and 
on the 8th of Juh' went into camp at Flat 
Ci'eek, Indian Territory, and, shortly after, the 
Second formed part of the force which captured 
Fort Gibson. In the early part of August, the 
command moved to Fort Scott, where it ar- 
rived on the 15th and went into camp. At this 
time, it was found " that there were less than 
two hundred and fifty serviceable horses in the 
Second, many of the men were sick, and a num- 
ber had died on the march of a peculiar brain 
fever, probably produced b}' the excessive heat 
to which they were exposed."'* The regiment, 
in the latter part of August, shared in a forced 
march of ten days and nights in pursuit of a 
part}' of rebel raiders, continually skirmishing, 
l3ut without loss. About this time, one hun- 
dred and fifty men and two otticers were detailed 
from the Second to man, temporaril}-, a light 
batter}'. Six months later, the detail was made 
a transfer by the War Department, and consti- 
tuted the "Twenty fifth Ohio Battery. The 
mounted portion of the Second, early in Sep- 
tember, with the Twenty-fifth Battery, moved, 
with the army of (!en. Blunt, into Missouri and 
Arkansas, and took an active part in the cam- 
paign that ended in the capture of Prairie 
Grove December 3, 1862. During this cam- 
paign, the Second fought at Carthage and New- 



Ip^ 



264 



■^ A^ ^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



tonia, Mo., camped at Pea Ridge, and fought 
at Cow Hill, Wolf Creek, White River and 
Prairie Grove. Efforts had been made to have 
the Second transferred to an Eastern army, 
which was successful, and the dismounted por- 
tion of the regiment, in November, moved by 
rail to Camp Chase, to remount and refit for 
the field, and the mounted portion followed 
in December, after the capture of Prairie 
Grove. While at Camp Chase, the Second re- 
ceived new arms and equipments, fresh horses 
and sixty recruits, and, during the winter, 
made great progress in drill and discipline. In 
1863, the original twelve companies were con- 
solidated into eight, and a battalion of four com- 
panies raised for the Eighth Cavahy was added 
to the Second. This battalion was then serv- 
ing in Kentucky, and Maj. Purington was sent 
to assume command until it should join the 
regiment. 

The Second left Camp Chase early in April, 
and proceeded to Somerset, Ky., and, when near 
Lexington, was joined by the new battalion. 
With but an occasional reconnaissance, the Sec- 
ond remained quietly in camp at Somerset un- 
til the 27th of June. In the early part of June, 
four companies of the Second formed part of a 
raiding force, under Gen. Saunders, into East 
Tennessee, where a large amount of stores were 
destroyed, and several railroad bridges. 
" Kautz's brigade, of which the Second was 
a part, joined in pursuit of the rebel Gen. 
Morgan on the 1st of July, followed the great 
raider twelve hundred miles, through three 
States, marching twenty-four hours out of 
twenty-four, living wholl}' upon the gifts of the 
people for twenty-seven daj-s, and finally shar- 
ing in the capture at Buffington's Island. After 
the raid, the Second re-assembled at Cincinnati, 
from winch point nearly the whole regiment 
was furloughed b}' Gen. Burnside, in recogni- 
tion of its endurance and gallantry." The Sec- 
ond re-assembled and re-fitted at Stanford, Ky., 
and, in August, moved with the army to East 
Tennessee. It was here brigaded with the Sec- 
ond East Tennessee, Ninth Michigan, and Sev- 
enth Ohio Cavalry, Col. Carter, Second East 
Tennessee, commanding. On the 5th and 6th 
of September, the regiment made a forced 
march to Cumberland Gap, and, after the sur- 
render of the place, returned to Knoxville, 
whence it was ordered up the valley. It joined 
the army at Henderson's Station about the 25th, 



and, soon after, it received orders to report to 
Gen. Rosecrans, then in command of the Army 
of the Cumberland. It marched thirty miles 
toward Knoxville, when it was suddenly or- 
dered back to the front, and, on its return, 
found an engagement in progress, in which it 
at once took part, but without any serious re- 
sults. A little later, it participated in the bat- 
tle of Blue Springs. Late in October, as Long- 
street advanced, the Second fell back, with other 
cavalry, to Russellville, and then to the vicinity 
of Cumberland Gap, and engaged Wheeler's 
cavalry. During the siege of Knoxville, it op- 
erated on the enemy's flank, and, when the 
siege was raised, joined in the pursuit of the 
rebels. On the 2d of December, it engaged 
Longstreet's cavalry at Morristown, and, on the 
4th, it formed the advance of a brigade which 
attacked and fought eighteen regiments for two 
hours, at Russellville, losing forty men killed 
and wounded. On the 6th, it was at the front 
five hours in the battle of Bean Station, and, 
for the next five days, was almost constantly 
under fire. After a few days' rest, the cavalry 
crossed the Holston River and moved to Mossy 
Creek, where the time was spent in skirmishing 
and maneuvering until Januar}' 1, 1864, when, 
of 470 men then composing the regiment, 420 
re-enlisted, and were sent home on veteran fur- 
lough. 

The Second re-assembled at Cleveland on 
the 20th of March, and, with 130 recruits, was 
again ready for the front. The first objective 
point was Mount Sterling, K}'., but, soon after, 
it was ordered to Annapolis, Md., where it ar- 
rived on the 29th of March. On the 13th of 
x\pril, it was reviewed by Lieut. Gen. Grant, 
Gens. Burnside, Washburn and Meigs. On the 
22d, the regiment moved to Camp Stoneman, 
D. C, and, b}- the 30th, was mounted, armed 
and equipped. It moved out of camp on the 
1st of Ma3% and on the 3d arrived at Warren- 
ton Junction, where it reported to Gen. Burn- 
side. With the Ninth Corps it moved to Brandy 
Station, crossed the Rapidan, went into line on 
the extreme right, and on the 7th engaged 
Rosser's cavalry with slight loss. During the 
campaign of the Wilderness, it was employed 
covering the right flank of the infantry almost 
constantly, either on picket or skirmishing. By 
order of Gen. Grant, the Second was transferred 
from the Ninth Army Corps, and attached per- 
manently to Sheridan's Cavalry Corps, Array 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



265 



of the Potomac, and on the 29th it reported to 
Brig. Gen. J. H. Wilson, commanding Third 
Cavahy Division, and was by him assigned to 
the First Brigade, commanded by Brig. Gen. 
J. B. Mcintosh. On the 31st, the division 
crossed the Pamunkey, and the First Brigade 
advanced on Hanover Court House, where a 
severe engagement took place, in which the 
Second bore a prominent part. The next day, 
a portion of the First Brigade, including the 
Second Ohio, proceeded to Ashland, where the 
entire force was soon surrounded by Gen. Fitz 
Hugh Lee, and a heavy engagement took place, 
which lasted till sundown, when, under the 
cover of night, the national forces withdrew, 
the Second covering the retreat. From this 
time to the crossing of the James, it was en- 
gaged in picketing and fighting on the right of 
the army from Hanover Court House to Cold 
Harbor. It crossed the James on the 17th of 
June, and the next day encamped with the di- 
vision on the Blackwater. It took an active 
part in the fights of Nottaway Court House, 
Stony Creek and Ream Station, losing one hun- 
dred men and five officers killed, wounded and 
missing, and returning to the lines on the 1st 
of July. Early in August, the division to 
which the Second belonged went to Washing- 
ton Cit}', and on the 13th moved to Winchester, 
in the Shenandoah Valley, where it arrived on 
the 17th. The division was ordered to act as 
rearguard, and to hold the town until dark. 
Gen. Early made an attack at 3 o'clock, P. M., 
and at sundown, the division fell back ; the 
Second Battalion and two companies of the 
Third Battalion of the Second Ohio, acting as 
the rear guard for the whole command, fighting 
an hour in dense darkness in the streets of 
Winchester, then joining the main column, and 
falling back to Summit Point. Gen. Early 
again attacked on the 19th, and, after a sharp 
fight, the regiment retired to Charlestown, when 
it was again attacked by Early, on the 22d, and 
the Second was closely engaged. From Charles- 
town, the army retreated to Harper's Ferr3^ 
The Second, with its division, went to the right, 
and was twice engaged with the enem}'. The 
division was, on the 26th of August, ordered 
to Boonesboro, and the Second encamped 
twenty-four hours on the South Mountain bat- 
tle-field, marched over Antietam, and re-crossed 
the Potomac at Shepherdstown. It was in the 
skirmish at Berr3^ville, Va., on the 30th, and in 



the early part of September was engaged with 
its division in picket dut}^ on the left of Sheri- 
dan's army. On the 13th, Gen. Mcintosh's 
Brigade (including the Second) was ordered to- 
ward Winchester. With the Second in front, 
the brigade charged Early's cavalry, driving it 
back, and the Second Ohio, with the aid of the 
Third New Jersey, captured an entire regiment 
of infantry. The Secretary of War made 
especial mention of the gallantry of the two 
regiments in this exploit. Mcintosh's brigade 
at the battle of Opequon, was ordered to capt- 
ure a line of hills between the Opequon and 
Winchester, which was accomplished after four 
hours' hard fighting. In the retreat of Early's 
army, the Second was the last regiment to leave 
the pursuit on the Valley Pike. For several 
weeks it was almost continually engaged fight- 
ing and skirmishing. Gen. Custer assumed 
command of the division to which the Second 
belonged at Bridgewater. It shared in the 
battle of Cedar Creek on the 19th of October, 
and was pi'esent on the Valley Pike, when 
Sheridan came to the front on his " famous ride 
from Winchester." After the battle, the regi- 
ment performed picket dut}' until the 1st of 
Novenber, when it fell back to Kernstown. It 
was engaged in active duty until the 28th of 
December, when it went into winter quarters on 
the Romney Pike, one and a half miles from 
Winchester, where it remained until the 27th 
of February, 1865. 

On the 2"7tli, it started with Sheridan's cav- 
alry on the last raid of the war. Near the 
town of Waynesboro, Custer's division captured 
the remainder of Early's army. In this en- 
gagement, the Second Ohio captured five pieces 
of artillery, with a large amount of military 
stores, together with 650 prisoners, for which it 
received the thanks of Gen. Custer on the field. 
It continued to do its share of dut}' until the 
20th of March, when, after resting a few days, 
Sheridan's cavalry joined the Army of the Po- 
tomac, and entered on the closing campaign of 
the war. After the surrender of Gen. Lee, the 
regiment, with its division, was ordered to 
North Carolina, but, upon receiving information 
of the surrender of Gen. Johnston, it returned 
to Petersburg. The division soon moved to 
Washington City, and, immediately after the 
grand review, the Second Ohio was ordered to 
report to Gen. Pope, at St. Louis, Mo., where it 
arrived on the 7th of June. It remained here 



#- 



>J^ 



266 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



a month, when it was ordered to Springfield, 
Mo., to relieve State troops. The order was 
received for its muster-out about the 1st of 
September. It proceeded to St. Louis, where 
its papers were made out, and then returned to 
Camp Chase, Ohio, and, on the 11th of Octo- 
ber, 18ti5, was paid off and discharged. 

The Sixth Ohio Cavalry drew a number of 
men from this count}^ but not enough to form a 
company. Of the Summit Count}' men. the 
present Auditor. Mr. Aaron Wagoner, was the 
onl}' commissioned officer. He was promoted 
to Second Lieutenant on the 8th of April, 1 865. 
The Sixth was a splendid regiment, and saw 
much hard service, lleid closes his sketch of 
it in the following words : " During the last 
six months of its campaigning, it was under 
command of a Captain, as it had not a field of- 
ficer with it, nor in its organization. Nearly all 
of its veteran officers were mustered out of serv- 
ice in November, 1864,* and not a sufficient 
number of men were on the rolls to have them 
replaced ; but, in a regiment composed of ma- 
terial like this, it made little difference whether 
they were commanded by a Captain or a Brevet 
Brigadier. As a neiospaper regiment, it has 
not much history. Its record shows best in the 
rolls of the killed and wounded, and the long 
list of its honorable engagements." But our 
space will not allow of a more extended men- 
tion of this gallant regiment. 

The Sixth Ohio Independent Battery was 
made up principally in Summit Count}^ and 
formed a part of the " Sherman Brigade." The 
commissioned officers were C. Bradley, Cap- 
tain ; 0. H. P. Ayres and J. 1*. McElroy, First 
Lieutenants ; A. C. Baldwin and E. S. Fergu- 
son, Second Lieutenants. Capt. Bradley was 
mustered out Januar}' 17, 1865 ; Lieut. A^a'es 
died July 8, 186-1, from wounds received in the 
Atlanta campaign ; Lieut. McElroy resigned 
March 10, 1864 ; Lieut. Baldwin was promoted 
to Captain, and as such mustered out with the 
battery : Lieut. Ferguson resigned November 
7, 1862. 

This battery was organized at Camp Buck- 
ingham, near Mansfield, and mustered into the 
service on the 20th of November, 1 861 . It com- 
prised four ten-pound Parrot guns, and two six- 
pound bronze Rodmans. Capt. Bradley is men- 
tioned as an experienced artillery officer, and 
had his battery in good trim for active service 

*At expiration of three years' service. 



before leaving Camp Buckingham. The bat- 
tery and the brigade to which it belonged 
moved, on the 15th of December, to Louisville, 
K}'., and thence by steamer to Nashville, where 
they reported to Cren. Buell on the 20th. The 
brigade was here scattered to different localities, 
and the battery found its way into Camp Gil- 
bert, near the city, where, for some twenty 
da^^s, it was occupied in perfecting its drill and 
getting read}' for the field. It received orders, 
on the 12th of January, 1862, to report to Gen. 
Boyle, at Columbia, Ky., and arrived there on 
the 15th, where it took a position blockading 
the Cumberland Kiver. The battery was di- 
vided, Lieut. McElroy's section remaining at 
Columbia, while the other was taken to James- 
town, Ky., there reporting to Col. Thomas E. 
Bramlette. The battery remained on duty 
here until the fall of Nashville, when, with the 
Third Kentucky, Nineteenth Ohio, and Cul. 
Woolford's cavalry, it proceeded to Nashville, 
where it arrived on the 19th of March. At 
Nashville, it was placed in the artillery reserve,- 
commanded by Col. Barnet, First Ohio Light 
Artillery, and marched with the army to Pitts- 
burg Landing, arriving on the 15th of April, 
and going into camp on the battle-field. It 
was ordered to report to Brig. Gen. Wood on 
the 29th of April, with whom it served until 
the close of the war. It moved with the army 
on Corinth, and entered that place on the 31st of 
May, after its evacuation by the rebels. June 
1, it moved across Northern Alabama, arriving 
at Mooresville on the 3d of July. On the 18th, 
it marched to Stevenson, Ala., where it went 
into camp on the 21st of August, when it 
joined Buell's forces in their great race after 
Bragg to Louisville, Ky. They arrived at 
Louisville on the 28th of September, and. after 
a rest of three days, the line of march was 
again resumed. It proceeded out the Bards- 
town turnpike and reached Rolling Fork on 
the 8th of October, where it was saluted with 
the roar of battle at Perryville, only seven 
miles distant. Later in the day, it marched 
with its division to the battle-field, but was 
compelled to be mere spectators of the battle. 
After an unsuccessful pursuit of the enemy, 
the national forces returned to Nashville, ar- 
riving on the 26th of November. 

At Nashville the army was re-organized by 
Gen. Rosecrans, and the batteiy was engaged 
much of the time in foraging, which several 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



267 



times brought it in contact with Gren. Wheeler's 
Rebel Cavalry. It participated in the battle of 
Stone River, and other battles incident to the 
capture of Murfreesboro, which was entex*ed on 
the 4th of January, 1863. In the battle of the 
31st of December, the battery lost two of its 
guns, but had the good fortune to re-capture 
them. It lost severely in the several days' fight- 
ing. After the battle, the following members 
of the Sixth Battery were specially mentioned 
for gallantry : First Sergt. Gr. W. Smelts ; 
Sergts. Hust, Miller, Howard, Casey and Hart- 
man ; Corporals Collins, Tool, Kimberk and 
Scott ; Privates Evans, Kirby and Robbinett. 
In the battle of Chickamauga, which was 
fought on the 19th of September, the battery 
participated and again lost heavily. Among 
the wounded was Lieut. Smelts. During the 
two days' battle, it expended 383 rounds of 
ammunition, lost two caissons, a battery-wagon, 
and had two horses killed. It was dismounted 
while in Chattanooga (to which the armj^ had 
fallen back, after the battle of Chickamauga), 
owing to the want of forage and horses, and 
thus remained for some time inactive. On the 
12th of December two-thirds of the battery re- 
enlisted as veterans, and started home Janu- 
ary 1, 1864, on furlough — the non- veterans be- 
ing transferred to the Twentieth Ohio Battery. 
While the veterans were at home on furlough, 
they added one hundred men to their ranks. 
Upon the return of the batter}^ to the front, its 
first active duty was in the Atlanta campaign, 
in which it operated with Gen. Wood's (Third) 
Division, Fourth Army Corps, and during the 
120 days of that brilliant march, was almost 
constantly engaged. Corporal William Mat- 
thews was mortally wounded at Dallas, and the 
next day Bugler Whitney was killed by sharp- 
shooters. At Kenesaw Mountain, on the 19th 
of June, private Alfred Hersh was killed, and 
three others were wounded. It maintained its 
position before Kenesaw, and was highly com- 
plimented by Gen. 0. 0. Howard for accurate 
firing. The battery expended 250 rounds of 
ammunition in a charge made on the 27th. On 
the 6th of Juh', Lieut. Ayres was wounded by 
a rebel sharp-shooter, from the effects of which 
he died on the 8th. From the 13th to the 25th, 
the battery was busily engaged in bombarding 
the citj' of Atlanta. August 25, it formed part 
of the flanking movement to Jonesboro, and 
took part in all the subsequent operations, and 



on the 9th of September it entered Atlanta, 
and while here was re-equipped for the field. 
It moved with the Fourth Corps on the 3d of 
October after Gen. Hood, who had commenced 
his march to the rear of Atlanta. Capt. Bradley 
being away on leave of absence, the command 
of the battery devolved on First Lieut. A. C. 
Baldwin. It participated in the battle of Frank- 
lin on the 15th of December, of which action, 
says Whitelaw Reid, "Eighteen stands of 
colors were taken on the battery-front during 
the battle, and the rebels so crowded the em- 
brasure that Private Jacob Stinebaugh resorted 
to the use of axes and picks with success. In 
this battle the battery lost William B. Welch, 
mortally wounded, and four others slightly. 
Welch fell into the hands of a Mrs. Bentley, of 
Franklin, who kindlj' nursed him, regardless of 
rebel opposition, and when he died saw him 
properly buried, with head-board and inscrip- 
tion, and a representation of the flag he so no- 
bly fought under cut upon the board." In the 
second day's battle before Nashville, the battery 
went into position in front of Overton's Hill, 
eight miles from the cit}^ and engaged Sand- 
ford's Mississippi rebel Batter}', completely 
silencing it. It joined in the pursuit of the re- 
treating rebels to the banks of the Tennessee 
River, and then marched for Huntsville, Ala., 
where it arrived on the 15th of Januar}', 1865. 
It made a severe march to Eastport, Miss., in 
February, but before reaching that place, it was 
ordered back to Huntsville, where it remained 
in quarters until the close of the war. It re- 
turned to Ohio in the latter part of August, 
and, on the 1st of September, 1865, was mus- 
tered out of the service. It lost by death from 
wounds, sixteen ; by disease, twenty-six ; dis- 
charged by reason of disease, thirty ; of wounds, 
four ; by expiration of service, twenty-one ; re- 
enlisted as veterans, sixty-six. 

The First Light Artillery (Col. James Bar- 
net, of Cleveland), was represented by a bat- 
tery or company from this county. Battery 
D was recruited by Capt. Andrew J. Konkle, 
and was made up in Summit County. The 
original commissioned oflScers of Batter}' D 
were Andrew J. Konkle, Captain ; Paul F. 
Rhoerbacher, L. P. Porter, Senior and Junior 
First Lieutenants ; and W. H. Pease, Henry C. 
Lloyd, Senior and Junior Second Lieutenants. 
Capt. Konkle was promoted to Major of the 
First Artillery on the 8th of September, 1863, 



:k 



^ 



E. 



268 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



and was honorably discharged August 8, 1864. 
Lieut. Rhoerbacher resigned January 1, 1862 ; 
Lieut. Porter resigned August 28, 1863 ; Lieut. 
Pease was promoted to First Lieutenant Jan- 
uary I, 1862, to Captain July 30, 1864, and 
mustered out with battery ; Lieut. Lloyd was 
mustered out October 23, 1863; Sergt. N. M. 
Newell was promoted to Second Lieutenant 
January 1, 1862, to First Lieutenant July 13, 
1863, and mustered with battery ; Sergt. M. G. 
Ransom, promoted to Second Lieutenant July 
13, 1863, and resigned April 15, 1864; Henry 
C. Grant was promoted to Second Lieutenant 
March 30, 1863, and transferred to Battery A, 
to First Lieutenant May 2, 1865, and mustered 
out with battery ; Sergt. Josiah Brown was 
promoted to Second Lieutenant May 9, 1864, 
and transferred to Battery E. At the general 
muster-out, the commissioned officers were 
Giles J. Cockerill, Captain ; J. H. Bees, Will- 
iam Edwards, Senior and Junior First Lieu- 
tenants ; W. M. Welcher, Cornelius Linehan, 
Senior and Junior Second Lieutenants.* 

The First Artillery was originally organized 
under the old militia law of 1860. Iramedi- 
ateh" after the fall of Fort Sumter, it was 
ordered to Columbus, and thence to Mari- 
etta. It was afterward ordered to Virginia, 
where it served until its expiration of three 
month's service, when it was ordered to Colum- 
bus for muster-out. It was at once re-enlisted 
for three years, and for this organization it was 
that Capt. Konkle's Batter}' D was recruited, 
and mustered into the service in September, 
1861. It left Camp Dennison on the 1st of No- 
vember, and on the 10th, reported to Gen. Nel- 
son at Mount Stei'ling, }^y. It was with Nel- 
son until the 29th, when it reported to Gen. A. 
M. McCook, at Munfordville, Ky. In Febru- 
ary, 1862, it was again ordered to report to 
Gen. Nelson, at P]lizabethtown, but soon re- 
turned to its old quarters at Munfordville, 
and thence proceeded with Gen. McCook to 
Nashville. With the Fourth Division it moved 
to Pittsburg Landing, thence to Corinth, and 
on the 30tli of June it was at Athens, Ala. 
July 30, the batterj^ moved from Columbia, 
Tenn., with Gen. Nelson's command, to Leba- 
non, Ky., and in September, at Munfordville, it 
was overwhelmed by the enem}-, and its entire 
force and material captured. The men were pa- 

*Thfi local facts pertaining to this battery were furnished us by 
Capt. H. C. Grant. 



roled and sent home to Ohio, remaining at Camp 
Chase until January, 1863, when they were 
exchanged. The battery- was re-organized and 
equipped at Columbus, and joined the Third 
Brigade of the Fourth Division, Twenty -third 
Army Corps, at Lexington, Ky., in March. It 
served in Eastern Kentucky' until July, when 
it marched with Gen. Burnside's army to Cum- 
berland Gap, and took part in the capture of 
that rebel stronghold. It participated in the 
siege of Knoxville, and, immediately after the 
siege was raised, re-enlisted as veterans, and 
the men were sent home on the usual thirt}- 
days' furlough. The ranks were filled up at 
Cleveland, and early in 1864, it proceeded to 
Knoxville, Tenn. It was with Sherman in the 
Atlanta campaign, and participated in all the 
fighting of that eventful period. It took part 
in the battles of Franklin and Nashville, the 
closing struggles of the war. It was finally 
mustered out of the service at Cleveland, Ohio, 
on the 15th of July, 1865. 

The Ninth Independent Battery was made 
up principally^ in this county. The first com- 
missioned officers were H. S. Wetmore, Captain ; 
L. P. Barrows, First Lieutenant, and John M. 
Hinde, Second Lieutenant. Capt. Wetmore 
resigned December 12, 1862, and Second Lieut. 
H. B. York was promoted to Captain, and in 
that position, mustered out with the battery. 
This battery was organized at Camp Wood 
Cleveland, on the 11th of October, 1861. It 
was first fitted out as a four-gun battery, with 
two ten-pounders and two twelve-pound howit- 
zers, but afterward became a full six-gun bat- 
tery. It served in Kentucky until the 1st of 
January, 1863, and participated in several hard 
fights. It was at Cumberland Gap and at Mill 
Springs. For its gallantry at the latter place, 
it was presented with two six-pound guns, by 
Gen. Thomas, which had been captured from 
the enemy at Cumberland Gap. During the 
retreat of the national forces from the Gap 
across the State to the Ohio River, in Septem- 
ber and October, 1862, the Ninth Battery per- 
formed the most arduous dut}'. Placed in charge 
of a train, on the safety of which the whole 
retreat depended, the batter}^ felt like sacrific- 
ing themselves to a man rather than permit it 
to be captured, and on this determination it 
acted during the whole of that retreat. On the 
26th of January, 1863, the battery received 
orders to report to the Army of the Cumber- 



H |ts 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



269 



land at Nashville, where it arrived on the 1st 
of February, and where it remained until the 
6th of March, when it moved out to Franklin 
and took position with the right wing of the 
Army of the Cumberland. On the 21st of 
November, the battery was assigned to the 
First Division, Twelfth Corps, Depai-tment of 
the Army of the Cumberland. Four men of 
the battery were captured by guerrillas on the 
23d of December, who treated them inhuman!}' 
— tjing their hands behind them, shot them 
and threw their bodies into the Elk River. 
Two of them, however escaped, by getting 
their hands loose and swimming to the shore 
— one died the next day. The other, James 
W. Fole}', of Hudson, was permanently^ disa- 
bled in the right leg.* Under a general order 
of the Army of the Cumberland, an assess- 
ment of $30,000 on the neighborhood, was 
made for the benefit of the families of the three 
murdered men. In February, 1864, about 
three-fourths of the battery re-enlisted, and 
returned home on furlough. On the 9th of 
April it reported at Tullahoma, with an aggre- 
gate of 151 men, having received a number of 
recruits while at home. In May, it acted with 
Sherman in the Atlanta campaign. It went 
also with him in his march to the sea. On the 
29th of Jul}', 1865, it was mustered out and 
discharged. 

This comprises a sketch of the regiments 
which were represented b}^ full companies from 
Summit County, so far as we have been able to 
learn them. In compiling these sketches of 
different regiments, we have drawn freely on 
"Ohio in the War," by Whitelaw Reid. But as 
it is said to be not wholly free from errors, we 
have endeavored so far as possible to have 
members of the regiments noticed look over 
and correct any errors recognizable, in order 
that injustice may be done to none. 

The number of soldiers contributed by Sum- 
mit County during the war to the armies of 
the Union may not be definitel}' given, but 
probably exceeded 3,000 men. The different 
arms of the service, viz., infantry, cavalry and 
artillery, were each well represented. The 
Beacon of Jul}' 24, 1862, published the follow- 
ing list of soldiers, in the army at that time, 
from the different townships : Bath, 27 men ; 
Boston, 89 ; Copley, 34 ; Coventry, 26 ; Cuya- 
hoga Falls, 55 ; Franklin, 43 ; Green, 62 ; Hud- 

♦Reid. 



son, 58 ; Middlebury, 26 ; Northfield, 42 ; Nor- 
ton, 15; Northampton, 28; Portage, 203; 
Richfield, 42 ; Springfield, 51 ; Stow, 22 ; Tall- 
madge, 44, and Twinsburg, 48 — a total of 910 
men. The regiments recruited after that date, 
including drafts and enlistments in old regi- 
ments, comprised at least twice as many more. 
From the Beacon we find that the county was 
twice subjected to a draft, but each time the 
number selected through the means of " for- 
tune's wheel " was small. The first draft oc- 
curred in October, 1862, and resulted as follows, 
by townships : Bath, 7 ; Coplev, 27 ; Coventry, 
49 ; Franklin, 59 ; Green, 26 ; Hudson, 8 ; 
Northampton, 7 ; Norton, 40 ; Northfield, 7 ; 
Portage, 49 ; Richfield, 29 ; Stow, 1 ; Spring- 
field, 42, and Twinsburg, 7 men. Townships 
not mentioned made up their respective quotas 
by voluntary enlistments. The next draft took 
place on the 7th of May, 1864, as follows : 
Bath, 2 ; Cuyahoga Falls, 5 ; Boston, 3 ; Cop- 
ley, 14; Coventry, 1; Franklin, 11; Hudson, 
4 ; Middleburv, 4 ; Northampton, 13 ; Norton, 
1 3 ; Springfield, 2 ; Stow, 6, and Tallmadge, 4 
men. It is no reproach to the valor of Sum- 
mit County that it was twice drafted. Many 
loyal and brave counties were drafted more 
than twice. Calls were made so often for sol- 
diers that it was impossible to fill them as fast 
as made, and often before one quota was com- 
plete, another call was before the people. The 
great wonder is that men volunteered as freely 
as they did, notwithstanding the justness of the 
cause in which they were engaged. When we 
view the war in its full magnitude, it seems an 
event well calculated to discourage the most 
valorous. A war that in four years called for 
the following troops : April 15, 1861. 75,000 
men; Julv 22. 1861, 500,000; July 2, 1862, 
300,000; August 4, 1862 (for nine months), 
300,000; June 15, 1863, the militia; October 
17, 1863, 500,000 ; March 14, 1864, 200,000 ; 
April 22, 1864, 100 days' militia; July 18, 
1864, 500,000 ; December 19, 1864, 300,000, is 
without parallel in modern history, and the 
alacrity with which these calls were responded 
to is as unparalleled as the gigantic proportions 
of the war itself When we take all this into 
consideration, it is not in the least strange that 
a few of these calls should be filled by draft ; 
nor is it, as we have said, any reproach or re- 
flection upon the valor of the county. 

In commemoration of the services of those 



t^ 



270 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



who laid down their lives upon the altar of 
their country, memorials have been erected in 
different parts of the county, which are intended 
to symbolize the aflection of surviving friends. 
These memorials consist of monuments, chapels, 
etc., and are cit^^ or township aflairs, and will 
receive appropriate mention elsewhere in this 
work. Not being erected by the county at 
large, a notice of them does not really belong 
in this chapter, but in the chapters devoted to 
the townships in which they are located. 

An important element that was widely felt 
throughout the Northern States during the late 
war deserves more than a mere passing men- 
tion. We allude to the active part borne by 
the noble women of the country. Their deeds 
deserve to be written in characters of gold. 
Love and devotion to the unfortunate and 
heart-felt pit}' for the woes of suffering human- 
ity, are among their strongest characteristics. 
Their kindly- smiles of sympathy break through 
the clouds of misfortune, and their gentlest 
tones rise amid the sighs of suffering and sor- 
row. Hundreds and thousands of these noble, 
self-sacrificing women, like ministering angels, 
took their places in camp and hospital, where 
many a brave soldier had cause to thank God 
for their presence. They went forth, braving 
all the dangers incident to the times and the 
place, with the expressed sentiment that if they 
died their loss would not be felt. Noble, l)ut 
mistaken souls! The world sustains its heaviest 
loss when such spirits fall. But not alone b}- 
those who went forward to nurse and care for 
the sick and wounded was all the good accom- 
plished that is accredited to female hands. 
Those who remained at home performed a good 
work, '' the half of which has not yet been 
told," but the results of which was felt b}^ 
many a poor worn-out soldier. 

The Soldiers' Aid Society, composed of 
ladies, was an earl}' organization formed for the 
benefit of the soldiers in the field, and was pro- 
ductive of great good. Says Whitelaw Reid 
upon this subject : " Efforts of the people in be- 
half of their soldiers ma}- be gathered from 
records of their organized action through the 
medium of aid societies, sanitary commissions, 
Christian commissions, soldiers' fairs, etc., some 
names of the fortunate ones whose privilege it 
was to work as the almoners of the people's 
bounty ; some traces of the more public dem- 
onstrations. But the real history of the work 



will never be written, never can be written, per- 
haps never ought to be written. Who shall in- 
trude to measure the love of the mothers, and 
sisters, and wives, at home for the soldiers in 
the field ? Who shall chronicle the prayers 
and the labors to shield them from death and 
disease ? Who shall speak worthily of that 
religious fervor which counted loss and suffer- 
ing and life as nothing, so that b}' any means 
Grod's work might be done in the battle for lib- 
ert}' and right." The Cincinnati branch of the 
Sanitar}- Commission was the most extensive 
relief association in the State. A soldiers' aid 
society was a State organization, with brandies 
in each county. It found a I'eady response 
among the ladies of Summit Count}'. An 
organization, auxiliary to the State Aid Society, 
was formed in Aliron, with branches in each 
township, which was instrumental in accomplish- 
ing a noble work. The following extract is from 
a soldier's letter, published at the time, and is 
illustrative of this good work : " It was about 5 
o'clock in the afternoon when I arrived in the 
hospital. Soon after my entrance, I was stripped 
and bathed in a large tub of tepid water, shown 
to bed, and a nice clean white shirt and a pair of 
drawers were given me. I soon encased my 
tired limbs in my new wardrobe, and while do- 
ing so my eyes caught sight of the words 
' From the Woman's Aid Society,' stamped in 
black ink on each garment. I lay down, pulled 
the blanket over my head and thought of my 
situation. Here 1 am in a hospital, prostrated 
with disease, worn out in body and mind, over 
eight hundred miles from any spot I can call 
home, my own rrrother and sister long since 
dead ; but the noble-hearted women of the 
North — those angels of mercy — are supplying 
the place of mother and sister, not only to me, 
but to thousands of sufferiirg soldiers from 
every State. Presently I felt two large tears 
coursing down my cheeks and running into my 
mustache, followed by myriads of others drop- 
ping on the sheet under my chin, forming in- 
numerable little salt-water pools. When well, 
I am a strong man, and it requires some sud- 
den and deep grief to bring me to tears ; but 
tears of gratitude fiowed from me that evening 
as freely as drops of rain from an April cloud ; 
and, like a spoiled child, I cried myself to 
sleep." This is but one instance, and how 
many other soldiers of the armies of the Union 
could tell the same story ! 



:^ 



,u. 



'\^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



271 



The Ladies' Soldiers' Aid Society was formed 
in Akron early in the summer of 1861, and con- 
tinued in active operation until the close of the 
war. As we have said, the real history of its 
work can never be written. Funds were raised 
by fairs, festivals, mite societies, etc., and as 
soon as raised were invested in such articles as 
were needed most, and immediately sent to 
camps and hospitals. Many a blessing upon 



the fair ones, and many a prayer for their hap- 
piness was breathed by the recipients of these 
timely favors. But we will not pursue the 
subject. Full justice to these angels of mercy 
cannot be done in our limited space. We will 
only add, in conclusion of the chapter, a hope 
that their efforts may never again be called 
into play in a similar contest. 



CHAPTER v.* 

KARLV CHRISTIANITY— PIONEER MINISTERS— ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOLS— EDUCATIONAL STA- 
TISTICS-COUNTY NEWSPAPERS— THE PRESS OF TO-DAY— RAILROADS— 
—THEIR INVENTION— BENEFIT TO THE COUNTY. 



G^ ye into all the world, and preach the 
J" Gospel to every creature — was the com- 
mand given over eighteen centuries ago by the 
Man of Nazareth. Nor was it intended alone 
for the salvation of those nations who, year 
after year, brought tribute to Csesar. With 
prophetic vision, the world's great Redeemer 
gazed on nations then unborn, and heard the 
cry ot those who, in all ages, even at the "ends 
of the earth," groaned beneath the yoke of sin. 
Then, for the redemption. He gave to His disci- 
ples those commands which in later years have 
caused His people to widely spread God's glo- 
rious truth. When from Atlantic's coast, even 
from Plymouth Rock, the Star of Empire first 
renewed her journey westward, and the pioneers 
of a mighty race descended the western slopes 
of the AUeghanies, then in the van of the great 
army, the heralds of salvation bore aloft the 
Cross of Calvary. In the broad valley of the 
Mississippi, destined to become the home of a 
greater nation than any Caesar ever ruled, the 
solitary settlers rejoiced to hear those early mes- 
sengers proclaim the " glad tidings of gi'eat 
joy," or wept at the story of Pilate, the crown 
of thorns, and the agonies of Golgotha and 
Calvary. The dark and gloomy forests were 
pierced by the light that shone from the Star 
of Bethlehem, and the hymns of praise to God 
were mingled with the music of the woodman's 
ax, for in those earl}' days, it could well be said 
that 

"The groves were God'.s first temples." 

*Coutributed by W. H. Ptirrin. 



The introduction of Christianity into the 
wilderness of Ohio was coeval with the settle- 
ment of the territory. Pioneer preachers and 
ministers, sent out by missionary societies of 
the older settled States of the East, wandered 
to the Ohio Territory, when few human beings, 
other than Indians, were to be found within its 
limits. And what is now Summit County was, 
in this respect, equally blest with other portions 
of the Western country. With the pioneers 
themselves, came missionaries, many of whom 
devoted years of energy and faithful labor to 
the Indians, teaching them " the way unto eter- 
nal life. ' A case of this kind is recorded of 
Rev. Mr. Badger, a missionary from Blanford, 
Mass., who is said to have been the first minis- 
ter ever on the Reserve, and for years devoted 
his time equally to his white and red brethren. 
Gen. Bierce, in his history of Summit County, 
says : '• Mr. Badger came out and examined 
his field of labor in 1800, and so well pleased 
was he with the prospect, that he returned, re- 
signed his charge in Blanford, where he had 
labored fourteen years, and removed his family 
to the almost trackless wilderness. He divided 
his labors between the whites of the Reserve 
and the Indians of Sandusky and Maumee. 
He was not only a preacher of peace, but a man 
of war. He was in Harrisons army during the 
war of 1812, and at the siege of Fort Meigs. 
In 1835, he tired of increasing civilization, and 
removed to Wood County, Ohio, where he died 
in 1846. ' Rev. Mr. Badger established the 
first church, of which we have any record, in 



^ 



At 



272 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Summit County, on the 4th of September, 1802, 
at the house of Mr. Hudson, in Hudson Town- 
ship. The societ}^ consisted of thirteen persons, 
not one of whom but has been called to account 
for " the deeds done in the bod3^" A full his- 
tory of this pioneer church will be found in the 
chapter devoted to Hudson. 

The pioneers of Summit County had been 
brought up under the rigid system of Puritan- 
ism, imbibed, as it were, from Plymouth Rock 
itself, and hence, when they came to " New 
Connecticut," as this region was then called, 
these religious principles were still held, and 
most scrupulously guarded. A writer upon 
this subject, whose ripe scholarship and vast 
experience entitles his opinion to some weight, 
sa3's : " They brought to this new land a relig- 
ious spirit that eagerly seized upon ' The Re- 
serve,' as a means to propagate a theology that 
had hitherto flourished only within the rock- 
bound limits of New England. In their native 
land, hedged about by traditions that had com- 
manded the unquestioning respect of parents 
and children for many generations ; opposition 
had been thrust out, and the people began to 
feel, like the Jews of old, that they were es^je- 
cially aided of God, and that they alone had 
kept the faith undefiled. But, hitherto, it had 
not been successfully transplanted, and, when 
the ' Western Reserve ' was placed in the con- 
trol of those ' to the manor born,' a prominent 
thought in their minds was that now favorable 
circumstances were to aid in transplanting the 
Puritan faith to a spot peculiarly guai'ded, 
from which its influence, like the light, should 
dispel the the darkness, and make the Church 
of New England the church universal. Ac- 
cepting the dogma of ' original sin,' they got 
beneath the denunciatory preaching of their 
native land, with a meekness that was satisfied, 
if, by the rigid rule of practice laid down, they 
might, peradventure, be saved. But under this 
quiet exterior, there was a true war-like spirit, 
and the mind of each member of the church, 
that had reached maturity of thought, was an 
arsenal of theological weapons. At church 
meetings, in the social circles, and on the street, 
the ponderous themes of ' election,' ' fore-ordina- 
tion,' ' the perseverance of the saints,' and kin- 
dred subjects, were prominent topics, and 
wielded with a power and an address that viv- 
idly recalls the physical combat of mediseval 
times. On coming to the new country, how- 



ever, these characteristics experienced a change. 
The standing army had been mobilized, and 
each member was imbued with the enthu- 
siasm of a crusader, but they found here an 
enemy, to subdue whom their arsenal held no 
adequate weapon. Their fulminations of the 
decrees were met with an appeal to common- 
sense philosophy ; dogmas were met with the 
demand for freedom of thought ; and the result 
here, as in many a physical conflict, was that 
the light-armed forces completely demoralized 
those strong only in their defensive armor, and 
forced them to accept, and, in the end, to cham- 
pion, that freedom of thought that they had 
early learned to denounce as heresy." 

The early religious history of '• The Reserve " 
would make an interesting volume, and one of 
considerable magnitude, but our space will not 
admit of more than a passing glance in this 
chapter. The early missionaries and pioneer 
preachers, as we have said, came to the county 
with the early settlers themselves. Rev. David 
Bacon was one of these pioneer soldiers of the 
Cross, and the next minister in this section, per- 
haps, a Mr. Badger. He established a " Church 
of Christ," in Tallmadge, in 1809. This early 
temple of God consisted of ten members, five 
males and five females, and, " having no meet- 
ing-house, they met in private houses and 
barns." Of the church, established by Mr. 
Bacon, Gen. Bierce says : " Imbued with the 
spirit of New England theology, Mr. Bacon 
conceived the project of transplanting it into 
the Western world. A religious colony was 
his favorite theory, in which all should believe 
alike and be bound to contribute to the support 
of the Gospel by a tax on the land, which should 
be tantamount to a mortgage on the property. 
* * * Mr. Bacon had previously pur- 
chased from Tallmadge & Starr 12,000 acres of 
land at $1.50 per acre. * * * This 
purchase gave him a controlling interest in the 
township. In all subsequent sales by him, he 
inserted a clause in the contract charging every 
one hundred acres of land sold, with a tax of 
$2 a year for the support of the Gospel — and 
none but believers in the Saybi'ook platform 
could have any land at any price, or on any 
condition except that of joining the church." 
Doubtless the reverend gentleman was looking 
forward to that good time coming, when "the 
lamb and the lion shall lie down together," and 
we shall all see alike and be alike and love 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



273 



each other like one great family. But the 
world was not old enough nor ripe enough for 
so grand and glorious a scheme, and hence Mr. 
Bacon was doomed to a bitter disappointment. 
Other individuals and companies holding lands, 
sold them " unincumbered by restrictions as to 
religious beliefs," and free of any tax for church 
or Gospel purposes. The liberality and freedom 
of these titles, compared to the entailed incum- 
brance of the Bacon system, soon broke up 
the latter and the '■ theory of an exclusive relig- 
ious community failed." Members who, of 
their own free-will and accord, were willing to 
contribute to the support of the Gospel, pro- 
tested against being driven into support of it, 
whether the}' were willing or not, and, as a 
natural consequence, a spirit of bitterness was 
engendered in the church " which brought forth 
anything but holiness." The feeling against 
Mr. Bacon became so strong that he was finally 
forced to resign his charge. This he did in the 
spring of 1812 ; also, " gave up his land con- 
tract and abandoned his Utopian scheme." He 
was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Woodruff, who, it 
seems, did not continue in the high esteem of 
the church for any length of time. His resig- 
nation was earnestl}' sought, and, when ten- 
dered, was eagerly accepted. The history of 
this church will be given more full}- in another 
chapter. 

A log meeting house was erected in Tall- 
madge in 1814, and in 1817 an edifice for 
church purposes was built in Hudson. Elder 
Newcomb was an early divine of Coplc}' Town- 
ship, and preached the first sermon in that 
division of the county. The first society organ- 
ized there, however, was by Mr. Pettitt, a Con- 
gregational minister, in 1832. Religious meet- 
ings were held in Twinsburg in 1820. A Con- 
gregational Church was formed in that town- 
ship in 1828, by Rev. Samuel Bissell. Thus 
the Gospel spread and churches were organized 
as the county became peopled by the whites, 
until now, side by side with the schoolhouse, 
we find in every section, those 

"Steeple towers 
And spires, whose silent fingers point to Heaven." 

The cause of education received the earh' 
attention of the pioneers of Summit County, 
and among these Connecticut Yankees it found 
a congenial soil in which it flourished, and has 
brought forth fruit a hundred fold. In the 



early settlement of this part of the State, there 
were a great many influences that worked 
against general education. Neighborhoods were 
thinly settled, money was scarce, and the peo- 
ple generall}' were poor. There were no school- 
houses, nor was there an}' public school fund 
to build schoolhouses, or even to pay teachers. 
All persons of either sex, who had physical 
strength enough to labor, were compelled to 
take their part in the work, the labor of the 
females being as heav}' and important as that 
of the men ; and this straixi upon their industry 
continued for years. Another drawback to 
education was a lack of teachers and of books. 
Taking all these facts together, it is a great 
source of wonder that the pioneers had any 
schools at all. But the earl}' settlers, who came 
pi'incipally from New England, the seat of 
learning and the birth-place of liberal educa- 
tion, desen^e the highest honors for their 
prompt and energetic efforts in the establish- 
ment of schools. Just as soon as the settle- 
ments would at all justify, schools were opened 
at each one, and any vacant cabin, stable, barn 
or other outhouse was used as a temple of 
learning. The schools were paid for by sub- 
scription, at the rate of about 50 or 75 cents a 
month per scholar. Although the people of 
Ohio and of Summit County displayed this 
early interest in the cause of education, yet, 
when the State Legislature passed a law in 
1825, making education compulsory, it raised 
quite a tempest for a time. The taxpayers of the 
country at large very heartily indorsed the 
Legislature in passing the Canal Law, which 
voted away millions of money, but as heartily 
condemned it for passing a law compelling them 
to support " pauper schools," and the poorer 
classes wei-e loud in their condemnation, be- 
cause the law made •' pauper scholars " of their 
children. 

Those who remember the early school-laws of 
Ohio will remember the frequent changes made 
in them, and how crude and imperfect they 
were as compared to the present law. The 
early laws were changed every session of the 
Legislature, until they became a perfect chaos 
of amendments, provisions, etc., which none 
were wholly able to explain or understand. 
One district would act under one law, and an 
adjoining district under altogether a different 
one. But the adoption of a new Constitution 
gave the State a revised school law, said, at 



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274 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



the time of its adoption, to be the best and 
most perfect within the bounds of the Union. 
And from that day to the present, it has kept 
its place as the best and most liberal school law 
of any of the States. 

The early schoolhouses, as a general thing, 
were of the poorest kind. In towns, they were 
dilapidated buildings, either frame or logs, and 
in the countiy they were invariably of logs. 
Usually but one style of architecture was used 
in building them. They were erected, not from 
a regular fund or by subscription, but by labor 
given. The neighbors would gather together 
at some place previously agreed upon, and with 
ax in hand the work was soon done. Logs 
were cut from sixteen to eighteen feet in length, 
and of these the walls were raised. Broad 
boards composed the roof, and a rude fire-place 
and clapboard door, a puncheon floor, and the 
cracks filled with " chinks," and these daubed 
over with mud completed the schoolhouse, with 
the exception of the windows and the furniture. 
These were as rude and as primitive as the 
house itself. The window was made by cutting 
out a log the full length of the building, and 
over the opening, in winter, paper, saturated 
with grease, served to admit the light. Just 
under this window, two or three stout pins 
were driven in the log in a slanting direction, 
on which a log puncheon was fastened, and this 
was the "writing desk" of the whole school. 
For seats, they used benches made from small 
trees, cut in lengths of ten or twelve feet, split 
open, and in the round side two large holes 
were bored at each end, and in each a stout 
pin, fifteen inches, was driven. These pins 
formed the legs, and on rough and uneven 
floors, hardly ever more than three of these legs 
"touched bottom" at one and the same time. 
And the books ! They were as promiscuous as 
the house and furniture were rude. The New 
Testament was the most popular reader. 
" Introduction to the English Reader," " Sequel 
to the English Reader," and finally the reader 
itself, were in the collection of school-books of 
the time. The New England Primer was one 
of the primary books. The higher spellers 
were Dil worth's and then Webster's. Gram- 
mar was scarcely ever taught ; when it was, 
the text-books used were Murray's and Kirk- 
ham's Grammars. But it is unnecessary to 
follow the description further. Those who have 
known only the perfect system of schools of 



the present can scarcely form an idea of the 
limited capacity of educational facilities in this 
favored region fifty to seventy years ago. There 
are doubtless, however, many still living in 
Summit County who. from personal experience, 
know something of pioneer schools and school- 
houses. 

The first school taught in Summit County 
was b}' George Pease, in the fall and winter of 
1801. The house in which it was taught stood 
on the southwest corner of Lot 56, of Hud- 
son Township, and " near the center of what 
was then the public square." The next 
school in this settlement was taught in 
the same house by Miss Patty Filer. The 
first school was taught in Norton Township by 
Sarah Wyatt, in a little log cabin near John- 
son's Corners. In 1809, a school was taught 
in Northampton by Justus Remington, and in 
Richfield a Mr. Farnum was the pioneer peda- 
gogue. In the winter of 1812, Reuben Upson 
wielded the birch and ferule in Springfield 
Township in a little house that stood near Cass' 
Camp-ground ; Miss Luc}" Foster performed the 
same office in Tallmadge Township in 1810, in 
a small log shanty that stood south of the cen- 
ter. Rachel Hammond, in 1811, taught the 
first school in Bath Township, in a house be- 
longing to Aaron Miller, and Lois Ann Gear 
taught the first in Boston Township, in the 
summer of the same 3'ear ; in 1817, Joseph 
Mishler taught the first school in Franklin 
Township, in a log house that had been built 
for a church. 

From these facts it will be seen that the 
pioneers of Summit County lost no time in 
establishing schools in the new country to 
which they had come. As we have said, 
there were no free schools then, but all schools 
were paid for by general subscription. 

The county, in addition to its excellent s^^s- 
tem of common schools, has, at the present 
time, several colleges, academies and high 
schools in successful operation. These will be 
written up fully in the respective townships in 
which they are located. The educational his- 
tory of each township will also be given, from 
the small beginnings already noticed, through 
its various changes and improvements, to its 
present perfect state. 

The following statistics, from the report of 
the State Board of Education, will be found of 
general interest : 



j^: 



i^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



275 



MONEY RECEIVED WITHIN THE YEAR. 

Balance on hand September 1, 1878. . . . $67,558 30 

State Tax 22,405 26 

Irreducible School Fund 1,688 58 

Local Tax for School and Schoolhouse 

Purposes 84,371 49 

Amount received on sale of bonds 1,040 20 

From fines, licenses and other sources. . 3,130 77 

Total receipts $180,194 60 

Amount paid teachers $70,226 10 

Managina; and superinten'g 2,005 00 

Sites and" buildings 19,477 50 

Interest on redemption of 

bonds 6,683 49 

Fuel and other contingent 

expenses 18,610 53 



Total expenditures 

Balance on hand September 1, '79, 



$117,002 62 
$63,191 98 



Payment to Summit County $19,362 00 

Received from Summit County 22,003 28 

Excess of Receipts from county. . $2,641 28 

Section 16 Fund $ 588 70 

Western Reserve Fund 1,115 52 



Total 



$1,704 22 



Youths between six and twenty-one years- 
White, males, 6,601 ; females, 6,241. . . 
Colored, males, 51 ; females, 55 



12,842 
106 



Total 12,948 

Number of Schoolhouses in County — 

Townships, primary, 144 ; high, 1 145 

Separate districts, primary, 17 ; high, 7, 24 

Total 169 

Total value of School Property — 

Townships, primary, $141,792 ; high, 

$6,000 $147, 792 

Separate district, primary, $157,500 ; 

high. $38,800 $196,300 



Total $344,092 

Number of difEerent teachers employed — 
Townships, primary, males, 125 ; fe- 
males, 124 ; high, males, 2 251 

Separate districts, primary, males, 3 ; 
females, 68 ; high, males, 7 ; females, 
13 



Total 

Average wages paid teachers — 

Townships, primary, males, per month, 
primary, females, per month, 

high, males 

high, females 

Separate districts, primary, males. . . . 
primary, females. . 

high, males 

Tiigh, females 



91 
342 

$35 
26 
62 
00 

113 
40 
90 
70 



No. of different pupils enrolled within the year — 
Townships, primary, males, 3,092 ; fe- 
males, 2,552 ; high, males, 28 ; fe- 
male, 23 5,665 

Separate districts, primary, males, 1,- 
742 ; females, 1,743 ; high, males, 
346 ; females, 430 4,261 

Total 9,926 

Average daily attendance — 

Townships, primary, males, 1,536 ; fe- 
males, 1,231 ; high, males, 13 ; fe- 
males, 11 2,791 

Separate districts, primary, males, 1,- 
326 ; females, 1,313 ; high, males, 
210; females, 309 3,1.58 

Total 5,949 

Per cent of average daily attendance of monthly en- 
rollment — Townships, .75 ; separate districts, 
.92. 
Teachers employed in private schools — 

In townships, 5 ; separate districts 40 45 

Pupils enrolled in private schools — 

Separate districts, males, 205 ; females, 

250 455 

No. of students in attendance at Buchtel College- 
Males, 104 ; females, 52 156 

No. of students in attendance at Western Reserve 
College — 
Males, 93 ; females, 6 99 

The following is from David Ellet, County 
Examiner, to the State Board of Education : 
"The schools of this count}' are slowly and 
steadily improving in efficiency and usefulness. 
The}' will compare favorably with those of the 
adjoining counties. Many of our teachers de- 
sire to know more of teaching as a profession, 
and, as a result of this, avail themselves largely 
of the opportunities furnished in this direction 
by our county institutes. Our schools need more 
good teachers — teachers better qualified by edu- 
cation, by experience, and by devotion to their 
work. They want more good school officers, 
and more earnestness, more enthusiasm, a 
greater sense of responsibility in all who are 
connected with the schools. In some localities 
an improved state of opinion is needed among 
those who patronize the schools, a more intelli- 
gent acquaintance with their present condition, 
and a more enlarged appreciation of their capa- 
bilities." The above is sound doctrine, and 
should be well considered by those who are 
concerned in the cause of education. 

A few extracts from the annual report of 
Hon. J. J. Burns, State Commissioner of 
Schools, appear to us so appropriate in this 
connection that we give place to them. He 



#* 



276 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



saj'S : " How shall we cause our pupils to make 
the largest possible attainments in these 
foundation branches, and also have them, when 
they leave school, thirsting for more knowl- 
edge, and possessing trained mental faculties so 
that they may acquire it ; the organ of these 
faculties to be contained in a healthy body, 
while mind and body are under the guidance 
of correct moral principles ? To avoid waste 
of time and labor is to be able to better do 
the work in hand, and to apply the savings to 
something beyond. A search for wastage is a 
highly practical thing, and economy here, a 
moral dut}'. I have often asserted that there 
is a wastage in having pupils spend time in 
learning to spell hundreds — yes, thousands — of 
words which they never have occasion to use 
outside of the spelling-class, while probably the 
dictionary, which should be in constant use, 
rests in pensive quietness on the teacher's 
desk, if, indeed, there is one in the room. The 
meaning of words and their pronunciation are 
of far more moment than their spelling. The 
best text-books from which to learn these are 
the reader and dictionary ; and the best proofs 
of progress are correct oral reading and written 
compositions. Is there anything better than a 
common spelling-book exercise to cause pupils 
to think that we learn words for the sake of 
knowing how to spell them ? that we are seek- 
ing not kernels but shells ? In penmanship, 
we want more drill in writing from dictation, in 
having the pupils put their thoughts or recollec- 
tions upon paper rapidly and neatly. Copying 
that beautiful line at the top of the page with 
care and patience is a good exercise, but some 
better g3'mnastic is required to fit the writer for 
hours of real work. In one way and another, 
language rightly claims a large share of the at- 
tention of the teacher. It is the grand charac- 
teristic which distinguishes man from the other 
animals, the most direct product of his inner 
consciousness. 

" The child has begun the study of language 
before his school life commences. Learning to 
talk seems as natural as learning to laugh, or 
cry, or play. But so much of knowledge and of 
the world is hidden in books, that a key must be 
found to unlock these treasures, and that key is 
reading — the power to translate the written 
word ; to recognize it as the graphic symbol of 
an idea before in possession, so that the ability 
to reverse the process will follow, and printed 



words become the source of ideas. As the 
pupil masters words and their meaning, he is 
getting into his possession the tools with which 
he may dig in books for further knowledge, 
make his own knowledge more useful to him as 
a social being, and secure a body for his 
thoughts, without which incarnation they are 
as little subject to control as the weird fancies 
of a dream. The art of silent reading deserves 
more attention in school — practice in grasping 
the meaning of a passage in the shortest 
possible time, and reproducing it with pen or 
tongue. But along with this, in its earlier 
stages, and a short time preceding it, is the oral 
reading exercise, wherein the reader must 
serve as eyes to the listeners, so that they ma^', 
through his voice, see the printed page. How 
much inspiration is there in this work when each 
listener has the page before his own eyes ? The 
translation of a written sentence into a spoken 
sentence is much more than the mere transla- 
tion, in their right order, of the iconh of the 
written sentence : and to do this well requires, 
besides the names of the written characters, 
culture of voice, training of eye, quickening of 
emotion. To serve as a medium through which 
others may know the printed page, catching its 
syllables upon the ear, is not low art. To 
breathe life into dead words, and send them 
into the depths of the moral and intellectual 
nature of the hearer, and that with power to 
convince, to arouse, to subdue, greater than if 
the hearer had been his own interpreter, is high 
art indeed. We cannot, however, afford the 
time, even if that were the only obstacle, to 
train all our school children to be readers in 
this artistic sense. We must content ourselves 
with the more modest aim, and remember that, 
after all, the prime object of the reading exer- 
cise in school is not to train the 3'outh to shine 
as elocutionists, or serve as a mirror for others, 
but to impart to them the ability to get knowl- 
edge from books, and to keep alive a hunger 
for it, thus 'determinating the pupil to self- 
activit}-,' which Hamilton calls the ' primary 
principle of education.' 

" Another language of great value is com- 
mitting to memoi'y — learning by heart well, 
plirases — choice selections, gems of thought 
and expression, culled from the best writings of 
the best writers. These should be judiciousl}' 
selected, so as not to be too much be3-ond the 
easy comprehension of the pupil. They should. 



■?1' 



tk^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



277 



above all other requisites, be pure, healthful, 
inspiring. The teacher should add interest to 
the work by relating incidents in the life of the 
authors. We know with what tenacity the 
memory clings to the simple rhymes learned in 
childhood. If this work be continued as it 
should be, who can den}^ its lasting effects upon 
life? A refined taste and quickened intellect 
may be hoped for as the result of drinking in 
and assimilating beautiful thoughts in chaste, 
musical language— words of warning or of ap- 
proval, flashed by the memory upon the judg- 
ment in the time of temptation, of resistance 
thereto. ********* 
" One very good result of increased attention 
to literature in the schools is the marked in- 
crease in the amount of wholesome reading — 
history, biography, travels, poetry, popular sci- 
ence and the lessened demand for dime novels 
and other low fiction. Few questions are, in 
their bearing upon the future of our country, 
more important than this : What are the hoys 
and girls reading? I would not, then, have 
less time spent in our schools upon language, 
but teachers may well look into the subject, 
and see whether that time is spent to the best 
advantage. The puplic regard arithmetic, par 
excellence, as the practical study. It is the 
practical educator's strong tower, and we have 
it taught in season and out. The nine digits 
seem to have taken the place of the heathen 
gods, and their demand for offerings knows no 
cessation. Measured by any definition of the 
practical, as a means either to fit one directly 
for bread-getting in the common business of 
life, or as a means of mental culture and disci- 
pline, a large part of arithmetic, as found in 
our books and taught from them, falls short. 
Instead of introducing, at an early stage, the 
science of geometry, we fritter away valuable 
time upon annuities and alligation, and pro- 
gression ; and, as for interest, one would think 
that mankind in general made a living by shav- 
ing each other's notes. Children begin early 
to develop the idea of numbers. It concerns 
matters of their daily life. The elemental steps 
of writing and reading numbers, or the sym- 
bols of numbers, naturally follow, and, usually, 
are not difficult of acquirement. But there is 
such a gap between the conditions needed for 
the ready learning of these things, and the 
more mature judgment and that knowledge of 
business and the world, demanded in the intelli- 



gent solution of ordinarily difficult problems in 
discount and certain other branches of applied 
arithmetic. Back and forth across this stretch 
the boy's mind must swing like a pendulum, 
repelled by what it cannot comprehend, and by 
what it has grown tired of. He marks time, 
when he could so readily oblique into some 
other study and march forward. Then, by and 
by, if these advanced parts of arithmetical 
science are needed, their acquisition would be 
easy. Meanwhile, the child may give increased 
attention to literature and be learning interest- 
ing and profitable lessons about this world into 
which he has come, and in what he came, and 
how to take care of it. While these priceless 
practical lessons are in progress, one can fanc}'^ 
that the arithmetic itself would enjoy the rest. 

" In the time which can be saved, also a few 
short steps could be taken in some other 
branches now much neglected. The reason for, 
and the practical mode of, doing man}' things 
which are to be done in real life b}' the citizen, 
the man of business, th6 manager of a house- 
hold, might be taught in the schools. Some- 
thing of the nature of the materials which we 
eat, drink and wear, and economy in the buy- 
ing and using, would be excellent lessons. If 
He is a benefactor of mankind who causes two 
blades of grass to grow where one grew before, 
the language does not furnish a name for him 
or her who shall cause the laboring man to 
know how to make $1 produce the good results 
for which he must now expend two. No mat- 
ter whether we regard the school as established 
primarily for the good of the children, or for 
the preservation of the State, we must admit 
that the most valuable result of all education, 
is the building of good characters. This, to 
speak definitely, is to instill correct principles, 
and train in right habits. Citizens with these 
' constitute a State.' Men and women with 
these are in possession of what best assures 
rational happiness, the end and aim of human 
life." 

In his report of 1878, upon the subject of 
Compulsory Education — a .subject which is now 
receiving considerable attention in many of the 
States — the State Commissioner says : " Con- 
cerning the right of State or Grovernment to 
pass and carry into effect what is known as 
Compulsory Laws, and require parents and 
guardians, even against their will, to send their 
children to school, there does not appear to be 



PT 



:^i 



278 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



much diversity of opinion. Concerning the 
polic}' thereof, dependent upon so many known 
and unknown conditions, there is the widest 
diversity. I can write no history of the results 
of the act of March 20, 1877, for it does not 
seem to have any. A great good would be 
wrought if the wisdom of the General Assembly 
could devise some means which shall strengthen 
and supplement the powers of Boards of Edu- 
cation, and enable them to prevent truancy, even 
if only in cases where parents desire their chil- 
dren to attend school regularly, but parental 
authority is too weak to secure that end. The 
instances are not few in which parents would 
welcome aid in this matter, knowing that truan- 
cy is often the first step in a path leading 
through the dark mazes of idleness, vagabond- 
age and crime. 

" Whatever may be said of young children 
working in mills and factories, j^outhful idlers 
upon the streets of towns and cities should be 
gathered up by somebody and compelled to do 
something. If they learn nothing else, there 
will at least be this salutary lesson, that society 
is stronger than they, and without injuring them, 
will use its strength to protect itself While we 
are establishing reform schools for those who 
have started in the way to their own ruin, and 
have donned the uniform of the enemies of civil 
society, it would be a heavenly importation to 
provide some way to rescue those who are 3'et 
lingering around the camp." 

The Press of Summit County/^ — We have been 
fortunate in finding the very " fountain head " 
of the copious flow of local literature — polite, 
political, miscellaneous and otherwise — with 
which the people of the territory now embraced 
in Summit County, have been blessed during the 
past sixty years. In August, 1825, Mr. Laurin 
Dewey, a young printer from Ravenna, after- 
ward well-known as a prominent Whig politi- 
cian in Northern Ohio, issued a prospectus for 
a paper to be published in the village of Middle- 
bury, now the Sixth Ward of Akron, to be called 
the Ohio Canal Advocate. To aid him in this 
enterprise, a subscription paper was circulated 
among the people of Middlebury, of which the 
following is a copy : 

•' We, the subscribers, being anxious for the 
prosperity of this section of the country, and 
the dissemination of useful information gener- 
ally, do severally agree to pay the sums set op- 

* Written by Samuel A. Lane. 



posite our respective names, for the purpose of 
purchasing a printing press, types, etc., and for 
erecting a printing establishment in the village 
of Middlebury, under the direction of Mr. Lau- 
rin Dewey, who will edit and publish a weekly 
paper, devoted to the general interests of the 
country, advertising, etc., the columns to be en- 
riched by foreign and domestic news, religious 
intelligence, poetry, etc.; the sums so by us paid 
to be considered in the nature of a loan, to be 
repaid whenever the editor shall consider him- 
self able to do so." 

The names of the signers of this document, 
with their several contributions to the purchas- 
ing fund, are as follows : Charles Sumner, $10 ; 
Erastus Torrey, $10 ; Henry Chittenden, $5 ; 
Nathan Gillett, Jr., $5 ; Rufus Hart, $3 ; Ed- 
ward Sumner, $10 ; Samuel Newton, $10 ; 
Charles W. Brown, $5 ; Benajah A. Allen, $3 ; 
Phineas Pettis, $5 ; Elijah Mason, $5 ; John 
McMillan, Jr., $10; Spencer & Morgan, $15; 
Alexander C. Lawson, $2 ; William McGallard, 
$2 ; D. W. Williams, $5 ; Thomas C. Viall, $2 ; 
Jacob Kaufman, $5 ; Jesse Allen, $4 ; Ithiel 
Mills, $3 ; Amos Spicer, $4 ; William Bell, $3 ; 
Roswell Kent & Co., $5 ; Henry Squires, $5 ; 
Elisha Farnam, $5 ; Joseph W. Brown ; $5 ; 
Horatio Howard, $5 ; Ambrose S. Cotter, $5 ; 
Henry Rhodes, $3 ; William Phelps, $2 ; Will- 
iam J. Hart, $3 ; R. & S. McClure, $5 ; Theophi- 
lus Potter, $2 ; Joshua Richards, $2 ; Bagley 
& Humphrey, $10 ; Leonard Chatfleld, $2 ; 
David Jones, $2 ; Titus Chapman, $2 ; Julius 
A. Sumner, $3 ; Miner Spicei", $4 ; Alpheus 
Hart, $1 ; Paul Williams, $2 ; Guerdon Geer, 
$5. Total amount subscribed, $204, a sum 
scarcely adequate to the purchase of a first-class 
printer's outfit in these latter days. Ozias 
Bowen, Esq., then a resident of Middlebury 
(afterward a prominent citizen of Marion, and 
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of that 
count}'), associated himself with Mr. Dewey in 
the enterprise, but before the paper was started, 
Mr. Dewey transferred his interest to Elijah 
Mason, Esq. 

The Portage Journal. — The Ohio Canal ques- 
tion, meantime, having been substantially set- 
tled, and needing no further advocacy, Messrs. 
Bowen and Mason, before the first issue, 
changed the name of their paper to the Porta.^e 
Journal. The first number was issued on the 
28th day of September, 1825. Printing mate- 
rials were not as readily obtainable then as now, 



■k^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



279 



and, as the utmost econom}- had to be exercised 
in making the " plant." the Cleveland Herald 
having just procured a new dress, the old types, 
rules, chases, stands, cases, etc., purchased from 
that establishment, together with an old ■'• Ram- 
age " press- — the press of Benjamin Franklin — 
constituted the ^entire outfit of the Portage 
Journal, the whole concern being transported 
overland, from Cleveland to Middleburj-, in a 
couple of two-horse wagons. The size of the 
paper was 19x24 inches, with four columns to 
the page, the terms of publication being " Two 
dollars per annum (exclusive of postage), if 
payment be made within the 3'ear, or two dol- 
lars and fift3' cents if payment be delayed until 
the year expires. Ko paper will he discnntiuueeJ 
until arrearages are jxdd." In politics, the 
Jourval appears to have been neai'ly neutral, 
with a ver}' decided leaning toward the anti- 
Jackson, or Adams, part}'. The connection of 
Mr. Bowen ceased with No. 57. October 27. 
1826. Mr. John McMillan, Jr. (father of Mr. 
George W. McMillan, of Northampton Town- 
ship, to whom the writer is indebted for a por- 
tion of the material for this chapter), purchas- 
ing Mr. Bowen's interest, the new firm being- 
McMillan & Mason, who changed the name of 
the paper to the Portage Journal and Weekly 
Advertiser — a pretty long name for so small a 
paper. This arrangement continued just one 
year, Mr. Mason retiring with No. 109, his 
place being taken by Alvah Hand, Esq., then 
practicing law in Middlebury, the new firm of 
McMillan «fe Hand, with Mr."^ Hand as editor, 
continuing its publication until January or Feb- 
ruary, 1829, when it was discontinued for want 
of adequate support, the materials of the office 
being sold to parties in Massillon. Mr. George 
W. McMillan, at present living among us, vig- 
orous and hearty, and Hon. Hiram Bowen, af- 
terward founder of the Beacon, and one term 
Summit County's Representative in the State 
Legislature, and still an active business man in 
the State of Kansas, were both employes in 
the pioneer printing office of Summit County — 
the Porteige Journal. 

The Ohio Observer. — The second place in 
which the newspaper found a "local habitation 
and a name " within the present limits of Sum- 
mit County was Hudson. January 20, 1827, a 
religious paper called the Western fntelligencer, 
was started in Cleveland, edited b}' Harmon 
Kingsbury, J. G. and D. B. McLain, and Kings- 



I bury, being the publishers. August 31, 1827, 
I Rev. Randolph Stone became associate editor, 
and March 19, 1828, sole editor of the paper, 
i with John (}. McLain as publisher, which ar- 
rangement continued until the close of 1829, 
when the publication of the paper was sus- 
pended. In March, 1830, a new series was 
commenced in Hudson, with Warren Isham as 
j editor and proprietor, who at that time changed 
the name to the Observer and Telegraph. De- 
1 cember 30, 1830, Lewis Berry, a practical print- 
er, became a partner with Mr. Isham in the 
concern, but in April, LS32, Mr. Isham again 
{ became sole proprietor of the paper. 3Iay 10, 
\ 1832, the name of Rev. James B. Walker ap- 
[ pears joined with Mr. Isham, but was soon 
; afterward dropped, the paper, about this time, 
j taking the name of the Ohio Observer. Feb- 
I ruary"26, 1834, R. M. Walker and S. J. Brad- 
street became the editors and proprietors of the 
paper. December 11, 1834, Rev. James B. 
Walker, afterward Pastor of the Congregational 
Church in Akron, became sole editor and pro- 
prietor. At the close of 1835 — about which 
time the paper was temporarily crippled through 
the breaking of its press, by a few stui'dy blows 
from a blacksmith's sledge, wielded b}- a prom- 
inent citizen of Hudson, whose moral character 
the paper had or was about to call in question 
— Rev. A. R. Clarke became its editor and pro- 
prietor, and transferred the paper to Cleveland, 
uniting it with the Cleveland Journal. Rev. 0. 
P. Hoyt being associated with Mr. Clarke as 
editor. November 1, 1838, the paper was dis- 
continued, but its publication resumed January 
9, 1839. April 16, 1840, the paper was returned 
to Hudson, with Prof E. P. Barrows as editor, 
the pecuniary responsibility for its publication 
being assumed by an association of gentlemen 
in Hudson and other portions of the Western 
Reserve. October 2, 1842, Prof. Henry N. Day 
became associated with Prof. Barrows as one 
of the editors. February 14, 1844, the office, 
press, tj'pes, fixtures, etc., were destroyed by 
fire, and, for a short time, the paper was printed 
at Cuyahoga Falls. 

After the fire, the association having charge 
of the publication of the paper, paid up the 
balance of its indebtedness and withdrew from 
the concern. The paper then went into the 
hands of A. TTpson & Co., who published it till 
January-, 1848, at whicth date it was transferred 
to W. Skinner & Co.. who, in turn, transferred 






-rf 9 



280 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



it to Sawyer, IngersoU & Co., in January, 1851, 
Messrs. Barrows and Day continuing to edit 
the paper until 1852, tlieir services being per- 
formed gratuitously, being purely a " labor of 
love " for mankind in general, and the readers 
of the Observer in particular. J. S. Sawyer was 
the editor in 1852, and Rev. John C. Hart in 
1853. January 11, 1854, the subscription-list 
of the Family Visitor was transferi'ed to the 
Observer, which was continued one year longer, 
under the name of the Ohio Observer and Reg- 
ister, when, upon the failure of the publishers, 
the paper ceased to exist. The Observer, dur- 
ing its many vicissitudes, was always very ably 
edited. It was a religious, literary and polit- 
ical (non-partisan) family newspaper, specially 
representing the interests of the Presbyterian 
and Congregational Churches, under the old 
plan of union, and, during the nearly thirty 
years of its existence, its influence for good 
among the people of the Western Reserve can- 
not well be over-estimated. 

The Family Visitor. — Hudson's second news- 
paper venture was the Family Visitor, com- 
menced January 3, 1850, also in Cleveland, the 
names of Prof J. P. Kirtland and 0. H. Knapp, 
appearing as editors. On May 2, 1850, Mr. 
Knapp's name was dropped, the paper at that 
time being published simultaneous!}' in Cleve- 
land and Hudson. In January, 1852, the paper 
was wholly transferred to Hudson, and, in the 
spring of that year. Prof Matthew C. Read be- 
came its sole editor, continuing to act in that 
capacity with great acceptance of the patrons 
and readers of the ever-welcome Visitor until 
January 11, 185-1, when its subscription list was 
transferred to the Observer and Register, as be- 
fore stated. The plan of the publishers and 
editors of the Visitor was to furnish a fumil}'^ 
paper — scientific, literarj-, religious and agricult- 
ural — of a high moral tone, excluding ever}-- 
thing in au}^ respect objectionable. It had sub- 
scribers in every State in the Union, who deeply- 
regretted its discontinuance. It was the first 
of quite a large class of high-toned papers, which 
have since become successful ; but, being in ad- 
vance of the times, had to be given up, because 
under the disaster-inviting credit system then 
prevailing among newspaper publishers, and 
their so-called " patrons," the proprietors could 
not afford "to labor and to wait" for the future 
harvest which was surely coming. 

The Hudson Enterprise. — This paper was es- 



tablished as an amateur sheet, in connection 
with a small job office, in May, 1875, by H. M. 
McDonald. It was a five-column folio, using 
'' patent " outsides, the inside of the paper, only, 
filled with local and general news, advertising, 
etc., being printed in the office of publication. 
The Enterprise, which by this time had come to 
be an indispensable necessity in many of the 
households of the village and surrounding town- 
ships, was bought by Mr. J. H. Meek, in July, 
1876, who in turn sold it to Col. Sullivan D. 
Harris, the former able editor of the Ohio Cul- 
tivator, in April, 1877. Col. Harris dying a few 
weeks after his purchase of the papei", it was 
bought by its present proprietor, Mr. C. Gr. Guil- 
ford, who changed it into a five-column quarto, 
the entire paper now being " set up " and printed 
at home. The Enterprise, for a purely local 
journal, is all that its name implies, and is 
eminently worthy of the increasing prosperity 
it now enjoys. 

College City Venture. — In July, 1856, Mr. E. 
F. Chittenden, an old compositor on the Visitor, 
established a small weekly paper at Hudson, 
under this title, calling to his assistance as edi- 
tor, M. C. Read, Esq., but only a few numbers 
were issued, though while it did live, it was 
ver}' ably conducted, indeed. 

Hudson Gazette. — In November, 1857, Rev. 
Alexander Clark, afterward becoming a D. D. 
and man of note in the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, in Pennsylvania, now deceased, started 
a small paper at Hudson under the above title. 
It was devoted to " Commerce, P]ducation, Agri- 
culture, Arts and News," and was quite ably 
edited but continued in existence on a few 
weeks. 

The Ohio Revieio. — The next point, in chro- 
nological order, to be illumined by the effulgence 
supposed to emanate from the printing press, 
was Cuyahoga Falls. Largely through the in- 
fluence of Judge Joshua Stow — then the owner 
of a large proportion of the lands of the vil- 
lage — Horace Canfield and Timothy P. Spencer, 
a couple of enterprising young printers of Hart- 
ford, Conn., were induced to remove to Cuya- 
hoga Falls and open a newspaper and job print- 
ing office in 1833. After many delays in getting 
together the necessar}' materials, the first num- 
ber of the Ohio Revieio was issued b}' Messrs. 
Canfield & Spencer November 30, 1833. The 
paper was neatly printed and quite ably con- 
ducted, and, being neutral in politics, was well- 



vT 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



281 



liked by the people ; but its circulation being 
necessarily very limited, and the income of the 
establishment not proving sufficient to meet its 
current expenses, the Review, after an existence 
of something over one year, was temporarily- 
discontinued December 12, 1834, Messrs. Can- 
field & Spencer removing to Cleveland, and 
from there, soon afterward, to Medina. The 
printing office, however, remaining at the Falls, 
the publication of the Review was soon after- 
ward resumed b}- " An Association of G-entle- 
men " — names not given — with Mr. James Low- 
rev as printer. The exact date of its discon- 
tinuance we have been unable to ascertain ; but 
as Mr. Henr}- Wetmore has a number of the 
fourth volume, dated April 13, 1837, in his pos- 
session, and as an Akron contemporar}'^ of Ma^' 
5, 1838, says : " There are four papers now 
published at Cuyahoga Falls, three of which are 
castigators, viz., the Renovator, the Young Buz- 
zard and the Telescope,'' the three papers men- 
tioned being ephemeral affairs, it is probable 
that the Review was still in existence at that 
date, and very likely continued for some 3'ears 
thereafter. 

The Cuyahoga Falls Reporter. — Tn the year 
1870, Mr. E. 0. Knox, a practical printer, but 
with very little money and absolutel}' no jour- 
nalistic experience, commenced the publication 
of a handsome nine-column weekl}' paper, un- 
der the title of the Cuyahoga Falls Reporter. 
Its outside pages are replete with choice litera- 
ture, interesting miscellany-, and carefully col- 
lated foreign and domestic news, its inside col- 
umns being devoted to local intelligence, ad- 
vertising, etc. The Reporter is edited with 
ability, and, in point of newsy sprightliness, is 
far above the average weekly papers of the 
State. The Reporter, now well into the eleventh 
year of its existence, is steadily growing in pub- 
lic favor and circulation, and is exerting a pow- 
erful influence in promoting the industrial in- 
terests of the village, and in maintaining the 
proverbial reputation of Cuyahoga Falls for in- 
telligence, morality and thrift. 

The Akron Post was the first paper ever pub- 
lished in Akron proper. It was a five-column 
weekly sheet. Democratic in politics, and edited 
and published by Madison H. White, the mate- 
rials having been imported from Medina. The 
press was of the " Ramage " persuasion — a 
wooden-framed affair, with stone bed, wooden 
platen and screw power, each form requiring 



two separate " pulls," the distinctness of the 
impression depending altogether upon the mus- 
cle and avoirdupois of the pressman, the forms 
being inked with huge sheep-skin balls, stuffed 
with cotton, even the glue-and-molasses hand- 
rollers not being used in this far-off country at 
that time. The first number of the Post was 
issued on the 23d day of March, 1836, and the 
last number on the 15th day of November of 
the same 3-ear, the duration of its life being a 
short two-thirds of a 3-ear only. 

The Akron Journal, also Democratic, was the 
next candidate for the public favor of the good 
people of Akron. It was of about the same 
size and general character as the Post, but far 
more abl}- conducted, its editor and pi'oprietor 
being our present venerable, well-preserved fel- 
low-citizen, Judge Constant Br3-au. The first 
number of the Journal — printed with the same 
press and types as its predecessor — was issued 
on the 1st day of December, 1836, and contin- 
ued until the 15th day of June. 1837, the pe- 
riod of its existence being six months and two 
weeks onl3-. 

The American Balance, devoted to the inter- 
ests of the people of Akron, the State of Ohio 
and the United States in general, and of the 
Whig part3' in particular, was stai'ted by Hor- 
ace K. Smith and Gideon Gr. Galloway on the 
19th day of August, 1837. The materials were 
second-hand, mostly procured in Cleveland, the 
press being the same on which the Ohio Ob- 
server had formerl3' been printed, and which 
had been broken by an irate citizen of Hudson 
a 3-ear or so before, as previousl3- related, a 
new bed having been made for it at the foundry 
and machine-shop of Benjamin R. Manchester, 
then located on the east side of the Ohio Canal, 
at Lock 7, in North Akron. IMr. Smith, a man 
of education and a vigorous writer, was the ed- 
itor of the Balance, while Mr. Galloway, being 
a practical printer, conducted the mechanical 
branch of the business. Early in 1838, Hiram 
Bowen, also a practical printer, as well as a 
sharp writer, purchased Mr. Galloway's interest 
in the Balance, and, with the care, labor and 
talent bestowed upon it, IMessrs. Smith & Bowen 
ought to have made the American Balance a pe- 
cuniary success. But, as with its two Democratic 
predecessors, the fates were against them, the 
conspiring causes being, first, in the general 
stringency of the times, making it next to impos- 
sible for publishers anywhere in Ohio to get in 



n^ 



282 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



money enough from subscriptions, advertising, 
etc., to pay running expenses ; and second, be- 
cause Akron, being a mere dependency of Por- 
tage County — tliongli tlien of more commercial 
importance tlian its county seat — no official 
patronage could be brouglit to tlie support of 
any paper outside of Ravenna, wliile, at the 
same time, for the same reason, the circuU\tion 
of the local paper was confined almost exclu- 
sively to the immediate vicinity of its publica- 
tion. The Balance, therefore, after a precarious 
existence of just one year, was discontinued on 
the 9th day of August, 1838, though the job 
department of the office was still kept running 
by Messrs. Smith & Bowen. 

The Akron Buzzard was next to play its 
part upon the local newspaper stage. The his- 
tory of this curiously-named and somewhat 
notorious sheet may be briefly stated thus : 
Its projector was a young house and sign 
painter by the name of Samuel A. Lane — a 
Connecticut Yankee — whose shop was in a room 
adjoining the office of the discontinued Journal. 
Akron, at that time being a rapidly growing 
town, and having some eighteen or twenty 
locks of the "great thoroughfare" — the Ohio 
Canal — within its corporate limits, had become 
a convenient stopping-place, and a ftivorite re- 
sort for divers and sundry- vile characters, pro- 
fessional gamblers, counterfeiters, confidence 
men, etc., whose depredations upon the public 
peace and the public morals, the civil authori- 
ties were scarcely able to cope with. To aid 
the officers of the law in ridding the community 
of these disreputable characters, a number of 
the young business men of the village in- 
formally constituted themselves into a Vigi- 
lance Committee for the purpose of obtaining 
and imparting information in regard to the op- 
erations of the gang, and "stirring up the ani- 
mals" generally, through pointed public discus- 
sions, scathing newspaper articles, anonymous 
circulars, etc. Mr. Lane, having obtained some- 
thing of a smattering of the " Art Preservative," 
while acting as editor's assistant in the office of 
a Georgia newspaper a few months in 1834, con- 
ceived the idea tiiat, by making it a specialt}', 
he could more efficiently accomplish the object 
sought, than could be done through the other 
channels named alone. Accordingly, getting 
permission from Judge Bryan to use his types 
and press, Mr. Lane, in the intervals of his 
regular business, " unaided and alone," wrote 



out, set up, struck off and flung to the breeze 
the first number of the Akron Buzzard, on the 
7th day of September, 1838. It was a three- 
column folio, of 12x17 inches, published semi- 
monthly at 75 cents a 3'ear, but doubled in size 
at the end of the first year, and the price raised 
to !^1. From the favor with which the initial 
number was received, and not doubting its suc- 
cess, arrangements were made with Messrs. 
Smith & Bowen, for its regular semi-monthl}- 
issue from the office of the American Balance. 
The editorial noni de guerre assumed by Mr. 
Lane was "Jedediah Brownbread, Esq., and 
among his old acquaintances he is, to this day, 
more commonly saluted b}' the familiar sobri- 
quet of "Jed" than by his own proper name. 
The style of composition adopted by the edi- 
tor was the proverbial Yankee dialect, of which 
the detestable styles of poor English, bad spel- 
ling and worse grammar, more recentl}' used 
by " Josh Billings," " Artemas Ward," " Par- 
son Nasby " and other so-called humorists, are 
fair samples. The character of the paper and 
its object were fully set forth in its " saluta- 
tory," which, translated into plain English, is 
as follows : " The Buzzard will be a real jolly, 
nothing-to-do-with-politics, anti-blackleg paper, 
devoted to news, popular tales, miscellany, an- 
ecdotes, satire, poetry, humor, the correction of 
the public morals, etc. It will strike at the 
vices of mankind, with an occasional brush at 
its follies. It will expose crime, whether com- 
mitted by the great or the small, and applaud 
virtuous and noble actions, whether performed 
by the rich or the poor. It will encourage the 
honest man in well-doing, and make a trans- 
parency of the breast of the h^'pocrite. In 
short, it will be to society what the common 
buzzard is to our Southern cities, viz. : It will 
pounce upon, and hy its influence, endeavor to 
reform or remove such loafers as are nuisances 
in the community, by holding them up to the 
gaze of a virtuous public." Though literally 
holding his life in his hand, being often greeted 
with " threatenings dire," laid in wait for by 
the "fraternity," and several times severely 
assaulted, the publisher of the Buzzard fear- 
lessly stood his ground — meantime conducting 
his regular business of house and sign paint- 
ing — for a year and a half, the paper being dis- 
continued on the 25th of February, 1839, not 
for want of patronage, for it had more than a 
local circulation, but because its conductor was 



v> 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



283 



about to engage in another branch of business, 
and because it was believed that the paper had 
substantially accomplished its mission ; and in 
closing this item, the writer — the veritable 
" Jedediah Brownbread " himself — desires to 
express his firm conviction, that though its 
methods wei-e not approved by all of even the 
better class of our people during the period of 
its publication, that Akron and Summit County 
are better to-day, morally, socially and pecu- 
niarily, because of the publication of the Akron 
Buzzard of 1837, 1838 and 1839, than they 
otherwise would have been. 

The Pestalozzian. — This was a small, neatly 
printed monthly quarto, edited and published by 
Horace K. Smith and S. L. Sawtell, the initial 
number of which appeared on the 14th day of 
April, 1838. It was devoted to education, sci- 
ence, literature, etc., and though ably conducted 
— both of the editors being men of talent and 
culture — being in advance of the times, it was 
not dul}' appreciated, and succumbed to the in- 
evitable on the 30th day of September, 1838, 
after a non-paying existence of less than half a 
year. 

The Ohian and Neio Era — During a portion 
of the year 1838, Mr. Jonathan F. Fenn, one of 
Akron's earliest merchants and manufacturers, 
published a small folio sheet, devoted to free 
banking. Though conducted with considerable 
ability, and though a financial organ, it was not 
a financial success, and had an existence of a 
few months only. 

The Glad Tidings and Ladies Universalist 
Magazine. — This was a neatly printed eight- 
page paper, published in Akron during the 
years 1838, 1839 and 1840. It was edited and 
published b}' Revs. S. A. Davis, N. Doolittle and 
J, Whitney. It was a spirited exponent of the 
doctrine of universal salvation, and was ver}^ 
ably edited indeed. With the close of 1840, 
the paper was removed to Cincinnati, where, 
under the name of the Star in the West, it has 
for the past forty years " fought a good fight " 
in the interests of the denomination, by whom 
its pioneer file-leader, the Glad Tidings, was 
originally founded in Akron, being discon- 
tinued only a few months ago, for reasons to the 
writer unknown. 

The Summit Beacon. — This paper, the legiti- 
mate successor of the American Balance, was 
started on the 11th day of April, 1839, by 
Hiram Bowen, Esq., on a pledge of adequate 



support from the business men of Akron, and 
leading members of the Whig party within the 
limits of the prospective new county then about 
to be erected. Like most of the weekly papers 
of that early day, the Beacon had a hard strug- 
gle for existence for several years, but finally, 
as the official organ of the new county, and 
through the pluck and energy of its founder, 
its success became assured, and though its 
office of publication and total contents have 
three times been consumed by fire, the paper, 
for the full forty-two years of its existence, has 
never missed an issue, though sometimes tem- 
porarily diminished in size while recovering 
from its several disasters, and now sturdily 
stands, where it has ever stood, in the front rank 
of the weekly papers of Ohio. In or about the 
year 1845, Mr. Bowen sold the paper to Laurin 
Dewe}^, Esq. (formerly editor of the Oliio Star, 
at Ravenna, and Sheriff of Portage County ; 
afterward Warden of the Ohio Penitentiary, and 
more recently a prominent politician and a 
member of the Legislature of Iowa, now de- 
ceased), and his brother-in-law, Mr. Richard S. 
Elkins, then a member of the book and drug 
firm of Beebe & Elkins, and afterward Post- 
master of Akron for eight years, under the ad- 
ministration of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew 
Johnson, Mr. E. now residing on a farm near 
Ravenna, in the adjoining county of Portage. 
On the 9th day of June. 1848, the office was 
destroyed by fire, but immediately re-estab- 
lished, and later in that year, Messrs. Dewey & 
Elkins sold the paper to John Teesdale, Esq., 
formerly editor of the Ohio State Journal, and 
since the State Printer for Iowa. Mr. Teesdale 
soon afterward formed a partnership with 
Messrs. Beebe & Elkins, uniting the printing 
with the book and drug business, under the firm 
name of Elkins, Teesdale & Co., Mr. Teesdale 
being the sole editor of the paper. He was a 
graceful, but incisive writer, and under his man- 
agement, the Beacon, becoming with the change 
of parties in 1854-55, the organ of the Repub- 
lican party, attained a high degree of popularity. 
Mr. Teesdale sold his interest to his copartners, 
Messrs. Beebe & Elkins, February 27, 1856, con- 
tinuing, however, to act as editor until May 1, 
of that year, when James S. Carpenter, Esq., 
became sole editor of the paper. Under the able 
editorial management of Mr. Carpenter, the 
high reputation of the Beacon, as voicing the 
advanced sentiment of the Republican party of 



f* 



9 w 



284 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



the Western Reserve, was fully maintained. On 
his accession to the bench of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas of Summit, Medina and Lorain Coun- 
ties, Judge Carpenter, on the 22d day of Octo- 
ber, 185C, vacated the editorial chair in favor of 
Hon. Asahel H. Lewis, a former State Senator 
for Summit and Portage Counties, a thorough 
scholar and a pungent writer, the name of Mr. 
R. S. Elkins. one of the publishers, also at this 
time appearing as associate editor. On the 29th 
day of September, 1856, the office, together with 
the book and drug store of its proprietors, was 
again destroyed bj- fire, but. Phoenix-like, it once 
more speedil}' arose from its ashes in a far more 
attractive form than ever before. The editorial 
connection of Mr. Lewis with the Beacon contin- 
ued untilJanuary 10, 1861, when he was super- 
seded by Mr. Samuel A. Lane, then just retiring 
from four years of service as Sheriff of Summit 
County. Mr. Lane, during the war, did the sole 
editorial work of the paper, giving especial atten- 
tion to army correspondence, and of both city 
and county local news, the weekly circulation 
increasing during four years of the war, from 
1,300 or 1,400 "to about 2,500 copies. In 
January, 1865. Mr. Lane, who had hitherto 
been working on a salar}-, bought of Messrs. 
Beebe & P]lkins, a one-third interest in the 
Beacon, another third being bought by Mr. Hor- 
ace G. Canfield, a practical printer and foreman 
of the office, the firm name being changed to 
Elkins, Lane & Co. Two years later, January, 
1867, the remaining one-third interest of Beebe 
& Elkins was purchased by Albertus L. Paine 
and Denis J. Long, former apprentices in the 
office, the Siimniif Count)/ Jour n(d {noticed else- 
where) pul)lished by them being merged in the 
Beacon, the firm name adopted being Lane, 
Canfield & Co. Mr. Lane continued to act as 
sole editor of the paper until the winter of 1868 
-69, when Mr. Thomas C. Raynolds, an Akron 
boy, freshly graduated from Michigan Univer- 
sity, but with decided journalistic proclivities, 
was employed as assistant editor and local re- 
porter. In 1867, the strictly advance pay sys- 
tem was adopted and rigidly enforced, a feat 
that but few of the weekly papers of the coun- 
try had at that time dared to attempt, a feature 
highly advantageous to both the publishers of 
the paper and its subscribers. 

The Akron Daily Beacon. — In the meantime, 
Akron had grown from a village of 3,000 inhab- 
itants in 1860, to a city of 10,000 in 1869, with 



an augmented commercial and manufacturing- 
business to match, creating a demand for some- 
thing faster than a weekly paper ; and on the 
6th day of December, 1 869, the first number of 
the Akron Daily Beacon, a seven-column folio, 
was issued, Mr. Lane, as chief, and Mr. Ray- 
nolds, as assistant, doing the entire editorial 
and reportorial work. Though quite a large 
advertising patronage was at once accorded to 
the dail}^ b}- the liberal-minded business men 
of Akron, its average daily circulation the first 
year was onU^ about six hundred. Gradually, 
however, the people have come to appreciate 
its worth as a gatherer and disseminator of 
local as well as fresh general news, and its 
average dailv circulation is now (April, 1881) a 
little over 2,200. In June, 1870, Mr. Raynolds 
severed his connection with the paper, Carson 
Lake, then a compositor in the office, taking his 
place, and for several weeks during the summer 
and fall of that year, during the illness and ab- 
sence of Mr. Lane from the office, performing the 
entire editorial and reportorial work upon the 
paper. In December, 1871, the establishment 
was transferred to the Beacon Publishing Com- 
pany, Messrs. Canfield and Paine retiring, jMessrs. 
Lane and Long holding their respective one- 
third and one-sixth shares, as stock in the new 
corporation, Mr. Lane being elected business 
manager, and Mr. Long continuing to act as 
superintendent of the news department, Mr 
Raynolds being recalled and placed in charge of 
the editorial department of the paper, in which 
capacity, with the exception of one year's inter- 
regnum, he has ever since acted, with Mr. Wilson 
M. Day as his able and faithful associate. In the 
meantime, the business of the concern had as- 
sumed such large proportions, that the four- 
story 22x60-foot building then occupied was 
found to be too straitened for the purposes of 
the company, and in March, 1872, the owner of 
the building commenced work upon a 60-foot 
addition in the rear. Before the walls were 
completed, however, the entire concern was 
again destroyed by fire on the 27th day of 
April, 1872. Temporary quarters were pro- 
cured, and new material ordered by telegraph 
and express, so that on the fourth day after the 
fire its regular issue on its own new type was 
resumed, a smaller sheet being furnished to its 
subscribers during the intervening three days, 
through the courtesy of the publishers of the 
Akron City Times. The burned building was 



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HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



285 



re-erected on the enlarged plan, considerably 
improved, being 22x117 feet, three-stories high, 
exclusive of the basement on Howard street, 
and five stories on Canal street, with stone 
front, large plate-glass windows, with steam 
elevator running from the basement to the up- 
per floor, and steam heating apparatus through- 
out the entire building, the enlarged structure 
being fitted up with strictly first-class fixtures, 
machiner}' and materials from top to bottom. 
By reason of the heavy loss occasioned by the 
the fire (fully one-half of its $25,000 capital 
stock) and the closely following financial and 
commercial revulsion of 1873, the aflfairs of 
the company became so seriously embarrassed 
that, in January, 1875, the entire stock was 
sacrificed, and the concern, with its machinery, 
news and job printing materials, book-binding 
apparatus, stationery stock, good-will, etc., was 
transferred to Messrs Thomas C. Raynolds, 
Frank J. Staral and John H. Auble, in consid- 
eration of their assuming and paying its liabili- 
ties, enough of the old stock-holders nominally 
retaining sufficient stock to keep the corporate 
organization of the company intact. About 
two years later, Mr. Auble withdrew, leaving 
Messrs. Raynolds and Staral sole proprietors, 
under whose auspices the Beacon establish- 
ment, in all its departments, is at this writing 
(April, 1881) enjoying a high degree of pros- 
perity. It would be interesting to minutely 
trace its growth from a few fonts of second-hand 
type, a patched-up, medium-sized hand press, 
with a single journeyman printer, and the pro- 
verbial printer's " devil," as its entire operative 
force, to its present magnificent appointments, 
but space will not permit. Suffice it to say 
that, besides its full complement of news, job, 
and book-binding materials, its machinery, run 
by a finely-built eight-horse power steam en- 
gine, consists of one mammoth four-roller Pot- 
ter cylinder job pi'ess, with 82x50 inch bed ; 
one two-roller Potter cylinder job and news 
press, with 31x46-inch bed ; one two-roller 
Potter job press, with 21x27-inch bed ; one 
No. 1 improved Campbell jobber ; one quarto 
Imperial jobber, and one eighth-medium Gor- 
don card and circular press ; two large paper 
cutters, besides a large-sized Wells hand press, 
proof presses, card cutters, etc. ; the total oper- 
ative force of the establishment at this writing 
being forty-six, though at some seasons of the 
year from fifteen to twenty more hands are 



needed in the job and binding departments. 
The Beacon, therefore, may well be considered 
one of the permanent institutions of Summit 
County, and taken all in all, is one of the most 
complete establishments of its kind in the State. 

The American Democrat. — On the 10th day 
of August, 1842, Mr. Horace Canfield issued, 
in Akron, the first number of the American 
Democrat. With some slight changes of name, 
the paper — being at one time under the edi- 
torial control of Lyman W. Hall, Esq., of Ra- 
venna, for one year, as a Free-Soil paper — 
finally settling down into the Democratic Stand- 
ard, was continued under that name until the 
death of Mr. Canfield, December 29, 1853, and 
for a short time thereafter by his two sons, 
Thomas and Horace G. Canfield. The office 
was afterward sold to Mr. H. P. Abel, and the 
paper re-established, Mr. Abel, in the spring of 
1855, also issuing a small daily. The venture, 
however, was non-successful, Mr. Abel being 
obliged, soon after, to discontinue both daily 
and weekly. In the winter of 1855-56, the office 
was purchased by Mr. W. D. Bien, and the 
paper re-established under the name of the 
Siumnit Democrat, afterward, in the winter of 
1859-60, passing into the hands of Mr. J. 
Hays Webb, who continued its publication 
here until just before the Presidential election 
of 1860, when the office was removed to Can- 
ton, where, under the name of the True Demo- 
crat, it was run until the spring of 1861. Mr. 
Webb, on returning to Akron, changed its 
name to the Summit Union, continuing its 
publication here until the close of the Val- 
landigham-Brough Gubernatorial campaign, 
in the fall of 1863, when the paper was discon- 
tinued and the office taken to Ravenna. 

The Cascade Roarer. — After a peaceful slum- 
ber of five years, the Akron Buzzard was re- 
vived as a Temperance paper, March 15, 18-4-I, by 
its former proprietor, Mr. Samuel A. Lane, and 
Mr. William T. Coggeshall, afterward the author 
of a number of finely-written and intensely in- 
teresting literary works ; State Librarian under 
Govs. Chase and Dennison, from 1856 to 1862 ; 
and Minister to Ecuador, South America, in 
1866, dying of consumption at Quito, in the 
summer of 1857. The name of the paper was 
changed to the Cascade Roarer — a five-column 
weekly — which had a successful run of about 
two years, when Mr. Lane disposed of his inter- 
est to Mr. James Drew, the new firm, in the in- 



.^ 



286 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



terest of Labor as well as Temperance reform, 
changing the title of the paper to the Teetotal 
Mechanic. Its publication here was continued 
until September 24, 1846, when it was removed 
to Cleveland and merged in the Ohio Temper- 
ance Artisan, which, after a few months' sickly 
existence, was finally discontinued. 

TIte Summit County Journal. — In September, 
1865, Messrs. Albertus L. Paine and Denis J. 
Long, two practical printers, who had learned 
their trade in the office of the Summit County 
Beacon., on their discharge from the army, in 
which they had faithfully served during the 
war, started a new Republican weekl}' paper 
under the above title, with Judge James S. Car- 
penter as its editor. The Journal was neatlj^ 
printed, ably edited, and reasonably successful, 
but, on the accession of Messrs. Paine and Long 
to a one-third ownership in the Beacon, the 
Journal was discontinued, and the subscrip- 
tion-list, good-will, etc., merged with those of 
the Beacon, in January, 1867. 

The Akron City Times.— On the 20th day of 
January, 1867, Mr. J. C Loveland started a 
new Democratic paper in Akron, a nine-column 
weekly, entitled the Akron City Times. Mr. 
Loveland's administration not proving very 
satisfactory, to either the party upon whom he 
mainly depended for support or the people of 
Summit County, the office was transferred to 
Mr. George C. Grain, in August, 1867. On the 
28th day of April, 1868, Mr. Crain was suc- 
ceeded by R. S. Bean & Co., who in turn trans- 
ferred the concern to S. L. Everett & Son, in 
October of the same year. On the death of 
the senior Mr. Everett, some two or three years 
later, the entire management of the paper de- 
volved upon the son, Sebastian L. Everett — 
more generally known by the familiar sobri- 
quet of '' Don " — who successfully continued 
its publication until 1873, when it was trans- 
ferred to its present genial proprietor, Mr. 
Richard H. Knight, under whose management, 
with his son, Mr. Clarence R. Knight, as editor, 
it is enjoying a high degree of prosperity, and 
has evidentl}' become one of the fixed and per- 
manent institutions of the city and count}^, 
being printed on a cylinder power press, run 
b}- steam, and having a well-stocked and liber- 
ally patronized job printing office attached. 

Tlie Akron Germania. — This is an independ- 
ent weekly paper, published, as its name im- 
plies, in the interests of the German-speaking 



portion of our population. It was founded in 
the. fall of 1868, by Mr. H. Gentz, Prof. C. F. 
Kolbe succeeding to the proprietorship early 
in the following year. September, 1872, the 
paper was transferred to the Akron Paper and 
Printing Company, and early in 1873, was 
transferred to the Germania Company, with Mr. 
Stephen Ginther as business manager, and Mr. 
Paul E. Werner as editor. In October, 1875, 
Mr. Werner bought and continued to edit the 
same until 1878, when other duties claiming 
his entire attention, Mr. Louis Seybold was em- 
ployed as editor, which position he still ably 
and efficiently maintains. The paper is now 
owned by the Germania Printing Company, 
formed in November, 1880, with Mr. Paul E. 
Werner as business manager, and commanding 
a good healthy circulation and a liberal adver- 
tising patronage. The business and mechan- 
ical departments of the Germania Printing Com- 
pany are most complete, and, besides having a 
full supply of the newest styles of job and fancy 
type and other material, it has six powei*- 
presses run by steam in constant operation, viz. : 
a Cottrell & Babcock cylinder, with 33x46-inch 
bed; a Cotti-ell & Babcock, air spring, with 
25x38-inch bed ; a Potter Pony ; a quarter and 
an eighth medium Liberty jobbers, and a 
" Model " card press. There is also a book 
bindery connected with the establishment, 
which, in all its departments, is at this date 
(April, 1881), in a highl}^ prosperous condi- 
tion, with a regular operative force of tweut}'- 
five hands, and occasionally demands from ten 
to fifteen additional. 

The Akron Daily Argus. — In March, 1874, the 
Akron Daily Argus was commenced by H. G. 
Canfleld & Co., with Elder John F. Rowe as 
editor, a semi-weekly edition also being issued 
by the same firm. It was an independent pa- 
per and ably edited. The paper passing into 
possession of the Argus Printing Company, sub- 
sequently formed, was, in September, 1874, by 
a majority vote of the stockholders, changed 
into a Democratic paper under the editorial 
management of Sebastian L. Everett — " Don " 
— formerly of the City Times. March 20, 1875, 
the concern passed into the hands of Elder John 
F. Rowe, former editor, and his brother, Frank 
M. Rowe, a practical printer, who under the firm 
name of Rowe Brothers, again changed its 
character from a political to an independent 
paper. It was continued b}' Rowe Brothers 



"a) "V 



^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



287 



until December 25, 1876, when the establish- 
ment was purchased by Mr. Carson Lake, un- 
der whose business and editorial management it 
was continued as a Democratic paper until July 
1, 1879, at which date the otfice and fixtures 
were bought by Messrs. Paul E. Werner and B. 
F. Nelson, by whom the Argus was discontinued. 
The Siindai/ Gazette. — This is a six-column 
quarto, devoted to the general and local news 
of the week, literature, miscellanj', religious in- 
telligence, etc. It was started in December, 

1878, by Mr. Paul K. Werner, as publisher, 
and Prof. Carl F. Kolbe as editor. It was con- 
solidated with the Weekly and Daily Tribune, 
on the establishment of those papers, July 26, 

1879, the name being changed to Sunday Trib- 
une, but, after two or three issues, again 
changed to Sunday Gazette, which name it still 
bears. On the dissolution of the firm of Wer- 
ner & Nelson, and the discontinuance of the 
Tribune, on the 2d da}' of Februarj^, 1880, the 
Gazette was continued by Mr. Paul E. Werner, 
in connection with the German ia,\xwi\\ Septem- 
ber 25. 1880, when it was sold to Mr. Carson 
Lake, under whose management it is rapidl}' 
increasing in circulation and popularity. 

The Akron Commercial. — This is a nine col- 
umn month!}', devoted largely, as its name im- 
ports, to advertising and commercial matters, 
but furnishing with each issue a large amount 
of interesting miscellany, with a monthly spicy 
editorial melange of local and general gossip. 
It is published and edited b}' Josiah Jackson 
Wright (commonly and for short called " Jack 
Wright " ) formerly for many years the efficient 
City Marshal of Akron. It was commenced in 
the spring of 1874, and is still vigorous and 
hearty, and apparent!}' one of the fixed news- 
paporial stars of Akron and of Summit County. 

The Akron Daily Tribune. — This paper, a 
seven-column folio, was started on the 26th day 
of July, 1879, by Paul p]. Werner and Benja- 
min F. Nelson, who also issued a weekly edi- 
tion in connection therewith. It was Demo- 
cratic in politics, and ably conducted, under the 
editorial management of Mr. Nelson, but, by 
reason of having another longer-established 
Democratic organ, the City Times, and the 
firmly planted Daily Beacon, to compete with, 
and from other causes, the enterprise was found 
to be unremunerative, and both the Daily and 
Weekly Tribune were discontinued on the 2d 
day of February, 1880. 



The Advance. — A daily paper under the above 
title, as an organ of the National Greenback 
Labor party, was started in Cleveland June 6, 
1877, by Robert Schilling, a weekly edition also 
being issued. In May, 1880, the daily was dis- 
continued, and the weekly was transferred to 
Salem, Columbiana County, an Akron edition 
also being published, and mailed direct from 
the ofiflce in Salem to its subscribers in Akron. 
August 4, 1880, Mr. John P. Burns assumed 
the business and editorial control of the Advance, 
and January 1, 1881, removed the oflice to Ak- 
ron. It is a five-column quarto, edited with 
ability ; bids fair to become one of the perma- 
nent periodicals of Summit County. 

A large number of other periodicals have 
from time to time been published in Akron 
during the half-century we have passed over, 
that we have no space to notice in detail, even 
if we could recall them all to mind. Among 
them were the Rose of the Valley, a literary 
monthly, by Allison & Marriner ; Akron Offer- 
*";^j by Callista Cummings ; the True Kindred, 
by a Mrs. Sanford ; the Flail, a Democratic 
campaign paper, by L. L. Howard, in 1840 ; 
the Flower of the West, by Allison &, Rumrix, 
in 1840 ; the Free-Soil Platform, a campaign 
paper in 1848, by Hiram Bowen ; the Sentinel 
of Liberty, a campaign paper, in 1855, by an 
association of " Young Republicans ; " the Wide 
Awake, a Republican campaign paper, in 1860, 
by D. C. Carr, S. A. Lane and others ; the 
Summitonian, a literary monthly, by H. Gr. 
Canfield & Co., in 1873 ; the Beacon Magazine, 
a literary monthly, in 1873, by the Beacon Pub- 
lishing Co., as a premium to subscribers to the 
Weekly Beacon ; and others remembered by 
name only, such as the Casket, the Sockdola- 
ger, the Whip, the School- Mistress, the Sunny 
Side, the Church Journal, etc. 

It will thus be seen that Summit County, if 
not the very center of the newspaper universe, 
has been untiring in its eflforts to become such. 
There is no room and no need for comments, 
except, perhaps, to add that while compara- 
tively few of these ventures have proved re- 
munerative to those who have made them, their 
influence for good upon the community admits 
of not a doubt. For where would Summit 
County have been to-day but for its newspa- 
pers, in advertising to the world its manifold 
advantages ; in their advocacy of canals, rail- 
roads and other public improvements ; in their 



■fv 



^ 



288 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY, 



encouragement to manufactures, and in the in- 
numerable ways in wtiich the liberal use of 
printer's ink benefits both individuals and com- 
munities. 

Railroads* — The railwa}' — wholl}' unknown 
to the commercial world three-fourths of a cen- 
tury ago — has become the greatest single factor 
in the development of the material and social 
progress, not onl}' of the United States and of 
the other civilized nations of the earth, but its 
inestimable blessings are being rapidly extended 
into the hitherto semi-civilized and barbarous 
portions of the globe. Though some rude tram- 
wa3-s had previously been used in the mining 
regions of England, the first attempt at railroad 
building in the United States was in 1807 — a 
line of a few hundred j'ards in length — for trans- 
porting gravel from the top of Beacon Hill down 
into Charles street, in the city of Boston, the 
rails being entirel}^ of wood, and the propelling 
power the momentum of the loaded cars, which, 
in descending, b}' means of a rope attachment, 
pulled the empty cars up, a double track, of 
course, being uecessar}^ to the proper working 
of the road. As late as 1827, the then longest 
railroad in the United States was from the 
Mauch Chunk coal mines to the Lehigh River, 
in Pennsylvania, a distance of nine miles. The 
loaded cars were run from the mines to the 
river by their own gi-avity, and, on being emptied, 
were drawn back to the mines b}- mules. From 
this time on, the American people became deeply 
interested in railroad enterprises, and, from 
1827 to 1830, several short lines, run by horse- 
power, were constructed, the first locomotive, 
propelled by steam, to turn a wheel upon the 
American continent, being a clumsy, uncouth 
importation from England, called the " Stour- 
bridge Lion," lauded in New York in 1829. So 
slow, however, was the development, that in the 
winter of 1833-34, it was the privilege of the 
writer, then a mere boy, to ride over the then 
longest railroad in the world, running from 
Charleston, S. C, to Augusta, Ga., a distance of 
130 miles, onh' ; the first hundred miles weSt 
from Charleston being performed by steam- 
power, the last thirty miles by negro-power, 
owing to a sharp incline that the modern engine 
driver would laugh at, the supposition being 
that a stationary engine, with the proper hoist- 
ing apparatus only, could overcome so heavy 
a grade. The first locomotive ever built in 

* Written by Samuel A. Lane. 



America, called the " Best Friend," was used 
upon this road during its construction. It was 
built at the " West Point Foundry Shops," in 
New York, and forwarded to Charleston by ship 
Niagara, in October, 1830. The first trial trip 
w^as made on a small portion of the road out of 
Charleston, November 2, 1830, running, accord- 
ing to the report of the excursion in the Charles- 
ton Courier^ as " on the wings of the wind, at 
the varied speed of fifteen to twenty miles an 
hour ; annihilating time and space, and, like the 
renowned John Grilpin, ' leaving all the world 
behind.' " The '• Best Friend " was daily in 
service, transporting workmen and materials 
used in the construction of the road, until the 
17th day of June, 1831, when it became disabled 
by a singular accident, and the road was with- 
out a locomotive for several months. Of this 
disaster to the " Best Friend," the Charleston 
Courier of June 18, 1831, gave the follow- 
ing account : " The locomotive, ' Best Friend." 
started yesterday morning to meet the lumber 
cars at the forks of the road, and while turning 
on the revolving platform, the steam was suf- 
fered to accumulate by the negligence of the 
fireman, a negro, who, pressing on the safety- 
valve, prevented the surplus steam from escap- 
ing, b}^ which means the boiler burst at the 
bottom, was forced inward, and injured Mr. 
Darrell, the engineer, and two negroes. The 
one had his thigh broken, and the other received 
a severe cut in the face, and a slight one in the 
flesh part of the breast. Mr. Darrell was scalded 
from the shoulder-blade down his back. The 
boiler was thrown to the distance of twenty-five 
feet. * * * The accident occurred in 
consequence of the negro holding down the 
safety-valve, while Mr. Darrell was assisting to 
arrange the lumber cars." It will seem strange, 
to the trained railroad operator of the present 
day, that such an accident, from such a cause, 
could have been possible ; but it must be re- 
membered that the engineer, himself almost 
wholly unskilled in locomotive driving, had to 
perform all the functions of conductor, brake- 
man, etc., in addition to his own proper duties, 
his only help being such as above indicated, com- 
mon unskilled laborers, unable to distinguish 
between the lever of a safet^^-valve and the crank 
of a grindstone. But without further tracing 
the growth of the railroad system of the United 
States, now forming a perfect net-work of iron 
and steel in every portion of the country, on 



V 



'^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



289 



which daily and nightly and continuously run 
thousands of locomotives, and tens of thousands 
of freight and passenger cars, loaded with thou- 
sands of tons of the products of the country, with 
valuable merchandise from every part of the 
world, and with tens of thousands of precious 
human beings, dashing with lightning speed 
from city to city, and from State to State, from 
the Atlantic to the Pacific, and from the Lakes 
to the Gulf, representing a capital of at least 
$5,000,000,000, we will proceed at once to the 
subject matter of this chapter — " The Railroads 
of Summit County." The earliest freight and 
passenger railroad project, to include an}' por- 
tion of the territory now embraced in Summit 
County in its route, was the 

Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad. — A char- 
ter was granted for this road by the Legislature 
of Ohio, on the 14th day of March, 1836. 
Work upon the road not being commenced 
within the three years designated in the law, 
the charter became dormant, and remained so 
for six years, when, b}' an act passed March 11, 
1845 — just nine years after the granting of the 
original charter— the project was revived and 
the charter amended. The promoters of the en- 
terprise, though the times were hard and money 
scarce, prosecuted the work as I'apidly as sim- 
ilar enterprises were then built, though verj' 
slowly in comparison with more modern rail- 
road operations, the road not being completed 
on the Cleveland end as far as Hudson, even, 
until the latter part of the winter of 1851-52. 
The road enters Summit County on the east, 
near the southeast corner of the township of 
Hudson, and running in a northwesterly' di- 
rection, passes through the village of Hudson, 
a small portion of the southwest corner of 
Twinsburg, and through the village of Mace- 
donia, in the eastern portion of Northfield 
Township, and thence through Bedford and 
Newburg, in Cuyahoga County, to Cleveland. 
From the very beginning, the Cleveland & 
Pittsburgh has been under an able and efficient 
management, and has never experienced any of 
those reverses and drawbacks so common to 
railroad corporations in their earlier daj's, and 
so disastrous and unprofitable to the original 
stockholders and builders. 

Akron (tr Canton Railroad. — The second 
railroad enterprise to engage the attention of 
the people of Summit County, was the Akron 
& Canton Railroad, incorporated b}' act of the 



Legislature February 21, 1845. Its capital 
stock was $200,000, to be divided into shares 
of $25 each ; but, by the provisions of the 
charter, it was not to commence operations 
till $100,000 was subscribed, the company 
being prohibited from contracting debts or lia- 
bilities to an amount greater than the stock 
subscribed and held by responsible parties and 
remaining unexpended, together with its means 
on hand and that which might reasonably be 
expected to accrue within three years from the 
time of the making of the contract. The 
company was also authorized to extend its 
road to some point on the Ohio River, if deemed 
advisable, and to increase its capital to an 
amount sufficient for that object. This charter, 
both liberal and illiberal in its provisions, was, 
through the stringency of the times and the 
indiflS'erence of the people along the route, per- 
mitted to lapse before anything definite was 
accomplished, and the Aki'on & Canton Rail- 
road, proper, was never built except on paper. 

Akron Branch Railroad. — The approaching 
completion of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh road 
through one corner of Summit County, its near- 
est approach to the county seat being some fif- 
teen miles, aroused our people to the importance 
of having more direct and rapid communica- 
tion with the outer world than canals and mud 
roads afforded. Accordingly', a number of the 
enterprising citizens of Akron, Hudson and 
Cu3'ahoga Falls — one of the most active among 
them being Col. Simon Perkins, of Akron — 
took the matter in hand, and, in conjunction 
with the officers of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh 
Railroad, obtained an amendment to its char- 
ter, by an act passed February 19, 1851, author- 
izing the construction, under said charter, of ''a 
branch railroad from some convenient point on 
the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad, in Hud- 
son, Summit County, thi'ough Cuyahoga Falls 
and Akron to Wooster, or some other point on 
the Ohio & Penns3'lvania Railroad, between 
Massillon and Wooster, and to connect with the 
said Ohio & Pennsylvania Railroad, or any 
other railroad running in the direction of Co- 
lumbus," and increasing the capital stock of the 
Cleveland & Pittsburgh Company $1,000,000. 

The bill also stipulated that the subscriliers 
to the stock of this branch road might form a 
separate organization under the name of '' The 
Akron Branch of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh 
Railroad Company, entitled to all the privileges 






290 



HISTORY OF .SUMMIT COUNTY. 



and subject to all the restrictions and liabili- 
ties granted or imposed by the original charter 
and amendments thereto." 

In the meantime, a raih-oad had been char- 
tered to run from Cleveland to Zanesville, b}' 
the way of Medina, Wooster, Millersburg, etc. 
This, our people at once saw, or thought, would, 
if completed, leave Summit County " out in 
the cold," at least, for many years, for railroad 
enterprises were not then as readily promoted 
as in later years. A delegation of the " Branch," 
headed b}- Col. Perkins, accordingl}- visited 
Wooster to endeavor to get them to make a 
diversion of their road from that point via 
Doylestown, Wadsworth, Akron and Cuj'ahoga 
Falls to Hudson, instead of going direct through 
to Cleveland, as contemplated. To these over- 
tures, however, the Woosterites turned a deaf 
ear, and " The Cleveland, Wooster & Zanes- 
ville Railroad " was never built. The failure 
of the Akron Branch to thus " pool " its inter- 
ests with the Wooster project was truly a god- 
send to the people of Summit County, as the 
present more convenient railroad system of the 
county most clearly demonstrates. 

The organization of " The Akron Branch 
Railroad" was effected March 11, 1851, with 
Simon Perkins, Milton W. Henry and John W. 
McMillen, of Akron ; Horace A. Miller, of Cuya- 
hoga Falls ; James Butler and Henry N. Day, 
of Hudson, and John Carey, of Millersburg, 
as Directors. Simon Perkins was elected Presi- 
dent ; Henry N. Day, Secretary, and John W. 
McMillen. Treasurer. George Robinson was 
appointed Chief Engineer, and Isaiah Linton, 
Assistant Engineer, by whom the original sur- 
vey and estimates from Hudson to Akron were 
made. Messrs. Robinson and Linton subse- 
quently withdrawing from the road, their places 
were filled b}' W. H. Gi'ant, of the Hudson 
River Railroad, as Chief Engineer, and M. W. 
Kellogg, as Assistant. The contracts were 
awarded June 20, 1851, and the work com- 
menced immediately thereafter. 

As the project was one which it was believed | 
would largely benefit every property owner in 
the county, in addition to the amount raised 
along the line of the road by voluntar}' stock 
subscriptions, a special law was passed bv the 
Legislature on the 24th da}' of March, 1851, 
authorizing and requiring the County Commis- 
sioners, with the consent of the legal voters of 
the county, to subscribe to the capital stock of 



said company "any sum not exceeding $100,- 
000, and to borrow the necessary amount of 
money for the payment of such stock subscrip- 
tion, bonds for tlie amount so subscribed to be 
issued in sums of not less than $100 each, bear- 
ing interest a rate not exceeding 7 per cent, 
pa3able annually, or semi-annually, redeemable 
at such time as may be deemed expedient," 
etc. This proposition was voted on at the 
special election for the adoption of the New 
Constitution of Ohio, June 21, 1851, the vote 
" for subscription " and " against subscription," 
in the several townships of the count}', being 
as follows : 



For 
Siibscripti n. 



Bath 78 

Boston 40 

Copley 160 

Coventry 104 

Cuyahoga Falls 275 

Franklin 95 

Green 69 

Hudson 258 

Middlebury 56 

Northlield 33 

Northampton 93 

Norton 175 

Portage 737 

Richfield 48 

Springfield 89 

Stow 88 

Tallmadge 31 

Twinsburg 03 



AgKinst 
Subscriptiuii 

103 

94 

56 

58 

12 
170 
177 

20 

72 
165 

57 

40 

03 

70 
167 

72 
114 
156 



1,605 



Total vote 2,432 

Majorit}' for subscription, 827. 

In accordance with the authorit}' thus given 
them, the County Commissioners, Messrs. Etl- 
win Wetmore, of Stow, James W. Weld, of 
Richfield, and Hiram Weston, of Middlebury, 
proceeded, " For and in the name of Summit 
County," to subscribe for .1100,000 of the stock 
of said railroad, issuing therefor 100 bonds of 
11,000 each, payable to the order of John W. 
McMillen, in fifteen years, with thirty interest 
coupons attached, at the rate of 7 per cent, 
payable semi-annually. The Commissioners, 
at the same time, in accordance with the pro- 
visions of the act authorizing such stock sub- 
scription, added to the rate of taxation an 
amount sufficient not only to meet the interest 
as it should fall due, but to also graduall}' cre- 
ate a sinking fund for the final payment of tlie 
bonds themselves. 

The aid thus furnished, together with tlie 
prompt payment of individual stock subscrip- 



jp" 



^Uv 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



291 



tions along the line, enabled the Board of Di- 
rectors to push the work forward so vigorously 
that, on the 1st day of January, 1852 — less 
than ten months after the organization of the 
company, and only about six months after the 
contracts were awarded — the completion of the 
road to that village was celebrated by the peo- 
ple of Cuyahoga Falls, its completion to Akron, 
five miles further, being celebrated on the 4th 
of July of the same year. The work south 
from Akron was also pushed vigorously- for- 
ward, and the line speedily completed to Mil- 
lersburg, in Holmes County, thus forming a 
connection with the Ohio & Pennsylvania (now 
the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago) Rail- 
road at Orrville, in Wayne County, and giving 
us an outlet in the direction of Columbus, Cin- 
cinnati, and the Western and Southern States. 

Although so heavy a vote was polled 
against the subscription to the stock of this 
road by the county, and though there was verj- 
much grumbling by a portion of the tax-payers 
of the county from year to year, while the in- 
terest was being paid and the fund provided 
for the payment of the bonds themselves, all 
now admit that it was the best investment of 
money ever made by the property -owners of 
Summit County, there not being a single foot 
of land within the limits of the count}' that was 
not enhanced in value from ten to twenty fold 
the amount of special tax thus paid upon it, 
while an impetus was given to the trade, man- 
ufactures and agricultural operations of the 
county that could have been attained in no 
other way. 

TJie Cleveland, Zaiiesvil/e t('? Cincinnati Rail- 
road. — With the view of extending the road 
south from Millersburg to Zanesville, to form 
a connection with Cincinnati via the Cincinnati, 
Wilmington & Zanesville Railroad, application 
was made to the Court of Common Pleas of 
Summit County, at the March term, 1853, for a 
change of name to the " Cleveland, Zanesville 
& Cincinnati Railroad." which was accordingly 
done. Embarrassments subsequently falling 
upon the road, the contemplated extension was 
indefinitely postponed. On the 22d day of 
August, 1861, suit was brought, in the Com- 
mon Pleas Court of Summit County, by the 
creditors of the road, for foreclosure of mort- 
gage and sale of the road. Col. Simon Perkins 
being appointed Receiver b}' the court, to run 
the road pending litigation. By decree of 



court, the road and its franchises were sold by 
the Receiver at public auction at the door of 
the court house, in Akron, on the 2d day of 
November, 1864, George W..Cass and John J. 
Marvin, of Pittsburgh, being the purchasers. 
Col. Simon Perkins being appointed Superin- 
tendent of the road by the new ownei's. On 
the 1st day of July, 1865, George W. Cass and 
John J. Marvin, by deed, conveyed the road 
and property pertaining thereto to the Pitts- 
burgh, Fort Wa}'ne & Chicago Railway Com- 
pany. July 1, 1869, the road passed, with the 
lease of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago 
Railway, into the hands of the Pennsylvania 
Railroad Company. November 4, 1869, the 
Pennsylvania Railroad Company and the Pitts- 
burgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway Com- 
pany sold and transferred, by deed, to the Pitts- 
burgh, Mount Vernon, Columbus & London Rail- 
road Company, the entire Cleveland, Zanesville 
& Cincinnati Railroad, extending from Hudson, 
in Summit County, to the coal mines southwest 
of Millersburg, in Holmes Count}- — a distance 
of sixty-five miles — with all its rolling stock, 
machinei-y and fixtures, for the consideration of 
22,000 shares of fully paid-up capital stock of 
said Pittsburgh, Mount Vernon, Columbus & 
London Railroad Companv, the par value of 
the same being $1,100,000." December 1, 1869, 
Gen. Goshorn A. Jones, of Mount Vernon, was 
appointed Superintendent of the road. Col. Si- 
mon Perkins retiring. On the 20th day of De- 
cember, 1869, by a decree of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas of Knox County, the name of the 
Pittsburgh, Mount Vernon, Columbus & Lon- 
don Railroad Company was changed to Cleve- 
land, Mount Vernon & Delaware Railroad Com- 
pany. TTnder the new management, measures 
were immediately taken, and vigorously i)rose- 
cuted, to build the road through to its final 
destination, Delaware, but soon so far modified 
as to make Columbus, instead of Delaware, the 
southern terminus. The road was completed 
and the first passenger train from Hudson to 
Mount Vernon was run June 25, 1872, and. on 
the 23d day of November, 1873, the road was 
opened through to Columbus, regular trains 
commencing at that day and continuing to the 
present. Various causes having combined to 
prevent the road, though doing a fair business, 
from meeting its liabilities, the owners of the 
first mortgage bonds of the road, at the Sep- 
tember term, 1880, of the Court of Common 



■w* 



292 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Pleas of Summit County, commenced a suit for 
foreclosure and sale, Gen. G. A. Jones, by order 
of court, being appointed and qualified as Re- 
ceiver September 27, 1880. At the present 
writing (April, 1881), there are strong hopes 
that the Receiver may be able to relieve the 
road of its embarrassments, the court having 
already ordered the building of about three 
miles of additional track to Fox Lake Coal 
Mines, the purchase of four new locomotives, 
four new passenger coaches and six miles of 
steel rails. The officers of the road, at the 
time of its transfer to the present company, 
were as follows : Directors, R. C. Hurd, Charles 
Cooper, S. Israel, Mount Vernon ; M. White, of 
Gambler ; I. Harpster, of Millersburg ; Will- 
iam M. Orr, of Orrville ; and Thomas D. Mess- 
ier, of Pittsburgh, Penn.; President, R. C. 
Hurd ; Secretar}', J. S. Davis ; Treasurer, J. D. 
Thompson; Auditor, E. Mize ; Superintendent, 
G. A. Jones ; Master Machinist, J. W. Hollo- 
way. Present officers of the road are as fol- 
lows : Directors, Thomas D. Messier and Will- 
iam Shaw, of Pittsburgh ; George B. Roberts, of 
Philadelphia ; Hon. J. R. Swan, of Columbus ; 
S. Israel and Charles Cooper, of Mount Ver- 
non ; William M. Orr, of Orrville ; I. Harpster, 
of Millersburg ; M. White, of Gambler ; Pres- 
ident, Thomas D. Messier ; Superintendent, G. 
A. Jones ; Auditor, E. Mize ; Treasurer, J. D. 
Thompson ; Secretary, J. S. Davis ; Master 
Machinist, J. W. HoUoway ; General Freight 
and Ticket Agent, J. A. Tilton ; Messrs. Mize, 
Thompson, HoUowa}^ and Tilton also acting in 
their respective positions, under the appoint- 
ment of Receiver Jones ; Messrs. Mize and Hol- 
loway having been connected with the road 
nearly, if not quite, from its first completion as 
the " Akron Branch." 

Thf MassiUon Branch. — As an adjunct to the 
Cleveland, Columbus & Delaware road, the 
Massillon & Cleveland Railroad (commonly 
called the Massillon Branch) was built by the 
Massillon & Cleveland Railroad Compan3% and 
runs from Clinton, in Summit County, to Mas- 
sillon, in Stark County, a distance of some eight 
or ten miles, only. This road was leased to the 
Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway 
Company June 22, 1869; lease assigned by 
that company to the Pennsylvania Railroad 
Company Juh' 1, 1869 ; and b}' that company 
and the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Rail- 
way Compan}^ lease assigned to the Pittsburgh, 



Mount Vernon, Columbus & London Railway 
Company (now Cleveland, Mount Vernon & Del- 
aware Railroad Company), November 4, 1869. 
The road is owned by the Massillon & Cleve- 
land Railroad Company, and is now (1881) 
operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad Com- 
pany, operating the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & 
Chicago Railway. Both the Cleveland, Mount 
Vernon & Delaware, and the " Massillon 
Branch " run through some of the most prolific 
coal regions of the State, large shipments of 
coal and other minerals daily passing over their 
tracks. 

Other Early Railroad Projects. — About the 
the time the Cleveland & Pittsburgh and the 
Akron Branch were being projected and built, 
three other lines, centering in Hudson, were 
chartered and a commendable degree of prog- 
ress made in their construction, viz.: The 
" Clinton Line," the " Clinton Line Extension," 
and the " Hudson & Painesville." As early as 
1830, Col. De Witt Clinton, Jr., then of the 
United States Topographical Engineers, recon- 
noitered aud recommended the construction of 
a railway from the Atlantic to Council Bluffs, 
on the Missouri River, on a route that would 
bring the territory now embraced in Summit 
County- upon its line. To this end, a number 
of charters had been secured, companies organ- 
ized and work commenced in the States of New 
York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, 
from 1840 to 1853. the several links, when 
completed, to be consolidated into one '• grand 
continental line," to be designated '' The Amer- 
ican Central Railway," with the further plan in 
I view of ultimately' continuing the line through 
to the Pacific Coast. 

The Clinton Line Railroad.— As one of the 
links of this great through line, in 1852, the 
" Clinton Line Railroad Compau}- " was char- 
tered and organized, so named in honor of the 
originator and promoter of the Erie Canal, the 
greatest topographical and civil engineering 
project of his time, De Witt Clinton. The most 
active and liberal promoters of this road were 
citizens of Hudson, with Prof Henry N. Day 
as its President. The line extended from Hud- 
son east to the Pennsylvania State line, a dis- 
tance of fifty-five miles, running through Por- 
tage and Trumbull Counties, and connecting 
at the State line, in the Township of Kinsman, 
with the Venango Railroad, then under con- 
tract and in process of construction. The Pitts- 



'.^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



293 



burgh & Erie, also, had the project in con- 
templation of building a branch road to con- 
nect with the Clinton line at Kinsman, thus giv- 
ing the Clinton line the choice of two very 
desirable routes to the Atlantic seaboard. 

The Clinton Line Extension. — In 1853, the 
Clinton Line Extension Railroad, from Hudson 
west to Tiffin, in Seneca County, was organized, 
with Prof Henry N. Day, also, as its President, 
and Hon. Van R. Humphre}', of Hudson, as one 
of its directors. The distance from Hudson to 
Tiffin, by the line of this road, is about 94 
miles. The Clinton Line Extension was to con- 
nect at Tiffin with the Tiffin & Fort Wayne 
Railroad, organized the same year, which road, 
in turn, was to connect at Fort Wayne with the 
Fort Wayne & Mississippi Railroad, organized 
in 1853, which road was, through short interme- 
diate links, to connect with the Philadelphia, 
Fort Wayne & Platte River Air Line Railroad, 
chartered in 1853, under the laws of the State 
of Iowa, and extending from New Boston, on 
the Mississippi River, to Council Bluffs, on the 
Missouri River. At a convention of the offi- 
cers of the several roads which were to form 
this great through line, held at Fort Wa3'ne in 
December, 1855, President Day reported of the 
Clinton Line and the Clinton Line Extension as 
follows : " On the Clinton Line, forty per cent 
of the grading, masonry' and bridging has been 
done ; contracts have recent!}' been closed for 
the completion of the road-bed not already 
under contract, and also for the superstructure 
and equipment of the road, to be finished in 
about a 3'ear. The company, about a month 
since, commenced an effort to increase the local 
cash subscription to its capital stock, which 
has been carried far enough to assure the entire 
success of the effort within a very few weeks. 
The estimated cost of the road, under the 
prices of the contracts, inclusive of equip- 
ments, station buildings, fencing, telegraph, in- 
terest and discounts, is $1,700,000. 

"The Clinton Line Extension Company com- 
menced work on the heavier sections of the 
road (contiguous to the Cuyahoga River in Sum- 
mit Count}-), with a view to the completion of 
the entire road at the same time ; after expend- 
ing about $70,000 on the eastern division, they 
were induced by the financial embarrassments 
of the time to confine their operations to the 
western division — from Tiffin about forty-one 
miles to New London, on the Cleveland, Co- 



lumbus & Cincinnati Railroad — this division 
being of easier construction, and completing, 
in connection with other lines, a very promising 
line of itself to Cleveland. Contracts have re- 
centl}' been made for the completion of the en- 
tire road for operation — the western division in 
about one year, the eastern in a year afterward. 
The cost of the road is estimated, on the basis 
of the contract prices, at $3,200,000, inclusive 
of equipments, station buildings, fencing, tele- 
graph, interest and discounts." 

The " effort to increase the local cash sub- 
scription to its capital stock " did not prove as 
successful as President Day anticipated, and 
other embarrassments falling upon the organ- 
izations, work was entirely suspended upon both 
lines early in 1856 and never resumed ; the two 
promising enterprises falling through for want 
of the necessary funds to carry them forward 
to completion, bringing also disaster and finan- 
cial embarrassment to many of the citizens of 
Hudson, and very seriously affecting, for the 
time being, the prosperity of the village itself 

The Hudson & PainesviUe HailroacL — In 
1853, also, the Hudson & PainesviUe Railroad 
Company was chartered and organized, with 
Hon. Van R. Humphrey as its President. This 
road was intended to be a direct continuation 
of the Cleveland, Zanesville & Cincinnati Rail- 
road to Lake Erie. To this enterprise, also, the 
people of Hudson, in common with those of 
PainesviUe and intermediate towns, subscribed 
liberall}'. Though a large portion of the grad- 
ing and other work was completed, or nearly so, 
in the general financial stringency which caused 
the suspension of work upon the Clinton Line, 
and Clinton Line Extension, and collapsed the 
railroad enterprises of the countr}' generall}', 
the Hudson & PainesviUe had to succumb to 
the inevitable, and go into liquidation. This 
route, however, is still regarded with favor b}' 
man}-, and it is not improbable that within a 
few years, the " Hudson & PainesviUe Railroad" 
may become a fixed, if not profitable fact. 

The Atlantic d: Great Wes'ern Railway. — To 
Hon. Marvin Kent, of the enterprising village 
of Kent (then known as Franklin Mills), in the 
neighboring county of Portage, is mainly, if not 
solely, due the credit of projecting the Atlantic 
& Great Western Railroad, which has, for several 
years past, so largely engaged the attention of 
the railway, financial and legal magnates of 
both Europe and America. As early as 1850, 






XI 



294 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



Mr. Kent, then, though comparatively a young 
man, quite an extensive mill owner and manu- 
facturer of that village, moved thereto, perhaps 
by the fact that the management of the Cleve- 
land & Pittsburgh road, then in process of 
construction, in getting from Ravenna to Hud- 
son, had run its track some two and a half miles 
north of the village, conceived the idea of form- 
ing a direct through broad-gauge line from New 
York to St. Louis, a distance of nearly 1,200 
miles, by connections with the New York & 
Erie, at Salamanca, and, through the Da}' ton & 
Hamilton, with the Ohio & Mississippi, at Cin- 
cinnati. Having carefully traced upon the map 
the route to be traversed, and dul}' considered 
the feasibility of the project, Mr. Kent set him- 
self quietly but vigorously at work to perfect 
his plans for the accomplishment of his object. 
In order not to arouse the jealousy and oppo- 
sition of competing lines, great caution and 
secrecy had to be observed, and considerable 
strategy employed. Confiding his plans to a 
few confidential advisers only, with a bill drafted 
b}' his own hand, Mr. Kent proceeded to Co- 
lumbus, in the winter of 1850-51, where he se- 
cured the hearty co-operation of Hon. Milton 
Sutliff, State Senator from the Trumbull Dis- 
trict, and Chairman of Committee on Railroads, 
through whose influence the modest bill, for the 
charter of a seemingly local road, under the 
modest title of the " Coal Hill Railroad " — 
quietly changed, previous to its final passage, 
to the still modest title of the " Franklin & War- 
ren Railroad "■ — as written by Mr. Kent, was 
passed March 10, 1851, as follows : 

An Act to Incorporate the Franklin & War- 
ren Railroad Company. 
Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly 
of the State of Ohio : That Thomas Earl, Zcnas 
Kent, O. L. Drake, A. V. Horr, Cyrus Prentiss and 
Marvin Kent, of the eoimty of Portage ; Simon 
Perkins, Lucius V. Bierce, Harvey B. Spelman and 
Daniel Upson, of Summit County, and Cliarles 
Smith, Frederick Kinsman, Jacob Perkins, C. G. 
Sutliff and Rufus P. Ranney, of the county of 
Trumbull, and their associates, successors and as- 
signs, be, and they are hereby created a body corpo- 
rate and politic, by the name and style of the 
Franklin & Warren Railroad Company, with per- 
petual succession ; and by that name and stjde shall 
be entitled to have and enjoj', and are hereby in- 
vested with all the rights, privileges and franchises, 
and be sul)ject to all the restrictions of the act en- 
titled "An Act Regulating Railroad Companies," 
passed February ll,"l848, and the act amendatory 
thereto, except so far as the same may be modified 
or changed by this act. 



Sec 2. The capital stock of this company may be 
any amount not exceeding two millions of dollars, 
and said company shall have power to construct a 
railroad from the village of Franklin, in the county 
of Portage, to Warren, in the county of Trumbull, 
and from thence to the east line of Ohio, and may 
continue the same from its place of beginning, in a 
westerly or southwesterly direction, to connect with 
any other railroad within this State, which the di 
rectors of said company may deem advisable. 

Sec. 3. That said company shall be, and is hereby 
autliorized to connect with any other railroad com- 
pany, and to consolidate its capital stock with the 
capital stock of such company, upon terms to be 
agreed upon between the said companies, and to 
have and use the name and style of such other com- 
pany, and constitute a part of the same ; and any 
other company may, in like manner, connect with, 
and become a part of, the company hereby incorpo- 
rated. 

Sec 4. Said company shall have power to mort- 
gage, or in any other way create a lien in favor of 
any person or persons or company, for materials, la- 
bor, or other thing necessary for said road ; and 
said company shall be authorized to sell its own or 
other corporate bonds at such rate of discount as 
tliey may deem proper to further the objects of said 
company, and said bonds may bear such rate of in- 
terest as said company may deem advisable, and 
said bonds may be sold in or out of the State, which 
sales shall be valid. 

Sec 5. Said company may, and they are hereby 
authorized to, commence and complete any part of 
said railroad from the place of beginning to any 
point on the route which the interests of said com- 
pany may require, and to employ and use said part 
constructed, and to demand and receive suitable 
rates of toll for the transportation of persons and 
property thereon, according to the provisions of the 
charter of said company, as fully as if the entire 
work were completed and in operation ; and as soon 
as twenty thousand dollars shall have been sub- 
.scribed to the stock of said company, the persons 
named in the first section, or any five of them, shall 
call a meeting of the stockholders for the election 
of directors for the government of said company. 

Sec 6. That the track of the railroad hereby au- 
thorized to be constructed, may be made of such 
width as may be necessary to conform to the width 
of any railroad with which it may connect. 

John F. Morse, 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Charles C. Convers, 

March 10, 1851. ''^P'"'^'' "^ ^^'' *'^''^^'- 

This remarkably liberal charter having been 
secured, Mr. Kent immediately addressed him- 
self to the task of working up an interest in the 
project, and procuring subscriptions to the cap- 
ital stock of the road. His progress was at 
first very slow, Mr. Kent himself finalh' sub- 
scribing the entire $20,000 named in the char- 
ter as a prerequisite to its organization, and 
pledging himself to a number of other gentle- 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



295 



men, whom he induced to take a sufficient num- 
ber of shares to make up the proper comple- 
ment of directors and officers, to take the stock 
ofl" their hands if the venture should prove un- 
satisfactory or unsuccessful. Thus the organ- 
ization of the Franklin & Warren Railroad 
Company was perfected on the 19th day of 
June, 1851, at which time Zenas Kent, Sylves- 
ter Huggins, Frederick Whipple and Marvin 
Kent, of Franklin ; L. J. Iddings, of Warren : 
Daniel Upson, of Tallmadge, and William Por- 
ter, of Milton, Ohio, were elected Directors. At 
a meeting of the Directors, held July 8, 1851. 
Marvin Kent was chosen President ; Joel W. 
Tyler, Secretary, and Sylvester Huggins, Treas- 
urer. 

In his first report made to the stockholders 
of the new road, at a meeting held at Franklin, 
Jul}' 19, 1853, President Kent said : " In its 
earlier operations, delaj^s were interposed to the 
commencement of the work by the policy of a 
neighboring State, which, apparently, presented 
a hostile attitude to its advancement, and 
somewhat embarrassed the operations of its 
Directors. Fortunately, these embarrassments 
have been removed, and the company is placed 
in that position which insures a speedy comple- 
tion of the great end it has in view. The sec- 
ond year of its existence opened a new era in 
its prospects. The general interests of the 
country require a gi'eat Eastern and Western 
railwa}' communication, and the idea of a con- 
tinuous route from the Atlantic to the Pacific 
shores, took possession of the public mind. 
Our enterprise, gentlemen, is no less than a 
link (and an important one) in this great chain 
of inter-communication. * * * At present, 
the board proposes to locate the road from a 
point in the eastern line of the State of Ohio, 
northeast of Warren, in Trumbull County, to 
Da3'ton, * * * passing through and secur- 
ing the trade and traffic of all the important 
business points in thirteen of the most produc- 
tive counties in the State. * * * The town 
of Akron alone, manufactured, during the past 
season, 180,000 barrels of flour for shipment. 
During the same period, fifty thousand barrels 
were manufactured at the village of Franklin. 
With this new means of transit during the 
winter months, and the increasing prosperity 
of the country, the quantitj^ would undoubted- 
ly be increased 100 per cent. * * * As 
for the through passenger business, it embraces 



the East and the Great West, ailtt your road 
ma}' therefore be emphatically denominated the 
Atlantic & Great Western Railwa}-." 

In accordance with this hint, by due legal 
process, the name of the corporation was 
changed from the Franklin & Warren, to the 
Atlantic & Great Western Railroad Company, 
during the 3'ear 1854. In December of the same 
year, the capital stock of the company was in- 
creased from $2,000,000 to $4,000,000. In the 
meantime, parties interested in the success of 
the enterprise, being unable to secure from the 
Pennsylvania Legislature a direct charter for 
the intermediate connecting link through that 
State, bought, for $400,000, the existing charter 
and franchises of the Pittsburgh & Erie road, 
having sufficient branching powers to enable 
them to span the State, and connect with the 
Ohio branch upon the West, and the New York 
branch upon the East. Subsequently, such 
legislative action was had in the States of 
Pennsylvania and New York, as to authorize 
the organization of a company in each State, 
under the same title as in Ohio, with a separ- 
ate Board of Directors for each, the three com- 
panies uniting under the general title of the 
Altantic & Great Western Railway Company, 
with a Central Board of Directors, President, 
Secretary and Treasurer, with its headquarters 
at Meadville, Penn. The Ohio Board was rep- 
resented in the Central Board by Marvin Kent 
and Dr. W. S. Streator. Large local subscrip- 
tions were worked up through the efforts of 
President Kent, Secretary Earl and others of 
Franklin ; John H. Chamberlin, Jacob Allen 
and others of Akron, and Dr. Daniel Upson and 
others of Tallmadge (Akron and Summit County 
furnishing their full quota, $100,000), and work 
was commenced b}^ the contractor, Mr. Henry 
Doolittle, on the Ohio Division, at Franklin 
Mills, July 4, 1853, President Marvin Kent re- 
moving the first earth. Mr. Doolittle's contract 
embraced the entire Ohio division, from the 
Pennsj'lvania State line to Da3'ton, a distance of 
240 miles, and amounted to nearly $7,000,000 
($1,000,000 of which was to be paid in stock), 
the largest contract which, up to that time, had 
ever been taken by one man, either in America 
or Europe. Grading and other work was prett}- 
evenly distributed in the several counties from 
the State line to Dayton, one of the conditions 
of the subscription being that the money should 
be expended in the counties where raised. Con- 



^ ^ 

TT 



^■ 4^ — *- 



:±=i£k, 



296 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



siderable progress was made all along the line 
in 1853 and 1854 ; but, like most contemporan- 
eous railroad enterprises, it was beset with such 
serious financial embarrassments that work was 
practicalh' suspended in 1855, though, not en- 
tirely stopped until 1858. Meanwhile, however, 
the organization was kept intact, audits plucky 
President, and the faithful few who manfully 
stood by him, in both Portage and Summit 
Counties, relaxed not one jot or tittle of their 
zeal, their persevering efforts being rewarded by 
the enlistment of James McHenry, Esq., of 
London, and other capitalists in London, Paris 
and Madrid, in the enterprise, Mr. McHenry 
contracting in Mai'ch, 1861, to complete the en- 
tire line from Salamanca, N. Y., to Dayton, 
Ohio, the original contractor, Mr. Henry Doolit- 
tle, having in the meantime deceased. Though 
the contract stipulated that work should be 
resumed in June, 1861, owing to the breaking- 
out of the civil war in the United States, and 
the complications with foreign nations, tempo- 
rarilj- resulting therefrom, no great progress was 
made until the spring of 1862. The work was 
done under the immediate personal supervision 
of Chief Engineer, Thomas W. Kennard, of 
London, England, and was pushed through so 
energetically that the palace car of Engineer 
Kennard, with the officers and Directors of the 
road, drove into Akron on the 17th da}' of 
April, 186.3, to the great delight of our entire 
populace. 

Of this event, the Bmcon of April 23, 1863, 
says : " As we stated in our last issue that this 
grand enterprise was to be completed to this 
place during the last week, without fail, we are 
now happy to state that the track was com- 
pleted to within a few rods of the Cleveland, 
Zanesville & Cincinnati Company's depot, on 
Saturday evening last. On Friday afternoon, ac- 
cording to announcement, Chief Engineer Ken- 
nard arrived within the limits of the corpora- 
tion, direct from New York, with his magnificent 
passenger car and engine, accompanied by sev- 
eral gentlemen from Warren, Ravenna and other 
points along the road. Their advent into town 
was greeted by the liveliest enthusiasm of our 
people, expressed through the soul-stirring 
music of our most excellent band, and by a gen- 
eral visit to the ' pioneer train ' and the track- 
laying operations just around the bend." 

Owing to the enhanced cost of labor and ma- 
terials — incident to the war — the capital stock 



of the company was found, even with the large 
amount of bonds it was authorized to issue, to 
be altogether inadequate to the finishing and 
furnishing of the road, and on the 5th day of 
November, 1863, at a stock-holders' meeting 
called for that purpose, it was voted to increase 
the stock from $4,000,000 to $6,000,000. Under 
the vigorous management of Engineer Kennard, 
the road was pushed through to Dayton, and its 
completion to that, its Western terminal point, 
was duly celebrated on the 21st day of June, 
1864, in the presence of a large company of 
railroad magnates of both the East and the 
West. From the long and full report of the 
proceedings, published in the Dayton Journal 
of June 22, 1864, we give the following inter- 
esting items : " President Kent announced the 
object of the meeting, and T. W. Kennard, Chief 
Engineer ; William Reynolds, President of the 
New York & Pennsylvania Divisions ; H. F. 
Sweetser, General Superintendent, and Mr. 
Kent, proceeded to lay the last rails. The cer- 
emony of spiking was introduced with consid- 
erable merriment, Mr. Kennard driving the first 
spike in the last rail at four sturdy blows. 
Others followed in succession, one only — an 
Irish track-layer — excelling Mr. Kennard, by 
making the drive with one less blow, besides 
President Kent, who, in driving the last spike, 
with a nervy grasp, struck straight— one, two, 
three, and the welkin rang with applause. The 
work was well done — and the last rail of the 
Atlantic & Great Western Railway was laid, the 
last spike driven to the head." 

Thus, after many delays, trials and tribula- 
tions, was completed one of the finest lines of 
railway in the United States, and one which, 
though financially disastrous to a majority of 
its earliest promoters and supporters, has been 
of incalculable benefit to the entire section of 
country through which it passes — especially to 
the people of Summit County and its wide- 
awake capital city. Space will not permit a 
detailed history of this road from the time of 
its completion, in 1864, to the present time. 
Suffice it to say, that, by reason of unforeseen 
complications — largely, no doubt, growing out 
of the several branches built, purchased, leased, 
etc., as tributaries and extensions, together with 
the franchises, fixtures, property and liabilities 
connected therewith— though always doing a 
heavy freight and passenger business, such em- 
barrassments were experienced that on the 7th 






k — 



fk* 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



297 



day of April, 1869, suit, in foreclosure of the 
consolidated mortgage, was begun in the Sum- 
mit County Court of Common Pleas, at which 
time Jay Gould and William Archibald 0. 
Daugherty, of New York, were appointed Re- 
ceivers. It afterward transpiring that those gen- 
tlemen were either ineligible b}' reason of their 
location, or were unsatisfactory to other parties 
in interest, their resignation was filed on the 
26th day of November, 1869, and Hon. Reuben 
Hitchcock, of Painesville, Lake County, Ohio, 
was appointed Receiver of the road. The af- 
fairs of the road were most admirably managed 
by Judge Hitchcock, until the 26th day of 
July, 1871, when it was sold by the Receiver, 
acting as Special Master Commissioner, under a 
decree of the court, at the door of the court 
house, in Akron, to Gen. George B. McClellan, 
Senator Allen G. Thurman and William Butler 
Duncan, Esq., as Trustees for certain creditors 
of the compan}', the purchasers organizing 
under the name and style of the Atlantic & 
Great Western Railroad Company, as distin- 
guished from its predecessor, the Atlantic & 
Great Western Railwaj^ Company. The price 
paid for the road was as follows : Ohio Divis- 
ion, subject to the lien of the first mortgage 
thereon (about $2,400,000) including the lease 
of its Mahoning Branch, sold for $4,435,- 
500 ; Pennsylvania Division, with its various 
branches, $600,000 ; New York Division, $655.- 
000 ; total, $5,690,000. The new company did 
not, however, long enjoy smooth sailing, new 
suits, with almost infinite complications, being 
commenced, also in the Court of Common 
Pleas, of Summit County, on the 18th day of 
December, 1874, the President of the road, Mr. 
John H. Devereux, being appointed Receiver. 
The litigation in this second suit extended over 
a period of more than five 3'ears, and was prob- 
ably the most complicated and closely con- 
tested railroad suit ever tried and determined 
in the United States, many millions of dollars 
being involved, and the most eminent legal tal- 
ent of both Europe and America being em- 
ployed by the various parties in interest. In 
these two suits, at different stages in the pro- 
ceedings, arguments were made before Judges 
Washington W. Boynton, Samuel W. McClure 
and Newell D. Tibbals, by Hon. Samuel J. 
Tilden and W. W. McFarland, Esq., of New 
York ; Hon. Morrison R. Waite (late Chief Jus- 
tice of the Supreme Court of the United States) ; 



Hon. Stanley Mathews and Hon. George Hoad- 
ley, of Cincinnati ; Hon. Rufus P. Ranney, 
Hon.. Stephenson Burke and James M. Adams, 
Esq., of Cleveland, and other distinguished at- 
torneys from abroad, important interests being 
represented in the two suits by Hon. William 
H. Upson, Tibbals & McKinney, Oviatt & Allen, 
and other members of the Summit County 
bar. 

On the final determination of the matters in 
issue, the road was again sold by Receiver 
Devereux, acting as Special Master Commis- 
sioner, at the door of the court house in 
Akron, on the 6th day of January, 1880, for 
$6,000,000, to S. A. Strang and R. G. Rolsten, 
as trustees for a new organization, composed 
principally of the foreign bondholders of the 
road, the name and style of the new organiza- 
tion being "The New York, Pennsylvania & 
Ohio Railroad Company." Since the transfer 
of the road to its new management, the track 
of the road has been reduced from six feet to 
the standard gauge of four feet eight and one- 
half inches, the rolling stock, of course, having 
been correspondingly changed. The old com- 
plications and embarrassments of the road 
having been thus cleared away, and the finan- 
cial and commercial embarrassments of the 
country having also disappeared, it is to be 
hoped that this road, notwithstanding the heavy 
liabilities assumed by the new compan}' on be- 
coming the purchasers thereof, ma}^, in common 
with all other lines of railwa}' passing through 
Summit Count}^, enjoy long years of uninter- 
rupted prosperity. We have not the data at 
hand to give the names of all the citizens of 
Summit County who have held official relations 
with this road, but, in the published reports be- 
fore us, we find among the names of the differ- 
ent boards of directors the names of Daniel 
Upson, of Tallmadge, and Jacob Allen, Lucius 
V. Bierce, John H. Chamberlin and William 
H. Upson, of Akron. July 1, 1863, Mr. Upson 
was appointed attorne}^ for the road, at a meet- 
ing of the directors, at which time the company 
executed to him a deed, in trust, of the Ohio 
division of the road, for the purpose of securing 
a loan of $4,000,000, with which to finish and 
equip the road. Mr. Upson's relations to the 
road as its attorney, at that time, existed only 
about a 3'ear and a half ; but he was again ap- 
pointed in 1873, and has ever since acted in 
that capacity, and still holds that relation to 






298 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



the new organization, the New York, Pennsyl- 
vania & Ohio Raih-oad Corapan}'. 

The BaJtimore <(• Ohio Extension. — In the 
spring of 1870, a proposition was made to ex- 
tend the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and its 
intermediate connection, the Pittsburgh & Con- 
nellsville Railroad, westward from Pittsburgh 
to Chicago, and to make Akron, in Summit 
County, a point upon the line on certain con- 
ditions, which are full}' set forth in the sub- 
scription books opened in Akron in the summer 
of that year, as follows : 

Whereas, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com- 
pany, and the Pittsbm-gli & Connellsville Rail- 
road Company propose to construct a railroad from 
Pittsburgh, Penn., westward through Akron, Sum- 
mit County, Ohio, and to secure the location of 
said road through Akron, it is necessary for the citi- 
zens of Akron to subscribe to the stock of such 
proposed raih'oad company, the sum of $300,000, 
and, for certain persons, on behalf of the sub- 
scribers, prior to the incorporation of said proposed 
company, to pledge to said Baltimore & Ohio and 
Pittsburgh & Connellsville Companies said sum of 
$800,000, to aid them in locating and constructing 
said proposed railroad through Akron, aforesaid. 
Therefore, we, the subscribers, on the succeeding 
pages of this book, for the purpose of authorizing 
David L. King, Lewis Miller and Charles Brown, to 
pledge and guarantee to said Baltimore & Ohio and 
Pittsburgh & Connellsville Railroad Companies, said 
sum of $300,000, and to save them harmless, by 
reason of said pledge and guarantee, and for the 
fm-ther purpose and consideration of securing the 
location of said proposed railroad through Akron 
for our mutual benefit, we do agree with said David 
L. King, Lewis Miller and Charles Brown, and with 
each other, to subscribe to the stock of said com- 
pany, when organized, under whatever name the 
same may be incorporated, and to pay the several 
amounts by us here respectively subscribed, on the 
succeeding" pages of this book, to such company or 
persons as may be legally authorized to receive the 
same, payable 10 per cent when said railroad is lo- 
cated through Akron, and the stock-books of said 
proposed railroad are legally opened, and the bal- 
ance in monthly installments of 5 per cent each, as 
the work progresses in Summit County. And wc 
authorize saidKing, Miller and Brown, to pledge to 
said Baltimore & Ohio and Pittsburgh & Connells- 
ville Railroad Companies, or either of them, said 
sum of $300,000 for the purpose aforesaid, and to 
the extent of our respective subscriptions we sev- 
erally agree to save them harmless from the pay- 
ment of said sum. And we hereby authorize the 
corporators of said proposed company, when duly 
incorporated, under whatsoever name, when said 
road is located through Akron, to transfer to the 
stock-books of said company, when opened, our re- 
spective subscriptions here made, and agree that 
they shall have the same force and effect as if said 
company was now incorporated, and said amounts 



respectively signed and entered by us in said stock- 
books, after they were formally opened by the cor- 
porators of said company for that purpose. 

Through public meetings and personal solici- 
tation on the part of Messrs, King, Miller, 
Brown and others, the full amount, $300,000, 
with a sufficient margin to cover contingencies, 
was speedily subscribed by the enterprising 
citizens of Akron, all classes, from the largest 
manufacturer, merchant, banker, etc., to the 
humblest mechanic and laboring man, con- 
tributing to the guarantee fund in proportion 
to his several abilit}'. Then came long days of 
waiting, expectation and suspense, until, finally, 
in the spring of 1871, for reasons never satis- 
factorily explained to its Akron promoters, the 
project was indefinitel}' postponed, leaving the 
subscribers to the above document free to 
transfer their subscriptions to such new rail- 
road projects as they might deem advisable. 

The Valley Railway. — To David L. King, 
Esq., are the people of Summit County more 
largely indebted for the inception, prosecution 
and completion of the Valley Railway, running 
diagonally through our county, from northwest 
to southeast, than to any other man. As early 
as 1869, largely through the instrumentality of 
Mr. King, a charter was obtained for the Akron 
& Canton Railway, which afterward developed 
into the larger and more important enterprise, 
the Valley Railway, duly incorporated on the 
21st day of August, 1871, the incorporators be- 
ing Henry Chisholm, Nathan P. Payne, James 
Farmer, Warwick Price and S. A. Fuller, of 
Cleveland, and David L. King, of Akron. The 
authorized capital stock of the company was 
$3,000,000, the road to run from Cleveland, in 
Cuyahoga County, via Akron, in Summit Count}', 
Canton, in Stark Count}', through Tuscarawas 
and Carroll Counties to Bowerston, in Harrison 
County, on the Pan Handle Railroad. The first 
first great movement for the promotion of the 
enterprise was made at a meeting held at the 
Academy of Music, in Akron, on the 4th day 
of January, 1872. Representatives from Cleve- 
land, Canton, Wheeling and intermediate points 
on the contemplated route were in attendance, 
together with a very large number of business 
men of Akron and other towns in Summit 
County. The meeting was presided over by 
James A. Saxton, Esq., of Canton, with Mr. R. H. 
Cochran, of Wheeling, as Secretary, and Hon. 
Stephen H. Pitkin, of Akron, as Assistant Secre- 



iii^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



299 



retary. David L. King, Esq., of Akron, briefly 
stated the objects of the meeting, sa3ang that 
the project of a road down the valley of the 
Cuyahoga, from Akron to Cleveland, and south 
from Akron to Canton and Wheeling, was no 
new project. Such a road, Mr. King said, would 
develop large quantities of coal and other miner- 
als south of Akron, and a locomotive, after draw- 
ing an ordinary train to Akron, could by 
reason of continuous down grade, draw as many 
loaded cars from Akron to Cleveland, as the 
same locomotive could draw empty cars back. 
Mr. King concluded his remarks by moving 
the appointment of committeemen at different 
points on the route to aid in raising the neces- 
sary stock. Committeemen for Summit County 
were appointed as follows : Xorthlield, Lucian 
Bliss ; Boston, Frederick Wood, Frederick B. 
Wadhams, John Douds ; Richfield, Orson M. 
Oviatt, William C.Weld ; Bath, William Barker, 
Andrew Hale ; Northampton, James R. Brown, 
William Hard}^, John C. Johnston ; Portage, 
S. W. Miller ; Akron, Jacob H. Wise ; Middle- 
bury, Thomas H. Peckham ; Coventry, Alex- 
ander Brewster ; Springfield, Cyrus Yerrick, 
Robert V. Sawyer, Frank W. Myers : Green, 
Alexander Johnston. Speeches were made by 
Messrs. Newell D. Tibbals, Alvin C. Voris, 
Charles Brown, Stephen H. Pitkin, Lewis Miller, 
David L. King and others, of Akron ; James 
Farmer, of Cleveland ; R. H. Cochran of Wheel- 
ing ; James A. Saxton and Josiah Hartzell, of 
Canton, and William McNeil, of Peninsula. The 
importance and feasibility of the road was con- 
ceded by all, the discussion being mainly over 
the question of gauge, estimates being pre- 
sented showing the comparative cost of both 
the standard, four feet eight and one-half inches, 
and the narrow, three feet tracks. At the con- 
clusion of the discussion, the following resolu- 
tion was unanimously adopted : 

Resolped, That it be the sense of tliis meeting that 
all our efforts be devoted to raising stock for the 
ordinary four-foot eight and one-half inch gauge. 

Subscription books were opened at Cleveland, 
Akron. Canton and intermediate points on the 
15th day of January, 1872, and a vigorous cam- 
paign opened " all along the line," for raising 
the necessary funds to build the road. Cleve- 
land parties were pledged to raise $500,000, the 
quota assigned to Akron and Canton being 
$150,000 each, with such additional amounts 
as could be raised at intermediate points in the 



several counties interested. Meetings were held, 
speeches were made and subscriptions were ob- 
tained with commendable celerity, so that by 
the 20th of March, $60,000 of Akron's quota 
had been subscribed. Canton was the first to 
announce that her full share was raised, Akron 
coming in soon afterward with a similar good 
report. Cleveland, however, was backward, 
trusting to the plan of raising the requisite 
aiBOunt, under the Boesel law, by a tax upon 
the city. The proposition, however, was voted 
down, precious time being thus wasted, though 
the amount pledged was subsequent!}- raised l3y 
voluntary subscriptions to the capital stock of 
the compan}' through the vigorous efforts of 
her soliciting committees. Other localities also 
subscribed more or less liberally, so that the 
total amount subscribed in each of the three 
counties was as follows : Cu3'ahoga, $508,250 ; 
Summit, $191,700 ; Stark, $119,750. The first 
stockholders" meeting was held April 24, 1872, 
at which James Farmer, Ambrose B. Stone and 
Nathan P. Payne, of Cleveland ; David L. King 
and John F. Seiberling, of Akron, and James 
A. Saxton and George Cook, of Canton, were 
elected Directors. At a subsequent meeting of 
the Dii'ectors the same day, James Farmer was 
elected President ; David L. King, Vice Presi- 
dent, and Warwick Price, Secretary and Treas- 
urer. At a meeting of the Directors, held 3Iay 
10, 1872 ; Plymouth H. Dudley, then Akron's 
most efficient City Engineer, was appointed 
Chief Engineer for the new road. Two routes 
from Akron to Cleveland were surveyed, one 
directly down the valley of the Cuyahoga River, 
the other •' overland," through Bath, Richfield. 
Brecksville, etc., liberal subscriptions being 
pledged along the latter route, should the loca- 
tion be determined in their favor. The vallev 
route was finall}' adopted, and the contract for 
building the entire line from Cleveland to Bow- 
erstown was awarded to Messrs. Nicholas E. 
Vansickle and Arthur L. Conger, of Akron, on 
the 3d day of February, 1873. 

At a meeting of the stockholders, April 16, 
1873, David L. King and John F. Seiberling 
were chosen as Summit County's i-epresentatives 
in the Board of Directors, Mr. King being con- 
tinued as Vice President and Mr. Dudley as 
Chief Engineer, Stillman Witt, of Cleveland, 
being elected President. Ground was broken 
in Springfield Township, Summit County, early 
in March, 1873. The contractors immediately 



^ 



300 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



went vigorousl}' to work, the result of the first 
four months' operations being thus tersely stated 
b}' Engineer Dudley, in his report of the prog- 
ress of construction made to the Directors on 
the 15th day of August, 1873, as follows : " On 
the line between Cleveland and Canton, a dis- 
tance of fifty-seven miles, the graduation was 
commenced last March ; but on account of the 
wet weather in April and Ma}', and other causes, 
has not proceeded as fast as could be desired. 
All the bridges are under contract, and part of 
them up. I am, however, pleased to sa}- that 
nearly two-thirds of the distance from Cleveland 
to Canton is graded, and, should the weather 
continue favorable, I see no reason to prevent 
the completion of the remainder, ready to com- 
mence laying track in October. This would 
give you the use of the road most of the coming 
winter, which would be an advantage you no 
doubt fully appreciate." 

The Engineer's anticipations, however, were 
not realized, and the winter of 1873-74 set in 
without Avitnessing the lading of the track or 
the completion of the grading, bridging, etc. 
On the 24th day of April, 1874, Hon. Reuben 
Hitchcock, of Painesville, Lake County, was 
elected President, Mr. King being continued as 
Vice Pi-esident and Mr. Dudley as Engineer. 
Owing to diflferences of opinion between tlie 
Directors and the contractors, Messrs. Van- 
sickle and Conger, the contract was canceled 
and the work suspended on the 16th day of 
May, 1874. President Hitchcock, on account 
of failing health, having tendered his resigna- 
tion, David L. King, of Akron, was elected 
President on the 25th day of September, 1874, 
with James Farmer, of Cleveland, as Vice Pres- 
ident. The general stagnation of business, and 
especially of all new railroad enterprises, grow- 
ing out of the panic of September, 1873, with 
the failure of Ja}' Cooke & Co., having ren- 
dered the immediate resumption of work im- 
possible, the Directors, as a condition precedent 
to Mr. King's acceptance of the Presidency, in- 
dividually assumed the entire liabilities of the 
company, which, owing to inability to collect 
stock subscriptions, amounted to over $150,000 
— a burden from wliich the devoted Directors 
were not relieved until April, 1879. Bat, by 
the self-sacrificing assumption of this responsi- 
bilit}^ the life of the company was saved 
through the long period of financial distress 
the country was then experiencing. Failing, 



through the stringency of the times, to secure 
aid in this country to complete the road, at the 
earnest solicitation of the board, Mr. King 
sailed for England, on the 6th day of February, 
1875, to present the advantages of the invest- 
ment to the capitalists of London. After weeks of 
patient effort, struggle and disappointment, he 
finally succeeded in securing a proposition for 
the sale of the company's bonds on highly ad- 
vantageous terms, and a time was fixed for the 
execution of the contract. On the morning of 
the da}' agreed upon for closing the matter up, 
the publication, in the London papers, of the 
report of a committee of the House of Com- 
mons, discrediting the value of American se- 
curities in general, and railroad securities in 
particular, together with a cable dispatch re- 
ceived from New York, published in the same 
papers, that the Wabash & Western Railroad 
(a very large amount of the bonds of this road 
being held in London) had passed into the 
hands of a Receiver, presented so discouraging 
a prospect for the placing of American securi- 
ties of any kind, as to cause the withdrawal of 
the proposition and the non-execution of the 
contract. By the advice of the parties with 
whom he had been in negotiation, Mr. King 
returned home without having a(!Complished 
the object of his mission, to "await the logic 
of events, " as it was considered damaging 
to future sales, on the return of prosperity 
at home, to urge the bonds of the company 
further upon the attention of English capital- 
ists at that time. The merits of the line were, 
from time to time, brought liy President King 
before the capitalists of Cleveland and the 
East, and a succession of struggles to keep the 
enterprise alive were continued for three weary 
years longer, happily resulting in placing the 
bonds on highly favorable terms at home with 
Cleveland and New York capitalists, the capital 
stock having in the meantime (April 13, 1876) 
been increased from $3,000,000 to $6,500,000. 
On the 7th day of August, 1878, the work on 
the line l)etween Cleveland and Canton was re- 
sumed by the new contractors, Messrs. Walsh 
and Moynahan, the first rail upon the line l)e- 
ing laid and the first spike driven by President 
King, at Akron, at a point near the " Old 
Forge," at 12 o'clock, M., on the 26th day of Oc- 
tober, 1878, track-laying being immediately 
proceeded with from this point both ways, and 
also commenced in Cleveland a few days there- 



-^ — ^k ^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



301 



after. The operations of the new contractors 
not proving satisfactory to the company, the 
contract with them was annulled on the 25th 
day of January, 1879, and the work again tem- 
porarily suspended. Subsequently, a new con- 
tract was made with Messrs. Strong and Gary, 
and work resumed on the 3d day of June, 
1879. The road was finally completed through 
from Cleveland to Canton, in the winter of 
1879-80. The first continuous train from Cleve- 
land to Canton, with the officers, Directors, and 
other friends and promoters of the road on 
board, started from Cleveland at 9:30 A. M., 
January 28, 1880. Making short stops at the 
several stations on the route, the train arrived 
at Canton about 1 o'clock, P. M. Starting fi'om 
Canton on the return trip at 3 o'clock, P. M., 
tlie run from Canton to Akron, twenty-two 
miles, was made in thirtj'-eight minutes, the en- 
tire trip from Canton to Cleveland, fifty-seven 
miles, being made in two hours — a remarkable 
run, considering the newness of the road, and 
evincing a very excellent degree of work in 
the la3'ing of the track and the ballasting of 
the road-bed. The first regular trains com- 
menced running Februar}^ 2, 1880, and have 
continued uninterruptedly to the present time, 
with constantl}^ increasing freight and passen- 
ger traffic, and though, by reason of the partial 
occupation of the ground by other similar en- 
terprises and prospective connections, the ex- 
tension of the road beyond Canton has been in- 
definitely postponed, the Valley Railwa}^ may 
well be considered a successful venture for its 
promoters, and a ver}^ valuable acquisition to 
the travel and transportation facilities of the 
people all along the line, as well as a material 
addition to the enterprise and prosperity of the 
cit}' of Akron, and of Summit County gener- 
ally. 

Officers of the road from the beginning to 
the present date (April 1, 1881), as follows : 
President — James Farmer, from April 24, 1872, 
to April 5, 1873 ; Stillman Witt, from April 15, 
1873. to April 24, 1874; Reuben Hitchcock, 
April 24, 1874, to September 25, 1874 ; David 
L. King, September 24, 1874, to April 16, 1879 ; 
J. H. Wade, April IG, 1879, to date. Vice 
President — David L. King, from April 24, 1872, 
to September 25, 1874 ; James Farmer, Sep- 
tember 25, 1874, to April 16, 1879 ; S. T. Ev- 
erett, from April 16, 1879, to date. Treasurer 
and Secretar}' — Warwick Price, from April 24, 



1872, to April 15, 1873. Treasurer— S. T. Ev- 
erett, from April 20, 1873, to date. Secre- 
tary— S. T. Everett, from April 20, 1873, to 
May 13, 1873. Secretary and Auditor — L. D. 
Clarke, from May 13, 1873, to April 17, 1878 ; 
William B. Porter, from April 17 to date. Su- 
perintendent — Sam Briggs, from November 
1, 1879, to date. Present Board of Di- 
rectors — J. H. Wade, H. B. Payne, John 
Tod, W. J. Boardman and L. M. Coe, of Cleve- 
land ; David L. King, of Akron ; L. V. Bock- 
ius, of Canton ; and H. M. Flagler, of New 
York. 

The Tuscarawas Valley Railroad. — This road, 
a comparatively new enterprise, running from 
Lake Erie, at Black River, in Lorain Count}*, 
to Bridgeport, opposite Wheeling, W. Va., on 
the Ohio River, via Grafton, in Lorain County ; 
Medina and Seville, in Medina County ; Clinton, 
in Summit County ; Massillon, in Stark County ; 
New Philadelphia and Urichville, in Tuscarawas 
County ; passes through about three-fourths of 
a mile of the township of Franklin, in Summit 
Count}^, having a station at its junction with 
the Cleveland, Mount Vernon & Columbus 
road, called Warwick, a short distance south 
of the village of Clinton. This road is 157^ 
miles in length, and is one of the principal coal 
roads of the State, and beneficial to the people 
of Summit Count}^ in reaching sundry points 
between Akron and Wheeling, and in the ship- 
ment of coal and other articles to points west 
of Cleveland on the lakes. 

The Connotton Valley Railicay. — The latest ac- 
cession to the railroad system of Summit County 
is the Connotton Valley Railway. It is strictly 
a narrow-gauge road (three feet) and though 
intended more especially for the transportation 
of coal, its complement of rolling-stock em- 
braces an adequate suppl}' of box freight cars, 
and elegantly finished and furnished passenger 
coaches. The southern terminus of the road 
is at Bowerstown, on the Pan Handle road, in 
Harrison County, and its northern terminus, 
the city of Cleveland. The line passes through 
CarroUton, in Carroll County ; Canton in Stark 
County ; Mogadore, in Summit and Portage 
Counties ; Kent and Streetsboro, in Portage 
County; Twinsburg, in Summit County, and 
Bedford and Newburg in Cuyahoga County. 
The capital stock of the company is $3,000,000, 
the funds being furnished mainly by Boston 
capitalists, though a majority of the directors 



-y 



-S) L^ 



302 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



and officers are residents of Ohio. The present 
officers of the road are as follows : William J. 
Rotch, of New Bedfoixl, Mass., President ; Sam- 
uel Allen, of Del Roy, Carroll Count}', Vice Pres- 
ident; A. B. Proal, of Canton, Stark County, 
Secretary and Treasurer ; W. N. MofFett, for- 
merly of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago 
Railroad, Superintendent, and Robert Learaouth, 
formerly of the Pan Handle road, Roadmaster. 
The machine and repair shops, and the general 
offices of the company, are located at Canton. 
The entire length of the road is 118 miles, six- 
ty-two miles of which is now (April, 1881) in 
running order, being completed as far north as 
Mogadore, and as far south as Del Roy, in Car- 
roll Count}, and it is expected that cars will 
be running over the entire line by July of the 
present year. This road passes through from 
sixteen to twenty miles of valuable coal fields, 
fine beds of iron ore, potters' cla}', building- 
stone, etc., besides having on its line some of 
the most enterprising manufacturing cities and 
villages in Northern Ohio. At Mogadore, the 
road passes on the Portage County side of the 
village, but strikes into Summit County for a 
short distance, in circling around a hill just 
north of the village, thence bearing north- 
easterly to reach the village of Kent, and 
thence, in a northerly and northwesterly direc- 
tion, again strikes into Summit County on the 
east line of Twinsburg Township, running diag- 
onally across the township, and passing the vil- 
lage about one-fourth of a mile east of the pub- 
lic square. The Connotton Valle}- will prove 
especiall}' valuable to the people of Mogadore, 
in furnishing them an inlet for the large quan- 
tities of coal which they consume yearly, and 
an outlet for the immense quantities of stone- 
ware which they yearly manufacture, which has 
hitherto required a haul of eight miles, over 
(at times) the very muddiest kind of mud 
roads, to the nearest railroad shipping-point, 
Akron. The road will also give the people of 
Twinsburg facilities, not hitherto enjoyed, in 
reaching a mai^ket with their dairy products, 



and the invaluable building stone so abundant 
in that township, and in obtaining their needed 
supplies from Cleveland and other portions of 
the outside world. 

The Pittsburgh, Youngstown & Chicago Rail- 
road. — This road was projected early in 1881, 
by Chauncey H. Andrews, Esq., and other 
wealthy men of Youngstown, with other out- 
side backing. The company fully organized 
March 18, 1881, with Mr. Andrews as Presi- 
dent, when $1,500,000 of the .12,000,000 au- 
thorized capital was reported to be subscribed. 
The plan is to build the road from Pittsburgh, 
through Youngstown and Akron, direct to 
Chicago, the line, as surveyed, to enter Summit 
County at Mogadore, and, passing down the 
valley of the Little C!uyahoga River, entering 
Akron via the Sixth Ward upon the east, and 
Wolf Ledge Valley in the south part of the 
city. Though not yet actually commenced, 
there is at this writing (Api'il 1, 1881), great 
confidence in railroad and business circles that 
this road will soon be put under contract and 
speedih' constructed. Other important railroad 
projects, to pass through Summit County when 
built, are being talked up, but for the time 
being held in abeyance. Without our rail- 
roads, where would Akron, na}', where would 
Summit Count}' have been to-day ? Not a man- 
ufacturing establishment, other than our water- 
power mills, limited to some half-dozen in 
number — with diminished usefulness at that, 
by reason of a lack of speedy transportation 
facilities — would exist among us, and, instead 
of a city of 17,000 population, Akron would 
have been the mere village of 2,000 inhabitants 
that it was thii-ty years ago, if, indeed, it had 
not retrograded in the meantime for want of 
proper communication with the outside world. 
So, too, with the county at large — fanning 
lands, instead of being worth from $75 to $300 
per acre, as they now are, would have remained, 
like those of the other non-railroad-penetrating 
counties of the State, at from $25 to $60 per 
acre. 



;V 






HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



303 



CHAPTER VI.* 

THE PROFESSIONS— LEGAL LORE IN THE PIONEKR DAYS— GREGORY ROWERS — OTHER EARLY 
LAWYERS — THE PRESENT SUMMIT COUNTY BAR— MEDICAL — PHJNEER PHYSICIANS- 
DIFFERENT SYSTEMS — MEDICAL SOCIETIES, ETC. 

THE history of the County would not be 
considered complete, without a sketch of 
the professions — legal and medical. 

The following on the Summit County bar is 
by Judge Carpenter, and is as follows: — [En.] 

In the summer of 1832, the writer, a stran- 
ger in Ohio, alert for information touching its 
people, laws, soil, products and topography, 
took the mail coach at Ravenna for Hudson. 
There was sitting on the back seat a man 
whose look would have taken his attention 
anywhere. A green bag tilled with books lay 
by his side. He was considerably under thir- 
ty, tall and slim, but with limbs and contour 
so round and trim as to suggest an embodi- 
ment of muscular vigor, agility and toughness. 
His dress was simple but fitted with faultless 
neatness to his elegant figiu-e. 

Conversation began at once. The writer's 
various questions were answered with a j^re- 
cision which evinced a thorough acquaintance 
with Ohio, its public interests, its heterogen- 
eous inhabitants, their difierent habits and 
])eculiarities. Unquestionably that fellow- 
passenger was a man of keen observation. 
But his easy flow of intelligence bore not the 
slightest show of vanity or ostentation. His 
master}^ of language, the complete finish of 
every sentence, his faultless pronunciation and 
the gi'ammatical accuracy and purity of his 
English, might mark him for a college pi'o- 
fessor. On reaching Stow Corners, he took the 
road to Middlebury on foot, green bag in hand. 

When the writer returned to Ravenna he 
inquired of Mr. Coolman, the hotel kee}>er, 
the name of his fellow-passenger, remarking 
that he had been very pleasantly entertained 
by him. and had set him down as a man of 
mark who had traveled considerably with his 
eyes and ears wide open. Mr. Coolman, who 

•■■By Judge James S. Carpenter and I'r. Alvin K. Fuuser. 



was himself an invaluable treasury of what open 
eyes and ears could gather up, smiled at the 
remark and replied: "That gentleman, sir, 
is Gregory Powers. He is becoming a very 
distinguished lawyer, and is, in truth, a rising 
man; but as to his traveling, he was born and 
brought up here in the woods, and I doubt 
whether he was ever out of Ohio." It is true 
that he had then seen little of the world out- 
side of Ohio; and that his acquaintance had 
rarely extended beyond the Western Reserve. 

In his profession, Mr. Powers was not a 
voluminous reader. His library was not at all 
extensive, and his reading was mostly element- 
ary. His practice at the bar was earnest, gi'ave, 
strictly honorable and always courteous. Ad- 
vocates had not in those days acquired the 
art of inspiring jiu'ors by blowing in their 
faces. They stood at a distance of six or eight 
yards from the jiuy-box, and maintained a 
manliness of deportment superior to the moie 
recent practice. 

But it was not orator'y that most distin- 
guished the forensic efforts of Mr. Powers. 
It was his ability by quick and clear analysis 
to disentangle the most covert and complex 
transactions among men, and follow them to 
their legal consequences. And it was matter 
of curious observation to a listener that his 
high tension of voice and feeling was more 
frequent and intense in his argimients to the 
coiu*t on some abstract point of law. than in 
unraveling facts to the jiu-y. In the latter 
case, his highest ascents of voice and manner 
were more mild and of a more even tenor, 
intensely pressing the high claims of right 
and justice He was born in the township 
of Stow, then in Portage County, in 1805. His 
father was a native of Naples, Italy, and had 
been a sea cajitain. His mother was a lady of 
Middletown, Conn., and died in 1811. Some- 



(s" 



V 



304 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



time after his mother's death, Gregory entered 
Burton Academy and continued there two years, 
making rapid progress in all studies which he 
took in hand, being especially distinguished in 
Latin and still more in mathematics. On 
leaving the academy he began the study 
of law, in the office of Judge Van R. Hum- 
phrey, in Hudson. As a student at law. 
Judge Humphrey said he was not a rapid 
reader. He habitually quarreled with what 
he was reading — turned back and read over 
and over again, till he was master of the text, 
and thus reconciled it to his sense of right as 
he went along. 

In 1832, Mr. Powers was elected by the 
Clay men and Anti-Masons of Portage 
County, to the House of Representatives of 
Ohio. In 1833, he was a candidate for re- 
election, but political alternations had fixed 
that year for the Democratic party, and Mr. 
Powers was succeeded by Roan Clarke. In 
1838, Mr. Powers was elected by the Whigs 
to the Senate of Ohio. In both branches of 
the Legislature his course was marked by the 
same high ability which had given him such 
eminence at the bar. He came home from the 
Senate apparently overworked and suffering 
at the heart, which brought him to his death 
at the age of thirty- foiu-, July 10, 1839, end- 
ing a career, which, had it continued to the 
common limit of old age, must have set him 
among the loftiest characters of our country. 

Van R. Humphrey was born at Goshen, 
Conn., July 28, 1800. His educational train- 
ing was wholly at the common school of his 
native place, but it seems to have been so 
thorough that he became a successful teacher 
of a common school while in his teens. At 
what time he commenced the study of law 
is not ascertained, but a certificate of The- 
odore North, attorney and counselor at law, 
dated Goshen, May 11, 1821, says: "He pur- 
sued his course of legal studies in my office 
with u.ncommon attention and diligence." 
A copy of the record of the Court of Common 
Pleas of Litchfield County, Conn., duly certi- 
fied by Frederick Wolcott, Clerk, shows that 
in September, 1820, he was admitted an 
attorney and counselor at law before all the 
Com-ts of Common Pleas in Connecticut. 

April 17, 1821, he was married to Stella 



Beach, of Goshen, and settled in Hudson, 
Ohio, the same year, where he continued his 
residence through life. An official certificate 
of S. Day, Clerk, shows that at a term of the 
Supreme Court of Ohio, on the 1st day of 
July, 1822, present the Hon. Calvin Pease 
and Peter Hitchcock, Judges, Van R. Hum- 
phrey was duly examined, admitted and 
sworn as an attorney and counselor at law 
and solicitor in chancery, within the State of 
Ohio. In 1824, he was elected, commissioned 
and qualified as Justice of the Peace for the 
township of Hudson. December 26, 1828, he 
was admitted to practice in the District Com*t 
of the United States, within the State of Ohio. 
In the year 1828, he was elected to the House 
of Representatives of the Legislature of Ohio, 
and was re-elected to the same office in 1829. 
He was elected by the Legislature of Ohio 
President Judge of the Coui't of Common 
Pleas of the Third Judicial District for the 
term of seven years, beginning in 1836 and 
ending in 1813. 

From 1830, or perhaps a little earlier, till 
Judge Humphrey took his seat upon the bench, 
he and Gregory Powers were pitted against 
each other in most of the important cases in 
Portage and Medina Counties. They were 
both men of commanding presence, yet stand- 
ing at the opposite extremes of manly dignity 
and beauty. Powers tall, lithe and excitable, 
yet always self-possessed. Humphrey cool and 
impertm'bable, tall, large, though not unwieldy 
or fleshy, but full and rounded out at every point 
— a manifest embodiment of muscular strength. 
His manner was deliberate; his voice loud, 
clear, of large compass and never harsh. His 
sarcasm, not frequent, and seeming ever to be 
held back in reserve, and never sought after, 
always hit its mark. His humor was inex- 
haustible and spontaneous, and his wit forth- 
coming at will. His imagination was splendid, 
but would have been improved by early disci- 
pline. His arguments were not distinguished 
for consecutive reasoning, but they seemed to be 
guided by a kind of insight into the essential 
elements of his case, so that, if his imagina- 
tion at any time outstripped his logic, there 
was an inner light that still hu'ed him back 
to the essential points which he seldom failed 
so to group together and enlighten as to give 



'-^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



305 



them eflfect. While Powei's went directly to 
the leading points of his case and pressed 
them to their inevitable sequence, Humphrey 
swept in much of the smTounding mass, which, 
under his glowing imagination, took the color 
of his leading points. In a word. Judge 
Humphrey had just that broad foundation for 
a mental structure which early intellectual 
training would have made more readily avail- 
able for logical argument. 

And yet, as Judge of the Court of Common 
Pleas, his decisions were remarkably correct. 
His quick and penetrative insight stood him 
in good stead there. His invariable kindness 
and impartiality, and the apparent ease with 
which he disposed of business, gave to his 
administration a general and hearty approval. 

Christopher P. Wolcott was born in 1821, 
probably in Steubenville, Jefferson Co., Ohio. 
His father removed from Connecticut to that 
place some time prior to that date, it is 
believed. However, that may be, Steubenville 
was the home of his childhood and youth. His 
education, which was thoroughly classical, was 
received at several institutions, but lastly, at Jef- 
ferson College, Pennsylvania. He studied law 
under the Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, our distin- 
guished Secretary of war diu-ing the rebellion. 
In the spring of 1846, he formed a partnership 
withW. S. C. Otis, Esq., of Akron, to which place 
he immediately removed his residence. The 
chief indications he then gave of the eminence 
which he afterward attained, were his accm'ate 
knowledge of legal principles, the complete- 
ness of whatever pleading or other written 
document came from his hands, and the very 
careful preparation of his briefs. It was 
apparent that he distrusted himself before 
a jury and felt far more confidence in his 
ability to address the court. In truth, diffi- 
dence of his own powers was then his besetting 
impediment. Indeed, it was not till he had 
toiled under tortured sensibilities through a 
busy and laborious practice of several years 
that he had so shaken off this nightmare as to 
give full play to his forensic powers. He 
had given proof in many cases of ability to go 
through an extended statement of logical 
inferences with extraordinary clearness and 
force on questions of law, yet his efforts 
before a jui-y had always seemed constrained i 



and painful. But at length in the libel case 
of Wilson vs. Blake, in Common Pleas, Novem- 
ber term, 1852, he broke entirely away fi'om 
his self-consciousness, and abandoned himself 
with burning energy to the full flow of a warm 
imagination. The coiul and bar were taken 
by surprise, and the verdict showed that noth- 
ing had been wasted on the jiu-y. 

The trial of Parks for miuxler, in December, 
1853, was the next occasion that aroused the 
energies of Mr. Wolcott to their highest pitch. 
For him it was simply a medium of thought; 
and in his handling it became as transparent 
as the air. But the argument which stands, and 
forever must stand, as the monument of Mr. 
Wolcott's intellectual power and of his high 
attainments as a lawyer, was delivered as 
Attorney General of Ohio before the Judges 
of our Supreme Com't at Chambers on two 
\vrits of habeas corpus, in the cases ex jfarfe 
Bushnell and ex parte Langston, in May, 
1859. It is reported in 9 Ohio State reports, 
page 97, covering eighty- three pages. 

In the summer of 1856, Mr. Wolcott was 
appointed Attorney General of this State by 
the Governor, to fill a vacancy in that office 
occasioned by the death of F. D. Kimball. 
He was elected to the same office in 1857, and 
continued to discharge his duties with distin- 
guished ability until February, 1860. On the 
breaking out of the rebellion in 1861, the en- 
listment of volunteers for the military service 
was an easy matter. . But in a movement so 
sudden, so extensive and multitudinous, it was 
no easy matter to bring order and system out of 
chaos and iiTepressible haste and confusion. 
In this emergency, Mr. Wolcott spent much of 
that year in aiding Gov. Dennison to regu- 
late and systematize the militar}" operations of 
our State. Early in 1862 his brother-in-law, 
Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, having been appointed 
Secretary of War, IVIi-. Wolcott was appointed 
Assistant Secretary of War. It would be super- 
fluous to speak of the labors which the war of 
the rebellion imposed upon that department of 
the Government. Mr. Wolcott's sleepless de- 
votion to his official duties — the indefatigable 
energy with which he plied both mind and 
body in that service, soon wore him out. He 
died in the summer of 1862, a martp' to his 
country's cause. 



[9 



3(Xi 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



Isaiah Hiimplirey, after serving a term in 
the United States Army in fightincr Indians 
and passing through the various vicissitudes 
of guarding our Western frontiers, settled 
down upon a farm in the township of Boston, 
some fifteen miles from Akron. In the process 
of clearing up his land and applying his labors 
as a new farm exacts them of a luisbandman, 
he thought there were minutes and i]aterstices of 
time, which without damage to his agriculture, 
he could devote to the enlargement of his 
mind. He had a retentive memory, was a nat- 
ural humorist, had a keen sense of the ludi- 
crous, a perpetual fountain of ready wit, a 
rare knack at narration whether of anecdotes 
or of sober facts, and a good understanding, 
which, with persevering effort, could be disci- 
plined for logical reasoning. Here was a 
foundation for a lawyer. The distance of his 
residence from the county seat and its proxim- 
ity to the Ohio Canal where law-siiits within a 
justices' jurisdiction were necessarily frequent, 
would of course often put in requisition a com- 
bination of such mental qualities in aid of dis- 
tressed litigants. Amid importunities of this 
kind, Mr. Humphrey took up the study of the law 
under his brother. Judge Van R. Humphrey, 
of Hudson. Meanwhile his farm and his 
family occupied his time as usual. His legal 
studies having been pursued some miles from 
Judge Humphrey's office, it very natiu'ally 
happened that on his admission to the bar he 
foimd himself much abler in the general prin- 
ciples of the law than in matters of legal 
practice, which require skill that comes only 
with use. 

It followed, of course, that in the Common 
Pleas Mr. Humi)hrey's pleadings were often 
defective and involved in perplexities. But his 
impm'turbable coolness, good nature and tact 
got the better of them with occasional loss of 
time, which to the court and bar was amply com- 
pensated by the interludes of wit and humor 
that seemed to flash out in proportion as per- 
plexities thickened. He did not leave his farm, 
but with his farming went through many a 
lively wrangle in his profession. He died 
about April, 1877, sincerely lamented by his 
brethren of the bar. 

Wolsey Wells' card is found in the Portage 
Jonrnal then published at Middlebmy in 1827, 



giving notice that he had opened a law office 
at Akron in the hotel. The same paper 
informs us that the first boat on the Ohio 
Canal reached Akron July 2, 1827, having on 
board Gov. Trimble on his way to celebrate 
the opening of the canal to navigation, at 
Cleveland on the 4th of July. Gov. Trimble 
was welcomed to Akron in a speech by Wolsey 
W^ells, Esq. In 1885, Mr. Wells was in law 
practice in company with Harvey Birch, Esq., 
at Elyria. After some years, practice at Elyria, 
he migrated to one of the northwestern coun- 
ties of Ohio, as agent of the State for the sale 
of public lands. It is reported that he died 
there a few years since. He was a lawyer of 
fine abilities and the strictest integrity. He 
took an active part in the anti-slavery and 
temperance reforms, in which he was out 
spoken and disdained all compromise. 

George Bliss was a native of Vermont and 
came to Ohio quite young. He commenced 
the study of law about 1841, in the office of 
Hand & Cartter, and was admitted to the bar 
about 1848. His examination for admission 
was, with several other candidates, in the Su- 
preme Court at Medina; and his thorough 
understanding of legal principles and practice 
was remarked on by the committee in their 
retirement as pre-eminent among the candi- 
dates, and as the harbinger of certain success 
in his profession. He very soon rose to dis- 
tinction and formed a partnership with D. K. 
Cartter (now Judge of the Supreme Court of 
the District of Columbia), their office being 
in Akron. He had a voice of remarkable 
smoothness. It was of the kind which Cicero 
seems to have meant by his vox argentea. It 
was a ringing, metallic voice, sliding through 
gradations so easily and coming forth in full 
volume with such apparent spontaneity, that 
it never wearied the hearer however long con- 
tinued. 

A vacancy occm'ring in the Common Pleas 
judgeship of this district in 1850, Mr. Bliss 
was a candidate for election to that office by 
the Legislature of 1849-50. There were two 
other candidates. After numerous fruitless 
votes were taken, no candidate having received 
a majority, the Legislature gave the election 
the go by, and adjourned leaving the vacancy 
mffilled. The Governor of Ohio being then of 



:k* 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



307 



the Democi'atic party, appointed Mr. Bliss to 
the office. The short time he held it was long 
enough to fix the general opinion of the bar 
that his administration of it, if continued 
for another term, would give general satis- 
faction. 

In 1852, Mr. Bliss was elected to the House 
of Representatives in Congress by the Demo- 
cratic party. He continued his residence in 
Akron until about 1860, when he removed to 
Wooster. He continued the practice of his 
profession theie until his death about 1875. 

Lucius V. Bierce was born in Connecticut. 
He came to Ohio with his father's family 
when a lad. He entered the Ohio University at 
Athens, in Athens County, where he graduated 
at the termination of the ciistomary college 
course. He taught some years in one or more 
of the Southern States, and then returned to 
Ohio and studied law. On being admitted to 
che bar he opened a law office at Ravenna, in 
Portage County. He was a very fluent and 
rapid speaker, had great facility in drafting 
and readiness in the dispatch of business. 
He soon became very popular as a lawyer, and 
was elected Prosecuting Attorney several 
terms in succession. About the year 1836, he 
removed his office to Akron, which was then 
in Portage County, where he continued his 
professional practice until the war of the 
rebellion broke out. 

Gen. Bierce was neither an extensive nor a 
profound reader of law. His chief character- 
istic as a lawyer lay in his extraordinary tact 
and ingenuity in putting his adversary in a 
false position. When his opponent had made 
out a clear case and set down with confidence 
that it was standing in such blazing sunlight 
that no mists could be conjui'ed uj^ to darken 
it. Gen. Bierce was on his feet. Of all occa- 
sions for calling up his magic skill that was 
the one. Then all sorts of odd combinations 
of the law and facts which could make the 
false resemble the true were held up to the 
gaze of the jury. Hints, suggestions, imag- 
inings, possibilities outside and inside of the 
case — the winged missives seemed to fill the 
air and flap in every juror's face, and it was 
good luck for justice and innocence if some 
of them did not lodge in the breast of many a 
juryman and puzzle the whole panel, in spite 



a lucid charge from the court and all the 
simshine that had blazed upon the case. 
Yet, take him as he was, no member of the 
Summit bar was so di'eaded before a jury as 
Gen. Bierce. He was never tlirown off his 
guard — never discomposed. The most threat- 
ening discomfiture foimd him on his feet 
ready to repel the onset. 

In 1861, he was elected to the Senate of 
Ohio by the Republicans of Summit and Port- 
age Counties. He took a very active part in 
raising troops for the Union in the late war ; and 
in 1863 he was appointed Assistant Adjutant 
General of Ohio, and discharged the arduous 
duties of that office with faultless exactitude. 
As a citizen and neighbor, Gen. Bierce was 
public- spirited, obliging and generous. He 
died November, 1876, and was buried with 
military honors. 

John Harris, Jr., was born at Canton, Stark 
County, November 26, 1823. He was class- 
ically educated at Western Reserve College, 
of which he was a graduate. He stud- 
ied law under his father's tuition at Canton, 
and opened a law office at Akron about 184:5. 
His health was delicate. He, however, showed 
himself fully competent in his profession. 
With abundant intellectual power to cany him 
through a contest, he shrank fi'om the rough 
collisions which coarser natures often invited. 
Experience, however, would have given to his 
sensibility a recoil against coarse and ill-tem- 
pered thrusts all the more wounding to an ag- 
gressor, because it came unsuspected, from a 
keen and concealed weapon. Had he lived, 
he would have taken a high stand in the pro- 
fession, which all his practice would have 
tended to dignify and refine. He died at 
Canton March 12,' 1855. 

Harvey Whedon was born at Litchfield, 
Conn., in 1812. He opened a law office in Hud- 
son, Ohio, probably in 1838. He soon acquired 
a good office practice, and a reasonable share 
of practice in the courts of this county. A 
well-read, industrious lawj^er, of good judg- 
ment, he was often consulted, and acquired a 
reputation of a safe coxmselor. He was elected 
Prosecuting Attorney of Summit County in 
1852, and faithfully discharged the duties of 
that office for the constitutional term of two 
years. Mr. "\Miedon was a man of undoubted 



308 



HISTOPtY OF SUMMIT COUNTY, 



integrity and of solid woiih. He died of 
typhoid fever August 29, 1855. 

W. S. C. Otis was born in Cummington, 
Mass. He entered Williams College, where 
he took a high stand as a scholar, but left the 
college some time in his senior year, and, for 
awhile, followed teaching. In 1831, he en- 
tered the law office of Whittlesey & Newton, 
at Canfield, Mahoning County, and continued 
there with unremitting application till he was 
admitted to thw practice of law in Ohio in 
1833. Soon after his admission, he became a 
partner in his profession with Hon. Jonathan 
Sloane, of Ravenna. Mi-. Otis' strength lay 
in his keenly discriminative perceptions, his 
ample powers of deduction, and the tenacity 
with which he held to the controlling points 
in his case, di'awing from them alone its ulti- 
mate conclusions, and guarding every such 
point as no one could do who had not viewed 
and reviewed every phase of the matter in 
hand. As an advocate, his voice and action 
brought him little aid. He had great earnest- 
ness, a ready memory, spoke fluently and always 
to the point, though somewhat wordily. His 
facts and alignments were laid out with rare 
skill and judgment. To the comi and the 
bar, however, he was much better known as 
a lawyer than as an advocate. In argument, 
whether to the court or jury, he was fond of 
making historical or classical allusions, which 
were always well selected and came in with 
happy effect. Hi s ambition, when he began his 
profession, was very high, and, so ffir as emi- 
nence at the bar went, it was certainly not dis- 
appointed. 

^Ii'. Otis was elected Prosecuting Attor- 
ney for Summit County, in 1844, and, in 
1850, he was elected as a delegate from this 
county to the Constitutional Convention which 
framed the Constitution of Ohio now in force. 
Outside of his profession, he was a man of 
large intelligence — a diligent reader of his- 
tory, of the cmTent literatm-e of the times, of 
the classics, both ancient and modern, and of 
the Book above all books. He always kept up 
a close acquaintance with the ancient authors, 
both Greek and Latin, in their original tongues. 
Not long before his last illness, he published 
a pamphlet containing an examination into 
the common translation of a passage in one of 



the epistles of the New Testament, drawing 
his conclusions from a critical acquaintance 
with the original Greek. In truth, from the 
beginning of his professional life, and we know 
not how much longer, he made the study of 
the Bible a specialty. 

About 1842, ]VIi\ Otis removed his residence 
from Ravenna to Akron, where he continued 
his professional practice. He was elected 
President of the first bank established in 
Aki'on, and held that office for some years. 
Abou.t 1875, he suffered fi'om a paralytic 
shock, from which he so far recovered as to 
give attention to his extensive business till 
1877, when a second stroke of palsy gave wai'n- 
ing that his work was done. He died leaving 
his widow and family amply provided for. 

William M. Dodge was born January 2, 
1805, in the State of New York. He ob- 
tained a good English education at the com- 
mon schools of his native place. He came to 
Ohio probably about 1828; studied law in 
Geauga County, and was admitted to the bar 
probably in 1830. Not long afterward, he 
took up his residence at Middlebury, and there 
opened a law office. After a short residence 
there, he settled in Ala'on, where he continued 
his professional business until he was elected 
Probate Judge of Summit County, in 1860. 
He had before then held the office of Prose- 
cuting Attorney for Summit County, hav- 
ing been elected to it in 1842, and discharged 
its duties satisfactorily through the term. 
Mr. Dodge was a public-spirited citizen. He 
took a very active part in the organization 
of the Aki-on school system. He was espe- 
cially efficient as a member of the Board of 
Directors, in all that pertained to building, or 
otherwise providing schoolhouses. In all such 
matters, he was a man of first-rate judgment, 
and he bent himself to the gi'atuitous work 
with untiring zeal. He died July 22, 1861. 

William H. Gaston had been a school- 
teacher. At what time or where he studied 
law, or was admitted to the bar, is not known. 
In 1844, he was doing business as a lawyer, in 
company with W. S. C. Otis, at Akron. He 
gave himself to the work of the law office with 
unremitting diligence. He was a lawj^er of a 
clear head, and of power to grasp and handle 
a matter of manifold complications in chan- 



'Tl'^ 



.1^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



309 



eery and was ambitious to rise in his profes- 
sion. But a fatal disease .seized upon his 
lungs and took him from the jarring crowds 
of suitors and lawyers, and jurors, and coui-ts, 
and all the varied tumults of earthly things. 

James D. Taylor was born at Youngstown, 
Mahoning County, November 24, 1816. He 
was admitted to the bar at Gallipolis, whither 
he rode on horseback for that purpose. About 
1845, he entered into partnership with Henry 
W. King, Esq., of Akron, where he immedi- 
ately fixed his residence. The firm carried on 
a prosperous business till about 1850, when, 
the health of both partners declining, their 
partnership was dissolved. Mr. Taylor's ill- 
ness was pulmonary. He spent some time in 
the Southern States, in hopes, by help of a 
favorable climate, to overcome the malady 
which was wasting him away. It was sadly 
in vain. He died at Enterprise, Fla., March 
23, 1855. "While residing at Akron, he was 
married to Miss Isabella Howard, now Mrs. 
James Mathews, of Aliron. Mr. Taylor 
was an industrious, clear-headed lawyer. He 
had a sprightly imagination, a keen, well-dis- 
ciplined intellect. A comely person, a good 
memory and ready command of language, an 
easy delivery, free but always graceful and 
appropriate gestui'es, a soft though not very 
sonorous voice, an animated countenance, and 
a wit that could make a home-thrust almost in 
a whisper, made him one of the most winning 
speakers of the time. 

But, better than all, a keen sense of honor 
and integrity above suspicion, seemed to add 
security and a high and commanding value to 
all the mental qualities of the man. His 
death, and its melancholy surroundings — far 
from home, where his wife was detained with 
a sick child — shed a deep and lasting sorrow 
thi'oughout his acquaintance. 

Chai'les G. Ladd was a native of Vermont. 
He came to Ohio in his yoiith, and read law 
with his brother-in-law. Gen. L. V. Bierce, 
with whom, after being admitted to practice, 
he became a partner, in the firm of Bierce & 
Ladd. With no shining advantages, Mr. Ladd 
soon began to show what influence can be ob- 
tained over common minds by self-assm'ance, 
and apparently an undoubting confidence that 
one's own knowledge is one's own exclusively. 



and can be shared in by others only as he 
himself imparts it. This quality of tmflinch- 
ing boldness he used with the address and tact 
of a master. He entered the arena of politics 
simultaneously with that of his profession, 
youthful as he was, and very soon passed 
tlirough a succession of minor trusts and offi- 
ces, all of which he discharged faithfully and 
with fair ability. 

On the adoption of ovir present constitution, 
in 1851, he was elected to the office of Probate 
Judge of Summit County in October of that 
year, but died in the following winter, with- 
out entering upon the duties of the office. 

Holland O. Hammond was born in Bath 
Township, in Summit County. He displayed 
in his childhood rare aptness in learning — so 
much so that his parents singled him out from 
among a large family of children for a liberal 
education. He fitted for entering a college 
course at the Preparatory Department of the 
Western Reserve College, which he entered in 
due time, and, in the regiilar progress of class- 
ical and mathematical studies, showed brilliant 
powers of acquisition. Chafing against the 
common restraints of a college upon his irreg- 
ularities, he left that institution and entered 
Oberlin College. Finding the restraints there 
quite as stringent as those at Western Re- 
serve, he took leave of Oberlin some time in 
his junior year. Not long afterward, in the 
winter of 1846-47, he commenced the study 
of law in the office of Carpenter & McClm-e, 
at Akron. He mastered the customary text- 
books with gi-eat facility, and, at the end of 
the statutory two years of law-reading, was 
admitted to the bar. 

A brief nin of practice revealed in him the 
elements of a fine legal mind, and a ready tact 
at picking up bvisiness and inspiring confi- 
dence in his clients. But such guaranties of 
success were weakened by a ceaseless itching 
for office and the wonted intrigues to secm-e 
it. In mid-career, however, a fatal disease set- 
tled upon his brain, fi-om which, after a linger- 
ing illness, he died, in 1866, leaving a widow and 
one daughter, and his memory for their heritage. 

George Kirkum was a native of Connecticut. 
He was for many years Clerk of the Coiu't 
of Common Pleas of Portage Coimty, before 
the erection of Summit. His skill in^putting 



T^ 



!a w. 



310 



HISTOKY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



in order and systematizing the affairs of the 
office of Clerk of the Coui-t of Common Pleas 
was of public utility. In 1888, Mr. Kirk- 
um was elected to the House of Represent- 
atives of Ohio, from the county of Portage. 
The special interest his election was expected 
to subserve was the erection of Summit County 
out of Portage, Stark, Wayne and Medina 
Counties. Though a jnan of lai'ge intiuence 
in a popular body, so strong was the opposition 
that his indefatigable labors failed to cai'ry 
the measiu'e through the Legislatm'e. 

About the same time, Mi*. Kirkum took up 
his residence in Aki-on, where he opened a law 
office and practiced his calling for several 
years. His health failing, he moved his resi- 
dence to his farm in Norton Township, which 
he managed for a few yeai's, and then moved 
to another farm in the vicinity of Cleveland. 
All the while, his inevitable tormentor, dyspep- 
sia, followed him up, till he died at his last- 
mentioned home some years since. 

Frederick S. Hanford was born at Cuyahoga 
Falls, and was educated at Western Reserve 
College, where he graduated with distin- 
guished honors. He studie d law in the office 
of McKinuey & Tibbals in Akron, and at 
the Columbia Law School in New York City, 
where he was admitted to practice May 12, 
1869. He entered into a law partnership with 
Hon. S. C. Williamson (now Probate Judge of 
Summit County), and afterward with Hon. N. 
J). Tibbals (now Judge of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas). He rose rapidly in practice. 
But, suffering from hemorrhage of the lungs, 
he spent some months in Colorado in hopes of 
invigorating his health by change of climate. 
On returning to professional labor, hemor- 
rhages followed from time to time with fatal 
effect. He died at the home of his father-in- 
law in Ashland, Ohio, January 29, 1879. 

Hemy William King, son of the late Hon. 
Leicester King, of Ohio, was bom at Westfield, 
Mass., September 24, 1815. He was brought 
to Warren, Trambull County, when his par- 
ents settled there, in 1817. He was fitted for 
college partly at Wan-en and partly at Hart- 
ford, Conn., where he entered Washington 
(now Trinity) College, and graduated August 
4, 1836. He studied law with the late Hon. 
Milton Sutliff at Warren, and also at the Cin- 



cinnati Law School, under Judge Walker. 
He was admitted to the bar at Gallipolis in 
February, 1839. Li the fall of the same year, 
he opened a law office at Aki'on, Summit 
County. June 1, 1844, he formed a law part- 
nership with James D. Taylor, which was dis- 
solved June 1, 1849, on account of the failing 
health of Mr. Taylor, who immediately re- 
moved to Peiii, 111., where, his health improv- 
ing, he carried on a very prosperous law busi- 
ness for a few years, imtil his pulmonary 
weakness could midergo the wear of strife no 
longer. 

Meanwhile, Mi'. King entered into partner- 
ship with his brother, David L. King, and 
vigorously pm-sued the business of the profes- 
sion. In 1850, the Legislatm'e of Ohio elected 
him Secretary of State. The duties of this 
office he discharged for two years with his cus- 
tomary exactness and punctuality. IVIr. King 
was an indefatigable worker. He shi'ank fi'om 
no legal di'udgery. This intense labor, how- 
ever, bore down upon a constitution never 
strong, until 1853, when his health gave 
way, and he was therefore compelled to re- 
linquish his professional practice. As a 
means of recovering, he betook himself to 
a more active life in open air, at Suamico, in 
the lumber regions of Wisconsin. He also 
tried a sea voyage, one or more, at mackerel 
fishing, and a voyage to the Bermudas. But 
his malady had laid fast hold on his life, and, 
in spite of remedies, and hopeful friends, and 
their tenderest cares, and the watchful nm-sing of 
her who for years had held her own life sec- 
ond to his, on the 2()th of November, 1857, he 
left all for another and a better life. 

The following are the names of lawj^ers who 
once practiced in Summit County, but who 
are still living elsewhere, or of whose decease 
we have no certain knowledge: Rufus P. 
Spalding, a native of Connecticut, graduate 
of Yale College, was one of the Supreme 
Judges of Ohio, when our State constitution 
took effect in 1851. He represented this dis- 
trict in Congress three successive terms, be- 
ginning in 1862; and now enjoys a healthy 
old age in Cleveland. Daniel R. Tilden, a 
native of Connecticut, began business as a 
lawyer ^'n Portage County about 1836; was 
twice elected to Congress from this district. 



hL 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



311 



He opened a law ofl&ce in Akron about the 
winter of 1847-48; removed to Cleveland 
about 1850; was elected Probate Judge of 
Cuyahoga County in 1851, and has held that 
oflfice without interruption ever since. Abel 
B. Berry, a native of New Hampshire, gTadu- 
ate at Dartmouth College, and was admitted 
to practice in New England; came to Akron 
in 1844; read law one year in the office of 
Judge Spalding, and was admitted to practice 
in Ohio in 1845. He opened a law office in 
Akron, and after a few years returned to New 
England, and is now practicing law in Boston, 
Mass. Alvah Hand opened a law office in 
Akron about 1827; removed to Oshkosh, Wis., 
many years since. Seneca L. Hand kept a law 
office in Middlebury (now Sixth Ward, 
Aki-on), from about 1828 till about 1851, when 
he moved to Dubuque, Iowa. Frederick A. 
Nash was for some years a partner in law bus- 
iness with Seneca L. Hand; afterward with 
N. W. Goodhue, Esq., and still later with 
Messrs. King & Green. For the last twelve 
years or so, he has resided at Brattleboro, 
Vt. Philemon Bliss, a native of Central New 
York, and liberally educated there, opened a 
law office at Cuyahoga Falls about 1841. 
After a practice there of some three or foui* 
years, he removed to Elyi'ia, Lorain County, 
and there continued his law practice. While 
residing there he was twice elected to Con- 
gress. After some years' service in a Terri- 
toi'ial judgeship, he took up his residence in 
Missouri and became one of the Supreme 
Judges of that State. He has recently pub- 
lished a book of some note on code pleading, 
and is Professor of Law in the Missoui'i State 
University. H. H. Johnson kept a law office 
some years in Akron, but, upon the erection 
of the county of Ashland, he took up his resi- 
dence and pursued his law practice at Ash- 
land, the county seat of that county, where he 
was soon afterward elected to the House of 
Representatives in Congi-ess. David K. Cart- 
ter is a native of Western New York, where 
he was admitted to the bar. He opened a law 
office in Akron about 1887, and removed to 
Massillon, Stark County, about 1845. He 
was elected to Congress in 1848, and again in 
1850. Early in Mr. Lincoln's administration 
he was appointed Chief Justice of the Su- 



preme Court of the District of Coltunbia; and 
is still the incumbent of that office. Henry 
McKinney was born in Portage County, Ohio; 
studied law under Judge S. W. McClure at 
Cuyahoga Falls, was admitted to the bar and 
entered into partnership with him in 1850. 
After some years he removed his residence to 
Akron, where he formed a partnership with 
Judge N. D. Tibbals. He was elected to the 
Senate of Ohio in 1809, and, in 1871, he re- 
moved his residence to Cleveland. John A. 
Pleasants is a native of Virginia. He settled 
in Alii'on in 1848, where he practiced law for 
several years, and then retui*ned to Virginia. 
Charles Baldwin entered into a law partnership 
with Gen. L. V. Bierce, of Ai'kon, about 1859 or 
1860. He continued in that partnership till 
the General's appointment to the office of 
Assistant Adjutant General, when he a few 
years later removed to Omaha, Neb. Wilbur 
F. Sanders was born in New York, and read 
law under Hon. Sidney Edgerton, at Akron. 
He was admitted to practice and formed a law 
partnership with Gov. Edgerton in 1857. 
Upon Gov. Edgerton's appointment as Judge 
for the Territory of Idaho, Mr. Sanders became 
a resident of that part of the Territory now 
included in Montana, where he has been in 
practice as a lawyer ever since. Charles Rhine- 
hart was born in Hopkinton, N. Y. He was 
elected Clerk of the Com't of Com m on Pleas 
of Summit County in 1868 ; and was re-elected 
in 1866. At the end of the second term of 
that office, he opened a law office in Akron, 
where he continued practice till the fall of 
1880, when he removed to Denver, Colo. 
Eugene Pardee was born in Wadsworth, Me- 
dina Co., Ohio; read law under Judge Van R. 
Humphrey at Hudson. He resided respect- 
ively in Wadsworth, Wooster and Aki-on, 
where he practiced his profession, and, in 
1880, again removed to Wooster, where at 
present he resides. 

[This closes the sketch of the bar of the past, 
of Summit County, and brings us down to 
those now living. As the present members of 
the bar have biographical sketches in another 
department of this work, we deem it imneces- 
sary to repeat the same in this chapter. One 
of the oldest representatives of the present 
bar is Judge McClure, and to whpse biograph- 



rV 



313 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



ical sketch the reader is referred, as iinto most 
of the others following. — Ed.]. 

Judge James S. Carpenter studied law with 
Camp & Canfield, at Medina, Ohio, and was 
ad:nitted to the bar May 29, 183S, at Spring- 
field, Ohio. He came to Akron in 1846, and 
has practiced here ever since. Judge C. Bryan 
located in Akron in the fall of 1833, and was 
admitted to the bar in Columbus in 1834. 
Hon. Sidney Edgerton. (See biographical 
sketch.) Judge S. H. Pitkin studied law in 
Fulton County, 111., and was admitted to the 
bar at Lewiston (same coimty) about 1836, and 
came to this county in 1852. William H. Up- 
son (see biographical sketch), was admitted to 
to the bar at Cleveland in September, 1845: 
Edward Oviatt, in September, 1846, at Medina; 
N. AV. Goodhue, at the September term of the 
Supreme Court, at Akron, in 1847; Edwin P. 
Greene, at Akron, in September, 1852; Judge 
N. D. Tibballs, at Akron, in September, 1855; 
John J. Hall, at Canton, Ohio, in May, 1857; 
Gen. A. C. Voris (see biographical sketch else- 
where); J. A. Kohler was admitted to the bar 
in 1859; H. W. Ingersoll, at Columbus, March 
29, 1859; Judge U. S. Marvin, in May, 1860; 
Gen. Thomas F. Wilde, at Cincinnati, in 1866; 
Calvin P. Humpln-ey was admitted to the bar 
in the fall of 1866; Edwin W. Stuart, at Cleve- 
land, in 1866; H. C. San ford, at Ravenna, in 
April, 1868; George T. Ford, in 1869; Newton 
Chalker gi-aduated fi'om the Law Department 
of the University of Albany in 1 869 ; James M. 
Poulson was admitted to the bar in the fall of 
1870 ; G. K. Pardee, in 1870 ; George S. May, in 
1872; Richard P. Marvin, in May, 1873; John 
H. Campbell graduated from the Law Depart- 
ment of the Michigan University in 1873; 
Charles Baird was admitted to the bar about 
the year 1874; John M. Fraze, at Louisville, 
Ky., in 1874; Charles R. Grant, in December, 
1874; NewtonFord, at Akron, in August, 1876; 
Noah Hodge was admitted to practic in the 
Superior Court of Mississippi, in January, 
1875; John C. Means was admitted to the bar 
in the District Court of Summit County, in 
August, 1876; John Johnston was admitted 
to the bar in 1876; James McNaughten was 
admitted to the bar in 1876; Charles Robin- 
son, at Columbus, in December, 1877; E. T. 
Voris, at Cleveland, in October, 1877 ; J. V. 



Welsh, at New Lisbon, Ohio, May 26, 1877; 
L. D. Seward, in 1878; R. J. Young, in June, 
1879; Rolin W. Saddler, in April, 1878; 
Frank D. Cassidy, in March, 1879; Charles 
W. Foote, at Wooster, in June, 1879; L. D. 
Watters, March 17, 1879; D. A. Dovle, in 
May, 1880; F. M. Atterholt, October 5; 1880; 
A. F. Bartges (see sketch). 

[The following sketch of the medical pro- 
fession of Summit County, is by Dr. A. K. 
Fouser. — Ed.] 

The history of the medical profession in 
Summit County dates back to the year 1800, 
or the time of the earliest settlements, the 
demands for a doctor's services being then as 
now proportionate with the spread of civiliza- 
tion. The New England and Middle States 
having furnished most if not all of our earliest 
physicians, we have only to look at the history 
of the profession in those States to become 
acquainted with the material which made up 
the pioneer doctors of this county. At, and 
previous to, the period before mentioned, the 
greater niunber of the physicians in the East 
were what are called " regulars " — those who 
bled, blistered, gave calomel, jalap, tartar- 
emetic and the like. Homeopathy was scarce- 
ly known on this side of the Atlantic, while 
Thomsonianism, hydropathy, physiopathy, ther- 
malism, magnetism and kindred dogmas had 
not yet found their way into the world. 

But without entering into an extended de- 
scription of the different systems in vogue, then 
and now, we will pass to the local history of 
the different towns and townships, giving as 
nearly as possible the succession of physi- 
cians who have practiced in each with as much 
of their personal history as could be ascer- 
tained concerning the dead, and all that would 
be expedient of the living. 

Dr. Titus Chapman was probably the first 
physician who practiced in the vicinity of 
what is now known as Akron. He came to 
Middlebiury, now Sixth Wai'd of Aki'on, soon 
after the war of 1812, and practiced there 
about thirty years, after which he went to 
Tallmadge and thence to Oberlin where he 
died. 

Dr. Luther Hanchett was bom and educated 
in Connecticut, and after practicing in New 
York State a few years, came to Ohio, locating 



'.^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



313 



in the vicinity of Middlebiuy while that place 
was yet in its infancy. He was born in 1778, 
and probably came to Akron about 1815. 
After practicing about twenty years, he re- 
moved to Michigan where he died in 1840. 
Dr. Elijah Hanchett, a brother, was born in 
Connecticut in 1776, and began practice in 
Saratoga County, N. Y., in 1798, where he 
remained until 1832, when at the solicitation 
of his brother, he came to Middlebmy. He 
then practiced in the vicinity of Middlebury 
until 1836, when he removed to Tallmadge 
where he died in 1843. 

Dr. Joseph Cole was probably the first reg- 
ular practitioner of medicine in what was at 
that time Akron proper, and for many years 
was the " old stand-by " of the profession. He 
was bom in Winfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., 
in 1795, and lived on a farm until the age of 
twenty. He then began the stvidy of and a 
few years later graduated from Fairfield Med- 
ical College in his native State. In 1824, he 
came to Ohio and located at Old Portage, in 
this county, where he practiced until 1827, at 
which time he came to Akron where he 
remained in practice until near the time of 
his death— 1861. 

Dr. Richmond came from Taunton, Mass., 
and settled in Akron about 1833. After prac- 
ticing here for three or four years, he fell a 
victim to consumption, went to Kentucky and 
died soon afterward; his idea of going South 
was, " to die among strangers," as he expressed 
it. Dr. E. F. Bryan, bi'other of Judge Bryan, 
came to Akron in the summer of 1833, and 
remained until 1836 or 1837, going then to 
Grranville, Licking County. He was a na- 
tive of Delaware County, N. Y., and received 
his medical education at Yale College. Dr. 
Ackley came from Rochester, N. Y., about 
1834, and practiced in Akron for a few years, 
going fi'om here to Cleveland, where he be- 
came quite prominent in his profession, and 
in his connection with the medical college. 
Dr. Crosby came to Middlebury some time 
about 1835, and remained there and in Akron 
for a number of years. Though originally of 
the regular school of medicine, he latterly 
embraced the homoeopathic faith and made 
some pretentions toward practicing it. How- 
ever, medicine was a secondaiy matter to him, 



as most of his time and energies were spent in 
speculations of different kinds. Dr. Cleveland 
practiced in Akron between 1830 and 1840. Dr. 
D. D. Evans was a native of New York State; 
came to Akron in 1836, and practiced here 
until the time of his death which occun-ed 
in December, 1849. He was a doctor of more 
than ordinaiy ability for the time in which he 
lived, enjoyed a good reputation and an exten- 
sive practice; was universally esteemed, and 
for many years was the leading man in the 
profession of this section of the State. In 
connection with the death of Dr. Evans, a sad 
but very interesting circu^mstance is related, 
which in substance is as follows : While treat- 
ing a case of malignant erysipelas at Cuya- 
hoga Falls, Dr. Evans in some manner became 
infected with the poison and died within a 
few days thereafter. A post-mortem examina- 
tion of Dr. Evans was made at which quite a 
number of physicians were present, and among 
them were Drs. Huntington and Angel, both 
of whom either became inoculated or absorbed 
the vims, the former dying within a few 
weeks, while the latter suflered immediate 
sloughing of one arm, and died from the poi- 
son a few years later. Nor was this all. A 
Mr. Chapman, a brother-in-law of Dr. Hunt- 
ington, while nui'sing the doctor in his sick 
ness, also absorbed the virus and died from its 
effects. 

Dr. Kendrick came to Middlebury about 

1837, and remained a few years. Dr. J. O. 
Wade practiced in Middlebmy about the same 
time. Dr. Wyram West was also one of the 
early doctors in Middlebury. Dr. E. L. Mun- 
ger, a native of Vermont, located in Akron about 

1838, but after a few years removed to Portage 
County. Dr. Kilbom-ne (Botanic), came to 
Akron about 1838, and, after practicing about 
fifteen years, removed into Coventry Township 
and began farming. Some time after this his 
mind became somewhat deranged, and in a fit 
of temporaiy insanity he committed suicide on 
his own farm. Dr. W. T. Huntington, a native 
of Connecticiit, located in Aki'on in 1839, and 
continued in practice until early in the year 
1850, when he died as stated above. 

Dr. Mendall Jewett was born in Greenwich, 
Mass., in 1815, and came to Ohio in 1836. 
He soon afterward began the study of medi 



V9 



314 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



cine with Drs. Noble and Town, of Hudson, 
and, in 1839, began practicing in Mogadore, 
then in Portage County, where he remained 
until 1858, in the meantime having taken a 
course of lectiu*es at Willoughby Medical Col- 
lege, and graduated after that college had 
removed to Cleveland. He spent two years — 
1850 and 1851 — in California, and, from 1855 
to 1857, represented this county in the State 
Legislature. Since 1858 up to the present 
time, he has lived in Middlebury (Sixth Ward 
of Akron ), and has during all this time followed 
his profession, besides being engaged in other 
business. 

Dr. William P. Cushman was born at Ran- 
dolph, Vt., in 1810, and up to the age of 
twenty- two he worked on a farm during most 
of the time. In 1882, he went to New York 
State and taught school, and, in 1834, came 
to Ohio and attended school at Oberlin, at the 
same time reading medicine with Dr. Dascom. 
He afterward attended the Cincinnati Medical 
College, and, in 1838, began practicing his 
profession in Elyria, remaining there two years 
and then coming to Akron. He still lives 
in Akron, but has retired from practice en- 
tirely. 

Dr. E. W. Howard was born in Andover, 
Windsor Co., Vt., in 1816, and until the age 
of nineteen lived with his parents on a farm, 
securing in the meantime a liberal education 
at the Chester Academy. He then took a trip 
West, during which he visited his cousin. 
Prof. E. L. Howard, at Elyi'ia, Ohio, and was 
by him persuaded to study medicine. He at 
once began reading in the office of his cousin, 
where he continued until the following year, 
when he attended a course of lectures in Pitts- 
field, Mass. He then went home and read two 
years with Dr. L. G. Whiting, and, in 1838, 
graduated from the Berkshire Medical College, 
Pittstield, Mass. After practicing one year 
with his preceptor, he came to Akron in 1839, 
and has since practiced here up to the present 
time, being now the oldest practitioner in the 
city. During the late war, he was sent South 
by Gov. Tod, and served several months in 
the hospitals at Frederick City, Md., and 
Nashville, Tenn. 

Dr. Edwin Angel was bom in Providence, 
R. I., in 1802, but when a few years old 



removed with his parents to Canandaigua, N. 
Y. At the age of foui'teen, he entered Union 
College at Schenectady, and gi'aduated two 
years later. He then began the study of 
medicine with his father, and soon aftei'ward 
attended lectures, finishing his coiu'se at the 
age of nineteen years. He then practiced 
some as an assistant to Dr. Valentine Mott, 
and on becoming of age received his degi'ee 
after which he returned to Canadaigua, and 
assisted his father. In 1840, he came to 
Akron, where he practiced until the time of 
his death, September, 1855. With his death 
passed away the last physician in a family 
which, for at least four generations, had been 
represented in the regular profession. 

Dr. Samuel W.Bartges(Uriscopist), was born 
in Union City, Penn., in 1814, and, in 1833, 
came with his parents to Columbiana County, 
Ohio, where he was engaged for a few years 
in a general merchand se store. In 1837, he 
began reading medicine with Dr. John Dellen- 
Ijaugh, with whom he remained for five years, 
during the last two of which he practiced to 
some extent. In 1842, he came to Akron, 
where he has continued to practice until the 
present time. Dr. Perkins Wallace came to 
Akron in 1843, and practiced here a short 
time. 

Dr. William Sisler was born in Lycoming 
County, Penn., in 1819, and at the age of 
twenty-one came to Manchester, in this county, 
where foi several years he was engaged in 
teachino; school and workings on a farm. In 
1843, he began reading medicine with Dr. 
Fernando Dalwick, of Canal Fulton, Stai'k 
Co., Ohio, and continued there until about 
184r), when he retm'ned to Manchester and 
began practicing. His brother, Adam, joined 
him soon after, and while one can-ied on their 
practice the other attended lectures, William 
graduating from Cleveland Medical College in 
1851, and Adam in 1852. They then continued 
in practice together xmtil 1873, when William 
came to Aki'on and engaged in the di'ug biisi- 
ness which he can-ied on imtil 1879, when he 
sold out and since then has been practicing 
some in Aki'on besides being engaged in other 
business. He served three months in the 
hospitals dm-ing the late war, under the call of 
Gov. Tod, and, in 1867, was elected on the 



"717 






HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



315 



Repiiblican ticket as Representative in the 
State Legislatiu'e, serving one term. 

Dr. John Weimer was born in Alsace, 
France, in 1813, and at the age of nineteen 
came to America. After working in a store 
several months in BniTalo, he went to Balti- 
more, Stark Co., Ohio, and began the study of 
medicine with Dr. W. Underwood, with whom 
he read two years, and then one year with Dr. 
Breisacher, of Canton, Ohio. In 1886, he 
located in Uniontown, Stark Co., Ohio, where 
he continued in practice until 1847, coming 
then to Aki'on, where he has continued to the 
present day. 

Dr. J. W. Hamilton, now Professor of Sur- 
gery in Columbus Medical College, practiced 
in Akron a short time about 1850. Dr. Joseph 
Stanton, brother of Prof. Dr. Byron Stanton, 
of Cincinnati, came to Aki'on about 1850: prac- 
ticed four or five years and died. Dr. Alex- 
ander Fisher, for several years a practitioner 
of Western Star, came to Akron soon after the 
death of Dr. Evans, and remained several years. 
He then went West and is now in Chicago. 
Dr. J. P. Peck read medicine with Drs. 
Evans and Angel; gi'aduated from Cleveland 
Medical College, and located in Akron about 
1852. He practiced here several years in 
partnership with Dr. Fisher, and then went 
West, being at present a resident of Omaha. 
Dr. J. S. Wilson came to Aki'on about 1856 
or 1857, as a successor to Dr. Fisher, and 
remained a few years. Dr. J. J. Smith was 
born in Springfield Township, this county, 
in 1820. Graduated fi'om Medical Depart- 
ment of Univei'sity of Michigan in 1855'. 
Practiced six months in Toledo, and located 
in Akron in 1856. 

Dr. William Bowen was born in Genesee 
County, N. Y.. in 1805. As soon as he had 
attained a suitable age, he was apprenticed to 
a carpenter, and, at the completion of his 
service, came West and settled in Stai'k 
Coiinty, Ohio, where for several years he 
worked at his trade, at the same time improv- 
ing his spare moments in acquiring an ediica- 
tion. Having attended school a short time, 
he began teaching and soon afterward took up 
the study of medicine with Dr. Estep, but, 
owing to limited means, was obliged to con- 
tinue his teaching in connection with his pro- 



fessional reading. In 1832, he began prac- 
tice in Doylestown, Wayne County, where he 
remained u.ntil 1835. He then attended lect- 
ures and graduated at the Medical College of 
Ohio, receiving his degree in 1836. He then 
practiced two yeai's in Canton, Ohio, going 
next to Massillon, where he practiced nearly 
twenty years, gaining in that time an exten- 
sive practice and wide-spread reputation. In 
1857, he came to Akron, and continued in act- 
ive practice imtil the time of his death, Janu- 
ary, 1880. 

Dr. George P. Ashmun was a native of St. 
Lawi-ence County, N. Y., and, in 1834, came 
to Tallmadge. in this coiuity. In 1836, he 
began the study of medicine with Dr. Amos 
Wright, of that place, and, in 1839, gi'adu.- 
ated from Cleveland Medical College. Prac- 
ticed one year in Uniontown, Stark Couniy; 
five years in Boston, Summit County, and 
then in Hudson, Summit County, for nine 
years. In 1862, entered the army and served 
two years as Surgeon of the Ninety-third 
Ohio Vohmteer Infantry, but, in 1864, re- 
signed and retm'ned home, after which he 
practiced in Aki'on till the time of his death, 
in 1873. 

Dr. J. A. Knowlton was born in Vermont in 
1824, and received his early education in Rut- 
land. Began reading medicine with Dr. Crit- 
tenden, of Kent, Ohio, in 1841, and four years 
later graduated fi'om Cleveland Medical Col- 
lege. Practiced in Portage County until 
1863, and since then has been in Akron. Of 
late years he has given up the regular prac- 
tice, and devoted his attention principally to 
the drug business and treatment of clu-onic 
diseases. 

Dr. Charles R. Merriman was born in Dal- 
ton, Berkshire Co., Mass., in 1829, but while 
quite young came with his parents to this 
coiuity. His early education was obtained at 
the schools of Akron, Farmington and Nor- 
Avalk, and, in 1847, he began the study of 
medicine with Dr. Huntington, of Aki'on. 
Attended Cleveland Medical College in 1849, 
after which he practiced in Kentucky- and 
Missouri until 1857, when he retui-ned to Ohio 
and took another coiu-se of lectiu-es, graduat- 
ing in the spring of 1858. He then practiced 
a short time at Peninsula and Montrose, and 



:rv 



316 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



then went West practicing at Virginia City 
and Helena until 1865, when he returned to 
Montrose. Practiced there until 1873, and then 
removed to Akron, where he has since remained. 
Dr. Charles R. Pierce came to Akron about 
1858, and practiced until 1862, when he 
entered the service as Assistant Surgeon. 
Died in 1863. 

Dr. B. S. Chase was born in Vermont in 
1834, and was brought up on a farm until he 
became of age, receiving in the meantime a 
liberal education at the Chester Academy. 
About 1856, he began reading medicine with 
Drs. Andrews and Woodman, of Paw Paw, 
Mich., and after taking one course of lectures 
came to Akron and continued his studies with 
his uncle. Dr. E. W. Howard. In 1856, he 
graduated from University of Michigan, fol- 
lowing which he practiced with Dr. Howard 
until 1862, when he entered the army as 
Assistant Surgeon of the Sixteenth Ohio Vol- 
unteer Infantry. In June, 1863, he was pro- 
moted to Surgeon and was transferred to the 
Fifty-third Mississippi Colored Regiment, 
with whom he served until the close of the 
war, becoming very popular as a Surgeon 
as well as a soldier. He served on the Op- 
erating Board at the battles of Chickasaw 
Bayou, and at the siege of Vicksburg. At the 
close of the war he located in Akron, where he 
continued in practice until the time of his 
death, February, 1878. 

Dr. T. M. Leight is a native of Snyder 
County, Penn., and was born in 1827. When 
twenty years of age, he began reading medi- 
cine, and after four or five years oiJice tuition 
began practicing at McKees Falls in his native 
county. He remained here about nine years, 
within which time he attended lectures in Phil 
adelphia a month or two each year, graduat- 
ing from Jefferson Medical College in July, 
1857. He then practiced about seven years 
at Mifflin, Penn., after which he came to Akron, 
where he is at present. 

Dr. Thomas McEbright was born at Car 
lisle, Penn., in 1824, but at an early age came 
with his parents to Wayne Comity, Ohio, 
where he was brought up on a farm until the 
age of sixteen, after which he attended the 
Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware. In 
1848, he began reading medicine with Dr. I. 



H. Baker, of Wooster, and, in 1850, graduated 
from Starling Medical College, at Columbus, 
Ohio. Practiced seven years at Nashville, 
Ohio, and then removed to Millersburg, where 
he remained u.ntil 1861, going then into the 
army as Surgeon of the Eighth Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry. After serving with the regi- 
ment two years, he resigned and came home, 
but soon after raised the Fifty-ninth Battalion, 
and, upon the call of the " hundred days' men," 
his battalion was attached to the One Hundred 
and Sixty- sixth Regiment, of which he was 
made Colonel, a position which he resigned in 
favor of Col. Blake, the doctor preferring to 
be Siu-geon. He was afterward made Brigade 
Surgeon and detailed as Chief of the Operat- 
ing Board. In 1864, he was mustered out 
with his regiment and soon afterward came to 
Akron, where he is still in active practice. 

Dr. W. C. Jacobs is a native of Lima, Ohio, 
and was born in 1840. His early life was 
spent in his native village and on a farm. At 
the age of sixteen he was appointed a cadet 
midshipman, and attended school at Annapolis 
until 1859, when he resigned and began the 
study of medicine with Dr. Carson, of Cincin- 
nati. In March, 1862, he graduated from 
Medical College of Ohio at Cincinnati, and in 
the following month was appointed Assistant 
Surgeon of the Fourth Ohio Cavalry, with 
whom he served until December, when he was 
promoted to Surgeon and assigned to the 
Eighty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. With 
this regiment he remained until the close of 
the war, and during the Atlanta campaign, 
served on the Operating Board of the Six- 
teenth Army Corps. In October, 1865, he 
came to Aki'on, where he has since followed 
his profession. 

Dr. W. J. Underwood was born in York 
County, Penn., in 1840, and received his early 
education in the common and select schools of 
the period. At the age of twenty, he began 
reading medicine with Dr. Ira Day, of Me- 
chanicsburg, and the next year attended a 
course of lectures at Jefferson Medical Col- 
lege. In 1862, he went into the army as 
Assistant Surgeon, serving with the Nine- 
teenth Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia a short 
time, and then with the One Hundred and 
Fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers during 



-7\: 



-k-. 



-s; > 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



817 



the latter's term of enlistment. He then 
completed his course at Jefterson Medical 
College, and in the same spring (1864) came 
to Ohio. Practiced at Canal Fulton two 
years, and then came to Akron, where he still 
remains. 

Dr. Elizur Hitchcock was born in Tall- 
madge Township in 1832, and up to the age 
of eighteen worked on his father's farm and 
attended the common and select schools of the 
neighborhood. He then entered the Western 
Reserve College, where he remained two years, 
going thence to Yale, graduating from the lat- 
ter in 1854. After spending several years in 
teaching, he began reading medicine and 
graduated from the Cleveland Medical College 
in 1860. He then practiced three years in 
Ashtabula County, and, in the spring of 1863, 
entered the army as Surgeon of the Seventh 
Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but after a service 
of six months resigned and came home and 
located at West Williamsfield, Ashtabula 
County, continuing there until 1869. He 
then attended a course of lectm-es in New 
Y^oi'k City, and, in 1870, came to Akron, where 
he has since been practicing. 

Dr. A. E. Foltz was born in Wayne County, 
Ohio, in 1840, and at the age of seventeen began 
teaching school, in which calling he continued 
until 1862. In July of the same year, he, 
with four of his brothers, enlisted in the One 
Hundred and Second Ohio Volunteer Infantry, 
serving with the regiment until the close of 
the war. In 1869, he began reading medi- 
cine with his brother. Dr. W. K. Foltz, of 
Sharon Center, Medina County, and, in 1869, 
graduated at Charity Hospital Medical Col- 
lege in Cleveland. Practiced one year at 
Ashland and then came to Akron, where he 
has since followed his profession. 

Dr. L. S. Ebright was born at Eoyalton, 
Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1844, and received 
his early education in the common schools of 
his native town. He served his country diir- 
ing the rebellion, and after its close began the 
study of medicine with his uncle. Dr. Thomas 
McEbright, of Akron, graduating from Char- 
ity Hospital Medical College in 1869 or 1870, 
since which time he has practiced in Aki'on. 
Is quite a politician, and is now (1881) a 
member of the State Legislature. 



Dr S. T. Odell was born at Bellville, Ind., 
in 1842, and received his preliminary educa- 
tion at Bellville Academy. In 1861, he en- 
tered the army, serving until 1863 with the 
Eleventh Indiana (Zouaves), and the balance 
of his term with the Fifty-third United States 
Colored Troops, of which he was Fii-st 
Lieutenant and Adjutant. While connected 
with the latter regiment, he read medicine 
with the sm-geon. Dr. B. S. Chase, of Akron, 
and at the close of his service — fall of 1865, 
attended a course of lectures at Ann Arbor, 
Mich., and the next year attended his second 
course at the Rush Medical College, Chicago, 
graduating in 1867. After practicing a few 
years in Indiana and Kansas, he came to 
Akron (Sixth Ward) in 1870, and has since 
remained there in practice, with the exception 
of about one year. 

Dr. H. C. Howard, son of Dr. E. W. How- 
ard, was born in Aki'on in 1842, and gradu- 
ated from the Akron High School in 1863. 
He then began the study of medicine with his 
father, graduated fi'om Bellevue Hospital 
Medical College in 1871, and has since fol- 
lowed the profession with his father. 

Dr. W. E. Chamberlin was born in Alle- 
gheny City in 1840, and was educated at 
Marietta (Ohio) High School. In 1854, he 
began the study of medicine with his father 
— then of Peninsula, in this county — and, 
from 1859 to 1861, assisted him in his profes- 
sion. He then entered the army and served 
about one year, most of the time being detailed 
as physician and nurse. At the close of his 
service, he practiced in Portage Coimty sev- 
eral years, and, in 1865, located at Clinton, 
in this county, where he remained until 1875, 
since which time he has practiced in Aki'on. 
Dui'ing his stay in Clinton, he attended one 
course of lectures at Ann Arbor, Mich., and 
one at Cleveland Medical College, receiving 
his degree from the latter in 1869. 

Dr. O. E. Brownell was born in St. Law- 
rence Coiinty, N. Y., in 1855, but at an early 
age came with his j)arents to this county, 
receiving his early education in the common 
schools and Mount Vernon High School. In 
1861, he entered thea rmy and served eighteen 
months. He then read medicine with Dr. 
Sisler, of Manchester, attended a course of 



Ml 



318 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



lectures at Cleveland in 1868, practiced in 
Greensbtirg until 1878, and then came to 
Akron, where he is at present. He now pays 
most of his attention to dentistiy. 

Dr. A. F. Chandler was bom in St. Law- 
rence County, N. Y., in 1845, but at an early 
age removed with his parents to Rockford, 111. 
In 1863, he enlisted with the One Hundred 
and Forty-sixth Illinois Infantry, and served 
with the regiment until the close of the war. 
He then attended and graduated from Rock- 
ford High School, and, in 1847, began reading 
medicine with Dr. W. E. Chandler, of his own 
place. In March, 1871, he graduated from 
the Chicago Medical College, and in the fol- 
lowing month located in Ala'on, where he has 
since practiced. 

Dr. H. D. Taggart was born in Wayne 
County, Ohio, in 1851, and received his early 
education in the common schools and the Hayes- 
ville Academy. Began reading medicine in 
the spring of 1870, with Doctor Roebuck, of 
his native town, Dalton, and, in 1874, gradu- 
ated fi-om Jefferson Medical College, Phila- 
delphia. He then located at Easton, Wayne 
County, remaining there six months, after 
which he came to Akron, where he has since 
continued in practice. 

Dr. Gr. G. Ba]j:er was born in Norwalk, 
Ohio, in 1849, and received his education at 
the common schools of that place and at West- 
ern Reserve College. In 1868, he began 
reading medicine with Drs. Read and Ford, 
of Norwalk, and, in 1872, came to Akron and 
entered the office of Dr. Ashmim. In June. 

1875, he graduated fi'om the Medical Depart- 
ment of Michigan University, and since that 
time has been practicing in Akron. 

Dr. H. M. Fisher was born in Waii'en, 
Penn., in 1848, and received his education in 
the Franklin and Warren Academies and 
Allegheny College. In 1867, he began read- 
ing medicine with Dr. Stranahan, of his native 
town, and, in 1872, graduated from Jefferson 
Medical College, Philadelphia. After prac- 
ticing in his native town a few months, he 
came to Akron, where he also remained a few 
months, going next to Allegheny City. In 

1876, he returned to Aki-on and continues 
there at this time. 

Dr. A. K. Fouser was born in Stark County 



in 1854, and graduated from Akron High 
School in 1873. He then began reading med- 
icine with Drs. Chase and Underwood, and 
graduated from Medical College of Ohio at 
Cincinnati in March, 1876, since which time 
he has practiced in Aki'on. 

Dr. James P. Boyd was born in England in 
1850, but came to this country while quite 
young. Received his education at James- 
town, N. Y., and Ann Arbor, Mich., and, in 
1872, began reading medicine with Dr. Hasel- 
tine, of Grand Rapids, Mich. In 1875, he 
graduated from Long Island College Hospital, 
and in the following year located in Akron, 
where he now remains. 

Dr. F. C. Reed was born in Ashtabula 
County in 1852, and was educated at the 
Grand River Institute in his native town — 
Austinburg. In 1872, he began reading med- 
icine with his brother. Dr. A. B. Reed, of 
Cleveland, and graduated from Charity Hos- 
pital Medical College in 1876, since which 
time he has followed his profession in the 
Sixth Ward of Akron. 

Dr. C. C. Davison was born in Northamp- 
ton Township in 1851, and was brought up on 
a farm. In 1872, he began reading medicine 
with Dr. E. W. Howard, and graduated from 
Columbus Medical College in 1877. After 
practicing several months at Botzum Station, 
in this county, he came to Sixth Ward, Akron, 
where he is now practicing. 

Dr. A. C. Belden was born at Castile, N. Y, 
in 1845, but at an eai'ly age removed with his 
parents toBvu'eau County, 111., receiving his ed- 
ucation at Dover Academy and at Poughkeepsie, 
N. Y. In 1863, he entered the army and 
served until the close of the war as private in 
Sixty-foiu-th Illinois Infantry. In 1870, he 
began the study of medicine with Dr. Thomp- 
son, of Princeton, 111., and graduated from 
Bellevue Hospital Medical College in 1875. 
In the following year, he came to Akron, and, 
in July, 1877, began the practice of his pro- 
fession, in which he has since continued. 

Dr. W. K. Foltz was born in Mifflin County, 
Penn., in 1829, and until the age of eighteen 
remained at home, alternately working and 
attending school. He then taught school for 
several years, and, in 1850, began reading- 
medicine with Dr. Stauber, of Wooster, Ohio. 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



319 



In 1855, be began practice at La Fayette 
Center, Medina County, and the following 
year removed to Sharon Center, where he 
remained until 1867, in the meantime having 
attended lectures and graduated at the Eclec- 
tic College of Medicine, Cincinnati, in 1859. 
From 1867 to 1877, he was engaged in the 
drug business at Ashland, and since then has 
been practicing in Aki'on. 

Dr. L. S. Sweitzer was born in Tuscarawas 
County, Ohio, and was educated at Heidel- 
berg College, Tiffin, Ohio. Began reading 
medicine with Dr. Buchman in 1872, and 
graduated from Cleveland Medical College in 
1875, after which he served eighteen months 
in the Cleveland Hospital. He then prac- 
ticed some time in his native county, spent 
one year in New York City attending lectures, 
and, in the spring of 1879, located in Akron, 
where he is at the present time. 

Dr. L. J. Proehl was born at Aki'on in 1850, 
but at the age of eight removed with his par- 
ents into Coventry Township. In 1873, he 
entered the National Normal School at Leb- 
anon, Ohio, graduating in 1876. He then 
began the study of medicine with Dr. W. C. 
J acobs, and gi'aduated from Medical College 
of Ohio, at Cincinnati, in 1879, since which 
time he has practiced in Akron. 

Dr. Eli Conn was born in Butler County, 
Penn., in 1839. In 1861, he entered the 
army, serving four years, after which he 
attended Baldwin University, graduating in 
1868. Attended lectures at Cleveland Medi- 
cal College in 1869 and 1871; practiced a 
short time, and, in 1872, was elected to the 
office of Prothonotary of his native county, 
serving four years. In the spring of 1876, 
he graduated from Charity Hospital Medical 
College; practiced in Butler County until 
1880, when he came to Akron. 

Dr. T. K. Jacobs, Jr., was born in Lima in 
1856, and, from 1873 to 1876, attended Ohio 
Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio. He 
then began reading medicine with his brother, 
Dr. W. C. Jacobs, graduated from Medical 
College of Ohio, at Cincinnati, in 1880, and 
same year began practice with his brother in 
Akron. 

Dr. J. W. Lyon is a native of Copley, and 
was educated in the common schools of his 



neighborhood. Began reading medicine in 
1874 with Drs. Chase and Underwood, of 
Akron. Graduated from Columbus Medical 
College in 1877. Practiced several years at 
Clinton, after which he came to Akron and 
entered the dental profession. 

In addition to the above we have the fol- 
lowing-named physicians who have practiced 
in the county, but of whom, for various rea- 
sons, no definite notes could be procured. 

Dr. B. B. Brashear is a native of Fayette 
County, Penn., where he was bom in 1822. 
Duringr the late war he served as Surgeon of 
the Sixteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantiy, and, 
in 1878, came to Akron. 

Dr. D. A. Scott was born in Harrison County, 
Ohio, and, since 1848, has practiced medicine 
in Akron. 

Dr. Frank A. Hanford, a native of Cuya- 
hoga Falls, and graduate of Western Beserve 
College; read medicine with Dr. T. Mc- 
Ebright, and graduated at Charity Hospital 
Medical College in 1875. He then practiced 
in Sixth Ward a short time, but his health 
failing he went to California, where he soon 
afterward died of consumption. 

Dr. John Wyltenbach practiced in Akron 
for some years previous to about 1876. He 
now lives in the South. 

Dr. J. K. Holloway came to Aki-on from 
Pennsylvania somewhere about 1870, and 
practiced until the time of his death in 1874. 

Dr. W. P. Morrison practiced in Akron a 
few years in the 70's, and then went to Can- 
ada, where he died. 

Dr. A. F. Peck came to Aki'on in the early 
part of last decade; practiced a few years, and 
then went to Cleveland where he died in 1877. 

Dr. O. D. Childs (Homoeopath), was bom 
at Moretown, Vt, in 1840, and up to the age 
of twenty-one lived at home on a farm, receiv- 
ing in the meantime a common and high 
school education. In 1863, he began reading 
homoeopathy at Oshkosh, Wis., and graduated 
from the Cleveland Homoeopathic College in 
1867, since which he has j)racticed in Aki'on. 

Dr. William Mmxioch (Homoeopath), was 
born in Scotland in 1842, but at an early age 
came with his parents to this country and 
became a resident of Triunbull County, Ohio. 
His preliminaiy education was obtained at the 



-« ® l>> 



320 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



Orvill Normal School, and at Eastman Busi- 
ness College. In 1809, he began the study 
of homoeopathic medicine, and graduated from 
the Cleveland Homoeopathic Hospital College 
in 1873, since which he has followed his pro- 
fession ; two years at Garrettsville and the bal- 
ance of the time in Alcron. 

Dr. J. W. Rockwell (Homoeopath), was born 
at Hudson in 1840, and attended the Akron 
schools. In 1873, he began the study of med- 
icine with Dr. Childs, graduated from Chicago 
Hahnemann College in 1877, and since then 
has practiced in Akron. 

Dr. DeWitt Cx. Wilcox (Homoeopath), was 
born in Akron in 1858, and graduated from 
the Akron High School in 1876, after which 
he attended Buchtel College for a few years. 
He then began the study of medicine with 
Dr. Murdoch; graduated from Cleveland Ho- 
moeopathic College in 1880, and since then 
has practiced in Akron. 

Dr. T. R. Grow (Homoeopath), practiced in 
the Sixth Ward of Akron for several years, 
going thence to Vermont in 1880. 

Dr. Whitmore (Homoeopath), read medicine 
with Dr. Grow, and is now practicing in 
Sixth Ward, Akron. 

Dr. C. W. Rice, the first physician who was 
ever pennanently located in Cuyahoga Falls, 
was born in Middlefield, Otsego Co., N. Y., in 
1803; studied medicine with Dr. Spafford, of 
Cooperstown, N. Y., and gi-aduated from Fair- 
field College, at Cazenovia, in the same State 
in 1829. After practicing one year with his 
preceptor, he came to Cuyahoga Falls in 1830, 
and there followed his profession until his 
death, which occm-red in 1861. He was a 
man of very decided character, positive in his 
likes and dislikes, bitter in his denunciations 
of homoeopathy, and outspoken in his oj5]iosi- 
tion to Freemasomy ; but withal was a skillful 
siu*geon as well as a benevolent and highly 
respected citizen. 

Dr. John Davis came to Cuyahoga Falls in 
1840. He was well educated in medicine, 
acquired a good practice and was highly 
spoken of by the profession as well as by the 
people generally. He removed to Michigan 
about 1853. 

Dr. P. G. Summers, of what is known as the 
Thomsonian School of Medicine, practiced in 



Cuyahoga Falls a niunber of years, during 
which time he attained a good reputation as 
a physician and was held in high esteem by 
the people. He sei'\'ed one tenn in the State 
Legislature, and held the office of Postmaster 
under Lincoln and Johnson. 

Dr. Foote, an adherent of the botanical 
system of medicine, practiced in Cuyahoga 
Falls a number of years. Among those who 
practiced in this village at some time or other 
in the past, but of whom nothing definite 
could be learned, we find the names of Dr. 
Corry, Dr. S. Perham, Dr. J. S. Newbury, Dr. 
Hubbard, Dr. Shoemaker and Dr. Henshaw, 
the last being of the homoeopathic school. 

Dr. Mary Watson lived in Cuyahoga Falls 
some twenty years, leaving there in 1870. 
She claimed to be an Eclectic, and is reported 
to have had some practice, especially among 
her own sex, but is probably best remembered 
on account of her rather eccentric character. 

Dr. G. C. Upson, our oldest living practitioner 
of medicine, was born in Tallmadge Township, 
Summit County, Ohio, in 1821. He read 
medicine with Dr. Rice, of Cuyahoga Falls, 
and attended lectures at the medical depart- 
ment of Western Reserve College, graduating 
fi-om that institution in 1847. After practic- 
ing three years with Dr. Taylor, of Twinsbm'g, 
in this county, he located at Cuyahoga Falls, 
where he has since practiced. 

Dr. T. F. Heath was born in Connecticut, 
but spent most of his early life in Western 
New York. Attended a course of lectures at 
the medical college in Pittsfield, Mass., and 
afterward two courses at the College of Physi- 
cians and Surgeons in New York City, gradu- 
ating fi'om the latter in March, 1851. In July 
of the same year, he came to Cuyahoga Falls 
where he has since practiced his profession, 
besides being of late years connected with the 
drug business. 

Dr. J. M. Crafts was born in 1840, and is 
the son of Dr. Ambrose S. Crafts, who came 
to Ravenna in 1860. He graduated from 
Charity Hospital Medical College, Cleveland, 
in 1864, and then entered the army as Assist- 
ant Surgeon, serving as such for nearly three 
years. In 1873, he came to Cuyahoga Falls, 
and is practicing there at the present time. 

Dr. W. S. Hough was born in Portage 



ik* 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



320a 



County, Ohio, in 1844, and served during the 
late war as a private. At the close of his army 
life he studied medicine, and graduated from 
Charity Hosptial Medical College in 1866. 
Practiced ten years with Dr. J. C. Ferguson 
at Mogadore, and then came to Cuyahoga 
Falls, where he is now practicing in partner- 
ship with Dr. J. M. Crafts. 

Dr. A. H. Bill was born in Cuyahoga Falls 
in 1851. Studied medicine with Dr. C. M. 
Fitch, of Chicago, and graduated fi-om Rush 
Medical College in 1875. Practiced in the 
office of his preceptor until November, 1875, 
when he returned to his old home, where he 
is now practicing. 

Dr. H. W. Carter (Homoeopath), was born 
in Twinsbiu'g, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1841. 
Graduated fit-om the Cleveland Homoeopathic 
Medical College in 1869, and after one year 
of professional experience at Knoxville, Tenn., 
he located in Cuyahoga Falls, his present 
place of business. 

Dr. Moses Thompson was in all proba- 
bility the first physician w^ho was ever per- 
manently located in that section of the 
country now known as Summit County, and to 
Hudson belongs the credit of fiu-nishing this 
historical character. He studied medicine in 
Litchfield County, Conn., with Dr. Everest 
and Dr. North, and with such training as he 
got from his worthy preceptors, he went to 
what is now known as Kinderhook, N. Y., to 
practice his profession. While here the Con- 
necticut Company's great land purchase and 
the consequent Western fever attracted him, 
and being authorized by his father and 
brother to go and "spy out the land" for them, 
he came to Hudson with the colony under the 
guidance of Daniel Hudson. Having selected 
land for his father and brothers, he went 
East on foot and brought back his own family 
and those of his father and two brothers. 
This was in the year 1800, when he began the 
practice of his profession in the wilderness, 
and for some years there was no other physi- 
cian nearer than Warren, and his ride ex- 
tended fi-om Cleveland to fifty miles south of 
Hudson. In 1815, he retired fi-om practice 
and went into general business, which he fol- 
lowed until his death, which occun'ed in 1858. 

Dr. Jonathan Metcalf, the second physician 



to settle in Hudson, was a native of Connecti- 
cut, and received his early education at the 
academies of Franklin and Colchester, and 
the public schools of the period. In 1807, he 
went to Middlebury, Vt, and commenced the 
study of medicine with Dr. BaiT, and dm'ing 
his three yeai's stay here he attended two 
courses of medical lectures at Dartmouth Col- 
lege. After completing his medical education 
in the spring of 1812, he stai'ted on horseback 
to look up some good field for practice in the 
West. In this way he came to Am'ora, then 
a settlement of a few years' growth, but not 
being very favorably impressed with the out- 
look, he was on the point of returning to 
Pittsburgh, when he met Mr. Hudson, of the 
Hudson colony, who persuaded him to visit 
the latter place, which he did on the 6th of 
June, and being highly pleased with the pros- 
pect he decided to remain, and at once began 
the practice of his profession. At that time 
Twinsburg and Streetsboro were not yet set- 
tled, but subsequently his practice extended 
into those places as well as to Am'ora, Mantua, 
Aubmrn, Troy, Hiram, Brecksville and Bath. 
He retired fi'om active practice in 1850, and 
died in 1869. 

Dr. Israel Town came fi'om Connecticut to 
Hudson dm-ing the first half of the second dec- 
ade of present century. Of his early life 
nothing definite can be obtained, but he is 
credited with being a well-read and careful 
practitioner, his coimsel in critical cases being 
especially in demand. He continued in the 
practice of his profession until within a few 
years of his death. 

Dr. William Everett was a native of Ver- 
mont, and came to Hudson some time between 
1 825 and 1 830. He continued in practice imtil 
his death, which occiu'red in 1833. On the 
occasion of his death, the Congregational 
Chvu'ch, of which he was a member, made the 
following record: "Dr. Everett was chosen to 
the office of Deacon in November, 1831, which 
office he well discharged while living. He 
adorned his profession as a Christian, and 
died universally lamented." 

Dr. L. D. Osborne, after receiving an 
academic education, entered the Lake Erie 
Medical College, since merged into the Star- 
ling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio; study- 






A^ 



3201. 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY. 



ing in the meanwhile as a private student 
under Dr. Delemater, a professor in the insti- 
tution. He graduated in 1845, and, after 
practicing in various parts of the State, came 
to Hudson in 1854, where he has since fol- 
lowed his profession up to the present time. 

Dr. F. Hodge began his collegiate course 
in Western Reserve College, subsequently 
gi-aduating at Yale College. He studied med- 
icine with Dr. Frank Hamilton, now of New 
York City, and attended lectures at the Buf- 
falo Medical College. In 1804 he settled in 
Hudson, where he is now practicing. 

Dr. A. E. Berbower began the study of med- 
icine with Dr. Baker, of Wooster, Ohio, and 
subsequently became the private pupil of Prof. 
Weber, of Cleveland. Grraduated from Medi- 
cal Department of the Wooster University in 
1865, after which he practiced his profession 
until 1880, when he died of consumption. 

Dr. G. L. Starr is a native of Hudson, and 
an alumnus of Western Reserve College, Class 
of '56. He studied medicine with Di-. May- 
nard, attended lectm'es at the Cleveland Med- 
ical College, and subsequently graduated from 
the Bellevue Hospital Medical College in New 
York City. Located in Hudson in 1878, and 
continues in his profession to this time. 

Dr. J. P. Sobey graduated from the Cleve- 
land High School in 1871, and fi'om the Cleve- 
land Homoeopathic Medical College in 1877. 
Came to Hudson in the following year, and 
has since followed his profession in that 
place. 

Dr. Harrison Danforth, a native of New 
Hampshire, came to Hudson about the year 1840 
and read medicine with Dr. Town. After sev- 
eral years of study, he adopted the so-called 
Eclectic system of medicine which he has since 
continued to practice. In the early years of his 
practice, he devoted some of his time to farm- 
ing, but for the past twenty years he has given 
his entire attention to the practice of his pro- 
fession in the vicinity of Hudson. 

Tallmadge Township, though it claims but a 
small share in the medical history of the 
county, yet furnishes one of the most valuable 
contributions in our whole collection, its spe- 
cial interest being due to the fact that tliree 
generations of the same name and family 
have been regular practitioners of medicine in 



the township; the first of whom was one of 
the earliest settlers, as well as the second phy- 
sician in the county; the second being now 
one of the oldest physicians in this section of 
the country, while the third has but recently 
entered the profession. /-nj 

Dr. Amos C. Wright was born in Winsted, 
Litchfield County, Conn., September 5, 1782. 
His father, Captain John Wright, was an 
officer in the Revolutionary war, and a pioneer 
in the settlement of the northern part of Con- 
necticut. At the age of sixteen, the subject of 
our sketch began the study of medicine with 
Dr. Minor, remaining with him about five 
years, and being in the meantime licensed to 
practice by the Litchfield County Medical So- 
ciety. In 1801, he came to Ohio and settled in 
Vernon, Trumbull County, where he remained 
about a year and a half practicing and teach- 
ing school, after which he went back to Con- 
necticut and was married to Miss Lydia Kinne. 
Accompanied by his wife and his father's fam- 
ily, he retui'ned to Ohio in 1803, and prac- 
ticed in Vernon, Trumbull County, until 1808, 
when, at the solicitation of Rev. David Bacon, 
he came to Tallmadge. At that time there 
were only three or four families in the town- 
ship, and Dr. Thompson, of Hudson, was the 
only physician in Summit County. In 1812, 
he was appointed Sui'geon to a company of 
militia which was stationed at Old Portage, 
by order of Gren. Harrison, until after Perry's 
victory on Lake Erie. Dr. Wright continued 
in the practice of his profession until near the 
close of his life; was successful, had a wide- 
spread reputation and was highly esteemed by 
all who knew him. He died in 1845. 

Dr. Amos Wright, the son and successor of 
Dr. Amos C. Wright, was born in 1808, and 
was the first white male child born in Tall- 
madge Township. When nine years of age, 
he was sent to the academy to study the class- 
ics as preparatory to a professional ediication, 
and, at the age of nineteen, began the study 
of medicine under his father. In 1830, he 
attended his first course of lectures at the Med- 
ical College of Ohio, in Cincinnati, and the 
next year attended the Medical Department of 
Yale College, receiving his diploma fi'om the 
last-named institution in the spring of 1832. 

He first began practicing medicine in Mid- 



-4^ 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



320c 



dlebuT}^, now the Sixth Ward of Akron, and 
while there kept the first exchisive drug store 
in the county. Six months later he went to 
Vernon, Trumliull County, where he remained 
three years, gaining quite an extensive prac- 
tice, but, in 1835, at the earnest solicitation of 
his father he returned to his native town, 
where he has been in practice continuously up 
to the present time. 

Dr. Samuel St. John Wright, son of Dr. 
Amos Wright, was born in Tallmadge and re- 
ceived his education at the common schools 
and at Western Reserve College. At the age 
of eighteen he began reading medicine with 
his father, and a few year's later gi'aduated 
from Cleveland Medical College. He practiced 
one year in Tallmadge, then removed to Ne- 
braska, where he remained four years, and 
since that time has practiced with his father 
in Tallmadge. 

Dr. Sperry has for many years been a resi- 
dent of Tallmadge, but diu'ing a considerable 
portion of the time has been engaged in the 
manufactui'ing business. His early history 
and place of birth were not ascertained. Sev- 
eral more physicians have at vai'ious times 
been located in Tallmadge, but none except 
those named above have ever remained for any 
great length of time. 

Concerning the eai'ly history of medical 
practice in Norton Township, very little can 
now be ascertained, but from careful research 
we find that since 1840 no less than fifteen phy- 
sicians have at various times been located with- 
in its limits for the practice of their profession. 

Dr. Alexander Fisher was born in Massa- 
chusetts, read medicine with a Dr. Richards 
in, or near, Skaneateles, N. Y., and came to 
Western Star sometime between 1840 and 
1845, where he remained until about 1852; 
then practiced in Akron until near the time of 
the breaking-out of the rebellion, v/hen he 
went West and is now practicing in Chicago. 
During his stay in Norton he enjoyed the rep- 
utation of being a splendid physician for his 
time, and had probably more students than 
any one doctor ever in the township. Among 
the latter were Drs. Amos Warner, Harry 
Spellman, A. H. Agard, E. Gr. Hard, now of 
Medina, and John Hill, now a member of the 
Ohio State Legfislatiu'e. 



Dr. M. M. Dickson came to Norton Town- 
ship in 1852, and began the study of medi- 
cine, soon afterward taking his degi-ee from 
Cleveland Medical College in 1855. The next 
year he located at Johnson's Corners, where 
he practiced until 1862, when he entered the 
service of his country as Assistant Surgeon. 
Was attached to the Western army under Gen. 
Rosecrans in the campaign of Stone River 
and Chattanooga, and thence with "Sherman 
to the sea." After a service of two years and 
eight months he retm^ned to Johnson's Corners, 
where he has continued in the practice of his 
profession until the present time. 

Dr. A. H. Agard succeeded his preceptor, 
Dr. Fisher, in the practice of medicine at 
Western Star, but after a stay of only a few 
years he went West and is now at Sandusky, 
Ohio. 

Dr. Dreher began practicing at Western 
Star some time near the beginning of the late 
war, but after a few years removed to Loyal 
Oak where he remained two years, going next 
to Smithville where he now resides. 

Dr. John Hill was born in Sussex, England, 
in 1823. His father, Mr. John Hill, came to 
this country in 1828, and settled near Utica, N. 
Y., where he was engaged in farming until 1837, 
when he came to Cuyahoga County, in this State. 
The subject of this sketch left home at the 
age of fifteen, and by means of hard work and 
teaching school, succeeded in acquiring a lim- 
ited education. In 1847, he began the study 
of medicine with Dr. Alexander Fisher, of 
Western Star, and in the two following win- 
ters attended lectures in the Cleveland Medi 
cal College. In 1850, he went to California 
where he remained about thi*ee years, going 
from there to Australia, then to London and 
finally back home again in 1854. During the 
winter of 1854-55, he attended lectures at 
Cleveland Medical College, and the following 
winter went to Jefierson Medical College, Phil- 
adelphia, graduating in the sjiring of 1856. 
After practicing m Sharon, Medina County, 
for nearly a year, he settled on a fann near 
Western Star, where he now resides. For a 
few years he devoted part of his time to prac- 
tice, but soon di-o])ped medicine entirely and 
paid his entire attention to fanning. In 1870, 
he was elected to the office of County Commis- 



f 






H>^ 



320d 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



sioner, which office he held by virtue of re- 
elections until 1879, when he resigned by 
reason of his election to a seat in the State 
Legislature. 

Dr. F. F. Falk served dui'ing the late war 
as Hospital Steward of the Sixteenth Ohio 
Volunteers, and while acting in that capacity 
read medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. 
B. S. Chase. After being mustered out of serv- 
ice he attended lectures at Starling Medical 
College, Columbus, Ohio, receiving his degree 
in the spring of 1865. He then went to Nash- 
ville, Tenn., where for the next six months he 
did efficient hospital duty under an appoint- 
ment of Assistant Surgeon United States 
Army. Upon his return to Ohio, he located 
at Western Star; but after a few years prac- 
tice he fell a victim to consumption and died. 

Dr. Charles F. H. Willgohs, a native of 
Germany, settled at Dennison, in Norton Town- 
ship, about the year 1870, and continued prac- 
ticing there until about 1878, when he 
removed to Doylestown, Wayne County, his 
present home. 

Dr. F. W. Swan, a native of Pennsylvania, 
succeeded Dr. Dreher, as the next physician, 
at Loyal Oak. He remained but two years. 

Dr. William T. Parmele, a native of New 
York State, came to Loyal Oak in 1875. After 
practicing in that place about three years, he 
went to Greensburg, but two years later, in 
1880, returned to Norton Township, locating 
this time in New Portage, where he is now 
practicing. 

Dr. Austin T. Woods read medicine with 
Dr. J. A. Knowlton and Dr. H. M. Fisher, of 
Akron, graduated from Cleveland Medical Col- 
lege in 1879, and soon afterward began prac- 
ticing at Loyal Oak, where he is at the pres- 
ent time. 

Dr. A. B. Campbell, Dr. Griesmer, Dr. 
Zwisler and Dr. Mikesell, each practiced in 
the township a short time. 

Dr. Alpheus Babcock was one of the earliest 
settlers of Coventry Township, and practiced 
there for a number of years. 

Dr. Elijah Canfield, another of the early set^ 
tiers, practiced medicine in the township for 
over thirty years. 

Dr. Samuel Austin practiced in the town- 
ship a few years. 



Dr. Jackson Chapman began practicing in 
Copley about the year 1835, and continued 
twelve or fifteen yeai's. 

Dr. Byron Chapman began the practice of 
his profession in Copley about 1845, and has 
continued up to the present time. 

The history of Green Township furnishes 
us with an addition of about fifteen to our 
already long list of Siimmit County doctors, 
but, unfortunately for the I'eader as well as 
for futiu'e historians, little if anything more 
than a mere mention of their names can be 
said of a majority of them at this time. 

Dr. Smith, first name not known, was the 
first man wlio practiced medicine in this towTi- 
ship, and all that can be learned concerning 
him is that he was an old man in 1830. 

Dr. John Thomas was the first physician in 
the village of Greensbm'g. He came there 
about 1838, and remained two years, removing 
thence to Wood County. 

Drs. A. H. Mann, H. Peters, Jacob Musser, 
Wesley Boden, David Joseph, Benjamin F. 
Sampseil and Garber followed in close succes- 
sion, each remaining a year or two. Then 
came Dr. C. A. Perdue, who practiced in the 
village about six years, though not continu- 
ously. Next came Dr. Markam, who re- 
mained one year; then Dr. O. E. Brovraell, 
who remained ten years, and is mentioned 
among the Akron sketches. Following him 
came Dr. Howland who remained two years, 
Dr. Parmele, one year, and Dr. Reynolds, who 
was there at the same time and also remained 
one year. 

East Liberty has had two doctors, L. S. 
Witwer and Jonathan Buchtel, each of whom 
remained about six years. The township is 
without a physician at present. 

Richfield Township has for the last fifty 
years or more been well supplied with medical 
men, so far at least as niimbers are concerned ; 
and fi-om the date of the earliest settlements 
in the county up to 1840, the sm-roimding 
towns to a distance of about eight or ten miles 
depended upon Riclifield doctors. 

Dr. Secretary Rawson, the first physician in 
the township, was born in the town of Warwick, 
now Franklin Co., Mass., in the year 179(3, and 
received his early education in the common 
schools of that State. At the age of ten he 



k. 



IILSTOKY OF SVMMIT COINTY. 



5-20e 



received from an uncle a share in a circulate 
ing library, which for the next six years occu- 
pied his leisure hoiu's; reading mostly at 
night and by the light of a pitch-pine knot 
stuck in the chimney corner, which, "as he 
says," not only gave light and intelligence to 
the recipient, biit to the whole household. 
When seventeen years old he began a regular 
coiu'se of study at New Salem Academy, where 
he continiied through the summer months of 
the next four years, his winters in the mean- 
while being spent in teaching school. He then 
entered the office of Dr. Secretary Rawson, of 
Waterbury, Vt., where he remained two years, 
going thence to Royalston. Mass., where he 
spent three years in the office of Dr. Batchel- 
lor. During the last two years of his medical 
course of study he practiced enoiigh to pay his 
own expenses, and at its close received a 
diploma from a medical society at Montpelier, 
Vt. In 1823, he came to Ohio, and after prac- 
ticing one year in Madison, Geauga County, 
came to Richfield, where he continued in 
active practice for the next forty-two years. 
In 18(j(), he removed to Des Moines, Iowa, 
where he still resides. He was always an en- 
ergetic and well-informed physician, and had 
the will and ability to defend his opinions with 
tongue or pen. being then, as he is now, a fre- 
quent contributor to the newspapers. 

Dr. Bela B. Clark practiced in Richfield 
fi'om 1830 to 1830, going then to Brunswick, 
Medina County. Next came Dr. Hiram Whee- 
ler and Dr. W^illiam Miuison, both of whom 
did a large business for a niunber of years. 
The former died several years ago, and the 
latter is now living in Independence, Cuya- 
hoga County. Following these came a Dr. 
Everett, who practiced in the township a few 
years only. 

Dr. Nathan Stevenson read medicine in 
Richfield with Dr. Mimson, and after gi'aduat- 
ing fi'om a college in New York City, prac- 
ticed some years with his preceptor. He Chen 
removed to Illinois; served as Surgeon durino- 
the rebellion, and died some years ago. 

Dr. A. E. Ewing came to Richfield in 1850, 
and has ever since resided there except when 
his roaming propensity has carried him off to 
some other field for a short time. He gradu- 
ated from an old medical collej/e in New En- 



gland, but, as he says, "is not considered quite 
orthodox in medicine or anything else." Dr. 
H. B. Johnson, now of Beloit, Wis., practiced 
in the township some years, and sei-ved as 
Sm-geon of an Ohio regiment during the re- 
bellion. Dr. I. B. Beach also practiced here 
a few years in company with his son-in-law. 
Dr. Johnson. Dr. William Jones studied med- 
icine with Dr. Johnson, and like his preceptor 
served as Surgeon in the late wai*. Dr. Cra- 
ven practiced here about three years in the 
first half of the present decade. Besides the 
above a Dr. Jewett was here a short time pre- 
vious to 1840, and a Dr. Dickerson fi-om about 
1860 to 1870. Three or fom- homoeopaths 
have at different times tried to gain a patron- 
age in the township, but their success has 
never warranted more than a short residence 
in the place. 

At the present time the health of the town- 
ship is looked after by Dr. Ewing, Dr. Wesley 
Pope and Dr. Chamberlin. 

In Bath Township there are several doctors 
practicing at present. Dr. E. K. Nash, at 
Montrose, and Dr. R. Randall, at Haiimiond's 
Corners. 

In Franklin Township Dr. Adam Sisler, a 
native of Pennsylvania, has practiced in Man- 
chester since about 1850. Dr. D. Rowe has 
practiced in the same j^lace since about 1873 

O ID. 

Twinsburg Township has foimd need for 
physicians like all the world beside, but very 
few have ever found it a profitable field for 
practice. 

Dr. Otis Bois, from Blanford. Mass., came 
to the township about 1834. and practiced 
medicine about two yeai's in connection with 
carrying on a general merchandise store. The 
next was Dr. Taylor, from Aurora, Portage 
County, who came to Northfield about 1840, 
and practiced successfully about three or four 
years. Following Dr. Taylor came Dr. John 
E. Stevens, who remained a few years and 
then went to Youngstown, Ohio. About the 
same time or perhaps a little later, Dr. Selby 
moved into the townshi]) from Colimer, and re- 
mained a few years. In 1803. Dr. Collins, of 
Bedford, came into the township where he 
practiced for the next three or fovir years. 
About the same time Dr. Seth Freeman, who 



■'T 



■S2(Y 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY 



had privately read homoeopathy, began the 
practice of his profession, and has advanced 
to a fair business. Not far from the same 
time Dr. Proctor Clark, after attending lec- 
tvu-es in Cleveland began the practice of ho- 
moeopathy. 

Suman Grriste, a brother-in-law of Dr. 
Freeman, studied homoeopathy with the lat- 
ter, and is to-day practicing his profession. 

The first physician of whom we have any 
record as having practiced in Noiilifield Town- 
ship was Dr. Hosea Bliss. He gradiiated from 
Burlington (Vermont) College, in 1825. and, 
fn 1884, came to Northfield where he continued 
in practice until the time of his death, in 
1874. 

Dr. Perkins Wallace came to Brandywine, 
in this township, some time about 1886, and 
remained one year. After this we find the 
names of Dr. Caruther. Dr. Jones, Dr. Benja- 
min, Dr. Haseltine, Dr. Carley, homoeopath, 
and Dr. Cranmer, homoeopath, each of whom 
remained about one year. 

Next came Dr. H. B. Hart, who remained 
two years. 

Dr. K. S. Hul)bard came to the place in 
1877, and continues in practice at the pres- 
ent date. He was educated at Baldwin Uni- 
versity, and is a graduate of Charity Hospital 
Medical College. 

The oidy physician who was ever located in 
Stow Township was Dr. Luther Spaulding. 
He came from Connecticut and located at 
what is known as Stow Corners in the spring 
of 1825, practicing there until August of the 
same year, when he died. 

From Boston Township we get the follow- 
ing brief history: Dr. S. Pixley was born in 
Franklin County, Mass., in 1810, but came to 
this county before he was a year old. Having 
received his preliminary education at the com- 
mon schools and Wadsworth Academy, he be- 
gan the study of medicine with Drs. Trask 
and Leonard, of Stringsville, about the year 
1841. He afterward read one year with Dr. 
Miinson, of Richfield. Gradiiated fi'om Cleve- 
land Medical College in 1847, and since then 



has practiced most of the time in Penin- 
sula. 

Dr. Humplu'ey I'ead medicine with Dr. Pix- 
ley, and has practiced in Peninsula for foiu-- 
teen years. 

Dr. A. M. Cole also read medicine with Dr. 
Pixley, and has been in Peninsula for the last 
six years or more, though engaged in other 
business than the practice of his profession 
during most of the time. 

Coventry Township has for the most part 
depended upon Aki-on and Manchester for its 
doctors. Dr. William Reed practiced for a 
number of years in Thomastown, and, about 
1876, removed to Mogadore. Dr. J. W. Sor- 
rick was born at Manchester, this county, in 
1848, and received his education in the com- 
mon schools of that place, and the Noimal 
School at Lebanon, Ohio. About 1871, he be- 
gan reading medicine wdth Dr. W. C. Jacobs, 
of Akron, and, in 1875, graduated at medical 
college of Ohio at Cincinnati. Practiced in 
Aki-on until 1878, since which time he has 
been practicing at Thomastown. Dr. John B. 
Thomas was reared in the vicinity of Thomas- 
town, read medicine with Drs. Bowen and 
Foltz; graduated at Charity Hosiptal Medical 
College, Cleveland, in 1880, and has since 
then been practicing at his old home. 

It is but appropriate that some notice of the 
medical societies of Summit County should be 
made in this sketch of the profession. Our 
limited space, however, will admit of the very 
briefest mention. As early as 1842, the 
meml^ers of the medical profession met to- 
gether and organized a society by adopting a 
"preamble and constitution," and fonnally 
constituting themselves into a regular society. 
This society continued in existence a number 
of years, and finally became extinct. Again, 
in Febraury, 18()('), a meeting was held in the 
ofiice of Dr. J. J. Smith, its object being the 
re-organization of a medical society, and as a 
final result the "Suimnit County Medical So- 
ciety" was organized. This society is still in 
existence, and is an institution of considerable 
interest to the profession of the county. 



-:f]: 




.--^x-tr^^^^^C ^-^^^^^t^^-^ 






PORTACxE TOWNSHIP. 



321 



CHAPTER VII.* 

PORTAGE TOWNSHIP — INTRODUCTION — TOPOGRAPHY — EARLY SETTLEMENT— CANAL LOTTHRV- 
THE COUNTERFEITING PLOT— TOWNSHIP OFFICERS, ETC. 



r|"^HE township of Portage possesses a pe- 
1 culiarl}' interesting history. Its celebrated 
" Portage Path " not only turnished a name to 
the township, but also to the county in which it 
was situate prior to the erection of Summit 
Count}-. As the Portage Path has served so 
man}- uses as a boundary line, it will not be out 
of place to here briefl}- note them. In the first 
place, it constituted a portion of the ancient 
line of separation between the confederated 
Six Nations and the Western Indians. B}- the 
treat}' of Fort Mcintosh, near where is now 
Beaver, Penn., in 1785, the United States ac- 
quired from the Indians all the territory be 
yond the Ohio River and east of this line. 
When the great Northwest Territory, including 
this and more, was established in 1787, by 
ordinance of the Continental Congress, the 
Governor and three Judges thereof were ap- 
pointed by Congress. These men entered upon 
their duties with headquarters at Campus Mar- 
tins, now Marietta. Their first act was to cre- 
ate the county of Washington, July 27, 1788, 
named in honor of Gen. George Washington. 
Its western boundary was the Cuyahoga River, 
the old portage path, and the Tuscarawas River 
as far south as the southern line of the West- 
ern Reserve. This was practically the western 
border of the United States, and so remained 
until the year 1805. In 1796, August 15, the 
county of Wayne was set off, having for its 
eastern limit the same line. July 29, 1797, 
Jefferson County was erected out of Washing 
ton, its western line being so far coincident 
with that of Washington. 

On the 4th of July, 1805, at Fort Industry, 
on the Maumee River, representatives of both 
the General Government and the Connecticut 
Land Company, after much delay and reluct- 
ance on the part of the Indians, succeeded in 
negotiating a treaty with them, by which a final 
settlement of their unextinguished claim to all 
lands of the Reserve west of the Cuyahoga 
River, the portage path and the Tuscarawas 

■' By Charles Whittlesey Foote. 



River, was accomplished ; all their right and title 
to the lands in question were thereby ceded to the 
United States. Thus we see that for a consid- 
erable time a portion of what is now the town- 
ship of Portage was within the United States, 
while another portion was not. After several 
further unimportant territorial modifications, 
the counties of Cuyahoga and Portage were 
authorized the same day, by act of the Ohio 
Legislature, February 10, 1807, and were both 
within a few years erected in accordance with 
that act. Now, for the first time, the •' Portage 
Path " loses its distinctive service of impor- 
tance as a dividing line. All the early convey- 
ances of land in its vicinity make frequent 
reference to it as a well-known monument, and 
all parcels abutting upon it were so described 
and bounded. And now, having at such length 
evolved it historically, let us inquire as to just 
what the path was. Years before the white 
man invaded this country, the Indians had 
been in the habit of traveling across between 
Lake Erie and the Ohio River. The canoe was 
their most natural and easy mode of journey- 
ing. Ascending the Cuyahoga as far as the 
great bend, then transporting the boats and 
luggage by this, the shortest trail, a little more 
than eight miles in length, over to the head- 
waters of the Tuscarawas, they could reach 
the Ohio by way of the ^luskingum River 
without again touching land. Many a burden 
of those various things in which their traffic 
consisted has been packed "over the portage," 
one of the links in this chain of communica- 
tion and commercial highway. One of the 
very earliest maps of this section known, is 
that of Evans', published in Philadelphia in the 
year 1755. Upon it appears, witli tolerable 
geographic accuracy, the "Cayahoga" River, 
the " Portage, " and a stream evidently designed 
to represent the Tuscarawas. 

In a publication by Capt. Thomas Ilutchins, 
London, 1788, is a mention, among the '^ Carry- 
ing Places between the Ohio and Lake Erie," 
as follows : "From Muskingum to Cayahoga, 



^^ 



322 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



a creek that leads to Lake Erie, which is 
muddy and not very swift, and nowhere ob- 
structed with falls or rifts, is the best portage 
between the Ohio and Lake Erie." 

Evidences of the location of the path were 
plainly visible many years after its original 
followers were sunk again into the retreating 
forests. In fact, the track may now be observed 
in places, and the entire course closely followed 
from end to end. The path was very winding, 
a characteristic of all Indian trails, avoiding 
hills wherever possible and sidling up them 
when they must be climbed. Leaving the Cuy- 
ahoga near the present village of Old Portage, 
perhaps three miles north from Akron, it ran 
up the hill westwardly a half mile, then south- 
erly until near Summit Lake, passing just west 
and outside of the present corporation of Akron 
City ; thence nearl}' south to the Tuscarawas, 
which it reached about a mile above New Port- 
age. 

In July, 1797, Moses Warren, one of the Con- 
necticut Land Company's surveyors, ran the 
path from the Cuyahoga southward, meeting 
Seth Pease, who, with his party, had been run- 
ning the southern line of the Reserve. He 
made the length of the path 6-44.55 chains, or 
8 miles 4 chains and 55 links. The path was 
again surveyed in 1806, by Abraham Tappan. 

To Col. Whittlesey's valuable " Early History 
of Cleveland," we are indebted for the following 
interesting description of a scheme looking to 
the improvement of this highway of commerce : 

The improvement of the Cuyahoga and Tusca- 
rawas was then (1807) the great idea of this part of 
the country and of Ohio. 

It was thought if $12,000 coukl by some means 
be raised, the channels of those streams could be 
cleared of logs and trees and the portage path made 
passable for loaded wagons. Thus, goods might 
ascend the Cuyahoga in boats to the Old Portage, 
be hauled seven miles to the Tuscarawas, near New 
Portage, and tiience descend that stream in batteaux. 
This great object excited so much attention that the 
Legislature authorized a lottery to raise the money. 
A copy of the scheme and one of the tickets is here 
given: 

Q No. 11441 

CUYAHOGA AND MUSKINGUM NAVIGATION 

LOTTERY. 

This ticket entitles the bearer to such Prize as 
shall be drawn against its number (if called for 
within twelve months after the drawing is com- 
pleted), subject to a deduction of 12| per cent. 
No. 11441' J. WALWORTH, 

Afjeiit for the Boitrd of ConDniHsionerti. 



SCHEME 

OP A 

LOTTERY 

FOK 

Improving the Navigation 
between lake erie and the river ohio, through 

THE 

Cuyahoga and Muskingum. 
The Legislature of the State of Ohio having, at 
their last Session, granted a Lottery to raise the sum 
of Twelve Thousand Dollars, for the above-men- 
tioned purpose and appointed the subscribers com- 
missioners to carry the same into effect. They offer 
the following scheme to the public: 

FIRST CLASS. 
12,800 tickets AT $5 each, $64,000. 

1 Prizeof. ...$5,0Q0is $5,000 

2 do .... 2,500 5,000 

5 do .... 1,000 5,000 

10 do .... 500 5,000 

50 do .... 100 5,000 

100 do .... 50 5,000 

3400 do .... 10 34,000 

3568 $64,000 

Prizes subject to a deduction of twelve and a half 
per cent. 

The drawing of the First Class will commence at 
Cleveland on the hrst Monday of January, 1808, or 
as soon as three-fourths of the tickets shall be sold; 
and the prizes will be paid in sixty days after the 
drawing is completed. 

Holders of Tickets, drawing prizes of Ten Dol- 
lars, may, at their election, receive the money, or 
two Tickets of Five Dollars each in the Second 
Class. 

For the convenience of the owners of fortunate 
numbers. Persons will be appointed in Boston, Hart- 
ford, New York and Albany, to pay Prizes. Their 
names, together with a List of Prizes, will be pub- 
lished in some Newspaper printed in each of those 
places, and in three of the Newspapers printed in 
the State of Ohio. Persons will also be designated 
to pay Prizes in Zanesville and Steubenville. 

The subscribers have taken the Oath and given 
the Bonds required l)y Law\ for the faithful dis- 
charge of tlieir trust, and they flatter themselves 
that an oljject of such extensive importance will 
not fail to attract the attention and patronage of 
many, who are not allured by the advantageous pros- 
pects held out in the Scheme. 

John Walworth, Esq., of Cleveland, is appointed 
Agent of the Commissioners, to sign the Tickets and 
transact the business of the Board in their recess. 

(Then follow the names of the twelve members 
of the Board of Commissioners.) 

Ci.eveland, May 23d, 1807. 

CRAMER, PRINTER. 

The drawing never came off. Those who had 
purchased tickets, many years afterward received 
their money back without interest. 

The price of each ticket was $5. 

The native timber of this section was oak, 
hickory, maple, cliestnut and box, according to 






.^ 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



323 



the notes of Moses Warren, Jr., before referred 
to. 

The white man who first settled permanently 
within this township came from Groton, New 
London Co., Conn., Maj. Minor Spicer, in the 
summer of 1810. He purchased from the 
Connecticut Land Company, whose headquar- 
ters were at Hartford, Conn., and who originally 
bought the entire territory of the Western Re- 
serve from the State of Connecticut (excepting 
two tracts previously sold, together aggregating 
something over a half million acres, or about 
one-sixth part of the whole area). Maj. Spicer's 
farm consisted of 260 acres of land, two-fifths 
of a square mile, and was situated about mid- 
way between what is now Akron's Sixth Ward 
and South Akron. From that time to this 
there have always been members of the Spicer 
famil}' living upon the site of the original pur- 
chase, and "the Spicer settlement " is a well- 
known section of town. Just what was paid 
for the land we have been unable to ascertain. 
It is worth noting, however, that the State of 
Connecticut, in October of 1786, several years 
prior to her sale of the Reserve to the Land 
Company as mentioned above, by resolution 
fixed the selling price at tliree shillings (50 
cents) per acre. With a spirit strongly charac- 
teristic of the time and thought, she also pro- 
vided that 500 acres of land in each township 
should be reserved to the support of the Gospel 
ministry (in those days there was no opposi- 
tion to a union of church and State), 500 acres 
to the maintenance of schools, and 240 acres 
to the first minister who should locate within 
the township. As Connecticut did not succeed 
in disposing of her land at the figure above 
given, she once more, in Ma}', 1795, resolved 
the price at not less than one-third of a dollar 
an acre. The ensuing summer developed onl}- 
fruitless negotiations, but, finall}', on the 2d of 
September of the same year, a bargain was 
struck by the terms of which 3.000,000 acres 
of the Reserve next west from the Pennsyl- 
vania line (which was afterward found to be a 
little in excess of the exact quantity of land 
then actuall}' remaining within the limitations 
of the Reserve, after deducting the " Salt Spring 
Tract" of 24,000 acres already sold to Gen. 
Samuel H. Parsons, and located in Trumbull 
County, and the gi-ant of 500,000 acres com- 
monly known as the Fire Lands, from the 
western end (in 1792), were deeded to the Land 



Company for the consideration of $1,200,000, or 
40 cents per acre. 

To return from our digression : At the time 
when Maj. Spicer prospected and located his 
purchase, he was the only white person within 
the township. About him stretched the un- 
broken forest with no clearing nor path, save 
that made by the hostile aborigine. In a sense 
more literal and forcible than comes to most 
men, was it true that 

" The world was all before him, where to chdose 
His place of rest." 

With admirable judgment he made his selec- 
tion. After some little labor and improvement, 
he returned in the fall of the 3'ear, to his home 
and family in the East. Leaving Groton again 
in June, of 1811, with the sturdy conveyance 
of an ox team and wagon, and this time accom- 
panied by his famil}', his brother Amos and 
Paul Williams, he once more reached the spot 
that was for more than twoscore years to be 
his home. Vigorous efforts soon erected a log 
house, the first in Portage Township, the site 
of which was but a few rods from the comforta- 
ble residence where still lives Averj' Spicer, 
son of Minor, in the dignity of a ripe old age 
and the assurance of the esteem and respect of 
an entire community, sprung up beneath his 
observation, and the recipient of many and 
substantial favors at his hands. Mrs. Avery 
Spicer, a daughter of Joshua King, Esq., was 
born at Old Portage, and was the first white 
child born in the township. 

We subjoin an incident in the life of Maj. 
Spicer, as we find it narrated in Howe's " Ohio, 
its History and Antiquities : " 

One night just l)efore retiring, lie heard some one 
call in front of his house, and went out and saw a 
large Indian with two rifles in his hand, and a deer 
quartered and luing across his horse. Spicer in- 
quired what he wanted. The Indian replied in his 
own dialect, when the other told him he must speak 
English or he would unhorse him. He finally gave 
him to understand that he wished to stay over- 
night, a request tliat Avas reluctantly granted. Ilis 
rifles were placed in a corner, his venison hung up 
and his horse put into a large pig-stye, the only 
stable attached to the premises. 

The Indian cut out, a piece of venison for Mrs. 
Spicer to cook for liim, which she did in the usual 
way, with a liberal quantity of pepper and salt. 
He drew nj) to the table and ate but a mouthful or 
two. The family being ready to retire, he placed 
his scalping knife and tomahawk in the corner with 
his rifles, and stretched himself upon the hearth be- 
fore the fire. When he supposed the family were 
asleep, he raised himself slowly from his reclining 



i "V 



324 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



position and sat upright upon the liearth, looking 
stoalthil_y over his shonhlor to seo if all was still. 
He then got up on his feet and stepped lightly 
aeross the floor to his implements of death. At 
this juncture, the feelings of Spicer and his wife 
may be well imagined, for they were only feigning 
sleep and were intently watching. The Indian 
again stood for a moment, to see if he had awakened 
any one, then slowly drew from its scabbard the 
glittering scalping knife. At this moment, Sjncer 
Avas about putting his han<l upon his rifle, which 
stood by his bed to shoot the Indian, but concluded 
to wait further demonstration, which was an en- 
tirely different one from what lu' liad anticipated, 
for tlie Indian cut a piece of his veiuson, weighing 
about two pounds, and laying it upon the livecoals 
until it was warmed through, devoured it and went 
to sleep. Mrs. Spicer's cooking liad not pleased 
lum, l)eing seasoned too high. 

In the year 1811, a large body of Indians, 
under the leadership of one of their braves, 
Onondaga George, evidently ill-natured and 
bent on trouble, suddenly appeared along the 
Cuyahoga River. A few days later, they as 
suddenly disappeared. Soon after their depart- 
ure came tidings of the battle of Tippecanoe. 
It then became clear that these Indians were 
plotting to act their part in a great intended 
tragedy, the massacre of all the frontier whites, 
but were deterred from carrying the terrible 
project to an accomplishment by the intelli- 
gence, brouglit them by their fleet runners three 
days before it reached the settlers, of the disas- 
trous issue of that battle. While they remained 
hovering about the neighborhood, they kept a 
lookout stationed upon the high bliiff west of 
the canal lock at Old Portage. 

During the war of 1812, a camp was estab- 
lished at Old Portage (or as it was then known 
and had been since the exploring expedition of 
the surveyors of 1797, the Upper Headquarters) 
by (xen. Wadsworth in September. The post 
was regarded as of great importance through- 
out the war. In order to i-each the immediate 
scene of action, Gen. Wadsworth's soldiers, not 
daring to follow the lake shore from Cleveland 
to Huron on account of the British, ascended 
the Cuyahoga as far as the Upper Headquarters. 
Thence they felled trees and cut a road north- 
westerly through the woods to Camp Avery on 
the Huron River, not far from where Milan now 
stands, a distance of sixty-five miles. This road 
was of great service to the American forces. It 
was afterward known as the "old Smith road," 
and portions of it are to this day used for pur- 
poses of travel. 



The next 3'ear, 1813, there were built at Old 
Portage and floated down to Lake Erie, two 
vessels, the Portage and the Porcupine, which 
took a conspicuous part in the ever memorable 
naval victory achieved by Commodore Perry, 
September 10. 

For a time. Minor Spicer, Amos Spicer and 
Paul Williams, with their families, constituted 
the entire settled population of the township. 
Others, however, began to come in, among them 
being Charles W. Brown, in 1816, and Talmon 
Beardslev, Andrews May and Julius Sumner, • 
in 1818." 

In 1825, the town of Akron was laid out ; 
the same year work was here begun upon the 
Ohio Canal, and a great number of laborers 
were imported for its construction. 

Ohio Cantd. — We, of a day of steamboats 
and a multiplicity of railroads with the full and 
rapid transportation the}' aftbrd, cannot appre- 
ciate the importance to the early pioneers of 
this enterprise, which was regarded as a won- 
derful accommodation, inasmuch as by its 
means the few necessities unobtainable from 
their wilderness surroundings could be brought 
from the regions of civilization at the remarka- 
ble speed of four miles an hour, and as often as 
once or twice a week. The Ohio Canal, origi- 
nally denominated the " Lake Erie and Ohio 
Canal," was first formally suggested in a reso- 
lution brought before the lower body of the 
Assembly, January 7, 1819. 

Six and a half 3'ears elapsed before work was 
actually commenced. Finally, on the 4th of 
July, 1825, in the presence of Gov. Do Witt 
Clinton, of New York — -the man to whom more 
than any other is to be accredited the honor of 
the successful accomplishment of the great 
Erie Canal — and other notables, the first spade- 
ful of earth was upturned upon the Port- 
age summit near Summit Lake. The thing 
first required was the lowering of the surface of 
that lake five feet, which was done by means of 
a ditch cut to about where Lock No. 1 now 
stands. 

It was worth noting, in passing, that the 
water of Summit Lake flows both north by way 
of the canal, Lakes Erie and Ontario, and the 
St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean, and 
south via canal, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers 
and Gulf of Mexico, ultimately reaching the 
same great depository. The work all along the 
line from Portage summit to Cleaveland (as it 



k. 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



325 



was then spelled), was speedil}' let to contract 
and energetically prosecuted. Precisely two 
years to a day from the practical inception of 
the work, on the 4:th of July, 1827, the first 
boat — the Allen Trimble — with (lov. Trimble, 
the Canal Commissioners, and other prominent 
persons on board, cleared from Akron, passed 
over the thirty-seven intervening miles of water, 
and reached Cleveland the same day. Here 
was an event of no slight moment to the people 
of Akron and vicinity. It constituted an epoch 
in the town's histor}'. Henceforwai'd there was 
to be easy communication with the most con- 
siderable town west of Marietta, and Akron's 
certainty of development was secured. 

After many obstacles overcome and vast 
labor expended, the canal was completed from 
Cleveland to Portsmouth in the summer of 
1833. 

The total of the receipts for tolls and water 
rents at the Akron office for the year 1835 was 
$7,028.23, a verj' creditable showing for so early 
a day. 

Immediately upon the opening of the canal 
for business between Akron and Cleveland, in 
1827, Wolsey Wells was appointed Collector of 
the Port. He appears to have been a man of 
versatile talents, or at any rate of varied occu- 
pations. Besides his Collectorship, he held the 
position of Postmaster, and was also attorne}^ 
at law and a Justice of the Peace. Notwith- 
standing all these respective duties, a desk of 
two feet by one and one-half, sufficed to con- 
tain all his business papers. 

Doubtless every one, during the last year, 
has read or heard of the early experience, as 
driver upon a canal, of the man who now fills 
the highest place within the gift of the Ameri- 
can people. James A. Garfield once, when a 
young man, worked upon this same Ohio Canal, 
and, as in evexything else to which he turned 
his hand or attention, did his work well. As 
he was passing down the Valley Railroad one 
day last fall (1880), in company with President 
Hayes and others, he pointed out many famil- 
iar places along the line of the canal, and re- 
galed his companions with anecdotes and inci- 
dents connected with his former acquaintance 
with it under so diverse circumstances. 

The Counterfeiting Pint. — We have also to 
record as matter of history, a thing which for 
years rendered the northern portion of Portage 
Township and vicinit}' ver}- notorious, and im- 



pressed a blight which never has been, and 
probably never will be, effaced. We refer to 
the remarkable operations of the gang of coun- 
terfeiters, which, through a period of nearly or 
quite a score of 3'ears, made their headquarters 
and conducted their business at Old Portage 
and Yellow Creek. Without question, this was 
the most thorough, daring and successful 
scheme of the sort ever devised and carried out 
in this country or any other. The system had 
its ramifications throughout the whole United 
States and Canada ; not a State or Territory 
but had its agents, and scarcely a count}^ in 
an}' State without them. The head and front 
of this stupendous complication was one James 
Brown, a man of rare talent, of wonderful ener- 
gies, and possessed of a degree of personal 
attraction and power few men have ever wielded. 
He was six feet and two inches in height, with 
a well-propoi'tioned fine physique, of command- 
ing presence, and keen, penetrating eyes, like 
an eagle's. Just how early he began the work 
is not known, but early in the thirties he was 
notorious as the " Prince of counterfeiters " in 
all the country round. Many marvelous stories 
are told of his achievements. One of the earli- 
est of his exploits consisted in passing off upon 
a prominent New England bank a forged draft. 
Relays of fleetest horses had been previously 
provided at a series of stations known to him- 
self, and in care of his agents. He departed 
instantly, rode day and night until he reached 
home at Yellow Creek. He was arrested, taken 
East, and, upon trial, established an alibi to the 
satisfaction of the Court, proving by numerous 
and trustworthy witnesses that he was seen here 
so soon after the occurrence at the bank that, 
as the Court held — " it was utterly impossible 
that he could have been there so shortly be- 
fore." In conversation, he seemed to delight 
in letting fall remarks confirmatory of his gen- 
eral reputation, 3'et never saying anything dis- 
tinctl}' declaring its well-foundeduess. A young 
man, whose 3'outh had been spent in Western 
New York, and who, like every one else, had 
heard many tales of the prowess of Jim Brown, 
became an assistant teller in a Cleveland bank. 
One day, a tall man of impressive appearance 
called at the bank, produced a large amount of 
monej' and an account book, stating that he 
wished to make a deposit. Upon the book the 
clerk noticed the name, James Brown. Half 
frightened and thrilled to the marrow at sup- 



T^ 



326 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



posing that he was at last beholding the veritable 
genius of the wonderful stories of his boyhood, 
he stepped to the cashier, and in an awed whis- 
per inquired if this were the Jim Brown, and if 
so, whether he should receive the money. The 
cashier replied " certainl3^'" The clerk stepped 
back to the counter, when Brown, who readily 
guessed the nature of the quick conference, ob- 
served, " Young man, you need not be con- 
cerned that I should bring anything but good 
money here ! " 

He had some traits of character which any 
man might well emulate. It is said that his 
word was alwa3's as good as a bond. That he 
should be so rigid in keeping a pi'omise and 
entertain so high an idea of personal honor, 
coupled with a profession seemingly so devoid 
of everything of the kind, was indeed strange. 
About the year 1832, he was tried in the Me- 
dina Court of Common Pleas upon the usual 
charge of counterfeiting. The confinement of 
the jail was exceedingly irksome to one of his 
vigorous, energetic temperament. So great con- 
fidence had the Sheriff in Brown's veracity, 
that, upon his request and a parole promise to 
return at night, he permitted him every morn- 
ing to go out, unattended, and spend the da}^ 
as and where he chose. He never proved rec- 
reant to the trust, but returned regularly and 
voluntaril}' each evening. He was convicted 
and sentenced to the penitentiary. The Sheriff 
started with him for Columbus, but was over- 
taken by the service of a writ of error at Mt. 
Vernon, and obliged to return. The judgment 
of the Court of Common Pleas was reversed. 
Brown gave bail for his appearance at the 
proper time, but before the trial came on, two 
or three essential witnesses had disappeared, 
and the indictment was nollied. 

So great was Brown's popularity in his own 
neighborhood that he was repeatedly elected 
to township oflfices. He held the position of 
Justice of the Peace several successive terms ; 
in fact, was an incumbent of that office when, 
in 1846, the first check was put upon his career. 
It was largely due to this condition of things 
that it was impossible to secure his conviction 
by the ordinary methods of the lower courts. 
This was often attempted and as often failed, 
until it was generally recognized by every one 
else as well as himself and friends. Of this 
immunity he publicly boasted ; when at last, by 
the intervention of Federal processes, he was 



brought to bay, he is said to have observed, 
" Well, boys, now the United States have taken 
hold of me, I may get floored, but I could have 
worried out a county." In 1846, William S. C. 
Otis was the Prosecuting Attorney for Summit 
County. That year proof was obtained that 
Brown was at the time engaged in counterfeit- 
ing the circulating coin of the United States. 
Through the efforts of Otis, Samuel W. Mc- 
Clure, Esq., then a young lawyer of Cuyahoga 
Falls, was appointed a United States Commis- 
sioner for the State of Ohio (the State being 
then comprised in one district), for the purpose 
chiefly of instituting proceedings against Brown 
through the media of the Federal Courts, those 
of the State being found insufficient, as Com- 
missioner McClure issued a warrant for his 
arrest. While the warrant was yet in the hands 
of Sheriff Janes, then Sheriff of Summit County ; 
but, prior to its service, McClure had occasion 
to represent a party litigant before Brown in 
his capacity as Justice of the Peace. Brown 
reserved his decision of the case for further 
consideration. In the meantime, he was placed 
under arrest and imprisoned. McClure, in be- 
half of his client in the case, called upon Brown 
in the jail, before the day assigned for the pre- 
liminary examination. Brown then announced 
his judgment as Justice in favor of McClure's 
client, and, at the same time remarked, that 
when his case should come before him (McClure) 
he hoped he would be able to render a judgment 
in h is favor. The preliminary examinat ion came 
on for hearing ; the United States was repre- 
sented by Otis, and the defense by R. P. Spald- 
ing, afterward Judge Spalding of the Supreme 
Bench. The examination was held at the court 
house and continued several days. It resulted 
in Brown's being held to bail in the sum of 
$20,000 for his appearance before the Circuit 
Court of the United States at Columbus at its 
next session. In default of bail, he was re- 
turned to jail ; but afterward, upon application 
to a Federal Judge, the bond was reduced to 
$5,000. That amount was furnished, and Brown 
set at liberty. He appeared at Columbus for 
trial. The District Attorney was assisted by 
Mr. Otis. Pending the trial, affidavits were 
filed, satisfying the Judge that if at liberty 
when the verdict would be rendei'ed, and that 
verdict should be guilty, it was the intention of 
Brown's friends — of whom Columbus was full — 
to put him out of the way of the consequences. 






■l±* 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



327 



A bench warrant was issued, and he was again 
imprisoned. He was convicted, and, for the 
first time in his life, incarcerated in the Ohio 
Penitentiary, though he had run a career of 
crime for over twent}' years. During the short 
time of Gen. Zachary Ta^-lor's Presidency 
(March, 1849, to Jul}', 1850), the Asiatic cholera 
broke out in the Ohio Penitentiary. Brown 
was himself an attendant in the prison hospital 
at the time, and such was the courage with 
which he cared for the cholera patients, and his 
unwearied attention to them, that he secured 
the influence of that institution, and some of 
the State officers, so that President Taylor was 
induced to and did pardon him. He returned 
to his former place of I'esidence in Northampton, 
and was believed to be as extensively engaged 
in the counterfeiting business as ever, though 
it was not known that he then dealt in spurious 
coin. Experience had taught him that it was 
easier, more profitable, and less liable to detec- 
tion to manufacture false paper money than 
coin. It is said that he had a confederate in 
the ver}'^ banking house which then stamped for 
and furnished bills to the United States Bank ; 
that through the agency of this pal, the genuine 
plates themselves were conveyed into Brown's 
hands, and immense quantities of the illegal 
issue (not exactly counterfeit, inasmuch as they 
were struck from the identical plates with the 
true, and, therefore, also not discoverable 
through an}' peculiarities of impression), par- 
ticularl}^ of $100 bills, were accumulated. About 
this time, James, and a brother Daniel, engaged 
in the same enterprise, conceived a scheme of 
bold magnitude, and extremely flattering in 
promise. This was no less than to procure a 
suitable ship, load her with this spurious scrip, 
and visit China and other oriental countries, 
where United States Bank bills circulated at 
par, purchasing a cargo of teas, coflees, silks, 
etc., to be disposed of again in England and 
upon the continent. They had associated with 
them in this device a man b}' the name of Tay- 
lor. They proceeded to New Orleans, obtained 
a vessel, filled it according to programme, and 
set sail for China. A discovery of their real 
character, however, was just then made, the 
vessel overhauled before fairly out of the Mis- 
sissippi, and the three rogues committed to the 
" calaboose." There they were detained some 
time. Daniel became sick, and finally died, as 
it was reported, but not generally believed, in 



this section of the country. Certain it is, how- 
ever, that he never appeared hereabouts there- 
after, and so, possibly, the report may have been 
true. The wife of James, who, though believed 
to have had nothing to do with her husband's 
operations, remained faithful and devoted to 
him until some years be^'ond this period, 
traveled on horseback from Old Portage to New 
Orleans in order to be present at the trial, and 
use her influence in his behalf Several other 
witnesses also went down from here to testify 
in his interest. Brown turned State's evidence, 
implicated Taylor, and himself escaped. This 
is one of the few really mean incidents related 
of him. 

A few years later he was arrested in Michi- 
gan, convicted of the same crime, and sentenced 
to the Jackson Penitentiary. He there served 
a full term of three years, whence he returned 
to Northampton, but returned a broken-down 
man and a confirmed drunkard. Not until now 
did his fond wife give him up. His habits of 
drink rapidly grew upon him ; his good traits 
began to deteriorate, and finally departed alto- 
gether ; his wife obtained a divorce, and Jim 
Brown, who, had his abilities been honorably 
directed, might have been a man of great power 
and influence, became a perfectly worthless fel- 
low, not even commanding the respect of his 
associates in crime. Finally, in 1865, as he 
was one day returning from Cleveland upon a 
canal boat,"he fell from the walking plank to 
the hold, striking his head upon a beam. The 
concussion rendered him unconscious ; from 
that state he never rallied, but died two or three 
days later. So miserably closed the life of a 
man of whom it was said that " he was as well 
known by reputation as any President of the 
United States." 

Officers of the Township. — The following is a 
list of the officers elected on the 2d day of 
April, A. D. 1838, at a meeting held at tlie house 
of Mr. Warren H. Clark. 

Trustees.— V^iWiam B. Mitchell, Simon Per- 
kins, Jr., and George Babcock ; Clerk, Horace 
K. Smith ; Treasurer, Samuel A. Wheeler. 

Since that time the following persons have 
been elected and served as Trustees : 

1839, William B. Mitchell, Simon Perkins, 
Jr , John Sherbondy ; 1840, Charles W. Brown, 
Jesse Allen, John Ay res ; 1841, Simon Perkins, 
Jr., Jesse Allen, Charles W. Brown ; 1842, Si- 
mon Perkins, Jr., Eber Blodget, Charles W. 



;t^ 



*M: 



328 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



Brown ; 1843, Simon Perkins, Jr., Eber Blodget, 
Charles W. Brown ; 1844, Simon Perkins, Jr., 
Moses Smith, John Sherbondy ; 1845, Simon 
Perkins, Lucius V. Bierce, Silas M. Wilder ; 
1846, Silas M. Wilder, Lucius V. Bierce, Justus 
Gale ; 1847, Henr}- Converse, Lucius V. Bierce, 
(jeorge Sherbondy ; 1848, Webster B. Storer, 
David Miller, John Ay res ; 1849, David Miller, 
Nathaniel Finch, George Sherbondy. In Octo- 
ber, Miller died, and George D. Bates was ap- 
pointed to fill the vacancy ; 1850, Nathaniel 
Finch, George Sherbondy, Joseph F. Gilbert ; 
1851, Joseph F. Gilbert, Ira Hawkins, Robert 
Jackson ; 1852, Elias W. Howard, George Sher- 
bondy, Robert Jackson ; 1853, Joseph F. Gil- 
bert, Robert Jackson, George Sherbondy ; 1854, 
Ira Hawkins, Elias L. Munger, George Sher- 
bondy ; 1855, George W. McNiel, Elias L. 
Munger, George Sherbondy ; 1856, Benjamin 
McNaughton, George W. McNiel, Reuben Sher- 
bondy ; 1857, Charles Merriman, Clement J. 
Kolb, Webster B. Storer ; 1858, George Miller, 
Melchiah Sherbondy, Jacob Snyder; 1859, 
Houston Sisler, Clement J. Kolb, John R. 
Buchtel ; 1860, Houston Sisler, John R. Buch- 
tel, Clement J. Kolb ; 1861, Houston Sisler, 
John R. Buchtel, C. Obevholtz ; 1862, Houston 
Sisler, John R. Buchtel, C. Oberholtz. In June 
of 1862, Houston Sisler died and Roland O. 
Hammond was appointed for the unexpired 
term ; 1863, John R. Buchtel, Simon Perkins, 
G. F. W. Fisher ; 1864, Simon Perkins, John 
R. Buchtel, G. F. W. Fisher ; 1865, Simon Per- 
kins, John R. Buchtel, G. F. W. Fisher; 1866, 
John R. Buchtel, James F. Scott, Clement J. 
Kolb ; 1867, John R. Buchtel, F. T. Husong, 
Joseph Babb ; 1868, Joseph Babb, F. T. Hu- 
song, Abraham Sichley ; 1869, F. T. Husong, 
Joseph Babb, Millard F. Hamlin ; 1870, Joseph 
Babb, Millard F. Hamlin, N. C. Hawkins ; 1871, 
Millard F. Hamlin, N. C. Hawkins, Abner C. 
Caldwell : 1872, N. C. Hawkins, Millard F. 
Hamlin. H. Sherbondy ; 1873, H. Sherbondy, 
Millard F. Hamlin, Frederic Oberholtz ; 1874, 
A. L. Caldwell, Abraham Sichley, Henry Fred- 
erick ; 1875. Heni-y Frederick, Abraham Sich- 
fey, A. L. Caldwell ; 1876, Henry Frederick, 
A. L. Caldwell, Abraham Sichley ; 1877, Simon 
Perkins, Hiram Sherbondy, Abraham Sichley ; 
1878, Stephen H. Pitkin, Avery Beardsley, 
John McCausland ; 1879, Stephen H. Pitkin, 
Albert H. Mallison, Ephraim Erdly. In July, 
Erdl}' died and Uriah Sherbondy was ap- 



pointed to serve out the term ; 1880, Jacob 
Carpenter, Albert H. Mallison, Charles W. 
Brown ; 1881, Jacob Carpenter, Albert H. Malli- 
son, Millard F. Hamlin. 

aerks.—lSm, Horace K. Smith ; 1838, Jo- 
seph Cole; 1840, Nahum Fay; 1841, William 
H. Dewey; 1842, H. C. Crosby ; 1843, William 
H. Dewey; 1844, Nahum Fay; 1845, Charles 
W. Tappan; 1846, Charles W. Tappan; 1847, 
Charles W. Tappan ; 1848, Tillman Wagener ; 
1849, Tillman Wageman ; 1850, Edward W. 
Perrin; 1851, Edward W. Perrin ; 1852, Rol- 
and 0. Hammond ; 1853, Roland 0. Hammond ; 
1854, Roland 0. Hammond ; 1855, Roland 
O. Hammond; 1856, Roland 0. Hammond; 
1857, Newell D. Tibbals; 1858, Jacob A. Kohler, 
1859, Jacob A. Kohler ; 1860, George T. Mc- 
Curdy; 1861, George T. McCurdy ; 1862, George 
T. McCurdy; 1863, William C. Allen; 1864, 
William C. Allen ; 1865, William C. Allen ; 
1866, William C. Allen ; 1867. William C. Allen ; 
1868, John McGregor ; 1869, John McGregor ; 
1870^ John McGregor ; 1871, John McGregor ; 

1872, G. Tod Ford ; 1873. G. Tod Ford ; 1874, 
G. Tod Ford ; 1875, G. Tod Ford. In Septem- 
ber, Ford resigned and Charles Baii'd was ap- 
pointed to the office. 1876, Charles Baird ; 
1877. Charles Baird: 1878, Peter J. Moersch ; 
1879. Peter J. Moersch; 1880, Peter J. Moer- 
sch ; 1881, Peter J. Moersch. 

Treamre):s.~18'^S, Samuel A. Wheeler ; 1839, 
Lewis P. Buckley ; 1840, Samuel A. Wheeler : 
1841, Samuel A. Wheeler; 1842, Samuel A 
Wheeler; 1843, Samuel A. Wheeler; 1844, 
Samuel A. Wheeler ; 1845, Samuel A. Wheeler : 
1846, Samuel A. Wheeler; 1847. Samuel A. 
Wheeler; 1848, Zebulon Jones; 1849, Zebu- 
Ion Jones ; 1850, Benjamin McNaughton; 1851, 
Benjamin McNaughton ; 1852, Benjamin Mc- 
Naughton ; 1853, Benjamin McNaughton ; 1854, 
Edward W. Perrin ; 1855, Edward W. Perrin ; 
1856, Edward W. Perrin; 1857, Houston Sis- 
ler; 1858, John T. Good; 1859, John H. 
Chamberlin; 1860, John H. Chamberlin ; 1861, 
Charles Cranz ; 18(J2, Charles (^-anz, 1863, 
Charles Cranz ; 1864. Charles Cranz ; 1865, 
Charles Cranz; 1866, Charles Cranz; 1867, 
Charles Cranz; 1868, Charles Cranz; 18(59, 
Charles Cranz ; 1870, Arthur L. Conger ; 1871, 
Arthur L. Conger; 1872, Arthur L. Conger; 

1873, David R. I'aige Jr.; 1874. Jacob H. Wise ; 
1875, Frank B. Buchtel; 1876, Frank B. Buchtel; 
1877, John McGregor; 1878, John McGregor; 



^G 



'^ 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



329 



1879, John McGregor; 1880, John McGregor; 
1881, John McGregor. 

Assessors. — The first Assessor elected was 
Minor Spicer m 1841 ; 1842, Justus Gale ; 
1843, Justus Gale ; 1844, Justus Gale. Gale 
declined to serve and John H. Crawford was 
appointed in his stead. 1845, Albert G. Malli- 
son ; 1846, Nahum Fay ; 1847, Joseph F. Gil- 
bert; 1848, John Sherbondy; 1849, Alfred R. 
Townsend ; 1850, Nahum Fay ; 1851, George 
Howe; 1852, George Howe; 1853, John Sher- 
bondy ; 1854, Nahum Fay; 1855, Nelson C. 
Hawkins ; 1856, Ira Hawkins ; 1857, Alfred R. 
Townsend ; 1858, Frank Adams ; 1859, Alfred 
R. Townsend ; 1860, Nahum Fay ; 1861, Jacob 
H.Wise; 1862, Jacob H.Wise; 1863, Nahum 
Fay ; 1864, Charles Hanscom ; 1865, Edward A. 
Barber ; 1866, Edward A. Barber ; 1867, Homer 
C. A3' res ; 1868, Augustus Curtis; 1869, John 
G. Goble; 1870, Aaron Teeple; 1871, Aaron 
Teeple ; 1872, Albert H. Mailison ; 1873, George 
Miller ; 1874, Albert H. Mailison ; 1875, George 
Miller ; 1876, Hiram Sherbondy ; 1877, Randall 
McAllister; 1878, Randall McAllister; 1879, 
Randall McAllister ; 1880, Joseph Schnee ; 
1881, H. Sherbondy. 

Justices of the Peace. — [The Justice has al- 
ways been a township officer, and therefore is 
elected by the voters of the township. His 
commission is for three years.] Jacob Brown, 
1836-39 ; Seneca L. Hand, 1836-39 ; Harvey 



H. Johnson, 1837-40 ; Leander L. Howard, 
1839-42 ; Ebenezer Martin, 1839-42; Harvey 
H. Johnson, 1840-43; William M. Dodge, 
1842-45 ; Lewis P. Buckley, 1842-43 ; Henry 
Converse, 1843-46 ; Jacob Brown, 1843-t6 ; 
William M. Dodge, 1845-48 ; George Babcock, 
1846-49 ; Noah M. Green, 1846-49 ; Joshua C. 
Berry, 1848-51 ; George Babcock, 1849-52 ; 
Noah M. Green, 1849-52 ; Abel B. Berry, 1851- 
54; Daniel B. Hadley, 1852-55; Noah M. 
Green, 1852-55 ; Joseph F. Gilbert, 1854-57 ; 
John W. Stephens, 1855-58 ; Noah M. Green, 
1855-58 ; William L. Clark, 1857-60 ; John 
W. Stephens, 1858-61 ; John L. Robertson, 
1858-61 ; Edward Allen (died in June, 1861), 
1860-61 ; John W. Stephens (died in March, 
1863), 1661-63; John Lugenbeel, 1861-64; 
William L. Clark, 1861-64; Lewis N. Janes 
(died in July, 1865), 1863-66; William L. 
Clark, 1864-67 ; William M. Cunningham, 
1865-68 ; William L. Clark, 1867-70 ; Henry 
Pui'dy, 1868-71 ; William M. Cunningham, 
1868-71 ; William L. Clark, 1870-73 ; Henry 
Purdy, 1871-74; Florence Weber, 1871-74; 
Dudley Seward, 1873-76 ; Thomas C. Brandon, 
1874-77 ; Thomas H. Goodwin, 1874-77 ; Dud- 
ley Seward, 1876-79 ; Henry Purdy, 1877-80 ; 
Thomas C. Brandon, 1877-80 ; Dudley Seward, 
1879 ; Henry Purdy, 1880 ; Thomas C. Bran- 
don, 1880. 




^ 



'V 



-^ — ^ 



330 



HISTOEY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



CHAPTER VIII.* 

CITY OF AKRON — LAYING OUT A TOWN — IMrROVEMENTS — THE CANALS — THE TOWN INCORPO- 
RATED—CITY OFFICERS— GROWTH OF AKRON— THE COUNTY SEAT 
QUESTION— INCIDENTS. ETC., ETC. 

peopled this world, during the Champlain peri- 
od, the nameless river which first excavated the 
channel whose bed is now so scantily covered by 
the modern Cuyahoga, like " a pigmy in a 
giant's clothes," instead of turning to the north 
at the abrupt bend two miles above the city by 
which it now almost doubles upon its course, 
in fact did continue southerly through the broad 
deep valley before mentioned, eventually losing 
itself in the synchronous parent of the present 
Ohio. The ancient channel has been traced 
from its point of deviation most of the way 
across the State. Numerous borings along its 
course have shown that it has been almost filled 
with earth and soil, the detritus pushed in by 
the slow grinding glaciers and washed down by 
the storms of later time, and that, as was to 
have been expected, within its entire length 
there is no exposure of rock in situ. Such was 
undoubtedly the origin of this lovely valley ; 
upon the south and west of it the subjacent 
sandstone conglomerate crops out at frequent 
intervals, as in the cutting of the Cleveland, 
Mount Vernon & Columbus road for some dis- 
tance north of Market street bridge, and along 
the bed of the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal, 
where it circles the crest of the hill near the 
fair grounds, while upon the north and east 
there is an extensive table-land of richest soil, 
with not a rock or stone to be seen except the 
small rounded bowlders so characteristic of the 
former presence of the ice-river. In fact, north 
hill appears to have been a terminal moraine, 
and several of the gravel knolls at the Old 
Forge, by their sti'atification, show them to have 
been local or lateral deposits. The Little Cuy- 
ahoga now flows through the valley we have 
thus minutely described, in a converse direction, 
a tributary to the river proper. No wonder the 
Indians called the river " Cuyahoga " — " the 
winding ; " a glance at the map will demon- 
strate the eminent propriety of the name. 
Under our State Constitution of 1802, mu- 






AKRON is by some held to be derived from 
a privative and ypthoc time, its significance 
upon this theory being of " the unending," liter- 
ally, " without time." This highly poetic idea, 
pregnant with widest intimations of meaning, 
and so self-satisfying to the good citizen who en- 
tertains a genei-ous pride in our county capital, 
and her flattering promise of growth and devel- 
opment, brought to the crucial test of fact, must 
give way to the undoubted intent of those who 
chose and formally declare the name, Akron, 
from ahpaq summit, this being upon the very 
ridge-top of the water-shed between Lake Erie 
on the one hand and the Ohio River on the 
other. Situated on an average 400 feet above 
the lake level, and 960 feet above the ocean, 
Akron is the summit city in point of elevation, 
the highest incorporated city in the State. 
More hills she covers than eternal Rome, and 
extravagant indeed is the man who would think 
to number or name them all. The surface con- 
formation is rolling. The immediate neighbor- 
hood, particularly at the Old Forge, presents a 
problem of remarkable geologic interest, and 
one as yet unsolved. To the visitor approach- 
ing from the north, east or south, by either of 
the three railroads here intersecting — the (Cuy- 
ahoga) Valley Railway, the Cleveland, Mount 
Vernon & Columbus, and the New York, Penn- 
sylvania & Ohio — the shifting scenes of the 
panoramic valley, along whose verge he enters, 
are strikingly beautiful. This valley, with a 
depth below the general surface of one to two 
hundred feet, constitutes the only considerable 
variation from what we have already designated 
the rolling contour of the vicinage. It is 
asserted by careful and competent geologists 
(and the investigation bestowed upon the topic 
warrants the acceptance of the belief as more 
than speculative theorizing) that away back in 
the past, before that history other than that " in 
nature's records writ" began, before mankind 

* By Charles W. Foote. 



^^ 



® 



£l>L 



CITY OF AKRON. 



331 



nicipal corporations were classified as cities, 
towns, villages and special road districts. Un- 
til the year 1825, Portage Township had been 
the only territorial distinction recognized. At 
that time, during the construction of what was 
then regarded as a great commercial highway 
— the Ohio Canal — Gen. Simon Perkins and 
Paul Williams platted and laid out a town which 
they denominated " Akron," upon and sur- 
rounding the present intersection of Main and 
Exchange streets, in upper town. The only 
road in the new town was that one leading to 
Middlebur}', about upon the line where Ex- 
change street now lies. In the fall of that year, 
1825, the laborers on the canal put up about a 
hundred cabins along the line of work and 
within the town. The canal, when completed, 
gave a wonderful impetus to businsss, and at 
the same time aflforded its needed facilities of 
transportation. South Akron grew rapidly for 
a few years. In fact until 1832 there was noth- 
ing of any consequence outside of that section 
of the town, but in the year just mentioned 
several buildings were erected at and near the 
intersection of Market and Howard streets, and 
gradually business was diverted to the newer 
locality. 

A very great rivalry had for some time ex- 
isted between the two villages of North and 
South Akron. A committee of one, Erastus 
Torrey, was authorized by a number of the 
south end people to wait upon Mr. Hall and 
tender him the use of a large brick block in 
upper town, free of expense for a term of three 
years, if he would remove there. Mr. Hall, 
upon deliberation, declined the kind offer, and 
has never regretted his conclusion. In the ter- 
rible strain of the panic of 1837, Hall's was one 
of the three, out of fourteen stores in North 
Akron, which escaped a failure. By the time 
the town was incorporated, in 1836, the two 
villages of North and South Akron were not 
far from an equalit}-, and considerable bitter- 
ness of feeling was aroused by their jealous 
rivahy. Upon the northwest corner of Market 
and Howard streets stood the " Pavilion," a 
hotel, and a large wooden building, kept by 
Charles B. Cobbs, Esq. Two or three years 
later, Mr. Cobbs became proprietor of the " Ohio 
Exchange," a noted landmark upon the site at 
present occupied by the Paige Brothers' hard- 
ware store. Upon the northeast corner of 3Iarket 
and Howard, and from there up to the trench 



of the Water Power Companj^ stood a row of 
low, wooden buildings. The same was the case 
also upon the south side of jNIarket street, ex- 
cept upon the corner, where was being erected 
a fine three-stor}' stone block, and in which were 
afterward located the county offices, court room 
and jail, put up and owned by Hiram Payne. 
Thence southwardly, upon both sides of How- 
ard street, as far as to where Cherry' street now 
enters, were one-story and a story-and-a-half 
wooden buildings closely contiguous. Then 
came a gap and a deep gully ; and finally, upon 
the corner of Mill and Howard streets, where 
the post office now stands, was a two-story 
wooden building belonging to Lewis P. Buckley. 
In addition to these was the house of Gen. 
Bierce, in process of construction, and that of 
Dr. Bartges, upon opposite corners of INIarket 
and High streets, the house which is now the 
third south from the corner on the east side of 
High, and one on the corner of Main street and 
Mill ; and with these w^e have enumerated all 
of North Akron's buildings. At that time, 
Leicester King and Gen. Simon Perkins owned 
prett}' much all the land in this part of town. 
They together had a map published, which 
represents Akron as it then was, and which is 
elsewhere referred to quite at length. The 
house issuing this map was Messrs. Robinson 
& Co., of Reading, Yt. They had a branch 
office in Akron under the charge of Mr. Na- 
hum Fay, in Buckley's Block before alluded to. 
Earl}' in 1837, the IMap Publishing Company 
removed to a building of their own on North 
High street, upon the lot where James B. Storer 
now resides, and had a shop in the rear. To the 
north and east of them, there was only dense 
woods. When the old stone church (now occu- 
pied b}' the Baptist society, but built and first 
used by the Universal ists) was erected bj' 
Charles W. Brown, in 1838, the forest was so 
thick as that the church could scarcely be seen 
from Market sti'eet. 

Akron had remained a " town " by eourtes}' 
and general consent, from its platting, in 1825, 
until 1836. March 12, of that year, there passed 
the General Assembly, at Columbus, an " Act to 
incorporate the town of Akron, in the county of 
Portage." By this act it was provided : 

That .so much of the town.ships of Portage aiul 
C'livcntry. in the county of Portage, as is comprised 
witliiuthe following- limits, to wit : Beginning on 
the south lino of tract No. 8, in said township of 



©~- 



JRT 



1 



332 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



Coventry, and at a point in said line wliichi is three- 
fourths of a mile east of the southeast corner of the 
south town plat of Akron, as surveyed by John 
Heushaw; thence north to a line running due east 
and west, drawn ten rods north of Lock 16, of the 
Ohio Canal; thence west along such east and west 
line, one and a half miles; thence south to the south 
line of Tract No. 8, aforesaid; thence east, along 
said south line, to the place of beginning, be and 
the same is hereby created a town corporate, and 
shall henceforth be known and distinguished by 
the name of " The town of Akron." 

Translating this into a form which shall con- 
vey a meaning to other people beside survey- 
ors, and indicating the same points and lines 
by landmarks recognizable to-day, we should 
bound and describe as follows: Beginning 
upon the present southern corporation line — 
that is, upon South street, at a point a little 
east of its junction with Spicer street ; thence 
north in a straight line intersecting Spicer 
street just below Exchange street, passing 
through the Fourth Ward a little west of Spicer 
street, through the Second Ward about on Fir 
street, through the First Ward in a continuation 
of the same right line, until the present north- 
ern boundary of the city is reached, a little be- 
yond the Little Cuyahoga River ; thence due 
west along the northern boundary to the pres- 
ent northwest corner of the corporation ; thence 
south along the present west line of the city to 
the south line of Tract No. 8 — that is, the 
southwest corner of the corporation ; and thence 
east along said tract line (with whicli the south 
side of South street coincides, so far as it ex- 
tends) to the place of beginning. Thus we see 
that the original survey of Akron, when incor- 
porated as a town, was a rectangular plat of 
one mile and a half breadth, east and west, and 
about two and a quarter miles length, north 
and south, therefore containing almost three 
and one-half square miles of area. We note, 
also, that the western boundary was identical 
with the present and also considerable portions 
of both the northern and southern lines. At 
this date, there were open to use, or platted, 
the following streets, bearing in a general east- 
erly and westerly direction : Furnace, Tall- 
madge. Market, Mill, Ash, Quarry, Water (now 
a portion of Bowery), State, Middlebury, a part 
of Carroll, Exchange, Cedar, Chestnut, Cather- 
ine, Second, Third and Bridge streets ; this last 
corresponding with Thornton street, of the 
present day. Bearing generall}^ north and 
south were West street. Maple, Oak, Walnut, 



^^tna. Locust, Bowery, Water, Canal, Howard, 
Main, High, Broadway, Summit, and, in the so- 
called " Eastern Addition," First, Second and 
Third streets. 

About this time, Middlebury and Cuyahoga 
Falls partook also of the general business 
activity, and for some years bade fair to push 
Akron vigorously in a contest as to which 
should prove the coming metropolis. When, 
however, the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal at 
last passed by on one side, Middlebury received 
a blow whicii substantialh' put her out of the 
race. From that time destiny seemed to thrust 
her down to a subordinate rank, and that fate 
was philosophicall}' accepted. Cuyahoga Falls, 
however, stoutly maintained her priority, both 
as to time and station, for the Falls had ob- 
tained an incorporation just one week before 
Akron, on the 7th of March, 1836, the same 
day that Cleveland was advanced from a vil- 
lage to a city. The Falls people obstinately 
refused to believe that Akron possessed or 
could promise any better things than Cuyahoga 
Falls could offer. They pointed to their prac- 
tically illimitable water-power, and dilated up- 
on the superior healthfulness of their town, yei, 
nevertheless, Akron unreasonably insisted up- 
on keeping just a little ahead in point of num- 
bers. So matters went until the new county of 
Summit was carved out of the adjacent ones of 
Portage, Stark and Medina, in 1840. 

Section 2 of the act incorporating the town of 
Akron provided for the election, upon the sec- 
ond Tuesday of the next ensuing June, by " the 
white male inhabitants, who have resided within 
the aforesaid limits of said town for the space 
of six months next preceding, etc., etc.," of one 
Mayor, one Recorder and five Trustees, together 
constituting a Town Council. In pursuance of 
this provision, the first election of town officers 
was held at the house of Asa Larned, June 
14, 1836, with the following result : Total num- 
ber of votes cast, 166, of which for Mayor, 
Seth Iredell received 91, and Eliakim Crosby, 
75 ; for Recorder, Constant Brj-an received 87 
votes, Charles W. Howard 75, and H. Johnson 
4 ; Erastus Torrey, Jedediah D. Commins, Will- 
iam B. Mitchell, William E. Wright and Noah 
M. Grreen were chosen Trustees. The first 
meeting of the " Town Council of the town of 
Akron" convened on Saturday, the 18th of 
June. After some preliminary business, the 
first ordinance was passed, entitled, " An Ordi- 



^ < 



=^==if 



CITY OF AKRON 



333 



nance regulating Exhibitions and Public Shows 
in the town of Akron." As William B. Mitch- 
ell declined the honor of a Trusteeship, at an 
adjourned meeting held Monda}', the 20th of 
June, Justus Gale was appointed a Trustee in 
his stead. Samuel A. Wheeler was also ap- 
pointed Treasurer. At the next Council meet- 
ing, Ithiel Mills was elected Marshal. From 
that time until Akron advanced in grade, be- 
coming a village at the adoption of the State's 
new constitution in 1852, by virtue of the gen- 
eral act, the officers were as follows : 

3Iayors— 1836, Seth Iredell ; 1837, John C. 
Singletarv, Jr.; 1838, John C. Singletarv, Jr. ; 
1839, Lucius V. Bierce ; 1840, Arad^Kent; 
1841, Lucius V. Bierce ; 1842, Harvey H. John- 
son ; 1843, Harvev H. Johnson ; 1844, Lucius 
V. Bierce ; 1845^ Philo Chamberlin ; 1846, 
Philo Chamberlin ; 1847, Levi Rawson ; 1848, 
Israel E. Carter ; 1849, Lucius V. Bierce ; 1850, 
Greorge Bliss. In April, of 1851, Bliss re- 
signed the position, but no new Ma3'or was 
elected until the next regular election in June. 
1851, Charles Q. Ladd ; 1852, Frederick Wads- 
worth. Up to this time the Mayor, Recorder, 
and Trustees had been elected by the people 
upon the first Monday of June of each year. 

Recorders — 1836, Constant Bryan; 1837, 
William E. Wright ; 1838, William'^E. Wright; 
1839, Robert K. DuBois ; 1840, Robert K. Du 
Bois ; 1841, Robert K. DuBois ; 1842, Nahum 
Fay ; 1843, Nahum Fay ; 1844, William H. 
Dewey ; 1845, William H. Dewey ; 1846, Will- 
iam H.Dewey ; 1847, Nahum Fay; 1848, Arad 
Kent; 1849, Arad Kent; 1850, Edward W. 
Perrin ; 1851, Arad Kent : 1852, Horace Can- 
field. 

Treasurers— 1836, Samuel A.Wheeler; 1837, 
Horace K. Smith ; 1838, Horace K. Smith ; 
1839, Russell Abbey ; 1840, Gibbons I. Ack- 
ley ; 1841, Gibbons I. Ackle}- ; 1842, Gibbons 
I. Ackley; 1843, Gibbons I. Ackley ; 1844 
Gibbons I. Ackley ; 1845, Gibbons I. Ackley 
1846, Grove N. Abbey ; 1847, Grove N. Abbey 
1848, Grove N. Abbey ; 1849. Grove N. Ab- 
bey ; 1850, Milton W. Henry ; 1851, Milton W. 
Henry ; 1852, Milton W. Henry. 

Trustees — 1836, Erastus Torrey, Jedediah D. 
Commins, William B. Mitchell, William E. 
Wright, Noah M. Green ; Mitchell declined to 
serve, and Justus Gale was appointed to the 
vacancy. 1837, William K. May, William I. 
Mather, David D. Evans, Jesse Allen, Eber 



Blodget ; in September, May having removed 
from Akron, his seat was declared vacant, and 
William Patterson was elected b}' the other 
Trustees to succeed him. 1838, Jesse Allen, 
Ebenezer Martin, Justus Gale, James W. Phil- 
lips, Ansel Miller. 1839, Samuel Manning, 
Seth Iredell, James W. Phillips, Lewis P. 
Buckley, Ebenezer Martin ; Martin declining. 
Ansel Miller was appointed instead ; in July, 
Phillips resigned, and Ithiel Mills succeeded 
him. 1840, Seth Iredell, Samuel Manning, 
Ithiel Mills, Samuel A. Wheeler, William E. 
Wright ; Wheeler resigned in July, and Ansel 
Miller became his successor. 1841. Seth Ire- 
dell, Webster B. Storer, Jacob Allen, Ansel 
Miller, Leverett J. Ives. 1842, Ansel Miller, 
Seth Iredell, David Allen, George F. Ray, Hor- 
ace Ma}' ; in January, 1843, Allen died, and 
James Mathews filled the vacancy. 1843, 
Seth Iredell, James Mathews, George F. Ray, 
Horace May, Ansel Miller. 1844, William M. 
Dodge, Robert K. Du Bois, Nahum Fay, Jesse 
Allen, Samuel A. Wheeler ; in September, Jesse 
Allen resigned, and Jacob Allen was appointed. 
1845, Robert K. Du Bois, Justus Gale. Lucius 
V. Bierce. William M. Dodge, James H. Craw- 
ford ; Gale refused to serve, and Samuel A. 
Wheeler was elected to the vacanc}'. In Novem- 
ber, Du Bois died and Horace Caufield suc- 
ceeded him. 1846, Horace Canfield, Samuel A. 
Wheeler, Allen Hibbard, Nicholas E. Vansickle, 
Lucius V. Bierce. 1847, Allen Hibbard, Lucien 
Swift, Samuel A. Wheeler, Joseph A. Beebe. 
Ansel Miller. 1848, Ansel Miller, Nathaniel 
Finch, Benjamin McNaughton, John M. Cutler. 
George W. Bloom. 1849, Nathaniel Finch, Ansel 
Miller, Charles Webster, George W. Bloom. 
Milton N. Henry ; in October, Finch resigned, 
and the remaining Trustees elected John M. 
Cutler. 1850, Thomas H. Goodwin, John 
Howe, Hiram Viele, Robert Jackson, L. C. 
Parker ; in October, William M. Dodge was 
elected to the place made vacant by the re- 
moval of Howe. 1851, James M. Hale, Ben- 
jamin McNaughton, William 0. Sanford, Milton 
W. Henry, D. F. Bruner. 1852, James M. Hale, 
William 0. Sanford, R. P. Myers, Peter Osburn, 
Ansel Miller. 

The total vote upon the occasion of the first 
town election, in 1836, was 166. At the last 
town election, in 1852, there were cast 278 
votes. Tlie year previous, however, fifteen 
years after the first vote above mentioned, 






334 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY 



there were 334 ballots cast, just two more than 
doable the first vote. From the time that 
Akron became a village until advanced to a 
city of the second class, in 18G5, the following 
were officers of the corporation, and were 
elected by popular vote ui)on the first Monday 
of April of each year. The Mayor, Recorder, 
and the five Trustees together constituted the 
Village Council : 

Mayors— 1853, Philip N. Schuyler; 1854, 
William T. Allen ; 1855, Nathaniel Finch ; 
1856. Nathaniel Finch ; in December, Finch 
resigned, and in February of 1857, Frederick 
A. Nash was elected to succeed him ; 1857, 
Frederick A. Nash ; 1858, Frederick A. Nash ; 
1859, George W. McNeil ; 1860, Henry Purdy ; 
1861, Henry Purdy; 1862, Charles A. Collins ; 
1863, Henry A. Collins; 1864, George .D. 
Bates. 

Recorders — 1853, Horace Canfield ; in De- 
cember, Canfleld died, and the Council elected 
R. S. Elkins to fill the vacancy- thus caused ; 
1854, R. S. Elkins ; 1855, Joseph E. Wesener ; 
1856, Joseph E. Wesener ; 1857, Ralph P. 
Waterbury ; 1858, Ralph P. Waterbury ; 1859, 
Allen Hibbard ; 1860, Alvin Rice ; 1861, 
James Holmes; 1862, Alvin Rice; 1863, Al- 
vin Rice ; 1864, Henry W. Ingersoll. 

Trustees— 1853, William T. Allen, Daniel H. 
Wheeler, R. S. Elkins, David A. Scott, George 
Thomas ; Elkins being appointed Recorder in 
January' of 1854, S. A. Lane was elected to 
fill the vacant place ; 1854, James B. Taplin, 
Thomas H. Goodwin, Richard Howe, David 
Hanscomb, James M. Hale ; 1855, Richard 
Howe, George Thomas, James B. Taplin, Will- 
iam T. Allen, David A. Scott ; in /Vpril, Taplin 
resigned, and R. S. Elkins succeeded him ; 
1856, Henry Purdy, David A. Scott, Thomas 
H. Goodwin, Henry S. Abbey, Joseph Milli- 
gan ; 1857, George Thomas, Henry Fisher, Jr., 
Henry S. Abbe}', Henry Purdy, Charles Cranz ; 
1858, Charles Cranz, R. B. Walker, John Cook, 
Joseph Milligan, Job Pierce ; 1859, William L. 
Everett, Job Pierce, R. B. Walker, Thomas H. 
Goodwin, Joseph Milligan ; 1860, Richard 
Howe, Ferdinand Schumacher, Robert L. Mof- 
fatt, James Christ}-, William S. Painton ; 1861, 
Robert L. Moffatt, Ferdinand Schumacher, 
George Buel, John Douglass, Henry Fisher ; in 
October, Fisher resigned, and, in November, 
George W. McNeil was chosen by the Council 
to serve out the term ; 1862, Charles Webster, 



John E. Bell, John Douglass, Isaac Harter, 
George Buel ; 1863, Arad Kent, John E. Bell, 
J. W. Hollowa}-, Jacob Goldsmith, John H. 
Wagoner ; 1864, Allen Hibbai'd, Stephen H. 
Pitkin, William H. Lapens, Charles W. Bon- 
stedt, James Christy. 

Treasurers — 1853, Milton W. Henry ; at this 
time, the election of the Treasurer was trans- 
ferred from the Council to the people; 1854, 
Milton W. Henry ; 1855, Milton W. Henry ; 
1856, Milton W. Henry ; 1857, Milton W. Hen- 
ry ; 1858, John Good ; 1859, John H. Cham- 
berlin ; 1860, John H. Chamberlin ; 1861, 
Charles Cranz; 1862, Charles Cranz; 1863, 
Charles Cranz ; 1 864, Chai'les Cranz. 

In January, 1865, as is set forth more at 
length elsewhere, Akron became a city of the 
second class. From that time to the present, 
her officers have been the following : 

Mayors — Elected by the people, term two 
years: 1865, James Mathews; 1866, James 
Mathews ; 1867, Lucius V. Bierce ; 1868, Lu- 
cius V. Bierce ; 1869, J. L. Robertson ; 1870, 
J. L. Robertson ; 1871, J. L. Robertson ; 1872, 
J. L. Robertson ; 1873, Henry Purdy ; 1874, 
Henry Purdy ; 1875, Levi S. Herrold ; 1876, 
Levi S. Herrold ; 1877, James F. Scott ; 1878, 
James F. Scott; 1879, James M. Fraze ; 1880, 
James M. Fraze ; 1881, Samuel A. Lane. 

Clerks — Elected by the Council, term one 
year. The office is that of which the incum- 
bent was formerly denominated Recorder ; 
1865, Jerr}- A. Long; 1866, Jerry A. Long; 
1867, Mills B. Purdy ; 1868. Mills B. Purdy ; 
1869, Mills B. Purdy ; 1870, Mills B. Purdy ; 
1871, Mills B. Purdy ; 1872, Mills B. Purdy ; 
1873, John A. Means ; 1874, John A. Means ; 
1875, John A. Means ; 1876, Mills B. Purdy ; 
1877, Adams Emerson; 1878, Adams Emer- 
son ; 1879, Newton Ford ; 1880, Newton Ford, 
1881, Newton Ford. 

Members of City Council — Elected by the 
people. Term two years. After the first elec- 
tion, the six persons elected drew lots as to 
which ones should serve the full term of two 
years, and which the half term, until the next 
election, resulting as follows : 

First Ward — Two 3'ears, George W. Crouse ; 
one 3'ear, Charles W. Bonstedt. Second Ward — 
Two years, Henry W. Howe ; one }- ear, John 
E. Bell. Third Ward— Two years, Lewis Mil- 
ler ; one year, J. Park Alexander. Each year 
thereafter there has been elected one from each 






'-^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



335 



ward, as follows : 1866 — First Ward, J. J. Wag- 
oner ; Second Ward, J. H. Collins ; Third Ward, 
George Sechrist. 1867 — First Ward, George 
W. Grouse ; Second Ward, W. H. Payne ; Third 
Ward, J. A. Long. 1868— First Ward, J. W. 
Holloway ; Second Ward, J. H. Collins ; Third 
Ward, J. Park Alexander. 1869— First Ward, 
C. R. Howe ; Second Ward, W. J. Atwood ; 
Third Ward, Clement J. Kolb. 1870— First 
Ward, William T. Allen ; Second Ward, W. P. 
Cassidy ; Third Ward, J. Park Alexander. 
1871 — First Ward, David R Paige Jr.; Second 
Ward, John Memmer ; Third Ward, Elias W. 
Howard ; Fourth Ward, Robert McElhinney, 
George Burkhardt ; Fifth Ward, R. F. Palmer, 
Clement J. Kolb. 1872— First Ward, William 
T. Allen ; Second Ward, 0. C. Barber ; Third 
Ward, J. Park Alexander ; Fourth Ward, Noah 
N. Leohner ; Fifth Ward, James A. Metlin. 
1873— First Ward, Milton W. Henry ; Second 
Ward, James Christy, H. E. Merrill ; Third 
Ward, H. L. Carr ; Fourth Ward, David Lam- 
parter ; Fifth Ward, A. J. Hamlin ; Sixth 
AYard, J. A. Baldwin, Thomas Johnson. 1874 — 
First Ward, William T. Allen ; Second Ward, 
E. H. Merrill ; Third Ward, Elias W. Howard ; 
Fourth Ward, Robert McElhinney ; Fifth Ward, 
James A. Metlin ; Sixth Ward, Enoch Rowley. 
1875— First Ward, Milton W. Henry ; Second 
Ward, A. Brewster ; Third Ward, William A. 
McClellan ; Fourth Ward, J. H. Derhammer ; 
Fifth Ward, Simon Hankey : Sixth Ward, Da- 
vid E. Hill. 1876— First Ward, William Buch- 
tel ; Second Ward, John W. Baker ; Third 
Ward, John J. Cook ; Fourth Ward, John 
Schott ; Fifth Ward, Christian Vogt ; Sixth 
Ward, Enoch Rowley. 1877— First Ward, 
Charles A. Collins ; Second Ward, James 
Christy ; Third Ward, J. Park Alexander ; 
Fourth Ward, D. W. Morgan ; Fifth Ward, Ed- 
ward A. Lawtou ; Sixth Ward, David E. Hill. 
1878— First Ward, L. G. Thorp ; Second Ward, 
W. J. Underwood ; Third Ward, Mason Chap- 
man ; Fourth Ward, John Schott ; Fifth Ward, 
Christian Vogt ; Sixth Ward, Enoch Rowley. 
1879 — First Ward, Ulysses L. Marvin ; Second 
Ward, N. A. Carter ; Third Ward, J. Park Alex- 
ander ; Fourth Ward, Estep ; Fifth Ward, 
Edward A. Lawton ; Sixth Ward, F. W. In- 
man. 1880— First Ward, Milton W. Henry ; 
Second Ward, Henry H. Brown ; Third Ward, 
B. F. Goodrich ; Fourth Ward, John Schott ; 
Fifth Ward, Charles F. IngersoU ; Sixth Ward, 



Thomas H. Peckham. 1881— First Ward, Da- 
vid L. King ; Second Ward, N. A. Carter ; Third 
Ward, J. Park Alexander ; Fourth Ward, Philip 
Weber ; Fifth Ward, Edward A. Lawton ; Sixth 
Ward, James Housel. 

Pennsylvania cO Ohio Canal. — Judge Leices- 
ter King, of Warren, father of David L. King, 
Esq., of this city, was the man to whom, more 
than all others, Akron was indebted for her 
second canal, an enterprise which very mate- 
rially aided in developing the commercial in- 
terests of the growing village. B}' personal 
eftbrt and influence. Judge King conquered the 
many obstacles in the path, and carried to a 
successful completion, after many 3'ears of 
tireless endeavor, the project to which he had 
devoted his energies, and in whose eventual ac- 
complishment he had the fullest confidence. 
An old paper in the possession of Mr. George 
McMillen, of Portage Township, indicates that 
the lobby system obtained in full vigor over 
fifty years ago, and is not, therefore, one of the 
inventions of modern politics. We subjoin a 
copy of a portion of the paper, bearing date of 
" Middlebury, December 12, 1826," and running 
as follows : " We, the subscribers, citizens of 
the villages of Middlebury and Akron and their 
vicinity, confident that inestimable advantages 
would result to our villages and this section of 
the countr}' generall}', from a canal connecting 
the Ohio Canal at the Portage Summit with the 
Pennsylvania Canal at Pittsburgh, and anxious 
that an act should pass the Legislature of Ohio 
at their present session, authorizing the con- 
struction of such canal, will pay the sums an- 
nexed to our respective names, to John Mc- 
Millen, Jr., and Peter Bowen, for the purpose 
of defraying the expenses of delegates from the 
aforesaid villages to the Legislature, to assist 
in procuring the passage of such an act. Pay- 
ment to be made at the time of subscribing." 
To this are attached nineteen names. The 
delegates and other supporters of the measure 
proved speedily successful, for the Pennsyl- 
vania & Ohio Canal was incorporated by act of 
the General Assembly of the State of Ohio 
January 10, 1827, which act authorized '-the 
construction of a canal to meet or intersect the 
Pennsylvania, or Chesapeake & Ohio Canal, at 
or near the city of Pittsburgh, in the State of 
Pennsylvania." The act was to take effect and 
be in ibrce " whenever the Legislature of Penn- 
sylvania should pass a law giving their assent 






336 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



to and confirming the provisions of said act of 
Ohio," etc. Pennsylvania's Legislature subse- 
quentl}' passed the act desired. Hindrances of 
one sort and another intervened, and, a^ times, 
it looked as though the canal would never be 
built. Finally, in 1836, the State of Ohio was 
induced to extend a helping hand, which she 
did by a pledge to take one dollar of stock for 
every ticn dollars of private subscription ob- 
tained. Mr. King then visited Pittsburgh, 
Philadelphia and other Eastern cities, and, by 
dint of earnest solicitation, secured a favorable 
attention from a number of capitalists, and re- 
turned, bringing with him across the mountains 
many thousands of dollars, in an ordinar}- hand 
satchel. Altogether, $840,000 was secured 
from private individuals, and the State, in pur- 
suance of her promise, added $420,000 of stock. 
As originally projected, the canal was to 
have passed through Middlebury, which at that 
time was about as large and as promising a 
place as Akron. However, since the connection 
with the Ohio Canal was to be made " on the 
Portage Summit," and some difficult}- was ex- 
perienced in accomplishing both these things, 
by act of the Legislature, March 2, 1836, the 
State Canal Commissioners were empowered to 
determine anew the location of the connection. 
The Board of Canal Commissioners ordered 
Leander Ransom, Acting Commissioner, to in- 
vestigate the matter and report. This he did, 
voluminously, January 29, 1837, fixing the 
junction " at the north end of the lower basin 
in South Akron, a few rods from the foot of 
Lock No. 1 of the Ohio Canal." The canal was 
at last completed from its eastern terminus at 
Beaver, Penn., to Akron, and opened through- 
out in 1841. Late in the fall, the first boat ar- 
rived from the East. A number of prominent 
citizens of Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York 
and other Eastern cities, were on board Gov. 
Thomas Corwin, of Ohio, and Gov. David Por- 
ter, of Pennsylvania, werfe specially invited to 
attend the formal opening. Gov. Corwin was 
detained at home by sickness, but Gov. Porter 
was present. When the boat, decorated with 
flags and banners, and carrying a cannon and 
a brass band, reached Warren, it met a hearty 
reception at the hands of the enthusiastic citi- 
zens. There Judge King, who was President of 
the Canal Compan}^ and his son David, then a 
lad of seventeen, and others interested, joined 
the party. At every town and village the peo- 



ple had turned out with hearty good-will to see 
the boat go by, and to every such gathering 
Gov. Porter declaimed his same set speech 
till all the passengers had memorized it as 
thoroughly as the speaker. At Ravenna, an- 
other accession was received, and at Franklin 
Mills (now Kent) and Cuyahoga Falls. Akron 
had been advised of their approach, and the en- 
tire populace went out to meet them, which they 
did about noon, at the big bend at the Old 
Forge. The escort accompanied the boat to 
town ; the company disembarked at the west- 
ern end of the long trench, in South Akron, 
and repaired to a large upper room in May's 
Block (where the Clarendon Hotel now is), 
where a grand banquet had been spread. One 
of the most important factors of the boat's 
cargo was its ample supply of liquor. There 
was a barrel of sherry, another of Madeira, and 
a great many dozen bottles of champagne ; 
what was left of these was conveyed to the 
dinner- room. Besides this thoughtful provision, 
much more of a like sort had been forwarded 
in anticipation of the event, and there was no 
lack of that with which to make merry. Not a 
few were attacked with a dizziness not incident 
to sea-sickness. In the evening, another jolli- 
fication was indulged in at the Ohio Exchange, 
a noted tavern, where Paige Brothers' hardware 
store now stands. Speeches were made and 
drinks taken ; bands played, and toasts were 
ofiered and responded to ; refreshment flowed 
freel3^ One of the visitors — old Gen. S., of 
Warren — imbibed too much, and died before 
morning, of apoplexy. A son the next day, 
himself also considerably obfusticated, sobbing 
and moaning to a friend, Mrs. E., remarked 
that "he always cried when his father died." 
One of the Ravenna part}^, upon his return, 
was narrating the joyfulness of the occasion to 
a group of neighbors, when one of them re- 
ferred to this death of a man who had taken so 
conspicuous a part, inquiring if that occurrence 
did not cast a shadow over the genei'al hilarity, 
to which he responded : " It was dora'd fine ! 

dom'd fine ! That dying of S 's was too 

bad, to be sure ; but the old fellow went out of 
the world with bis belly full of beefsteak and 
brandy ! " 

As is mentioned elsewhere, the canal com- 
pany took possession of the ditch through 
which the water-power was conveyed to Akron, 
from Old Forge to Moody's shop on Main 



<S k^ 



-^ r ^ 



CITY OF AKKON. 



337 



street, between Market and Mill, widening and 
deepening it, but reserving to the Middleburj' 
H3'draulic Co. — the owners of the power — all 
their rights. For a time the canal flourished 
apace. A large amount of business was done 
and it became the thoroughfare of a consider- 
able passenger traffic. Besides the merchan- 
dise brought here or shipped from here, every- 
thing from Pittsburgh or Warren destined for 
Cleveland of course passed through Akron, and 
thence via the Ohio Canal. 

The outlook promised well for the stock- 
holders ; in fact, several small dividends were 
declared. The tolls collected at the port of 
Akron during the year 1852, amounted to 
$6,966.61 ; in 1853, $8,110.54. The maximum 
was reached in 1856, in the sum of $8,786.78. 
Very unfortunately for the canal, in 1854 a 
controlling interest passed into the hands of 
men who were also financially interested in 
the new newly constructed Cleveland & Ma- 
honing Railroad. This end was accomplished, 
first by obtaining stock of the canal compan}- 
as subscriptions to the railroad company, and 
afterward by buying from the State her inter- 
est. These two, the railroad and canal, being 
parallel, were necessarily either coadjutors or 
active competitors. At first the}' promised to 
act together, and largely upon that considera- 
tion the same men secured the relation of Di- 
rectors to each. That policy, however, was 
not long maintained ; tolls upon the canal were 
speedily put up to an exorbitant figure, while 
the railroad transported between the same 
points for a much lower cost. The eflfect is 
clearly exhibited in the showing of the receipts 
of toll upon the canal at Akron for the next 
few years : 1857, $6,538.96 ; 1858, $5,400.96 ; 
1859, $2,143.42 ; 1860, $853.27 ; 1861, $772.88. 

A joint resolution passed the Legislature 
April 12, 1858, authorizing the sale of the 
State's canal stock b}^ the Commissioners of 
the Sinking Fund, to the highest and best pur- 
chaser. Nothing was, however, eflTected under 
the order until some years later. Finall}', in 
1862, November 20, the stock, for which the 
State of Ohio had paid $420,000, was sold to 
Charles L. Rhodes, of Cleveland, for $35,000. 
He at once turned it over to the Cleveland & 
Mahoning Railroad, of which he was Vice 
President and Superintendent, and the bondage 
of the canal became complete. Just prior to 
this sale, the General Assembl}- had been 



urged to permit the canal company " to sell the 
canal, and that such portions might be closed 
as the purchasers might think proper."' This 
was rejected in the Senate by a heavy adverse 
vote. After 1862, the business of the canal 
was very small and constantly decreasing. No 
monej- was expended on repairs ; bridges and 
locks became dilapidated, and the people along 
its banks were clamorous for a removal of the 
source of so much sickness. In January, 
1867, the canal company again petitioned the 
Legislature for permission to remedy matters 
in some wa}' or other, and secured the passage 
of an act (March, 1867) "authorizing the Di- 
rectors of the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal to 
lease, sell or abandon such portion or portions 
of said canal and its appendages as may, in 
their opinion, be for the interest of said com- 
pany, and not prejudicial to the public inter- 
est." * * * Negotiations were then 
pending between the Middlebury Hydraulic 
Company before mentioned and the canal com- 
pany, which, upon the passage of the above 
act, were completed. The Hj'draulic Company, 
whose rights had full}- continued through the 
period of the canal's active operation, now 
leased that portion contained between the 
Portage County summit near Ravenna and the 
western end, the junction with the Ohio Canal, 
and including the Shalersville reservoirs, in- 
tending to maintain its use as a canal, and also 
as to the portion between Middlebury and 
Akron its original purpose of a water-power. 
Business had now substantiall}' ceased ; the 
water in the channel beyond the Old Forge 
was stagnant, and by its offensive odors and 
malarial influences provoked its neighbors be- 
yond the point of their endurance. One night 
in the spring of 1868, a party of men cut the 
banks at Cuyahoga Falls and at two other 
places east and west of that village. By 
morning only a reeking ditch remained. The 
State threatened to prosecute the actors, but 
never did so, and the breaks were never re- 
paired. 

Again, in the spring of 1874, the canal was 
cut one night in Akron by a party of dis- 
guised men, between Exchange street and 
Main. Those engaged in the afl'air were ar- 
rested and tried before a Justice of the Peace, 
but were never punished. Soon after this, the 
western part from Mill street to Exchange was 
permanently^ closed, and now steps are being 



:v 



la 



338 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY 



taken to conduit that part of the channel still 
open upon Main street, from Tallmadge to 
Mill 

An enthusiastic set of men, chiefly from the 
East, built — on paper — a great city upon the 
top and side of North Hill, at a point be- 
tween Cuj'ahoga Falls and Akron, which was 
in time to have absorbed both these lesser 
towns into its suburbs. The imaginary city 
was to be supplied with a limitless water- 
power — the sine qua non of all manufacturing 
interests in those days — by means of a canal 
dug ai'ound the brow of the hill, and tapping 
the Cuyahoga River just below the village of 
the Falls, and so great was the faith of the pro- 
jectors of the idea, that they exemplified it in 
the good Scriptural way, b}' works. They 
formed a joint-stock company with a nominal 
capital of $500,000. Prominent among its 
members were E. C. Sackett, Dr. Eliakim Cros- 
by', who had successfully originated and carried 
out the similar scheme above mentioned of 
bringing a water motive power from Middle- 
bury, Col. James W. Phillips and Dr. E. W. 
Crittenden. These four men contracted to 
build the canal or aqueduct for $118,000. Col. 
Phillips at once went East, where, in New York 
and Philadelphia, he interested a number of 
capitalists in the project and recruited laborers 
for the work. The company' also issued scrip 
and paid in land whenever possible ; the}' 
owned the entire tract of " the chucker}-." 
They had a map of their prospective cit}' 
platted, published and circulated as an adver- 
tisement. One of the heaviest proprietors (from 
Rochester. N. Y.) offered to stake every dollar 
he owned in the world, that in less than ten 
3'ears the best corner lots would be worth as 
much in the market as those of Rochester. 
They cut and quarried from the precipitous 
cliffs along the east side of the river an aque- 
duct four miles in length, to the site of their 
well-nigh Utopian scheme. A dam was con- 
structed across the river by which to throw 
into the raceway so much water as should be 
needed. Work was begun in 1838 and pushed 
energetically that year and the next, so that by 
the latter part of 1839, the water was turned 
in. With some changes and repairs at places 
along the route, the canal seemed to operate 
nicely. But, unfortunately, right here the 
funds of the organization had been expended, 
some of its instigators had lost confidence in 



its ultimate success, there had been no such in- 
flux of population as had been expected, and 
no capitalists came forward to utilize the power 
now that it was secured. Several serious breaks 
occurred in the sandy embankments, the water 
was shut oft', and thenceforward matters re- 
mained in statu quo. Strong efforts were put 
forth by the plucky proprietors to overcome 
the untoward circumstances. Now that the 
major part of the cost had been met, the labor 
practically completed, it indeed appeared as 
though just a Jittic more capital would restore 
the concern to a firm basis, and bring the much- 
longed-for manufacturing enterprises. 

In 1843, the Universalist Church, which had 
a strong societ}- in Akron, held a mass conven- 
tion in the old stone church (now the Baptist 
Church), upon which delegates were in attend- 
ance from all over the United States. Among 
them was Horace Greeley. The officers of the 
Canal Company showed the entire trench to 
Mr. G-reeley, expatiated upon their intentions 
and expectations, and the great manufacturing 
city that was sure to grow upon their plats and 
records. Evidently a great impression was 
made upon the editor's mind or the editor's 
heart, or both, for upon his return the New 
York Trihunc contained a lengthy article wher- 
in the whole scheme was enthusiastically set 
forth, and the prophecy volunteered that Sum- 
mit Cit}^ would become the " Lowell of the 
West." No funds, however, came to the ex- 
chequer of the company ; on the contrary, they 
became involved in litigation and debt, and so 
what was once one of the greatest business proj- 
ects of the day has entirely passed into ob- 
livion, save as it is called back into historical 
notice. The monument to their blasted hopes 
is now plainly visible almost its whole extent, 
and evokes many curious questions from vis- 
itors and the younger generations. This young 
city, with little existence, except on paper, en- 
tered the lists as a competitor for the seat of 
justice of the county, but was unsuccessful in 
its aspirations in that direction. All this, how- 
ever, is full}- given in the chapter devoted to 
the organization of Summit County, and will 
not be repeated here. 

It is probably impossible for us of the pres- 
ent day to at all adequately comprehend the 
wonderful hold which certain moral and the- 
ological questions obtained upon the minds 
and feelings of the people forty years ago. It 



-^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



339 



was ill those days that eveiy pulpit was a forum 
ol' polemic display and every discourse a labored 
argument. The same combative style charac- 
terized the newspapers, both secular and relig- 
ious, and lust}' blows were given and taken for 
opinion's sake. One of the strongest and strang- 
est vagaries was that adopted and preached 
everywhere in season and out of season by the so- 
called Millei'ites. Here in Akron they had a 
considerable following as well as in neighboring 
towns. In an April number of the American 
Democrat, issued each week by Horace Canfield, 
appeared this notice : 

The present week is a time of great interest to 
tlie believers in the personal reign of Christ, and in 
the Second Advent as now near. This week, we 
believe, will conclude the 2,300 years from the going 
forth of the decree to restore and build Jerusalem, 
at which time the word of God has been given that 
tlie sanctuary shall be cleansed, and there shall be 
an end of indignation. * * * The time of the 
feast of the passover was the first full moon after 
tlie vernal equinox, which will occur on Friday of 
the present week. We know not how to escape the 
fact that there the 2,300 years will terminate, and 
from that time we shall be in constant expectation 
of seeing the Lord. 

Second Advent Conference to be held at Akron 
(if the Lord does not come before that time) on 
Wedneseay, April 19, 1843, at 10 o'clock A. M. 
Friends from all quarters are invited to attend. 

Akron has been inclined to agitate the mat- 
ter of the allowance or prohibition of intoxi- 
cating drinks from an early date and at 
frequent intervals. At a Council meeting May 
15, 1841, Auisel Miller presented the following 
preamble and resolution, and the same were 
adopted : 

Where .\s. The licensing of groceries for the 
retailing of ardent spirits by the Town Council is 
an action on which much difference of opinion ex- 
ists among the citizens of Akron, therefore. 

Resolved, That for the instruction of the Coun- 
cil, the voters at the coming election are hereby 
requested to write or print on their tickets License 
or No License. 

Accordingly, upon the succeeding day of 
election, June 1, the voters declared in favor 
of No License. The Council accepted their 
verdict, and refused the petitions of all desir- 
ing licenses. A pressure was brought to bear 
upon the State legislators at the session of 
1842-43, which effected the following bill in 
February : 

Sec 2. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of 
the tState of Ohio, That the Town Council of 



Akron, in Summit County, shall have powers to pass 
such l)y-laws as maj' be necessar}' to prohibit with- 
in the corporate limits of said town the retailing, 
vending or selling of ardent spirits or other intoxi- 
cating liquors by any pei'son or persons other 
than licensed tavern-keepers or ph3^sicians in the 
course of medical practice. 

In pursuance of the power therein conferred, 
the Town Council convened in special session 
February 28, and appointed a committee of 
two — the Mayor, Harvey H. Johnson, and 
James Mathews — to draft an ordinance in 
accordance with its intent. The ordinance 
passed its third reading March 11, 1843, by a 
unanimous vote, and immediately took effect. 
This was about the time of the noted " Wash- 
ingtonian Movement." The County Washing- 
tonian Society called its annual meeting for 
the 22d of February-. A stirring address was 
delivered by H. W. King, Esq., before a large 
gathering. The society reported over five 
thousand members in the countj'. Henry 
Rhodes was elected President, and L. V. Bierce, 
Greorge Bliss and R. McMillen an Executive 
Committee. At the time of the vote upon the 
adoption or rejection of our new constitution, 
June 17, 1851, the question of license or no 
license as a S3-stem to be incorporated into the 
State's organic law was separately submitted 
to the decision of the electors of the State. 
The vote of Portage Township (including 
Akron) stood — For license to sell intoxicating 
drinks, 275. Against license to sell intoxicat- 
ing drinks, 312. In common with nearly all 
the cities and villages of Northern Ohio, Akron 
was strongly affected by the maelstrom of feel- 
ing in the temperance cause which swept over 
the country in 1874, commonly known as the 
" Crusade." The movement was countenanced 
and abetted by the best classes of society. 
A few were displeased with its methods, and 
held themselves aloof, but by far the larger 
part of the city's best people either acted a 
part or at least sympathized with the endeav- 
ors of the crusaders. An interesting episode 
of the campaign occurred upon the evening of 
Monday, April 6. It had been the day of the 
municipal elections. The great question at 
issue was that of temperance ; all other mat- 
ters were retii'cd from prominence in compari- 
son. A large and enthusiastic concourse, with 
a considerable proportion of ladies included, 
gathered at the Council rooms, as it was gen- 
erall}' known that a proposed ordinance pro- 



5) 



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340 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



hibitorj in character was that night to come 
up for its third and final reading. Every one 
wishing to first learn the result of the day's 
work at the polls, the early portion of the 
evening was devoted to short and stirring 
speeches by prominent citizens, music, etc. 
The returns coming in indicated a signal vic- 
tory for the temperance interests. At 10 
o'clock. President J. Park Alexander called the 
Council to order. The third reading of the 
ordinance before mentioned was made the 
special business of the session, and by a unan- 
imous vote of the eight Councilmen present it 
became a law. Amid intense enthusiasm and 
outbursts of applause, Mr. Alexander append- 
ed his name as President of the Council, and 
the deed was accomplished. It was announced 
that a jollification meeting would take place 
the next evening at the Academy of ^Iusic, 
and that at that time the gold pen with which 
President Alexander's signature had been 
affixed would be sold at auction to the highest 
bidder, the proceeds to be devoted to some 
charitable object. The next night the Acad- 
emy was packed ; standing-room even could 
not be had, and many were obliged to turn 
away disappointed. John R. Buchtel was 
assigned the post of auctioneer, and the fun 
began. The first bid was 10 cents ; from that 
it jumped to $10, then rapidly mounted by 
tens and fives until finall}' it was struck oflT to 
Mr. Ferdinand Schumacher for $252.50. That 
is probabl}' the most costly pen in tlie United 
States. Undoubtedly, some permanent good 
was accomplished by the Crusade, but a con- 
siderable portion of the effect proved but tem- 
porary, as, indeed, might be expected from the 
nature of the means emplo^-ed — a species of 
coercion — and when the restraint was removed 
the evils of course returned. Still later have 
occurred the " Murphy Movement" and a num- 
ber of lesser waves of temperance reform. 
While these several spasmodic efforts have 
been followed by many discouraging lapses 
and much that tended to dishearten the truly 
earnest and temperate lovers of temperance, 
yet we believe that, unconsciously to itself, 
perhaps, the public has thereby been educated 
to a higher grade of thought and feeling upon 
the subject. This we regard as practically the 
most valuable result of these periodic agita- 
tions. 

Akron's noted Glendale is justly considered 



one of the most beautiful and best kept ceme- 
teries in the entire country. Centrall}' located, 
yet possessed of remarkable natural advan- 
tages, it is at once removed from all indications 
of city surroundings, and pleasingl}' diversified 
in surface contour. The spacious grounds are 
under the charge of an experienced and com- 
petent manager, who devotes his whole time to 
the task. There is a fine stone lodge at the 
city gatewa}^, and just inside a costl}^ me- 
morial chapel, reared in 1875 by the Buck- 
le}' Post of the Grand Army of the Republic, 
aided by outside subscriptons, in remembrance 
of the bra^'e comrades fi'om Akron and Port- 
age Townships, who fell in the war of the re- 
bellion. There are also fine greenhouses in con- 
nection with the yard, and a well-arranged 
vault. This brief notice will not undertake to 
describe Glendale ; no attempt at description 
would conve}' to one unacquainted with the 
actual appearances an at all adequate idea of 
its summer beauty, and to one knowing it the 
effort would doubtless seem to fall far short 
of reality. 

In 1839, the Town Council passed an act to 
regulate the public burying-ground (which had 
alread}' been located where it now is), providing 
for its thorough care under the supervision of 
a committee appointed directh' by themselves. 
This management continued until 1850, at 
which time, in Februar}', the corporation trans- 
ferred all its right and title to the " Akron Ru- 
ral Cemeter}' Association," an organization 
chartered for the purpose, and in whose hands 
it still remains, conditioning the transfer upon 
a perpetuation of the same methods of conduct. 

A large share of credit for the present state 
of improvement is due to tlie judicious and ef- 
ficient labors of the Ladies Cemetery Associa- 
tion, an adjunct of the Rural Cemetery Associa- 
tion before mentioned, an organization broader 
than any denomination or set, and whose mem- 
bers represent them all. These ladies, both by 
direct exertion and by means of numberless 
fairs, bazars, musical and other entertainments, 
have raised considerable sums of money, which 
have been expended in improving and adorn- 
ing this beautiful " God's Acre." 

The inception of the town, in 1825, was far 
from promising. Its main features were alder 
swamps and barren sand hills. A more unin- 
viting site could hardlj^ be found in the neigh- 
borhood. The completion of the Ohio Canal 



Tv" 



lIl 



CITY OF AKRON. 



341 



to this point, however, in 1827, worked wonders. 
That year and those immediately subsequent 
greatly increased the population, so that by 
1830, the census of Portage Township (includ- 
ing Akron, which constituted almost the whole 
of the enumeration), showed 475. By 1832, 
Akron was thought to contain about 600 in- 
habitants ; in 1836, when it became legally a 
town, 1,200 ; and in 1840, it had reached 
1,664. 

The imports in 1836 amounted to $500,000, 
and the exports $400,000, indicating a thriving 
state of business, a characteristic which has 
been thoroughly maintained and to a remarka- 
ble degree ever since. The chapter upon our 
industries and manufactures will exhibit this 
fact more clearly. The growth has been in 
general of a very steady uniform sort, not 
greatly fluctuating from time to time. It has 
also been of a desirable kind, healthy and con- 
stant. The great panic of 1837, to be sure, 
was disastrous, but the town soon rallied, and 
proved to have suflfered no lasting check. In 
the hard times of 1873, and the four years next 
succeeding, Akron endured the strain much 
better than the majority of towns and cities of 
the State. 

Quite a number of times she has been visited 
by extensive conflagrations — notably those of 
1848, 1849, 1851, 1854, 1856,1869, and several 
of later dates — by which large portions of the 
heaviest business sections of town have been 
destroyed, but from the ashes of which, phoenix- 
like, better forms have followed. 

In 1853, Akron had eight churches, five 
flouring-mills, one woolen factory, three found- 
ries, sixty stores, six hotels, one bank, three 
printing offices and two telegraph offices. 

The State Legislature in 1845 chartered a col- 
lege in Akron, with power to confer literary, le- 
gal, medical and theological degrees. It seems 
that nothing was ever accomplished in the prac- 
tical furtherance of this idea. The incorpora- 
tors evidently had in mind the establishment 
of a university composed of several colleges. 
Why the project died we cannot learn. 

Akron was, however, provided with a clas- 
sical college, first opened to students in 1872, 
through the munificence of Hon. John R. Buch- 
tel, seconded by the contributions of many 
others, particularly of the Universalist denom- 
ination. An extended sketch of Buchtel Col- 
lege is elsewhere presented in this work, so we 



will simply refer the reader to that for fuller in- 
formation. 

A number of severe fires in the earl}' years 
of the town rendered the need of some organ- 
ized protection imperative. In December of 
1839, the Council, by ordinance, provided for 
the creation and maintenance of volunteer fire 
companies. Accordingly, a company under 
the name of the " North Akron Fire Company," 
was formed January 28, 1840, with twentj^-six 
members. To these persons there was subse- 
quently issued by the Town Recorder, upon the 
direction of the Council, certificates of mem- 
bership dating back to the time of joining. 
February 10, 1846, eight more persons became 
members, and " No. 1 " was added to the 
name. The application of " Niagara Fire En- 
gine Company, No. 2," was accepted by the 
Council December 20, 1845, and thirty-seven 
men appointed members. Again in 1847, a 
hook and ladder company was, bj^ the same 
authority made a fire company, and clothed 
with the name " Tornado Fire Company, No. 
3," indicative, we suppose, of the vast energy 
of its thirty-two members. 

Still other companies were from time to time 
added, all volunteer organizations. In Ma}', 
1858, the Council first declared a compensation, 
further than the statutory privileges, to the 
members of these companies. This was the 
princely sum of $2 each per year, and that 
conditioned upon a strict compliance with the 
prescribed regulations. 

Gradually, however, improved appliances and 
a paid service have been substituted for the 
former less capable but hearty labor, and now 
Akron is abreast with the foremost cities in 
the efficiency of her protection against fire. 

A petition was presented to the Town Coun- 
cil July 29, 1847, signed by H. B. Ely, praying 
the privilege of constructing a line of telegraph 
through Akron. The petition was granted, and 
a resolution in pursuance adopted whereby 
'• The Lake Erie Telegraph Company was au- 
thorized to run their line of comtounication 
through this town, provided they do not inter- 
fere with or obstruct any street or alley in said 
town, to the inconvenience of the citizens or 
public." 

This was the earliest move in the direction 
of telegraphic facilities. The line was built 
and operated for a few years, but for some rea- 
son or other was discontinued. 



^ 



342 



HISTOEY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



The railroads of Akron and the county at 
large are treated of in a distinct ai'ticle bj- an- 
other writer. We will here merel}- advert to 
them, for a fuller and more interesting descrip- 
tion, referring to that chapter. The " Akron 
Branch" of the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Rail- 
road was projected early in 1851 ; the survey be- 
gan April 15. In June of the same year, the 
people of Summit County by a majority vote of 
827, instructed the County Commissioners to 
make a subscription of $100,000 to the pro- 
posed road in behalf of the county. The con- 
tract for building from Hudson, its northern 
terminus and point of junction with the main 
line, to Akron, was let June 21. The work 
was pushed with vigor. By the 1st of the suc- 
ceeding January, the road was in use as far as 
Cuyahoga Falls. B}' the next 1st of June it 
connected at the Old Forge with a packet line 
of boats upon the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal. 
Early on the morning of Sunday, July 4, 1852, 
it was completed so as to allow the passage of 
cars into Akron. A mild form of jubilee had 
to be indulged in although it was Sunda}', but 
the great day of jollification occurred on Mon- 
da}-, the 5th. Of that we will give no narration, 
as we presume the article devoted specially to 
this topic will contain it in full, onl}- mentioning 
that at the great dinner at Cuyahoga Falls, in 
the afternoon. Col. Simon Perkins, President of 
of the compau}' proposed a name for the new 
road, " Cleveland, Akron & Zanesvillc Rail- 
road," which was then and there formally 
adopted. Subsequently the name was still 
further amplified in significance — the Cleve- 
land, Zancsville & Cincinnati Railroad — no one 
of which places, by the way, has it ever 
reached. It is now known as the Cleveland, 
Mt. Vernon & Columbus Railroad. 

Our next road was the Atlantic & Great 
Western, completed to Akron in April, 1863, a 
broad guage, tributary to the New York & 
Erie. Of the tribulations of this unfortuuate 
and ill-managed road, a vast chapter might be 
written. x\fter many successive mutations, the 
road is at last under an entirely new and dis- 
tinct organization and with a new name — the 
New York, Penns3'lvania & Ohio — we hope, 
upon a better, sounder foundation, and in a 
fair way to serve its patrons respectably and 
repay its investors. 

The third road to enter Akron was the Cuy- 
ahoga Valle}', commencing operations the 1st 



of February, 1830. Though having but just 
made a beginning, its management appears to 
have been judicious ; it has certainly striven 
to accommodate the public, and has secured 
verj' many foiends who warmly desire for it 
an unqualified success. 

In 1860, a strong effort was made to secure 
the location of the new State Penitentiary at 
Akron. Several prominent citizens were sent 
to Columbus to lobby for the measure. In 
December, the Council empowered our Repre- 
sentatives to tender to the State an eligible site 
of twenty acres of land or more if needed, free 
of charge, for that purpose ; the offer was not 
accepted. 

With reference to the advancement of Akron 
from its grade of an incorporated village to 
become a cit}' of tiie second class, an enumera- 
tion of the inhabitants was taken upon the 
14th day of December, 1864. It was thus 
learned that the requisite 5,000 was exceeded, 
and steps were at once instituted looking to 
the desired action. Upon the 20th of Decem- 
ber, by I'esolution of the Council reciting tlie 
above fact, the proper State oflScials were re- 
quested to advance the grade as prayed for. 
In consideration of this petition, and in accord- 
ance with the statutory provisions, Gov. 
Brough, Auditor of State Godman and Secre- 
tary of State Smitli declared Akron to ha\'e 
become a city of the second class, January 21, 
1865. 

In September of 1865, there was annexed to 
the cit}' the territory lying just east of the 
then eastern corporation line, and extending as 
far as Middlebury Township, i. e., to where 
now Middlebury street intersects East Market. 

The census of 1860 had shown a^population 
of 3,520 in Akron ; that of 1870 showed 
10,006. The city had almost trebled in the 
decade, though the count}' as a whole had 
gained but 26^ per cent ; of the 7,275, the 
total county increase, 6,486 had occurred in 
Akron. This effect was in a measure to Vie 
sure due to the gain by annexation before 
mentioned. 

The next and last change in the corporation 
boundaries took place in 1872. August 24, 
1871, tlie Council provided that at the regular 
spring election, to be held on the first Monday 
of April, 1872, the question ''Shall the incor- 
porated village of jNliddlebur}' be annexed to 
the city of Akron ? " should be submitted to 



vt 



■J> 



CITT OF AKRON. 



343 



the electors of that village. By subsequent 
action it was also ordained that the same ques- 
tion, at the same time, and in the same man- 
ner should be declared upon by the voters of 
Akron. The result was as follows : Akron — 
For annexation, 1,042 ; against, 16. Middle- 
bury — For, 140 ; against, 26. Upon this deci- 
sive vote, the Council appointed William T. 
Allen, George W. Grouse and David L. King 
Commissioners on the part of Akron to ar- 
range terms and conditions with the Commis- 
sioners appointed by Middlebury, namelj^', 
Mendall Jewett. Frank Adams and George F. 
Kent. Upon the 13th of April, the terms of 
annexation were agreed upon, and, upon the 
24th, the report of the Commissioners was pre- 
sented to the Council, by it adopted, and the 
former village of Middlebury formally added 
to the city and made to constitute its Sixth 
Ward. Final action, perfecting the work, was 
taken by the County Commissioners October 
28, 1872. 

From a population of 10,006 in 1870, Akron 
grew to 16,462 in 1880, a gain of 64^ per cent. 
Excluding the effect of the annexation of Mid- 
dlebury, the increase would be 49^ per cent. 
During the same period the increment of the 
county was 26 per cent, the same as for the 
decade preceding. 

As a city, we are at the present in the midst of 
an era of active and great improvement. The 
telephone system has been in operation less 
than two years, and the eit}' is radiated in 
every direction by its wires. It has passed 
beyond the experimental stage, and from an 
interesting novelty has become almost a neces- 
sity. Akron was the first place in the State, 
excepting three or four of the largest cities, to 
possess the telephone. Under the charge of 
the private company which owns and controls 
this s^'stem, are lines now in successful opera- 
tion from x\kron to Tallmadge, a distance of 
four miles ; x\kron to Doylestown, fourteen 
miles ; Canton to Massillon, eight miles, and a 
line nearl}' constructed between Akron and Can- 
ton, twenty-two miles. When this is com- 
pleted, Tallmadge, Akron, Canton, Massillon 
and Do3'lestown will, for the first time in his- 
tor3', be on speaking terms with one another. 
To this circuit will in time be added Cleveland 
and Cu3'ahoga Falls, and eventually a number 
of other places. 



In the winter of 1879-80, Akron was ac- 
corded the privilege of a free postal deliver}-, 
and early in the succeeding spring the system 
was carried into execution, to the great satis- 
faction of every one. 

Akron is a pioneer in the matter of utilizing 
electricity as a means of lighting streets, and 
is the t^THt city of the world to adopt the meth- 
od of high masts for that purpose. It is yet 
too early to predicate the means or the method 
a success or otherwise, but certainly the begin- 
ning augurs well for the future. A new cit}' 
hall IS nearly ready for occupancy' ; the needs 
which this will supply have been long and se- 
verely felt. 

A system of water-works of the most im- 
proved type is well on toward completion. It 
is being put in by a private company, upon 
which falls the entire responsibility, expense 
and hazard. We are now promised the turn- 
ing on of the water by the 1st of June next, 
aud when it comes it will assuredly meet a 
hearty welcome from all our citizens. Besides 
this, a complete plan of sewage has been de- 
vised b}' our city Civil Engineer, and the nec- 
essary work is now being done. A new paving 
with stone to replace the worn-out Nicholson has 
been ordered upon East Market and Mill streets, 
and before man}- months, in all probabilit}', 
sevei'al other streets will be repaired in the 
same manner. With all these progressive 
steps, Akron \Qi enjoys the unique position 
among cities of being wholly free from debt. 
It is to be hoped that this blissful state of 
things will continue. 

Two more improvements seem earnestly de- 
manded in the near future. One of these, at 
least, will doubtless soon follow. We mean 
the hiding from sight that long-time eyesore — 
the ditch where was once the Penns3'lvania & 
Ohio Canal — alike obnoxious to the nostrils 
and deleterious to the health of our people. 
The initial steps toward so desirable a result 
have already been taken in the Cit}' Council, in 
a resolution to the effect that the old canal bed 
should be conduited from Tallmadge street to 
its end at Mill street. 

The other is the introduction of street rail- 
ways, and we confidentl}'^ predict that not man}- 
years will elapse before that also will be chron- 
icled among the manifold advantages of Akron. 



:^ 



dt 



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344 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



CHAPTER IX.* 



CITY OF AKRON — ITS MANUFACTORIES 
SEWER PIPE AND POTTERIES- 



-THEIR RISE AND PROGRESS — THE REAPER WORKS- 
-MILLS, OATMEAL, ETC.— OTHER INDUSTRIES. 



"The bellows-puff, the hammer-beat, the whistle 
and the song, 
Told, steadfastly and merrily, toil rolled the hours 
along." — Street. 

THE first steps taken to inaugurate manu- 
facturing within what are now the corpo- 
rate limits of the city of Akron were b}^ Jo- 
seph Hart in 1807. This movement was com- 
menced in what is now the Sixth Ward, Middle- 
bury. Mr. Hart began, during that year, the 
erection of a " grist-mill." He soon sold one- 
half the land he had purchased to Aaron Nor- 
ton, and the two completed the structure in 
partnership, finishing their work in 1809. For 
many years this mill did the work of the sur- 
rounding country in the way of grinding — as 
did " Bagley's Factory " the cloth-dressing and 
carding. The projecting of the Ohio Canal 
gave an impetus to the manufacturing interests 
of Middlebury — mills, factories and mechanical 
shops springing into existence ; but Akron, on 
the canal, when once under way, brought a sad 
discomfiture to the village eastward. In 1831, 
Dr. Eliakim Crosby conceived the project of 
bringing the Little Cuyahoga from Middlebury 
round to Akron, thus creating a fine water- 
power. No sooner was the project conceived 
than it was undertaken ; the " Cascade mill- 
race " was dug and the Stone Mill put in 
operation. Thus was started on its astonish- 
ing career of prosperity the manufacturing in- 
terests of Akron proper. Middlebury lan- 
guished for awhile ; its factories closed, and 
the " grinding ceased." However, in the course 
of time, mechanical establishments began to 
increase and its water-power was improved. In 
the end, the pottery business gave it a per- 
manence, so that now the Sixth Ward is em- 
phatically a manufacturing ward of the city. 

Among the prominent industries of Middle- 
bury, nearly thirty years ago, was the carriage 
manufactory of C. A. Collins, which then 
turned off goods to the amount of $20,000 an- 
nually. Their carriages were of " the highest 

♦Contributed by C. W. Butterfield. 



finish and st3-le, and in great demand in the 
Southern and Southwestern States." Irish, 
McMillan & Co. had an extensive machine 
shop, " where all kinds of machinery were man- 
ufactured." Their building was three stories 
high, and about three hundred feet long by forty 
wide. This firm averaged, in manufactured ar- 
ticles, about $14,000 a j^ear. Their fire-engines 
were superior to those made in Eastern estab- 
lishments. 

. " The pottery business," says a writer of that 
period, in speaking of the manufactories of 
Middlebury, " is carried on extensively. There 
are three devoted to the making of ordinar}- 
stoneware, one to the manufacture of stone 
pipes and pumps, and one to Liverpool ware. 
The clay is procured from Springfield, and the 
ware is of the best quality. The pipe for 
pumps or water drains, is made in joints of 
twent}- inches, and by shoulders and cement 
are put together so as to present an entirely 
smooth inner surface. They are glazed inside 
and out, to prevent decay of the pipe and an 
unpleasant taste to the water. They are des- 
tined to supersede all metallic pipes. 

" The potteries," continues the writer, " fur- 
nish 80,000 gallons of the manufactured arti- 
cles annually, which average five cents a gallon. 
There is also a cabinet-shop in this town (Mid- 
dlebury), which turns off an immense number 
of articles in its line. Every operation, from 
jacking an oak board to vaneering the choicest 
mahogany, is done b}- machinery. Rawson, 
Goodale & Co. have a woolen factory which 
employs a large number of hands and turns off 
a considerable amount of broadcloths, satinets 
and flannels. These goods are taken to the 
New York market, the Ohio mark taken off, 
and then, by the merchants, returned to Ohio 
and sold as European manufacture. The de- 
ception is a harmless one, as their goods are 
decidedly preferable to those imported. There 
is also a comb and button factory in Middle- 
bury, one of fanning-mills, and several for mak- 
ing: lucifer matches." Such was the state of 



y[- 




iiaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiaiiitiiiiisii^^^^^^^^ 



I^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



345 



manufacturing industries in what is now the 
Sixth Ward of Akron, something more than a 
quarter of a century ago. 

From 1831, when the first mill was built in 
the village of Akron, to 1854 — a period of 
twenty-three years — the manufactories of the 
place had largely increased both in number and 
importance ; but the great want was a speedy 
transportation. Says the writer already quoted : 
" When our immense beds of stone-coal, iron 
and pottery shall have an opening to market ; 
when our flour, by a speed^^ transportation, can 
come in competition with the New York and 
Eastern pi'oduction ; and when the milk from 
our dairies can be sent almost warm to the New 
York market, then Akron will indeed be not 
only the child of promise but of fulfillment." 

In 1857, there were in Akron two woolen- 
factories, five flouring-mills, a steam engine 
factory, a blast-furnace, a mineral paint mill, a 
card-factory, and an extensive stove-factor}', 
besides a number of smaller works. The next 
seventeen years showed a large increase ; for, 
in 1874, there were in the whole city, two 
woolen-mills, two paper-mills, seven flouring- 
mills, four foundries, one rolling-mill, one 
blast-furnace, one forge, three planing-mills, 
two manufactories of reapers and mowers, one 
of pearl barley, one of oat-meal, one of knives 
and sickles, one of rubber goods, one of chains, 
one of matches, and three machine shops. 
There were, also, one manufactory of boilers, 
two of plows, one of woolen goods, one of horse 
hay-rakes, one of stoves, one of iron fences, ten 
of stoneware, and one of blank books. 

There is now, probably, no city in the United 
States of the same population, presenting such 
a diversity of manufactories as Akron. The 
receiving and shipping facilities enjo^-ed by the 
manufacturers of the city may be regarded as 
one of the important factors in their progress 
and prosperity. The magnificent water-power 
is another noteworthy advantage ; and the 
abundant suppl}- of cheap fuel from the neigh- 
boring coal-banks is still another. The market 
is stocked, at all seasons, with cheap farm prod- 
uce ; house rents are reasonable ; in fact, all 
the expenses of living are verj' moderate. The 
city has already three railways. Tliis gives 
competing lines East and West, and insures the 
lowest rates for fare and freights. 

In no department of the mechanic arts, it is 
safe to say, has more marked progress and im- 



provement been made within the last quarter 
of a century than in that of labor-saving farm 
machiner3^ The problem of how to construct 
the most economical and eflective mechanism 
for the consummation of a given purpose in the 
arena of agricultural enterprise, has for a series 
of years been made the patient and unremitting 
study of some of the most talented of Ameri- 
can inventors. While admiring a beautiful 
and perfect piece of machinery, the creation of 
some master mind, how little conception has the 
beholder of the many months and even years 
of studious application, of persistent experi- 
menting, of scientific induction, that were in- 
volved in the successful development of it. 
This is known only to the inventor himself, and 
it is in entire accord with the doctrine of com- 
pensation that he should reap the legitimate 
reward for his incessant toil and pre-eminent 
skill. That this reward, in its fullest measure, 
is due to Lewis Miller, of Akron, inventor of 
the Buckeye Mower and Reaper, will be con- 
ceded by every one acquainted with his inven- 
tions. The fact that the machine is to-day, in 
its essential principles and mechanical construc- 
tion, the same as when originall}' brought out 
— in 1855 — is assuredly an emphatic tribute to 
Mr. Miller's genius. Of course, minor improve- 
ments have from year to year been made upon 
it — here a little and there a little — but its main 
features remain the same. 

These machines were first manufactured in 
Canton, Ohio, by the firm of C. Aultman & Co. 
In 1863, the works in Akron were started as a 
branch of the Canton house. There is now 
another branch, located in Poughkeepsie, N. Y. 
Taken together they rank among the largest 
works of the kind in the world. They are mak- 
ing at Akron sixty-five machines a day, and 
have shipped an average of three car loads a 
day since the middle of December, 1880. From 
this writing (March, 1881) until July following, 
the average will be about eight car loads a day. 
The works comprise in Akron a main building, 
450x50 feet, with four floors ; a warehouse, 
50x200 feet, having also four floors ; a mold- 
ing shop, equivalent to 150x70 feet, one floor ; 
engine and boiler-rooms, 50x40 feet, two 
floors ; a blacksmith-shop, 30x200 feet, one 
floor ; an old wood-room, 50x100 feet, having 
three floors ; a new building, 265x60 feet, with 
four floors ; a new engine-room, 20x30 feet, one 
floor ; a repair room, 30x50 feet, two floors ; an 



346 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



iron warehouse, 35x116 feet, and an office build- 
ing, 40x80 feet, witli three floors ; the total 
area of the buildings being 243 900 feet, or 
upward of five and two-thirds acres. These 
buildings are thoroughh' equipped with very 
complete machinery, especiallv adapted to this 
kind of business, and operated by steam-power 
supplied from engines of colossal proportions. 
The machines are sold all over the United 
States ; but, the principal demand is from the 
wheat-growing districts west of the Mississippi. 
At the works in Akron are now manufactured 
the Buckeye Mower ; the Buckeye Single Reap- 
er ; the Buckeye Combined Mower and Drop- 
per, rear delivery ; the Buckeye Combined 
Mower and Table Rake, side delivery ; the 
Buckeye Harvester, for hand binding; the 
Buckeye Twine Self-Binder, and the Buckeye 
Wire Self-Binder. 

The firm of Aultman, Miller & Co. was or- 
ganized in 1865, with a capital of $300,000, 
since increased to $1,000,000, for the exclusive 
purpose of manufacturing these machines. The 
headquarters and main works of the company 
are located at Akron. 

But the "Buckeye" is not the only mower 
and reaper manufactured in Akron. The 
" Empire," made by J. F. Seiberling, at his 
works in the city, belongs to the lighter class 
of machines, and is now sold in ever}' State 
and Territory in the Union. In its construction 
numerous improvements have been made since 
its first introduction into the market. It has 
been thoroughly tested in all kinds of grass 
and grain, and on all conditions of ground, 
with gratifying results. For compactness, 
simplicity, lightness of draft, ease of manage- 
ment and beauty of finish, it ranks deservedly 
high. The Empire Mower and Reaper Works 
were established in Akron by Mr. Seiberling in 
1875. Their capacity is now 7,000 machines a 
year. The Empire works turn out a mower 
which is a two-wheeled, front-cut machine ; to 
this can be added, at any time, a reaping at- 
tachment. This consists of a separate finger- 
bar, with either the dropper or Empire side- 
delivery table-rake, or sweep rake. Mr. Seiber- 
ling also manufactures the Empire Harvester 
and Binder, which is a new member in his 
family of machines. The buildings of Mr. 
Seiberling are those of the old P]xcelsior Mow- 
er and Reaper Works, located immediately east 
of the depot of the New York, Pennsylvania & 



Ohio Railroad, on Forge and Lincoln streets. 
They consist of a foundry, 110x95 feet ; a main 
building, 45x180 feet ; a warehouse, 45x90 feet, 
and a blacksmith-shop, 35x40 feet. The steam 
engine which supplies the motive power of the 
works is of eighty-horse-power. 

That such a prosaic subject as the manufact- 
ure of shirts should have been made so highly 
poetical, under the magic touch of an English 
poet, as to immortalize his name, is strange in- 
deed ; but such is the fact, for 

"With fingers weary and worn, 
With eyelids heavy and red, 
A woman sat in unwomanly rags, 
Plying her needle and thread ; 

Stitch ! stitch ! stitch ! 
In poverty, hunger and dirt, 
And still with a voice of dolorous pitcli. 
She sang the 'Song of the Shirt.' " 

That is to sa}-, it was wonderfully sung by 
Thomas Hood, as every one knows. But men- 
tion of the two factories in Akron will not be 
made in verse ; nor will the wa}^ their owners 
do business be chronicled in harmonious num- 
bers. The office and factory of Cleorge W. 
Wright & Co. are located at No. 112 South 
Howard street, on the third fioor. These gen- 
tlemen do excellent work, and are the sole man- 
ufacturers of the patent diamond neckband, 
which is used in all their shirts. The other 
factory is upon the same street, at No. 167, and 
is owned b}' Sperling & Roberts. The}' make 
first-class goods of four grades. 

The manufactory of Frank I). Howard, wiio 
makes plows, cultivators, field-rollers, road 
scrapers, farm bells and other articles, is on 
the corner of High and Mill streets. This 
manufactory was first started in 1869, by A. 
Rice & Co., and continued under that name un- 
til 1872, when the firm changed to Benjamin & 
Howard, and, in 1877, the present proprietor 
became sole owner. The premises occupied by 
the business covers a space of 120 feet on Mill 
street and 115 feet on High street. The build- 
ing consists of a two-story brick with basement, 
35x70 feet, used as a factory, sample and sales- 
room and office ; a foundr}^ 40x50 feet ; a 
blacksmith-shop, 20x30 feet ; and an engine- 
room, 15x20 feet, with sheds and warehouse for 
storage of material and stock. A forty-horse- 
power steam engine is used in driving the ma- 
chinery. Mr. Howard makes superior chilled 
iron and steel plows, in which he has a large 
trade. In the foundry department, car wheels 






fe* 



CITY OF AKEON. 



sr, 



for coal cars are the chief product. The trade 
of this house extends throughout Central, 
Northern and Eastern Ohio, Western Pennsyl- 
vania, and the Eastern and Western States. 

In the Scriptures, carriages or chariots are 
frequently alluded to. Upon the flight of the 
the Israelites out of Egypt, they were pursued 
by Pharaoh with six hundred chariots, all of 
which were swallowed up by the Red Sea. 
Chariots and carriages were used mostl}' by 
kings and grandees on state occasions. The 
Greeks and Romans had chariots, but, strange 
to relate, it was so late as the sixteenth centur}- 
(1550) that carriages were introduced into 
France ; and at that date only three were known 
in Paris, then quite a large city. Since taste 
enters so largely into the construction of mod- 
ern vehicles, and their price brings them to the 
doors of many, the manufticturing of them has 
become general. There are in Akron four car- 
riage manufactories, where goods of that kind 
can be obtained second to none in the countr3\ 

C. A. Collins & Son have the oldest estab- 
lishment for manufacturing carriages in North- 
ern Ohio. It was commenced in 1837, by C. 
A. Collins. All styles of open and top buggies, 
fancy carriages, spi'ing wagons and sleighs are 
made b}- this firm. Their works ai-e located on 
the corner of Main and Church streets ; their 
repository is on the "old gas works" propertj-. 
An addition 30x50 feet, three stories high, has 
recently been made to their buildings. 

Another manufactory of carriages in Akron 
is that of John Heppert, at the corner of Mar- 
ket and College streets. IMr. Heppert com- 
menced in this line in 1858, in the Sixth Ward, 
then Middlebury. He now occupies as office, 
salesroom and repository two floors of the 
spacious building, 50x50 feet in size, at the cor- 
ner of the streets just mentioned. He turns 
out some of as fine carriages, road wagons, 
buggies, express wagons and other vehicles as 
are to be found in this section of country. 

A third raanufactor\' of carriages is that of 
Chai'les Vogt, who commenced business in that 
line in 1876, at the corner of Main and Middle- 
bury streets. Mr. Vogt has good manufactur- 
ing advantages and a prosperous trade. The old 
wood department and paint-shop measure 35x 
70 feet, and the smith-shop 30x45 feet. These 
are now store buildings. His new and com- 
modious brick structure is used as an office and 
wareroom on the first floor. The second floor 



is occupied as a paint room and repository. 
This building is on the northwest corner of the 
streets before mentioned, while the old build- 
ings are on the southwest corner. His new 
frame building in the rear of the brick is used 
as a blacksmith -shop. 

In addition to the manufactories of carriages 
before described, there is one belonging to Har- 
pham Brothers, in the Sixth Ward, at 102 High 
street ; but this firm is employed more espe- 
cially in the making of wagons. They do a 
large and thriving business and their work is 
first-class. 

The large establishment of the Whitman & 
Barnes Manufacturing Company makes nothing 
but articles ai)pertaining to agricultural imple- 
ments. This compau}' is the outgrowth of two 
others : th{^ Whitman & Miles Manufacturing- 
Company of Akron, and George Barnes & Co., 
of Syracuse, N. Y., and was formerly con- 
ducted as a branch of a iMassachusetts house, 
founded a number of years ago. The capital 
stock of the W^hitman & Barnes Manufacturing 
Company is $500,000. The works at Akron 
are very extensive, and consist of a number of 
buildings erected and fitted up expressly for 
the rapid and perfect prosecution of this par- 
ticular branch of industr}-. They make mower 
knives, reaper sickles, sections, spring keys, 
guard plates and other articles of this nature. 
The demand for their goods extends from the 
rugged and rocky hillsides of New England, 
across the fertile prairie lands of the Mississippi 
Valley to the sunny slopes of the Pacific coast. 
They export large quantities to England, France 
and Germany. The annual business of the 
Akron bi-anch of this corporation is fully 
$500,000. Two immense engines of 150-horse- 
power each arc used at these works. The com- 
panj^ has a smaller brancii house at Canton. 

The tobacco trade is one of the most exten- 
sive in the United States, whether we regard 
the extent of the capital invested, or the num- 
ber of hands to whom it gives stead}- employ- 
ment. The use of " the weed "' is ^'ery general, 
notwithstanding the theories put forth by cer- 
tain medical writers concerning its bad eftccts 
upon the sj-stem, and the practice of smoking 
is on the increase, while chewing is perhaps 
scarcely holding its own, and snuflT-taking is a 
thing of the past. Cigar manufectories are 
multiplying all over the country. There are 
no less than ten in Akron : Freuderaan Broth- 



• (3 



348 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



ers, 165 South Howard street ; M. H. Hart, 
125^ same street ; Holstein & Golberger. same 
street (No. 155) ; Louis Walde, uear the fair | 
ground ; John Lotze, 707 South Main street ; [ 
Benjamin McNaughton, 916 East Market street ; 
J. Mengendsorf, 1 25 South High street ; H. F. 
Shrank, 258 West Market street ; Peter Lang- 
endorf & Brother, 927 South Howard street, 
and John F. Weber, 164 same street. 

There are two tanneries in Aliron. The Ak- 
ron Tannery is the property of James Christy 
& Sons, and is located on Howard and Main 
streets. The business was founded here in 
1842, by the present senior member of the firm, 
and, from a comparatively small beginning, has 
steadily increased to its present extent and 
magnitude. The firm now occupies as office, 
storeroom and finishing department, four floors 
of the spacious new brick structure, 38x60 feet, 
at the intersection of Howard and Main streets, 
with a two-story building, 40x100 feet, the first 
floor of which is used for the storage of bark, 
and the second as a dry-room for hanging hides, 
and a two-story tanner}' building, 80x80 feet. 
They have all the latest improved machinery 
in the various departments of their extensive 
establishment, and manufacture every descrip- 
tion of leather of superior grades, and the most 
excellent qualities, making a leading specialty 
of fine harness leather, which latter product has 
attained a national reputation for its uniform 
excellence and reliability. 

John H. Christ}^ is the owner of the other 
establishment. He is the successor of J. H. 
Christy & Co., who started the business in 
Akron in 1849. At that time, the firm pur- 
chased the tannery at the corner of Howard 
and North streets, which had been erected ten 
years before by Christy & Sawyer. The busi- 
ness continued under the firm name of J. H. 
Christy & Co. until April, 1849, when, by 
purchase of the company's interest, John H. 
Christy became sole owner. The building, occu- 
pied for storing and displaying goods, and as 
an office and salesroom, is a three-story brick, 
at 109 Market street. In rear of this is a brick 
warehouse, three stories high, 25x40 feet, with 
slate roof. Upon the site of the old tannery, 
an elegant one of brick, three stories high, 
100x100 feet, is erected. The leather manu- 
factured is harness, upper and calf The trade 
of the house extends throughout all parts of 
the United States. 



Beds have come down to us from the •' ages 
primeval." An easy couch for the weary or 
sick— what is more comfortable ? 

" When thoughts 
Of the last bitter hour come like a blight 
Over thy spirit, and sad images 
Of the stern agony, and shroud and pall. 
And breathless darkness, and the narrow house, 
Make thee to shudder and grow sick at heart ;" 

When disease has laid us upon a sick bed, 
and our bodies racked with pain, what greater 
boon than an improved spring bed-bottom for 
our couch on which to lie ? F. F. Hale manu- 
factures Champion spiral spring bed-bottoms 
at 206 Mill street. He began business in 
April, 1880. H. Limbert also makes goods of 
this description on Summit street. He manu- 
factures, in addition, patent swings. 

The Akron Steam Forge Company was orig- 
inall}' a partnership concern, established in 
1865, but, in 1879, it became an incorporated 
company under the above title, with a capital 
of $60,000. The area of ground owned by 
the corporation is ten acres, and the works oc- 
cup}- a space of 60x265 feet. These buildings 
have a fine appointment of mechanical appli- 
ances adapted for the special work performed 
here. In the axle-shop are four steam ham- 
mers — one 4,000-pound upright, taking steam 
both ways ; two halves, each with hammer- 
head weighing 2,000 pounds, and one with 
head of 1,500 pounds; five heating furnaces, 
and every requisite modern convenience com- 
mended by thorough experience. 

The product of this company comprises car, 
driving and locomotive axles, shafting, eleven 
sizes of eye-bars for bridges, and every descrip- 
tion of wrought shape work. In all depart- 
ments are employed long-experienced and well- 
skilled artisans, none but the best selected 
materials, and absolute perfection is aimed at 
and attained in all their manufactures. Hence, 
wherever these uniformly fine goods have been 
introduced and used, their qualit}', strength, 
finish and durabilit}' are acknowledged to be 
unsurpassed by the output of any other like 
establishment in the Union. In their line of 
manufacture, the character of the stock em- 
ployed is an all-important consideration, and 
therefore the}' use nothing but carefully se- 
lected wrought scrap, of tough and fibrous 
texture, insuring the most satisfactory re- 
sults. 



1/ 



■hL 



CITY OF AKRON. 



349 



The company are doing a very prosperous 
business, and their product is in active demand 
by railway and other corporations, keeping 
the works constantly busy. They now give em- 
plo3'ment to some fift}- hands, while their pa}-- 
roU foots up to $2,000 per month. The pres- 
ent output is at the rate of about $300,000 per 
year. 

The shipping facilities of this company are 
all that need be desired. The Valle}- Railway 
runs through their premises, and they have 
switches connecting with the A. & Gr. W. and 
C, Mt. V. & C. roads, whereby the}' are enabled 
to ship their products to all parts of the country 
at competing rates. The office and works are 
east of the Fountain Driving Park. 

One of the large industries of Akron is the 
manufacture of oat-meal. An analysis made 
by the eminent chemists Liebig and Hassal, 
shows that while wheat and barley contain 
14 per cent of the nutritious elements — the 
life and muscle-giving qualities — and corn but 
12 per cent and a fraction, oats contain nearly 
20 per cent. The phosphorescent qualities of 
the latter act as a gentle and healthy stimulant 
to the brain ; and on no food can one endure 
so great or so prolonged mental labor as on 
oat-meal porridge. To a A'ery great number of 
people the value of oat-meal is little known, 
although the prejudice against it is fast giving 
place to a more just opinion, especially among 
the educated classes who are capable of appre- 
ciating the value of the favorable verdict of 
chemists and physiologists. There is more 
oat-meal now consumed in the United States 
than in Scotland. As it contains in an unusu- 
all}' large degree all the essentials which go to 
produce health, hardiness and long life, b}' all 
means give us more porridge, and less pastr}'. 
From a highly instructive paper on oat-meal, 
b}' Dr. H. A. ^lott, an eminent analytical 
and consulting chemist, of New York, we learn 
that of all cereal meals, oat-meal is far supe- 
rior for the following reasons : Because it con- 
tains more fattening matter than any other 
cereal grain ; it contains a large amount of ni- 
trogenous matter (gluten); it contains so much 
nutriment in small bulk ; it can be eaten for 
long periods with beneficial I'esults ; it keeps 
unchanged for a long time. In oat-meal the 
nitrogenous and carbonaceous elements exist 
in such proportions as to admit of it being 
eaten alone as a sustainina: diet ; hence it is a 



typical food. The proper preparation and use 
of oat-meal for the table to make it palatable, 
is, as yet, not well understood by a large por- 
tion of American cooks. The}' cannot prepare 
it properly. To do so, requires a double kettle 
for boiling in water and steam — iron outside, 
and tin about an inch smaller inside. In this 
way the meal cannot be scorched. 

The oat-meal mills of Akron may properly 
be said to have given the cit}' a goodly share 
of its wide celebrit}^ as a manufacturing cen- 
ter. The man as yet best known in this con- 
nection is Ferdinand Schumacher. Before he 
inaugurated the production in this country of 
this wholesome article of diet, it was generally 
believed that such a commodity as good oat- 
meal could not be made in America, simply be- 
cause it then was not. But .Mr. Schumacher 
entertained a different opinion in the premises, 
and, having had some experience in his native 
country (Germany) in this line, he came to the 
conclusion that the experiment looking to the 
production of superior oat-meal here should be 
persistently attempted. The signal success he 
has met with in his efforts in this direction 
shows that he was perfectly right in his judg- 
ment. When he began, all the oat-meal con- 
sumed in this country was imported from Can- 
ada and Europe ; but his excellent pi-oduct at 
length led the market, and at present the im- 
portations of this valuable hygienic food are 
comparatively trifling in amount. 

Near the depot of the New York. Pennsyl- 
vania & Ohio llailroad are located Mr. Schu- 
macher's German 31ills, devoted exclusively to 
the manufacture of this article of food. His 
are among the largest and best-equipped mills 
in the country'. They are seven stories high, 
and cover an area of 60x90 feet. They are 
fully furnished, from foundation to the top 
floor with the latest improved machiner}' and 
manufacturing apparatus. The engine, 20x42, 
is of 125-horse-power, built b}' the Putnam 
Machine Company, of Fitchburg, Mass., as were 
also all the other engines in this establish- 
ment. ^ 

The German Mills have two basement sto- 
ries, each thirteen feet high, containing sixteen 
oat-driers, with a capacity of 3,000 bushels per 
day. The oats are kept constantly stirred and 
turned b}- machinery, so as to secure perfect 
uniformity in drying. Though the fuel used is 
coal, the arrangement of the driers is such that 



sio 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



no smoke or smut can come in contact with the 
grain. 

In these mills are eleven hulling stones and 
buhrs for grinding feed, which are all run from 
a line shaft by ([uarter-twist bells. When per- 
fectly- hulled and cleaned, the berry of the oats 
are cut by ingenious machinery patented by 
Mr. Schumacher, consisting of a series of knives 
operating in connection with vibrating perfo- 
rated plates, for the purpose of cutting the 
meal, instead of bruising and crushing the berry 
as in the old process, whereby a large propor- 
tion of the starch was unavoidably converted 
into a comparatively worthless meal or flour. 
The packing and warerooms are ver^- commo- 
dious, light and airy, and kept scrupulousl}- 
clean. The oat-meal is conveyed from the mill 
into this department b3' machinery, for the pur- 
pose of being packed and shipped fresh every 
day. A fair proportion of the meal is put up 
in fourteen-pound air-tight tin packages, in 
which it ma}- be kept perfectly sweet for years. 
The "German Mills American Oatmeal" brand 
is largely shipped to every State in the Union, 
and its quality and flavor are pronounced un- 
surpassed on ever}' hand. 

Carter & Steward also manufacture oat-meal 
in Akron, at 111 South Main street. The 
buildings occupied by this enterprising firm 
were erected more than a quarter of a century 
ago and used as flouring-mills until 1873, when 
they passed into the hands of the present pro- 
prietors, and extensive alterations and improve- 
ments were made, and since that time the}' 
have been used exclusively for the manufacture 
of oat-meal. The main building is 83x95 feet in 
size, and the engine house and kiln, or depart- 
ment for drying oats, is 15x95 feet. The mill 
is supplied with complete machinery, especially 
adapted to the uses for which it is employed, 
and all the appointments of these works are of 
the best and latest improved designs. The 
products of these mills are sold in all portions 
of the United States, from Portland, Me., to 
San Francisco, Cal., in New Orleans and 
throughout the entire South. An idea of the 
capacit}' of the works and the extent of the 
business transacted b}' this house may be gath- 
ered from the fact that their annual sales in 
this one item alone exceeds .f 100,000. 

Besides the two mills already spoken of, there 
are those in Akron of Hower & Co., successors 
to Turner & Co., which make oat-meal, on the 



corner of Canal and Cherry streets. Turner & 
Co. started in 1877, and were succeeded by 
Hower & Co. In December, 1880. Their mills 
are now known as the Akron Oat-Meal Mills. 
Their capacity is sixty-flve barrels a day. The 
trade of the firm extends from Michigan to 
Maine. 

The latest addition to these mills is the man 
ufacture of rolled avena (rolled oats), which is 
oat-meal as originally made, and claimed to be 
superior in flavor and much more easily cooked 
than the granulated meal. 

There are in Akron four extensive planing - 
mills. The Weary, Snyder, Wilcox Manufact- 
uring Company have their buildings on Main 
street. This company was founded in 1864, hy 
Wear}-, Snyder & Co. It became a joint-stock 
company in 1877, with an authorized capital 
of $150,000. This company handles about 
3,000,000 feet of lumber annually. Their yards 
and mills occupy about four acres of ground 
opposite the Empire House. The factory build- 
ing is three stories in height, and 80x120 feet 
in size. This is equipped with a variety of 
machinery especially adapted for this particu- 
lar branch of industry, among which is a gang 
of saws twenty-eight in number, planing ma- 
chines, ten single saws, numerous scroll saws, 
a dove-tailiug machine of their own invention, 
used especially in the manufacture of boxes 
for the establishment of F. Schumacher for the 
packing of oatmeal, pearl barley and cracked 
wheat : door, sash and blind machineiy, etc., 
operated by a forty-horse power engine. In 
this establishment is manufactured doors, win- 
dow sash, blinds, door and window frames, cas- 
ings and brackets. 

In 1852, J. H. Dix & Co. started a planing- 
mill at the ^tna Mills — ^the first in Akron. 
They moved in 1855 to south Howard street 
near the gas works, where the business is still 
carried on — but by other parties. They con- 
tinued the work for three years, when they sold 
their mill to J. Rockwell & Co. The last-men- 
tioned firm conducted the business about three 
years, when their intei'est was disposed of to W. 
L. Evert & Co., who continued the work for a 
time when the property was sold to W. B. 
Doyle & Co., the present owners. This firm 
manufacture doors, sash and blinds and other 
articles appertaining to house-building. They 
also have a lumber-yard connected with their 
mill. They carry on an extensive business. 



:^ 



CITY or AKRON. 



351 



Plaster, as a fertilizer, is also manufactured by 
them. 

Another planing-mill is that of Simon Han-' 
key. This was started at his present location, 
1136 South Main street, in July, 1872, where 
he occupies three acres of ground. By reason 
of his straightforward course, characteristic 
push and integrity in all his dealings, he has 
succeeded in establishing a prosperous and con- 
stantly amplifying trade. His fine planing-mill 
measures 60x122 feet, part of which is of two 
stories. He has the latest improved machinery 
for general planing and the manufacture of 
sash, doors, blinds and moldings. His trade 
is chiefly that of the city and county. 

The planing-mill of D. W. Thomas, at 244 
West Market street, is an extensive one. It 
was first started as a furniture factory b}' George 
Thomas, father of the present owner. After 
going through several hands and being changed 
to a planing-mill, the ownership finally passed 
to Mr. Thomas, who now conducts a large lum- 
ber business in connection with his mill. 

All nations, ancient and modern, savage and 
civilized, have considered respect for the dead 
a virtue, and burial-places as sacred. Abra- 
ham bought the cave of Machpelah as a burial- 
place. Egyptians hewed sepulchers out of solid 
rock, and built vast pyramids to serve as repos- 
itories for their dead, whose bodies were so em- 
balmed that after 3,000 years they are found in 
a good state of preservation. The Romans 
honey-combed the hills of Southern Italy with 
catacombs, in the niches of which they placed 
their dead. The cemeteries of modern civiliza- 
tion are fast getting to be picturesque cities of 
the dead. Monuments of all kinds mark the 
resting-places of those who slumber in the 
bosom of the earth. Akron is not behind her 
sister cities in the manufacture of these stand- 
ing memorials. The proprietor of the Akron 
Marble Works, M. H. Crumrine, manufactures 
and deals in American and Italian marble and 
in American and Scotch granite mantles and 
grates. He first started the business in Massil- 
lon, in 1857, and in 1863 changed its location 
to Akron, when he purchased a lot at 219 and 
221 East Market street, 100x40 feet, and erected 
a frame building in which he continued his bus- 
iness until in 1866, when he moved the frame 
building to the rear of its former location, and 
on the same site erected a fine three-story brick 
block known as Castle Hall Block. In 1868, 



at 15 North High street, one door from the cor- 
ner of Market street, he erected a brick building 
53x16, which he has since occupied as sample 
and salesroom and office, with a work-shop im- 
mediately in the rear 35x20. 

Besides the marble works just mentioned are 
those of Emil Feige, who manufactures monu- 
ments and tombstones of Italian and American 
marble, sandstone and other varieties, at 235 
Main street. This house was founded in 1858, 
by Jennings & Henry. In 1877, the present 
proprietor, E. Feige, purchased the establish- 
ment and became sole proprietor. The build- 
ing at present occupied by the business is a 
frame 20x45 — the fi'ont portion used for display 
of manufactured good and the rear for manu- 
facturing. 

Not only oat-meal, but pearl barley is exten- 
sively manufactured in Akron. The Empire 
Barley Mills of Ferdinand Schumacher are lo- 
cated near the depot of the New York, Penn- 
sylvania & Ohio Railroad. These mills have 
six fioors, each measuring 85x()0 feet. The en- 
gine room contains a double engine with com- 
bined power of 250 horse. A 40-inch belt on 
an 18-foot pulley conveys the power to the 
pearling machines, which, thirteen in number, 
are attached to a long line shaft, and have a 
united capacity of 250 half barrels of pearl 
barley per day, of 110 pounds each. 

On the first floor are the barley machines, 
consisting of an iron shell turning in the oppo- 
site direction, from rapidly-revolving sand- 
stones, four feet in diameter by fourteen inches 
across. This mill, the German Mill, the model 
Akron (A) elevator, and the commodious pack- 
ing-houses, which are all adjoined, have a total 
frontage of 293 feet. 

Gorner & Planz are the pi'oprietors of the 
Akron File Works, located between Carroll and 
East Middlebury streets. This firm is the only 
one in Summit County engaged to any extent 
in this branch of manufacture. 

The enterprise was first started by Methias 
Harter, in 1868. The senior partner of the 
present firm became a partner in 1870, and the 
business was conducted until 1873 under the 
firm name of Harter & Gorner, when Mr. Gor- 
ner purchased the interest of Harter, and for a 
year and a half continued the business alone. 
In 1875, H. Pohle purchased the works from 
Gorner, and continued the business with Planz 
as partner until 1877, when Mr. Gorner re- 



rpv 



!>>. 



352 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



purchased the interest of Pohle ; and since, the 
firm name has been Grorner & Planz. The 
buildings occupied for the conduct of the busi- 
ness are two in number — one, 16x82, the other 
16x22. The location of the works is just east 
of the Buckeye Shops, and in the rear of the 
Akron Knife Works. In the works is a ten- 
horse-power engine, which is used principally 
in the grinding of files, five cutting-blocks, and 
all tools and machinery used in cutting files. 
The trade of the house extends throughout 
Northern, Central and Eastern Ohio, a large 
amount of the product being sold to the large 
manufacturing establishments of Akron. 

Baker, Merriam & Co. manufacture wood and 
clay smoking pipes, enameled teapot knobs, 
pail woods and cigar boxes, also all styles of 
Hamburg and Shaker pipes, at the corner of 
Bowery and Ash streets. J. W. Baker began 
business at this point in 1870, in the manufact- 
ure of cigar boxes alone, and was joined in the 
fall following b}- J. C. McMillen, who purchased 
an interest in the concern. They made cigar 
boxes about four years, after which they added 
wood smoking pipes and tinners' teapot knobs. 
They now carry on a large and flourishing busi- 
ness in the articles above mentioned. 

Among the multifarious industries of the city 
of Akron, there is no single one which has con- 
tributed in a greater degree to give the cit^' a 
wide-spread reputation than that of the pro- 
duction of sewer pipe. From the rock-bound 
coasts of New England to the prairie cities of 
the far West the fame of the Akron sewer pipe 
is familiar as household words, and has repeat- 
edl}^ received the highest encomiums from 
Mayors and boards of public works, engineers, 
contractors and chemists. It is manuftictured 
from a combination of the celebrated " Summit 
County Clays," which b}' careful analysis have 
been found to be superior to any yet discovered 
for this particular purpose. By skilled labor 
and powerful machinery of the latest and most 
approved design, the material is rendered homo- 
geneous and uniform throughout, and under 
immense pressure the pipe is made ver}' com- 
pact, and under a high temperature becomes 
thoroughl}'^ vitrified and impervious to the 
action of acids, gases and steam, all of which 
are found to a greater or less extent in cit}' 
sewei's. This kind of clay receives a perfect 
glaze from the vapors of salt, and does not re- 
quire slip or other foreign substances which are 



liable to cut or scale off by the action of sewer 
gases. 

The subject of thorough and perfect sewer- 
age is beginning to receive the general public 
attention and recognition which its importance 
demands. That the health of communities is 
seriously affected and impaired bj' faulty or 
inadequate drainage is a proposition suscepti- 
ble of ample demonstration. The disease-breed- 
ing miasmas contaminating the atmosphere of 
thousands of neighborhoods and homes, pois- 
oning the human sj'stem with noxious effluvia 
and deadl^y exhalations, are the sure and direct 
result of heedlessness with regard to sanitar}^ 
teachings in this direction. Go into a neigh- 
borhood where typhoid and typhus fevers pre- 
vail, and you will certainly find a cause for this 
infectious malady in the noisome gases eman- 
ating from the undrained soil or from imperfect 
sewerage, and, not infrequently, in consequence 
of drinking well water impregnated with fetid 
percolations from contiguous privy vaults and 
cess-pools. 

It is, moreover, unquestionable that many 
other forms of disease are contracted by similar 
means, emphasizing the vital importance of 
counteracting and removing this pestilent cause 
of disease and death. 

The fact of the need of a universal system 
of sewerage being well established, it now re- 
mains for us to consider and determine as to 
the best and most approved material for this 
purpose, inasmuch as upon this point of perfect 
sewerage depends the health and well-being of 
the public. 

The strange anomaly is too often observed 
of a house-builder, in order to save a few dol- 
lars, contracting for the introduction into his 
premises of a poor and cheap sewer connection, 
thus inviting febrile disease into his house- 
hold ; but then does the victim employ a quack 
doctor to attend his family ? No ; he hesitates 
not to summon the best physician to be had. 
Here is an illustration of obtuse empiricism at 
the first and corrective skill at the last, although 
perhaps the latter is employed too late to pre- 
vent fatal consequences of the imprudence of 
'' saving at the spigot and leaking at the bung." 

The initial process in the manufacture of 
vitrified pipe is the grinding and tempering of 
the clay, some of which is extremely " refrac- 
tory," in huge mills — the substance being ma- 
nipulated by large revolving discs describing 



l£l 



CITY OF AKRON. 



353 



diverse circles, and moving gradually from cen- 
ter to circumference of the clay receiver by the 
operation of an automatic screw. From the 
mills the tempered mass is thi'own into the 
" blockers," which expel the air, solidify the 
substance, and form it into blocks, which are 
brought b}^ elevators up to the powerful screw 
and steam presses, the cylinder whereof con- 
tains an inside die suspended from the top of 
the press, taking the place of the core in iron 
castings, and an outside die which forms the ex- 
terior of the pipe. The clay is forced down 
between these dies, producing pipe ranging in 
diameter from one to twenty-four inches, and 
is cut off at proper lengths by a series of knives. 
The present forms are then transported b}' 
steam and hydraulic elevators, consisting of 
endless belts, to the drying and finishing de- 
partments, where they are seasoned for three or 
four days by steam heaters. The}' are then 
taken by tramways to the burning kilns, ten in 
number, each of which is as large as a good- 
sized room, where for several days they are 
subjected to a most intense heat, perhaps not 
far from a thousand degrees — a " warmth " that 
would have made old Dr. LeMoyne, of crema- 
tory fame, dance with delight. The torridness 
of this temperature may be imagined Avhen it 
is stated that thereby iron can be reduced to a 
cinder. 

After the clay has approached the melting or 
fluxing state, coarse alkaline salt is thrown upon 
the fires, producing a dense vapor which per- 
meates every part of the kilns, circulating 
through and around the sections of pipe, com- 
pletely enveloping their inner and outer surfaces. 
This vapor chemicall}' unites with the pipe 
communicating to it a smooth and glossy finish, 
whereby the substance becomes vitreous or 
glass-like, and the glaze is an integral part of 
the pipe itself ; not a mere varnish-like coating, 
as is the case with the " slip "-glazed pipe. The 
contents of the kilns are allowed to gradualh^ 
cool off, and usually at the expiration of a week 
they are in proper condition for removal and the 
market. 

The Akron Sewer Pipe has for man}- years 
been in satisfactory use in every section of the 
country, and is its own complete recommenda- 
tion. Its even interior surface has no hum- 
mocks to arrest any floating substance, and its 
glassy smoothness enables a very small flow of 
water to carry along with it all the solid matter 



that finds its way into the sewer. For over 
twenty years the " Akron " has been the stand- 
ard in Chicago, where the flat, low-lying surface 
requires the most perfect sewers, because of the 
very slight fall possible in their construction. 
The experience of other cities and towns which 
have adopted this pipe uniformly corresponds 
with that of Chicago, and wherever practically 
tested it has maintained its justly exalted repu- 
tation. 

Another significant fact is that these pipes 
have been and are employed in chemical works 
and retorts, holding the strongest acids, and 
nothing has ever been used which will produce 
the slightest effect upon them ; they cannot be 
disintegrated or even weakened by any known 
chemical. 

There are three sewer pipe companies in 
Akron, each one which is largely engaged in 
the manufacture of sewer pipe. The Akron 
Sewer Pipe Company, at 173 North Water 
street. Sixth Ward, make standard Akron sewer 
pipe. The business is conducted under the 
name and style of the Akron Sewer Pipe Com- 
pany, was founded in this city in 1848, by Mer- 
rill, Powers & Co. It subsequently was trans- 
ferred to Hill & Adams, who were succeeded in 
1867, by the Hill & Adams Sewer Pipe Com- 
pany. In 1871, the company was again recon- 
structed and became as at present, with a paid- 
up capital of $175,000, and an authorized cap- 
ital of $300,000. It is a joint-stock company, 
incorporated under the laws of the State of 
Ohio, with works and general headquarters at 
Akron, and agencies in all the principal cities 
of the United States. The works consist of one 
two-story brick structure, 50x240 feet in size, 
and one four-story structure, 50x150 feet, with 
numerous smaller buildings, sheds, etc. They 
have ten down-draft kilns, each with a capac- 
ity of twenty-five tons. These kilns are con- 
structed so as to secure a uniform heat, vitrify- 
ing each piece of pipe, which by gradual cool- 
ing is rendered free from checks and scales. 
The products of the company are sold in almost 
every State in the Union. These were the first 
sewer pipe works started west of New York 
City, and the second established in the United 
States. 

Th« Buckeye Sewer Pipe Company manufact- 
ure, at 921 East Exchange street. Sixth Ward, 
vitrified salt-glazed sewer pipe. This company 
was incorporated in 1872, with an authorized 



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354 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



capital of $100,000. The buildings occupied 
were erected in 1867, for the manufacture of 
woolen machinery, and were occupied for this 
purpose until in 1872, when the business was 
changed to that of the present. They consist 
of two main shops of brick, 170x45 and 80x40 
respectively, office, sheds, etc. The shojis are 
equipped with all modern appliances for the 
manufacture of sewer pipe ; six kilns of two 
car-loads dimensions each. 

The Hill Sewer Pipe Companj- also manufact- 
ure sewer pipe in Akron. Their place of bus- 
iness is at 1175 East Market street. This 
company was founded under its present title in 
1873, as a stock company, with a capital of 
$80,000. D. E. Hill, one of the stockholders, 
and the gentleman from whom the company 
takes its name, originated the sewer pipe busi- 
ness in the United States, and to him is largely 
due the honor of bringing about a much needed 
reform in the sewerage system of most of the 
cities of the Union, by the introduction of this 
pipe, which is now acknowledged to be a safe 
and reliable article for sewers. The works oc- 
cupied b}' the Hill Sewer Pipe Company occupy 
a large tract of ground, and contain one four- 
story structure. 50x100 feet in size, equipped 
with all the necessary- machiner}^ for the manu- 
facture of these improved pipes, and four kilns, 
15x30 feet in dimension. 

That the taste for personal decoration is a 
universal expression of human existence, and 
that the art of making jewehy was one of the 
first at which mankind arrived, is evident from 
the immense stores taken from the tombs of 
ruined cities of the Eg\'tians and other nations. 
In the manufacture of jewelry but little is done 
in Akron, but that little is well done by George 
J. Neiberg, at 179 South Howard street. 

Matches in their present form were first 
made public about 1830, b}- Farada}', and 
came rapidly into public use. The tip of the 
match is a combination of sulphur and phos- 
phorus. The phosphorus ignites at the heat of 
120 degrees, which a slight friction will pro- 
duce, and this in turn ignites the sulphur, 
which requires 450 or 500 degrees. The flame 
of the sulphur sets fire to the pine of which 
the match is composed, and which ignites at 
about 600 degrees. The combination is neces- 
sary because the phosphorus alone would not 
kindle the match, while the sulphur alone 
would not ignite with ordinary friction. The 



number of matches that are annually con- 
sumed in this country is something wonderful 
to contemplate. According to the late report 
of the Kevenue Department, the tax on 
matches for the last year yielded revenue to 
the amount of $3,561,306. At 1 cent a box, 
this would represent, in round numbers, 356,- 
000,000 boxes. Calling our population 50,- 
000,000, this would give over 7 boxes to ever}'^ 
man, woman and child in the country. The 
taxes paid on matches by each individual in 
the land would thus be 7 cents. The revenue 
tax on matches is 1 cent for each 100 in a box. 
Where such an immense quantity' of matches 
are consumed, there must be considerable facil- 
ities for manufacturing them. This we have 
in the ingenious machinery used in making 
them, as most all of the processes in manu- 
facturing them are conducted by mechanical 
appliances. The wood used is the best — clear 
white pine — which is first sawed into blocks of 
equal size, and of two matches in length. 
These blocks are then made into splints of a 
proper size, by being forced through tubes with 
numerous perforations, made as near together 
as possible, leaving just enough strength for 
cutting purposes. These perforations may be 
either round, square or diamond shaped, the 
latter forming the name of the new combina- 
tion. The square forms are called '• telegraph " 
matches. These and the diamond are prefera- 
ble to the round, as they do not break so 
easily. After the splints are cut into proper 
sizes, the3' are fed through a hopper and re- 
ceived by a double chain, which carries them 
to the sulphur vat, then to the phosphorus vat, 
when they are taken off and removed to the 
packing room. The phosphorus composition 
into which the matches are dipped is composed 
of phosphorus, niter, glue, red ochre and smalt 
in proper proportions. In safet}' matches, the 
phosphorus is in sand paper on the box, and 
other materials on the end of the match, so 
that neither can be ignited without the use of 
the other. Matches are also made without 
dipping into sulphur, paraffine oil being used 
as a substitute. The parlor match is made 
without the use of sulphur, and phosphorus is 
replaced by the chlorate of potash and anti- 
mon3^ The wood is prepared with stearine or 
paraffine. 

On the 1st day of January, 1881, the Dia- 
mond Match Company, with branches in diflfer- 



e) 



^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



355 



t'iit parts of the United States, went into 
operation. (3ne of the largest of these 
branches is what was previously tlie Barber 
Match Company, of Akron. The Alvron works 
were established in 1847, by George Barber. 
The first factory was a small barn ; but, from 
the very beginning of the business, owing to 
the superior quality of the goods produced, 
the demand steadily increased. The average 
product of this branch is 1,500 gross, of 14,- 
400 each, or 1^1,660,000 matches ever}' da}^, 
with a possible capacit}- for turning out 6,804,- 
000,000 matches per annum. The United 
States revenue laws require a 1-ceut stamp to 
1)6 placed on every 100 matches, and to do so 
requires an expenditure by the Akron works of 
over $1,900 a da}-. They use annually from 
2.500,000 to 3,000,000 feet of the best quality 
of white pine lumber, 70 tons of brimstone 
17,000 pounds of phosphorus, 33,600 pounds 
chlorate of potash, 30,000 pounds of glue, 
50,000 pounds of parafflne wax for parlor and 
drawing-room matches or tapers, and a large 
quantit}' of other material. They manufacture 
their own packages, and use about 250 tons of 
straw board for boxes, and 20 tons of other 
paper, and for shipping boxes over 1,000,000 
feet of Cottonwood lumber. Two printing- 
presses are kept constantly employed printing 
labels, and 15 box-making machines, each capa- 
ble of turning out from 7,000 to 10,000 straw 
board boxes per day. Three hundred and 
fifty hands, including men, boys and girls, are 
constantly employed, and the monthly pa3--roll 
amounts to full}' $6,500. The works are 
equipped throughout with the most perfect 
match-making machinery now in use, propelled 
I)}- two engines of 250 and 150 horse power re- 
spectivel}'. The works are located on Falor 
street. This branch makes about one-fifth of 
the entire product used in the United States. 
The Diamond Match Company also run a fac- 
tory near their match works, where animal 
pokes, curry-combs and smoking pipes are 
made. This factory was formed}' run by the 
Hopkins & Robinson Manufacturing Company. 
The Akron xMachine Works of Taplin, Rice 
& Co. are located on Broadway and Church 
street. These works were established in 1861, 
by Taplin, Rice & Ford. In 1867, under the 
manufacturing laws of the State of Ohio, it be- 
came an incorporated company, with a paid- 
up capital stock of $100,000, under the name 



and style of Taplin, Rice & Co. They have 
now a surplus of $40,000. The works cover a 
large area and consist of several commodious 
buildings, all connected, being 550 feet in ag- 
gregate length and of an average width of about 
fifty feet. In addition to these is a separate 
structure, 40x100 feet, used as a pattern-shop. 
The works are divided into three separate de- 
partments, as follows : Foundry, machine shop 
and stove department. The buildings are all 
supplied with the latest improved machinery, 
tools and appliances requisite for carrying on 
the business in all its various features and de- 
partments. The company manufactures stoves 
in every variety, and turn out brass and iron 
castings of all kinds. They make a leading 
specialty of steam engines, mill gearing, shaft- 
ing and pulleys, potters' and sewer-pipe ma- 
chinery, and Mason's Patent Friction Clutch 
and Pulleys. They attend to the repairing of 
machinery and gearing of every description. 
The company have recently purchased, directly 
opposite their works on Church street the ex- 
tensive buildings formerly occupied by J. F. 
Seiberling in the manufacture of his Empire 
mower and reaper. The patronage of Taplin, 
Rice & Co. is largely West, extending to the 
States of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas, 
and east to the western portions of Pennsylva- 
nia. 

American inventive genius is to be credited 
with some of the most wonderful achievements 
of the age, and in the production of valuable 
articles the eminence of our country is univer- 
sally conceded. It is no less remarkable how 
quickly and thoroughly this talent finds appli- 
cations in the perfection of new ideas and the 
improvement of old ideas, so that no sooner 
has a discovery been announced, or a new in- 
vention made, than active minds are at once 
developing its capabilities and extending its 
uses in all directions. Economy in time, labor 
and material is the greatest desideratum, never 
lost sight of by the practical men in our midst, 
and the wastefulness and inefficiency of prima- 
tive methods are never allowed to shelter them- 
selves long behind the plea that nothing better 
has been thought of 

This train of musing can be particularly ap- 
plied to the drug trade. Skilled pharmacists 
become important factors to the trade of all 
cities. The Smith Brothers manufacture phar- 
maceutical products at No. 193 South Howard 



r'v- 






356 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



street. This house was founded in 1873, by 
Sislei" & Hoy, who conducted the business suc- 
cessfull}' until September, 1878, when they 
were succeeded b}' the present proprietors. 
These gentlemen occupy two flooi's in the three- 
story brick structure, No. 193 Soutli Howard 
street, as office, salesroom and laboratoiy. 
Their laborator}- is supplied with the latest im- 
proved devices and appurtenances of chemical 
science for the manufacture of solid and fluid 
extracts, elixirs, pepsin, gelatine coated pills, 
and a great variety of chemical and pharma- 
ceutical preparations. They manufacture 120 
different varieties of gelatine-coated pills. This 
house does a wholesale and retail business, 
dealing directly with druggists and physicians. 

An industr}- of considerable dimensions in 
Akron is that of the manufacture of chains, by 
the Miller Chain Company. This company 
succeeded to the business of S. Matherson, at 
Cu\-ahoga Falls, in 1879. In order to increase 
their facilities, and the better to accommodate 
their increasing trade, in September of that 
year, the}- established themselves at Akron, 
where the}^ have spacious and well-arranged 
works, with materially improved appliances 
and conveniences for manufacturing their va- 
rious goods. 

The works comprise four buildings, two brick 
and two frame, each having dimensions of 
20x100 feet ; one brick, 60x80 feet, and one 
brick, 40x60 feet, besides a large packing-room- 
offlce building, etc. The firm make cable, crane, 
agricultural, machine and harness chains of 
ever}' description. The\' also make car-brake 
and other chains to an}* designated length, and 
chains for special purposes, from sample or 
drawing. 

All their chain are made from carefull}' se- 
lected stock, in the most faithful and workman- 
like manner, and are thoroughl}- inspected be- 
fore leaving the works. Hence, they can safely 
guarantee their productions to be of superior 
quality and finish. 

Possessing every modern facility, ample ca- 
pacity, and unsurpassed advantages for the 
economic prosecution of this department of in- 
dustry, they are enabled to oflTer the most 
favorable terms to manufacturers using large 
quantities of chain, and to the trade gener- 
ally. 

Their product finds a market from Maine to 
California, and they have a prosperous and in- 



creasing trade in St. Louis, Chicago, and 
through the Northwestern States. 

The Akron Iron Company is a stock com- 
pany, founded in 1866, under its present name. 
Its location is in South Akron. The capital in- 
vested in the business is $400,000. The}' man- 
ufacture ever}' variety of bar and pig iron, hot- 
polished shafting, best, common, refined and 
charcoal iron, American-Scotch pig iron of all 
grades and make. A leading specialty is the 
production of superior qualities of iron for ag- 
ricultural implements. This is one of the 
largest establishments of the kind in the Uni- 
ted States devoted expressly to the manufacture 
of iron for agricultural implements ; and for 
extent, capacity and general completeness of 
appointments, will compare favorably with any. 
The buildings occupied by this company are 
capacious and extensive, and are equipped in 
all their departments with the most perfect ma 
chinery and devices for carrying on their exten- 
sive business. Power is supplied at the Akron 
works by engines of 500-horse-power, and 175 
men are regularly employed, many of whom 
are skilled and experienced mechanics. The 
company also owns and operates a blast fur- 
nace at Buclitel, Ohio, where engines of 700- 
horse-power are in operation. They also oper- 
ate coal and iron ore mines in the Hocking 
Valley regions, furnishing employment at the 
mines and furnaces to 175 additional hands. 
The total monthly pay-roll of these extensive 
works ranges from $10,000 to $15,000, and the 
amount of business transacted by the company 
reaches nearly three-quarters of a million dol- 
lars per annum. Their trade is principally de- 
rived from the large manufacturing establish- 
ments within a radius of one hundred miles 
around Akron. 

The manufacture of flour is extensively car- 
ried on in Akron. This is made possible by 
the fine water-power of the city, and the cheap- 
ness of coal to drive engines. The Cascade 
Mills are located at the foot of North Howard 
street. They are owned and operated by Fer- 
dinand Schumacher. They are run exclusively 
by water-power, and manufacture the highest 
grades of flour and farina, by the most approved 
patent process. The buildings are " L "' shaped, 
and have six floors. The mill measures 50x80 
feet, with warehouses attached, 40x80 feet, and 
barrel-house, 40x40 feet. 

The water-power is ample at all seasons. It 



^ 



ik 



CITT or AKRON. 



357 



has a head and fall of 38 feet. The power is 
derived from an iron overshot wheel, 35 feet in 
diameter, with a 10-foot face. This immense 
wheel weighs 37 tons, and yet, being well bal- 
anced, it revolves on its shaft as steadily and 
smoothly as if it were made of the lightest wood. 
The wheel contains a series of 96 steel buckets, 
having a total weight of 16,000 pounds. Each 
bucket is made of a single sheet of cold-rolled 
steel one-eighth of an inch in thickness. This 
complete wheel cost $8,000, and about $4,000 
additional were expended for its foundation, 
which is built on the solid rock. The water 
supply flows through a 6-foot subterranean 
tube, to an iron stand-pipe rising about 18 feet 
to the level of the basin, and flowing from an 
iron-tank 26 feet long, 8 feet wide and 4^ feet 
high, to the iron-gate, which gauges and de- 
livers it to the buckets at the apex of the wheel. 
From spur-wheels, connected with a 12-foot 
pulle}-, by a 40-inch leather-double belt, 120 
feet long, power is communicated to the line- 
shaft over a 10-foot pulley, whence the 12 run 
of buhrs are operated by quarter- twist belts. 

The mills are equipped with thirteen middlings 
purifiers, one pair each porcelain and iron-rolls, 
two cockle-machines, an ending-stone and brush- 
machine for cleaning wheat, and other appli- 
ances, all of the latest improved mechanism. 

The Ohio Canal runs through the premises, 
affording convenient facilities for receiving and 
shipping product. The waste water, as well as 
the water discharged from the wheel, flows into 
the Cu3'ahoga River through two substantial 
12-foot stone underground conduits, each 220 
feet long. 

The Stone Mills, of which Commins & Allen 
are proprietors, are located on Howard, Ash 
and Mill streets. 

These mills were erected in 1832, by Gen. 
Perkins and E. Crosby, and by them transferred 
to Ebenezer Beech, of Rochester, who, with his 
successors, continued in possession until about 
1867, when they were in turn succeeded by the 
present proprietors, Commins & Allen. This 
is not only the largest mill in the city, but the 
oldest. The main mill structure is of stone, 
five stories in height, and covers an area of 
60x120 feet. The machinery is all of the most 
complete character, and comprises eleven run 
of buhrs, from 4 feet to 4 feet 8 inches in diame- 
ter, six of which are propelled by water, and 
five by steam-power. One engine and boiler, 



of 125-horse-power, and water-power estimated 
as fully equal to 100 horses, furnish the motive 
power for the machinery employed. The amount 
of capital invested in the business is large and 
ample. The products of the Stone Mills are 
known by the following brands : The " Akron 
Mills," the " Stone Mills," the " Star Mills," the 
" Lake Mills," the " California Mills " and others. 
These gentlemen also manufacture and make a 
leading specialty of superior patent flour. 

The Allen Mills were originally a building 
used as woolen mills, which was changed to a 
flouring-mill in 1853, by Jacob Allen, Jesse 
Allen and J. D. Commins, who conducted their 
business under the firm name of J. & J. Allen 
& Company. The original building was erected 
by S. Perkins, J. D. Commins, Jacob Allen and 
Jesse Allen, who together constituted the Per- 
kins Company. The Allen Mills are located on 
Canal street, between Mill and Cherry streets, 
and are owned by F. H. Allen, Y. J. Allen and 
W. A. Palmer. The building, which is of brick, 
is 35x110 feet. The machinery of the mills is 
all first-class. The flour manufactured is the 
fancy patent, and the fine grades of family and 
baker's flour. The capacity of these mills is 
225 barrels in twenty-four hours. 

A distillery was first erected on the spot 
where the ^Etna Mills now stand. The build- 
ing was enlarged and changed to a flouring-mill 
in 1837, and run by Chamberlain & Standard, 
of Cleveland. Subsequently, it passed into 
the hands of Rawson & Noble, who conducted 
the business until the building burned down. 
Upon the spot of the burned mill was erected, 
in 1857, the present mills by Buell & Taylor, 
who continued proprietors until 1862, when the 
mills were purchased by the Chamber Com- 
pany. They were owned by this company un- 
til 1877, when they became the property of the 
Second National Bank of iVkron. By the bank 
they were leased to McNeil & Baldwin, who 
conduct the business at the present time. The 
capacity of the mills is 200 barrels of flour 
in twenty-four hours. McNeil & Baldwin 
manufacture the straight grade and patent 
flour. 

The South Akron Mills are now owned by 
the Brewster Coal Company. These mills are 
located on South Main street. They were 
erected by George Steese, who sold them to L. 
S. Herrol'd, the latter disposing of them to the 
present owners in 1875. Only custom work is 



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358 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



done at these mills. Connected with them is a 
saw-mill — the onh' one in Akron. 

Coopering, as might be expected, is carried 
on to a considerable extent in Akron. The 
Union Stave Company-. C. B. Maurer, General 
Superintendent, carry on a large business at 
402 South High street. This company is now 
erecting four new frame buildings. One of 
these will be 28x40 feet in dimensions, 14 feet 
high ; two other buildings will be 30x54 feet 
each and 18 feet high. These three buildings 
will front on High street. The fourth structure 
will be in the rear of the other buildings and 
will be 30x108 feet in dimensions, 18 feet high. 

The first-named building will be used for 
manufacturing purposes, and the remaining ad- 
ditions will be for storage room. 

The material used in the manufacture of 
barrels, at this place, is prepared from the for- 
est at Union City, Penn., by a force of about 
fifty men under Mr. Maurer's management. 
The annual shipments to this cit}- of staves, 
hoops and headings by Mr. Maurer is fully 200 
car loads. This immense amount of stock is 
here made into about 1 60,000 barrels per year, 
b}' a force of fifty men. The trade is growing- 
very rapidly, and the present year's business 
will reach at least 175,000 barrels. Another 
item of interest in this connection is that, while 
the prepared material is shipped to this place, 
the finished barrels are shipped from here filled 
with fiour from the mills of F. Schumacher, and 
Coramins & Allen's (Stone) Mills. 

There are other establishments in Akron 
where barrels are made in large numbers : B_y 
T. J. Walk(M', corner of Middlebur^' and South 
Main streets ; b}' Lapp & Riner, near the ^Etna 
Mills ; by George Roth, 353 South Main street ; 
and by Edward Zschech, 362 same street. 

The question of ability to manufacture an 
artificial stone that would, in point of dura- 
bilit}' and genei'al efficiency, come up to all 
requirements has, for many years, received the 
attention not only of the curious and inquiring, 
but also the practical and scientific, and much 
time and labor has been devoted to the dis- 
covery of a successful process of manufacture. 
Success has crowned the effort, and now an 
artificial stone in every way equal to the best 
natural stone is produced at much less expense, 
while the fact of its being much lighter and 
more easil}^ molded into an}' desired shape, 
renders it more desirable. For building pur- 



poses it is superior to brick, as it is impervious 
to water, and is not affected by heat or frost, 
and will " stand fire " much better than either 
brick or natural stone. This stone .is of a hy- 
draulic nature and will harden when set in 
water, and will resist the action of steam, acids, 
and other disintegrating influences, as well as 
our best building stone. The artificial stone 
was patented b}^ James Harr}' Thorp, of New 
York, September 11, 1877, being the second 
patent issued to himself The process of manu- 
facturing being simple and requiring but few 
tools. Wood patterns are made of whatever 
shape the stone is wanted, sand and cement are 
then mixed together in proportions three to one, 
when thoroughlv incorporated, the chemical is 
added in (luantit}- sufficient to dampen the 
mixture, which is then tamped into patterns, 
the patterns are then taken away in pieces, the 
stone is allowed to stand a few days to harden 
and dry, and is then ready for use. In our 
larger cities this stone is fast superseding the 
use of other building material, and is being 
extensivel}' used for walks, trimming brick 
houses, etc. The sand found in this vicinity is 
particularly well adapted to making this stone, 
and thus the article can be furnished here very 
cheap. The expense of the material does not 
average one half that of natural stone. This 
industry which promises to be of importance 
to Akron, is carried on at Palmer & Pruner's 
Artificial Stone Works, 203 North Howard 
street — H. A. Palmer and H. A. Pruner. pro- 
prietors. They manufacture this stone under 
the patent Ijetbre mentioned, the firm control- 
ing the right in the counties of Summit, Trum- 
bull, Portage and Stark. The}- make orna- 
mental lawn vases, window caps, sills and keys, 
cemetery work, pavements in mosaic and other 
styles, cisterns and cellars, chimney tops, fount- 
ain basins, door steps, horse blocks, and lot 
fencing and solid stone of all kinds for build- 
ing purposes, of any size or dimensions. 

The Webster, Camp & Lane Machine Com- 
pany have their works on North Main street. 
They were established in 1851, under the name 
and style of the Globe Foundry. In 1860, a 
stock company, known as the Welister, Camp, 
& Lane Machine Company, was organized with 
a capital stock of $100,000. The works were 
remodeled and enlarged, and the scope of bus- 
iness considerably increased. The machine- 
shop, which is two stories in height, covers an 



^ 



CITY OF AKEON. 



359 



area of 52x150 feet, and is constructed of 
brick, in the most thorough manner. The 
foundr}' building is one stor}-, of wood, 60x100 
feet in size. The storehouse is a two-story 
wooden structure, 40x90, and the smith-shop 
of one stor}', 20x40. These buildings are all 
thoroughly equipped and supplied with the 
most approved styles of machinery for carr}'- 
ing on the extensive business of the company, 
in its varied departments and ramifications. 
One fort3'-five horse-power engine furnishes the 
motive power required. The compan}' manu- 
facture ever}^ description of gearing and pul- 
le3's, mining and milling machinery' (these two 
latter being leading articles of manufacture by 
this house), ix)ttery machiner}', brass castings 
of every description, steam and water pipe fit- 
tings, and other articles pertaining to this line. 
They make a specialty of furnishing engines 
constructed and fitted up with special reference 
to simplicity of mechanism, durabilit}- and 
freedom from derangement, regularity of speed, 
economy of fuel, and the largest amount of 
power. 

The trade of this house extends all over the 
West, particularly throughout the States of 
Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, etc. 

The manufacture of boilers of every descrip- 
tion, and heavy sheet and boiler iron work, is 
extensivel}' carried on by J. C. McNeil, at the 
Akron Boiler Works, on South Broadway, di- 
rectly opposite the Buckeye Works. This bus- 
iness was established in January, 1866, by the 
present proprietor. The main building covers 
an area of 40x75 feet, and is supplied with the 
latest improved machinery and devices for car- 
r3ing on this extensive business. The sheds 
adjoining the main works cover an equal space, 
and are used for storage, and for the heavier 
work. One ten-horse-power engine and boiler 
furnishes the motive power required, and 
twenty skilled and experienced workmen are, 
on an average, emplo^^ed at this establishment. 
Mr. McNeil manufactures every description of 
ordinary boilers, making a specialty of heavy 
sheet and boiler iron work. His repairing de- 
partment is in charge of competent and expe- 
rienced workmen, and is made a prominent 
feature of his steadily increasing business. 
The Akron Boiler Works are thoroughl}' 
equipped in every particular, and will compare 
favorably' with any similar establishment in the 
West. 



Almost every manufacturing establishment 
in the cit}^ of Akron use and testify to the su- 
periority' of his boilers. He also makes a 
specialty' of steam heating " magazine " boilers 
for public and private buildings. The new 
buildings measure 66x100 feet, and the ship- 
ping facilities are as good as those of any 
manufacturing establishment in the city, being- 
located immediately on the New York, Penn- 
s^dvania & Ohio and Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & 
Columbus Railroads, thus alfording the great- 
est facilities for loading and shipping the prod- 
uct to any part of the countr}'. 

There are two creditable upholstering estab- 
lishments in Akron, where are manufactured 
everything in the line of upholstered stock, es- 
specially lounges and mattresses. The first is 
the house of Klinger & Dodge, originally 
Klinger & Grintz. Their place of business is at 
126 Howard street. The other manufactory is 
that of K. Gintz, 114 Mill street, which was 
opened in 1880. The work at both these estab- 
lishments is done in the best manner, and sold 
at reasonable prices. 

Edam & Johnson, manufacturers of commer- 
cial fertilizers and best quality of Kelly Island 
White Lime, have their works at the corner of 
Cedar and William streets. George Edam be- 
gan the business in 1877, and Charles N. John- 
son pui'chased an interest in January, 1880. 
Their establishment is a large one ; they burn 
about forty tons of lime in twenty-four hours, 
and grind twenty tons of fertilizers in the same 
length of time. Their new buildings are 40x60 
feet ; the old ones nearly the same dimensions. 
Their engine room is 25 feet square. They 
furnish ground limestone, land-plaster, pure 
bonedust, white lime, plastering hair, calcined 
plaster and cement. 

The Akron Straw Board Company are located 
in the Sixth Ward, Middlebury. Their works 
were established in 1873, by the present pro- 
prietors, J. F. Seiberling and M. Seiberling. 
Since that time their business has steadily in- 
creased, until it has now reached the handsome 
aggregate of $75,000 to $100,000 per annum. 
The works consist of three two-story buiUlings, 
one being 30x100 feet in size, one 40x85 feet. 
and one 40x60. These buildings are supplied 
with the most approved styles of machinery 
manufactured expressly for this line of business, 
and on which numerous improvements have 
been made by the members of the firm. The 



'9 . 



Jkl 



360 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



mills are in every respect thoroughly equipped, 
and for general appointments and capacity will 
compare favorably with any similar establish- 
ment in the United States. The products of 
these works, which consist principally of a 
superior quality of steam-dried straw board, in 
numbers ranging from thirty-five to one hun- 
dred and fifty, are used for a variety of pur- 
poses, and meet with a ready' sale in the Phila- 
delphia, New York and Boston markets, where 
this trade is principally located. The capacity 
of the mills is at present from eight to ten tons 
of finished board per day, the demand for which 
is fully equal to the supply. 

The firm of May & Fieberger are .successors 
to Cramer & May in the manufacture of gal- 
vanized iron cornice, window caps and other 
work. They are located at 114 North Howard 
street, and do a large and successful busi- 
ness. 

Caoutchouc, or, as it is commonly called, India 
rubber, has within the last twenty-five or thirty 
years become a very important article of com- 
merce and industry. It is procured from the 
creamy exudations of several plants, and is 
found in abundance in a number of tropical 
countries, the principal sources of supply being 
Para, Java, Penang, Singapore, Assam and 
Central America. The best quality of rubber 
comes from Para, though much of the Central 
American product is in quality nearly equal 
to it. 

The India rubber tree is a beautiful specimen 
of the vegetable kingdom, being very tall and 
straight, with smooth bark, and measuring in 
many cases eighteen inches through at the base. 
In these trees small longitudinal gashes are cut, 
from which flows a white sap, of about the con- 
sistenc}' of cream, which is conveyed through 
an earthen spout to a trough placed beneath. 
The curing process is performed by means of a 
fire made from the nuts of the Urucury palm, 
the smoke of which has the peculiar propert}- 
of solidifying and curing the rubber in a ver}' 
thorough manner. The workman dips a wood- 
en paddle in the creamy fluid, turing it quickly 
in order to separate the sap as much as possi- 
ble, then passes it repeatedly through the 
smoke, until the substance assumes a grayish 
yellow color and becomes solidified. After the 
rubber has accumulated to a thickness of about 
two inches on each side of the paddle, it is cut 
open on one side, peeled from the tool, and 



hung up to dry out the water that accumulates 
between the layers. 

The color of the cured rubber is a light 
yellow, but it gradually changes until with age 
it takes on the dark brown so familiar in the 
rubber of commerce. 

An eflJbrt is being made, aided by the Brazil- 
ian Govei'nment, to systematize the cultivation 
of India rubber, and this, if successful, must 
largely^ increase the production beyond the re- 
quirements of manufacturers, thus decreasing 
the cost of the raw material, as also of the 
finished product. 

The chemical properties of India rubber are 
somewhat remarkable, inasmuch as, unlike all 
other solid vegetable products, it contains no 
oxygen, the constituents, according to Dr. Ures' 
analysis, being 90 per cent carbon and 10 per 
cent hydrogen. It is quite insoluble in alcohol, 
but in ether, derived from alcohol by washing 
with water, it readily dissolves and affords a col- 
orless solution. When the ether is evaporated, 
the rubber becomes again solid. When treated 
with hot naptha distilled from native petrole- 
um, or from coal tar, it swells to thirty times its 
former bulk, and if triturated with a pestle and 
pressed through a sieve it atfords a varnish. 

The present skilled stage in the manufacture 
of India rubber has only been reached after 
years of patient labor. To get two pieces of 
clean rubber to unite firmly together, at their 
recently cut surface ; to obtain fagile adhesion 
by the use of hot water ; to cut the rubber by 
the use of a wet blade ; to collect the refuse 
pieces, make them up into blocks, and then cut 
the blocks into slices, required years of time, 
the greatest patience and ingenious machinery 
to effect. Mackintosh, Hancock and Groodj'ear 
alike record the simple manipulations they first 
employed, and the impression produced at last 
when they compare their individual efforts with 
the gigantic and complex machinery now used 
to secure the same result. 

Of all the wonderful changes affected by 
chance, observation or chemical experiment of 
late years, few have been so important as the 
change in India rubber by the process called 
vulcanizing, which was discovered and patented 
by Charles Goodyear, of New York. The union 
of sulphur with rubber, to give new properties 
so valuable that it may be said the prior well- 
known (piality of elasticity is now rendered so 
variable that almostevery range, from the most 




(^(f-//. 



(^'YT.^ 



fe* 



CITY OF AKRON. 



361 



delicate tenuity to the hardness of metals, is 
obtained at will by the manufacturer. 

India rubber, until the time of Goodyear's 
invention, had been greatly restricted in use 
owing to the fact of its being entirely unfitted 
for man}' purposes ; but now, with extraor- 
dinary impetus, the ingenuity of manufactur- 
ers was employed in producing an immense 
variety of articles, which were constantly de- 
manded by the ever augmenting utility of 
vulcanized rubber in the arts and in mechan- 
ical construction. This invention, judged by 
its great usefulness to societ}', deserves lo rank 
among the leading discoveries of the nine- 
teenth century. 

There are thi'ee different and distinct classes 
of manufacturers of rubber goods, viz., those 
manufacturing belting, hose, packing, springs, 
wringer rolls, tubing — in short, goods used for 
mechanical purposes ; those making boots and 
shoes and clothing, and those producing the 
thousand and one small articles of utility and 
ornament which are ever increasing in variety. 

There is but one factory in Akron of rubber 
goods, but this one produces all articles made 
of caoutchouc adapted to mechanical purposes. 
This is the Akron Rubber Works, located at 
111 Factor}' street. These works were estab- 
lished in 1869. The resources and trade of 
this concern have more than kept pace with 
the general prosperity of Akron. The capital 
employed is $75,000, and the annual trade 
reaches $300,000. The buildings occupied by 
these works consist of a main building, 120x60 
feet (three stories), an additional back building 
of 80 feet in length, and a stock-room of 50 
feet in length, all built of brick. The parties 
composing tlie firm are B. F. Goodrich, H. F. 
Wheeler and B. T. Morgan. The trade of 
these works extends over various States be- 
sides our own, and their products, among 
which may be found belting from 2-inch to 24- 
inch in width, 2 3 and 4 ply, steam packing 
for making steam-tight joints, standard hose 
of all kinds and for all purposes, which are 
unsurpassed, many of the processes used being 
of their own invention and the result of man}- 
years' experience. Hose for fire department 
service, springs, grain drill tubes, wringer rolls, 
billiard-table cushions, and, in fact, all articles 
made of rubber adapted to mechanical pur- 
poses. 

The Akron Paper Company, the proprietors 



ot which are Thomas Phillips & Co., have a 
fine brick mill, 100 feet square, with two 
floors, containing a full equipment of improved 
machinery, which is propelled by two steam- 
engines of respectively 80 and 18 horse power. 
They make a specialty of manilla flour-sack 
paper, turning out, on the average, 2 tons 
every 24 hours, and consuming 3^ tons of old 
rope per diem. The number of hands em- 
ployed is 70 ; annual product, between 600 and 
700 tons of paper, worth in the neighborhood 
of $160,000. 

Besides a very large local demand by the 
millers of this city, the Akron Paper Company 
have considerable trade with the millers west 
to Chicago and St. Louis, and some Southern 
custom ; the aggregate demand being fully 
equal to the full producing capacity of their 
mill. 

The business was inaugurated in 1872 by 
Thomas Phillips (deceased in 1878), and it was 
through his eflbrts that the enterprise was 
made a success. 

Merrill & Ewart manufacture, on Brook 
street, Merrill's patent vitrified diamond roof- 
ing tile. This firm commenced the manu- 
facture of this tile in Akron in 1875. The 
works consist of a two-stor}^ brick, 64x32 feet 
in size, with a wing 24x48, and were erected 
by the firm at a co.st of $10,000. One 40- 
horse-power engine is used in driving the 
machinery, which consists in the main of a 
clay mill, clay packer and tile presser. The 
trade extends through Ohio, Pennsj'lvania and 
the Eastern States generally. The house has 
an agency in New York City, Boston and Phil- 
adelphia. The sizes of tile made by this con- 
cern are 14x8^ inches and 6x10 inches, and 
require 250 and 500 respectively to the square. 
This firm also manufacture a superior quality 
of drain tile. 

The business of D. A. James, designer and 
manufacturer of fine wood work, was inaugu- 
rated by him in 1875, on Main street, between 
Market & Mill, and was removed to the present 
location, 218 West Market street, in 1876. W. 
P. DeLand was admitted to partnership May 1, 
1879, when the firm assumed the above title. 
The partnership continued one year, when Mr. 
DeLand retired. Mr. James makes fine office 
and church furniture from architects' or their 
own designs. All their work in this line is 
executed in a highly artistic and workmanlike 






1^" 



362 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



manner, from the best selected materials. He 
makes a specialty of ornate picture and mirror 
frames and room cornices, from unique and 
original designs, with the most elaborate and 
artistic finish. He produces special designs to 
order, which ai-e never duplicated except by 
permission. This superb art work is executed 
in precious natural woods, some of them very 
rare, including Hungarian ash, English oak, 
burr oak, chestnut, white holly, ebon}', African 
amboine, bird's-eye maple, silver-gray maple, 
thu3'a and tulip woods. Making a constant 
study of this special line of manufacture, and 
exercising cultured taste and skill in its perfect 
development, these gentlemen have met with 
marked success in their sedulous efforts to 
please their numerous patrons. He likewise 
pays special attention to wood decorations for 
dwellings, such as window and door casings, 
etc., in natural woods susceptible of rich carv- 
ing and high finish. 

The Akron Varnish Works, of which Kuliler 
& Beck are the proprietors, were established in 
Akron by E. Gr. Kubler, who, after many years 
of practical scientific experience in some of 
the largest manufactories of varnishes and 
japans in the East, concluded to " go West." 
He found Akron to be an advantageous point 
for manufacturing and shipping, and the de- 
cision to locate here proved to be a wise one. 

Mr. Kubler is a thoroughl)' skilled chemist, 
possessing intimate knowledge of all its de- 
tails, and enjoys the prestige of careful busi- 
ness training, ripe experience and uprightness 
in all his dealings. With this ample fortifica- 
tion, he has constituted it his strong point to 
manufacture none but the purest and best 
goods. After patient experimenting, he has 
brought the production of black baking japan 
to such perfection that even his competitors 
acknowledge the fact that it is unsurpassed in 
quality and durability. 

Owing to the constant growth of the busi- 
ness thus established on a firm foundation, it 
was found necessary to enlarge the facilities for 
manufacturing, and a copartnership was formed 
under the style of the Akron Varnish Works, 
Kubler & Beck, proprietors. Mr. Beck is also 
a gentleman of fine business ability, and has 
acquired a practical knowledge of producing 
processes in this line. Their goods are sold all 
over the United States to the largest manufact- 
urers of every description who have occasion 



to use varnishes. Their old works are located 
on Bowery street ; their new works on South 
Main street. 

Lager beer, in its use among Americans, is 
fast superseding whisky. The perfection to 
which its manufacture is brought in Akron is 
due in a great measui'e to F. Horix, who carries 
on a brewery on North Forge street. Mr. 
Horix came to Akron in 1868, and, soon after 
his arrival here, entered upon the brewery 
business, and has continued in it to the present 
time. His first start was in a small building 
which he erected on Exchange street. The 
buildings which he now occupies consist of the 
brewery proper, a three-story structure of stone 
and brick, 68x92 feet, a wai-ehouse of brick, 14x 
14 feet, and an ice-house 30x80 feet. The cellar 
used for cooling purposes is beneath the brewery, 
inclosed by stone, and is 68x90 feet. The 
arrangement of these buildings is most per- 
fectly adapted to the business. These build- 
ings were erected in 1873 by F. Overholtz. 
The premises, with all impi'ovements, were pur- 
chased by Mr. Horix March 1, 1879, and imme- 
diately taken possession of by him. The 
capacity of this establishment is 20,000 barrels 
per annum. Excellent lager beer is also manu- 
factured by the Wolf Ledge Ale and Lager 
Beer Brewery, at 154 Sherman street, by Will- 
iam Burkhardt, proprietor. 

At 210 Cherry street, west of the Brick 
Mill, are manufactured the " Celebrated Cahow 
Pumps," by H. J. Cahow. He makes deep- 
well pumps a speciality. His work includes a 
great variety of force, suction and chain pumps. 
He also manufactures water pipe. Mr. Cahow 
does an extensive business in his line. 

The city of Akron is not only famous far 
and wide for the superiority of the sewer pipe 
and stoneware made within her limits, but like- 
wise for the excellence of the fire brick here 
produced. 

For a series of years J. Park Alexander, 
proprietor of the Diamond Fire Brick Works, 
made a careful, erudite studj^ of the subject of 
making first-class fire brick, expending many 
thousands of dollars in his laudable endeavors 
to bring about the consummation he so desired 
to achieve, and being ultimately rewarded with 
signal success. 

Mr. Alexander commenced the manufacture 
of fire brick in 1866 — the first one to start in 
this business in Northern Ohio, if not in the 



\^ a 






CITY OF AKRON. 



3G3 



entire State. His previous large experience in 
tlie production of stoneware from the chemi- 
cally peculiar clays of this region, with very 
satisfactory results, led him to experiment 
therewith in the making of fire or furnace 
brick. It was soon demonstrated, however, 
that only a low-grade brick, suitable for ordi- 
nary heating apparatus, could be made from it. 
In no wise disheartened at the comparative 
failure, he subsequently made a thorough test 
of the best clays from New Jersey, Penn.sylva- 
nia and elsewhei'e, laying under contribution, as 
it were, the divers aluminous deposits of the 
whole country, but still without the successful 
outcome aimed at. Though baffled, he contin- 
ued to persevere in his research after the cov- 
eted secret, ever keeping in view the adage that 
" persistency wins the day " at last. 

In 1870, or thereabouts, Mr. Alexander inau- 
gurated a series of experiments with the sili- 
ceous pebbles found in abundance in the con- 
glomerate rock formation near the western cor- 
poration line of Akron, feeling assured that 
therein he had the material for the production 
of an infusible and non-shrinkable brick. After 
long and patient study and experimenting with 
silica and alumina, and a large pecuniary out- 
lay, he succeeded in discovering a process 
whereby fire brick of unequaled qualit}' and 
durability could be made from silica alone. He 
made application for letters-patent on his new 
process, which were duly granted. 

The material alluded to was analyzed by 
Prof Cassell, and found to contain 98.75 per 
cent of pure silica — an extraordinary propor- 
tion — and affording an advantage not enjoyed 
by other localities. Mr. Alexander has availed 
himself of tliis, and for about three years past 
has made the silica fire brick, known as the 
"Diamond" brand. 

The manufactor3- of Allison & Hart is on 
Bank street. Sixth Ward. This firm manufact- 
ures fire brick also on a large scale ; they 
also make stove and furnace linings, and ground 
fire clay for laying fire brick. 

The uncommonly fine plastic clays of Summit 
County, rich in alumina, and practically inex- 
haustible in extent of deposit, formed the basis 
for the early inception of pottery manufacture 
in Akron. It was started hei'e on a somewhat 
extensive scale, when the town had but a few 
hundred inhabitants, it being the first mechan- 
ical industr}' of importance established here. 



From the date of its introduction, about 1830, 
it gradually grew in volume up to the year 
1852, the surrounding country being supplied 
with brown, yellow and stone ware from this 
point. Up to the period mentioned^ the means 
of transportation were restricted to wagon con- 
veyance and the Ohio Canal, and, consequently, 
the commercially tributary area was limited. 

In 1852, however, when the Atlantic & Great 
Western Railway was opened to Akron, the 
business gained a fresh impetus, and has steadily 
increased in volume ever since. 

The fame of Akron stoneware has extended 
pretty much all over the country, and it ma}- be 
qualifiedly affirmed that it is the onl}- real stone- 
ware made on the continent. The peculiar fire 
qualities of the cla}' found here are such that 
the ware made therefrom is capable of standing 
any degree of heat to which it may be sub- 
jected ; neither fire nor hot water will aflTect it 
injuriously-. Hence, it may be used the same 
as iron vessels for culinary purposes. On the 
contrar}', the so-called stoneware made in New 
Jersey and elsewhere, from the friable cla}- of 
other sections, must be '• handled with care," 
and can only be preserved from fracture In* keep- 
ing it at a safe distance from caloric infiuence. 

By reason of this fact, Akron stoneware has 
justly achieved a wide reputation, and the de- 
mand therefor is rapidly extending. It is now 
being shipped largely to all parts of the West 
and Northwest (Chicago being one of the prin- 
cipal distributing points), to the South, to the 
interior of Pennsylvania, and latterh^, consider- 
able orders for this excellent ware have come 
from Philadelphia, New York, Boston and other 
Eastern cities. 

The business of Whitmore, Robinsons & Co., 
was established in a comparatively small wa3-, 
in 1857, by a number of practical potters, under 
the style of Johnson, Whitmore & Co. They 
commenced with one kiln, and their whole area 
for working consisted of about a quarter of an 
acre of land, situate on the south side of Market 
street, Middlebury, now the Sixth Ward of 
Akron, where they set to work making yellow- 
ware, then a new manufacture in this section. For- 
tune favoi'ed them, and their business prospered. 

In January, 18(12, 'Slv. Johnson retired, and 
in the following April, James B. Manton be- 
came a member of the firm, whereupon the style 
changed to Wliitmore, Robinsons & Co.. con- 
sisting of Richard Whitmore. Thomas Robinson, 



f 



364 



HISTOEY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



William Robinson and James B. Manton. In 
1866, Henry Robinson was taken into the co- 
partnership. From time to time, commodious 
additions were made to their works, thus in- 
creasing their producing capacity', until they 
had the satisfaction of knowing that theirs was 
the most extensive and complete stoneware 
pottery in the world. They run six mills, oper- 
ated by three steam engines, with a total of 175- 
horse-power. 

While this company make stoneware their 
principal manufacture, they also produce all 
kinds of yellow and Rockingham ware. In this 
department, they have two up-draft kilns, which 
are run to their full capacity. 

The buildings of this immense concern have 
the following dimensions : Main building, of 
brick (stoneware department), 177x50 feet, three 
stories ; kiln sheds and engine houses attached, 
177x50 feet, one stor^' ; yellow ware warehouse, 
of brick, 80x34 feet, three stories, with wing 
20x30 feet ; yellow and Rockingham ware fac- 
tory, of stone, 70x36 feet, three stories ; stone- 
ware factory, of stone, 180x36 feet, two stories ; 
slipware shop, of brick, 50x40 feet, two stories ; 
dipping-house and green-house, frame, 100x30 
feet, two stories ; other small buildings for va- 
rious uses, about half an acre of area. The 
aggregate floor surface of these works is 97,660 
square feet, or about two and a quarter acres. 

They ship their goods principally to the 
West, and Southwest as far as Texas, while 
the}' also have a growing Eastern trade. 

The Akron Pottery, owned and carried on by 
E. H. Merrill & Co., was established in 1861. 
They do a large and prosperous business in the 
manufacture of beer and ink bottles, pump 
cylinders and all styles of stone tobacco pipes. 
They manufacture a variety of novelties in stone- 
ware, which are the invention of the proprietors, 
and they have also made many improvements 
in machinery, especially applicable to this 
branch of business, among which we may men- 
tion a bottle machine and a pipe machine, con- 
structed on new and improved principles. They 
have also invented an improvement in clay 
mills, which greatly facilitates the manufacture 
of their specialties. The buildings occupied by 
this firm consist of one three-story structure, 
30x60 feet in size, and one-story building, 
70x100 feet, equipped with all the necessary 
machinery and implements required in this 
branch of industry, with an engine and boiler 



40-horse-power. Their place of business is at 
404 South Main street. 

Meyres & Hall manufacture Ohio stoneware, 
having their office and warehouse near the depot 
of the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad. 
Their works, although located in another town, 
may appropriately be classed among the indus- 
tries of Akron. The business was established 
in 1864, by S. L. Stall & Co., at Mogadore, and 
passed into the hands of the present proprietors 
in 1873. The}' manufacture a superior grade 
of goods, widely known as " Ohio Stoneware," 
consisting in part of churns, butter, pickle and 
snufF-jars, milk pans, jugs, water fountains, fruit, 
preserve and cream-jars, bean pots, stove tubes, 
etc. The office and warerooms of the firm are 
located near the union depot, Akron, and the 
potteries at Mogadore. These consist of one 
building, 60x40 feet, with an L-shaped addition, 
40x50 feet ; another building, 40x50 feet, and 
numerous smaller structures, sheds, etc. These 
are supplied with all the necessary machinery' 
and appliances, operated by one 20-horse-power 
engine and boiler, which serves to turn the 
lathes and to heat the buildings. All the ma- 
chinery is of the most perfect construction, es- 
peciall}' adapted to this line of business. 

Stoneware is manufactured by F. J. Knapp, 
wholesale dealer, east of Fountain street. He 
and his father began business at that point 
many years ago. The present buildings were 
erected by them. Mr. Knapp purchases his 
cla}' in Springfield. He has two kilns. His 
works have a capacity of 14,000 gallons a week. 
His motive power is furnished by a steam en- 
gine of thirty-horse-power. 

At 115, 117 and 119 Fountain street, are the 
pottery works of Whitsel, Gibbs & Co., man- 
ufacturers and wholesale dealers in Ohio stone- 
ware. Their buildings were erected over twenty 
years ago by F. J. Knapp and his father, who 
afterward sold to Beecher & Lantz. The latter 
ran the works one year and sold them to Peter 
Bodenbohl, who disposed of them to Shenkle 
Brothers & Mann. This firm conducted the 
business until last year, when the works were 
purchased by the present proprietors. The 
capacity of the establishment is 15,000 gal- 
lons a week. There are three kilns. Their 
trade goes West, largely. 

Next to the works of Whitmore. Robinsons & 
Co., those of the Akron Stoneware Company, 
on Bank street, Sixth Ward, are the largest in 



^1 



S) 



-^ 



CITY or AKRON. 



365 



Akron. This is an incorporated company, or- 
ganized May 1, 1879, vvitla a capital of $60,000. 
Joseph Cook, President ; R. H. Kent, Secretary 
and Treasurer ; David A. Butler, General Agent. 
This company manufactures every variet}' of 
standard Akron stoneware. Their works are 
large and their trade extensive. 

Johnson & Baldwin occupy the works first 
started by Johnson & Dewey as a redware 
manufactory, on the coi'uer of 3Iarket and High 
streets. Sixth Ward. The proprietors are 
Thomas Johnson and Harve}- Baldwin. Their 
works have a capacity of 15,000 gallons a 
week. They have two down-draft kilns. Their 
entire trade is disposed of to Quigle3' Brothers, 
of Akron, wholesale dealers in stoneware. The 
latter have an office at 215 High street, Sixth 
Ward, also one near the depot of the New 
York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad. 

Jones, Waite & Co. carry on the manufacture 
of stoneware on River street, Sixth Ward ; 
William Rowley on the same street ; Cook & 
Fairbanks on South High sti-eet ; and Viall & 
Markle on East Market street, same ward. 
These works are all extensive and their trade 
widely extended. 

Akron has three broom factories ; that of 
Bachtel & Pontius was established in 1870. 
This firm, of whom the members are A. C. 
Bachtel and N. Pontius, manufacture in large 
quantities every variety of the best brooms, at 
125 Carroll street. Their broom-corn is brought 
from Illinois ; their handles from Columbus, 
Ohio ; their wire from Cuyahoga Falls ; and 
their twine from New York City. The shop of 
H. B. Cross, who also manufactures brooms, is 
at Lock No. 1, Ohio Canal ; that of Mr. Hardy 
is on Mill street. 

The Akron Malleable Iron Works are located 
on East Water street. Sixth Ward, Hope & 
Greer proprietors. W. Foster Hope, Business 
Manager ; John F. Greer, Superintendent. This 
firm manufacture malleable iron castings, 
nickel-plated castings, models for patents, and 
gray iron castings of every description. 

Lepper & Sackett make Bohemian or hulless 
oat-meal at their Bohemian Oat-Meal Mills, on 
Water street. Sixth Ward. Their goods are 
sent to various parts of the country. 

In addition to the industries already noticed, 
there are a number in Akron helping to swell 
the aggregate, each one of which is of impor- 
tance : Louis Cohn's Awning Manufactory is lo- 



cated in the Phoenix Block, South Howard street. 
N. 0. Freer, makes, at 176, same street, furnaces 
for heating and ventilating buildings. He 
began his business first on Mill street, in 1876, 
and moving to his present rooms in 1878. G. 
W. McNeil & Sons manufacture stone grain 
scourers and polishers on South High street. 
George W. McNeil, Jr., makes, at the same 
place, the Acme Wheat Steamer. M. Shouler 
manufactures soda water, ginger ale and Seltzer 
water, at the Akron City Bottling Works, 834 
Bowery street. At 240 Mill street, R. L. & A. 
Andrew make window shades. The}' have been 
established in the business since 1876. Nahum 
Fa}', at 926 East Market street, manufactures 
cordage. John J. Grether makes soap and can- 
dles, at 717 South Broadwa3^ He established 
the candle business in Akron in 1852, adding 
soap manufacture some years subsequent. 
Adam Beck also manufactures soap near the 
fair grounds. Walter Andrews makes candies 
at the Akron Steam Candy Works, selling them 
at wholesale only. J. Bergdorf is engaged in 
the manufacture of baskets on Cuyahoga street. 

A summary of the manufacturing interests of 
Akron is as follows : Capital invested, $6,127,- 
250 ; hands employed, 4,163 ; total value of 
materials consumed, $4,606,774 ; total annual 
production, $9,313,451. 

Number of establishments that turn out a 
product annually of $1,000,000 or over, 2 ; 
$900,000 or over annually, 1 ; $250,000 and less 
than $900,000 annually, 7 ; $100,000 and less 
than $250,000 annually, 7 ; $50,000 and less 
than $100,000 annually, 11 ; $25,000 and less 
than $50,000 annually, 18 ; $10,000 and less 
than $25,000 annually, 34. 

It may be said, therefore, with truth, that the 
crowning glory of Akron is her manufactories. 
It has been shown that a number of them are 
among the largest and most successful of their 
kind in the United States, giving them almost 
the control of the market for the particular 
commodities manufactured. The history of 
most of them shows a gradual development 
from small beginnings. Not all, of course, have 
been alike successful ; but, the rule has been, 
to which there have been but few exceptions, 
that every industry persevered in and conducted 
on strictly business principles in Akron, has, in 
the end, proved a success. There really seems 
no limit to the increase of the manufacturing 
interests of this thriving city. 






(2 »i>-. 



IE 



366 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



CHAPTER X.* 

(ITV OF AKRON— ITS EAULV CHRISTIANITY— FORMATION OF CHURCHES— HUILDING OF CHURCH 
EDIFICES- RFLKilON AT THE PRESENT DAY- SUNDAY SCHOOLS, ETC. 



"Magna est Veritas, ct prevalebit.'" 
rr^HE church history of Akron dates back 
J_ almost to the dawn of its existence as a 
town or settlement. The great truths of re- 
ligion make their appeals to man, whatever 
may be his circumstances or surroundings. If 
there has ever been a church-going habit ; if 
the Sabbath has ever found recognition from 
him ; and truth and love to God predominated 
in his heart ; then, when deprived of the oppor- 
tunities of going to church, this religious nature 
will make its appeals with the recurrence of 
the seventh day, demanding that he should 
rest, or by some means recognize the day set 
apart for rest, by special command. This de- 
mand, or religious influence, is early felt in 
pioneer life ; and, because the opportunities for 
church-going are few, they are, therefore, the 
more highly prized. In a very early period in 
the histor}' of the town, religious societies were 
formed, and churches established, as will be 
gathered from a perusal of the sketches follow- 
ing of the different religious denominations 
having organized churches within the city 
limits. These sketches have been written, 
either by the Pastor or some leading member 
of their congregations, and are as full and com- 
plete as our limited space will allow, and are 
given without comment. 

The First Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Akron comes first in the order of formation, 
and dates its organization back to 1830. The 
following historical sketch of it was furnished 
for this work by Mr. Jacob Snyder, and will be 
found of interest to its members : With the 
characteristic zeal of the Methodist Episcopal 
societies of the world, that of the First Method- 
ist Episcopal Church, Akron. Ohio, secured a 
location in this cit}^ when it was but a 3'oung 
village. The society was organized in about 
1830. and by the Rev. John Janes, of the North 
Ohio Conference, of the territory- of which the 
then village of Akron formed a part. In about 
the same jear of the organization of the so- 

* E.!ited by W. H. Perrin. 



ciety, the erection of a church edifice was com- 
menced, which was an unpretentious wooden 
structure of 40x60 feet, located directly in 
front of the present one, and fronting toward 
the West. It was destroyed by fire in jNIarcli, 
1841, and upon its foundation another of like 
design was immediately built. In 1836, this 
city was taken within the bounds and placed 
under the control of the Erie Conference, when 
Revs. Thomas Carr and John L. Holmes were 
appointed to serve the society. In 1837, the 
appointees were Daniel M. Stearnes and Thomas 
Graham ; in 1838, Horatio N. Stearnes ; in 

1839, John Robinson and Caleb Brown ; in 

1840, John Robinson continued, and Benjamin 
K. Maltby ; in 1841, Ira Eddy and John Wood ; 
in 1842, Timothy Goodwin' M. D. ; in 1843, 
William H. Hunter ; and in 1844-45, Edwin J. 
Kinney. 

The busy throng in practical life is apt to be 
absorbed onl}' b}' what the present forces upon 
it ; yet there is now and then one, who, some- 
what more far-sighted, overleaps the general 
boundar}', and invites to remembi'ance the men 
and the deeds of the past. Such was Rev. 
Samuel Gregg, who was appointed to this sta- 
tion in 1846, and who was the author of "The 
History of Methodism in the Erie Conference," 
in two volumes, which we have taken the lib- 
erty to use in preparing these historical sketches. 
In 1847, James R. Locke was the appointee to 
the station ; in 1848, Martin C. Briggs ; in 
1849, Reuben J. Edwards ; in 1850-51, Ezra 
Jones ; in 1852-53, John Tribby : in 1854, Gay- 
lord B. Hawkins ; in 1855-56, William F. Day ; 
in 1857-58, George W. Clark; in 1859, Thomas 
Stubbs, and in 1860-61, John D. Norton. 

With this last-mentioned pastorate, the time 
had arrived when, to meet the increased wants 
of the society, the old church must undergo 
extension and reparation. The Pastor seeing 
this necessity, urged upon the trustees its pos- 
sible accomplishment, which resulted in revers- 
ing its front, enlarging the building, and in 
otherwise improving its several apartments, at 



l^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



367 



a cost in all of about $3,500. In 1862-63, 
John Peate was appointed to the charge ; in 
1863, E. A. Johnson, and in 1865-67, D. C. 
Osborne. It was during the latter's pastorate 
in 1866 that the centennial of Methodism was 
celebrated by the society in the old church, at 
which time there was subscribed and paid about 
$30,000, as a nucleus from which the present 
edifice sprang. During this year and the early 
part of the following one, the Centenary pict- 
ure, now decorating the main Sunday-school 
room was made, whose design embodies the 
ideal of the then prospective departments, and 
exhibits the members of the entire Sunday 
school, as well as many of the congregation of 
the old church, to the extent of between seven 
and eight hundred photographic likenesses made 
by G. W. Manly, Esq. 

In the spring of 1867, ground was broken for 
the present edifice, and by late autumn, the 
foundation walls were elevated to about one- 
half their designed height. The work was then 
delayed in the winter, and again resumed in 
the spring of 1868, and thence prosecuted to 
the entire inclosing of the building by the 
return of the next autumn. Another winter's 
cessation from the work was followed by its 
resumption in the spring of 1869, and the 
completion of the Sunday-school and the lec- 
ture-room apartments in April, 1870, when the 
transition fi'om the old church to the present 
one was made by the society and Sunday 
school. On the 15th of this month, the finished 
apartments of the first story, main building, 
and the second story of the Sunday-school 
rooms were formally dedicated by Dr. C. H. 
Fowler, of Chicago, and Dr. J. H. Vincent, of 
New York. At this time, W. F. Day, D. D., 
had charge of the appointment, he having after 
an interval of about twelve years been re-ap- 
pointed thereto in 1868, and he continued in 
the position until August, 1871. During the 
last ten years previous to the occupancy of the 
new edifice, the ratio of increase of member- 
ship, both of church and Sunday school was 
greater than of any previous decade of the 
society's history. 

In June, 1871, the work upon the audience- 
room of the present church was resumed which 
had been permitted to rest during the interval 
of completing the other departments of the 
chui'ch ; and in the January following, it was 
completed and dedicated. Bishop Wiley and Dr. 



B. I. Ives conducting the dedicatory exercises. 
Both the main audience-room and the Sunday- 
school apartments are considered models of 
excellence, and, to an extent, even beyond a 
State-wide reputation. 

In 1871, W. W. Ramsay, of the Cincinnati 
Conference, was transferred to the Erie, and 
appointed to this charge, his term of service 
ending in 1874, when Henry Baker became 
his successor, and continued until 1877. In 
the latter j'ear, I. A. Pierce became the ap- 
pointee, and in 1878 W. W. Case, the present 
incumbent was transferred from the Cincinnati 
Conference to the East Ohio, and appointed to 
the charge. The present membership of the 
church is about eight hundred, and that of the 
Sunday-school about seven hundred and fifty. 

When the pews of the spacious audience- 
room are well filled, their united capacity is 
about one thousand sittings. When all of the 
vacant places of the room are supplied with 
extra means of seating, this capacity may be 
increased to 1,500, and the possible capacity 
by the availment of all of the standing room, 
which probably has been the case in a few in- 
stances, is 2,000. Both in the church and 
Sunday school there seems to be a continually 
growing interest upon the part of all connected 
therewith. And it seems as if the Sunday- 
school appointments especially were likely at 
some not far distant day to become too strait- 
ened to accommodate the growing attendance. 
For here ma}^ be seen 

" ' Fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters, friends," 
And very little boys and girls — around, 
Across, within the spacious sacred rooms, 
'They walk, they sit, they stand,' what 
Crowds press in !" 

The church and Sunday school are both 
greatly indebted to Mr. Lewis Miller for the 
great proportions the}' have assumed since the 
enterprise of the present church edifice was 
commenced, he having both by an unusual 
expenditure of time and money contributed 
to the advancement of their interests. 

The First Presbyterian Church of Middle- 
bury (now the Sixth Ward of Akron) is one of 
the early church organizations of this section. 
The following sketch of it was written by Mrs. 
Henry Robinson especially for this work : At 
a meeting held in the schoolhouse in the village 
of Middlebury, then Portage, now Summit 
County, Thursday, December 15, 1831, the First 



r^ 



368 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Presbyterian Church of Middlebury was organ- 
ized by Kev. Benson C. Baldwin, assisted by 
Rev. John D. Hughes, of Springfield. The fol- 
lowing-named persons were then admitted to 
membership : Jesse Neal and Nanc}', his wife ; 
Dr. Titus Chapman, Richard Chapman, Mrs. 
Eliza Chapman, Mrs. Sj'lvia Chapman, Woolsey 
Welles, Mrs. Mary B. Welles, James Neal, 
William F. Astroon, Harvey B. Spellman, Ed- 
gar Chapman (only member now living). Miss 
Sallie Allen, Miss Amanda Gillet, Miss Mary 
A. Gillet, Miss Naomi Hickox, Miss Louisa 
Neal, Miss Sophronia Neal, Miss Sophia Neal, 
Miss Mary Erwin, Miss R. M. Jennison, Mrs. 
Jane Bell, Mrs. Mary Ann Cotter, Mrs. Clarissa 
Hickox, Mrs. Allen and Miss Emeline King. 
The officers of the church were Woolsey Welles 
aud Richard Chapman, Ruling Elders ; Jesse 
Neal, Deacon. Rev. Benson C. Baldwin re- 
mained a much-loved Pastor of this little 
church until Sejrteraber 30, 1838. when he re- 
moved to ^ledina. He was succeeded by Rev. 
Almon Saunders, of Unionville, who commenced 
his labors October 7, 1838, and continued with 
the church for one year. In July, 1840, the 
Rev. H. A. Sackett took charge, remaining 
until the next January. During his labors 
large numbers were added to the church. In 
the fall of 1841, Rev. James Shaw was settled 
as Pastor. The church was greatly blessed 
during his pastorate, 109 members being added. 
In the fall of 1845, on account of failing health, 
he requested that his pastoral relations with the 
church be dissolved. This good man passed 
to his eternal rest in 1874 or 1875. 

Soon after Mr. Shaw ceased his relations with 
the church, a part of the members seceded. The 
subject of slavery had for some time been agi- 
tated, and a part of the church, on this account, 
not being willing to retain their connection with 
Presbytery, withdrew and formed a Congrega- 
tional Church. From this time until the fall 
of 1846, the pulpit was supplied by the aged 
minister. Rev. William Hanford. In September 
of that year, the Rev. Horace Foot was engaged 
for one year, and in January, 1848, Rev. Elroy 
Curtis was called, and labored as Pastor until 
the spring of 1854, faithfully and efficiently. 
In 1860, the slaver}' question, which had di- 
vided the churches, being settled, they were 
united, and formed an independent church, un- 
der the charge of Rev. William Dempsey, who 
remained until 1863. He died in 1864 at Me- 



dina. The church then hired Rev. Mr. Hicks, 
who remained for three years, and was suc- 
ceeded by Rev. John G. Hall. He remained 
three 3'ears, and in May, 1871, Rev. Henrj- 
Aver}' came, remaining until May, 1874 ; Rev. 
Carlos Smith then officiated for three months. 

This brings us to the period in the history of 
the church, when it again connected itself with 
the Presbytery. This was accomplished through 
the earnest efforts of Mr. Ambrose L. Cotter, 
who has been connected with it for forty-six 
years having become a member in 1835. He 
has alwa^'s been an earnest and zealous worker 
in the cause of Christ, and, though now past 
his fourscore j^ears, his enthusiasm kindles at 
the very mention of the church. The next min- 
ister in charge was Rev. C. E. Barnes, who 
came in October, 1874, and was employed as 
stated supply until 1877. On the 1st of April, 
1878, Rev. J. H. Jones was formally' installed 
as Pastor, and still continues his labors as such. 
During all these years, this little church has 
had but thi'ee regularly installed Pastors, viz.: 
Rev. James Shaw, Rev. E. Curtis and Rev. J. 
H. Jones, the others having officiated merely 
as stated supply. 

There are very few of the earlier members 
now known to be living. Mrs. D. A. Hine, who 
resides here, and who united with the church 
at the same time as did Mr. Cotter, is still an 
earnest and devoted Christian worker. The 
society is now recognized as the " First Pres- 
byterian Church of Akron." Its present mem- 
bership is sixty-one ; the officers are Rev. J. 
H. Jones, Pastor ; A. L. Cotter, J. K. Robin- 
sou and Henry Hart, Ruling Elders ; James B. 
Manton, William Robinson, Dr. F. C. Reed, 
Harvey Baldwin and J. K. Robinson, Trustees. 
The church edifice was erected in 1833, but has 
since been remodeled and repaired. 

The Sabbath school has been in existence 
ever since the organization of the church, and 
at present numbers over one hundred, with an 
average attendance of sixty-five. The officers 
are Dr. C. C. Davidson, Superintendent ; Mrs. 
Henry Robinson, Assistant Superintendent ; 
B3'ron Robinson, Secretary ; Miss Kate Palm- 
er, Treasurer ; Miss Frances Robinson, Organ- 
ist ; and Miss Belle Berger, Chorister. 

In connection with the church is a Ladies' 
Foreign Mission Society, formed May 17, 1880, 
by Miss Loring ; and at the same time the 
children formed a home Mission Band, to be 









CITY OF AKRON. 



369 



known as the " Austin Mission Band." They 
have undertaken the support of a pupil in Miss 
Austin's School, at Sitka, Alaska. Members, 
thirty -nine ; amount of money raised in less 
than a year over $45 ; officers, Mrs. Henry 
Robinson, Superintendent ; Miss Kate Palmer, 
Assistant Superintendent ; Miss Lizzie Clriffin, 
President ; Henry B. Manton, Vice President ; 
Miss Nellie Farwell, Secretary ; and Park T. 
Robinson, Treasurer. 

St. Paul's Episcopal Church,* Akron, Ohio, is 
another of the early church organizations. The 
records of the church were burned and conse- 
quently much that would be deemed necessary 
for its history is lost. What we give here has 
been collated from journals, Episcopal address- 
es, etc. Rev. A. Sanford reports in 1832 : 
" Solemnized one marriage at Akron." Bishop 
Mcllvaine in 1834, says : "From Stow to Mid- 
dlebur}', October 11 ; two or three Episcopal 
families in the neighborhood ; heard of none in 
the village ; preached at night in the school- 
house to a very considerable and attentive au- 
dience ; next day went to xlkron, to take the 
canal-boat for Massillon. This growing place is 
destined to become a manufacturing town of 
great importance. There was no place of wor- 
ship in it when I was there, and seldom any 
preaching of the Grospel. It should be a mis- 
sionary station as soon as possible. I should 
have preached there, had not the constant ex- 
pectation of the boat prevented." The Rev. W. 
K. Newman took charge of St. John's, in Stow, 
and of two new parishes at Akron and Franklin. 

From the Bishop's address, 1836 : " Jul}' 8, 
visited St. Paul's, Akron ; preached and met 
the Vestry, the Rev. Mr. Barrow has been invited 
to assume the care of this point and Franklin." 
This minister reports, in the same 3'ear, five com- 
municants. Mr. John Hanford was the first lay 
delegate from this parish to the diocesan con- 
vention. Rev. Mr. Barrow remained one year. 
In 1837, nine communicants are reported. In 
1838, the Bishop reports preaching in the Bap- 
tist Church, and confirming five persons. This 
year the Rev. T. J. Davis, of Connecticut, as- 
sumed charge of the church. In 1839, Mr. 
Davis reports fifteen communicants, and that a 
Sunday-school has been organized, which num- 
bers twenty-five children ; also the organization 
of a society called the Christian Knowledge Soci- 
ety. A room was fitted up in a stone building 

* By Rev. K. L. Ganter. 



on the ground now occupied by Mr. Henry's 
store, to be used as a place of worship. 

Referring to a visitation made in 1839, Bishop 
Mcllvaine says : " In a large upper room in a 
warehouse fitted up for a church, I preached, 
catechised the young, addressed the parents, 
and confirmed three. This parish has much 
prospered since that date." November 6, 1840, 
the Bishop visited St. Paul's and confirmed six 
persons. It was this year, on a Sunday morn- 
ing, at the hour of worship, that a severe storm 
threw a large chimney and heav}' ornamental 
stones in upon the assembled congregation, and 
although the people were hurled down through 
a broken floor, but one man was killed and a 
few others injured. 

About this time the congregation undertook 
the building of what is known under the name 
of the old " Cobb House," northwest of the city, 
near the bend of the canal. It was to serve for 
the combined purposes of parsonage, seminar}^ 
and parish school. From a letter of a Warden, 
dated November, 1840, we give the following 
extract : " This parish has received donations, 
solicited by Rev. Mr. Davis, about $900 from 
the friends of the church in Philadelphia, and 
this diocese to assist in the erection of a tem- 
porary house of worship and parsonage and 
support of the Rector. It would probably be a 
satisfaction to the donors to know that their 
benevolent wishes have been fulfilled in the 
erection of the building contemplated, and the 
establishment of the church upon a permanent 
basis." This year occurred the first attempt to 
chant, under the direction of Mrs. Cowan. It 
was a nine da3's' wonder. In November, 1840, 
Rev. Mr. Davis resigned. The resolutions 
passed bj' the Vestry were exceedinglj- compli- 
mentaiy to Mrs. Davis, and were signed by 
John Hanford and E. W. Chittenden, Wardens ; 
Alvah Hand, Abram Smith and J. G. Darby, 
Vestrymen. 

In 1841, Rev. Lyman Freeman was called. 
During his administration, the building in 
which the congregation is now worshiping was 
undertaken. For this purpose $1,770 was col- 
lected from persons other than citizens of 
Akron. Mr. Lyman Cobb had the contract for 
building, and in part payment on contract, the 
title of the Cobb House was transferred to him. 
On the 2d of June, 1844, the church was con- 
secrated. The parish then numbered sixty 
communicants, and the building was described 



1^ 



^ 



370 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



as being 40x60 feet. Four inonths after the 
consecration of the church, the Rev. Mr. Free- 
man resigned. Rev. Mr. Cox took charge De- 
cember 8, 1844. Rev. Mr. Mcllhinney, Novem- 
ber, 1847. Rev. J. K. Stuart in 1848. Rev. 
E. H. Gumming, December 20, 1850. He was 
followed by Rev. R. S. Nash, and he in turn was 
succeeded in November, 1854, by Rev. D. C. 
Maybin. The Rev. Edward Meyer preached his 
first sermon December 16, 1855. He reports 
that " during the summer of 1856, through the 
exertions of the ladies' society, a set of neat 
green blinds were procured for the south side 
windows, adding greatly to the comfort of the 
worshipers, and furnishing a pleasant and sub- 
dued light ; the cost was $40." Mr. Meyer's 
resignation was accepted July, 1859. The Rev. 
Henry Adams took charge in 1860 ; the Rev. 
Samuel Maxwell in 1863 ; the Rev. W. T. Fitch 
in 1866 ; the Rev. Henry Grregory in 1869, and 
the Rev. R. L. Ganter, the present Rector, in 
1870. 

In 1870, the church edifice was enlai-ged and 
a new organ procured. The same year, also, a 
commodious parsonage was erected on North 
Summit street. In 1872-73, $4,000 were ex- 
pended for new Sunday-school rooms. 

The following are the pi-esent otHcers of the 
church : R. L. Ganter, Rector ; Senior Warden, 
D. L. King ; Junior Warden, Philo Bennett ; 
Vestrymen, Frank Adams, J. A. Beebe, 0. C. 
Barber, C. A. Collins, A. L. Conger, G. W. 
Grouse, U. L. Marvin, W. B. Raymond ; Super- 
intendent of Sunday school, H. J. Church ; 
Assistant Superintendent, U. L. Marvin ; Sec- 
retar}^ A. N. Sanford ; Assistant Secretary, 
Percy W. Leavitt ; Treasurer, W. B. Raymond ; 
Librarians, W. F. Snook and W. A. Noble. 

Ladies' Aid Society' : President, Mrs. Frank 
Adams ; Vice President, Mrs. Lorenzo Hall ; 
Treasurer, Mrs. A. Gommins ; Assistant Treas- 
urer, Miss Ruth Hubdell ; Directors, Mesdames 
H. H. Brown, E. W. Shook, A. Brewster, L. 
Camp, James McNeil, 0. C. Barber, G. B. Cobb 
and E. Buckingham. 

St. Paul's Church numbers 170 families, 230 
communicants. Sunday-school teachers and 
officers, 31 ; scholars, 283 ; total, 314. 

The Baptist Ghui-ch of Akron* was organized 
at Middlebury (now Sixth Ward of Akron) 
April 18, 1834, under the name of the Akron 
and Middlebury Baptist Church. The names 

♦Written by Rev. N. S. Burton. 



of Elder Caleb Green and Elder Araasa Clark 
appear as Moderator and Scribe of the Council. 
The church at its organization was composed of 
three male members — -Horace Barton, Daniel 
B. Stewart, Henry H. Smoke ; and six females — 
Miss C. Barton, Mrs. Thirza J. Smoke, Mrs. 
E. Burton, Mrs. Sally Smith, Miss Amanda 
Smith and Miss Elizabeth Stewart. The first 
house of worship (now owned by the German 
Reformed Church), on Broadway, just south of 
the Court House, was dedicated in September, 
1837. 

The church had the services of several min- 
isters for brief periods for about two years 
after its organization, services being held in 
sclioolhouses in Akron and Middlebury. In 
the year 1836, Rev. E. Crane became the set- 
tled Pastor, and services were held in a hall in 
Middlebury, and in a schoolhouse in Akron 
while the first house of worship was in process 
of erection. Mr. Crane is still living, and 
resides at Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Rev. H. 
Carr succeeded Mr. Crane, and was the Pastor 
at the dedication of the house of worship in 
1837. 

While the church worshiped in this house, 
it had as Pastors Rev. H. Carr, Rev. S. Van 
Voris, Rev. C. S. Clark, Rev. J. Hall (after- 
ward President of Denison University), Rev. 
D. Bernard, Rev. L. Ransted, Rev. J. M. 
Gregory (now President of Illinois State Uni- 
versity) Rev. J. C. Courtue}' (who died after a 
brief pastorate), and Rev. A. Joy, during whose 
pastoi'ate the house on Broadway was sold, and 
the present house on North High street pur- 
chased and remodeled. It was dedicated June 
17, 1853. Mr. Joy was succeeded by Rev. J. 
W. Hammond in 1855, whose pastorate contin- 
ued one year. Rev. Samuel Williams became 
Pastor in 1856, and remained five years. Rev. 
N. S. Burton succeeded him after an interval in 
1862. Rev. F. Adkins was Pastor from 1866 
to 1868. His successor was Rev. C. T. Chaffee, 
from 1869 to 1872. He was succeeded by 
Rev. J. P. Agenbroad for one year. Chai'les 
A. Hayden was ordained, and became Pastor 
Nov. 25, 1873. He resigned in May, 1876. 
The present Pastor, Rev. N. S. Burton, entered 
upon his second pastorate in July, 1877. The 
present membership is about 145. R. A. Grim- 
now and W. T. Allen are Deacons, and J. W. 
Burton, Clerk and Treasurer. 

A Sunday school was organized when the 



^^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



371 



church entered its first house of worship, and 
iias been maintained since. Its present Super- 
intendent is Dr. Denitt G. Wilcox. The aver- 
age attendance about 110. 

Three of the Pastors, J. W. Hammond. F. 
Adkins and C. A. Haj'den, received ordination 
here. More than most churches, tliis church 
has suftered loss by the removal of valuable 
members to larger cities, where the}' have be- 
come efficient workers in church work. Though 
small in numbers in comparison with neighbor- 
ing churches, it has always had its full propor- 
tion of men and families of high standing in 
business and social circles. 

St. Vincent De Paul's Congregation (Roman 
Catholic) of Akron, Summit Count}'. Ohio, 
comes next in order of church organizations. 
The following sketch of it was wi'itten at our 
request by Rev. T. F. Mahar, the present Pas- 
tor : Previous to the organization of this con- 
gregation, and as early as 1835, visits were paid 
to the few Catholics of Akron, by Father Henni, 
the present Archbishop of Milwaukee, who 
came on horseback from Cincinnati, and said 
mass in a log cabin owned by James McAllis- 
ter. Right Rev. J. B. Purcell, now Archbishop 
of Cincinnati, followed soon after and said mass 
here ; and the Rev. Louis De Goesbriand, Pas- 
tor of Louisville. Stark County, visited shortly 
after him. Rev. Father McLaughlin, of Cleve- 
land, was also here, and Rev. Basil Short bap- 
tized the children and attended the Catholics 
from 1837 to 1842. 

Hitherto mass was said in private houses or 
rented halls. The frame church on Green 
street was commenced by Rev. M. Howard, in 
1843, and he remained in charge of Akron 
Congregation to 1844. Father Cornelius Daly 
succeeded in February, 1845, and was the first 
resident Pastor. He remained in charge till 
1848, and enlarged and finished the church 
commenced by Father Howard. During the 
charge of Father Daly, the Archbishop of Cin- 
cinnati ordained Rev. J. V. Conlan, in the old 
frame church now used for school purposes. 
The Rev. Cassina Moavet, was here from Octo- 
ber, 1848, to June, 1850, then came Rev. Father 
Goodwin. He was succeeded by Rev. Francis 
McGann, who owned the present site of the 
new church and the present cemetery. Father 
McGann was here from December, 1850, to 
August, 1855. Rev. L. Molon came in January, 
1856, and was succeeded by Rev. Thomas 



Walsh. Then followed the Rev. W. O'Connor, 
now a Redemptorist. Rev. M. A. Scanlon, was 
appointed to this charge in July, 1859, and 
remained here to November, 1873. During his 
pastorate the Catholic Germans, who till then 
formed part of St. Vincent's congregation, sep- 
arated (in 1861) and organized themselves by 
permission of Bishop Rappe, as St. Bernard's 
congregation. Rev. Father Scanlon was suc- 
ceeded November 23 1873, by Rev. Timothy 
Mahoney. Father Mahoney, after having freed 
the congregation from the greater part of a 
burdensome debt, was transferred August 1, 
1880, to the larger and more important charge 
of St. Patrick's Church, Cleveland, and was 
succeeded by Rev. T. F. Mahar, D. D., the 
present Pastor. Among the prominent laymen 
and pioneer members of the congregation may 
be mentioned James Mcx\llister, John Cook, 
John Dunne — father of Judge Dunne — Thomas 
Jones, J. McSweeny, Martin Quigley and Thom- 
as Garaghty. 

The present and second church edifice built 
by St. Vincent De Paul's congregation was 
commenced on St. Patrick's Day, 1864, by Rev. 
M. A. Scanlon. It is a massive stone structure, 
fifty feet wide and one hundred feet long, and 
of Roman style of architecture. The interior 
is quite attractive, the ceiling, especially, being 
very beautifully stuccoed. Thei-e are no pillars, 
and hence an unobstructed view is had of the 
whole interior. The twelve elegant, stained- 
glass windows are gifts from the different 
church societies and from several members of 
the congregation. The altar is only tempora- 
ry, and will be replaced by another as soon as 
the debt is somewhat diminished. The cost of 
the church is estimated at about $50,000. The 
parish school was organized during the pastor- 
ate of Rev. Francis McGann, about the year 
1853. There are at present two divisions with 
an average attendance of one hundred and fifty 
children. 

The Universalist Church* is among the early 
religious societies organized in Akron. Some 
time in the summer of 1837, Rev. Freeman 
Loring visited Akron for the purpose of estab- 
lishing a Universalist Church. His meetings 
were held in the building now known as Mer- 
rill's pottery, and, subsequently, in a hall on 
the site now occupied by the store of Wolf, 
Church & Beck. Among those who became 

* By Kev. Bicbard Eddy. 



V9 



373 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



interested in the movement was Dr. Eliakim 
Crosby, tlien a man of wealtli and great enter- 
prise in business. An organization was ef- 
fected in a few months. Dr. Crosby, Minor 
Si)icer, Jacob and Jesse Allen and Henry 
Chittenden being among the more prominent 
members. WhoU}^ at the expense of Dr. 
Crosby, and under the superintendence of Mr. 
Loring, a stone church edifice 44x57 feet, sur- 
mounted by a steeple 100 feet high, was 
erected, and dedicated in November, 1839. 
The cost of the building was about $8,000. 
Mr. Jesse Allen presented the church with a 
fine organ, and the building was completely 
furnished with the church conveniences of that 
day. Mr. Loring was installed as Pastor on 
the day of the dedication, and the membership 
then amounted to about one hundred persons. 
Dr. Crosb}- was at this time engaged in the con- 
struction of a canal, commonly known as " The 
Chuckei'y Race," for the pui'pose of bringing wa- 
ter power from the Cuyahoga, at the falls, to Ak- 
ron, a project which proved to be a disastrous 
failure, involving the doctor in financial ruin. 
To relieve his embarrassment in a measure, 
the members of the church organized a stock 
company, and bought the church building, pay- 
ing therefor $7,000. Mr. Loring resigned in 
the fall of 1839, and was succeeded by Rev. 
Nelson Doolittle, whose pastorate extended 
through several 3'ears. To him succeeded 
Revs. J. Gr. Foreman and Z. Baker. Under 
the latter there were divisions growing out of 
the introduction by the Pastor, of skeptical 
theories and so-called Spiritualism. The build- 
ing needing extensive repairs, and the church 
becoming discouraged, the edifice was at last 
sold by the stockholders to the Baptist society, 
by whom it is now held and occupied. 

A new efiort to organize a church was made 
in November, 1872, when twenty-four persons 
adopted and subscribed a profession of faith 
and church government — John R. Buchtel, 
Moderator ; S. M. Burnham, Clerk ; Avery 
Spicer and Talmon Beardsley, Deacons. Rev. 
G. S. Weaver was chosen Pastor in April, 
1873, and the church held its meetings- in the 
lecture room of Buchtel College. Thirty mem- 
bers were added to the church during the 
first year of Mr. Weaver's pastorate ; twentj-- 
three the second 3'ear. In December, 1876, 
Mr. Weaver resigned. He was succeeded by 
Rev. H. L. Canfield, whose terra of service 



lasted about eighteen months, during which 
time there was a small increase of member- 
ship. Rev. E. L. Rexford, D. D., became Pas- 
tor in April, 1878, and remained till July, 
1880, when he resigned. During Dr. Rexford's 
pastorate, the church completed the erection, 
at a cost of about $45,000, of an elegant 
church edifice, on the corner of Broadway and 
Mill street. Large accessions were also made 
to the membership. The present Pastor, Rev. 
Richaixl Eddy, commenced his labors in Sep- 
tember, 1880. The officers of the Church, 
elected in Januar}-, 1881, are W. D. Shipman, 
Moderator ; S. M. Burnham, Clerk ; J. H. Pen- 
dleton, Treasurer ; Ferdinand Schumacher, 
John R. Buchtel, D. S. Wall, George W. Weeks, 
J. H. Pendleton, Dr. William Murdock, S. M. 
Burnham, William Hard}^, D. T. Parsons, 
Trustees. The present membership is 160. 

A Sunday school, the membership unknown, 
was established in connection with the early 
organization. The present school was organ- 
ized in 1872, and has a membership of 190, 
with an average attendance of 160. The pres- 
ent Superintendent is Mr. George W. Weeks. 

The creed of the Church is expressed in the 
following Profession of Belief, adopted by the 
Universalist Convention in 1803: 

I. We believe that the Holy Scriptures of the 
Old and New Testaments contain a revelation of 
the character of God, and of the duty, interest and 
final destination of mankind. 

II. We believe that there is one God, whose na- 
ture is love, revealed in one Lord Jesus Christ, by 
one Holy Spirit of Grace, who will tinally restore 
the whole family of mankind to holiness and hap- 
piness. 

HI. We believe that holiness and true happiness 
are inseparably connected, and that believers ought 
to be careful to maintain order and practice good 
works; for these things are good and profitable un- 
to men. 

The Church of Christ of Akron was organ- 
ized in 1839, but its history dates back several 
^•ears bej-ond the period of its formation as a 
church. The following sketch was furnished by 
its Pastor, Elder C. C. Smith : 

In the history of ever}' church, there is first, 
the period of struggle previous to organization, 
when a few devoted persons, strong in faith and 
conviction, fight for a place among the workers 
in God's vineyard. This time of warfare in this 
church occupied about ten 3'ears preceding the 
beginning of the history of the Akron Church 
of Christ proper. From the time when Elder 



*7[. 



CITY OF AKRON. 



373 



William Hayden and E. B. Hubbard preached 
a few sermons in Middlebury in 1829, to the 
organization of the church in 1839. Some of 
the first fruits of the early seed-sowing was the 
baptizing of William Pangbura and Mrs. Judge 
Sumner, by Elder 0. Newcomb ; also the bap- 
tizing of Mrs. Pangburn and Levi Allen (still a 
member of the church), by Elder Hayden. 

Prominent at this early time may be noticed 
Elder M. S. Wilcox, who preached as opportu- 
nity permitted, in schoolhouses and private res- 
idences. A discussion was held in Middlebury 
between him and a Methodist minister of the 
name of Graham. The name of Elder A. B. 
Green is also prominent in the early history of 
the church. We could not very well give too 
much prominence to the labors of two women 
connected with this work, viz., Mrs. Dr. Parker 
and Mrs. J. N. Botsford. Brother A. S. Hayden 
sa3's : " These were the days of heart-song 
and heaven-reaching prayers and the preach- 
ing ! It was hail mingled with rain. The pro- 
longed hour flitted away unconsciously. The 
group of Disciples tarried, exhorted each other, 
sung warmh' and feelingly a parting hymn, and 
with a final, earnest supplication, they com- 
mended one another to the good Shepherd and 
separated. But they were unspeakably happy !" 
In the year 1839, Brothers Bently and Bos- 
worth came at the call of the brethren, and in the 
building on Main street, now occupied by Mer- 
rill's pottery, the}' organized, with thirty-two 
members, into the Church of Chi'ist of Akron, 
and with Levi Allen and Samuel Bangs as 
Elders ; W. R. Storer and Jonah Allen, Dea- 
cons. Although organized into a society, the 
church had no regular place of meeting. Some- 
times it came together at Middlebury, and some- 
times in Akron in schoolhouses and private 
residences. In 1843, a meeting was held by 
Elder John Cochrane, assisted by Elder John 
Henry, of Mahoning County (of whom it was 
said, he " was swift to hear, but not slow to 
speak"), which resulted in fortj'-nine conver- 
sions to Christ, and in greatl}' increasing the 
influence of the church. Shortly after this, the 
church purchased a small frame building on a 
lot on High street, the present site of the Ger- 
man Lutheran Church building and parsonage, 
which was its first home. 

In 1845, Dr. William F. Pool moved into 
Akron, and while practicing his profession, 
greatly strengthened the church, " laboring in 



word and doctrine." In 1849, M. J. Streator 
became Pastor of the flock, remaining with it 
about ten months. In 1854, W. S. Gray com- 
menced his three years' service for the church ; 
in 1857, during his last year's stay, it sold the 
above mentioned house and lot. For six years 
the church rented Tappin Hall, on Market street, 
for its place of meeting. Here Elder Warren 
Belding held for them a very successful meet- 
ing, and here they were blessed with the labors 
of Elder J. Carroll Stark. In 1861, Elder J. G. 
Encil commenced his pastorate. While he still 
remained with the church, a lot was purchased 
in 1863, and the building now occupied was 
erected at a cost of about $6,000. Then came 
the following ministers in the order named : J. 
O. Beardsley, L. R. Norton, R. L. Howe, L. 
Cooley, John L. Rowe. R. G. White, F. M. 
Greene and C. C. Smith, the present Pastor. 
The pastorate of L. Cooley was the longest of 
any, five years, and his memory is still held 
dear by those who labored with him. The 
labors of R. G. White during three years were 
signalized by a large ingathering of souls, and 
the establishing of the Mission Church at Mid- 
dlebury, Sixth Ward of Akron, resulting in 
eighty members going out from the church for 
that purpose. 

The otticers of the church at the present time 
are : Elders — Levi Allen, Dr. William Sisler, 
Jacob Rhodes and C. C. Smith. Deacons — 
William Allen, Bennett Smetts, William Wes- 
ton, Elijah Briggs, Edwin A. Barber, John No- 
ble and J. P. Teeple. Clerk — Horton Wright. 
Treasurer — Albert Allen. There is upon "the 
church books, 444 members, a net increase of 
164 members during the four years of the last 
pastorate. It is in a vigorous and healthy con- 
dition, and stands first among the churches of 
Christ in the State in its liberality to establish 
the cause at home and abroad. Then there is 
the unwritten history of the struggles and tri- 
umphs of the individual members, and the un- 
recorded number who have taken membership 
from the church below to the church above. 
The names of the following ministers (not men- 
tioned above) were prominently connected with 
the early work of the church here : Elders A. 
S. Hayden, J. W. Jones, Benjamin Franklin 
and R. Moflett. 

The Sunday school was in existence as far 
back as 1845, but was not permanently organ- 
ized until 1864. under Brother Beardslev's ad- 



j "^ 



^1 



374 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



ministration, since which time it has been 
steadily on tlie increase. Mrs. Harv}', Daniel 
Storer, Camden Rockwell, J. P. Teeple and 
Byron Grove were, at dilTerent times, Superin- 
tendents, and stand prominently connected 
with the woi'k. The present Superintendent is 
John Noble; Assistant, Charles Trarler ; Clerks, 
Eugene and P. Howe. During 1880, the aver- 
age attendance was 160 ; average collection, 
per Lord's Day, $5.60. It is but just to state 
that the attendance would be much greater if 
there were accommodations in the house for a 
larger school. 

In September, 1876, the sisters organized 
"The Akron Auxiliary of the Christian 
Woman's Board of Missions," with Mrs. Levi 
Allen as President. The society has been in a 
flourishing condition from the start, and is now 
one of the largest and most efficient societies 
of the kind in the State. 

The Congregational Church, although one of 
the oldest churches in the Western Eeserve, 
did not organize in Akron as early as some of 
the other denominations. The following sketch 
of " the Congregational Church of Akron," was 
written, at our request, by the Pastor, Rev. T. 
E. Monroe : 

On the 30th of May, 1842, a number of per- 
sons met to consider the expediency of organ- 
izing the present Congregational Church. A 
resolution was then adopted, declaring such or- 
ganization desirable, and appointing a commit- 
tee of three gentlemen — Mr. Seth Sackett, Mr. 
H. B. Spell man and Mr. A. R. Townsend — to 
prepare a confession of faith and a covenant, as 
a basis for final and permanent organization. At 
the same meeting a similar committee was ap- 
pointed to prepare a statement of the reasons 
which seemed to require another church organi- 
zation, and to invite neighboring ministers to as- 
sist in forming it. The meeting then adjourned 
to January 2, 1843. At this adjourned meeting, 
the articles of faith and the covenant were 
approved, and their adoption deferred to the 
8th of June, at which time a Council was con- 
vened, to which these proceedings, witli the 
reasons which justified them, were submitted 
for advice. This Council was composed of 
Rev. Seagrove Magill, of Tallmadge ; Rev. Jo- 
seph Merriam, of Randolph ; Rev. Mason 
Grosvenor, of Hudson, and Rev. William 
Clark, of Cuyahoga Falls. This Council ad- 
vising the formation of a church, it was organ- 



ized b}' twenty-two persons signing the con- 
fession of faith and covenant. On the 3d of 
July, nine others united with the infant church, 
when, on the 7th of July, with thirty-one mem- 
bers, the first election of officers was made, 
Mr. H. B. Spelhnan being elected Deacon and 
Mr. Allen Hibbard being chosen Clerk. 

On the 1st of May, 1843, Rev. Isaac Jen- 
nings, having ministered to the church for six 
months as a supply, was called to be its first 
Pastor. This call was accepted, and on the 14th 
of June following he was ordained and in- 
stalled. In June, 1845, the society completed 
a comfortable house of worship, situated on 
North Main street, at a cost of .$1,800. Mr. 
Jennings remained Pastor of the church until 
June 7, 1847, when he tendered his resignation. 
Several meetings of the church having been held 
at which he was urged to withdi-aw his resigna- 
tion, it was reluctantly accepted on the 7th of 
February following, and the separation was ap- 
proved by Council, convened upon the joint re- 
quest of the church and Pastor, on the 12th of 
February, 1847. Rev. W. R. Stevens supplied 
the pulpit of the church from November, 1847, 
until iMay, 1849, when Rev. N. P. Bailey began 
his ministry to this people. On the 7th of Oc- 
tober following, he was ordained and installed 
l:)y Council. This relation continued until May, 
1856, when Mr. Bailey tendered his resignation. 
This resignation was accepted on the 3d day of 
August following, without convening a Coun- 
cil. The church was supplied liy Rev. A. Dun- 
casson from February, 1857. to November, 
1858, when Rev. Abram E. Baldwin was invited 
to officiate as Pastor for one year, with refer- 
ence to future settlement. This invitation was 
accepted, and at the close of this engagement 
it was renewed, and, in February, 1860, he was 
ordained by Council convened upon invitation 
of the church, and his ministrv continued until 
May, 1861. On December 30,"l861, the church 
called the Rev. Carlos Smith to become its Pas- 
tor, who accepted the call, and entered upon his 
pastorate February 2, 1862. The church at 
this time had a membership of about sixty. It 
had been heartily engaged in the great reforms 
of the day, and its new Pastor cordially co- 
operated in every work which sought the purity 
of society and the progress of reform. 

During Mr. Smith's pastorate, the present 
church edifice was erected, at a cost of about 
$40,000, and the membership of the church in- 



h^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



375 



creased from 60 to 268. About three hundred 
members had united with the church during 
this time, a flourishing Sunday school had been 
maintained, and the church had prospered in 
all its activities. In the winter of 1873, after 
a pastorate of eleven years, which had endeared 
him to the entire people, Mr. Smith resigned 
his relation to the church, but remained a com- 
municant of it until his death, which occurred 
April 22, 1877, as the bell was tolling for 
morning service, at the age of seventy-six 
years. Few ministers have been so widely 
beloved or have made so warm personal friends. 

During the winter of 1873, the church called 
Rev. T. E. Monroe, who commenced his minis- 
try here on the first Sabbath of April, 1 873, 
and is still Pastor of the church. During this 
time, new Sunday' school rooms have been built 
below, and a gallery, accommodating 150 peo- 
ple, built in the audience-room above. An 
organ floor and small choir have been built in 
the rear of the church. These improvements, 
with repairs, cost $5,000, and furnish accom- 
modations for a Sunda}' school of 400 children 
and sittings for 750 people in the audience. 
The present membership is a little more than 
six hundred resident members, with about one 
hundred who are absent. The various benevo- 
lent activities of the church are earnestly pros- 
ecuted, and the church enters the current 3-ear 
with fresh hopes of usefulness. 

On the night of the second Saturday of Feb- 
ruar\', 1881, the house was seriously damaged 
b}' fire to an extent requiring .$9,000 for repairs. 
Extensive improvements are at present pro- 
posed, and subscriptions are now circulating 
for this purpose which will, if executed, aftbrd 
convenient accommodation for 550 children in 
the Sabbath school rooms, and 950 sittings in 
the audience room. The church is to be heated 
throughout with steam, ever\' pew having its 
steam- heated foot-rest, and every class-room its 
radiators. X superior organ will be procured, 
open-grate fires to be introduced as an attract- 
ive feature, and every convenience for social and 
public church work amply provided. 

The Sunda}^ school has been for eight years 
under the efficient management of Mr. Sam- 
uel Findly, to whom it is indebted for its emi- 
nent order and intelligence. Mr. Hear}' Per- 
kins, an officer beloved by all our pupils, was 
elected to the office of Superintendent for the 
current year, and, though the school suffered se- 



riousl}' from changes rendered necessary by the 
fire, it is regaining its numbers and its in- 
terest. 

Should the present plans for improvement be 
carried out, this church will be very ampl}^ fur- 
nished for a growing future work, and ought to 
prosper in the j^ears to come quite as much as 
in those gone by. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church of Middle- 
bury (Sixth Ward of Akron) is one of the very 
old churches of Summit County, or, rather, has 
grown out of the old Middlebury Methodist 
Church. In a very early period of the histor}' 
of the county, the Rev. Doctor Clark and the 
Rev. Mr. Monk, of Tallmadge, preached at this 
place. From the present Pastor of the church. 
Rev. Mr. Arundel, we obtained some of the facts 
pertaining to the history of this church, and 
which are here given. 

What is now known as the Second Methodist 
Episcopal Church of Akron was formerly part 
of a circuit consisting of Tallmadge, Pleasant 
Valley, Mogadore, Brimfield and Middlebury. 
Soon after, or about the time of the annexa- 
tion of Middlebury to the city proper, in 1870, 
this church was set off" as a charge b}' itself, 
and, since that time, has been supplied by the 
following clerg3'men : Revs. Painter, Greer, El- 
liott, Merchant, Wilson, Corry. Randolph, and 
Arundel, the present Pastor. Some three years 
ago, the old building was entirely remodeled, 
under the efficient direction of Mr. Jacob Sny- 
der, architect of Akron, at a cost of $3,000. 
The audience-room and parlor are ver}^ neat and 
conveniently arranged, and, together with the 
Sunday-school room, have just been handsomely 
decorated by Messrs. Diehl and Caske}', of this 
city. The present membership is about eightv- 
five. The Sunday school has some two hun- 
dred enrolled on its books, and an average at- 
tendance of one hundred and fift}'. 

The following historical sketeh of the First 
German Reformed Church of Akron was 
furnished for this work by the Pastor, Rev. J. 
Dahlmann. The First German Reformed Church 
of Akron, Summit Co., Ohio, had its origin in 
and was the continuation of the German Evan- 
gelical Protestant congregation which was or- 
ganized about 1842, and worshiped in the 
stone church on North High street near the 
Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal. The building 
still stands, but is now turned into a dwelling 
house. The Lutheran element separated from 



r 



376 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



the congregation in 1852 and organized a con- 
gregation of tlaeir own. Tiie Reformed element 
remained and continued their organization 
until the year 1855, when it united with the 
German Reformed Church of Akron and be- 
came identified with it. Before the two con- 
gregations united their interests, the latter had 
already purchased the frame church building 
of the Baptists on the northwest corner of 
Broadway and East Center streets. After 
uniting their interests, they mutually assumed 
the responsibility to cancel the debt which 
still rested on the church property. Divine 
services were held in the English and German 
languages on alternate Sundays b}' Rev. L. C. 
Edmonds, a 3'oung minister of talent and en- 
ergy- 

The English portion of the congregation did 
not possess sufficient activity to go forward 
energetically. After Rev. L. C. Edmonds had 
resigned, the German portion, not wishing to be 
long without a Pastor, called Rev. John F. 
Engelbach, of the German Reformed Church in 
the United States as their minister. They had 
undertaken much and were successful. Under 
the pastorate of Rev. J. F. Engelbach, the 
German portion of the congregation — the En- 
glish portion merely existing in name — ^obtain- 
ed a charter, and was incorporated on the 27th 
day of April, 1857, as the First German Re- 
formed Church of Akron, Summit Co., Ohio. 

The following are some of the original mem- 
bers : John Heintz, Philip Heintz, Louis Koch, 
Joh. Kling, Peter Brecht, Carl Schwing. J. 
Jacob Grether, George Billau, Jacob Grether, 
George Grether, Michael Grether, Friedrick 
Gessler, George x\ngne, Cail Nilhr, Joh. Brobt, 
Nicolaus Fuchs, Adam Schaaf, Joh. Schaab, 
Joh. Fink, William Fink, Conrad Fink, Jacob 
Steigner, Christoph Baumgartel, Joh. Hiltter- 
ich, Christoph Oberholz, Conrad Zettel, Gott- 
fried Stegner, Andreas Koch, Joh. Gush and 
Friedrick Haushalter, etc. 

The First German Reformed Church con- 
tinued to worship in the house of God which 
they owned conjointly with the English portion 
or the German Reformed Church of Akron, 
Ohio, until the fall of 1858, when the former 
bought the latter out and obtained full posses- 
sion of the church properly which they still 
hold. 

Rev. J. F. Engelbach labored faithfully for 
the welfare of the congregation, and resigned 



near the end of the year 1860. The}^ were 
for some time without a Pastor. 

Rev. Robert Koehler, formerly of Mount 
Eaton, Ohio, took charge of the congregation 
in April, 1861, and entered as Chaplain of 
volunteers in the United States service in Au- 
gust, 1864. Very little progress was made dur- 
ing his pastorate, and this was that the con- 
gregation was separated from other congrega- 
tions and became a charge itself 

Mr. J. D. Leemann, an educated school- 
teacher, preached over two years to the con- 
gregation, and established a parochial school 
in the German language on the northwest 
corner of South High and East Center streets. 
This school flourished for some time, and with 
its discontinuance his labors came to a close, 
especially when the consistory and the congre- 
gation forbid him to preach any longer for them. 

Rev. John Bauragilrtner, an educated minis- 
ter, from Canton Berne, Switzerland, who had 
been Pastor for some time of a Reformed con- 
gregation in Pittsburgh, Penn., was chosen as 
Pastor. He entei'ed upon his labors in the fall 
of 1866, and continued until September 18, 
1870. During his pastorate, a new constitu- 
tion for the congregation was drawn up and 
accepted, and an attempt made to sever the 
connection of the congregation with the Re- 
formed Church in the United States which was 
not successful. 

Rev. Christoph Schiller, from Limaville, Ohio, 
was by the congregation unanimously elected 
as Pastor on October 16, 1870, and entered 
upon his duties on November 27, 1870. He 
was successful in rescuing the congregation 
from ruin and enervate it to new life. It began 
to live again and became conscious of its duty 
as a Christian congregation. Under his labors, 
the congregation increased in membership and 
activit}', and purchased and enlarged the par- 
sonage next to the church on East Center 
street. In the summer of 1876 he resigned, 
and moved to Toledo, Ohio. 

Rev. Julius Herold, of Charleston, Ind., was 
his successor by unanimous election, and en- 
tered upon the pastorate in July, 1876. He 
was active, and caused the church edifice to be 
remodeled inside, and the purchasing of over 
seven acres of land on the west end of the 
city, north of Market street, for a burial-place, 
which was dedicated in August, 1880, for that 
purpose. After having resigned his pastorate 



--^ 




C^^.^5&t^ 






CITY OF AKRON. 



377 



in August, he continued his labors until No- 
vember 14, 1880. 

Rev. Jacob Dahlmann, D. D., of Philadelphia, 
Penn., succeeded him on the 9th of December, 
1880. He was born in Barmen, Rhein Prussia, 
and emigrated with his parents to the United 
States in 1848, and entered upon his studies 
for the Christian ministry in Franklin and 
Marshall College, Lancaster, Penn., in 1855. 
After graduating in honor in 1860, he pursued 
his theological studies at the seminary of the 
German Reformed Church at Mercersburg, 
Penn., under Dr. Philip Schaff and others. 
There was a call extended to him, in 1862, to 
go to Philadelphia, Penn., and organize the 
Emanuel's German Reformed Church in West 
Philadelphia, to which he responded, and, after 
laboring nearly nineteen years in his first 
charge, having built a large and beautiful 
church and parsonage, he accepted a call from 
this congregation for the purpose of leaving 
the general church work, which became too 
burdensome for him, to other hands. Having 
served the Reformed Church, especially the 
German portion thereof, in the East in various 
ways, he continues to be Assistant Stated 
Clerk of the General Synod of said church, 
and it is hoped that his pastorate will, his life 
being spared, be of long duration and crowned 
with great success. 

The church edifice, on the northwest corner 
of Broadway and East Center streets, was 
erected more than forty years ago, by the Bap- 
tist congregation. It is a frame building, 
massive in timbers, 40x60 feet, with four large 
pillars in front, and a steeple, in which Summit 
County placed a bell more than twenty-five 
years ago for the purpose of announcing the 
time for the convening of the court, and until 
latel}^ to give the alarm for fire. 

The congregation has 420 communicants 
and 280 unconfirmed members. The Pastor is 
Rev. Jacob Dahlmann, D. D.; the Elders, John 
Kling and John George Eberhard ; the Dea- 
cons are Henry Schmiedel, Charles Brodt, 
Louis Midler and Peter Kuhn. These form the 
consistory of the congregation, and constitute 
at the same time the Board of Trustees. 

The Sunday school of the congregation was 
organized by Mr. John Heintz, in 1857, with 
20 to 30 scholars, and who continued to be 
Superintendent until 1862, when the school 
had increased to 50 and more scholars. Elder 



John Kling and others held the ofllce of 
Superintendent of the Sunday school. Elder 
John George Eberhard was, during the last ten 
years or more, on or off Superintendent until 
lately, when the Pastor, Rev. Jacob Dahlmann, 
D. D., became (ex officio) Superintendent of 
the Sunday school. The Sunday school is held 
every Sunday morning from 9 to 10:30 o'clock. 
There are 150 children on the roll, and 130 or 
more in regular attendance in the summer and 
110 in the winter. 

Grace Reformed Church has been in exist- 
ence in Akron for a third of a century. The 
following historical sketch is by Rev. Emil P. 
Herbruck, its present Pastor : Grace Reformed 
Congregation was organized on the 5th of 
March, 1853, by Rev. N. Gehr, Missionary of 
the German Reformed Church in the United 
States. At a meeting held in the old Univei*- 
salist Church on High street, a constitution 
was adopted, and signed by the following per- 
sons : John Weimer, Catharine Weimer, Thomas 
Moore, Susanna Moore, William Heil, Esther 
Heil, Philip Kremer, Henry Rinehart, Sophia 
Rinehart and Magdalena Kremff. Rev. N. 
Gehr was elected Pastor, and served the con- 
gregation about one 3^ear. He was followed 
by Revs. P. J. Spangler, L. Edmonds, J. 
Schlasser, J. F. Helm, William McCaughey, 
W. H. H. Snyder, S. S. Miller, J. M. Mickley 
and I. E. Graff, in pastorates ranging from one 
to three years in length. In May, 1868, Rev. 
Edward Herbruck accepted a call to the 
charge, and under his direction it enjoyed a 
greater measure of prosperity than at an}' pre- 
vious time. He labored in the congregation 
successfully for four years, though having 
almost unsurmountable difficulties to over- 
come. Rev. M. Laucks became his successor, 
and served for about two years. In April, 
1876, Rev. Emil P. Herbruck assumed the 
pastorship, and has discharged its duties ever 
since. 

The first edifice was bought at second-hand 
from the Congregational Church in Middle- 
bury, and moved piece-meal to the present lot 
on Broadway, where it was in constant use b}' 
the congregation for eighteen years. In 1881, 
it became apparent that a new building was 
necessarj^ to meet the growing demands of the 
church. Accordingly, on the third Sunday in 
April, the corner-stone of the present structure 
was laid. It is built of brick, with stone 



378 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY 



dressing, and is 52x80 feet in dimensions. The 
auditorium is ampiiitheatrical in shape, and, in 
connection with a quarter gallery, has a seat- 
ing capacity of about five hundred. The com- 
modious basement is arranged for the Sunday 
school, with class-rooms of semicircular form. 
The building is neat and attractive, furnished 
with the modern conveniences, and cost 
$15,000. 

The present membership of the church is 
270, and is constantly increasing. The officers 
for the year 1881 are: Elders, John Weimer 
and Frank Bolander; Deacons, John Kritz, 
Isaac Kittenger, Jacob Bans and A. F. Hun- 
sicker. 

The Sunday school was organized in 1853, 
and has been kept up ever since, though with 
a somewhat fluctuating attendance. It is at 
present in a flourishing condition, having an 
average attendance of 175. The school is well 
conducted by its Superintendent, Gr. F. Eber- 
hard. 

The G-erman Zion's Lutheran Church* was 
organized on the 6th day of August, 1854, by 
the Rev. P. J. Buehl. The original members 
were J. Beyruther, N. Henke, Ch. Baum- 
gaertel, J. Grad, D. Steinhagen, J. Rogler, J. 
Bauernfeind, B. Seidel, J. Dietz, W. Gerdts, H. 
Wishmeier, Mrs. W. Beck, Ch. Schmidt, L. 
Strobel, W. Strobel, A. Voss, N. Oellrich, G. 
Kling, J. Feuchter, I. Frank, G. Proehl, C. 
Kroeger, Mrs. Kaiser, J. Harter, G. Beck, J. 
Miller, W. Schroeder, P. Bibricher, B. Ditles, 
W. Hageman, J. Bernitt, D. Lamparter, J. 
Stein, C. Beinhard, S. Schmidt, G. Miller, J. 
Wolf, J. Brod, G. Goetz, J. Bitsch, Mrs. Sorrik, 
Ch. Nehr, J. Reibly, Mr. Schneider, G. Tents, 
Mrs. Shraiefield, Mr. Dresler. In 1855, the so- 
ciety purchased a church edifice for their own 
from the Disciples, a building which was the 
pioneer house of worship in Akron, having 
been erected in 1834-35, by the Congregation- 
alists, on a portion of the present court house 
grounds. Rev. Buehl having accepted a call 
to the Lutheran Church at Massillon, Rev. G^. 
Th. Gotsch was called as his successor in 1864, 
who served the congregation until 1872, when 
the present Pastor, Rev. H. W. Lothmanu, was 
called, and took charge of the congregation. 
On account of the rapidly growing member- 
ship, a larger structure as a place of worship 
became a necessity, and, on the 16th day of 

*By Bev. H. W. Lothmann. 



September, 1877, the present building, costing 
$16,000, was solemnly dedicated to the serv- 
ices of the triune God. It is situated at the 
corner of High and Quarry streets, and covers 
a space 50x100 feet, with a spire 150 feet high; 
it has a seating capacity of about five hundred 
people, and is built of brick. The congrega- 
tion at present consists of about one hundred 
and fifty families with 450 communicants. A 
school containing 130 scholars, is connected 
with the church, in which the children are 
taught both the German and English lan- 
guages, Mr. F. Stricter acting as teacher. The 
school is held in the old church building, 
which was removed to the rear of the lot back 
of the new church edifice. The present officers 
of the church are as follows : George Haas, 
Treasurer; F. Manthey, W. Wiese and W. 
Woehler, Trustees ; Ch. Baumann, H. Dietz 
and F. Kunz, Vestrymen. 

St. Bernard Catholic Church* (German) was 
organized in 1861. In that year, the few Ger- 
man families deemed it proper to form a sepa- 
rate congregation, and for this purpose gathered 
in the cooper-shop of Geoi'ge Roth, on Green 
street. The number of families then were 
twenty -three, and they resolved to separate 
from St. Vincent De Paul's Church, to which 
they had belonged up to that time. A church 
was formed under the title of St. Bernard 
Catholic Church. The lot on the northeast 
corner of Center and Broadway was purchased, 
where the present building of the society 
stands. Rev. Father Loure, of St. Peter's 
Church, Cleveland, attended the little flock for 
some time, and, in 1862, the corner-stone of 
the new church was laid by Very Rev. Father 
Loure. In June, 1862, Rev. Louis Shiele was 
appointed the first regular Pastor of the con- 
gregation, and remained one year. In Jan- 
ary, 1863, they took possession of their new 
building, and, in July, of the same year, Rev. 
Peter Donnerhoflfe succeeded Father Louis 
Shiele, and, on the 19th of July, 1866, Rev. 
Father Donnerhofle was succeeded by Rev. J. 
B. Broun, the present Pastor. 

In 1865, the residence of the Pastor was 
purchased, at a cost of about $2,200.; in 1866, 
the cemetery was purchased for $2,500 ; in 
1867, the schoolhouse was built at a cost of 
$1,400; in 1868, the church was renovated 
throughout, and stained-glass windows put in, 

* By Rev. J. B. Broun. 






^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



379 



at a cost of $1,150; in 1870, two bells were 
bought, at a cost of $1,350 ; in 1872, the organ 
was purchased, costing $1,260; in 1874, some 
improvements were made at a cost of $1,200 ; 
in 1877, the tower on the church was built, at 
a cost of $2,600 ; the church frescoed at a cost 
of $400 more, and a large bell bought at $946, 
and other improvements at a cost of $200. In 
1880, an addition was built to the church at a 
cost of $12,000. The present strength of the 
church is about three hundred families, with 
some four hundred attendants at the Sundaj' 
school. At the school, conducted under charge 
of the Church, the attendance is about two 
hundred and eight}- children. 

The Akron Hebrew congregation dates its 
organization back to the 3-ear 1865. On the 
2d of April of that year, the following named 
gentlemen met and formed themselves into a 
societ}', to be known as the Akron Hebrew As- 
sociation, the object of the association to be the 
establishment of a school and synagogue, for 
the promotion of the educational, moral and re- 
ligious interests of the Jewish community. The 
charter members were Michael Joseph, Theo. 
Rice, J. L. Joseph, S. B. Hopfman, Simon Jo- 
seph, H. W. Moss, Isaac Levi, 8. M. Ziesel, 
Moses Josei^h, Herman F. Hahn, J. N. Leopold, 
D. Leopold, Louis Calish, Caufman Koch and 
Jacob Koch. The first Jewish residents in 
Akron were Mr. Isaac Levi and Mi-. Caufman 
Koch, who were engaged in business in Akron 
as early as the year 1845, when Akron was a 
mere village. Mr. S. B. Hopfman came to 
Akron in the year ] 851 ; Mr. H. jMoss in the 
year 1856 ; Mr. Michael Joseph in the year 
1864, and thus the Jewish population gradually 
increased, until at the present writing (March, 
1881), it numbers 175 souls, while the books of 
the congregation show a membership of 30. 
Owing to the fact that the congregation has 
never called upon the community at large for 
pecuniary assistance, a policy to which, until 
now, it has strictly adhered, its financial strength 
has been slow but steady, and constant in its 
development. For four years after its founda- 
tion, the congregation found itself unable to 
provide a permanent place of worship ; but had 
to content itself with the establishment of a 
school for instruction in German, Hebrew, Jew- 
ish history and religion ; holding religious serv- 
ice onl}' on special occasions, and on holida3's. 
In the fall of the year 1869, the congregation 



rented a hall and fitted up a synagogue and 
school on the third floor in Allen's Block, which 
it occupied for five years, when the steady in- 
crease in membership made the rooms inade- 
quate, and its financial prosperity enabled it 
to secure more commodious quarters. In the 
meanwhile, the Congregation had purchased 
" bui-ial grounds " adjoining the Akron Bural 
Cemetery ; but, the " grounds " being unsuit- 
able, they were exchanged, October 15, 1871, 
for a large section in the southeast corner of 
the Akron Rural Cemetery, the congregation 
paying the cemetery association the additional 
sum of $1,000. The new synagogue and school- 
room, which were located in Clark's building, 
were dedicated on the 26th of October, 1874. 
Besides supporting a school and s^-nagogue, 
employing a regular teacher and minister, and 
purchasing burial grounds, the congregation 
responded freeh- to appeals to its benevolence, 
contributing in the year 1868, $477 to the 
newly-established Jewish Orphan Asylum in 
Cleveland, and, sending in November, 1871, 
$198, raised by voluntary subscription, to the 
sufferers by the Chicago fire. In the 3'ear 1880, 
the increased membership, and the additional 
number of pupils, compelled the Congregation 
to seek new accommodations, and the third floor 
of the newl^'-erected Barber Block was leased 
for a term of five years. Over a thousand dol- 
lars were expended in fitting up the synagogue 
and school -room, which were dedicated to di- 
vine worship on the 23d of July, 1880, and 
which will compare favorably with the temples 
of man}' much larger congregations. As an 
adjunct to the congregation, the ladies organized 
a societ}^ called " Der Schweslerbund," which 
has been in existence for over thirteen j-ears, 
and which has nobly assisted in promoting the 
great objects of the congregation. During the 
sixteen years of its existence, the executive 
power of the congregation has been in the hands 
of the following nine Presidents : Isaac Levi, 
Moses Joseph (two terms), H. F. Hahn, S. B. 
Hopfman (two terms), Isidor Cohn. George Ma- 
rienthal, and the present presiding officer, Ben- 
jamin Desenberg. The first minister was the 
Rev. N. Hirsch, succeeded in regular order b}' 
Rev. N. L. Holstein, Rev. J. Jesselson, Rev. A. 
Suhler, Rev. A. Schreier, Rev. A. Burgheim and 
the present minister Rabbi S. M. Fleischman. 
This is the histoiy of the Akron Hebrew Con- 
gregation from the days of its inauguration to 



380 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



the present time. Its prosperous condition in- 
dicates a bright future, and it is hoped that 
when the congregation is again compelled to 
remove from its present location, it will dedi- 
cate a temple built by its own money on its 
own property. — [Wn'tten by Rabbi *S'. 31. Fleisch- 
man fur this work.^ 

Calvary Church, of the Evangelical Associa- 
tion of Akron, was organized in 18G6, by Rev. 
H. F. S. Sichley, of the Bristol Circuit. To the 
Rev. L. W. Hankey, the Pastor, we are indebted 
for the following facts pertaining to this church : 
Calvary Church was organized with the follow- 
ing members : Benjamin Stahl (leader), Cath- 
arine Stahl, Henry Nicholas, Catharine Nicho- 
las, Samuel Nicholas, Leah Nicholas, Joseph 
Nicholas, Martha Nicholas, Louisa Cook, Nancy 
Henninger, W. W. Farnsworth, Max-garet Farns- 
worthand John and Eliza Shaffer. In 1867, it was 
determined by Conference that Akron should be 
made a Mission, under the charge of Rev. Mr. 
Sichley. There was no preaching, however, in 
the early part of the the year, on account of 
being unable to obtain a suitable building. A 
church was commenced during the year and the 
basement completed, and dedicated in October, 
1867, by Rev. John StuU, Presiding Elder. 
The dedicatory sermon was preached by him, 
on the 6th of October. During the winter of 
1867-68, the main audience-room of the church 
was finished, and dedicated to the service of 
God May 3, 1868, by Rev. Joseph Long, Bishop. 
The building, which is a substantial frame, cost 
about $4,000, outside of considerable work and 
material, which was contributed by individual 
members. It has been remodeled and improved 
since it was originall}' built, and is now a hand- 
some and commodious church edifice, located 
in South Akron. 

The following Pastors have been called to 
the charge since organization : Revs. Jesse 
Lerch, A. Swartz, H. E. Strauch, A. E. Dreis- 
bach, S. S. Condo, A. Yandersoll, and the pres- 
ent Pastor, Rev. L. W. Hankey. The member- 
ship at this time is two hundred and twenty- 
seven. 

The Sunday school of this church was organ- 
ized on the 27th of October, 1867, and num- 
bered at the time about forty scholars. It has 
continued since without interruption, and, at 
the present time, is in a very flourishing state, 
with a general attendance of 240 scholars, un- 
der the superintendence of W. S. Youts. 



The English Evangelical Lutheran Church 
of the Holy Trinity, Akron, Ohio, was organ- 
ized in the spring of 1870. The pioneer work 
which resulted in this organization was per- 
formed by Rev. W. A. Passavant, D. D., of Pitts- 
burgh, and Rev. S. Laird, now of Philadelphia, 
Penn. There were about thirty members at the 
time of its organization. The first regular Pas- 
tor of the congregation was Rev. U. P. Rutli- 
rauff, now deceased. It was during his minis- 
try that the fine gothic church on Prospect 
street was built and the parsonage purchased, 
at a cost of about $45,000. The church, though 
not yet completed in its towers and Sunday 
school arrangements, was consecrated in June, 
1872. Rev. W. P. Ruthrauff soon after resigned 
the charge and was succeeded by Rev. J. F. 
Fahs, the present Pastor, who took charge of 
the congregation in October, 1872. The con- 
gregation now numbers about one hundred and 
ninety-five communicant members. 

The Sunday school was organized soon after 
the organization of the congregation, and num- 
bers about one hundred and twenty-five schol- 
ars, with an average attendance of about one 
hundred. Mr. R. N. Kratz is the Superintend- 
dent. — [Written by Rev. J. F. Fahs.'\ 

The Church of Christ of Middlebury, or the 
Sixth Ward of Akron, is of recent organiza- 
tion. The facts for the following sketch of it 
were furnished by the Pastor, Elder T. D. But- 
ler : The Church of Christ, Middlebury, Sum- 
mit County, Ohio, was organized March 30, 
1875, with eighty members, and the following 
officers : H. J. White, A. Brown, M. Jewett, El- 
ders ; F. W. Inman, G. F. Kent, T. H. Botsford 
and Richard Whitmore, Trustees ; G. F. Kent 
and T. H. Botsford, Deacons ; S. C. Inman, 
Clerk, and Almon Brown, Treasurer. The 
membership of the church at present is eighty- 
five. The first Pastor was Elder H. J. White. 
He has been followed by Elders F. M. Green, 
R. G. White, J. W. James, W. H. Rogers (in 
the order named), and by the present Pastor, 
Elder T. D. Butler. The church building is 
quite a model of architectural beauty, and was 
erected in 1878, at a cost of about 16,000. 

The Sunday school of this church was or- 
ganized during the summer of 1875, and is in 
a flourishing condition, with an average attend- 
ance of abcut eighty children, under the super- 
intendence of C. J. Robinson. 






:|A 



CITY OF AKRON. 



381 



CHAPTER XI.* 

CITY OF AKRON— EDUCATIONAL HISTORY— THE EARLY SCHOOLS— PERFECTION OF THE COMMON 
SCHOOLS— BUCHTEL COLLEGE- PRESIDENT AND FACULTY— ENDOWMENT, ETC. 



Precepts and rules are repulsivfl to a cliild, but happy illustra- 
tions wiuneth him. — Tiipper. 

IN a history of Akron, its common schools 
and educational facilities occupy a prom- 
inent place. The following historical sketch of 
the schools of the city was written by Judge C. 
Bryan, and is so full and complete that we in- 
corporate it almost bodil}' in this work. It is 
as follows : " In 1846, there were within the in- 
corporated limits of the village of Akron, 690 
children between the ages of four and sixteen 
years. Of this number, there was an average 
attendance at the public and other schools the 
year through of not more than 375. During 
the summer of 1846, one of the district schools 
was taught in the back room of a dwelling 
house. Another was taught in an uncouth, in- 
convenient and uncomfortable building, gratu- 
itously furnished by Capt. Howe, for the use of 
the district. There were private schools, but 
these were taught in rooms temporarily hired, 
and unsuited for the purpose in man}' respects. 
Reading, writing, spelling, arithmetic and gram- 
mar were more or less attended to in the pri- 
vate and public schools ; but of the above num- 
ber, there were, as estimated, 200 who did not at- 
tend school at all, who ought to have been re- 
ceiving the benefits of good school instruction. 
" It was in view of this state of things that 
Rev. I. Jennings, then a young man, and Pas- 
tor of the Congregational Church of Akron, 
self- moved, set himself to work to re-organize 
the common schools of Akron. There were 
many friends of a better education in the place, 
who co-operated with Mr. , Jennings, and, on 
the 16th of May, 1846, at a public meeting of 
the citizens, a committee was appointed, of 
which he was Chairman, ' to take into consid- 
eration our present educational provisions and 
the improvement, if any, which may be made 
therein.' On the 21st of November, 1846, there 
was an adjourned meeting of the citizens of 
Akron, at Mechanics' Hall, at which Mr. Jen- 
nings, on behalf of the committee, submitted 

♦Contributed by W. H. Perrin. 



their report. It was a good, business-like doc- 
ument, clear in its statements, definite in its 
recommendations, and so just and reasonable 
in its views, that it I'eceived the unanimous ap- 
proval and adoption of the citizens there assem- 
bled, and a committee, consisting of R. P. 
Spaulding, H. W. King, H. B. Spelman and L. 
V. Bierce. was appointed to secure the neces- 
sary legislation. The following is the plan of 
the committee : 1. Let the whole village be 
incorporated into one school district. 2. Let 
there be established six primar}- schools in dif- 
ferent parts of the village, so as best to accom- 
modate the whole. 3. Let there be one gram- 
mar school, centrally' located, where instruction 
may be given in the various studies and parts 
of studies not provided for in the primary 
schools, and yet requisite to a respectable En- 
glish education. 4. Let there be gratuitous ad- 
mission to each school in the system, for the 
children of residents, with the following re- 
strictions, viz.: No pupil shall be admitted to 
the grammar school who fails to sustain a 
thorough examination in the studies of the 
primarj' school, and the teacher shall have 
power, with the advice and direction of the Su- 
perintendent, to exclude for misconduct in ex- 
treme cases, and to classify the pupils as the 
best good of the schools may seem to require. 
5. The expense of establishing and sustaining 
this system of schools shall be thus provided 
for : First, by appropi'iating what public school 
money the inhabitants of the village are enti- 
tled to, and what other funds or propert}' ma}' 
be at the disposal of the board for this pur- 
pose ; and, secondly, a tax to be levied by the 
Common Council upon the taxable property- of 
this village for the balance. 6. Let six Super- 
intendents be chosen by the Common Council, 
who shall.be charged with perfecting the sys- 
tem thus generally defined, the bringing of it 
into operation, and the control of it when 
brought into operation. Let the six Superin- 
tendents be so chosen that the term of office 
of two of them shall expire each year. 



382 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



" The plan was adopted by the Legishiture, 
and embodied in the 'act for the support and 
better regulation of common schools in the 
town of Akron,' passed February 8, 1847, with 
a change in the name and mode of election of 
officers named in the sixth paragraph only, the 
the substance being retained. The committee 
urged in behalf of this plan, that it will secure 
a thorougii classification of pupils, bring dif- 
ferent classes into constant fellowship, lay hold 
of native talent and worth, whether rich or poor, 1 
and secure the best superintendence and man- 
agement. It will not only give the best i 
schools, but the cheapest : for while such in- . 
struction as the youth of Akron now get costs I 
about $2,200 a year, or $6.82 for each of the 
375 who attend school, under the plan proposed ; 
500 can be instructed for $1,700 a year, or $3.40 I 
a scholar for cost of instruction. The interval ] 
between the meetings in May and November, 
1846, was improved by Mr. Jennings in col- 
lecting information, maturing the plan and 
elaborating the report. The idea originated 
with Mr. Jennings, and the labor of visiting 
e^'ery house in the village, to ascertain what 
children went to school and who did not go, 
and who went to public schools and Avho went 
to private, and how much was paid for school 
instruction, was performed by him. He went 
to Cleveland and Sandusk}' City in the same 
interest, to see the operation of graded schools 
there. He procured estimates by competent 
mechanics, of the cost of erecting a grammar- 
school building to accommodate 500 pupils, 
and omitted no detail of the plan that was nec- 
essary to show it in organic completeness ; and 
whatever credit and distinction Akron may 
have enjoyed for being the first to adopt the 
principle of free graded schools in Ohio, is due 
to Mr. Jennings. Others saw and felt the need 
of a system and of better methods of instruction 
and management, but in his practical and sa- 
gacious mind the subject took form and propor- 
tion as an organic whole, and under his pre- 
sentation the plan looked so feasible, so ad- 
mirable, that hostility was disarmed and the 
people were eager for its adoption. 

'■ Mr. Jennings was the father and founder of 
the Akron schools ; and, though he did not re- 
main in Akron to see their operation, he gave 
them their first impulse and direction, and in- 
spired their management and administration. 
His plan was flexible to the needs of the 



growth and enlargement, and in essential feat- 
ures remains as it first took form on the stat- 
ute book. For actions less signal and benefi- 
cent, men have been honored and recognized 
as public benefactors. The first election under 
the law was in the spring of 1847, and L. V. 
Bierce, H. B. Spelman, James Mathews, Will- 
iam H. Dewey, William M. Dodge and Joseph 
Cole constituted the first Board of Education, 
which organized by choosing L. V. Bierce, Pres- 
ident ; H. B. Spelman, Secretary, and William 
H. Dewey, Treasurer. The Town Council ap- 
pointed J. S. Carpenter, A. B. Berrj' and H. K. 
Smith, Examiners. The work of the board for 
the first year was mainl}' that of organization. 
They divided the Akron school district into 
eight subdistricts, built two primary school- 
houses, 25x32 feet, at a cost of $370 each, pur- 
chased two and a half acres of land on Mill, 
Prospect and Summit streets, at a cost of 
$2,137.31, on which stood a dwelling-house, 
which, at an expense of $613.44, was fitted up 
for a grammar school. Mr. M. D. Leggett, late 
Commissioner of Patents, was employed as 
teacher and superintendent at a salary of $500, 
assisted b}' Miss Wolcott, at a salary of $200, 
and Miss Pomeroy, at a salary of $150. The 
primaries were taught by young ladies, at 
$3.50 per week. There were two terms of the 
grammar school, the first commencing in x\u- 
gust, and enrolling 127, with an average daily 
attendance of 112, or eight3'-eight per cent; 
the second term enrolling 188, and having an 
average attendance of 167, or eight^'-nine per 
cent. The primaries during the year showed 
an average attendance of fifty-five per cent, and 
an enrollment during the first term of 641. 
During the second term, 880 was the number 
enrolled. Some of these were from with- 
out the district. Such was the state of opin- 
ion at the first annual report, made in March, 
1848, that the board felt called upon to justify 
the employment of female teachers in the pri- 
maries on the ground, first, of economy, and, 
second, that the Superintendent was required to 
spend one hour each day in these schools, vis- 
iting them in rotation, which the Board be- 
lieved secured all the advantages to be derived 
from the employment of male teachers. 

" The Akron school law and the operations of 
the first board under it had a strong opposition 
from property-holders. The principle of free 
graded schools had not yet been recognized. 






'i^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



383 



These men felt it a grievance that their proper- 
ty should be taxed to educate the children of 
the village. An unlimited power of taxation 
for school purposes had been given the board 
which they felt to be dangerous, and made an 
objection to the system. As a peace-offering 
to this class and to disarm opposition, the first 
call was for but two mills on the dollar. But 
the board went farther, asking the Legislature 
to limit its power to five mills. The act was 
amended, fixing the limit at four mills a year 
for school purposes. This change was unfortu- 
nate. The State had just changed its rate of 
taxation for school purposes, by which the 
amount Akron would otherwise receive was 
reduced over $300. Schoolhouses had to be 
built, lots purchased and paid for, and the 
board was compelled to an economy of man- 
agement that bordered upon parsimony, and in 
the second year to lose the services of Mr. Leg- 
gett, who was doing well for the school. The 
board was able, however, to make a good show- 
ing in its first annual report in this, that the 
cost of tuition for each scholar was less than 
$2 a year — a saving to the town of from $1,340 
to $1,776 a year on the common-school system. 
In the grammar school were taught orthogra- 
phy, reading, writing, arithmetic, geographj^, 
history, grammar, algebra, geometry, trigonom- 
etry, physiolog}^, natural philosophy, mental 
philosophy, chemistry, book-keeping, astrono- 
my, phonogi'aphy, and an hour each week given 
to composition and declamation. The board 
bears honorable testimony to the zeal and effi- 
ciency of teachers of grammar and primary 
schools, and to the Board of Examiners for 
' efficient and valuable suggestions,' and in view 
of all the facts may be pardoned if it slightly 
magnified its work when it said it had given 
' the benefits of a, finished English education to 
all the children of the town at less than the 
average rate of tuition under the common- 
school system.' During the second year, end- 
ing March 31, 1849, two new schoolhouses 
were erected for the primaries, at a cost of 
$480 each, but the accommodations were still 
inadequate. The schools were crowded, and 
more room needed without the means to build. 
The average daily percentage of attendance in 
the primaries had risen to be 62 per cent, 
and that of the grammar fallen to 71 for the 
first term and 80 for the last. In the third 
3^ear the subdistricts were increased to nine, the 



primaries were graded, and the grammar school 
suspended from April 27 to September 3, 1849. 
At the latter date, Mr. C. Palmer took the 
charge under an engagement for two years, 
assisted by Mrs. Palmer and Mr. Graham. The 
suspension was a financial necessity', but the 
board was enabled to speak assuredly of the 
improvement in the public regard for the 
schools. 'The ardor of novelty had subsided, 
but the sober judgment of the people fully sus- 
tained the system.' 'We doubt,' the board 
say, ' whether at any time a motion to relapse 
into our former chaotic state would have been 
met by a more determined or numerous oppo- 
sition than now. In truth, we think our school 
system may be looked upon as having passed 
the crisis, and as being fixed in the convictions 
and cherished in the conscious wants of the 
people." 

"In the winter of 1850-51, the board en- 
tered into a contract with Mr. Charles Brown 
for laying the foundation of a brick edifice, 
70x50 feet, and two stories high, for the gram- 
mar school, an undertaking for which there 
was pressing need on account of the entire un- 
fitness of the building then in use for that pur- 
pose. The corner-stone of this edifice was laid 
with due ceremonies Aug. 18, 1851, and 
the walls finished before the commencement of 
winter. The grammar school was taught but six 
weeks during the fifth school year, and closed 
in consequence of the illness of Mr. Palmer, 
the Superintendent, not to be opened again 
until the new building was read}' for occupa- 
tion. The necessity of this suspension lay in 
the state of the finances and the limited powers 
of the Board for taxation. Mr. and Mrs. 01m- 
stead were emploj^ed at $50 a month to teach 
a high grade primary school, which took the 
place of the grammar school. The salary of 
Mr. Palmer was $600. In the fourth annual 
report the term, ' High School, ' first appears in 
the transactions of the board. During the 
third and fourth school years, J. S. Carpenter, 
Esq., is President of the Board, and the reports 
deal more in certain general aspects, the meth- 
ods, means and ends of education ; less external 
stimulation, and more of self-help in the school 
room. The fifth annual report shows the same 
aptness for comparative statistics as the first 
and second, and gives the cost of tuition for the 
whole 3'ear : Per scholar upon average enrolled, 
$2 ; per scholar upon average attendance. 



& V 



#-4- 



384 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



$2.80 ; per scholar upon average enumeration, 
$1.12, and believes an instance cannot be found 
where so thorough an education can be obtained 
at so small an expense. 

"On the 13th of October, 1853, the new 
structure was completed and dedicated to the 
cause of education. The cost of the building 
was $9,250, and in its plan and appearance was 
creditable to the then village of Akron. Mr. 
Samuel F. Cooper was put in charge of the 
high school, assisted b}' Mrs. Cooper and Miss 
Voris ; Miss Codding, assisted by Misses Prior 
and Gilbert, had charge of the grammar school. 
A nucleus of a philosophical apparatus and 
geological calnnet was formed under Mr. 
Cooper. In April, 1856, the engagement of 
Mr. Cooper closed. In the October following, 
H. B. Foster. Esq., of Hudson, entered upon 
the office of instruction and superintendence, 
and continued until the following spring, when 
his engagement closed. He was assisted by 
Misses Bernard and Williamson, all able and 
competent teachers, with whom the board was 
loath to part. Mr. Foster declining a re-engage- 
ment, Mr. E. B. Olmstead was employed to 
take his place, and J. Park Alexander was put 
in charge of the grammar school at $35 per 
month. The primary teachers were paid from 
$3.75 to $5. per week. In 1855-56, the 
grammar school was in charge of Mr. George 
Root, assisted a part of the year by Misses 
Angel and McArthur. Mr. Root gave special 
attention to penmanship and book-keeping in 
the high school, and his instruction in those 
branches was attended with marked results. 
The paj'-roll of teachers for the year ending 
April, 1856, was $2,777.42, including superin- 
tendence. In the report made April, 1857, the 
estimated expense of running the schools for 
the next year was $4,200, ' including inci- 
dentals,' and it was in this report that claim 
was first made for compensation* to members of 
the board for their services. It was in this 
report also that the first rule was laid down 
touching the reading of the Bible and religious 
instruction in the schools. The following is 
the rule : ' Teachers may open their schools in 
the morning by singing with the scholars, or 
reading a short passage of Scripture (the 
Lord's pra3'er, for instance), without note or 
comment, or without any general exercise, as 
they may think proper.' In this report also is 
laid down the rule of the board touching the 



qualifications of teachers. ' The board, as a 
general rule, have determined to emplo}' no 
teachers in the Akron schools but those of 
ripe age, ample experience and successful tact in 
their profession, while it is entirely necessary 
and essential that a teacher shall have a fine 
education, and an ample fund of general knowl- 
edge, it is as important to possess tact also.' 
Besides these, the teacher must have ' great 
goodness and kindness of heart, indomitable 
perseverance, good common sense, and last, but 
not least, the qualities, in a measure, of a suc- 
cessful military general.' It might excite our 
wonder that so rare and so fair a cluster of 
graces and acquirements could be had for the 
asking in the year 1854, and at so low figures 
as from $3.50 a week in the primaries to $65 a 
month to the principal of the high school and 
Superintendent of all the schools. The board 
hints at no difficulty in procuring teachers of 
ripe age, ample experience, successful tact, fine 
education, etc., or that the market is not full of 
that description of candidates for the office of 
instruction. The high school lot is being 
graded, and, when done, " the grounds will be 
planted with forest trees, evergreens and shrub- 
bery, such as will best conduce to the appear- 
ance of the place, and, in after years, to the 
comfort of the scholars.' A substantial stone 
wall has been erected on the west front, and on 
the other three sides a tight board fence. 

" The Akron School District was, in April, 
1857, divided into five subdisti'icts, in- the first 
and second of which, primar}- and secondary 
grades of pupils were to be taught by the same 
teacher in the same room. In the other sub- 
districts, the primaries and secondaries were to 
be taught separately. A course of study is 
laid down. Reading and spelling run through 
the four grades, ' writing when desired,' in the 
secondary, and every day in the grammar and 
in the high school, ' so as to be able to write a 
fair hand.' The scholars in the grammar school 
shall be taught to read and spell the fourth 
reader fluently ; to master the first half of 
Stoddard's Intellectual Arithmetic ; the whole 
of Trac3^'s and Stoddard's Practical as far as in- 
terest ; the general definitions in grammar ; 
Colton and Fitch's Modern School Geography ; 
to practice writing every day ; map drawing ; 
declamation one hour each week, and general 
practical oral instruction daily. The high 
school course included, 3d, Stoddard's Practical 



*7[. 



1± 



CITY OF AKROT^. 



385 



Arithmetic, after which Greenleafs National 
ma}' be taken up (one class), and the whole 
school practiced in mental arithmetic ; 4th, 
English grammar and parsing ; 5th. map draw- 
ing and geograph}' ; 6th, philosophy ; 7th, his- 
tor}' ; 8th, physiology ; 9th, algebra ; 10th, 
chemistry ; 1 1th, astronomy ; 12th, botany and 
geometry. Declamation and composition to be 
practiced by each pupil every four weeks. 
These in their order, the 1st and 2d being occu- 
pied by reading, spelling and writing. The 
Superintendent is to be Principal of the high 
school and institutes, and spend two hours each 
week visiting the other public schools of the 
town, advising with the teachers, examining the 
classes with reference to their classification, 
progress and promotion, and to report monthh' 
to the board. 

" This outline closes the tenth year of the 
Akron schools. One of the features of this 
period is the ' Specimen Schools or Teachers' 
Institutes', held each Saturday morning in the 
presence of all the teachers, members of the 
board, etc. One teacher, b}' previous appoint- 
ment, calls her school together on Saturday 
morning, and pursues her routine course for an 
hour and a half, and then dismisses it. After 
this, lectures, discussions, etc. These institutes, 
the board say, ' have worked admirably.' 
Teachers were required to attend them. It was 
in the seventh 3'ear of the schools (1854), that 
we first hear of these ' Specimen Schools or 
Teachers' Institutes.' They gave way in 1860 
to teachers' meetings, which were designed for 
mutual improvement, and to enable the teacher 
to keep place with progress in the ' art of teach- 
ing.' When Latin and Greek were dropped does 
not appear, but here is the mind of the board 
upon the subject : ' The introduction of the 
study of languages into the high school has 
often been urged by a few of our citizens ; but, 
the board have been of the opinion that a good 
practical English education is all that an}' one 
has a right to expect or exact at the hands of a 
generous public' The Akron schools have now 
been in operation ten years, and under five dif- 
ferent Superintendents, three of whom, Leggett, 
Palmer and Foster, were capable, competent 
and valuable men for the place. Their work 
was mainly that of instruction in the depart- 
ment under their immediate charge ; the super- 
vision of other schools being quite nominal, 
consisting chiefly in occasional visitation. In 



the existing state of opinion and resources of 
the board, this was the best that could be done. 
But the necessity of permanence in the office 
of superintendence and instruction was being 
felt. The evils of frequent changes had become 
apparent. The schools had not at all times 
maintained the prestige they at first enjoyed, 
nor the pre-eminence to which they were entitled 
as the pioneer free graded schools of Ohio. In the 
eleventh annual report, the board declare their 
conviction that the ' lowest wages ' principle was 
not the best economy, and that such compensa- 
tion should be paid for superintendence and in- 
struction as would secure the best skill and 
ability in both departments. Acting upon these 
views, Mr. T. C. Pooler, a teacher of experience 
in the State of New York, was employed as 
Superintendent, at a salary of f 1,000, assisted 
by Misses M. K. Parsons and H. A. Bernard in 
the high school. Mr. H. M. Ford, assisted by 
Miss Coftman, was made Principal of the gram- 
mar school. During a part of Mr. Pooler's first 
year, Misses Angel and Church were his assist- 
ants, Miss Bernard coming in the second year. 
Mr. Pooler retained the position three years, and 
declined a re-engagement. With him began 
superintendence and the practice of making 
annual reports to the board. At this point also 
begins a change in the school year from the 31st 
of March, to the 31st of August, consequently 
this report covers fifty-three weeks of the 
schools— fifteen in the spring and summer of 
1857, and forty weeks from September, 1857, to 
July, 1858. Hereafter the school year will 
commence with September. The above state- 
ment that with Mr. Pooler, superintendence 
commenced, must be qualified, for if it com- 
menced it did not continue to any valuable ex- 
tent. Rule fifth, of the board, adopted Septem- 
ber, 1859, provided that 'he shall visit each 
school at least once in four weeks, and advise 
and direct the several teachers in regard to 
classifying and disciplining their pupils.' His 
reports are practical, and relate to matters with 
which he is charged. The statistics of enroll- 
ment and attendance show an improving condi- 
tion in these regards. 

" The engagement of Mr. I. P. Hole as Princi- 
pal of the high school and Superintendent 
commenced September, 1870, at a salary of 
$900 a year, and continued until September, 
1868, during which period his salary was from 
time to time increased, until it reached $1,500. 



^1^ 



'^1'^ 



386 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Besides this substantial approval by successive 
boards, Mr. Hole was cordially indorsed, as 
reports and resolutions of the Board abundantly 
show. His report as Superintendent was pub- 
lished during the first six years of his engage- 
ment, and are useful for the information they 
contain of the condition of the schools. The 
average attendance for all the schools is 
91 per cent for the year 18G6, while for the 
3'ears 1863 and 1864 it is 78 per cent. The 
tables accompanying his reports show an in- 
crease in enrollment and attendance during 
this period, and they also show that the num- 
ber attending the high school as steadily di- 
minished. In 1860 and 1861, tiie total enroll- 
ment in that department was 141 ; monthly 
membership, 83, and average daily attendance, 
63, while in 1865 and 1866, the total enroll- 
ment was 67 ; monthly membership, 44 ; aver- 
age attendance, 41. * * * The schools 
had become crowded. Six primaries taught 
during the fall of 1865, and seven during the 
winter and spring following, had an enrollment 
of 724 pupils ; one secondary school, employ- 
ing three teachers, enrolled 216, and the gram- 
mar school, with three teachers, enrolled 156 
pupils. The high school, with an enrollment 
of 67, employed one teacher regularly, one 
about half of the time, and the Principal 
something over one-half Of all these schools, 
except the high, he has words of unqaalified 
praise, and of that he says, • decorum seems to 
forbid that I should speak.' He makes hon- 
orable mention of Mrs. Coburn, who had been 
associated with him in that department six 
years, and had resigned, 'as deserving to be 
held in grateful remembrance by the people of 
Akron, and the hundreds of young persons 
whom she had served so earnestly and faith- 
fully.' llule 13 of the Board, adopted Sep- 
tember, 1859, defining the duties of Superin- 
tendents, says : ' He shall hold a meeting of 
the parents at the commencement of each 
school year, or oftener, and address them in 
reference to their school duties and obliga- 
tions.' He did not restrain himself to 'such 
facts connected with the operation of our pub- 
lic school system as may be of general interest 
to the community,' but sometimes expressed 
himself at large on the duties of parent and 
citizen. In his report of 1863, he notices the 
assumption of parents and teachers that when 
pupils have memorized the text-books put into 



their hands, 'that their work has been well 
done.' This assumption he saj's, ' stops too 
short,' and he proceeds to elaborate his views 
of the processes of the mind in acquiring 
knowledge through eight successive and dis- 
tinct operations, from impressions on one of 
the five senses, to reason, ' the most important 
characteristic of rationality." The moral tone 
is always good. The report of 1864 contains 
the first notice of graduation from the high 
school. Miss P. H. (xoodwin, of Akron, is the 
graduate of this year. We find no published 
reports of the board or of Mr. Hole, as Super- 
intendent, for the last two years of his con- 
nection with the schools, and the history of 
his period of principalship and superintend- 
ence substantially closes with September, 1866. 
In February, 1868, he tenders his resignation. 
The board passes a resolution of confidence, 
' earnestly invokes the confidence and support 
of the community as being eminently due to 
those having charge of our public schools, as 
Superintendent and teachers, and as at present 
advised, decline to accept the resignation.' In 
December, 1865, the board assumes the con- 
trol of the Spicer Addition to the Akron School 
District, with about one hundred pupils, and in 

1866, enters upon the enlargement of the high 
school building, bj' the addition of two wings, 
with two schoolrooms to each wing, and recita- 
tion rooms adjoining. An enlargement of 
school accommodations had become a neces- 
sity, and to meet this expense a loan of |15,- 
000 was authorized by the board in May, 

1867, and, in April, 1868, bonds in that amount 
were provided for by resolution of the board. 

" Before entering upon a new period of man- 
agement and administration of the schools, 
there are certain points of interest in the past 
which deserve to be noticed. In the second 
year of the schools, instruction was given in 
Latin and (xreek languages, and in the fourth 
year, classes and teachers were commended for 
thoroughness of training in those branches, as 
well as for others taught in the high school. 
Wlien these were dropped does not appear, but 
probably during the suspension of the gram- 
mar school. We have seen the stand taken by 
the board in 1858 in reference to these 
branches, but, in August, 1865, Latin and 
Greek were again admitted by resolution. 
Tardiness and irregularity of attendance are a 
grievance from the first organization of the 



\^. 



CITY OF AKRON. 



387 



schools — the refrain of every report down to 
1865. Sometimes the remedy was supposed to 
be with the parents, and sometimes with teach- 
ers or pupils, or all combined. The expedient 
is tried of closing the doors against pupils 
a few moments after the hour for opening has 
arrived, and shutting them out until recess. 
This did not cure the evil. In 1864, three 
absences during one month were visited with 
suspension, and boards at succeeding meetings 
heard and granted restoration. This rule 
worked better. It put parents to inconven- 
ience ; made them feel the power of the board, 
and to see that Boards of Education had 
rights. In 1847-48, the percentage of attend- 
ance in the primaries was 55^ ; in the gram- 
mar school, 88 per cent ; while in 1866, the 
percentage of attendance reached 90 per cent 
for the schools. This improvement became a 
matter of gratulation with boards and Super- 
intendents. In the report of the board for 
1861, jets of humor for the first time appear in 
these documents. As a Board of Education 
of Akron, after fourteen years' experience, 
ma}- be supposed to know something of boards 
and teachers in general, this board ma}^ be 
allowed to speak on the subject. Of the 
numerous applications for places as teachers in 
our schools, and the qualifications, or rather 
the want of them, which many of those appl}'- 
ing exhibit, the board says : ' Without heads 
or hearts for the teacher's work, come the Jer- 
emy Diddlers, out at the elbows, and the Flora 
McFlimseys, with nothing to wear, seeking the 
salaries of the schoolroom to mend their coats 
and failing fortunes, and to enlarge their scanty 
wai'drobes. Teachers and boards are often 
sadly at fault in their anatomy of the soul and 
body of the young. They would define a pupil 
to be a boy or girl from five to twenty-one 
3'ears of age, having no heart to make better 
or keep pure, no bones and joints to grow 
strong and shapel}-, no muscles to train and 
develop to flexibility, no taste for the beautiful 
to be cultivated, but onl}* a head to be filled 
with syntaxes and prosodies, with ratios and 
quantities, with ologies and osophies — onl}^ 
this and nothing more. Herbert Spencers 
work on " Education " should be added to the 
library of all who give or accept this definition 
of a pupil.' Whether it was the expression of 
an abstract opinion by the board, or whether it 
was suggested by the state of things then 



existing in the high school does not appear, 
but the}' say in substance that, inasmuch as 
the high school had taken the place of the 
academy and seminary, where attention was 
paid to ethics and the proprieties of social life, 
the high school "should care somewhat for 
these things.' In 1859, a course of study was 
prescribed. For the grammar and high school 
it was a three-years course. There were to be 
exercises in singing daily by the pupils who 
could sing. Music was not a branch of in- 
struction, but an exercise. Moral instruction 
and attention to manners are enjoined upon 
the first division of the secondary, and in the 
grammar school, oral instruction in manners 
and behavior was to be given daily. The 
board regards its work with favor, and says 
'the prominence which it assigns to moral 
culture, to drawing and to music, heretofoi'e 
much neglected, will meet with the approba- 
tion of all whose approbation is worth having.' 
Two years later, the course of study was 
revised — that for the high school enlarged to 
four years, and the same prescription as to 
manners and behavior in the grammar school 
continued. Why this discrimination does not 
appear, for the board, as we have seen, this 
year suggested that these matters were being 
neglected in the high school. To all that the 
board enjoins in regard to ' moi-als, manners 
and behavior,' it may be objected that they 
'stop too- short.' Standards vary with persons 
and places, and what the ideal of this board 
was as to what constituted good morals and 
manners is left to conjecture. The ninth sec- 
tion of the act for the support and better regu- 
lation of common schools in Akron made 
provision for periodical visitation of the 
schools by persons to be appointed by the 
Council and Mayor. With thorough and sys- 
tematic superintendence of the schools, there 
would be little or no need of these visitations ; 
but that period had not yet arrived. Rev. S. 
Williams was appointed school visitor under 
that section of the law, and made, in the years 
1858 and 1859, his reports to the Council, 
which were published, and, so far as appears, 
were the first official visitations made. Mr. 
Williams was a man of culture and of much 
experience as a teacher, and competent for the 
work he undertook. He was too kindly and 
urbane in manners for trenchant criticism, but 
he discriminates with candor, and leaves the 



it \, 



^« 



388 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



reader of his reports means of an opinion as to 
excellences and defects of particular schools. 
He marked the absence of historical studies 
from the grammar and high school, and, in the 
year following, we find history in the course of 
study for those departments. With the fifteenth 
annual report of the board is published the re- 
port of R. 0. Hammond, Esq., as school visitor 
for that year. His report shows the value of in- 
dependent criticism and observation of the 
conduct and management of the schools. He 
commends warml}' and censures unsparingly. 
He says : ' The board say in their report that 
mental philosophy, political economy, moral 
science and evidences of Christianity are 
taught in the fourth year. But they are not 
taught. And yet there is no good reason why 
the}' are omitted.' He urges the cultivation of 
vocal music. 'This, in my judgment,' he says, 
' should be taught in our schools as a compo- 
nent part of daily instruction. I mean that 
the principles of music should be taught — 
taught as a science. In this way, at a small 
expense, singers with well cultivated voices, 
able to read music readily, may be fitted for 
the choir, the concert and the parlor.' 

"The school j^ear beginning September 1, 
1868, was the beginning of a new period in the 
histor}' of the Akron schools. x\kron had become 
a city. Its school population numbered 3,007. 
The growth and promise of the place had 
brought in new men, and with new business 
success and prosperity, larger and more liberal 
views had come to prevail. Akron had no in- 
stitution or interest it cherished as it did its 
schools. They had acquired a sure footing in 
the regard and affection of the people. The re- 
port of the board by its President, Dr. Bowen, 
shows this by its tone of cheerful assurance. 
Mr. Hole and other teachers of the high and 
grammar schools had resigned, and it became 
the duty of the board to fill their places. ' They 
cast about for teachers who had attained a high 
rank in their profession, and were known by 
competent judges to have come honestly by their 
good reputations.' There were not man}- such, 
and the demand was lai-ge. ' Other Boards of 
Education were abroad as bidders, and having 
made selections, based, as was believed, on a 
full fitness for the work to be done, it remained 
for us to pay such prices as would take the 
teachers we wanted from other bids, and bring 
them to our schools, instead of allowing them 



to go elsewhere.' This is frank, free from tone 
of apology, and the board is to be commended 
for carrying out so good a programme. Mr. 
Samuel Findley, a gentleman of good scholarly 
attainments and ripe experience as a teacher, 
was secured as Superintendent ; Mrs. N. A. 
Stone, of State- wide reputation as a teacher and 
disciplinarian, was put in charge of the high 
school, and Miss Herdraan, a teacher of much 
experience and rare excellence, was put in 
charge of the grammar school. At the close 
of the year, the board was justified in sa3'ing 
of the work done, that it was well done. Mr. 
Findle}' had shown rare executive ability. The 
leading features of an improved management 
of the high school, under Mrs. Stone, assisted 
by Misses Saunders and Trowbridge, ' were 
thoroughness in preparing the lesson, an ani- 
mated, accurate and full recitation of it, and 
more of polite deportment.' The grammar 
school, under Miss Herdman, assisted by Misses 
Voris and Worthington, ' has become a well- 
behaved room, where decorum prevails, and 
where lessons are thoroughly studied and well 
recited. Never in all its life has its order been 
so good and its teaching so thorough.' The 
primary schools also were well taught. The 
board makes a financial exhibit for the year 
ending September 1, 1869, showing a total of 
disbursements of $32,763. Of this amount, 
the salaries of Superintendent and teachers 
were $14,002.50 ; building sites, building and 
repairs, $15,752.60 ; fuel and other contingent 
expenses, $2,907.98 ; total receipts, $35,553.34. 
* * * * * For the work Mr. Find- 
ley has shown I'are fitness and abilit}'. With 
great firmness he unites courteous manners and 
an openness of mind to what is new and also 
good in school management and instruction. 
He found it necessary, early in the year, to re- 
duce the eleven primary school districts to six, 
giving two schools to each district, except one, 
and making two grades of primary scholars. 
By this change, the teaching force was nearly, 
if not quite, doubled, without any increase in 
the number of teachers, or in expense. With 
this came a course of study for the primary 
and grammar schools, of four j-ears in each de- 
partment. Text-books are excluded from the 
primaries, except readers, and the school hours 
of the lowest grade reduced to four. There are 
to be monthly written examinations in the high 
and grammar schools. English literature takes 



'A 



CITY OF AKRON. 



389 



its place in the high school, and vocal music 
becomes a specialty of instruction in all de- 
partments of the central building. Drawing, 
heretofore neglected, ' has been promoted to the 
rank of a regular study,' and runs through the 
grammar and lower grades. Morals and man- 
ners run through the three first years of the 
primary course in this specific form : ' Incul- 
cate reverence and love for God as the Great 
Father of all, obedience to parents and teachers, 
and a kind, forgiving spirit toward brothers and 
sisters and schoolmates. Guard against rude- 
ness of manners, and suppress profanity and 
other immoral practices.' This is a rule on the 
subject of moral instruction of all the schools : 
' It shall be a duty of the first importance on 
the part of the teachers, to exercise constant 
supervision and care over the general conduct 
of their scholars ; and they are especially en- 
joined to avail themselves of every opportunity 
to inculcate the observance of correct manners, 
habits and pi'inciples.' Results for the first 
year must be regarded as satisfactory. The 
percentage of punctualit}- in no school falls be- 
low 96, and in many of them reached 98 and 
99. and the average for all was 9*^.4. The per- 
centage of attendance on average number be- 
longing, for all the schools, was 93.1, and but 
two fell below 90. How much of this was due 
to the steady toning up of the Superintendent, 
is best known to the teachers. 

" Reports of the board and Superintend- 
ent, after the year 1869, are for the school 
years 1871-74-75. The board reports are 
plain and intelligible statements of the finan- 
cial condition and transactions of the board 
and the general state of the schools. In 
1870, there were paid for building, repairs, 
furniture, etc., $17,412 ; and, in 1874, for sites 
and buildings, $17,200. In 1871, the primaries 
are crowded, and the necessity pressing for ad- 
ditional accommodation for the present and in- 
creasing population of the city. The board 
has settled upon a plan of systematic enlarge- 
ment of school structures, which is thus ex- 
plained in the report of G. W. Grouse, Esq., 
President of the Board : In providing addi- 
tional buildings, it is the present policy of the 
board that each additional school building 
erected shall be part of a general plan, which 
shall have for its object the supplying of each 
section of our cit}- with a suitable school build- 
ing, located centrall}' with reference to the part 



of the city it is designed to accommodate, and 
which shall contain not less than six rooms.' 
The estimated cost of such structures was $15,- 
000, and, in pursuance of this plan, the North 
Broadway building has been enlarged to the 
capacity above named, and the school edifices 
known as the Perkins and Spicer, have been 
erected and occupied. The estimated value of 
all school property, in 1874, was $136,000. To 
this is to be added the Spicer Schoolhouse, since 
built, estimated at $25,000. In the report of 
this year, by Lewis Miller, Esq., Px-esident of 
the Board, attention is called to the fact that, 
about twenty-eight years ago, the experiment 
of free graded schools was authorized in Akron, 
by special act of the Legislature, and that about 
a year since the Legislature, b}^ general act, had 
extended the principle to all the public schools 
of the State. 

" In the year 1872, Middlebury became a part 
of the Akron School District, bringing with it 
163 pupils, and the Board of Education, from 
1872, consisting of twelve members, instead of 
six, as formerly. The reports of the Superin- 
tendent that accompany these reports of the 
board ax'e instructive reading. They relate to 
matters that come under his official supervision 
and are within the legislative sphere of the 
board. He carefully considers what he says, 
and gives trustworthy information and matured 
opinions on educational matters. The follow- 
ing summaries from the Superintendent's ta- 
bles, contain evidences of good condition and 
healthfulness. The averages are so high that 
they leave little room for improvement in that 
line : 

1874 — Number of youth between si.x and 
twenty-one 3,809 

1875 — Number of youth between six and 
twenty-one 3.964 

Number of schools: 

High school 1 

Grammar schools 8 

Primary schools 24 

Teachers in high school 4 

Teachers in grammar schools 13 

Teachers in primary schools 24 

Music teacher 1 

Average number of regular teachers 40.3 

Average number of i)upils in daily attendance at 

Highschool 111-8 

Grammar schools 513.8 

Primary schools 1,158.8 

Total average daily attendance 1.754.4 



:fV 



390 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COl NTY 



The percentage of average daily attendance on the 
average number belonging 

In tlie high school 95.6 

In the grammar schools 94.8 

In the primary schools 95 

In all the schools 94.9 

" The number of graduates from high school 
prior to 1869, beginning in 1864, were 15 ; in 
1869, 5 ; in 1871, 4 ; in^l872, 17 ; in 1873, 11 ; 
in 1874, 16 ; in 1875, 18. 

"The course of study adopted in 1869 has 
been adhered to. The high school course has 
been cut down to three 3"ears, and the scholars 
of the A (xrammar Grade, who have been hitherto 
included in the high school have been confined 
to their proper department. Written examina- 
tions are twice a term instead of monthl}^ and 
promotions twice a year instead of annually. 
School hours have been reduced to five. Musical 
instruction runs through all grades, and is 
in the hands of a specialist in that department. 
' The lessons in music,' he says, ' are given daily, 
and occupy from fifteen to thirty minutes, ac- 
cording to the age of the pupil. The instruc- 
tion is thoroughl}^ graded, commencing in the 
lowest primary grade with the simplest exer- 
cises in distinguishing and making musical 
sounds, and advancing b}^ regular gradations to 
the practice of classic music in the high school.' 
As Mr. Findley declares himself an original 
skeptic on the subject of musical capabilities, 
he may be allowed to state his conversion in his 
own words : ' Before investigating the subject 
and hearing the testimon}' of tliose who had 
made the experiment, I shared in the common 
belief that musical talent is a special gift, and 
that only the favored few have it in sufficient 
degree to make its cultivation desirable. That 
this is a fallacy has been amply proven. Noth- 
ing else in all my experience, in connection 
with the work of instruction has given me such 
enlarged views of what is attainable in the di- 
rection of the cultivation of the human powers. 
We can fix no limits to the possibilities of hu- 
man culture.' 

"The competence of women for instruction 
and discipline has been fairl}' tried in the 
Akron schools, and the results thus stated in 
the report of 1874 : ' The average number of 
regular teachers employed was thirty-seven — 
all women. I have no hesitation in sa3'ing, 
that the experiment we have made the last six 
years in employing none but women as regular 
teachers in our schools, has been eminently 



successful.' Moral and religious instruction is 
a subject wliich undergoes discussion in these 
reports. The views entertained on this subject 
b}' successive boards and Superintendents may, 
so far as they have given them expression, be 
briefl}' stated. In the second year, the moral 
nature is recognized as of equal rank with the 
intellectual. But this cannot have been a senti- 
ment rather than a conviction, though it led to 
no definite provision then and there for the 
moral nature. With teachers of the right 
ethical tone, the whole matter of ' morals and 
manners ' in schools might, with safety, be 
left, and this is where the earh' boards seem to 
have left them. In the tenth year, came the 
rule for the qualified reading of the Bible as 
an opening exercise. In the twelfth j-ear, 
' moral culture,' heretofore neglected, or but 
little cared for, ' was assigned a rank with draw- 
ing and music' In the fifteenth year, Mr. 
Hole gave ' moral training ' a prominence, and 
introduced Cowdery's ' Moral Lessons,' but the 
board protested ' that nothing sectarian has 
been introduced into your schools — nor any 
sectarian practice permitted.' All Mr. Hole's 
convictions inclined him to do in the schools 
whatever could be done for the moral nature, 
and the twelfth board quotes this with ap- 
proval : ' It has become quite evident that 
moral education, not occasional and irregular, 
but systematic and thorough, is entitled to a 
fixed position in every system of instruction.' 
We share the surprise and conviction of Super- 
intendent Findley, as expressed in his report of 
1869 : ' It seems strange that any attempt 
should be made to divorce intellectual and 
moral culture. The two are inseparable. Our 
moral and intellectual faculties are so closely 
allied as to be scarcely distinguishable to our 
consciousness ; at least, life's intellectual activi- 
ties and pleasures find their culmination and ful- 
fillment in the moral. The moral is the pinnacle 
of our whole being. A man is whatever his heart 
is. His faith, his love, his purposes — these deter- 
mine his character.' He touches the key-note 
to the whole great question of the Bible in the 
public schools, in the above passage, and others 
in the same and subsequent report : ' It is not 
so much what the teacher says, as what he /.s 
and does, which effects for good or evil the 
future lives and characters of his pupils. All 
the moral and religious influences of the school 
which is of an}- worth must come as an 



•l^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



391 



emanation from the teacher's character and 

life.' 

****** 

"In his report of 1874, the Superintendent 
called the attention of the board to the neces- 
sity of employing untrained and inexperienced 
teachers, as the greatest evil with which they 
have to contend, without, however, suggesting 
at that time any remedy. It is but one step 
from the discovery of an evil or want, to the 
invention and application of a remed}'. The 
remedy' in this case is simple, and consists in 
the conversion of the new Spicer building into 
a training or normal school. Young ladies, 
graduates of the high school, without experi- 
ence in teaching, are employed, nominal salaries 
for the first year, and set to teaching. Over 
them is placed a teacher of tried skill and 
abilit}' in the instruction and government of 
schools, who oversees and directs the work of 
the new teachers. It is an experiment which 
has beeh entered upon during the present year, 
and has the merit of originality' and simplicity, 
with a promise of good results. * * * * 
* * * Certain results have been reached, 
which are a promise of good fruits in the 
future. One of these is a demand for a higher 
education, as shown b}' the increased attend- 
ance upon the high school, which amounts for 
the six years ending January 25, 1875, to 234 
per cent, while the increase in all the schools 
has been 50 per cent for the same period. 
That the suppl}' has kept pace with the demand, 
ma}' be seen in the fact that, at the close of the 
spring and summer term of 1874. four boys of 
the Akron High School passed creditable ex- 
aminations for admission to Western Reserve 
College, and three of them entered that insti- 
tution the fall following. Three of the four 
were prepared wholly under Miss Oburn, assist- 
ant in the high school, and the fourth in part. 
Another gain is the punctuality of attendance, 
and the substantial cure of tardiness and irregu- 
larity. This subject is referred to in the report 
of 1871, which sa^'s : 'Irregular attendance 
and tardiness have become unpopular with the 
pupils themselves, and the majority of parents 
appreciate the importance of punctual and con- 
stant attendance.' 

" Miss Herdman remained in charge of the 
Senior Grammar School with the same eminent 
success that marked her first year, until the 
spring of 1874, when she withdrew on account 



of ill health, and died in the November follow- 
ing. Her Superintendent saj's of her : ' Her 
strength of character, combined with fervent 
affection and genial humor, gave her great 
power over her pupils. She governed by the 
strength of her own character, rather than by 
the inflictions of pains and penalties.' Miss P. 
H. Groodwin, for many years an assistant in the 
high school, paid a touching tribute to her 
memory in a paper read befox'C the teachers' 
meeting : ' She has given to us an example of 
a true teacher, wrought out before our eyes in 
characters of light — a grand six years' object 
lesson that increases in significance as we study 
its harmony of parts.' 

" Mrs. N. A. Stone contuiued in charge of the 
high school as Principal until the close of the 
school 3'ear, 1873, a period of five 3'ears, with 
the same success and abilit}' which marked her 
first year, and then resigned for a 3'ear of rest 
and travel. She was succeeded by Miss Maria 
Parsons, who still holds the position, and is 
eminentl3^ faithful and successful in it. Many 
teachers in the Akron schools, not alread3' 
named, have attained a high degree of success ; 
but for a long and faithful service of sixteen 
years, Mrs. M. L. Harvey deserves honorable 
mention. During the first ten 3'ears of the 
schools, the labor of supervision, now per- 
formed b3- the Superintendent, was thrown upon 
the Board and Examiners ; and for the faithful 
and valuable services, the three first Presidents 
of the Board, Messrs. Bierce, Carpenter and 
Howard, and the three first Examiners, Messrs. 
Carpenter, Berr}' and Smith, deserve to be hon- 
orabl3' remembered ; especially Gen. Bierce, for 
eight 3'ears of service on the board — six of 
these as President ; and Judge Carpenter, for 
four years of service as member of the Board 
of Examiners — who gave to the schools in that 
period of construction and organization, the full 
benefit of their practical ability and generous 
public spirit. 

" The first death that occurred in the board 
was that of Dr. Joseph Stanton, in the year 
1 855, of whom the board of that year say : ' In 
his death the board has lost a valuable member, 
the State an honorable citizen, and the cause of 
education an earnest friend.' The death of 
Houston Sisler, member and late Treasurer of 
the board, is announced in the report of 1861- 
62, and of him the board say : ' We can bestow 
no fitter eulogy upon him than to sa3' that he 



■^ 



±1 



392 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



was an honest, intelligent and conscientious 
man, just to himself, and just and generous to 
his neighbors.' The death of J. K. HoUoway 
is recorded at a meeting of the board April 18, 
1874, and in him the board ' mourn the loss of 
a valuable member, a c )ngenial companion, an 
esteemed friend, and useful citizen.' The fol- 
lowing have been Presidents of the Board of 
Education of Akron for the periods named : 
Gen. L. V. Bierce, six j-ears ; Judge J. S. Cai*- 
penter, two years ; Dr. E. W. Howard, two 
years ; C. B. Bernard, two years ; Rev. S. Will- 
iams, three years ; M. W. Henry, two years ; 
Dr. I. E. Carter, two 3^ears ; Dr. William Bow- 
en, one year ; Judge S. H. Pitkin, two years ; 
George W. Grouse, two years ; Lewis Miller, 
two years ; Dr. Thomas McEbright, one year. 
There was fitness in the choice of these gentle- 
men as presiding otficers of the board." 

This closes the sketch of Judge Bryan, and 
but little more can be said of the public schools 
of Akron. In the foregoing, their history has 
been traced from a period when they were in a 
" chaotic state " to their present perfection. 
We will add but a few names and statistics. 
The following is from the last report of the 
Board of Education to the Countj^ Auditor : 

Balance on hand September 1, 1879 $26,423 32 

State tax 6,697 50 

Irreducible fund 429 37 

Tax for school and schoohouse purposes. 85,953 76 

Amount received from sale of bonds 5,000 00 

Fines, licenses, etc 1,282 50 



Total receipts $75,795 45 

Whole amount paid teachers in 
common schools $37,507 50 

Paid manager or Superintend- 
ent, 2,000 00 

Paid for sites and buildings, . . . 9,641 25 

Interest on redeption of bonds. 26,486 67 

Paid for fuel and other ex- 
penses 9,892 39 



Total expenditures $75,527 81 



Balance on- hand September 1, 1880. .$ 267 64 

Total value of school property 105,000 00 

Number of teachers employed 56 

Average wages paid teacliers per month $49 00 

Pupils enrolled : 

Primary— males 1,448; females 1,417 2,865 

High— males 61 ; females 129 190 

Total 3,055 



Average daily attendance: 

Primary — males 1,154; females 1,121 2,275 

High— males 48; female 102 150 

Total 2,425 

The following is the roster of teachers* for 
the present year (1880-81), according to the 
grade or department in which they are em- 
ployed : Prof Samuel Findley, Superintendent 
of Instruction. High School : Wilbur V. Rood, 
Principal ; M. J. 0. Stone, Assistant ; M. A. 
Strong, Assistant ; M. E. Stockman, Assistant ; 
Ira Baird, Assistant. Grammar Schools, Grade 
A — J. A. Newberry, Principal ; M. M. Parsons, 
Assistant. Grade A and B — N. J. Malone, 
Principal ; Lizzie Bowers, Assistant. Grade 
B — S. A. Hi His, Principal ; Estelle Simmons, 
Assistant. Grade C — Mar}- Baird, Principal ; 
Carrie Allen, Assistant. Grade C and D — 
Clara Hemmings, Principal ; Cai'rie McMillan, 
Assistant. Broadway School : Sarah C. Lake, 
Principal, and teacher of D Primary ; M. C. 
Andrews, D Grammar ; Lida M. Dussell, A 
Primary ; Lillie Rice, B Primary' ; Lillian Walt- 
ers, B and C Primary ; Libbie Fish, C Primary. 
Crosb}' School : Ida B. Foote, Principal, and 
teacher of C and D Grammar ; Rilla Boardman, 
A Primary ; S. P. Bennett, B and C Primary ; 
Malana Harris, C and D Primary. Perkins 
School : S. I. Carothers, Principal, and teacher 
of D Primary ; Hattie A. Sill, D Grammar ; H. 
E. Applegatc, A Primary ; M. A. Bennett, A 
and B Primarj' ; Helen Fisher, B and C Pri- 
mary ; Mary A. Sill, D Primarj'. South School : 
Jennie E. McLain, Principal; Alice V. Chis- 
nell, D Primar}' ; N. E. Brown, C Primary ; 
Libbie Berg, B Primary ; Carrie Jones, B Pri- 
mary ; Addle Hamman, A Primary ; Anna Hol- 
linger, D Grammar ; Mary Cochran, C Gram- 
mar. Spicer School : M. L. Macready, Prin- 
cipal, and teacher of C and D Primary ; Fannie 
Sisler, C Grammar ; Maggie T. Bender, D Gram- 
mar ; Kate L. Palmer, A Primary' ; Julia L. 
Allyn, A and B Primary ; Nellie L. Wilcox, B 
Primary ; Lillian A. Randolph, C Primary ; M. 
Elma Campbell, C and D Primary. Sixth Ward 
School : Ada M. Kershaw, Principal, and teachi^r 
of C and D Grammar ; M. K. Pearce, A and B 
Primary ; M. E. Miller, B and C Primary ; 
Eliza Skidmore, D Primary. Bell School : Sa- 
rah J. Bardsley, C and D Primary. South Hill 
School : Clara Chisnell, C and D Primary. 

* Currected a!id revised by Piof. Findley. 



v 





<3 k^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



393 



Teacher of vocal music (two days each week), 
N. L. Glover. Teacher of writing and drawing, 
Mary E. Bradley. 

The Board of Education at present (1880-81), 
comprise the following gentlemen : First Ward, 
Thomas McEbright, W. B. Raymond ; Second 
Ward, S. M. Burnham, W. C. Jacobs ; Third 
Ward, A. M. Armstrong, Lewis Miller ; Fourth 
Ward, E. W. Wiese, N. N. Leohner ; Fifth Ward, 
F. L. Bishop, F. L. Danforth ; Sixth Ward, J. A. 
Baldwin, H. J. Griffin, with Thomas McEbright, 
President of the Board ; E. W. Wiese, Secretary, 
and W. B. Ra^'mond, Treasurer. The term of 
service of the present board will expire in April, 
1881, but not in time for an}' changes that may 
occur to be corrected for this work. 

Buchtel College now claims our attention. 
The following excellent sketch was written by 
Bev. Orello Cone, D. D., President of the insti- 
tution, at our special request, and is given in 
full. President Cone notices the founding of 
the college, and traces its history down to the 
present time. His sketch is as follows : 

The founding and establishment of Buchtel 
College, in the city of Akron is due to a move- 
ment which originated with the Universalist 
Church of the State of Ohio. In the year 1867, 
the Ohio State Convention of Universalists, 
composed of the clergy of the State, and repre- 
sentatives from all its parishes, heard a report 
from its Committee on Education in favor of 
establishing a Seminary for the education of 
the young of both sexes. At the next annual 
session of the convention, in June, 1868, a plan 
for the establishment of an academy was pre- 
sented by Rev. Andrew Willson, and unani- 
mously adopted. This plan was not, however, 
carried out, and, in 1869, the convention recon- 
sidered its former resolution, and authorized 
the Board of Trustees and Committee on Edu- 
cation to take the necessarj' steps for the estab- 
lishment of a college. The Board of the Con- 
vention then consisted of Rev. J. S. Cantwell, 
Rev. Andrew Willson, Rev. H. L. Canfield, Rev. 
J. W. Henley and 0. F. Haymaker, Esq.; and the 
Committee on Education of Rev. E. L. Rexford, 
Rev. M. Crosley and Rev. B. F. Eaton. 

In view of the near approach of the One 
Hundredth Anniversary of the Universalist 
Church of the United States, it was desired to 
make the new college the centennial offering 
of Ohio. Accordingly, at a joint meeting of 
the above-mentioned board and committee, 



held in November, 1869, Rev. H. F. Miller, of 
Indiana, was invited to become their Financial 
Secretary, to supervise and direct the raising of 
the money necessary for buildings and endow- 
ment. Mr. Miller accepted the invitation, and 
entered upon the duties of his office in Janu- 
ary, 1870. 

Petitions from several places praying for the 
location of the college were received and con- 
sidered by the board, and finallj^ at a joint 
meeting held in Columbus, February 16, 1870, 
the location was fixed in Akron on the condition 
that the citizens of Summit County legally se- 
cure $60,000 to the State Convention of Uni- 
versalists. In pursuance of this oflTer, a prompt 
and vigorous effort was made at Akron to 
secure the location of the college in that city. 
John R. Buchtel led off with a subscription of 
$25,000 for the endowment fund and $6,000 
for the building. He was followed by others 
so that on the 31st of May, 1870, the Financial 
Secretary was able to report to the Board of 
Trustees and Committee on Education that the 
^60,000 necessary to secure the location of the 
college at Akron had been subscribed. This 
body then in a joint meeting on the above- 
mentioned day, passed a resolution locating 
the college which was then called the " Uni- 
versalist Centenary School of Ohio," in the 
city of Akron, and named as " corporators " to 
act in conjunction with itself. Rev. H. F. Miller, 
Rev. Willard Spaulding, Rev. George Messen- 
ger, Henry Blondy, Esq., and the following 
resident freeholders of Summit County : John 
R. Buchtel, Hon. N. D. Tibbals, E. P. Green, 
Esq., Col. George T. Perkins, James A. Lantz 
and George Steese, Esq. 

The steps prescribed by the laws of the State 
of Ohio for the organization of the corporation 
were then taken, and articles of association 
were drawn up and adoj^ted. The association 
which took the name of " Buchtel College " and 
organized " for the establishment and mainte- 
nance of a college of learning for both sexes, to 
be under the control of the Ohio State Con- 
vention of Universalists," was composed of 
John R. Buchtel, Rev. J. S. Cantwell, George 
T. Perkins, Henry Blond}', Rev. George Mes- 
senger, Rev. B. F. Eaton, N. D. Tibbals^Rev. J. 
W. Henley, E. P. Green, 0. F. Haymaker, Rev. 
Willard Spaulding, James A. Lantz and George 
Steese. It was made the duty of these to elect 
a Board of eighteen Trustees, five of whom 



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^ 



394 



HISTORY OF SI^MMIT COUNTY. 



should always be resident freeholders of Sum- 
mit County, and who should be the directors 
of the college with power to make all necessary 
by-laws, erect suitable buildings, etc. It was 
provided that after the first election of Trustees 
by the corporators, the Ohio State Convention 
of Universalists should at each annual session 
nominate at least fifteen persons whom they 
may think to be suitable for the office of Trust- 
ees, and that the acting Trustees should from 
the persons so nominated make all elections 
and fill all vacancies. 

The first board elected was composed as fol- 
lows : For three years, John R. Buchtel, Presi- 
dent, H. Blondy, Philip Wieland, J. D. Auger, 
E. P. Green, George T. Perkins ; for two years. 
Rev. H. L. Canfleld, Rev. E. L. Rexford, Gen. 
James Pierce, J. F. Seiberling, Rev. J S. Cant- 
well, Hon. N. D. Tibbals ; for one year, 0. F. 
Haymaker, S. M. Burnham, Secretary ; J. R. 
Cochrane, Charles Foster, Rev. George Messen- 
ger, Avery Spicer. George W. Crouse, not a 
member of the board, was appointed Treasurer. 

As early as the next meeting of the board, 
December 28, 1870, it was voted that the Finan- 
cial Secretary' be authorized to make contracts 
for perpetual scholarships at 11,000, and a com- 
mittee was appointed to prescribe a form of 
contract for such scholarships. It was not, 
however, until November 19, 1872, that the 
report of this committee was made to the 
board, when the form of contract presented was 
adopted. According to this form, the donor 
agrees to pay at his decease the sum of $1,000 
to found and secure for himself and heirs a 
perpetual scholarship in Buchtel College, and 
agrees to pay interest annuall}' on this sum, at 
a rate per cent to be agreed upon when the con- 
tract is signed. This rate of interest has gen- 
erally been fixed at 6 per cent. The privileges 
of these scholarships were limited, by action of 
the board, to the regular courses in the college 
and preparatory department, and may be used 
to defray the expenses of •' tuition and room 
rent as defined by the catalogues," but do not 
"include any extras therein specified." 

On the 28th of December, 1870, plans for 
the college building were submitted to the 
board by the architect, Thomas W. Lilloway, of 
Boston, and a building committee of seven was 
appointed to proceed with the construction of 
the edifice according to the plan adopted. The 
building was located on an eminence overlook- 



ing the city of Akron, and said to be one of the 
highest points of land in the State. On the 
4th of Jul}', 1871, the corner-stone was laid 
with appropriate ceremonies, and an address 
was delivered by Hoi'ace Greeley, on " Human 
conceptions of God as they effect the moral 
education of the race." The address was a 
masterly advocacy and defense of Theism in 
opposition to the spirit and tendency of an 
atheistic materialism. At no time, probabl}', 
within the next half-centur}', will the following 
vigorous words of this great and good man be 
inappropriate in the contest between these con- 
flicting and apparently irreconcilable forces of 
modern thought : 

" There are those who talk sonorousl}', stri- 
dently of law — of the law of development or 
progress — as though they had found in a word a 
key which unlocks all the mysteries of creation. 
But I am not silenced by a word ; I demand 
its meaning, and then seek to determine how 
far that meaning bridges the gulf which the 
word was invoked to overleap. To my appre- 
hension law is the dictate of an intelligent will, 
or it is nothing. That it should please the 
Author of all these things to make each ma- 
terial bod}' to attract every other in a ratio pro- 
portioned to their relative weight, and with an 
intensit}' corresponding to their distance from 
each other, I readily comprehend ; that such at- 
traction should inhere in and be inseparable 
from matter as an unprompted impulse, an in- 
evitable property, I cannot conceive. To ray 
apprehension gravitation, magnetic attraction, 
electricity, etc., are properties of matter which 
in themselves afford proofs of creative purpose 
—of Omnipotent design. In short, whatever 
demonstrates the presence of law in nature at- 
tests the being and power of God." 

It can hardl}^ be out of place in the histor}' 
of the foundation of a college, to quote Mr. 
Greeley's estimate of the function of this class 
of public institutions : 

" This, then, I apprehend, is the proper work 
of the college : To appreciate and measure, 
and undistrustfully accept and commend, the 
gigantic strides which physical science is mak- 
ing in our day, yet be not swept awa}' by them ; 
to lend an attentive and unprejudiced ear to the 
bold speculations of our Darwins and Hux- 
leys, wherein the}' seem almost to lay a confi- 
dent finger on the very heart of the great mys- 
tery of life, without fear that they will ever 






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CITY OF AKRON. 



395 



evict God from His uniA^erse, or restrict Him to 
some obscure corner tliereof; to welcome all 
that is true and beneficent in the impetuous 
currents of modern thought, but not to exag- 
gerate their breadth and depth, nor accept their 
direction as authoritative and final ; to proffer 
a genial and gracious hospitalitj- to whatever is 
nobl}^ new, yet hold fast, and from time to time 
assert, the grand old truths which are grounded 
in the nature of man and his relations to the 
universe, in the firm assurance that no discov- 
eries in science, no advances in human knowl- 
edge, can ever invalidate or ever belittle the 
Golden Rule, and no conclusions of philosoph}- 
ever equal in importance that simple affirmation 
of the untaught Judean peasant, who long ago 
perceived and proclaimed that God is Love." 

Rev. T. B. Thayer, D. D., of Boston, Mass., 
having declined a call to the presidency of the 
college, a call was extended to the Rev. S. H. 
McCallister, of New Hampshire, in March, 
1872, which was accepted. The building was 
rapidly pushed to completion, and was ready 
for occupancy in the fall of 1872. On the 22d 
of September of this year. President McCallis- 
ter was inaugurated, the college having been 
opened for the reception of students a few 
days before. The Faculty was constituted as 
follows : Rev. S. H. McCallister, A. M., Pres- 
ident, and Professor of Mental and Moral Phi- 
losophy ; N. White, A. M., Professor of An- 
cient Languages ; 8. F. Peckham, A. M., Profes- 
sor of Natural Science ; Carl F. Colbe, A.. M., 
Professor of Modern Languages ; Miss H. F. 
Spaulding, L. A., Professor of Rhetoric and 
English Literature ; Alfred Welsh, A. B., Pro- 
fessor of Mathematics ; H. D. Persons, Profes- 
sor in Normal Department ; Gustavus Sigel, 
Professor of Music ; Miss Hattie L. Lowdon, 
Teacher in English. 

The number of students registering the first 
year for the classical course was only seven, of 
whom six were classified as freshmen and one 
as junior. Tliese entered for the regular col- 
lege course of four years. For the short course 
of two years, called the philosophical course, 
thirt3--nine registered. The academical or pre- 
paratory department, numbered 171, making a 
total of 217, of w4iom 119 were gentlemen, 
and 98 ladies. This was the greatest number 
in attendance at one time during the year. 

The large number of ladies in attendance is 
worth}' of notice, as showing the confidence of 



the public at this time in co-education. Co- 
education was, indeed, no longer a novelty in 
the West, the experiment having been pretty 
thoroughly tested in Oberlin, Delaware, Anti- 
och College and other institutions. It is proper 
to add that the experience of Buchtel College 
up to this time (1881), has tended to confirm 
its officers in the opinion that the founders of 
the institution acted wisely in opening its doors 
on equal terms to both sexes. 

At the opening of the college but two courses 
were established — a classical course of four 
years with three years of work in the prepara- 
tory department, and a philosophical course of 
two years with preparatory work of three years. 
The classical course corresponded with that 
usually pursued in colleges in the United 
States, and has continued substantially the 
same to the present time (1881), except that in 
1879 it was considerably strengthened in the 
department of mathematics, so that it is now 
equal to that of the best colleges in the country-. 

The philosophical course of two years, with 
three years of preparator}- study was extended 
to three years in 187-1, with two years of pre- 
paratory work, and was called the Philosophical 
and Engineering Course. In 187G, the name 
was again changed to that of Philosophical 
Course, when it was extended to four j'ears, 
with two years of stud^^ in the preparatory 
department. Besides the regular English 
studies usually pursued in college, it contained 
the modern languages, and the usual course in 
natural science, and was especiallv strong in 
mathematics. In 1878, this course was discon- 
tinued, and, in 1879, it was restored as a four 
years' college course, with three years of pre- 
paratory study, and Latin was substituted in 
place of the higher scientific and mathematical 
studies which it had formerly contained. As 
such it remains to this time (1881), containing 
the modern languages (two years of German 
and one year of French), the usual English 
studies, a thorough coui-se in the natural 
sciences and mathematics, and most of the 
Latin of the classical course. 

In 1874, a scientific course of three j'ears, 
with two years of preparatory work, was 
established, containing, in addition to the usual 
English, scientific and mathematical studies, 
all the Latin of the classical cour.se. In 1876, 
this was made a four years' course, with two 
3-ears of pi'eparatory work. In 1877. the 



^ 



^1 



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5 



396 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



Latin work was reduced to Csesar, Cicero and 
one session of Virgil. In 1879, it was changed 
into a scientific course in the stricter sense of 
the term b}' excluding Latin, with the excep- 
tion of one year's work in this language in the 
preparatoiy school, in which form it remains to 
the present time (1881). It has now four years 
of college and three of preparatory work, and 
is especially in English and mathematics, 
including studies in engineering. 

It belongs to the history of the college to 
mention a course established for ladies in 1877 
under the name of the Ladies' Literary Course. 
This was a course of four years, and the prepa- 
ration required was the ordinar^^ discipline in 
the common P]nglish branches. In 1878, it 
was made a three years' course, with two 3'ears 
of preparatory discipline, and, in 1879, it was 
discontinued. 

It will be seen that the college courses, as 
now constituted, embrace (1) the ordinary clas- 
sical course ; (2) a philosophical course, from 
which Greek is excluded, but which contains 
most of the Latin of the classical course, P]n- 
glish studies, German and French, a thorough 
discipline in the natural sciences and the mathe- 
matics usually taught in colleges ; (3) a scien- 
tific course, which is without Latin or Greek, 
but contains French and German and natural 
science, and is especially strong in mathematics 
(including studies in engineering) and in En- 
glish. 

The college has been generality fortunate in 
its Facult}'. The changes have been few, and 
some who began their work with the opening of 
the college are still members of its Faculty. It 
has had three Presidents : 

1. Rev. Sullivan H. McCallister, D. D., as- 
sumed the office at the opening of the college 
September 11, 1872. He was ordained to the 
Universalist ministry in 1854 ; had filled several 
important pastorates, and been for some years 
wrincipal of Westbrook Seminar^', located at 
Pevens Plains, near Portland, Me. He won 
Stany friend.s during his administration, which 
mas distinguished b}^ a singular disinterested- 
ness, consecration and devotion to his duties. 
Dr. McCallister offered his resignation at the 
close of the college 3'ear, June, 1877. It was 
not, however, accepted until June, 1878, at the 
annual meeting of the Board of Trustees. He 
has resumed pastoral work, and is at present 
settled in Bellows Falls, Vt. 



2. Everett L. Rexford, D. D. He gi'aduated 
in 18G5, at the Theological School of St. Law- 
rence University, Canton, N. Y., and settled as 
Pastor over the First Universalist Parish in 
Cincinnati, Ohio. Thence he moved to Co- 
lumbus, accepting a call to the church in that 
city. The New Universalist Parish in San 
Francisco, recognizing his distinguished abil- 
ity as a pulpit orator, soon after secured his 
services as Pastor, from which field of labor he 
removed in 1878 to Akron, and assumed the 
Presidenc}' of the college, and the pastorate of 
the Universalist Parish in the city. After two 
years of service in this double capacity, he re- 
signed, and accepted a call to the pastorate of 
the New Universalist Parish, in Detroit, Mich., 
where his abilities as a preacher have won a 
striking success. 

3. Rev. Orello Cone, A. M., D. D. He en- 
tered the Universalist ministry from a profes- 
sorship in St. Paul's College, Palmyra, Mo., in 
1862, and was ordained in 1864, as Pastor of a 
church in Little Falls, N. Y. He was called to 
the Chair of Biblical Languages and Literature 
in the Theological School of St. Lawrence Uni- 
versity, Canton, N. Y., in 1865, and held this 
position for fifteen years, when, in 1880, he ac- 
cepted a call to the Presidency of the college. 

The professors and instructors who have 
served in the colleafe are as follows : 

1. Rev. Nehemiah White, A. M., Ph. D. He 
was a graduate of Middlebur}- College, Ver- 
mont, and was Professor of Mathematics in St. 
Lawrence University, Canton, N. Y., from 1865 
to 1869. He assumed the Chair of Ancient 
Languages in Buchtel College, on the opening 
of the institution, and served until the close of 
the fall session, in 1875, when he accepted a 
call to the Pesidency of Lombai'd University, 
Galesburg, 111., which position he now holds. 

2. S. F. Peckham, A. M. He was Professor 
of Natural Science from the opening of the 
college for one year, when he accepted a call to 
the Chair of Chemistry, in the Universit}- of 
Minnesota, where he remained until 1880. 

3. Miss Helen F. Spaulding, L. A. She was 
Professor of Rhetoric and English Literature for 
one year from the opening of the college. 

4. Karl F. Kolbe, A. M. Prof Kolbe is a 
graduate of the University of Gottingen. and 
had already had considerable experience as a 
teacher of modern languages before he took 
this chair in Buchtel as a member of its first 



^ 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



397 



Faculty in 1872. He held this position until 
the close of the college year in 1877, when he 
assumed charge, for one year, of an academy 
in Pennsylvania, after which he returned to the 
Chair of JModern Languages, which he had left, 
where he has since remained. 

5. Alft-ed Welsh, A. M. He was educated 
in Baldwin University and was the first pro- 
fessor of mathematics. He held this position 
for two years and was then made Professor of 
Natural Sciences, and served in this capacit}- 
for one year to the end of the college year in 
1875, when he accepted a position as teacher in 
the Columbus High School, where he still is. 

6. Elias Fraunfelter, A. M., Ph. D. He was 
educated at Vermillion Institute, at Hayesville, 
Ohio, and was for a number of ^ears instructor 
in Mathematics and English in that school. In 
1866, he was made co-Principal of Savannah 
Academ}', and Instructor in Mathematics, Nat- 
ural Science and Modern Languages. He was 
called to the collage as Professor of Civil En- 
gineering at the opening of the second year in 
1874. The next year he was made Professor 
of Mathematics (his chair being made to include 
the instruction in Engineering) in which posi- 
tion he still remains completing this year 
(1881) his twent3'-first year of service as an in- 
structor. 

7. Sarah M. Glazier, A. M. She graduated 
from Vassar College, and immediately accepted 
a call to the Chair of Natural Science in 1874. 
After serving in this capacit}' for one year, she 
accepted a call to a chair in Welleslev College. 

8. Charles M. Knight, A. M. After grad- 
uating from Tuft's College he took the Chair of 
Natural Science in 1876, which he still holds. 

9. I. B. Chote, A. M. He was called to the 
Chair of Ancient Languages in 1876, which he 
occupied until the close of the college year in 
1878. He is at present studying in Harvard. 

10. G. H. G. McGrew. He graduated from 
Harvard and occupied the Chair of Modern Lan- 
guages during the absence of Prof Kolbe in 
1878. 

11. Rev. George A. Peckham, A. M. He 
graduated from the college in the class of 1875, 
and was made a Tutor in Ancient Languages 
and Mathematics in 1876, which position he 
held for two years. After an absence of one 
year, as Pastor of a Disciples' Church, he was 
called to the Chair of Ancient Languages, 
which position he filled until 1880, when he ac- 



cepted a call to the Chair of Mathematics in 
Hiram College. 

12. Benjamin T. Jones, A. M. He was ed- 
ucated at Bethany College, where he was after- 
ward for some years instructor in Ancient 
Languages. He was for a number of years 
Superintendent of Public Schools in Millers- 
burg and Ashland. In 1880, he accepted a call 
to the Chair of Rhetoric and English Litei-a- 
ture, and was the next year transferred to that 
of Ancient Languages, of which he is still the 
incumbent. 

13. Miss Maria Parsons. She graduated 
from Putnam Seminary in 1857, in which in- 
stitution she afterward taught two 3'ears. She 
has been employed for some twent}- 3'ears in 
the high schools of Zanesville, Mansfield and 
Akron, in which last she was Principal for 
seven years. In the fall of 1880, she accepted 
a call to the Chair of English Literature in the 
college. 

14. H. D. Persons was, during the first year, 
a Professor in the Preparator}- Department and 
afterward entered the profession of journalism 
in Union City, Penn. 

15. Miss Hattie L. Lowdon. She was teacher 
of English in the Preparatory Department dur- 
ing the first year. 

16. Wallace Mayo, A. M. He graduated 
from Tuft's College, Boston, Mass., in 1873, 
and accepted a call to the Preparatory Depart- 
ment, as instructor in Latin, Greek and other 
branches, in 1874. He continued until 1876, 
when he left and went into business in Akron. 

16. Miss Mary E. Stockman, L. A. She was 
called from a chair in Westbrook Seminary, 
Maine, in 1874, as teacher of Latin and En- 
glish in the Preparatory Department, and con- 
tinued until 1876, when she was called to a 
position in the Akron High School, which she 
still holds. 

17. Miss Susan E. Chamberlain, M. S. She 
is a gi'aduate of the college, in the Class of 

1873, and was appointed teacher in English, in 

1874, in the Preparatory Department. In 1879, 
she was made Professor of Mathematics in the 
same department, and, in 1881, she was en- 
gaged as a teacher of English branches. 

18. Miss Jennie Gifllbrd. She is a graduate 
of the Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio. In 

1875, she was engaged as instructor in English 
branches in the Preparatory Department, and 
was made Principal of that department and 



4 



398 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Professor of Science and Normal Studies, whicii 
position she still holds. 

19. Miss Mary B. Jewett, A. B. She grad- 
uated from the College in the Class of 1876, 
and was appointed tutor in Latin in the Pre- 
parator}' Department, in which position she 
remained until 1878, when she accepted a call 
to a chair in Hiram College, where she still re- 
mains. 

•20. William D. Shipman, A. M. He gradu- 
ated from the college in 1877, and became Pro- 
fessor of Ancient Languages in the Preparatory 
Department in 1878, which position he still oc- 
cupies. 

21. Miss Lizzie N. Slade, A. M. (now Mrs. 
E. F. Voris) was a graduate of the college in 
the Class of 1877, and became a tutor in the 
Preparatory Department during the 3'ear 1878. 

22. Inez L. Shipman, M. S. She graduated 
from the college in 1876, and, in 1878, was 
made a tutor in the Preparatory Department, 
in which position she remained only during 
that year. 

23. James H. Aydelott, B. S. He graduated 
from the Normal School in Lebanon in 1878, 
and became tutor in Mathematics in the Pre- 
parator}- Department in 1879, entering, at the 
same time, the Junior Class, and graduating 
with the same. In 1881, he was made Pro- 
fessor of Mathematics in the Preparatory De- 
partment, which position he still holds. 

24. Gustavus Sigel was made Professor of 
Music at the opening of the college, and held 
the position until 1879. 

25. Mrs. K. L. Rexford was made Director 
of Music in 1879, and held the position until 
the close of the college year of 1880. 

26. Arthur S. Kimball, a graduate of the 
Boston Conservator}' of Music, was made 
teacher of Vocal Culture and Harmon}' in 1881 . 

27. Miss Ella H. Morrison, a graduate of 
the Musical Department of the Ohio Wesleyan 
College, was appointed as teacher of instru- 
mental music in 1881. 

Buchtel College, it will be seen, is yet com- 
paratively a young institution. It has, how- 
ever, enjoyed a large share of patronage, and 
is now thoroughl}' organized and equipped for 
complete college work. Its courses of study 
are equal to those of the oldest institutions in 
the State, and it has all the usual apparatus 
and appliances for instruction in its several 
departments. Among its present Faculty it 



reckons instructors of large experience, ripe 
scholarship and rare skill in teaching and dis- 
cipline. Its aim is thoroughness and exact 
knowledge, which it seeks to secure by requir- 
ing faithful application and conscientious work 
of all its students. The results of its training 
already appear in many of its graduates, who 
are rising young men in several of the profes- 
sions. The authorities insist on a strict classi- 
fication, and aim to encourage and promote the 
class spirit — the esprit de corps — -in all the 
classes, believing that in this wa}' alone can the 
permanent success of a college be secured, 
though it ma}' sometimes lead through diffi- 
culties, and require the sacrifice of such stu- 
dents as are destitute of strength and resolute 
purpose. No student is allowed to graduate 
who has not faithfully completed the course 
whicli he has chosen. 

The college is under the auspices of the 
Universalist Church, but is not sectarian in its 
teaching, nor does it attempt in any way to 
exert upon its students a doctrinal influence. 
It aims to maintain a high standard of morals, 
and insists on dignified, refined and genteel de- 
portment on the part of all under its control. 
Devotional exercises, conducted by some mem- 
ber of the Faculty, are held in the assembly 
room at the opening of every day on which 
college work is done, and students are required 
to attend every Sunday the church of their 
choice, or that which may be designated by 
their parents or guardians. No excuses from 
attendance at church are granted to minors, 
except on request of parents or guardians. 

Special facilities are offered by the excellent 
courses in the Preparatory Department for 
Normal work, and many young ladies and gen- 
tlemen intending to follow the pi'ofession of 
teaching in the common and high schools here, 
pursue the studies preparatory to that work. 
The Principal of that department is a graduate 
of a normal school, and has had a large expe- 
rience in training teachers. 

The study of ornamental branches has been 
provided for, and especial attention is given to 
vocal culture and instrumental music. In- 
structors in these departments are permanently 
connected with the college, and pianos are fur- 
nished for practice. 

The property of the college, including build- 
ing, grounds, philosophical and chemical appar- 
atus, furniture, etc., cost originally about $175,- 



i^ 



MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. 



399 



000. It has two endowments of $25,000 each 
given, one by Mrs. L. A. E. Messenger, in mem- 
ory of her deceased hushand. Rev. George 
Messenger, and one bj' John H. Hilton, of 
Akron. There are also two endowments of 
$20,000 each, one of which was given by the 
women of Ohio and Pennsylvania, to endow a 
Woman's professorship. Of this amount, $10,- 
000 were given by Mrs. Chloe Pierce, of Sharps- 
ville, Penn., and the professorship has been 
called by her name. The other was endowed 
by J. R. Buchtel, in the name of his wife, Mrs. 
Elizabeth Buchtel. There are thirty scholarships 
of $1,000 each, of which those already pro- 
ductive are paying six per cent per annum. Of 
these, two were endowed by residents of Summit 
County — John K. Smith and Mrs. John H. 
Hilton. 

The students have organized three literary 
societies — the Bryant and Everett, composed 
of gentlemen, and the Cary, composed of ladies. 
They all have well-furnished halls, and two of 
them have already made a good beginning in 
the accumulation of libraries. 

The Greek-letter societies, or inter-collegiate 
fraternities are represented by two chapters. 

Buchtel College is named after its most muni- 



ficent benefactor and real founder, Hon. John 
R. Buchtel. It will appear from his biography, 
which is given in another part of this volume, 
that he has devoted himself to the college with 
singular consecration from its foundation to the 
present time. He has come to its assistance in 
every time of need, and has already bestowed 
upon it more than $75,000. To its maintenance 
and endowment he has consecrated his tireless 
energy and his whole fortune. 

Among those who were active and prominent 
in the foundation of the college, and in its di- 
rection down to the present time, are deserving 
of especial mention Rev. George Messenger, 
whose counsel was of great value amidst the 
difficulties attending its establishment ; Rev. J. 
S. Cantwell, whose services as editor of the 
Star in West were unremitting in its behalf, and 
who has often spoken for it with great effect in 
public assemblies ; S. M. Burnham, for many 
years its Secretary ; Aver}^ Spicer, Hon. N. D. 
Tibbals, E. P. Green, Gen. A. C. Voris, Joy H. 
Pendleton, F. Schumacher, Henry Blondy, 
George T. Perkins, James Pierce, and Rev. E. 
L. Rexford, D. D., active and efficient member of 
its Board of Trustees, Executive Committee 
and Committee on Teachers. 



CHAPTER XII.* 



MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP— FOUNDING OF THE VILLAGE— EARLY INDUSTRIES— CHARCOAL MANU. 
FACTURE— NAMES OF EARLY SETTLERS— INCORPORATION— FORMATION OF TOWN- 
SHIP—ANNEXATION TO AKRON — EDUCATION AND RELIGION. 



"O, Country! rich in sturdy toil, 

In all that makes a people great; 
We hail thee, queen of Buckeye soil, 

And fling our challenge to the State, 
We hail thee, queen, whose beauty won 

Our fathers in their golden years; 
A shout for greater days begun, 

A sigh for sleeping pioneers." 

THE American people are becoming fa- 
mous for their love of celebrities. 
In opposition to the democratic theory of 
human equality, they have become genuine 
hero-worshipers, and usually select their idols 
from the nobler specimens of the race. 
They are not particular whether the per- 
son be dead or in the full vigor of life. So 
strong has become this sentiment, that the mind 

* Contributed by W. A. Goodspeed. 



is unsatisfied with homel}^ realities, but seeks 
faultless conceptions that lie within the magic 
circle of inspiration. Imagination comes for- 
ward and decks the images with the flowering 
attributes of nobility. The location of the be- 
ing worshiped, in point of time, depends upon 
the age of the devotee, his moral and intellect- 
ual temperament, and the natural elevation of 
his soul. The path which men pursue in life, 
the dark waves they struggle to repel, the placid 
waters the}' endeavor to traverse, and their tem- 
poral happiness, depends almost whoU}- upon 
surrounding circumstances. To the war-like, 
the names of Alexander and Napoleon will be 
fresh in the memorj- forever. Musicians bow 
in adoration at the gi'ave of Mozart. Poets 
burst into songs of inspiration over the gothic 






*^^ 



400 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



bard of Avon. Philosophers view with wonder 
the logic of Bacon and Aristotle. Astronomers 
are astonished at the discoveries of Newton and 
Laplace. Artists stand entranced before the 
sublime paintings of Raphael or Angelo. The 
past is filled with venerated beings, many 
of whom had no just claims of pre-eminence. 
The uutrod paths of future years are partially 
explored bj* the feeble light of existing human 
experience ; the present is illumed by the daz- 
zling genius of the progressive man ; and the 
past, is seen in spectral relief through the many 
sided prism of the soul. The distance that 
lends enchantment to the view of the past, hides 
a cold sterility. Ideality takes the limpid clay 
of beings long since returned to dust, re-creates 
it in the image of divinitj', and breathes into it 
the breath of life. Contemptible creatures are 
lifted from among the undeserving, and crowned 
with the bright flowers of unearned greatness 
and eternal remembrance. Beings with tran- 
scendent virtues pass into obscurit}- and forget- 
fulness. The faculty of the human mind to 
venerate the dead, had its origin in the general 
results of evolution. It began in its lowest 
type in primitive and barbarous man, and as it 
steadily developed, mortals were deified and 
gods created. Ancestral worship is universal, 
and has been from time immemorial. The vir- 
tues or vices of the dead, as one or the other 
preponderates, are magnified by the passage of 
time, thus leading inevitably to hero-worship. 
The demand for such a sentiment, and its 
steady and rapid growth when begun, have re- 
sulted in its universal development in man, and 
have changed the whole current of his life. De- 
votion to God is the highest type of hero-wor- 
ship. Devotion to ancestors is second in degree 
of reverence, while the great beings of the pres- 
ent and the shadowy ones of the future, afford 
perhaps the lowest degree. The fact that history 
is but a record of the lives of men, and the 
relation of those lives to the plastic forms of 
social and political being, renders such a study 
of vast interest to mankind, ' in view of the 
statement that in the past are found the greater 
number of those heroes who are venerated by 
the race. Where is the youth who is not told 
to imitate the virtues of some person long since 
dead ? The existence of near relationship mul- 
tiplies the loyalty of the race to the departed 
ancestors. How tenderly we cherish the mem- 
ory of a parent or other dear friend, who has 



been laid at rest in the silent grave. Histor}- 
is the record of our hopes, ambitions, experi- 
ences, thoughts, deeds and accomplishments, 
and, consequently, is the most important study 
in the curriculum. 

But the historian has wandered far from the 
topic before him, and must retrace his steps. So 
far as Middlebury has contributed to the history 
of Summit County, appropriate and ample credit 
will be given. That it has played the part of a 
star actor in the drama of the county, becomes 
evident to those who will take the pains to ex- 
amine the memorials of its rise and progress. 
It was at the height of its power and prosperity 
when Akron was first founded ; and at that 
time was one of the most important trading- 
points in Northeastern Ohio. Much of its early 
history was never recorded, and the fact that 
all the early settlers are dead, transports the 
subject to the province of conjecture. An at- 
tempt, however, has been made to gather the 
prominent events of early years, with what 
fidelity the reader is required to determine. A 
citizen, well known to the people of the county,* 
writes as follows : " The founder of this village 
was Capt. Joseph Hart. In 1807, he purchased 
fifty-four acres of land, including the site now 
occupied by the village, moved on the farm thus 
selected, and commenced erecting a mill. He 
soon after sold one-half of his purchase to Aaron 
Norton, and the two in company finished the 
erection of the mill." The building was a one- 
storied affair, with one run of stone, a large tub 
wheel, and, from the fact that the Little Cuj^a- 
hoga, upon which the mill was located, con- 
tained three times as much water as at present, 
it was capable of operating the entire 3'ear. 
Near the spot where it was built, was a natural 
fall in the stream, of about ten feet. Instead 
of endeavoring to utilize this fine power, the 
owners of the mill had built a strong dam about 
five rods below it, and, at this point, on one side 
of the stream, was the log grist-mill, and, on 
the opposite side, a saw-mill, which was built 
soon afterward. Why the owners did not take 
advantage of the natural fall of water is difficult 
to determine. The labor would have been 
greater, the dam much more insecure, and the 
cost multiplied, had they done otherwise than 
they did. At least, these reasons seem to have 
been in their minds when they selected the mill- 
site below the fall. A splendid custom work 



* Gen. L. V. Bierce. 



^< 



.^ 



MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. 



401 



was immediatel}' secured, and the mill continued 
to be, until the building of the canal, the most 
valuable mechanical enterprise in the county. 
Settlers came for flour to this mill thirty and 
forty miles, and the Middlebury Mills became 
famous. No merchant work was done, as, on 
account of the enormous cost of transportation, 
it was impossible to compete with those mills 
near the consumer. The mill was a godsend 
to all the settlers for miles around, and was the 
cornei*-stone of the Middlebur}- of sixty years 
ago. After a few years, Mr. Hart died, and his 
interest went to his heirs. His son, William J. 
Hart, afterward a prominent man at Middle- 
bur}', controlled this interest until about the 
3'ear 1818, when the settlement of the father's 
estate having been perfected, the son became 
the owner of one-half interest in the mill. At 
this time, about 1818, the old mill was torn 
down, and a new three-storied frame, 30x40 feet, 
was erected a short distance above it. Two run 
of stone were emplo3'ed, and the vast custom 
trade was renewed. At the death of Judge 
Norton, the nature of the mill was altered. The 
saw-mill was operated successfully until the 
time when the new grist-mill was built, and was 
then removed. 

It should be noticed that at this time Mid- 
dlebury did not exist as it does now. Four 
townships centered at that point, and the vil- 
lage had not been laid out. Heavy forests 
covered the land, and stumps and trees could 
be seen in all directions. In about the year 
1810, John and Samuel Preston, then living in 
Tallmadge, purchased a small portion of the 
land belonging to Mr. Hart, and erected there- 
on a small frame building, in which was placed 
machiner}' for carding wool and fulling cloth. 
The machinery was simple, and the work was 
done largely by hand. Few sheep were in the 
country at that period, but a few j'ears later 
the carding-mill had all the custom woi'k it 
could do. Wool was brought to the mill to be 
carded, after which it was taken to the cabins 
to be spun and woven into cloth, and then 
returned to the mill to be fulled and perhaps 
dressed. The fulling, dressing and coloring 
were done by hand. These men continued 
their enterprise until about the year 1820, 
when Bagley & Humphrey assumed control, 
and increased the scope of the mill. They 
purchased machinery for weaving, and em- 
plo3'ed a first-class weaver of satinet. They 



manufactured considerable cloth, which was 
mostly used at home. Some five or six hands 
were employed. Mr. Almon Brown remem- 
bers that he purchased a suit of inferior 
broadcloth for the consideration of a barrel of 
whisk\' and $2. 

One of the industries in early years was a 
" furnace," erected by Laird & Norton. Con- 
sidering the meager population in the county 
at that time, the magnitude of this undertak- 
ing was gigantic. More than sixt}' employes 
were connected with it in one way or the 
other. The ore was obtained in Springfield, 
Copley, Northampton and other townships, and 
consisted of two kinds — bog-iron ore and kid- 
ney ore or stone ore. Large quantities of the 
latter were hauled by men with teams and 
unloaded at the furnace. Here it was first 
burned on log heaps, under which process it 
crumbled into lumps about as large as a wal- 
nut. It was then ready for the melting pro- 
cess. As soon as the molten ore was read}^ 
it was ladled into moldings, and there received 
its permanent shape. Man}' large cast-iron 
kettles were made, some of them containing a 
hundred gallons. These were sold to the 
settlers, and used in the manufacture of pot- 
ash, of which enormous quantities were pre- 
pared in the backwoods in early years. Smaller 
kettles for culinary and domestic purposes 
were also made. Flat-irons, andirons, chim- 
ney jambs and other useful articles were also 
provided. One of the chief articles manu- 
factured was stoves. These were known as 
box stoves, or ten-plate stoves. Ten distinct 
iron plates were cast with holes at the coi'- 
ners, and these were fastened together with 
iron rods, and sold to the settlers. They were 
looked upon as the perfection of inventive 
skill. A house containing one of these, instead 
of the old fire-place, was supposed to be with- 
out a care in the world, and its inmates were 
regarded as the happiest of mortals. The fuel 
used in this furnace was almost wholly char- 
coal. A score or more of men were em- 
ployed to chop the surrounding forests into 
cord-wood, and experienced colliers were given 
control of the subsequent proceedings. Under 
their direction the cord-wood was placed in 
great bowl-like heaps, often containing 100 
cords, after which the whole was covered with 
several inches of leaves raked up in the forest. 
This being done, the entire heap was covered 



Pv 



jy. 



402 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



with some five inches of earth, the leaves serv- 
ing to prevent the dirt from falling down be- 
tween the wood. In the center of the heap, a 
small opening was left, with which air-holes 
communicated. Here, material was left that 
fired the kiln after its erection was completed. 
The fire having been lighted, the blaze slowly 
ate its way through the heap of wood, under 
the guidance of the collier, who seemed to know 
just where it was burning and how rapidly. 
Care was necessary to prevent the fire from 
consuming the wood, instead of charring it as 
desired. A few small air-holes, changed as the 
charring progressed, were carefully guarded ; 
and when, in the judgment of the collier, the 
process was completed, all the air-holes were 
closed, and in a short time the charcoal was 
ready to be taken from the kiln. Mr. Beards- 
lee, who worked in the furnace for a number 
of 3'ears, says, that a pi'emium of a gallon of 
whisky was promised the collier for each stick 
of charred cord-wood he could produce un- 
broken. Sometimes several were found, in 
which case the liquor was provided and enjoyed. 
The kiln was first opened on the lower edge, 
and, as the wood was yet a mass of glowing- 
coals, the fire had to be smothered before the 
charcoal could be loaded into wagons and taken 
to the furnace. This smothering was done by 
means of the covering of earth, but air must 
be kept from the interior, as otherwise the wood 
would be wholly consumed and the kiln a total 
loss. It occasionally happened that, either from 
the structure of the kiln or its subsequent man- 
agement, the wood and labor were lost in the 
manner stated. A novice would he unable to 
tell when the burning was finished, and when 
the fire should be smothered out. Not so the 
collier. He could tell from several signs, the 
chief one being the settling of the covering of 
earth. The owners of the furnace employed, 
as stated above, some sixty hands in the vari- 
ous departments of mining and hauling the ore, 
melting it, and from the molten mass manufact- 
uring the desii'ed article, and cutting the cord- 
wood and burning the kilns and hauling the 
charcoal. This industry alone would have 
founded a village around it, as the greater 
number of the employes had wives and fam- 
ilies, who lived in the village. Some twelve or 
fifteen families lived at the village in 1812, and 
six or eight years later it had a population of 
between two and three hundred. Just before 



Akron sprang into existence with its gigantic 
manufacturing interests, the population of Mid- 
dlebur^' was almost or quite four hundred, and 
if the emphatic statements of the early settlers 
are to be believed, there were no idlers nor 
loafers. 

x\nother early and important industry was a 
nail-factory, begun and conducted by the Sum- 
ner brothers. The enterprise was begun in 
1820, and is said to have been the first "com- 
bined rolling-mill and nail-factory " in Ohio. 
From three to five hundred pounds of nails 
were manufactured daily. The heavy iron was 
taken, and, by repeated rollings, given the de- 
sired thickness ; then, by means of suitable 
machiner}^ run by water-power, the plates were 
cut into rough nails, and the heading and point- 
ing process was done entirely b}' hand, the 
"header"' being able to prepare about one hun- 
dred pounds per day. The iron was largely 
obtained from New York, Philadelphia and 
other Eastern cities, and was transported to the 
village at the enormous cost of 12^ cents per 
pound. This was the cost of transportation 
alone ; four, six, eight and tenpenny nails 
were manufactured, and, on account of the 
scanty supply of ready money, the nails, 
kettles and other articles manufactured in 
the village became almost a legal tender. 
These products were exchanged for farm prod- 
uce, and many a promissory note was given, 
payable in nails, kettles or agricultural prod- 
ucts. The fuel used in the nail factory was 
charcoal, and many men were employed in this 
branch of the business. A forge was built on 
the stream, some distance below the village. 
The furnace, nail-factory and forge, it is said, 
were capable of consuming from four hundred 
to eight hundred bushels of charcoal per day. 
This fitly illustrates the enormous quantity of 
charcoal prepared. It was not long before the 
heavy woods, for several miles around, were 
leveled with the earth and used in the manner 
stated. This accounts for the denuded condi- 
tion of the surrounding country. The nails 
were sold for about 25 cents per pound, and 
the enterprise was continued until about the 
year 1828, and then abandoned. About this 
time Heine & Sherman owned and conducted a 
small furnace. They likewise made considera- 
ble potash. All the establishments having run- 
ning machinery were operated by water-power, 
most of them having large overshot wheels. It 



^ 



MIDDJ.EBURY TOWNSHIP. 



403 



was also about this time that a small machine- 
shop was erected by Nathan Gillett, Jr., at 
which cards for the woolen-mills were manu- 
factured, besides other mechanical articles. 

When the furnace was closed in about 1828, 
Dr. Crosb}' l)egan manufacturing cast-iron 
plows on a small scale ; but soon afterward 
sold out to Daniel Stewart, who enlarged the 
scope of the enterprise. The plow was " Wood's 
Patent, " and man}' were manufactured and sold 
throughout the surrounding countr}'. A Mr. 
(xraham opened a distillery at a spring a short 
distance east of the grist-mill. This was about 
1811, and terminated in 1815. Considerable 
liquor was manufactured. Mr. Gillett also con- 
ducted an establishment of the same nature, 
beginning in about 1817. It was continued in 
operation a few j-ears, and manufactured whisk}' 
at the rate of about eight gallons per day. All 
this found a speedy home consumption, selling 
at from 15 to 25 cents per gallon, largely in 
trade. During all these years, whisky was im- 
bibed b}^ everybody, and the most respectable 
people were often engaged in the mauufacture 
that is looked upon with so much disfavor at 
present. It is stated that all the leading mer- 
chants at Middlebui'y, in early years, kept a keg 
of whisky on their counters, at all times, for 
the free indulgence of customei'S. A tavern 
without a bar-room was a novelty that met 
with comment and criticism, if it did not meet 
with studious avoidance from the traveling 
public. In truth, taverns of this character 
were compelled to suspend business from a lack 
of patronage. Abstainers were careful not to 
adopt the occupation of hotel-keeping. Samuel 
Newton erected a large hotel in about 1817, and 
continued to entertain the public for many 
years. His old building was burned down but 
a short time since. He, on one occasion, bought 
twentj'-five barrels of whisky of a man in the 
Miami Valle}^, who was compelled to sell, pay- 
ing 16 cents per gallon, and finding a I'eady 
disposal for the whole. 

An early writer has this to say of Middle- 
bury : "From 1815 to 1828, business of all 
kinds increased, and the village became the 
center of trade and fashion for all the sur- 
rounding country. It seemed destined to be- 
come the leading town on the Reserve. As 
Akron had no habitation, not even a name, 
Middlebury became the resort of the enterpris- 
ing and business men, who were bidders and con- 



tractors on the Ohio Canal. So great was the 
business at that time (about 1825), that there 
were no less than sixteen stores in the village, 
and all doing a good business. Mills, factories, 
and mechanical shops sprang into existence as 
if by magic. On the location of the canal, 
Akron sprang up with its immense water-power, 
and, for a time, entirely overshadowed Middle- 
bury. Several of the early friends of the village 
died. Othei's looking to immediate effects, 
became discouraged, and with their capital, left 
the place. The factories closed, the grinding 
ceased, the thronged streets were transferred 
to Akron, and the epitaph of Carthage was 
almost inscribed on her monument. The friends 
of Middlebury then discovered that prosperity 
did not lie in speculation nor fashion, but in 
industry and enterprise. Mechanical estab- 
lishments began to increase, and the valuable 
water-power was improved. A company was 
incorporated by the Legislature of Ohio, called 
the Middlebury Hydraulic Company, and au- 
thorized to raise the natural sui'face of Spring- 
field Lake, in which the Little Cuyahoga had its 
rise, six feet, and lower it four feet below 
the natural surface. This gave to the water- 
power of the village a permanency and suffi- 
ciency that could at all times be relied on." 
Aaron Norton, one of the founders of the vill- 
age, did a great deal in earl}' years to improve it. 
The same writer continues, " AVhile the Judge 
was upon the bench, a fellow who had been em- 
ployed in the Middlebury Mills was indicted 
and tried for stealing a log-chain. His defense 
was former good character, to sustain which 
he called on the Judge who swore his character 
was about as good as that of millers in general. 
After the adjournment of court, Gen. Wood- 
ward, of Franklin, who was a miller took Nor- 
ton to task for what he called an impeachment 
of the character of the millers. ' I was bound,' 
said Norton, ' to swear to the truth. I believe 
his character for honesty is as good as millers 
in general, but I believe he stole the log-chain.' " 
The first tavern was opened by Peleg Mason. 
In about the year 1815, this man brought a 
small stock of goods to the village. About 
three years later, Orriu Pitkin began with a 
stock. Several others came in within the next 
two years. By 1 825, ten years after the first store 
was opened, there were, as stated above, sixteen 
stores in the village. Among the more prom- 
inent were H. & H. A. Howard, dry goods, gro- 



1^ 



404 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



ceries, hardware, crocker}', glassware, stone and 
hollow-ware, tinware, drugs, medicines, surgical 
instruments, etc.; Hiram Johnson & Co., the 
same. (These firms bought all sorts of produce, 
flour, pork, whisky, pot and pearl ash, giving in 
exchange their goods or paying their mone}-.) 
McClure Brothers, general assortment ; John 
McMillan, ditto ; Kent & Oviatt, ditto ; McNor- 
ton & Cleveland, ditto. Besides these there were 
H. Briggs, boots and shoes ; James Ross, soap 
and candle factory ; M. Johnson, druggist and 
physician ; H. Loveland, attorney at law ; G. F. 
Norton, ditto ; Barlow & Allen, wool-carding and 
cloth-dressing ; William Bell, saddles, harness 
and bridles ; L. Chatfield, fancy and dining 
chair factory ; Hard & Sumner, wool-carding 
and cloth-dressing ; H. Rhodes, tavern keeper ; 
G. Powers, Jr., attorney at law ; McNaughton 
& Cleveland, tanners ; Mrs. L. Wheeler, mil- 
liner ; Phineas Pettis, plow manufactory ; John 
McMillan, grain buyer ; Zenas Chase, boot and 
shoe maker ; Alva R. Chapman, painter ; B. A. 
Allyn, cabinet-maker ; Payne & Squire, distil- 
lers at Old Forge ; Linus Potter, tailor ; 
Humphrey & Kirkum, attorneys at law ; John 
& Legrand Hanford, hat manufacturers ; Ed. 
Sumner, tavern keeper ; McNorton & Cleve- 
land, grain bu3'ers ; Erastus Tarre}', ditto ; Daniel 
Crist, boot and shoe maker ; and a multitude 
of others, in for a short time at various pur- 
suits. 

A Masonic lodge was organized in about the 
year 1822. It was known as "Middlebury 
Lodge, No. 34." It participated in the cere- 
monies of the laj'ing of the corner stone of the 
first college building erected at Hudson. A 
post office was secured at an early day, and 
soon a tri-weekly mail was obtained. Hem- 
perly & Sumner ran stages between Middlebur}- 
and the villages of Cleveland, Canton and 
Wooster. While the canal was in process of 
construction, large quantities of flour, pork 
and produce were purchased, to be consumed 
b}' the laborers. When the canal was opened 
in 1827, several companies of men began buying 
enormous quantities of grain preparatory to 
being shipped away when the canal was opened. 
But the greater portion of this business died 
out, when Akron sprang full-fledged into life. 
There was a company of firemen organized at 
Middlebury in an early day. From the fiict 
that McMillan & Dodge were engaged in the 
manufacture of " brake engines," the value of a 



fire organization was rendered at once easy and 
desirable. According to the statements of 
Julius A. Sumner, a " bucket company " was also 
organized. Whether these firemen had much 
work to do is not recorded. The Sumner 
Brothers engaged quite extensivel}' in buying 
and shipping cattle and horses. Julius Sumner 
sa3's he crossed the mountains eight times 
while engaged in this business. Oxen were 
purchased for about |40 a yoke, and three-year- 
old steers for some $10 or $12 a head. The 
brothers rode all over the country, buying 100 
or 150 cattle, which were driven to Philadel- 
phia or New York. Mr. Sumner sa^'s he made 
$500 on his first drove, and continued the occu- 
pation until over a thousand cattle had been 
thus purchased and disposed of A few droves 
of horses were also bought and driven to New 
York, whence they were shipped mostl}' to the 
West Indies, to be used on the large sugar 
plantations. 

An independent rifle compan}- was organized 
in Tallmadge during the war of 1812, many of 
its members residing in what is now Middle- 
bury, a considerable portion of which belonged 
to the former township. It was under the 
command of Capt. Rial McArthur. The fol- 
lowing correspondence between the citizens and 
Gen. Wadsworth is intei'esting. as showing the 
exposed situation of the country at the com- 
mencement of the war of 1812 : 

To THE Hon. Maj. Gen. Elijah Wadsworth, Esq. : 
Sir: We, your petitioners, humbly pray that 
you will take into consideration the defenseless 
condition we are in; therefore, we pray your 
Honor to issue orders for Capt. Rial McArthur's 
Independent Company and the Fourth Company of 
the Independent Battalion. Fourth Brigade and 
Fourth Division of Ohio Militia, commanded by 
Capt. Sanuiel Hale, to be retained for public safety, 
as we are on the frontier ; that said companies be 
drilled one day in each week, and hold themselves 
in constant readiness in case of an attack to march 
at a moment's warning. Those families that were 
to the west of us have moved into the settlement, 
and we are left on the frontier ; therefore, we, j^our 
petitioners, wish you to take this into considera- 
tion, and act as in yoiu' wisdom you shall see fit, 
(Signed) 



Philander Adams, 
Jesse Neal, 
Charles Chittenden, 
Henry Chittenden, 
Elizur Wright, 
John Wright, 

Peter Norton. 
Springfield, July 13, 1812 



Nathaniel Chapman, 
Aaron Norton, 
David Preston, 
Amos Spicer, 
Hosea Wilcox, 
Jonathan Sprague, 



•^s- 



■.^ 



MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. 



405 



"k* 



This communication proves that the citizens 
in the vicinity of Middlebury were thoroughly 
aroused to the fact of their exposed situation ; 
but subsequent events proved that their fears 
were almost wholly groundless. It may be 
supposed that the following letter afforded 
universal satisfaction : 

Capt. Rial McArthur : 

Sir: You doubtless are sensible of the critical 
situation of our country at this time. War being 
declared by the United States against Great Britain, 
it becomes necessary, as we have become the front- 
ier, for the ■whole body of the militia to be in per- 
fect readiness to meet the enemy ; and, sir, yours 
being an independent company, I place great confi- 
dence in your ability and activity in l)eing ready 
with your company to march and meet the enemy 
of your country at a moment's w^arning. You will, 
therefore, please to order your company to meet at 
any place you may think proper and convenient, 
one day in each week, and in the most perfect man- 
ner possible. See that every man furnishes himself 
with arms and ammunition, and other necessary 
accouterments for actual service. You will please 
to inform me after the first meeting of your com- 
pany of their actual situation, 

Elijah Wadsworth, 
Maj. Ge/i. Fourth Division Ohio Militia. 

Soon after this correspondence was held, the 
Independent Rifle Company was ordered, first 
to Cleveland, and afterward to Old Portage, 
the headquarters of Gen. Wadsworth, and, 
finally, to the camp of Gen. Simon Perkins, a 
temporary post on the Huron River. They 
returned during the spring of 1813, after a 
short, bloodless, though arduous, service in the 
field. There were forty-eight men in the com- 
pany, as follows : 

Captain^Rial McArthur, 

Lievitenant — Wiley Hamilton. 

Ensign — Charles Powers. 

Sergeants — Alpha Wright, Justus Barnes, Daniel 
Kennedy, Samuel Clieney. 

Corporals — Edmund Strong, Shubael Lowery, 
Jolin Campbell, Justin E. Frink. 

Drummer — Stephen Butler, 

Fifer— Ara Gillett. 

Privates — Philander Adams, Samuel Allyn, Sam- 
uel Atkins, Christian Cackler, Jr., Titus Chapman, 
Nathaniel Darrow, Liverton Dickson, Thomas 
Ellett. David Ellett, Samuel Fogger, Jesse Neal, 
Asa Draper, David Powers, Samuel Preston, Lot 
Preston, David Prior, Amos Spicer, Jr,, Joseph 
Towsley, Jonathan Williams, Abner Green, James 
Thompson, Henry King, Elisha Perkins, John S. 
Preston, Norman Sackett, John Wright, Jr., Eph- 
raim Clark, Jr., Aaron Norton, Joshua King, 
James Bradley, John Collins, Drake Fellows. 
Henry Bierce, John Castle, David Preston, Jr. 



When the above company was first ordered 
into the service, it comprised but forty-four 
men, several of whose names do not appear 
above, and were as follows : Luman Bishop, 
Charles King, Stephen Perkins and William 
Prior. The following men were not members 
of the company during the first enlistment: 
Samuel Atkins, Asa Draper, David Prior, Jona- 
than Williams, Abner Green, James Thompson, 
Ephraim Clark, Jr., Aaron Norton and Joshua 
King. This company first volunteered, and 
were ordered into the service of the United 
States for the protection of the frontiers, on 
the 22d of August, 1812. Their first term of 
service ended February 22, 1813. Although 
the company was then out of service, it did not 
disband, but kept drilling about once a 
week. 

On the 17th of April, 1813, Gov. R. J. Meigs 
wrote to Gen. Wadsworth, advising him that 
"The Fort at the rapids of the Miami (Fort 
Meigs) is threatened with an attack from 
British and Indians," and ordering him im- 
mediately to detach " one flank company to 
strengthen the post at Lower Sandusk}', as the 
post at the rapids is, I fear, too weak." In 
pursuance of this order, Gen. Wadsworth, on 
the 20th of April, 1813, ordered Capt. Mc Ar- 
thur's company to march to Lower Sandusky 
immediately, and to take with them five or six 
days' provisions, or a sufficient allowance to 
take them to that place. Gen. Wadsworth says 
in his order, " You will be shortl}' relieved, as 
a large number of troops are on their march to 
re-enforce that army." This was the company 
whose names appear at length above. It will 
be noticed that many members of the company 
lived at old Middlebury. Immediately after 
the surrender of Detroit by Gen. Hull, in 
August, 1812, Gen. Wadsworth was ordered to 
organize a brigade of 1,500 men. To eflect 
this, volunteers were called for, and, finally, the 
General was obliged to resort to a draft. The 
company above mentioned, with one or two 
exceptions, volunteered. Among the drafted 
were Reuben Upson. John Caruthers, Norman 
Sackett, Moses Bradford, Ara Gillett and Joth- 
am Blakeslee. Old Portage was the head- 
quarters of these forces, and became celebrated 
on that account. In later 3-ears, Col. John C. 
Hart organized a regiment of cavalry militia 
at Middlebury and the surrounding countrj'. 
It will be observed that almost all the members 



A^ 




406 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



of Capt. McArthur's company lived in what is 
now Summit County. 

It is now necessaiy to go back and notice 
other matters relating to the earh' history of 
Middlebur^'. The village comprises land for- 
merly belonging to the townships of Tallmadge, 
Springfield, Coventry and Portage. Some of 
the first owners of the Middlebury land were 
Capt. Joseph Hart, Aaron Norton, Liverton 
Dickson, William Neil and Ara Gillett, in Tall- 
madge ; Peter Norton, Rial McArthur and 
others, in Springfield ; Amos Spicer and Jesse 
Allen, in ('oventr^- ; and Amos Spicer, Jr., in 
Portage. 

During all the early history of the vil- 
lage, and for eleven years after the comple- 
tion of the canal, the electors residing in the 
village met to poll their votes in their respect- 
ive townships — the four mentioned above. The 
original village was in the southwestern corner 
of Tallmadge ; but, as it gradually enlarged, 
portions of the other three townships were occu- 
pied, after being surveyed into lots. Among the 
early residents of what afterward became Mid- 
dlebury, were the following, although this is 
neither a complete nor a perfect list : Capt. 
Joseph Hart, Judge Aaron Norton, Rial McAr- 
thur, Liverton Dickson, Samuel and John Pres- 
ton, Amos Spicer, Sr. and Jr., Ara (lillett, Peter 
Norton, William Neil, Barney Williams, Mr. 
Graham, William J. Hart, George Siiucox, Peleg 
Mason, Orrin Pitkin, John McMillan, Elijah 
Mason, Mr. Hazen, Thomas Sumner and his 
sons, Charles, Holland, Joseph, John, Increase, 
Edward and Julius A., the latter yet living at 
Akron ; Nathan Gillett, probably the first Post- 
master, and many others. The village was first 
regularly laid out into lots, and probabl}- re- 
corded at Ravenna, in 1818, by William J. 
Hart. That portion of the village known as W, 
was probably the first laid out, as it is recorded 
in Book F, at Ravenna ; while E and S are re- 
corded in Books S and K, respectively. It is 
likely that over fift}' lots were laid out by Mr. 
Hart, to which additions were made as the rapid 
growth of the village required. The " boom " 
at the time of the building of the canal no 
doubt vastly increased the number of lots, as it 
did the number of buildings of all kinds. 

It is likely that the village was incorporated 
b}' a special law of the Ohio Legislature, 
enacted during the session of 1837-38, as the 
following, quoted from the Middlebury records, 



would seem to imply, if it does not explicitly 
state : 

At a meetiug of the (lualified flcctors of the vil- 
lage of Middleliury, held in said vilhige on the first 
Tuesday in May, A. D., 1838, agreeable to an act to 
incorporate the village of ]\Iiddleliury, for the pur- 
pose of electing officers of said corporation. Roan 
Clark, Henry Chittenden and William L. Clark were 
chosen Judges, and Tlieron A. Noble was chosen 
Clerk of said election, whereupon, the following 
officers were elected: Henry Chittenden, President 
of the Council; Theron A. Noble, Recorder; Ros- 
well Kent, Jesse Neal, Gregory Powers, Thadeus H. 
Botsford and Harry Pardee, Trustees. 

(Signed) T. A. Noble, Recorder. 

These officers were immediately qualified, and 
entered upon the discharge of their several 
duties. The following committees were then 
appointed : T. A. Noble and Gregory Powers, 
on bj'-laws ; and R. Kent, Jesse Neal, Harry 
Pardee and T. H. Botsford, on appointments. 
At a session, May 6, 1838, the " set of rules for 
the regulation of the Council " was unanimously 
adopted ; also, Smith Burton was appointed 
Marshal ; Roswell Kent and T. H. Botsford, 
Committee on Streets, Highways and Nuisances ; 
Jesse Newland, Harry Pardee, Committee on 
Revenue and Expenditure ; and Gregory Powers 
and T. A. Noble, Committee on By-Laws and 
Ordinances. Soon afterward, John H. McMil- 
lan was appointed Treasurer ; Daniel McNaugh- 
ton, Assessor ; and William L. Clark, Surveyor. 
The records reveal the fact that the Council be- 
gan at this time to make a vigorous attack upon 
all nuisances, and passed several stringent ordi- 
nances looking to the abatement of the same. 
On the 21st of July, 1838, it was enacted by 
the Council '' That the Chief Warden be author- 
ized to procure a suitable number of hooks and 
ladders at the expense of the corporation, to be 
made and finished as he may direct, to be used 
in cases of fire and not otherwise." The five 
fire wardens appointed a short time before were 
Ambrose Cotter, Daniel McNaughton, Samuel 
Newton, Harry Pardee and John Johns. In 
1843. Philpot and Camp were permitted to build 
a horse railroad through certain streets of the 
village, the road to be used for the passage of 
coal obtained in Springfield. In 1845, the first 
stone bridge over the Little Cuyahoga was con- 
structed, under the contract of Increase Sumner, 
who erected the stone work for $1.74 per perch, 
the whole cost amounting to $578.55. So far 
as can be learned, the village electors voted in 
their respective townships until the act of incor- 



3 



t* 



MIDDLEBURY TOWNSHIP. 



407 



poratiou was passed ; after which, the village, 
having been constituted an election district, 
the}' met there to poll their votes. The follow- 
ing is quoted from the records of November, 
1846 : " The Council did not meet at the office 
of the President in Sherman's building accord- 
ing to adjournment, because the President was 
out of town on business, with the ke^' in his 
pocket. (Signed) George W. McMillan, Re- 
corder." The second stone bridge was built in 
1847, by Abraham Rhodes, at a cost of $350. 
The total cost was, however, much greater than 
that amount. The inference from the following, 
taken from the records of 1849, is, that the sani- 
tar}' regulations of the village were inoperative 
or neglected : " Resolved, That $10 be appro- 
priated for the use of the Marshal in procuring 
Jifti/ bushels of hme, as required b}' the ordinance 
relating to nuisances." It is also to be inferred 
that the desired results were not secured ; for 
two months later, it was " Resolved, That each 
member of this Council be appointed a special 
committee to examine and report what is neces- 
sary for a thorough cleansing of this town, and 
to report at the next meeting." The records of 
a few succeeding meetings, show active work in 
the right direction on the part of the select 
committees. 

Early in 1857, the citizens of Middlebury 
petitioned the Count}^ Commissioners as fol- 
lows : " The undersigned householders residing 
in Middlebury, in said county, respectfully pe- 
tition your honorable body to erect and set otf 
a new township, to be composed of the terri- 
tory' embraced within the corporate limits of 
the village of Middlebury, in the county afore- 
said." This petition was signed b}' eighty-four 
householders of the village. Attached to the 
petition was " The undersigned. Trustees of the 
townships interested in the formation of a new 
township, as proposed in the above petition, 
hereby give our consent that the said new town- 
shij) ma}' be erected and set off in accordance 
with the prayer of said petition, to be composed 
of the territory embraced within the corporate 
limits of Middlebury." This was signed by a 
majority of the Trustees of each township. The 
County Commissionei'S, at the March session of 
1857, proceeded as follows : " The Commission- 
ers, being satisfied that the majority of the 
householders residing in the village of Middle- 
bury had signed the petition, and that the eon- 
sent of a majority of the Trustees of the sev- 



eral townships affected by the creation of the 
new township had been obtained, and that the 
necessary legal notices had been given, Oi-- 
dered. That the territory comprised within the 
corporate village of Middlebury be set off from 
the townships of Coventry, Portage, Springfield 
and Tallmadge, and be hereafter known as the 
township of Middlebury." Notices were also 
issued by the Commissioners for the qualified 
electors of the new township to meet at the 
town hall in Middlebury, on the first Monday 
in April, 1857, for the purpose of electing town- 
ship officers. Thus the village remained until 
the spring of 1872, when the question of its an- 
nexation to the city of Akron, as the Sixth 
Ward, was submitted to the electors in both 
towns with the following result : Votes in 
Akron — for annexation, 1,042 ; against annexa- 
tion, 16. Votes in Middlebury ^for annexa- 
tion, 140 ; against annexation, 26. The neces- 
sary number of affirmative votes having been 
secured, each town elected a committee to con- 
fer with that of the other town, to unite on the 
terms of annexation. These terms are too vol- 
uminous to be quoted here, yet it ma}' be said 
that both towns will be benefited, in the end, 
by the annexation. The later history of Mid- 
dlebury will be found in another chapter. 

The first schoolhouse in Middlebury was 
erected near the site of the present one, in 
about the year 1811. It was a small one-sto- 
ried frame, 20x25 feet, with a broad fire-place 
in one end. The first teacher is not remem- 
bered ; but, in 1813-14 and 181^15, J. P. 
Skinner, from near Ravenna, taught. This man 
was a skillful disciplinarian and a competent 
instructor. He received his pay by subscrip- 
tion, at the rate of some $12 or $15 per month. 
The three R"s were largely dwelt on, and woe 
unto the scholar with a neglected lesson. Whis- 
pering was prohibited, and, in case the rule was 
violated, dire and summary correction was sure 
to follow. The old-time school-teachers were 
very strict about their rules. They usually 
succeeded in creating an understanding among 
their scholars that the violation of a rule of the 
school was an unpardonable offense, and it was 
often amusing to see how the guilty one lan- 
guished. Sometimes young men were severely 
feruled, and more than one school has terminat- 
ed in a promiscuous fight. One day Mr. Skin- 
ner, annoyed from having so much laughter in 
the room, made a rule that the first one that 






408 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



laughed out should take the ferule and hand it 
to the next one that laughed out, who was to 
do likewise, and so on, and the scholar having 
the ferule when school was dismissed, should 
be feruled by the teacher. A short time after- 
ward some one laughed, whereupon the teacher 
handed him the ferule, of which he must get 
rid, or he would be punished when school 
closed. It passed through several hands, and 
finally' went to Ira Dixon. The rule was, by 
this time working altogether too well to suit 
the teacher. He, therefore, announced that the 
next one who laughed should ferule Dixon, 
and the latter should ferule him. Almon 
Brown and Ira Dixon were great friends, 
and, when the former saw that the latter was 
in for sure punishment, his mirth knew no 
bounds. He endeavored to repress the tide, 
and his efforts resulted in volcanic peals of 
laughter. That instantly precipitated events, 
and the teacher told the boys they must ferule 
one another. This each one did, laying it on 
with a gusto not at all appi-eciated by the other. 
By this time, the gravity of the whole school 
was seriousl}' affected. Mutterings were heard 
here and there, and at last a 3'oung man named 
Denison Williams burst into a roar of laugh- 
ter. He was feruled by the teacher, greatly 
to' his mortification, and then the rule that 
had pla3'ed so much mischief was declared 
annulled. Such scenes often transpired in 
the early schools, and even in later ones. 
There were fifty-nine scholars enrolled dur- 
ing the winter of 1814-15, at which time 
the above funny, though serious, event oc- 
curred. This schoolhouse was used, summer 



and winter, until 1828, when J. A. Sumner and 
others were employed to construct what is 
known in history as the "Old Brick." Both 
of these houses were used for school, church, 
town and other purposes. In 1826, Mr. I. N. 
Mason taught a "select grammar school" in 
the village. Other terms were subsequently 
taught. In 1853, the old brick schoolhouse was 
purchased by the Village Council for $255, and 
converted into a town hall, to which use it was 
devoted for many years. It is likely that the 
present school building was erected about the 
same time, although nothing is before the wri- 
ter of this chapter proving that to have been 
the case. 

From the fact that Tallmadge was blessed 
with good churches, and that many of the early 
residents of Middlebury belonged to these, no 
efforts looking to the organization of religious 
societies in the village were made until about 
the 3'ear 1830. Many of the villagers were 
laborers in the various shops, and were not 
professors of religion ; while the few who were 
professors preferred going to Tallmadge to 
church, instead of sustaining the cost of erect- 
ing a building of their own. However, soon 
after the completion of the Ohio Canal, several 
religious societies sprang into existence. The 
Methodists started up at an unknown date. 
The Presbyterians put up their church in De- 
cember, 1831, and the Congregationalists, in 
December, 1845. Other religious organizations 
have been established, and Middlebury is now 
well supplied with churches. Many other in- 
teresting historical events in the village will be 
found narrated in other chapters. 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



409 



CHAPTER XIII.* 

HUDSON TOWNSHIP — ITS PRIMITIVE ATTRACTIONS — THE FIRST START IN THE WOODS— -OF 

MOVING ACCIDENTS BY FLOOD AND FIELD"— ON THE BORDER— THE 

EARLY RESOUR' . OF THE SETTLERS. 



"The sweet remembrance of the just, 
Like a green root, revives and bears, 
A train of blessings for his heirs, 
When dying nature sleeps in dust." 

^'^O form a correct idea of the early history 
JL of the Western Reserve, it is essential 
that it should be viewed thi'ough the con- 
temporaneous history of the parent State. 
The Pui'itan colony which had been planted 
in Connecticut some one hundi'ed and sixty 
years before, had grown to the dignity of a 
State. Its primitive customs, involving a close 
union of Church and State, had gi'own with its 
gi'owth until the chm'ch militant had become 
the chm'ch triumphant so far as it concerned 
municipal governments and cormnunities. Each 
tovni had its ministerial fund, schools were 
everywhere provided, and a patriotic pride in 
the individuality of its institutions was the 
dominant influence with every citizen of the 
State. The Puritan of the last centmy was no 
weakling in his least estate, but at this period 
he was at the summit of his power. Of a 
robust nature, physically and mentally, he 
handled the ponderous themes of the time as 
the mythological deities did thunderbolts, and 
in the lowest condition of life counted himself 
" a hero in the strife." Thus equipped, he 
was aggressive in every fiber of his being, and 
pushed his conqviests with an imperiousness 
that abated not a tittle of his eai'thly or heav- 
enly heritage. It was with something of this 
spirit that the State maintained her right to 
the territory embraced by the provisions of her 
charter, in the midst of conflicting^ claims and 
the overwhelming opposition of non- claiming 
States. But when at last in the interest of 
harmony, Connecticut sun-endered her preten- 
sions, save to the Reserve, and finally relin- 
quished her jm-isdiction to that, she had 
sun-endered only her feeblest power. Her 

* Contributed by J. H. Battle. 



conquering spirit laid hold of its civilization, 
and in the hearts of its citizens she rules the 
Western Reserve to-day. 

The early settlement of the Reserve was an 
effort to reproduce in this Western wild the 
honored institutions of the motherland. This 
was the beginning of the golden period of 
the Connecticut churches, a period marked by 
revivals of religion throughout the State, dis- 
tinguished for their power, purity and perma- 
nent influence, gi'eatly enlarging the chm-ches, 
improving the moi-als of society, and bringing 
the people of the State, to a great extent, 
under the control of religion." It was just at 
this time also that the Connecticut method of 
" missions to the new settlements " was com- 
pleted, which was destined to play so impor- 
tant a part in the New Connecticut; and these 
civilizing influences combined to leave an 
impress upon the plastic civilization of the 
new land that has been ciystallized in the cult- 
m'e of to-day. These influences were early 
marked, and perhaps nowhere more distinctly 
than in the region which is now embraced in 
Summit County. A letter from the Western 
Reserve to Eastern friends dated 1812, reads 
as follows: "I like Tallmadge better on sev- 
eral accounts than any other place I have 
seen. The settlers in this toA\Ta are much the 
most respectable of any on the Reserve. There 
is provision made for the pennanent support 
of preaching, which is not the case in any 
other town." Another letter dated from Tall- 
madge in the same year, speaks in the same 
strain: "I am persuaded that if any of 
om' fi'iends tliiulv of going to a new country, 
they will find none that they will be so well 
pleased with, either on account of the quality 
of the land or of the society. I do not think 
there is in the State of Connecticut a society 
where there is that attention paid to the Sab- 
bath, and to religion generally, that there is 



^^ 



410 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



here. There are very few who do not attend 
meeting regularly, and very few prayerless 
families." There is no question but that the 
early histoiy of Tallmadge was exceptional in 
some respects, but of Hudson it was scai'cely 
less true. Its founder, the son of a tailor who 
taught his children as he plied his trade, grew 
up to advanced manhood embracing skeptical 
notions. Caught by the sweeping power of 
the chiur.h movement of this period he was 
converted, and with the characteristic practi- 
cability of the Pm-itan mind, he sought an 
opportunity to prove his faith in work. The 
missionary spirit that had begun to pervade 
the religious communities of his native State, 
and the recent organization of the gi'eat Land 
Company, prepared the way which he adopted 
without hesitation. Zealous in his new found 
faith, " he wished to do something to repair 
the injury he had done, and to advance, to 
the extent of his ability, the interests of that 
cause which he had early labored to destroy. 
These were the views that led him to emigrate. 
* * * * The early efforts and sacrifices 
of the men who came to Hudson, show that 
they were actuated by the motives I have 
ascribed to them. They never suffered the 
Sabbath to pass by after the settlement was 
commenced, without religious worship; and 
by great effort and great pecuniary expendi- 
ture, they provided for the enjoyment of relig- 
ious ordinances among themselves, and sought 
to promote the progi-ess of religion in this 
part of our country. It was the first desire of 
^Ir. Hudson's heart to see the day when a 
chm'ch shou^ld be organized within the town- 
ship, and he rejoiced in that day. The next 
object of desire was that this chiu-ch might 
enjoy the labors of a settled Pastor, and he 
lived to see that day and was glad. Then it 
was in his heart to see a house erected for the 
worship of Grod, and that he saw completed to 
his great satisfaction. 'But,' said he, 'the 
college — the college; that was a child of my 
old age. I never expected to live to see that.' 
Yet the college was in coincidence with his 
plans and with his missionary spirit. He 
spent most of his time in visiting Clmstian 
families in all parts of the Reserve, and secur- 
ing the organization of churches and it was 
with him a matter of painful solicitude, how 



the infant chm*ches rising up on the Reserve 
were to be supplied with able, faithful minis- 
ters, in sufficient numbers to meet their wants. 
The college came in as the appropriate instru- 
ment to supply the deficiency."* 

The site chosen for this enterprise — Town- 
ship 4, Range 10 — was centrally located in the 
land company's purchase, and contained what 
has since proven to be among the best farm- 
ing lands in Summit County. It was laid 
down in the original survey, however, as a 
swamp township and was " equalized " by the 
addition of 10,000 acres, situated in the town- 
shi}>s of Norton and Chester. West of the 
central line of the township the land was cov- 
ered by an almost impassable swamp, which, 
filled with innumerable springs, gave rise to 
the Brandy wine Creek, flowing in a northwest- 
erly course to the Cuyahoga River and Mud 
Brook, flowing neaily due south in Hudson 
but fiu'ther on in its com'se, taking a ciu've to 
the westward finds an outlet in the Cuya- 
hoga. A branch of Mud Brook in the south- 
west part of the township, known as Powers' 
Brook, and Tinker's Creek, which flows in a 
northerly com'se in the northeast part of the 
township, crossing back and forth from Hud- 
son to Stratsboro, completes the list of the 
more important water-courses of the township. 
None of these, however, were found available 
in the first years of the settlement for such 
pioneer industries as the community needed, 
save the latter stream for a short period. 
Other water-com-ses were foiuid which in the 
changes wrought by the process of clearing 
and tilling, have become extinct or insignifi- 
cant, that afforded suitable power for the early 
attempts at milling and manufacturing. The 
township is now inhabited by a purely agri- 
cultm'al community. The luxuriant growth 
of heavy timber which once covered every 
acre, has largely given way to meadow-lands 
and grain-fields, save where each farmer's 
woodland gives token of the grandetu* of 
"God's first temple." The soil in the low- 
lauds of the western part is largely a black 
muck, rich but saturated with moistiu'e and 
liable to frost. In the eastern part the siu'f ace 
is more rolling with a soil varying from a 
stiff, stubborn clay to a clay loam. There is 

*Address by Kev. G. E Pierce, I>. D. 



;k* 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



411 



but little regularity in the disposition of these 
varieties, though in the southern and north- 
eastei'n parts it is said the clay-loam predom- 
inates. Eighty years of tillage has wrought 
great changes in the character of the soil, and 
the swampy portion of the early township has 
given place to good farms, and it is estimated 
that not over one thousand two hundred acres 
of low wet land remains. Water is every- 
where easily accessible. Springs abound in 
the western part, while in other portions of 
the township there is no special difficulty 
experienced in securing good wells: some 
artesian wells, however, have been sunk. The 
soil is the chief material resource of the town- 
ship, though there is an abundance of a fair 
quality of sandstone which has been utilized 
in the constniction of the foundations of the 
college buildings, most of the residences, rail- 
road culverts, etc. The chief objection to the 
stone is its dark color and its lack of weather- 
ing qualities. These objections would proba 
bly prove no serious obstacle to its general 
use, if the more desirable stone was not found 
in the near vicinity which is placed upon the 
ground here as cheaply as the product of the 
home quarries can be got ready for transporta- 
tion. As in most townships of the Reserve, 
the social and business center is at the geo- 
graphical center of the township. An early 
cluster of houses in the southern part of the 
township on the central road has given name 
to the road, and across the line in the adjoin- 
ing township it is designated, in the nomen- 
clature of the map, Darrowville. The early 
jurisdiction of the township embraced what is 
now known as the towniships of Stow, Boston, 
Twinsburg, Aurora and Mantua, besides its 
own territory. As the settlement increased in 
these tov^^lships the jurisdiction of Hudson 
became limited to the lines of the original 
survey, which now bou.nds it on the north by 
Twinsburg, east by Stratsboro, in Portage 
County, south by Stow and west by Boston. 

The original purchasers of this township 
with its annexes, were Nathaniel Norton, of 
Bloomfield, N. Y.,Birdseye Norton and David 
Hudson, of Goshen. Conn. There are no 
means now of ascertaining the arrangement 
between these partners in relation to this pur- 
chase. Nathaniel Norton was a well-to-do 



farmer in Bloomfield, N. Y., where he had 
come as an early settler ; Birdseye Norton was 
a wealthy merchant of Goshen, and David 
Hudson a farmer in comfortable circumstances, 
but of little cash capital. From such evidence 
as the old account books of Mr. Hudson afford, 
it is probable that Birdseye Norton furnished 
one-half of the capital and each of the others 
contributing a fourth, Mr. Hudson probably 
turning in his Connecticut farm to Mr. Birds- 
eye Norton. The land was purchased at 52 
cents per acre, but with the equalizing annexes 
the average cost per acre was reduced to 34 
cents. Nathaniel Norton, some time in 1S()1, 
disposed of his share, probably to Stephen 
Baldwin, Benjamin Oviatt and Theodore Par- 
mele. The first di-aft of the Reserve was 
made in 1798. and earlv in the following: yeai'. 
Mr. Hudson started out to explore and survey 
the land for the company in which he was a 
partner. His preparations for his new advent- 
ui'e were carefully made, as the following 
exhibit taken from an old account-book shows : 

David Hudson, Birdskye Norton and Nathan- 
iel Norton to Norton & Richardk, Dr. : 

May 11. 1799. 

£. s. d. 

By 2 sickles, 8s; 2 bells © 10s 1 8 00 

By 1 doz. o-ardeu seeds (cc Is 6d 16 00 

By 1 lb. allspice, 4s; 2 hoes, C«) 8s 6d 1 1 00 

By 1 grindstone, wt. 62 lbs., fw Id 1 16 2 

By 1 pail fa 5s 6d; 7^ lbs lead. 9s 4d. . . . 12 10 

BV 1 comb. Is 6d; 1 almanack. Is 2 6 

Bv 1 ax, 12s; 1 gallon bottle, os 17 00 

By 1 bed-cord, 8s: 1 clothes-line. 6s 14 00 

By 9* fts. dried venison, 7 1 

By 693 lbs. pork 27 14 3 

By 25 lbs. gammon @ Is 4d 1 14 00 

By 1 carpenter's adze 14 00 

Total £37 15 10 

Th(! above articles were bought of Thadeus Ciia- 
pin. 

Mav 13, 1799: 

£. s. .1. 
To 4 lbs. ginger @ 2s 8; 2 lbs. tea @ 13s6d 1 15 00 
To 6 lbs. chocolate @ 3s 6d; to 81 lbs. 

cheese (a- Is 5 2 00 

To44 11)s, chain (fc 2s 4d; to 1.V ll)s. of 

chalk r«^ 9d..... 5 4 00 

To 3 lbs. powder (a 10s: to 3 lbs. pep- 
per W 4s 8d ' 2 4 00 

To 281 lbs. sugar @ Is Id: to 50i lbs. 

nails (a 2s 20 5 5 

To 9^ lbs', leather (« 2s 6d 1 3 9 

To 1 small account book 6 00 

To 1 quire of paper, 2s 6d; 1 draw-shave, 
5s 8d 8 2 



412 



HISTOKY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



£. 8. d. 

To 8 narrow axes @ 16s 6 8 00 

To 2 bells @ 17s 17 00 

To 1 plowshare, 50s 2d; 1 spider, 7s 6d. . 2 17 8 
To 2 hoes @7s 14; 1 skimmer. Is; 1 dip- 
per. Is 6d 16 6 

To 2 plane-irons To) Is 8d; 2 chisels ((b 3s. 8 4 
To 1 chisel, 2s 6; 1 doz. awls, 8d; 3 awl- 
hafts. Is 6d 3 8 

To 1 spade, lis; 3 gimlets. Is 6d; 3 au- 
gers, 17s , 19 6 

To jacknives, lis, 4d; 1 pincer. Is od. .. 12 10 
To i doz. fish-hooks, 3s; 1 line, 4s (used 

as chalk-line) 7 00 

To 1 saw, 18s; 2 set teaspoons, 2s 4d 1 4 

To 1 carving-knife and fork, 6s 9d 6 9 

To i bushel clover seed 3 4 00 

To 12 bushels oats @ 2s 6d 1 10 00 

To 1 bushel and i peck herd-grass seed. 1 16 00 
To 1 bushel peas, 10s; 2 sets teacups, 5s 

8d 15 8 

To 1 razor, 6s; razor-strop, 2s 6d 8 6 

To 1 shaving-box, 2s lOd; 4 cakes soap, 

lOd .'. 6 2 

To 3 barrels, 24s; 1 hammer, 4s 1 8 00 

To 5 first blankets @ 32s 8 00 00 

To 3 do («) 16s 8d 2 10 00 

To 4i yards tow-cloth @ 3s 13 6 

To 3 ax-helves @ Is 3 00 

To 1 trowel, 4s; 1 hasp, 2s 6 00 

To 100 dollars cash 40 00 00 

To 1 set spoons, 3s; 2 knives. Is 8d 4 8 

May 15, 1799: 

To 311 gallons whisky @ 18s 12 14 00 

To 1 barrel 8 00 

Total £122 4 3 

On the same date Nathaniel Norton sup- 
plied the following items: 

1 set harrow-teeth 5 1 4 

1 iron kettle 3 4 00 

3 bushels of salt @ 10s; 1 barrel, 6s 1 16 00 

1 coflfee-pot, agreed at 3s 3 00 

90 lbs, bread (0) 3d 12 6 

1 hat , 18 00 

2 yoke oxen 46 8 00 

34' bushels wheat @ 8s 13 12 00 

2 yokes and bows, irons, etc 1 6 8 

1 cow, 20 dollars 8 00 00 

7 barrels® 4s 1 8 00 

2 barels pork @ 18 14 8 00 

Transportation to Gerundagut 7 4 00 

1 boat, 33 dollars 13 4 00 

i bushel peas (a^ 5s 5 00 

1 bushel potatoes @ 2s 6d 2 6 00 

1 bag, 4s 4 00 

1 cow. 13 dollars 5 4 00 

Total £125 14 4 

These articles, involving an outlay of 

upward of $700, were principally secured at 

Bloomfield. This point, at that time, was on 
the frontier, and the overland pioneer to the 



far West was forced to depend upon the uncer- 
tain guidance of Indian trails and the survey- 
or's marks. The thoroughfare of Western 
travel was by the lakes, and IVIr. Hudson has left 
a carefully prepared " traveler's guide " over 
that route as follows: From Black Rock to 
Buffalo Creek, tlu-ee miles; Buffalo Creek to 
Five Mile Creek, live miles; Five Mile Creek 
to Eighteen Mile Creek, thirteen miles; Eight- 
een Mile Creek to Cattaraugus, twelve miles; 
Cattaraugus to Four Mile Creek, four miles; 
Four Mile Creek to Fifteen Mile Creek, eleven 
miles; Fifteen Mile Creek to Chataqua, 
twenty-live miles; Chataqua to Lowiy's, six- 
teen miles; Lowry's to Presque Isle, sixteen 
miles; Presq^^e Isle to Walnut Creek, twelve 
miles ; Walnut Creek to Elk Creek, eight miles ; 
Elk Creek to Conneaut, ten miles; Conneaut to 
Ashtabula, fourteen miles; Ashtabula to Grand 
River, twenty-six miles; Grand River to Cha- 
grin, ten miles; Chagrin to Cuyahoga, twenty 
miles; a total of 205 miles. The only public 
source of information in regard to this country 
was " Morse's Geography," which represented 
the latter river as navigable for sloops for 
forty miles from its moiith. 

On the 22d day of April, 1799, in company 
with Jesse Lindley, William McKinley, whom 
he had hired as assistants, and Ira, his son of 
eleven years, Mr. Hudson started for Bloom- 
field, N. Y. The party was accompanied by a 
wagon driven by Thaddeus Lacey, who brought 
his wife and two childi'en. Mr. and Mrs. 
Lacey were engaged as purveyor and cook for 
the party, and were in charge of the supplies 
with which the wagon was loaded. Their 
route lay toward Albany, where they arrived 
on the 24th. Here Mr. Hudson hired Joseph 
Darrow for six months, at $10 per month, to 
accompany the expedition, terms similar to 
those on which the others had been engaged. 
Their course then led tlu'ough Schenectady, old 
Fort Schuyler, Onondaga to Bloomfield. Six- 
teen miles west of Schenectady, Mr. Hudson, 
leaving his son and Lindlev with the wagon, 
pushed on ahead with Darrow, making his 
way on foot to Fort Schuyler on the 29th, where 
he engaged Jonah Meecham; to Onondaga on 
May 2, where he added Richard H. Blin to his 
party, reaching Nathaniel Norton's in Bloom- 
field on the 5th day of May. Here the little 



*7" 



— © 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



413 



party was detained eleven days, which they 
employed in fiu'ther providing for their enter- 
prise in the wilderness. Here IMr. Hudson 
fell in with Benjamin Tappan, later known as 
Judge, on his way to his town of Ravenna. 
]VIi\ Ta])pan here bought a yoke of oxen and 
]VIi'. Hudson, as will appear in the preceding 
statement, bought two yoke of oxen and two 
cows. These animals were conhded to the care 
of Meacham, who assisted by some of Tappan' s 
hired men, brought them safely on the Indian 
trail thi'ough Buffalo, until he found near the 
lake the west line of the seventh range on the 
Reserve. This line, the eastern boundary of 
the present township of Paiuesville, Concoi'd, 
Chardon, Monson, Newburg, Auburn, Mantua, 
Shalersville and Ravenna, they followed due 
south for more than forty miles, crossing the 
Grand and Cuyahoga Rivers and striking the 
Salt Spring Indian trail near the southeastern 
corner of Ravenna, and thence to their desti- 
nation. In the meanwhile Hudson had his 
baggage and supplies transported to Grondi- 
gut Bay, where, to his great disappointment, 
he found his boat in no condition for u.se. He 
sent back Eliada Lindley and Farr and 
Straight, whom he had secured at Bloomlield, 
and obtained passage in one of Tappan's 
boats for himself and DaiTow. He also had 
the good fortune to find Eli as Harmon here, 
about to start out with his wife for Mantua. In 
one of his boats he obtained passage for Blin 
and McKinley, dividing such of his store as he 
was able to take between the two boats. This 
was on the 16th of May, but meeting with bad 
weather the little fleet did not reach Niagara 
until the 22d, when to their astonishment 
they found the river full of floating ice. They 
proceeded up the river, however, against the 
united strength of the cmi'ent and floating ice, 
and with great effort reached Buffalo Creek 
on the 26th, where they were blocked up with 
ice " at least twelve feet high." Happily the ice 
broke up that night leaving Lake Erie clear, but 
with so heavy a swell rolling that the expedition 
was obliged to lay by until the 29th, when for 
three days the lake was almost at a dead calm. 
Prompt use was made of these advantageous 
circumstances, the little party rowing from 
Buffalo to Elk Creek, a distance of 120 miles in 
the meantime. On the 1st of June they put out 



and attempted to continue their jomTiey and 
rowed six miles, but they were obliged to beach 
their boats at Crooked Creek, and lay wind- 
bound for several days. "On the 5th," says 
IVIi-. Hudson, " we put out fi'om Crooked Creek 
and dined in Conneaut, with a fair wind 
fi'om the northeast. At 2 o'clock P. M., the 
wind shifted into the north and blew on the 
shore with such violence that the boat in 
which myself and Darrow were, and which 
was heavily loaded, filled with water before a 
single article could be got on shore. With 
most unremitting and violent exertion, we 
saved oin: boat and loading, and spent the 
remainder of the day and part of the next in 
diying our loading which was much damaged 
with water. On the 7th and 8th we sailed to 
Grand River, using the bed blankets as sails. 
The boat in which McKinley and Blin had 
taken passage and which was in oiu- company, 
fai'ed worse, it being stove, and a part of my 
potatoes went thi'ough her bottom. But after 
the wind had subsided they got her up, and 
with the help of my nails they so far repaired 
the wTeck that they got her into Grand River 
with her loading on the same day we got 
there."* This was the destination of JNIi-. 
Harmon's goods and as there was no way of 
securing the transportation of the goods on 
board, he pui'chased this boat of IVli*. Harmon 
for $1 and proceeded with his boat, leaving 
Blin and McKinley to proceed up the river 
some fom* miles, discharge Harmon's goods 
and then to continue the joiu-ney to the Cuya- 
hoga River. 

Without waiting for his second boat, Mr. 
Hudson j^roceeded, reaching the Cuyahoga 
River on the 9th, where, on the following day, 
finding that the other boat had not come up, 
he left Darrow to assist the inen up the river. 
He also took the precaution to lighten IVIi'. 
Tappau's boat of a large part of his stores, 
leaving them to be broiight on by his newly 
pm-chased boat, and proceeded up the river. 
The season previous to their coming having 
been very dry. they had proceeded but a few 
miles when they found the water in places only 
eight or ten inches deep, and were often 
obliged to get out, join hands and di'ag their 
boats over shallow ]>laces. In this way they 

*Diary of David Hudson. 



1^ 



414 



HISTORY OF SUAnilT COUXTY. 



proceeded until the 12th, when they reached 
such a rapid ciuTent that it was impossible to 
draw the boat any further. Mr. Hudson con- 
tinues in his diary as follows: " I, myself, 
went on the land searching for some survey- 
or's line whereby we coiild find oxu' township. 
In this place my men overtook us, and to my 
great concern informed me that my boat had 
been })lundered the night before of a consider- 
able quantity of whisky. ])ork, flour and some 
few potatoes. The men suspected of this vil- 
lainy was an Indian in the Sandusky tribe, and 
a white man who calls himself Armstrong. 
They are two villains, famous in this quarter, 
and their conduct is not allowed of by their 
chiefs. 

" 13th. — We now took a part of Tappan's 
load into my boat, and by our united strength 
we got the two boats along slowly up the 
rapid and shallow water, I still continuing 
on the land searching for some town line. 
In this way we proceeded until the 17th, 
when, as I had not been able to find any land 
mark, we determined to take a few days' pro- 
visions and strike our course in a southeast 
direction till we could find some clew whereby 
we could tell what part of the world we were 
in. It was at this time I most heartily re- 
pented having undertaken the expedition, but 
I must now persevere. I proceeded with my 
men and Tappan with several of his assistants, 
and to my great joy found the southwest cor- 
ner of No. 4, Range 10, at about 11 o'clock 
on the 17th of June. I immediately went 
about making a road, getting oiu* stores up 
from the river, and in endeavoring to get a 
road into the middle of the town. In the lat- 
ter attempt a new dilficulty was met. I tried 
at many places and could find no pass for a 
road across a swamp which stretched itself 
from the south line of the town, aboiit three 
and a half miles, as I afterward found in a 
northerly direction about one-half mile from 
the west line. I afterward went across the 
swamp and found excellent land beyond. In 
this dilemma. I determined to set my men at 
work on the west side of the swamp", until the 
land could be so far surveyed as to find some 
pass for a road. We found it a work of time 
and difficulty to get a road across the gullies 
which lie in No. 4, Range 11 (Boston), but, 



by the 25th of June, we got some of otir things 
on." 

By a very happy combination of circum- 
stances the cattle, of which the explorers were 
just now begimiing to need, arrived at the land- 
ing on the 18th, just one day after the discov- 
ery of the township line. The journey of 
these men over some three hundred and fifty 
miles, guided ])y the tortuous trails of the 
Indian and the township lines of the siuweyor, 
through a totally unknown land, was one of 
the difiiculties of which we are scarcely able 
to appreciate. Their mode of traveling was 
to secure firmly upon the backs of the oxen 
several bags of flour and pork, together with 
two blankets and an ax. They waded fordable 
streams and compelled their cattle to swim 
those that could not be forded, crossing these 
streams themselves with their provisions on 
rafts hastily constructed of sticks. The teams 
thus happily at hand, rude sleds were con- 
structed and the labor of transporting the 
goods from the boats to the place where Mr. 
Hudson had decided to begin operations com- 
menced. In the meanwhile a road had been 
cut out and a bark shelter erected. The cattle 
were greatly tormented by the immense swarms 
of flies that attacked them at all times, nearly 
di-iving them mad. It is said they actually 
killed one of Mr. Tappan's cattle. 

Aboiit this time David Kellogg with his 
wife, applied to be taken into Mr. Hixdson's 
employ. He had come out in the service of 
Mr. Tappan, but for some reason desired to 
change his service. Judge Tappan afterward 
took occasion in the public prints to say that 
Mr. Hudson enticed him away, which is an 
entirely mistaken idea. The provisions of the 
Hudson colony were very low, and he had great 
fears that those already dejiendent upon him 
would sufter for lack of supplies. He, how- 
ever, granted the request, but Mr. Kellogg 
never became a permanent settler in this col- 
ony, though staying for a year or two. 

As soon as the first most pressing duties 
were accomplished, Mr. Hudson set about mak- 
ing a clearing, aided by his four men. The 
robbing; of his boat and the faihu'e of his 
goods, shipped by wagon, to come on began 
to give him some uneasiness as to their 
means of subsistence. He borrowed some 



3^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



415 



pork of a Capt. Stoddard, settled in what is now 
Northampton, and taking his boat as soon as 
unloaded on the 24th of June, proceeded alone 
down the river in quest of Lacey. Speaking 
of this trip in his diary, IVIr. Hudson says : " I 
had the misfortime to lose my fire, and being 
exceeding wet and the night very cold, I 
experienced the most uncomfortable night I 
ever felt. I arrived at Cleveland in twenty- 
eight hours, and, although several boats had 
lately arrived, I could not get any information 
concerning Lacey. I had not heard a word 
from him since I left him on the Mohawk River 
near Schenectady in April. I was at a great 
loss what to do, but, on the whole, I thought 
best to wait a little longer. In three days an 
opportunity presented of going down the lake, 
and, after a quick and dangerous passage, I 
had the good fortune to find my boy, Lacey 
and the boat." It appears that Lacey had got 
as far as Cattaraugus Creek with the boat 
which Mr. Hudson found unfit for a voyage 
when he left, and was resting there very much 
at his ease. He had also quite an addition 
for the colony in the way of several hired men, 
which Nathaniel Norton had secured to go to 
the settlement. But of what the settlement 
needed the most [they were nearly destitute. 
" My joy at finding the boat," says Mr. Hud- 
son, " was turned to sorrow on finding that 
they had but little more flour than enough to 
last through the voyage, excepting three bar- 
rels that belonged to Capt. Austin (Eliphalet 
Austin, of Austintown). I foimd myself 
under the most disagreeable necessity of 
abandoning my men, who were at work, to their 
fate, quitting the whole expedition and return- 
ing home, or else taking Capt. Austin's flour. 
After a sleepless night deliberating what was 
my duty in the trying case, I determined 
as the least of two evils to take Austin's 
floiu", to dismiss my hands, saving barely 
enough to manage the boat, pay Austin what- 
ever his damage might be and prosecute my 
business. Having written my situation and 
reasons to Capt. Austin and Esquire Norton, 
I proceeded on my voyage. In a few days, by 
rowing in the nigrht and crowding our business, 
I got to Cuyahoga, and without meeting any 
further disaster we arrived with all oiu- load- 
ing at the landing on No. 4, Range 11, on 



the 19th of July." It must be remembered 

that these voyages were made in open boats 
and were propelled by oars save when a light 
breeze was taken advantage of to raise a sail 
rudely constructed out of blankets. The courses 
of these boats were necessarily near the shore 
and were completely at the mercy of a brisk 
wind, and were greatly hindered in their voy- 
ages on this account. The present case was a 
pressing one, and Mr. Hudson made good 
some of the delays diu'ing the day by rowing 
nights. Among the crew was one Lindley, 
who declared that he was hired to work 
by the day and refused to work nights. Mr. 
Hudson therefore excused his rowing in night 
voyages, but when forced to lay by in the day- 
time put him at "chopping wood." A day or 
two of this experience caused him to smTender 
unconditionally. 

The supplies came just in time, and after 
getting them into the shelter (which took one 
hand and the team several days), three days 
were spent in cutting over the land begun for 
a wheat-patch. Hitherto the bark shanty which 
had been hastily erected, on their first arrival, 
had been their only shelter. Rain had fallen 
almost incessantly, and with the recent addi- 
tions the little colony, swelled to thirteen per- 
sons, demanded something better for their 
protection. A log house 16x18 feet was at 
once erected, and within a week's time the 
whole party were made comfortable beneath 
its roof. A day and a half had been spent in 
the meanwhile in stu'veying, the only fair 
weather during the week, but now matters were 
in a comfortable shape for the time being, IMi*. 
Hudson was anxious to get the township ready 
for settlement. " I now determined," says he, 
" to crowd the surveying business to the utmost, 
and if possible to get time to sm'vey om- annex- 
ation, but, in the last week in July, J. Lindley, 
Dai-row, Meecham and Blin were all taken 
sick, and, in short, there was none save myself 
that could be called well. For f ovu- weeks oiu- 
people who kept about did little else than take 
care of the sick. Rain fell in showers about 
every other day, and in those four weeks we 
cut three small stacks of poor hay which was 
much damaged by the rains, and fired and 
biu-nt the brush on about nine acres — the rain 
being such that we could not biu-n oiu- brush 



:^ 



416 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



any other way than to pull our heaps to pieces 
and lay them on the fire. My original design 
was to sow a large piece to tm-nips, but not 
being able to burn the land over, I sowed on 
the 1st day of August a small piece from 
which we cut the timber and brush the week 
preceding. 

" On the 22d day of August, our people hav- 
ing gradually recovered, we resumed siu*veying 
and jiressed it closely as possible until the 
12th of October, when the business and Merit- 
ing was completed." The settlement so far 
had been confined to the northeast corner of 
Lot 11, but on the 1st of September Mr. Hud- 
son brought his men to the center of the town- 
ship and began to cut brush and timber on 
Lots No. 55 and 56. Here he designed to 
make his home, and " twenty-three days' work" 
were spent in building a temporary hut and 
making the clearing for the more substantial 
cabin. " Sixteen days' work " erected a good 
log-house on the line of these two lots where 
Baldwin street now abuts on Main in Hudson 
Village, and two days were spent " in trying 
to dig a well." While this work was progress- 
ing the surveying party were finishing their 
work, while another party comiected the two 
clearings with a road; cut out another to the 
boat landing in "No. 4, Range 11," now 
called Boston. About the middle of this month 
they foiind their store of jirovision nmning 
very low. Supplies were expected every day 
from Nathaniel Norton, but at this point Mr. 
Hudson realized something must be done to 
avert possible distress. He went immediately 
to Cleveland and purchased of Lorenzo Car- 
ter a small field of corn and potatoes for 
$50, tm-ning in a yoke of oxen as the larger 
pai-t of the payment. In case of necessity he 
thought the corn might be pounded up in 
mortars juid sustain the company imtil relief 
should come. He hastened back to his station, 
but having previously heard that Ebenezer 
Sheldon had made a road through the wilder- 
ness to Aiu'ora, and that there was a bridle- 
path thence to Cleveland, he thought it prob- 
able that he might obtain pork for present 
necessity from that quarter. He accordingly 
set out on foot and alone, and regulated his 
course by the range of his shadow, making 
allowance for change in the time of day. He 



foiuid the Cleveland path near the center of 
Aurora, in a dense forest. Thence he pro- 
ceeded two and a half miles to Mi-. Sheldon's 
cabin, bu.t foimd he coiild obtain nothing 
within a reasonable distance. The next morn- 
ing he retiu-ned to his colony to find that his 
long-expected boat had aiTived, and that there 
was once more plenty in the camp. 

Having completed their surveying on the 
11th of October, and got affairs well under 
way to make comfortable his family, and such 
colonists as he might bring back with him, he 
started on the following day with his son Ira, 
Meacham and Darrow for Connecticut. They 
went down the river in the old Harmon boat, 
intending to transfer to the sti'ong boat which 
Lacey had brought when he came, but on 
arriving at the mouth of the river he foimd 
the boat borrowed without leave and gone to 
Detroit. It was late in the year and any 
delay would only bring nearer the season of 
the year when such navigation was impossible 
or extremely hazardous, and they proceeded on 
their way in the old wreck. There was no tar 
at hand with which to " pitch " the seams, and 
it proved so leaky that it required one hand 
most of the time to bail out the water, and so 
weak that it bent considerably in crossing the 
waves. Dm'ing their passage the weather was 
generally cold and boisterous; tluve different 
times they narrowly escaped drowning by 
reason of the darkness of the night or violence 
of the wind. Referring to one of these nar- 
row esca|)es from both the wind and darkness, 
Mr. Hudson writes in his diary: " This salva- 
tion has determined me never in futm-e to put 
into the lake in a dark night." Lying wind- 
bound at Chataqua for several days, they eked 
out their scanty stock of provisions by living 
on boiled chestnuts. They arrived at Gerun- 
dagut on the 31st of October, whence their 
joivrney to Goshen was by land. Mr. Hudson 
in the middle of November, found his family 
well and anxioxis to hear of the land which 
was to be their new home. No time was spent 
in idling, however, and by the 1st day of Jan- 
uaiy, 1800, he had made his arrangements to 
leave with his family, his native State with all 
its tender and endearing associations, for the 
wilderness where he had knovna so much anx- 
iety and hardship. " Thus," says he, " ends 



■S 






HUDSON TOAVNSIIIP. 



417 



the eventful year of 1799, filled with many 
troubles, out of all of which hath the Lord hath 
delivered me." His stay at his old home had 
been a busy time for him. He had settled 
accounts with the Norton brothers; had sought 
cunong his old fi'iends and acquaintances for 
colonists; and had his own afiairs in his old 
home to settle as well as to provide supplies 
for the one to which he was about to move his 
family. His accounts for the first year are 
interesting to read over and vividly illustrate 
the character of the man and the enterprise. 
Among the items of expenditiu'es are the fol- 
lowing: April. 1799, " paid $3 for an excellent 
dog which we lost in Schenectady;" May, " lent 
JVIi". Bacon $5 for ageeing to pilot us, for 
which he gave his note, which note I lost with 
all my minutes and observations on the Cuya- 
hoga in wading the stream;" "paid Mr. Holly 
for twelve bushels seed wheat, $18;" October, 
" Gave Mr. Kellogg as a present to support him- 
self and family, they being sick, $3; " October 
19, "Gave as a gift to Mr. Berion, of Con- 
neaut, he and his family being sick and in dis- 
tress, $1 ;" November 16, " Retiu'ued to Goshen, 
expended in returning $9.75." The whole ac- 
count reaches some $300, which does not include 
the unpaid balance of wages due his help, and 
which was applied on the land which each 
purchased, nor the supplies which had been 
brought from the East. On the credit side, 
Mr. Hudson shows tools and materials still in 
possession of the j^roprietors to the amount of 
$350.90; surveying instrmnents, $33; "nine 
acres of wheat on the ground calculated at $20 
per acre, $180; smidry other articles not here 
enumerated, $36.91;" making a grand total of 
$600 worth of property for little more than an 
equal expenditure. In raising recruits for the 
new colony, his efforts had been marked with 
excellent success. It is said that he offered a 
bounty of forty acres to the first one to vohm- 
teer, and Ruth Gaylord, whom Rev. John Sew- 
ard calls " an ancient maiden " received the 
land, which afterward she gave to her niece, 
the daughter of Elijah Nobles. Among the 
party that were prepared to return with Mr. 
Hudson and his family, were Samuel Bishop 
with his ioxxr sons, David, Reuben, Luman ;md 
Joseph, Joel Gaylord, Hemau Oviatt, Dr. 
Moses Thompson, Allen Gaylord, Stephen 



Perkins, Joseph and George Darrow, William 
McKinley and three men from Vermont by the 
names of Derrick, Williams and Shefford. 
The women in the company were the wives of 
Messrs. Hudson, Bishop and Nobles, with 
Miss Riith Gaylord and Ruth Bishop. The 
six childi-en of ]VIi-. Hudson completed the 
party that started for the New Conneeticut. 
Among these names will be noticed those of 
some who went out the preceding year. Dar- 
row returned with his brother, Joel Gaylord 
and Heman Oviatt went out to view the land 
with the intention of taking their families 
thither if the situation proved favorable. Mr. 
Bishop, with his son-in-law Elijah Nobles, 
alone hazarded everything on the single cast 
of the die. The three men from Vermont 
were evidently acqu.aintances of Lacey, thi'ough 
whom they had probably learned of this settle- 
ment, and was desirous of tiying their fortune. 
They probably did not stay long as no men- 
tion is made of them in any of the old papers 
of Mr. Hudson. 

In January, 1800, Mr. Hudson started, with 
his family, on sleighs, from Goshen for 
Bloomtield, N. Y., the place of rendezvous. 
Here he occupied an empty cabin of Eber Nor- 
ton's during the winter, employing his time 
in preparing for his journey by the lakes. 
He prociu'ed four boats, in addition to the 
Harmon boat, which he thoroughly repaired, 
and loaded them with supples, including win- 
dow-glass for his cabin put up the preceding 
fall, a large quantity of woolen and linen cloth, 
peach and apple seeds, garden seeds, addi- 
tional tools, and a supply of groceries in- 
tended to last his family for a full year — the 
whole reaching a cost of some $2,000. The 
balance of the party secured tliree boats for 
their transportation, and all was completed 
on the 29th of April. " The next night," said 
Ml'. Hudson, "while my dear wife and six 
children, with all my men, lay soundly sleep- 
ing around me, I could not close my eyes. 
The reflection that those men and women, 
with most all that I held dear in life, were 
now to embark in an expedition in which so 
many chances appeared against me; and, 
should we survive the dangers in crossing the 
boisterous lakes, and the disti'essing sickness 
usually attendant on new settlements, it was 



M\ 



ji.: 



S) 



418 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



highly probable that we ratist fall before the 
tomahawk and scalping-knife. As I knew, at 
that time, no considerable settlement had been 
made but what was established in blood, and 
I was about to place all those who lay around 
me on the extreme frontier, and, as they 
would look to me for safety and protection, I 
almost sank under the immense weight of 
responsibility resting upon me. Perhaps my 
feelings on this occasion were a little similar 
to those of the patriai'ch, when exj^ecting to 
meet his hostile brother; but, after presenting 
my case before Israel's God, and committing 
all to His care, I cheerfully launched out, the 
next morning, upon the great deep." The 
little tieet experienced little difficulty coming 
up the lakes until they reached the mouth of 
the Cuyahoga River. The wind on this day 
was rather high, and IVIr. Hudson, in attempt- 
ing to enter with his boat, missed the channel 
and stuck fast upon the bar. In this perilous 
situation, the boat shipped considerable water, 
and the occupants must have inevitably all 
been drowned had not a mountain wave struck 
the boat with such power as to tioat it clear of 
the obstruction. On reaching a point within 
two miles of their destination, darkness com- 
ing on, they were obliged to stop for the night 
a little north of Nortbfield, at a place called 
the Pinery. They encamped on the baiiks, 
which were somewhat low. During the night, 
a tremendous rain set in, which had so raised 
the river by daybreak that it overflowed its 
banks, and was on the point of floating off the 
very beds on which they were lying. Every- 
thing was drenched, many finding themselves 
without a dry thread upon them, and here 
they were obliged to wait Ave days before the 
water had so far subsided as to allow them to 
force their boats against the current. On the 
sixth day. May 28, they reached the landing 
place near the Boston line. Here Mr. Hud- 
son left his family and the crew to look after 
the unloading, and hurried to visit the people 
he had left in the clearing, whom he found in 
good spirits. Before leaving Bloomtield, Mr. 
Hudson had secured some hogs, fourteen cows, 
a bull and a horse, which, with a yoke of 
oxen belonging to Mr. Bishop, were intnisted 
to the care of Elijah Nobles to bring through 
the wilderness by the route by which the cat- 



tle had been brought the preceding year. 
These arrived about the time the boats were 
unloaded, biit Mr. Hudson, busy in arranging 
for the large accession to the colony, did not 
take his horse to the landing after his family 
for several days. When he arrived, he found 
his family suffering from the persistent attacks 
of the gnats and mosquitoes that infested 
the woods at this season, and his wife, who 
had cheerfully borne all the trials of the jour- 
ney hitherto, was now very much discouraged. 
A change to more cheerful siuToundings, and 
a fairly comfortable house, wi'ought a great 
change in her feelings, and she nobly seconded 
the eftbrts of her husband. The work of 
transporting the goods from the boats to the 
settlement on wooden sleds, over eight miles 
of hilly woods-road, was no slight undertak- 
ing, and it was several days before it was 
accomplished. After all the persons belong- 
ing to the settlement had collected, Mr. Hud- 
son led them in rendering thanksgiving to the 
God of mercy, who had brought them safely 
to their desired haven. Public worship on 
the Sabbath, which had been discontinued in 
his absence, was resumed. In relating the 
fact, Mr. Hudson said : " I felt, in some meas- 
tu'e, the responsibility resting on first settlers, 
and their obligations to commence in that 
fear of God which is the beginning of wis- 
dom, and to establish those moral and relig- 
ious habits on which the temporal and etei-nal 
happiness of a people essentially depends." 

Once settled in their new quarters, the lit- 
tle commimity was at once a scene of bustling 
activity. Joel Gaylord selected and purchased 
640 acres lying in a square piece on the south- 
west corner of the public square; Dr. Moses 
Thompson, who had been promised by Mr. 
Hudson $50, in medicine, if he concluded to 
settle here, selected for his father and brothers 
eight and a half lots, of K50 acres each, four 
of them forming a square mile of land adjoin- 
ing the southeast part of the public square; 
Heman Oviatt selected a site soiith of the vil- 
lage about a mile, adjoining the Thompson 
property; a large elm tree standing on the 
road line to the farm now owned by Philan- 
der Ellsworth, which sprang from a riding- 
whip which Mr. Oviatt brought on one of his 
trips to Pittsburgh, and carelessly stuck in the 



'.iL 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



419 



ground there, marks the vicinity where he 
erected his cabin in this year. Dr. Thompson 
made some clearings and planted a crop on 
thi'ee lots, and all found plenty of work to do. 
DaiTow bought in the southern tier of lots, 
near the central road, and in July, Ebenezer 
Stone, of Boughton, Ontario Co., N. Y., came 
out and bought Lot 70. Notwithstanding 
the fi'equent rains, the season on the whole 
was very favorable for the crops, and there 
was an abundant harvest of potatoes and tm*- 
nips and wheat. 

On the 28th of October of this yeai', oc- 
cm'red the tirst native accession to the settle- 
ment. On this date, a daughter was born to 
Mr. and Mrs. Hudson, and, notwithstanding 
the lack of professional aid, with the attend- 
ance of the women of the settlement, mother 
and child prospered finely. The heroine of 
this occasion, and the eldest born of the 
county, was Anna Maria Hudson, later the 
wife of Hai-vey Baldwin, who now lives in a 
vigorous old age, to rejoice in the results of 
her parents' pioneer labors. Two weeks later, 
another event occurred which served to viv- 
idly impress upon these people the stern real- 
ity of frontier life. Milo and William, two 
sons of Mr. Hudson, were sent to drive the 
hogs out where they could find plenty of nuts 
to feed upon. The path tliey followed was 
very rough, and Milo, who was barefooted, 
experienced a good deal of pain in tiying to 
travel in it. His brother, finding that he did 
not need his assistance, sent him back and 
proceeded on alone with his charge. In re- 
tm*ning, Milo left the path to walk upon the 
leaves in the wooded part to avoid the " hubs," 
and inadvertently strayed too far and became 
lost. A slight snow had fallen, and it was a 
chilly autumn day. He looked about him for 
some clew to his whereabouts, and, seeing a 
clearing at some distance, ran toward it only 
to find that it marked the site of a swamp. 
The return of William and the absence of his 
brother at once excited alarm, and the men 
rallied out with horns, guns and bells to find 
the lost boy. He heard the signals of those 
in search, but, deluded by the appearances of 
a clearing made by the various swamp lands, 
he only got farther away, until, night coming 
on, worn out with the anxiety and exertion of 



the day, he prepared to pass the night in the 
wilderness. Raking a pile of leaves beside a 
great log, and wrapping his bare feet in his 
jacket, which he had taken ofi" for thepiu'pose, 
he biuTowed deep into the leaves and fell 
asleep. The hunters could not thus easily 
lay aside their cares. The unsuccessful 
search caused them to redouble their exertions 
dming the night, and Mr. Hudson, with a 
father's anxiety, offered a reward of $40 to 
stimulate a search in which the keenest inter- 
est was already enlisted. The search was con- 
tinued without avail until 11 o'clock the fol- 
lowing day, when the boy was foiind still 
asleep, his hair fi'inged with fi'ost and his toes 
slightly frosted, but otherwise unharmed. 

It was some years before the danger of 
being lost in woods was overcome by the num- 
ber of settlements. As late as 1809, a little 
girl of Eben Pease, eight or nine years old, 
was lost. She was sent on an errand to Ben- 
jamin Oviatt's, about two miles north of the 
center. She got there safely, but on her 
retm-n, mistaking a cow-path for the trail, she 
wandered off and was lost. Not retm'ning 
by dark, her parents became alaimed, and, 
going to Oviatt's, learned she had left there 
early and was probably lost. The neighbor- 
hood was rallied out in search. Guns and 
horns were brought into requisition, but it was 
10 o'clock the next day before she was found 
by Richard Croy. She was foiuid asleep on 
a log, with her feet wrapped in some aprons 
which she had taken to bring home. 

The following spring brought the families 
of Joel Gay lord and Heman Oviatt, who came 
in wagons by the overland route, bringing 
with them Benjamin Oviatt, John Bridge and 
James Newton. Their wagons were the first 
that ever penetrated the wilderness in this 
part of the Reserve, and these pioneers were 
obliged to chop their way through the woods 
for miles. A little later in this year came 
Eliada Lindley, John Oviatt, William Bough- 
ton, Aaron Norton, Ezra Wyatt, James Walker, 
Deacon Stephen Thompson with his sons, 
Abraham, Stephen, Jr., and Moses, and his 
sons-in-law, George Pease and Bradford Kel- 
logg. In the same company came George 
Kilbom-ne and William Leach. Dr. Moses 
Thompson had expended his patrimony in 



Tv* 



.t 



420 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



prosecuting his medical studies, biit his father 
proposed to give him a lot of land if he would 
investigate the Hudson settlement and, if fav- 
orably impressed, move the family out to it. 
After coming out with Mr. Hudson and select- 
ing the land, he retiu'ned on foot to Goshen, 
carrying his provisions in a pack at his back. 
He made the 650 miles in eleven and a half 
days, helped to do the haying, and, returning 
with his father's brother's family, as well as 
his own. He secured some apple seeds from 
some pmnace at a cider-mill in Reading, 
Penn., and the lirst apples from this seed, 
were the admiration of the little folks, who 
had never seen an apple before. 

His land was situated northwest of the 
village, on what is known as the Northampton 
road, where he lived until the day of his death. 
He was the earliest doctor in the township, 
and had a practice that took him over a terri- 
tory a hundred miles in extent. He retired 
from his practice in 1815, to engage in busi- 
ness. Christian Cackler came here in the 
spring of 1804, together with his father and 
eldest brother, settling on a part of Lot 10, in 
the southeast corner of the township. They 
came from Pennsylvania, bringing a horse 
and a yoke of oxen, and such supplies as 
could be packed on a horse. Coming to 
Ravenna, they found a few residents, and a 
road marked out and partly underbiiished to 
Hudson. Here they came, selected their land, 
and, going to the site, put up a temporary 
shelter. Four forks were driven into the 
ground, and upon them were laid poles, upon 
which a covering of bark was laid. The same 
material supplied the floor and the sides of 
this hastily constnicted tabernacle. Beds 
made of leaves and covered with blankets 
completed their household arrangements, and 
they proceeded at once to clear their lands for 
their spring crops. It was then the 10th of 
May, but they put in about three acres of 
corn, and cleared off another piece in time to 
sow some wheat. Provisions were hard to 
prociu*e, and were obtained by working for 
their neighbors. In his published reminis- 
cences, Mx. Cackler says : " In September, my 
father and brother went back after the family, 
and left me in care of the shanty until they 
should return. I was then only twelve years 



old. They left for my use a small loaf of 
bread, an old rifle that carried an oimce ball 
and some powder and bullets, that I might 
kill squirrels for meat. They thought they 
would be back in three weeks. It was a try- 
ing time for me. I could get along very well 
through the day, but when night came, I was 
lonesome indeed. I would build a big fire 
and roll myself up in my blankets so that I 
could not hear anything, and there remain 
until morning. I managed so about two 
weeks. My loaf began to get very small, and 
I had to make my allowance still smaller to 
make it hold oiit. Tln-ee weeks expired and 
nobody came. The foxuih passed; my bread 
was gone and squirrels furnished my only 
food. The fifth passed, and found me with- 
out bread or bullets. I managed to kill some 
squirrels with gravel-stones, but the most of 
those I shot at escaped without serious injury. 
I stayed there until the sixth week began to 
di'ag its slow length along, when one aft,ernoon 
in the cabin, to avoid a heavy thunder shower, 
I fell asleep, and awoke to find it growing 
dark. The th-e had gone out, and everything 
was so satm-ated with the rain that I could 
not relight. While tinkering with the fii'e, I 
was startled by the howl of the wolves in the 
near vicinity. I seized my gun loaded with 
stone, and, wrapping my blankets about me, 
sat down to defend myself against the wolves. 
I sat there until morning without a visit fi"om 
the wolves, and then I left the shanty to cai'e 
for itself, and went over to where Harry 
O'Brien lived, about three miles distant, and 
remained until om' family came back, which 
was not long." Others came from time to 
time to gladden the heai'ts and share the bm*- 
densof the little fi-ontier community. It is not 
possible, at this time, to learn all the particulars 
of their coming, or even of their names. Among 
those who came dm'ing the first fifteen years 
of the colony were David Hudson, 1799; 
Thaddeus Lacev, 1799; R. H. Blin, 1799; Will- 
iam McKinley, 1799; David Kellogg, 1799; Jo- 
seph Darrow, 1799; Jonah Meacham, 1799; 
Jesse Lindley, 1799; Samuel Bishop, 1800; 
David Bishop, 1 800 ; Joseph Bishop, 1800; Lu- 
man Bishop, 1 800 ; George Darrow, 1 800 ; Allen 
Gaylord, 1800; Joel Gaylord, 1801; Heman 
Oviatt, 1801; Stephen Thompson, Sr., 1801; 



-r* 



^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



421 



Abraham Thompson, 1801; Stephen Thomp- 
son, Jr., 1801; Dr. Moses Thompson, 1801; 
John Bridge, 1801; James Newton, 1801; 
George Pease, 1801; Eben Pease, 1801 ; Will- 
iam Leach, 1801; George Kilbourne, 1801; 
Bradford Kellogg, 1801; Amos Lusk, 1801; 
John Oviatt, 1801 ; Eliada Lindley, 1801 ; Will- 
iam Boiighton, 1801; Ezra Wyatt, 1801 ; Aaron 
Norton, 1801; Robert Walker, 1801; John 
Walker, 1801; James Walker, 1801; Robert 
Walker, Jr., 1801; George Walker, 1801; 
Elisha Norton, 1802; George Holcomb, 1802; 
Nathaniel FaiTand, 1803; Robert O'Brien, 
1803; John O'Brien, 1803; Charles Miles, 
1804; Rev. David Bacon, 1804; Henry Post, 
1804; Zina Post, 1804; Jonathan Williams, 
1804; Chi-istian Cackler, Sr., 1804; Owen 
Brown, 1805; Benjamin Whedon, 1805; 
Marmadxike Deacon, 1805; Daniel Johnson, 
1809; William Chamberlain, 1809; William 
Chamberlain, Jr., 1809; Nathaniel Stone, 
1810; Samuel Hollenbeck, 1810; Gad Hol- 
lenbeck, 1810; Joseph Kingsbury, 1810; 
Elisha Ellsworth, 1810; Dr. Jonathan Met- 
calf, 1812; Augustus Baldwin, 1812; Frede- 
rick Baldwin, 1812; Dudley Humphrey, 1812 
Ai-iel Cobb, 1813; Gideon Mills, 1814 
Chauncey Case, 1814; Harvey Baldwin, 1814 
Rev. John Seward, 1814. Most of these per- 
sons came fi'om Litchfield County, Connec- 
ticut, or Ontario County in the State of New 
York. The larger proportion were married, 
and some brought into the country large fami- 
lies, that interman'ied, so that few of the earli- 
est families remained unrelated in this way. 
" David Hudson brought in a family of six 
children — Samuel, Jxa, William, Timothy. 
Milo and Abigail. Ii'a Hudson maiTied Hul- 
dah Oviatt; William mairied Phoebe Hutch- 
inson; Milo married Hannah Rogers; Abigail 
maiTied Birdseye Oviatt. Samuel Bishop had 
a family of five sons and four daughters: 
Timothy man-ied Rebecca Craig; David mai'- 
ried Miss Kennedy; Luman man-ied Rachel 
Gaylord; Reuben died single; Joseph man-ied 
Miss Hollenbeck; one of the girls married 
Stephen Perkins; one, Elijah Nobles; one, 
Samuel Vaile; and one. Gad Hollenbeck. Joel 
Gaylord brought with him thi'ee sons and foiu- 
daughters: John, Daniel, Harvey, Sally, Olive 
and Betsey; Sally Gaylord man-ied William 



Leach; and afterward a John Ford; Olive 
man-ied George Darrow; Betsey man-ied Will- 
iam McKinley; and Nancy man-ied William 
Chamberlain." * 

The little settlement thus dropped in the 
woods, like a pebble in the ocean, seemed lost 
in the vast expanse of wilderness that stretched, 
with interminable proportions, from the front- 
iers of Western New York along the lakes to 
the great West. By the treaty 1785 with the 
savages, the Cuyahoga River was made a pai-t 
of the dividing line between the territories of 
the contracting parties. Eight miles to the 
east of this national boundary, separated from 
the civilized world by hundreds of miles of 
wearisome, hazardous joiu-ney on land or sea, 
were a little handful of resohite men, with their 
wives and children, while on its western bank 
clustered the strongholds of the merciless sav- 
age, whose barbarous warfare had written the 
history of the Northwest in letters of fire and 
blood. None felt the seriousness of the situa- 
tion, and the crushing weight of responsibility 
which it brought, more keenly than the heroic 
founder of this colony. He knew the jealous 
watchfulness with which the natives mai-ked 
the coming of each accession to the white 
colony; the sentiment of reckless indifference 
to the rights of others which possessed that 
class of hunters and ti-appers which hang about 
the outskirts of advanced settlements, and, to 
prevent the contact of these antagonistic ele- 
ments, and to smooth the natural, inevitable as- 
perities of the situation, was his constant cai-e 
from the beginning. He was constantly en- 
gaged in Indian conferences, entertaining them 
at his house and giving them presents, and 
to his upright dealings and judicious manage- 
ment may be credited the hai-monious relations 
and commanding influence of the community 
with the natives. The Seneca, Chippewa and 
Ottawa tribes had villages in the vicinity of 
the Hudson colony, and were fi-equently found 
among the whites on trading or begging expe- 
ditions. Stigwanish, the chief of the Seneca vil- 
lage, was on intimate terms with his new neigh- 
bors, and was a fi-ecjuent and welcome visitor 
at Mr. Hudson's cabin. He was a large, mus- 
cular man, standing straight as an an-ow, 
neai-ly six feet in height, with a stei-n expres- 

*Bemiii;8ceuce8 by Chrijlian Cackler. 



V;' 



^1 



422 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



sion of coiintenaiice and a keen black eye. 
He is represented, by all who knew him here, 
as well disposed toward his white neighbors, 
and npright in his dealings, strongly discomi- 
tenancing anything in his followers which was 
likely to provoke trouble. His peojile had 
corn-fields on the river bottoms near where the 
village of Cnyahoga Falls now stands, which 
they cultivated for years. On one occasion, 
having reason to fear an attack from another 
tribe, he requested his white fi'iends to bnild 
him a fort near the falls of the river, which 
they did, though, happily, it was never needed 
for the pm-pose of defense. Heman Oviatt, 
with a shrewd eye to business, early estab- 
lished a trading- point at his cabin, about a mile 
south of the site of the village. This was a 
place of great attraction to the Indians, who 
gathered here in considerable numbers, ex- 
changing the furs they secured by trapping 
and hiuiting for trinkets of various kinds, 
powder, lead and whisky. The latter was in 
the greatest demand, and a scale of prices, 
according to Christian Cackler's account, was 
established, as follows: Coon-skins, a half-pint 
of whisky; buck-skins, one pint; beai'-skins' 
fom* quarts. Mrs. Oviatt soon acquired their 
language' and gained quite an ascendancy 
over their "untutored minds." Before giving 
them any considerable amount of whisty, she 
was in the habit of demanding their guns, 
tomahawks and knives, which they siUTendered 
to her until they got sober, as they invariably 
got " kok kusi." One of these orgies, as de- 
scribed by Cackler, was as follows: "They 
were of the Ottawa tribe, and there were about 
fifteen or eighteen of them. They were pro- 
vided with a deer-skin suit, like a little boy's 
suit, all whole, but open before, and sui)plied 
with openings for legs and arms. When put 
on, it was tied in fi'ont. It was ornamented 
aroimd the arms and lews with fringe some 
three inches three inches in length, to which 
was attached a vai-iety of animal claws, such 
as those of the tiu'key, coon, deer, bear, etc. 
One would put on this suit, and jump, hop, and 
kick about in a sort of Indian ' Highland 
fling,' while two others furnished the inspira- 
tion by patting and humming. The success 
of the performer seemed to depend upon his 
ability to get the greatest possible amount of 



clatter out of the claws attached to the fringe. 
When tired, he would doff the garment, take 
a diink of the whisky provided, and give place 
to another Terpsichorean artist. In this way, 
each one would try his agilitv, and gradually 
get beastly intoxicated. This they kept up 
two days. Before the proceedings began, 
however, they placed all their weapons in the 
hands of their squaws, who were quiet specta- 
tors of the scene. At the end of two days, all 
save two of the squaws who were assigned to 
the charge of the ])apooses, got di'imk, and 
exhibited all the worst phases of this degrad- 
ing revel." It was hardly to be expected that 
the free use of whisky in this way should 
always result so harmlessly to the general 
interests of the community at large. The 
women and children could never learn to look 
upon the savages with any degree of equanim- 
ity, and the natives were not slow to perceiv(^ 
this. Occasionally, an ill-disposed fellow, 
inflamed by whisky, would frighten a woman 
if he found her unprotected in an isolated 
cabin. On one occasion, a paiiy of Indians 
came to the cabin of Marmaduke Deacon, situ- 
ated where his son now resides, and, finding his 
wife alone with her children, approached her 
in a threatening manner, making some demand 
in their own langiiage. Not able to understand 
their iitterances, she provided them with a gen- 
erous supply of provisions. They still main- 
tained their menacing attitude, when she 
seciu'ed and gave them every cent of money 
there was in the cabin, and, finding them 
still unsatisfied, she left her childi'en and pro- 
ceeded, through the snow, to the cabin of 
O'Brien, who lived some distance away, for 
more to satisfy their demands. She reached 
her destination, but the fright, added to the 
exposm-e, was too much for her feeble strength, 
amd she never left alive, dying of qTiick con- 
sumption in a few weeks. This circumstance 
aroused the revengeful disposition of a certain 
class of the whites, who, known as " Indian 
haters," became Indian slayers whenever occa- 
sion offered the chance of escaping the penalty 
of their acts. Jonathan Williams, who came 
in with Christian Cackler, Sr., in 1804, was 
one of this class. " George Wilson," a son of 
Stigwanish, was a quarrelsome fellow when 
under the influence of liquor, and had several 



1^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



423 



sei'ious misvinderstandiugs with the whites. 
One time, when feeling paiiicnlarly surly, he 
happened at the cabin of " Old Mother New- 
ell," on Paines' road, near the town line. She 
was alone, and, noticing his approach, she 
took the precaution to hi\x the door. Denied 
admittance to the cabin, which had but one 
door, he pnt his gun-baiTel through the open- 
ing between the logs, and satisfied his ugly 
disposition by forcing her, with threats, to 
dance in the middle of the floor till, tired of 
the sport, he went away. He had scai'cely left 
before IVIi's. Newell, on the watch for some 
passer-by, saw Williams coming along the 
trail with his gim on his shoulder, as usual. 
She called him, and related the circumstances. 
Williams waited only to hear the story, and 
pushed on after the Indian. Williams' char- 
acter was not unknown to the natives, and, 
finding him on his trail, Wilson left the road 
and struck tlu'ough the woods hoping to avoid an 
encoimter. Williams gained upon him slowly 
but sm'ely, and, when in vicinity of a piece of 
"honey-comb swamp," taking advantage of a 
moment when the Indian was off his guard, he 
shot and killed him. Drawing his body into this 
piece of swamp, he thiiist it out of sight, send- 
ing, also, the Indian's rifle down with him. The 
mysterious disappearance of Wilson created a 
great commotion among the Senecas, and great 
effort was made to discover the whereabouts of 
his remains and the cause of his final taking- 
off. The Indians suspected what the whites 
did not learn imtil years afterward, and Will- 
iams was obliged ever afterward to be con- 
stantly on his giTard against surprise. It is 
said, on another occasion while hunting while 
there was a light coating of snow on the 
gromid, he lost for awhile his bearings, and 
found himself following his own track in a 
circle. He observed, in coming upon his own 
trail, the track also of a moccasined foot, and, 
with a himter's instinct, recognizing his pur- 
suer, he took to a tree and shot him as he 
came again following the trail. 

By the treaty of 1805, the Indians were 
removed from the near neighborhood of the 
whites, who were rapidly poiunng into this 
country, but they still continued to come back 
in squads to their old haiuits, to trade or hiint. 
In]1806, Stigwanish, with his sons, John Big- 



son, John Amur, his sons-in-law, Nickshaw 
and Wobmimg, and others of their family, 
came to their old camps inDeerfield. During 
their stay, Nickshaw traded his pony with a 
settler by the name of John Diver. The In- 
dian felt aggrieved, and complained to some 
of the leading settlers, and endeavored to trade 
back with Diver, without success. Nickshaw 
felt that he had been cheated, and agreed, with 
Mohawk, to shoot Diver. Until this horse 
trade, there had been the kindliest relations 
existing between the parties, and no fears 
were entertained that the disagreement would 
cause a ruptiu-e. The young men called at 
Daniel Diver's cabin soon afterward, and 
sought to get his brother within their gi-asp 
by strategem, but failed. A little later in the 
same evening, Daniel, in going out to placate 
the Indians, was shot so as to blind him — a 
wound which did not prove mortal — and fled, 
supposing he had killed the one with whom 
they had had the difficulty. A party of set- 
tlers at once started in pursuit. Their camp, 
some three miles distant, was found deserted, 
but, following their trail along the great 
Indian road from the Ohio River to Sandusky, 
they crossed the Cuyahoga River, where Kent 
now stands, and the center road of Hudson, 
about a mile south of the village, thence across 
the Cuyahoga again near the site of Peninsula, 
in Boston Township. The trail entered Hud- 
son on Lot No. 10, and passed within sixty 
rods of Cackler's cabin, and the pursuers, imder 
the lead of Maj. H. Rogers, reached this cabin 
about 1 o'clock in the morning. It was a 
clear, cold night in the latter part of Decem- 
ber of 1800; the moon was shining with pecu- 
liar brightness upon the earth, lightly covered 
with snow, giving the pursuers every facility. 
When they arrived here, however, some of the 
party were nearly frozen, and a nimiber of 
them went no further Rogers got Christian 
Cackler, Sr.,his oldest son and Jonathan Will- 
iams, to accompany him in continuing the 
pursuit. " They went to Hudson, got a new 
I'ecruit, and followed on to near the west part 
of Richfield. Here the Indians had stopi)ed, 
built a Are, stacked their arms, tied their 
ponies, and lain do^vn with their feet to the 
fire. Most of them had pulled off their moc- 
casins. When Rogers and his men saw the 



424 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



fire, they scattered and surrounded the Indians, 
some of whom were in a doze, and some 
asleep. As they were closing up, Nickshaw 
and Mohawk sprang up and ran oif bare- 
footed. They closed in on the rest, and, it 
beginning to be light, Rogers wanted some- 
body to go after Nickshaw, and George Dar- 
row, of Hudson, and Jonathan Williams, vol- 
unteered to go. The Indians' feet began to 
bleed before they got a mile, when they sat 
down on a log, tied pieces of blanket on their 
feet, and then separated. DaiTOw and Will- 
iams followed one of them, who proved to be 
Nickshaw, and whom they overtook in about 
three miles. He looked back, and, seeing 
them, gave a whoop and increased his speed, 
and they after him like hounds after a fox. 
In about a mile they overtook him, and asked 
him to come back, but he would not. Dar- 
rows said he thought he would clinch him; 
but, when he made the attempt, Nickshaw 
would piTt his hand under his blanket as 
though he had a knife. Darrow thought he 
would get a club and knock him down, but 
Mr. Indian could get a club and use it too. 
They got out of patience, and Williams fired 
his gun over Nickshaw's head, to let him know 
what was coming if he did not yield. This 
did not make the desired impression, and Will- 
iams loaded his gun and killed him by a sec- 
ond shot. They placed him under a log, cov- 
ered him with brush and old chiuiks, and 
came back to Hudson."* The whites returned 
with Bigson and his two sons, who were com- 
mitted, by the Justice of Deerfield, to the jail 
at Warren. A squaw belonging to them was 
allowed to escape, and, it is said, perished in 
the snow. The killing of Nickshaw, however, 
it was thoiTght was unwarrantable, and. fearing 
the consequences of such an act if allowed to 
pass unnoticed, David Hudson, Heman Oviatt 
and Owen Brown mounted their horses and 
brought in the body of the dead Indian. The 
matter was brought before the proper legal 
authorities, l^ut the investigation came to a 
lame concliTsion, and finally ended in a "hoe- 
down," where whisky was plenty, and a collec- 
tion of $5 for Williams as a reward for the 
deed. Bigson was finally set at liberty, and 
remained near the settlements for years. 

♦Cackler's Reminiscences. 



The affair occasioned no further trouble, 
although it occasioned considerable uneasiness 
amongst the settlers for a time. The Indians 
either acquiescing in the judgment of the 
whites, or realizing their inability to success- 
fully cope with the settlers, made a virtue of 
necessity and passed it by without notice. 

The year 1806 was a marked one in other 
respects, to both the whites and Indians. A 
full eclipse of the sun occun'ed on 17th of 
June, much to the terror of the untutored sav- 
age, and gi-eatly to the injury of the crops of 
the whites. The Indians were greatly fright- 
ened by the event, and, though it had been in 
some cases foretold by some of the sqviaws 
(how they learned of the fact has never been 
ascertained), it was not believed, and the 
women were executed as witches. When the 
event occurred, therefore, they were greatly 
frightened, and. forming in a circle, and 
marching around in regular order, each one 
fired at the evil spirit that was threatening the 
destruction of the world. Happily for one 
"brave," he discharged his gun just as the 
shadow began to move off, and he was created 
a chief on the spot for his bravery and the 
great service he had performed for the natives. 
The whites, though less affected by the phe- 
nomenon, were hardly less seriously aftected 
by its effects, if the reminiscences of Mr. 
Cackler are to be relied upon. He says: 
" The day of the great eclipse was a beautiful, 
warm day; we were hoeing corn the second 
time, with only shirts and pants on, but, after 
the eclipse was off, the weather was so much 
colder that we had to put on our vests and coats 
to work in. There were frosts every month 
that summer; no corn got ripe, and the next 
spring we had to send to the Ohio River for 
seed-corn to plant. The next summer was the 
hardest time I ever saw. There was no gi-ain 
in the country. My father and Adam Nigh- 
man went to Georgetown, on the Ohio River, 
for flour; they had no money, but took a rifle 
and pledged it for floiu*, and I guess they 
never redeemed it." 

A good rifle was a valuable piece of prop- 
erty to the first settlers. Next to his ax and 
plow, he depended upon it for support in sub- 
duing the wild land in which he reared his 
cabin home. The vast forests abounded with 



~^FU 




9 




Ain^' 




HITDSON TOWNSHIP. 



425 



game, which at first was his principal depend- 
ence for sustenance, and later his greatest an- 
noyance and damage. Elk, the common deer, 
bears, wolves, panthers, with otters, beavers and 
raccoons infested the country and preyed on the 
crops and stock of the early community with 
comparative impunity. Bears came right into 
the settlement, and, seizing a hog, caiTied it, 
struggling and squealing, to the woods, and 
destroyed it before the aroused settlers could 
prevent. Wolves attacked stock, killing calves 
and yearlings, and frequently assailed travel- 
ers, though generally with no serious results. 
Squirrels, raccoons and blackbirds, in their 
attack upon the grain-fields, were hardly less 
troublesome, and all the available children of 
the community wei'e pressed into the service 
of protecting the growing crops from their 
depredations. As the settlement became less 
dependent upon game for food, the disadvan- 
tages of this abundance became more appar- 
ent, and organizations were made, much 
against the wishes of the professional hunter, 
to drive it out of the coimtry. The towTiship 
of Streetsboro, on the east of Hudson, was not 
settled for years after its neighbors, and 
offered a secure retreat for the animals that 
played such havoc upon the stock of the pio- 
neer settlements. The commimities which suf- 
fered most from this state of affairs deter- 
mined, in 1819, to rid themselves of these 
impleasant neighbors. A committee was ap- 
pointed, which marked off thirty or forty acres 
a little south of the center, into which the 
game was to be driven. The settlers of Hud- 
son came in on the west, of Franklin on the 
east, and of Aurora on the north. In d( ascrib- 



ing the hiuit, Cackler, who was an old hunter, 
says : " When the ring closed up, there was the 
gi'eatest sight I ever saw. There were over a 
hundred deer, and a large number of bears 
and wolves. As they ran around the ring, the 
guns cracked like a battle. The deer came 
in great hei'ds, forming a splendid sight with 
their large antlers, and, as they came toward 
the ranks, the hunters made wide gaps and let 
them out, closing in again to keep the bears 
and wolves. When we thought all dead, a 
wounded wolf came limping along a few rods 
from the line, calling out a perfect shower of 
bullets. A Hudson man, with another of the 
band, standing near each other, filled at the 
wolf when he fell dead. Both claimed the 
scalp, which then was worth |7, not a small 
sum for that time, and began a struggle for it 
that ended in a bout of fisticuffs. When 
finally the Hudson man was conquered, the 
wolf's scalp was gone. The proceeds of this 
hunt, when brought together, comprised over 
sixty deer, seven bears and five wolves. A 
large number of the wolves escaped, and many 
of the slaughtered animals were picked up and 
carried off by those who had not joined in the 
hunt, but enjoyed the game. The larger game 
grew rapidly scarce after this. The hunters of 
Hudson frequently went to the region of San- 
dusky Bay, the swamps of the Hui'on and 
Portage Rivers, and seciu'ed furs and plenty 
of game, but the lawlessness of the people who 
congregated at these points, and the dangers 
of lake travel, made it a hazardous rmdertak- 
ing, that scarcely remunerated the hunter for 
his risks and hardships. 



■'v S 



IV 



426 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



CHAPTER XIV.* 

HUDSON TOWNSHIP— CHARACTER OF THE EARLY COMMUNITY— ORGANIZATION— PIONEER INDUS- 
TRIES—VILLAGE OF HUDSON— ITS INCORPORATION AND GROWTH- 
FOUNDING OF CHURCH AND SCHOOL. 



" A'oTi ignara nali, rnineris mccurrere disro.'^ 

THE early community of Hudson was patri- 
archal in its characteristics. It originated 
in the self-sacrificing devotion of its founder; 
its first steps were directed by his judgment, 
and in its maturer years it bears his name and 
the impress of his character. It is difficult to 
imagine the early prosperity of this settlement 
without the material and moral support of Mr. 
Hudson. He is the central figure in all its 
early history, and remained so until his death. 
Coming with ample resources for the prosecu- 
tion of his enterprise, he allowed no desire for 
private ends to swerve him from his chosen 
course. He sought to establish a center of 
civilizing influence ; his was the mission of a 
public benefactor, and the records of that time 
bear ample evidence of his faithfulness. The 
sick and unfortunate found in him a helpful 
friend ; public enterprises were placed beyond 
the danger of failure by his eftbrts ; struggling 
merit never failed for lack of material aid when 
solicited of him, while his old account books, 
bearing the names of every member of the set- 
tlement in those early days, tell many a tale of 
his devotion to his people. In the building-up 
of the influence he sought, Mr. Hudson exer- 
cised his power without the aid of compulsion. 
He laid no restrictions upon the freedom of 
thought or action in the sale of his land. The 
support of church and school was voluntary 
on the part of each one, but his personal in- 
fluence — not an unimportant factor in the issue 
— he put without reserve in favor of these in- 
stitutions, and in the end he wrought success, 
where more exacting methods reaped failure. 
There were two elements here from the first, 
antagonistic to each other in both politics and 
religion, but Mr. Hudson, commanding the re- 
spect of his cotemporaries in years, and the 
reverence of the young, on the principle of the 
resolution of forces, though his influence united 

♦Contributed l.y J. H. Battle. 



them in carrying forward the general principles 
upon which the settlement was founded. There 
was in all this, however, no spirit of asceticism. 
The New England pleasures of the husking- 
bee and apple-paring were added to the West- 
ern logging-bees and spinning matches. 

"When toil remitting lent its turn to play, 
And all the village train, from labor free, 
• Led up their sports." 

Dancing was a common form of amusement. 
There were plenty of violins and many a hard 
day's work in the field and cabin was supple- 
mented by a night's scarceh' less vigorous ex- 
ercise in dancing. The first ball in Cleveland 
was attended from all the surrounding settle- 
ments, and among the rest Hudson sent her 
complement. The occasion was the 4th of July, 
1801, and R. H. Blinn, of Hudson, was one of 
the '' managers." An old chronicle says : " Not- 
withstanding the dancers had a rough puncheon 
floor, and no better beverage to enliven their 
spirits than whisk}' sweetened with maple sugar, 
yet it is doubtful if the anniversary of Ameri- 
can independence was ever celebrated in Cleve- 
land by a more joyful and harmonious compa- 
ny than those who danced the scamper-down 
double-shufile, Western swing, and half-moon 
fort3--six [eight}'] years ago in the log cabin of 
^laj. Carter." The only record we have of the 
observance of this day in Hudson was on July 
4, 1800. There were then just forty-two souls 
in the settlement, the most of whom had come 
in the preceding month. These all sat down 
at a table of elm bark, in the woods on what is 
now a part of the public square, a few rods 
north of the actual center of the township, 
and a very little west of the north-and-south 
road. Their fare may be imagined ; their 
guests were David Hudson, his wife Anna Hud- 
son, their children, Samuel, Ira. William N., 
Milo L., Timothy and Abigail L. Hudson ; 
Thaddeus Lacey, his wife Rosanna Lacey, their 
children, Isaac H., Ann and Susan Lacey ; 



>^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



427 



David Kellogg, his wife Mrs. Kellogg, their 
children, Eleanor, Hiram and an infant ; Sam- 
uel Bishop, his wife, Mrs. Bishop, their chil- 
dren, Ruth, David, Luman, lleuben, Joseph, 
Phoebe, and a maiden sister of Mrs. Bishop, 
Ruth Gajdord ; Elijah Noble, his wife, Anna 
Noble and child, Ira Noble. Those not having 
families at that time, or whose families were 
still in the East, were Joel (laylord, Heman 
Oviatt. Dr. Moses Thompson, Stephen Perkins, 
William Leach, Reuben Parker, George Dar- 
row, Joseph Darrow, Gordon Crandall and John 
Wood. 

The property of the early community was 
very evenl}' distributed, and there were none 
who could be termed wealthy, even by the 
standard of that da}'. A few would be, per- 
haps, accurately placed by that New England 
term of-' fore-handed farmers." The accumula- 
tions of a well-advanced life-time invested in the 
cheap lands of the Reserve made a somewhat 
imposing show, but all were blessed with large 
families, among whom the parents sooner or 
later divided their property, so that there was 
but little difference in the size of their farms. 
All fared on the same food. The woods fur- 
nished freely to all an abundance of game, 
berries, honey and nuts, while none were so 
poor after a few years' residence that he could 
not raise his own pork and snppl}' his own 
table with milk, butter, cheese and flour. The 
most marked difference perhaps was in the su- 
perior comfort of some of the dwellings, and 
the fact that some wore shoes the year round. 
But even this difference brought with it the 
compensating burden of responsibility and risk 
to its possessor. The first, and perhaps the 
most pretentious house in the vilhige was the 
hewed-log cabin built by Mr. Hudson, on Bald- 
win street. This was supplied with glass win- 
dows, and was in its appointments a fitting 
residence for the principal man of the town. 
In 1802, his growing family and his duties of 
hospitality demanded a larger cabin, and he set 
about putting it up, choosing a site a few feet 
east of the first one. This he had completed 
and had moved a few beds and other things into 
it, and being in the middle of " moving " the 
family slept in their new home, the children 
leaving their clothing in the old one. An arbi- 
tration had been held in the old house untd 
quite late at night, and a roaring fire had been 
maintained on the hearth. A short time after 



closing the business and Mr. Hudson had retired 
to bed in the new building, he was aroused b}' the 
flames showing in the chamber of the old cabin. 
The old " cat-and-clay" chimney had proved rec- 
reant to its trust, and the chamber loft had been 
set on fire. Mr. Hudson saved his valuable 
papers, but everything else was lost, including 
a large stock of supplies intended to provide 
for his family and such of the settlers as would 
need them for a full year, and even his chil- 
dren's shoes. His loss was estimated at a 
.f 1,000, and was the more serious from the fact 
that the nearest market was Pittsburgh, which 
could onl}' be reached by traversing miles of 
trackless woods. There were others, like Chris- 
tian Cackler, Jr., who found consolation in that 
traditional old lady's philosophy, '' blessed be 
nothing." On moving from Hudson in 1816, 
•' our furniture," says he, " proved no incon- 
venience ; m}' wife had a bed, I had an ax, I 
added to this by purchase of Zenas Kent three 
white cups and saucers costing 75 cents, three 
knives and forks and a wooden pail. The 
woman who lived with us gave three wooden 
plates, and a kettle to cook our victuals in. 
My wife's father also gave us a table which 
completed our ' set out.' " (In 1870, his prop- 
erty was estimated at $30,000). Such a distinc- 
tion was obviously too slender a foundation 
upon which to build a spirit of caste. Indeed, 
the whole fabric of societ}- rested upon an aris- 
tocracy of labor, and none were so high or so 
low that he did not minister to his necessities 
with his own hands. The fathers of the com- 
munity wrought in the fields with their sons, 
and were not less strong in action than wise 
in counsel. Their endurance is the marvel of 
later generations. 

In 1802, Mr. Hudson was called to Goshen 
on business pertaining to the land which he 
held in company- with ^Ir. Norton. He started 
out on horseback and alone, carrying his pro- 
visions with him. It was in July, and after 
going some fifty miles he found his horse jaded 
by the journey and used up l)y the flies which 
were the scourge of animal life in the new 
country. He accordingly sold his horse, and 
slinging his pack upon his shoulder he pro- 
ceeded on his way on foot. On reaching the 
Cattaraugus Creek, which was considerably 
swollen with rains, and finding no one there to 
aid him. he determined to cross on his own ac- 
count. It was not far fi'om its mouth and the 



V 



428 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



current was dangerously rapid, but taking an 
old hall-rotten sled that chanced to be near, he 
launched out for the other shore. Unfortunately 
he had miscalculated the force of the current 
and he found himself borne rapidly toward the 
open lake. To proceed far in this way meant 
death, and taking advantage of the course of 
the current he leaped from his raft upon a 
shifting sandbank which the current was piling 
up near the bank and after severe effort secured 
firm ground on the same side of the stream 
from which he had started, a wet but wiser 
man. Going some distance up the stream, he 
forded it in safety, continued his journey to 
Bloomfield, in New York, where he bought a 
horse and completed his journey and back to 
the settlement in safet}'. This was the exploit 
of a man over forty years of age. 

The matrons were of a not less hardy race, 
and are no less a marvel to the women of these 
•'degenerate days." " Carpets, or even painted 
floors, were not then found even in the houses 
of comparativel}" well-to-do families, but the 
floors were kept scoured to a snowy whiteness, 
and in the best rooms were neatly sanded and 
then marked into fantastic figures. Crockery, 
or queensware, as it was then called, was too 
expensive for the tables of the yeomanry, and 
the dresser was supplied with pewter platters, 
which must be kept polished to a silvery white- 
ness. The thrifty housewife kept her deal ta- 
bles and benches and unpainted doors washed 
to immaculate cleanness. The towels, table- 
linen, bed-linen, and most of the summer 
clothing of the family were the products of 
home industry. The mothers and daughters 
hatcheled the flax, at a small wheel spun the 
thread, and afterward their hands threw the 
shuttle that formed the durable fabrics, the re- 
mains of which are held as heir-looms by the 
descendants of the old families, and proudly- 
shown as proofs of the handiwork of hands 
long since laid to rest. Spinning, knitting and 
weaving linen, and braiding straw hats and 
bonnets, were a large part of the regular work 
of the winter. Bleaching, cutting, making and 
fashioning these ready for use was spring work. 
Then came cleansing, picking and carding the 
wool into bats ready for spinning on the large 
wheel. The yarn was woven into blankets 
for bedding. Some was made into checked 
flannel for aprons and dresses for the women, 
and died red for the children's dresses. Part 



of the flannel was fulled for clothing for the 
men and boj's. Then there must be many 
skeins of yarn of divers shades and colors for 
the hose and mittens and comforters of all. 
Knitting occupied the evenings of the grand- 
mother and daughters in the family of the 
olden time, and she was considered a poor 
knitter who could not show a well-shaped sock 
or a double mitten as the result of a winter 
evening's work. Summer gloves or mitts were 
made of linen thread with a hook similar to 
the modern crochet needle. Nor were these 
branches of home industry confined to the 
families of farmers. No woman was held of 
much account whose hands- laid not hold of the 
spindle and distaflT, and who looked not well to 
the ways of her household, or could even be 
suspected of eating the bread of idleness. 
The strength of these women Avas equal to 
their da}^, and their work did not hurry them 
so that they could not occasionally make and 
receive visits of half a day with neighbors and 
friends. They were able to attend two long 
services in church on the Sabbath, and to 
stand through the longest prayer that was ever 
oftered."* There was present in the earl}^ so- 
ciety not only the plain virtue of helpfulness, 
but there were some homes that without losing 
this, foreshadowed the culture which to-day is 
Hudson's crown of glory. 

The fathers of the colony were not men of 
learning or of courtly demeanor. With tastes 
formed by the experiences of New England 
farm life, and the echoes of that controversial 
conflict which was characterized more by the 
power exhibited than b}* the culture of the 
combatants, their intellectual tastes preferred 
"sound common sense" to the elegant ac- 
complishments. But they brought with them 
an earnest appreciation of and desire for edu- 
cational advantages, which attracted those 
like-minded, and early cast over the commu- 
nity here an air of culture that vvas to be found 
nowhere else on the Reserve. By the permis- 
sion of Miss Emily Metcalf, we are permitted to 
look in upon one of these early homes, which 
she has sketched with such a " tender grace." 
Mrs. Metcalf came to Hudson in 1814. "The 
first ten years of her married life were spent 
in a house of hewed logs, its four rooms neatly 
hung with newspapers ; an article only procured 

*Meinoirof Mra. Liioy D- Blown, widow uf Harm >n Hinslale 
auU Oweu Biown. 



"^ 



=^]^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



429 



in sufficient numbers through the generosity 
of her ministerial friends and her legal friend, 
Judge Parkmau. Its windows were of glass 
instead of oiled paper, which ranked the ap- 
pointments of the house as decidedly superior, 
nor was it wanting in a certain air of refine- 
ment, which could not be absent from a house 
of which she was mistress. The house stood 
near the woods, a mile from the nearest neigh- 
bor. Wild animals from the forest often vent- 
ured near, and Indians frequently- called to 
light the pipe and beg a mug of cider. Her 
husband's ride in the practice of medicine was 
over sevei'al contiguous counties. * * * 
At such times the wife, left alone with her 
small children, had no diversion from intense 
solicitude except in reading ; and, in the scar- 
city of books and papers of general interest, 
she resorted to her husband's medical library 
In the long nights, when anxiety forbade sleep 
to the defenseless wife and motiier, these med- 
ical works were read and re-read, until, without 
aiming at such acquisition, she had gained a 
very creditable knowledge of medicine, which 
became of great value to her, both in rearing 
her own family, and in kindly offices for 
the sick in other families, when her services 
were ever esteemed above price." Mrs. Met- 
calf, before her marriage, had pursued a course 
of stud}' in the academy at Westfield, Mass. 
Here her fine mental powers, stimulated by 
that unquenchable thirst for knowledge which 
characterized her whole life, ranked her high 
in every department of study. Especially 
did the artistic chord in her nature respond re- 
joicingly to the aesthetic culture of the school, 
and, after a period of nearly sixty years (1870), 
she leaves as heirlooms several paintings and 
pieces of finest ornamental needle-work, exe- 
cuted by herself at chat time."* 

Dr. Jonathan Metcalf came to Hudson in 
1812. After a long tour of inspection on 
horseback, he came to Aurora, and was about 
to leave for Pittsburgh, when he was met by 
David Hudson, who persuaded him to visit the 
Hudson settlement. The place pleased him, 
and he took up his abode with Mr. Hudson on 
the 6th of June. Two weeks later, the little 
community was startled by the intelligence 
that war had been declared with Great Britain. 
The militia which had been formed a few years 
previous were ordered out. A company formed 

* Memoir of Abigail L. Metcalf. 



from Hudson and the several adjoining town- 
ships, had its headquarters here, and was under 
the command of Amos Lusk as Captain. A 
good deal of uneasiness prevailed in this front- 
ier settlement, although there seemed no 
necessity for any public measure of safety save 
to remain constantly on the alert. Late one 
Saturday evening in August, a messenger from 
Newburg entered Mr. Hudson's house, bringing 
the news of Hull's surrender, and the further 
rumor that the British and Indians in great 
numbers were making their way down the lake 
in flatboats. 

The whole communit}- was thrown at once 
into a fever of excitement. Preparations 
were made for placing the women and chil- 
dren in a place of safet}-, and the company- 
of militia was summoned to their place of 
rendezvous. On the Sabbath moi'ning follow- 
ing, Capt. Lusk paraded his compan}' on the 
green, prepared to act upon the first informa- 
tion or order, when a messenger from the Com- 
mittee of Public Safet}- at Cleveland announced 
that the forces approaching were the paroled 
troops of Gen. Hull. At this juncture, Capt. 
Lusk called for a volunteer to carry the news 
to Warren, to which Dr. Metcalf responded, as 
he was provided with a good riding horse. 
•' There was then only a bridle path by marked 
trees to Warren, and no bridges across the 
streams, and he was an entire stranger to the 
country. He left Hudson about 11 o'clock 
with a letter of introduction from Capt. Lusk 
to Col. Edwards, of Warren, and rode forty 
miles on a sultry August da}-, swimming the 
Mahoning River two or three times, the water 
coming nearly to the seat of the saddle. He 
reached Warren about dark, found Col. Ed- 
wards at the house of Gen. Perkins, delivered 
his communication, and was invited to stay all 
night at the house of the former. In the morn- 
ing he found an Eastern acquaintance who was 
trading in Warren, who informed him that 
Col. Cotgrave, who was then encamped with his 
regiment on the common, under marching 
orders, had raised a great excitement the pi'e- 
ceding night. It was alleged that Metcalf was 
a British officer in disguise, and had brought 
the message to delay the marching of the regi- 
ment and gain time for the British. It was 
intimated, moreoxer, that if lie had not enjoyed 
the protection of Col. Kdwards, his life would 
probably have been sacrificed by the excited 



-^ V 



430 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



soldiers."* Fortunately, the excitement was 
allayed by morning, and Mr. Metcalf returned 
to Hudson in safety. Capt. Lusk's compan}- 
was ordered a little later to old Portage under 
Gen. Wadsworth's command, and afterward to 
Huron and Sandusky, being out some three 
months, but saw no active service. While in 
the service. Dr. Metcalf accompanied them as 
Surgeon in charge. These troops were armed 
with such weapons as each man owned, and 
something of their effectiveness may be learned 
from an incident that occurred at old Portage. 
A compan}' of some twenty men practicing in 
firing b}' platoons found only one gun that did 
not miss fire at the first shot. The peace 
establishment after the war was entered into 
with enthusiasm by the Hudson people. A 
company of '' light infantry " was organized, 
which was the pride of the colony and the env^- 
of the regular militia at general musters in 
Ravenna. 

The political organization of Hudson was very 
early. The settlement here was, at that time, the 
largest on the Reserve, and the townships of 
Stow, Boston, Twinsburg, Aurora and Mantua 
were attached to it for township purposes. It 
has been agreed among the original proprietors 
that the township should be named after its 
founder, and, in 1802, the Commissioners of 
Trumbull County, sitting at Warren, the county 
seat, organized this territory with the name of 
Hudson. On the 5th of April following, twenty 
electors gathered at the cabin of David Hud- 
son, and elected Thaddeus Lacey, Township 
Clerk ; Heman Oviatt, Ebenezer Sheldon and 
Abraham Thompson, Trustees ; Elias Harmon 
and Samuel liishop, Poormasters ; Aaron Nor- 
ton, John Oviatt and Jotham Atwater, Fence 
Viewers ; Joel (xaylord and Elias Harmon, x\p- 
praisers of Houses ; George Kilbourne, Moses 
Pond and Moses Thompson, Supervisors of 
Highways ; Ebenezer Lister, Aaron Norton and 
Rufus Edwards, Constables. Of the election, 
Mr. Hudson was Chairman, and the voters were 
D. Hudson, J. Darrow, G. Darrow, Dr. Thomp- 
son, T. Lacey, William McKinley, A. Norton, 
H. Oviatt, P]. Sheldon (of Aurora), E. Nobles, 
S. Bishop, J. Gaylord, A. Thompson, Deacon S. 
Thompson. Robert Walker (of Stow), Elias 
Harmon (of Mantua), Jotham Atwater, Moses 
Pond, Rufus Edwards and George Kilbourne. 
In J 801, Gov. St. Clair Appointed Mr. Hudson, 

* MSS. of Misb) Emily Metcalf. 



Justice of the l^eace, and his first official act 
beai's date of March 21, 1801, with the follow- 
ing entry on his docket : '• Issued a writ of 
arrest in favor of Thaddeus Lacey against 
Thomas and Daniel Judd, to balance book ac- 
counts ; said Lace}' having made oath that, 
in his opinion, he is in danger of losing the 
debt due him from said Judds." It is proba- 
ble, that in his opinion he was mistaken, for 
there is no further entries upon that subject, or, 
in fact, in that year. His official services were 
called into requisition, however, during the lat- 
ter part of that year, but hardly in a way to 
call for a docket entry. This was on the occa- 
sion of the marriage of George Darrow to Miss 
Olive Gaylord, which he legalized on the 11th 
of October, 1801. On the 5th of November 
following, he performed the same functions for 
Stephen Perkins and Miss Ruth Bishop, all of 
Hudson. These marriages were before pro- 
vision had been made to record such events, 
and they are found noted upon the fly-leaf of 
an old land record book in the Recorder's 
office at Warren. In the first case, Mr. Hud- 
son is said to have been considerably embar- 
rassed, and was obliged to correct himself re- 
peatedl}' before he could satisfy himself that 
he had discharged his duty in the premises. 
The lady in the case did not exhibit so much 
trepidation, and showed her housewifely care, 
by dropping the hand of the groom at a criti- 
cal point, and proceeding across the room re- 
moved a "thief" that was "guttering" the 
candle. On resuming her position, the cere- 
monies went on. The story is told of her, that 
a little later, when the first census taker called 
on her with his usual bundle of interrogations, 
her only response was, " George and I live 
here," and with this the enumerator was forced 
to satisfy himself The year previous, a log 
schoolhouse had been erected, and this served 
for 3^ears in the threefold capacity of meeting, 
town and school house. The early records are 
in an excellent state of preservation, but they 
present nothing of any interest to the present 
generation. There was very little parade made 
by the governing powers, and, save the record- 
ing of " ear-marks," and noting the proceedings 
of each " annual meeting," there was no call 
for records. The April election was an impor- 
tant event, however, in the township, and was 
scrupulously attended by the male -i^ortion of 
the community. The business was generally 



^1 



1^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



431 



opened with prayer, and the day spent as a 
holiday. After surveying the whole township 
into one hundred lots, following the plan of 
New England villages, the proprietors laid out 
a public square on the geographical center of 
the township. This consisted of two acres in a 
square form, taken equally from the converg- 
ing corners of Lots Nos. -45, 55, 56 and 46. 
There was, then, according to the record, " laid 
out to the proprietors of said town of Hudson, 
of mechanic lots, each lot containing two and a 
half acres, being 5.00 square, bounded south 
on the east and west center line ; west on Lot 
No. 54 ; north on the remaining part of David 
Hudson's Lot No. 55 ; east on the public green ; 
said lots taken off 5.00 wide from the south side 
of said Hudson's Lot, No. 55. Also seven me- 
chanic lots laid off from the south side of Lot 
No. 56 ; bounded west on the public green ; north 
on the remaining pai't of said Hudson's Lot 
No. 56 ; east on Lot No. 57 ; south on east and 
west center line ; each lot containing two and 
one-half acres, being 5.00 square. Also seven 
mechanic lots taken from the north side of Lot 
No. 46 ; bounded west on the public green ; 
north on the east aud-west center line ; east on 
Lot No. 47 ; south the remaining part of Lot 
No. 46 ; the above said mechanic lots divided 
by posts and lines at 5.00 distance. Thaddeus 
Lacey, surveyor ; David Hudson, agent for 
proprietors." The earliest road which opened 
this settlement to the outside world was that 
one leading to the boat landing in Boston 
on the Cuyahoga. This was the only outlet, 
and was used for several years. In 1802, Ed- 
ward Payne laid out what is known under the 
various titles of Aurora road, Payne road or 
Old State road, from Painesville to Chillicothe, 
then the capital of the State. This passed 
tlirough Kirtland, Chester, Bainbridge, Aurora, 
Hudson, etc. It entered the latter township 
where the Aurora road does, and followed its 
course until it struck the village, when it changed 
its course and followed the center road south, 
about a mile from the village, where it branched 
off to the southwest, touching a little later Cuy- 
ahoga Falls and then on to old Portage. About 
the same time, or perhaps a little earlier, the 
road from Cleveland to Canton passed through 
Hudson on the north-and-south center road, 
which is yet known as the Cleveland road. It 
was in this year also (1802) that Mr. Hudson, 
at the request of Capt. Olmsted, the proprietor 



of Franklin Township, laid out the Ravenna 
road. The work was set on foot by petition to 
the Commissioners in February, and it was the 
last of December before he was ready to build 
a bridge where the road crossed the Cu3'ahoga 
River. On the 31st of December, he secured 
nine volunteers — S. Bishop, E. Lindley, W. Mc- 
Kinley, A. Thompson, H. Oviatt, M. Parker, G. 
Darrow, W. Leach and T. Lacey, to accompany 
him to construct a bridge across the " Narrows," 
near the scene of Brady's leap. This was no 
slight undertaking, poorly provided as they 
were with tools and machinery. A tree stand- 
ing on the bank near at hand was first felled 
across the stream, and with this start, aided by 
three yoke of cattle and some volunteex-s from 
Ravenna, the structure was completed in two 
days, and was the first bridge constructed in 
this vicinity. The men took their provisions with 
them, camping out until their work was accom- 
plished, and though each one thought he was 
contributing his labor, Mr. Hudson secured them 
pay at 50 cents per day. The general line of this 
road is still marked by Ravenna street and its ex- 
tension. Some years afterward, the east-and- 
west center road was extended to Warren. The 
town thus early made accessible, took on a 
vigorous growth. The road thus laid out 
brought considerable through travel to Hudson, 
which could not fail to build up its business in- 
terests. A stage route was established from 
Cleveland to Pittsburgh as early as 1 825, pass- 
ing through Hudson. Jabez Gilbert was the 
earliest of a long line of stage-drivers who are 
remembered by the older residents of the place. 
He drove at first a two-horse vehicle, which 
with the increase of business was exchanged 
for one drawn by the regular four-in-hand, with 
frequentl}' a half-dozen '• extras " following it. 
The great drawback to this enterprise here as 
elsewhere, was the almost impassible condition 
of the roads during the inclement seasons. 
These were often in places too muddy to travel 
at all, and it was a common occurrence for 
teams passing on the Aurora road to make a 
detour on the high ground that is found to the 
noi'th of it. 

The first mill in this part of the country was 
at Newburg, which was erected by W. W. Will- 
iams in 1800. The Hudson colonists brought 
considerable fiour with them, and were forced 
occasionally to go to considerable distances to 
renew the supply before the}' secured a harvest, 



f* 



433 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Dr. Thompson going at one time to George- 
town on the Ohio River, a distance of eighth- 
miles. The first harvest was derived from tlie 
nine acres which Mr. Hudson had sown in 1799. 
The yield was 183 bushels, one-foui'th of which 
Lace}' got for harvesting and threshing. The 
balance was apportioned among the pi'oprietors 
as follows : " Birdseye Norton, one-half and 
one-half a quarter, 85.25 bushels ; Hudson, one- 
quarter, 34.10 bushels; Oviatt, Parmele and 
Baldwin, one-eight, 17.5 bushels." The wheat 
was all used in the colonj-, however, and what 
was not lost was ground at the Newburg mill. 
" To go to mill " was a three days' task ; two 
consumed on the journey of twenty miles and 
return, and one in waiting for the grist. The 
first load of wheat was taken to mill by Samuel 
Bishop, in February, 1801, under a bargain of 
receiving one-half for his trouble. He was 
obliged to set out shortl}- after a rain, and 
arriving at Tinker's Creek he found the stream 
considerably swollen bj' the rainfall. He ven- 
tui-ed to cross, however, but found the current 
too strong for him, and he got back to shore, 
losing his entire load of wheat, and barel^' sav- 
ing his oxen and sled. At another time Dr. 
Thompson and William Leach undertook the 
task of going to the same mill in the spring of 
the year. They had three yoke of oxen and a 
cart. The river was high and the current 
strong, but they urged their team across. The 
lead cattle soon began to swim, then the second 
yoke, and soon the third yoke and cart. For- 
tunately the first yoke had b}- this time gained 
their footing and enabled the others to succes- 
sivel}- come to the shallower water. But the cart 
swinging down stream with the current, and 
not being a seaworthy craft, lost its load of 
wheat, and barely caiTied the drivers through 
in safety. The Doctor was not thus brought 
to the end of his resources. He bought some 
wheat for which he gave his note, got it ground, 
and returned with his flour to find the stream 
lower and fordable. It was not possible for all 
to go to this expense for flour. Corn was sub- 
stituted for wheat and smashed in wooden 
mortars, i. e., a stump with a hole burned in it 
with a long wooden pestle attached to a spring- 
pole. More of it was prepared on what was 
called " blood mills," a tin grater made by 
punching holes in a piece of old tin, then giv- 
ing it a curve and nailing it to a piece of board. 
The community was placed under such disad- 



vantages but a short time. In preparing for 
the settlement, Mr. Hudson had not forgotten 
this important feature of frontier life, and in 
his first bills of articles, mill-stones were prom- 
inent items. But who put up the first mill in 
Hudson is as variously claimed as the killing 
of " Cock Robin." In 1801, Ezra Wyatt and 
Aaron Norton commenced building mills on 
Tinker's Creek, in the northeast part of this 
township. From evidence gathered from the 
account-books of Mr. Hudson, though not clear, 
it is made probable that Mr. Wyatt began this 
undertaking alone, encouraged and assisted by 
Mr. Hudson. An entry without date is as fol- 
lows : '' Have been at the expense of furnishing 
all W3'att's provisions and laborers, and all 
things necessaiy to build one-half of the mills, 
and to take my payment in boards one, two, 
three and four 3ears hence, without intei'est. 
Also I have engaged to make him a free gift of 
100 acres of land to encourage him to go on 
with the mills after the discovery of quicksand." 
Notwithstanding this liberal subsid}', Mr. W^'att 
became tired of his undertaking, and Mr. Nor- 
ton took his place, the former going to Cleve- 
land. The saw-mill was completed for busi- 
ness that fall, and the grist-mill so that it would 
grind, but not bolt, in the spring of 1802, not 
far from the 18th of April. A distillery was 
started in connection with the mills soon after- 
ward, and the whole business run in the name 
of Hudson & Norton. It stood but a year or 
two, when the whole establishment was de- 
stroyed by fire in the latter part of 1803. Nor- 
ton, in 1806, built mills on Mud Brook in 
Northampton, and two years later built others 
in Middlebury. Deacon Thompson built a saw- 
mill immediatelj- after the destruction of the 
Norton mill, on the site of the present Holmes 
mill. This stood until it rotted down, and was 
then replaced by Augustus Baldwin, and sub- 
sequently two others were built upon the same 
site. Joel Gaylord also erected a mill not far 
from the same time that Deacon Thompson put 
up his, which was replaced b}- George Leach, 
who at difi'erent times built two other mills on 
Breakneck Creek. The coming of Owen Brown 
in 1805, introduced another industry that was 
second only to the mills in its usefulness to the 
new settlement. He was a tanner by trade, 
and at once set about preparing to ply his trade 
here. He sank his vats a little west of the vil- 
lage, and made a good market for such skins 



^' 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



433 



as the settlers derived from the game. A few 
3-ears afterward, he and his son John, known 
better to fame in Uxter 3'ears through his aggres- 
sive opposition to the slave-power, started 
another northwest of the village near where 
Morris Johnson now lives. Greorge Kilbourne 
essa^yed the same business about a mile and a 
half south of the town on the Center road. It was 
not a very extensive affair ; vats were sunk and 
a well dug, and some sheds erected, but no 
great amount of business was done. The well 
and the signs of the vats still mark the spot. 
Some time afterward, Asahel Kilbourne started 
a tannery on the run which passes Sherman 
Thompson's house, choosing a site just across 
where the railroad now runs. This was a more 
vigorous institution, and continued for some 
years. The most successful business in this 
line, however, was probably done bj' William 
Dobbs. He came here from Canton, and, pur- 
chasing the Brown tannery, extended the trade, 
and carried it on until the development of the 
country grew beyond his reach, and the busi- 
ness passed into the category of lost arts in this 
community. Another branch of the manufact- 
uring business, which subserved an excellent 
purpose in those pioneer times was an asher}*, 
established, and conducted by Hillis & James, 
early merchants in Hudson. Here the ashes 
of the settler's hearth and log-heaps were con- 
verted into " potash, pearl-ash and black salts," 
and made to serve him again in its new form. 

The social customs of the time, and the only 
avenue of foreign trade, made the distilling of 
liquor an early and profitable business. Oviatt, 
who commenced trading with Indians as early 
as 1801, found whisky not onh- a legal tender 
for whatever he cared to bu}-, but a commodity 
in ver}' lively demand by the natives. He 
built a distillery on the stream near Sherman 
Thompson's residence, but probably not until 
the Hudson & Norton distiller}' had burned 
down. This he continued for some 3'eai-s, but 
the sale of it to the Indians was forbidden b}' 
the Government, and he finally abandoned it, 
though it had proved very profitable to him. 
George Darrow erected another about 1815, 
where the Eagle Cheese Factory now stands, 
and manufactured rye and corn whisky for 
years, selling it at his place of business to such 
as wanted it. There was an abundant demand 
for it for 3'ears after the Indians had generallj^ 
removed. Whisky was found ever\'where in 



the earl}' society, and none were "Puritanic" 
enough in their sentiments to object to its use. 
At the stores the customer found it "on tap," to 
use free of expense ; ever}' social gathering was 
enlivened by its presence and use ; and even 
preachers and people drew nearer each other in a 
social glass. The good judgment of people was 
not blinded to the evil which was growing up in 
the shadow of this social custom, and a move- 
ment to curtail its use was begun by those who 
had used it freely for years. It began to be re- 
fused at house-raisings, perhaps, as early as 1820 
or 1825, to the no small opposition of a consid- 
erable portion of the community. At one of 
these temperance raisings, it is said, the two 
elements of society met, and the opposition re- 
fused to let the building go up. They held on to 
the frame-work, until, by the redoubled efforts 
of the temperance men, who were in a major- 
ity, they were lifted off the ground and the 
structure went up. In 1828 or 1830, the barn 
of Dr. Everett was raised without whisky and 
without opposition, the opposition staying 
away entirely An incident is related of Rev. 
Randolph Stone which illustrates how strongly 
the habitual use of liquor had become fixed in 
the social intercourse of the time. Mr. Stone 
had taken a very pronounced position in favor 
of temperance, going to the extent of advising 
that all apple-trees should be destroyed to pre- 
vent the manufacture of cider. Soon after tak- 
ing this position, he took some students to 
board that had come to attend the Western Re- 
serve College, then just opened, and placed 
upon the table for their use, some " whisky and 
fennel," of which, however, he did not partake. 
This was probably from the force of habit and 
the desire to avoid the appearance of discourt- 
esy, but was very soon abandoned. 

The early years of the township did not de- 
mand a hotel to dispense its hospitality. Each 
pioneer entertained strangers as often without 
pecuniary remuneration as with it. But as the 
town grew in proportion and the through lines 
of travel wei'e established through the place, 
there was a demand for an inn. Heman Oviatt 
first provided such entertainment at his cabin, 
a mile south of the village, but, about 1813, he 
preferred to confine his attention to the more 
lucrative business of trade, and persuaded Mr. 
Hudson to open his house to the public in this 
way, and this was perhaps the first regular inn 
in the village. This was at the house where 



i) rj, 



iJ' 



434 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Mrs. Harvey Baldwin now resides. Mrs. Bald- 
win, when a girl, often presided at the bar, and 
the fare dispensed in those days may be in- 
ferred from the fact that on one occasion the 
whole female force of the family was occupied 
the whole day in baking '• corn pones" for the 
consumption of their guests. In 1816 or 
thereabouts, George Kilbourne oflered " enter- 
tainment for man and beast ' where Justin 
Kilbourne now lives ; some years afterward — 
about 1825 — Augustus Baldwin opened a hotel 
in the house where Mrs. Buss at present resides, 
and another was kept b}- George Darrow at the 
present residence of William Darrow. The 
"Mansion House," the only survivor of this 
race of public benefactors, was built in 1830, 
for Samuel Edgerly. It was afterward put into 
a lottery by Mr. Hertzell and disposed of, but 
who the fortunate possessor of the ticket was 
is not revealed. A long line of hosts have en- 
tertained the public here, among whose names 
appear those of Edgerly, Hertzell, Shields, 
Wadham and Boutou, the present host. In the 
palmy days of the stage business, the Mansion 
House was a place of consequence, and at- 
tracted a large ci'owd of patrons of the stage 
and idle lookers-on, which of late years has 
been transferred to the railway' station. 

Business beginnings found their start with 
Heman Oviatt a mile south of the center of 
the township. His trade was at first confined 
chiefly to the Indians, who, so long as they re- 
mained, were his most valuable customers. 
When he had accumulated skins enough to make 
two good-sized bales, he would load them on a 
horse across a pack-saddle, and take them to 
Pittsburgh, which was his nearest market. His 
return load was made up of shawls, blankets, 
powder, lead and whisk}-. The latter he soon 
made himself and avoided transportation, and 
gradually worked into the sale of commodities 
to the settlers. About 1800, he came to the 
" Center " and opened up his business, more 
especially for the patronage of the settlement oc- 
cupying the front room of the Grosvenor House 
in later years. He was a keen business man, 
requiring the last cent in a bargain, but just as 
ready to pay it when he agreed to do so. A 
story is told of him which illustrates the for- 
mer characteristic of his dealings. In the course 
of some dealing with a member of the settle- 
ment he had taken a note for .fl.Ol, which was 
nothing unusual in those days of fractional 



cents and petty dealings. A short time after- 
ward, the drawer of the note handed Oviatt $1 
which he accepted with some hesitation, and, 
after some cogitation, said, '' I suppose you 
want this indorsed on your note, don't you, 
John ? " He was alwa3's on the alert for a safe 
business venture, and, in the fall of 1815, he 
put in $1,000 into a partnership with Zenas 
Kent, the latter furnishing $500 more and set- 
ting up a store in Ravenna, which proved a 
" paying " business. He was a partner with 
Alison Kent in Canfield and with Roswell Kent 
in Middlebury. He retired from business about 
1825, and is remembered as a close bargainer, 
strictly honest and successful in business. In 
1812, the business circle of Hudson received a 
valuable accession in the Baldwin brothers. 
Pomeroy Baldwin, after the death of his father, 
came to Hudson in 1811, to look after the prop- 
erty the family owned here. He remained but 
a short time, and returned to his home in 
Goshen in company with Mr. Hudson. The 
journey was made in a " pung " sleigh, with 
conveniently shaped roots as runners. In the 
following year, Augustus and Frederick came 
to Hudson, arriving on the 12th of June, bring- 
ing with them Dudley Humphrej', who had 
shipped a lot of boots and shoes as a specula- 
tion. The Baldwins proposed to open up a 
business in dry goods, and all the goods were 
shipped from Buffalo, whither the}- had brought 
them with two teams. Seventeen daj'S were 
consumed in reaching Buffalo from Goshen. 
The distance from the former place to Cat- 
taraugus Creek, thirty-two miles, was accom- 
plished in a single day, w^hich was con- 
sidered a remarkable event. Their store was 
built near the site of C. H. Buss' present store, 
and, in 1827, the}- put up that building. The 
character of the early trade may be imagined ; 
cotton cloth, three-quarters of a yard wide, sold 
for 50 cents ; 75 cents for the yard-wide cloth. 
At that rate, it took three days' work to buy a 
shirt. The Baldwins built Mechanics' Hall 
about 1830. This was a frame building, placed 
in the rear of where Buss' store now stands, 
and, in accordance with the original plan of the 
founders of the town, was occupied by tiie me- 
chanics of the place. Here was the shop of the 
shoe-maker, the tailor and cabinet-maker, " to 
their majesties," tlie popular sovereigns of Hud- 
son. This formal arrangement did not last 
long, and each workman was soon found where 



■k* 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



435 



inclination or favoi-able circumstances suggested 
to him. Before this, the tanners were shoe and 
harness makers as well, and it was the custom 
to " cat whip it " throughout the community, 
{. e., the workman went to each family with his 
kit of tools, and worked up the leather which 
each provident citizen provided for the family, 
shoes and such harness as he needed. Among 
the early blacksmiths were Treat (who after- 
ward went to Aurora), Ruggles, Perley Mansur, 
and Hinsdale who came here in 1814. The 
Baldwin brothers changed the members of the 
firm several times, one brother and another re- 
tiring until they were succeeded by J. H. Ci'aw- 
ford & Co., who gave wa}' to Hillis & James, 
whom Mr. Buss followed in occupying the store. 
Mr. Augustus Baldwin went to Franklin Mills 
in 1836, to engage in the banking business, and 
his brother Frederick to farming in Hudson. 

In 1830, A. A. Brewster came from Ravenna 
and opened a store in a building which has 
since beeu enlarged and used by Mr. Farvvell as 
a blacksmith-shop. Soon afterward he moved 
into a building on the corner of Main and Au- 
rora sti'eets, where the present brick building 
was erected. Mr. Brewster first began business 
here in partnership with Zenas Kent, of Ra- 
venna, the latter being represented solely by his 
capital. Mr. Kent came to Hudson in the 
spring of 1814, and settled on Darrow street. 
He came, it is said, with his wife, in a one- 
horse peddling wagon, bringing in some goods. 
He worked the first summer at the carpenter's 
trade, and in the winter taught school. In the 
following fall he went to Ravenna and opened 
up business with Oviatt, where he amassed con- 
siderable property, buying out his partner and 
conducting the business alone for years. In 
1833, he reciprocated the interest of Oviatt, 
and induced Mr. Brewster to come to Hudson 
under a similar arrangement. The latter pur- 
chased Mr. Kent's interest, and, in 1855, ad- 
mitted D. D. Beebe as partner, who eventually 
succeeded to full control and still conducts the 
business. About the same time with the com- 
ing of Kent & Brewster came Hamlin & Dawes, 
which changed later to firm name of Hamlin & 
Ellsworth, and then to Ellsworth & Buss, and, 
finally, to John Buss alone. Mr. Buss came to 
Hudson in 1833, to attend college, but, his health 
failing, he went South. Returning, he entered 
the store of Kent & Brewster, and, about 1841, 
entered into business with Ellsworth in the 



present old bakery building. While here the 
firm changed to Buss & Bond ; and, in 1845, Mr. 
Buss bought the store where his son, C. H. 
Buss, succeeded him in the business, which he 
still continues. The only attempt at banking 
in Hudson was by Mr. Brewster, who furnished 
facilities for collection and discount of commer- 
cial paper in connection with his dry goods 
business. He continued it only a few years. 

Up to 1851, Hudson's only means of commu- 
nication with tlie outside world was such as the 
dirt roads afforded, and these for a large part of 
the year were nearly impassable for light ve- 
hicles, not to mention heav3'-ladened wagons. 
Yet, in spite of these disadvantages incident to 
an inland town, the village gradually increased 
in size and importance, and the projected rail- 
road from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, which was 
agitated some time previous to 1851, did much 
to increase its prosperity. The first charter 
granted for this I'oad expired by limitation, be- 
cause it was not used ; but, in 1846, it was re- 
newed. The people of Hudson took a great 
interest in this movement, and subscriptions 
were made to the extent of the people's ability. 
Judge Sylvester H. Thompson being one of the 
commissioners appointed ou behalf of the State. 
In 1850, the road was finished to this place, and 
the people and the members of the Legislature 
received the first train in Hudson with great 
rejoicings in 1850. The business men and citi- 
zens of all classes became enthusiastic over the 
future prospects of the village, and an enter- 
prise was at once put on foot to construct 
another line of railroad, one that should connect 
New York with Omaha direct. The plan was 
to combine a number of separate lines through 
New York and Pennsylvania to the Ohio line. 
From this point, it was proposed to build the 
Clinton Air Line along the line surveyed years 
before for the Clinton Canal, to Hudson. The 
plan further proposed an " extension " west 
from this village to Toledo, and one to Omaha. 
During this movement, the " Akron Branch " 
of the Pittsburgh road was completed to Akron, 
and Hudson seemed right in the direct line of 
preferment. The Clinton Air Line was par- 
ticularly a Hudson enterprise, and some $200,- 
000 were subscribed in stock, and some of the 
citizens prominent on the Board of Directors. 
The work was pushed with vigor, and some 
$18,000 expended on the road-bed in this town- 
ship. 



i) >y 



^- 



436 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY. 



This activity in railroad matters stimu- 
lated business circles in the little village into a 
perfect frenzy of speculation. Henry N. Day, 
who came to Hudson as a Professor in the col- 
lege, and who had some capital, went into 
business, and put up the Pentagon at a cost 
of $18,000, in 1849-50. It was occupied by 
Sawyer, IngersoU & Co., Mr. Day constituting 
the " company." This firm launched into the 
publishing business on the broadest scale. The 
town was known as an intellectual center, and 
a paper of considerable influence had been pub- 
lished here for years, and the firm proposed to 
build up a large publishing house. All branches 
of the business were undertaken, and proved 
successful so long as they confined their atten- 
tion to jobbing. Ambitious, however, to gain a 
reputation as publishers, they began to publish 
on their own account, and soon found their 
capital locked up in unprofitable books. The 
firm then changed hands, and D. Marshall & 
Co. took the business. The change brought 
no increase of capital to the concern, and it soon 
changed to the Hudson Book Company, which 
finally made an assignment. In the west part 
of the building, J. W. Smith & Co. opened a 
dry goods store about the same time. Prof 
Day and Jeremiah Day, of New York City, 
forming the company-. This firm, possessed by 
the same spirit of peculation, expanded their 
operations to the fullest extent, trusting to the 
realizations of the future to justify their risks. 
In the meanwhile, large accessions to the popu- 
lation of the village were attracted, and every 
house was crowded. Rents and property were 
high, and the demand was for more houses. 
At this juncture, a planing mill and lumber 
company was formed to cater to this demand 
for more buildings. Smith was the prime mover 
in this enterprise, and the business was planned 
on a large scale. A $10,000 stock of lumber 
was secured, houses were built for everybody 
on eas}^ terms, and the village bid fair to become 
a city on the strength of railroad promises. All 
this business activity exacted a large expendi- 
ture of mone}^, and far in excess of what the 
persons engaged in the operations possessed. 
But they had friends who were easily convinced 
that the future of Hudson was assured, and 
readily advanced large sums of money. In ad- 
dition to this outla}', the promoters of these 
projects were also deeply interested in the suc- 
cess of the Clinton Air Line Railroad, and were 



subscribers to a large amount, as were most of 
the mone^'ed citizens. 

All this activity and expenditure was crowd- 
ed into the space of some five or six years, 
and, before that time had elapsed, the suspicion 
began to be entertained that neither the pres- 
ent nor future of the village warranted this 
extravagant outlay of capital. Public faith in 
the final completion of the new railroad began 
to waver, the terrible strain upon the authors 
of this artificial business activity began to be 
observed, and the whole commercial fabric of 
the village, like a great wall tottering to its 
fall, seemed about to end in a crash. The end 
soon came, as it might have been foreseen, 
perhaps, from the beginning. There was one 
assignment after another, until not only was all 
of the overestimated business wiped out, but 
all business received such a shock as to re- 
quire several j'ears to rally. The lumber com- 
pany suspended with $35,000 liabilities, and 
J. W. Smith, who was active in all these enter- 
prises, retired with $100,000 liabilities and 
.$80,000 nominal assets. On the heels of all 
this came the realization of the worst fore- 
bodings of the Clinton Railroad, involving not 
onl}' a loss of all subscriptions, but a liability 
for an equal amount in addition. Fortunately', 
by the misplacement of some records, the Hud- 
son subscribers escaped from the full penalty 
of their enterprise in this matter, or the whole 
business communit}' would have been finan- 
cially annihilated. Belonging to this period, 
though in no way connected with the movers 
in other enterprises, were J. C. Sn3-der and I. 
C. Dowd, produce merchants, who, attracted 
by the business activity of the village, linked 
their fortunes with the place. The latter built 
a warehouse near the depot, and both did con- 
siderable business, but, in the end, they only 
served to swell the general disaster. Tall- 
madge & Jaynes' grist-mill, built on the 
Brandywine Creek, where the Cleveland & 
Pittsburgh road crosses the stream, was built 
in 1852 or 1853. Though suffering in the 
general depression, it did not cease altogether. 
It changed into the hands of a Mr. Wilson, and 
after an existence of some ten or twelve years 
was destroyed b}- fire. 

Singularly enough, in this prostration of 
business are found the beginning of some of 
the largest enterprises of the present. After a 
tedious litigation, the planing-mill property fell 



-^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



437 



into the hands of Osborne, Dunham & Co., 
who fitted it up and manufactured the Buckeye 
Land Roller, and, later, with Benjamin Wheel- 
ock, manufactured chairs. The business did 
not prove successful, and the property came 
into the hands of Mr. Wheelock alone, and, in 
the fall of 1873, Jacob Miner put in two run 
of stone, and fitted it up for milling purposes, 
taking a share in the whole property. Thi'ough 
Wheelock's business embarrassment, the prop- 
erty once more fell into the hands of the law 
and the Sheriff. It has finally become the 
property of A. R. Hurd. It has since been 
improved by the addition of two new run of 
stone and otherwise improved to the capacity 
of fifty barrels per day. It is rented by the 
Hudson Mill Company, and does a large cus- 
tom business, filling an}' spare time on a light 
jobbing trade which they have fallen into 
rather than built up. 

On the ruins of the old Pentagon enterprises 
is now established the flourishing factory busi- 
ness of S. Straight & Son. The senior partner 
of this firm was, at the time of the Hudson 
depression, a member of the firm of Straight, 
Demming & Co., commission merchants of 
Cincinnati, and had done considerable business 
with the produce dealers here. One of the 
the Hudson dealers becoming involved, secured 
the Cincinnati firm on a part of this property 
here, which, in the end, was bid in for the Cin- 
cinnati house. Subsequently, when Mr. Straight 
retired from active relations with the Cin- 
cinnati business, this propert}- attracted his 
attention to Hudson, and was influential in 
determining his locating here. He began the 
cheese-factor}' business in Hudson in 1867, by 
the purchase of two and the building of one 
factory. He secured the Pentagon building 
and fitted it up with shelving for 15,000 
cheeses for his business, at a cost of about 
17,000 ; later, admitted his son to the business, 
and has enlarged the business from year to 
3'ear, until now the firm owns and operates 
thirteen cheese-factories, making the milk of 
over 6,000 cows into 50,000 cheeses annually. 
In 1878, the firm erected a large brick curing- 
house in the rear of the Pentagon, 60x60 feet, 
with two stories and a basement, at a cost of 
$10,000. This building is supplied with an 
engine and boilers, steam elevators, three large 
exhaust fans, and shelving for 12,000 cheeses. 
The basement has storage capacity for 250,000 



pounds of butter. An ice-house, with a stor- 
age capacit}' of 450 tons of ice, is provided 
with a series of pipes through which the air is 
drawn by the exhaust fans for the cooling of 
the curing-house. In addition to the large 
amount of cheese manufactured by this firm, 
they bu}' immense quantities in Illinois and 
elsewhere, shipping it East or storing it in 
their buildings in Hudson until the market will 
warrant its shipment. The firm employs sixty- 
five hands, and buys all the milk of the farm- 
ers, each factory working up the milk of 
from two hundred and fifty to six hundred 
cows. The capital invested in fixtures is esti- 
mated at .$100,000, and the business of the 
firm is rated among the few large Western 
firms in this business. 

Closely connected, historically, with these 
enterprises is the Hudson Butter-Tub and 
Cheese-Box Company. In 1870, Mr. E. A. 
Osborne, in connection with E. Cro}', built a 
small building and started this business. These 
gentlemen had had a connection with the enter- 
prises that preceded the grist-mill and with- 
drew to supply the demand which the cheese 
trade of S. Straight & Son began to make. The 
business rapidly developed, and seven or eight 
hands wei'e constantly employed in the manu- 
facture of cheese-boxes. In 1873, the ma- 
chinery for the manufacture of butter-tubs was 
added, and the business prosecuted together 
until 1878, when the partnership was dissolved. 
The firm is now E. A. Osboi'ue & Sons. They 
turn out in the busy season about one hundred 
tubs and two hundred cheese-boxes per day. 
The timber is taken in the log and worked up 
with little waste, the parts unsuitable for the 
boxes and tubs are worked up into staves, 
heading and spokes. The business demands 
an outlay of about $500 per month. Their 
boxes are sold principally to S. Straight & Son; 
the tubs are sold in Chicago, Cleveland and 
Pittsburgh. Closely adjoining is the saw-mill 
and cheese-box works of E. Croy, who estab- 
lished an independent business on the dissolu- 
tion of partnership in 1878. This covers the 
manufacturing business of the village at pres- 
ent, save the Oviatt Manufacturing Company. 
This company was organized in Januar}', 1878, 
for the purpose of manufacturing the " Oviatt 
Grain-Thresher," the - Common-Sense Wagon,' 
and the " Independent Runner Sled." The 
patents are held by S. E. Oviatt and it was 



V3J 

1^ 



438 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



proposed to build up a manufacturing enter- 
prise of considerable extent. The company 
was composed of eight members, principally 
mechanics, on the co-operative plan. In a 
short time, four of the company bought the 
stock of the other four, but a lack of the nec- 
essary capital has greatly restricted the enter- 
prise thus far. Their products have met with 
abundant encouragement wherever placed upon 
the market, and the expectation is that at no 
distant day the necessary capital will be se- 
cured and the business developed. 

Meanwhile, the "internal improvements" of 
the de facto village had kept pace with its busi- 
ness enterprise. The earliest frame building 
was the barn of Mr. Hudson, built almost en- 
tirely of black-walnut lumber, sawed at Norton's 
mill. This was followed, in 1806, b}' the house 
which Mrs. Baldwin now owns and occupies as 
a residence. These pioneer frame buildings 
were soon followed b}' others as there was 
neither a dearth of timber nor scarcit}' of mills. 
In 1826, the college was established and the 
buildings, gradually put up, improving the ap- 
pearance of the town and stimulating its citi- 
zens to build more comely structures for dwell- 
ings. The soil rendered the supply of brick in- 
exhaustible and cheap. The brick needed for 
the spacious hearths and great chimneys of Mr. 
Hudson's house, were made by a Mr. Lj'on on 
the site now occupied b}" the Atheneum, the 
mud being tramped into condition for molding 
by two yoke of oxen. The first brick dwelling 
was put up by Julian Lusk. on the site occu- 
pied b}' Farrar's Block, and ante-dated the 
college buildings some three years, being 
erected in 1823. An early brick house and 
perhaps the second one was that erected by 
Asahel Kilbourne and now occupied by Sher- 
man P. Thompson, situated south of the village. 
The college brought a large accession to the 
population of the village, and the village began 
to expand. It was the design of the founder's 
that the town should gather about the geo- 
graphical center of the township, but there 
were several obstacles in the wa}'. The ground 
toward the south was low and undesirable for 
dwellings and the owners of these lands were 
rather reluctant to sell in small parcels, and 
the village early began to extend northward 
and eastward to the higher ground. The loca- 
tion of the college buildings, secured by a liber- 
al donation of land by Mr. Hudson, had some- 



thing to do with the direction in which the ex- 
pansion of the village took. With all this 
growth, however, such improvements as munic- 
ipal government grants to a community, was 
left to the voluntary action of the people with- 
out any very great results, and it was not long 
before the citizens began to agitate the desira- 
bility of securing a village de jure, with its ad- 
vantages in this respect. On April 1, 1837, 
an act of the Legislature was signed, incorpor- 
ating the village to be known thereafter as " The 
town of Hudson." The boundaries, inclosing 
an area one mile by one and a half miles, are 
described in the act as follows : " Beginning at 
the southwest corner of the herein contemplated 
corporation limits, at a stake and stones 160 
poles west of the north-and-south center road, 
leading through said township of Hudson, and 
240 poles south from the east-and-west center 
road, running through said township ; thence 
from said southwest corner, running north in 
a line parallel with said north-and-south center 
road 480 poles to a stake and stones ; thence 
east in a line parallel with said east-and-west 
center road, 320 poles ; thence south in a line 
parallel with the west line, 480 poles to a stake 
and stones ; thence in a line parallel with the 
north line, 320 poles to the place of beginning." 
These limits have not been found to interfere 
with the metropolitan aspirations of the village, 
and no extensions have been made. A few un- 
impoi-tant additions liave been platted on the 
Aurora road, and somewhat built up, but there 
has been no positive demand on the part of the 
owners of this property to be admitted to a 
share in tlie municipal taxes. 

The first election under the act of incorpora- 
tion was held on the first Tuesday in Ma^-, 1837, 
resnlting in the choice of Heman Oviatt as 
Ma3'or ; Lyman Hall, Recorder ; Frederick 
Baldwin. John B. Clarke, Jesse Dickenson, 
Harve}' Baldwin, Daniel C. (lay lord, Trustees. 
The largest number of votes received by any 
candidate was nineteen. The records of the 
Board of Trustees, or, in more modern phrase, 
of the Council, are devoid of any particular in- 
terest in the earl^' 3ears. One or two entries, 
however, afford a striking illustration of the 
vanit}' of all aspirations for wealth, when they 
appear on the tax lists. The real estate valua- 
tion of the village, in 1837, was placed at $93,- 
967.58, and personal property at $19,474 ; in 
1844, the next entry of the tax list, the real es- 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



439 



tate had shrunk to $30,427, and the personal 
propert}' to $12,177. The attention of the 
Council during the first eight or ten 3'ears was 
to sidewalks and streets. The latter had been 
pretty well provided for by land owners before 
the incorporation of the village, and needed but 
little attention in the way of originating high- 
ways. The sidewalks was a subject of more 
portentous proportions, and gave the average 
Councihnan no end of worrj'. It was first oi*- 
dained that the sidewalks should by constructed 
of " brick, four feet wide, and curbed with heavy 
timbers," plank was afterward allowed as a sub- 
stitute for the brick, and represents the char- 
acter of nine-tenths of the sidewalks in the 
town at this day. Stock was " ordered off the 
streets," and a " pound " provided for, at the 
first meeting of the Council, but it was a year 
before the structure was ready to serve the 
public, and cost about $20 In 1852, the 
first step was taken to improve the pub- 
lic square. As early as 1812, the tendency 
of tlie village to extend northward was ob- 
served, and the Township Trustees took steps 
to modif}- the " public green " to suit the new or- 
of things. B}' exchanging portions of the 
original green, that portion of the green above 
Church street was secured. Nothing wa.s done 
to improve it save to clear it of the timber un- 
til 1852. The Council then provided a fence, 
seventy-four trees and had it plowed, sowed to 
oats and ''seeded down." In 1854, the sub- 
ject of proper protection from fire came before 
the Council. Neither the township nor village 
had suffered severely' from fire, if the terrible 
fatalit}^ in connection with the destruction of 
the cabin of Nathaniel Stone, in 1845, is ex- 
cepted. 3Ir. Stone was one of the early settlers, 
and was then occupying a cabin where his son, 
Roswell Stone, lives, when it caught fire. A 
son and daughter occupied the upper cham- 
bers, and, when they were aroused, the stair- 
way was in flames, having ignited from the 
fire-place. The chambers were filled with 
smoke, but the son, making his way to a win- 
dow, escaped ; but the daughter, some twentj' - 
two 3'ears of age, stifled with smoke and be- 
wildered with fright, was too late, and perished 
in the flames. Undoubtedly this tragedy made 
a lasting impression, and the growing village 
rendered the danger of fires more threatening. 
A small, rotar}' engine was bought at Middle- 
bury, but before it was paid for the au- 



thorities desired to " back out." The sel- 
ler would not accede to their wishes in 
this matter, and the coffee-mill afl'air was 
brought to scare the fire fiend awa}'. Res- 
ervoirs were constructed from time to time, 
but the inadequacy of the engine became more 
and more apparent, and, in 1858, the Council 
bought the present machine of Button & 
Blake. The pumps are 9 and 7 inches, 17^- 
foot brakes, 16 -foot suction hose, and wheels of 
28 and 35 inches diameter. The cost was $725. 
The company organized to work the first engine 
took this in charge, and of this organization 
the fire department consists to-day. There is 
a chief of the department, and the company' 
is allowed a small remuneration for attending 
the fires that occur. The engine-house is found 
in the rear of the Congregational Church, to 
to which it belongs, but is given rent-free to 
the village so long as it is used as an engine- 
house and the machine kept there. In 1879, 
the Council re-organized this department, pro- 
posing to pay each member $1 each six months, 
provided that the number should not exceed 
forty. In 1870, the corporation rose to the 
dignity of a " lock-up." This was situated 
upon a corner of the school-lot, and was a 
wooden affair, with some iron supports about 
the windows, erected at a cost of some $125. 
It fell into disrepute with certain citizens, and 
was set on fire, it is supposed, b}' some one who 
had had a more intimate acquaintance with it 
than he enjoyed, and totally destroyed. An effort 
was put forth by the Council this 3'ear to im- 
prove the streets by the use of cinders from 
the rolling mills at Cleveland. This material 
was bought at the mills at $1.50 per car. 
and freighted here by rail at $6 per car load. 
A part of Main and College streets were treated 
with a layer of this material, covered with 
gravel from the vicinity of the village, with 
ver}^ beneficial results. Some portions of other 
streets have been treated in like manner, with 
some variation in the price of materials. In 
1877, lamps for lighting the streets were pro- 
vided, on condition that certain parties who 
were chiefly benefited would supply the material 
for the lighting and care for the lights. A year 
later the Council took the matter into their 
own hands ; and from a start of thirteen lamps, 
in 1877. the number has doubled at the present. 
In 1878, the subject of a town hall began to be 
agitated. The Council had met in various 



1 



^ 



440 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



rooms and offices about town, and after the 
lock-up was burned, there was no provision for 
municipal criminals, and the demand seemed 
to be pressing. The Township Trustees took 
the proposition in hand, and, after submit- 
ting the matter to a vote, made preparation 
for the erection of such a building. The Coun- 
cil then proposed to join with them and provide 
for the need of the corporation in the same 
structure. Such an agreement was made, the 
Council buying the site of the old Congrega- 
tional Church for $800, and leasing it to the 
Township Trustees for ninety-nine j'ears, in 
consideration of the latter providing a coun- 
cil-room and cells, with an upper hall open 
alike to both parties. The contract for the 
building was let in 1878 to Thomas Crisp and 
Charles W. Stewart, for $4,575, and finally a 
further allowance of $215 for extra work was 
paid. The building is a two-story brick, with 
a large hall on the second floor, neatly seated, 
and two rooms below for the use of Trustees 
and Council with two cells in the rear for coi*- 
poration culprits. The first meeting of the 
Council in their new quarters was on Novem- 
ber 11, 1879. The Council took action in May 
of this year to support a public reading-room 
and librar}'. This project had been set on foot 
by private enterprise, but was likely to fail, 
and the Council stepped in and has maintained 
it since. There is no library in connection, 
although tiie original plan contemplated such 
an addition. Another department of the mu- 
nicipal government is the cemetery. 

The original cemetery purchased by the 
Township Trustees was situated on the Brandy- 
wine Creek, southwest of the village. The 
first death in the settlement was that of Ira 
Nobles, a child eight j^ears old, who died Aug. 
23. 1801, and, it is supposed, was the first 
burial here. It was used as a burial-place 
until 1808, when, on the occasion of the death 
of Mrs. Owen Brown, it was found too wet, and 
Mr. Hudson effected an exchange for the 
ground on College street. Here Mrs. Brown, 
with a babe resting upon her arm, was the first 
occupant. This continued to be used until 
1855, when Markellie laid out one in the north- 
west part of the village. At his death in 
1869, he willed the ground to the corporation, 
the gift being accepted in the spring of that 
3^ear. Since then it has been cared for by a 
regular appropriation. It has been enlarged 



since then, systematically laid out, and is the 
only place for burial in the corporation. Burials 
have been forbidden in the old burial ground 
on College street, and efforts have been made 
to remove the remains from that place, but it 
has been resisted hitherto. There are a num- 
ber of cemeteries about the township, some 
private and others for neighborhood purposes. 
Of the latter, an acre contributed by Mr. 
O'Brien in the southwest part of the township 
and Maple Grove Cemetery, on Darrow street, 
are the more important. 

Hudson village, of the present, is pleasantly 
situated, of some seventeen hundred inhabitants, 
noted for its neat dwellings, its general air of cul- 
ture, and the seat of the Western Reserve College. 
The business portion, situated principally on 
Main street and about the public green, con- 
sists of four general stores, four saloons, three 
hardware stores, three meat markets, five black- 
smith-shops, three harness-shops, two groceries, 
two barber-shops, two drug stores, two wagon- 
shops, two livery stables, a bakery, millinery 
store, undertaker's establishment, boot and 
shoe store, merchant tailor store, jeweler's shop, 
and one hotel. Of the public buildings, there 
are three church buildings, the town hall and 
the Adelphi Hall, or l^etter known as Farrars 
Block. This is composed of two large store- 
rooms below, with offices on the second story, 
and a fine large hall which occupies the whole 
of the upper stor}'. The hall has a seating- 
capacity of 900. is provided with commodious 
dressing rooms, a spacious stage and fine 
scenery. Such a hall, accessible to an apprecia- 
tive community, attracts some of the finest 
entertainments, and Hudson is favored far 
beyond the average village of its size. This 
block was erectedin 1866 by C. W. Farrar and 
Dr. A. E. Berbower. 

Hudson Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, 
No. 510, finds a home here. Its lodge, room 
is in the upper part of the old bakery building. 
The lodge was organized November 25, 1874, and 
worked under a dispensation until a charter 
was issued under date of October 18, 1876. The 
first officers were Lewis Lemoin, W. M.; James 
K. Frost, S. W. ; S. E. Judd, J. W. The charter 
members were J. K. Frost, S. E. Judd, C. H. 
Buss, and twenty-one others. They have a 
fine rented hall pleasantly furnished. There 
was an early lodge established hero, of wliich 
many of the prominent citizens — D. Hudson, 



vT 



(S ^ 




JOHN BUCHTE L 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



441 



Harvey Baldwin and others — were members. 
During the excitement succeeding the abduc- 
tion of Morgan, the lodge was abandoned, and 
an opposition sprung up to this fraternity that 
lasted for years. 

In a settlement founded upon the principles 
upon which Hudson was established, it would 
be natural to find the church organization 
among the earliest institutions of the place. 
The difficulties in the way of such an organi- 
zation should not, however, be underrated. 
Ministers were few, and could not have been 
adequately supported by the scattered com- 
munities then planted in the wilderness, if 
there had, been more. Providentially the de- 
mands of the time and place were met by the 
representative of the Connecticut Missionary 
Societ}', Rev. Joseph Badger, whom Congrega- 
tionalists delight to call the " Apostle of the 
Reserve." From his printed diaiy, the first 
inception of the Hudson Congregational Church 
is learned as follows : He had come from 
Cleveland to Newburg. "In coming from 
Cleveland to this place, I fell in company with 
a man from Hudson, who wanted to know if I 
was going there to form a church. I replied 
that if I found suitable characters, I should. 
' Well,' said he, ' if 3^ou admit old Deacon 
Thompson,' and some others he named, ' it shall 
not stand ; I will break it down. I will have 
an Episcopal Church.' I observed to him, 
'■ You must undertake a dangerous work to 
break down the church of Christ ; I advise 
you not to meddle with such an undertaking.' 
I went on to Hudson, preached on the Sabbath, 
and on Wednesday organized the church in 
that place, in which Deacon Thompson, Esquire 
Hudson and others were united." This was on 
September 4, 1802, the original members being 
Stephen Thompson and Mary, his wife ; David 
Hudson ; Abraham Thompson and Susanna, 
his wife ; Stephen Thompson, Jr., and Abigail, 
his wife ; George Kilbourne and Almira, his 
wife ; Heman Oviatt and Eunice, his wife ; 
Amos Lusk and Hannah Lindley. These were 
all members of the Congregational Church, at 
Goshen, Conn., save the last two, who were 
members of the same denomination at Bloom- 
field, N. Y. 

The church thus established depended up- 
on Mr. Badger and other missionaries for what 
preaching they had. Services were held in the 
log schoolhouse that was erected in 1801, and 



which served for all public gatherings relating 
to church or State. The absence of a minister 
did not prevent public worship and it is re- 
lated witli pride that not a single Sabbath since 
the latter part of June, 1800, has passed with- 
out public religious services of some character. 
The Rev. David Bacon, who had gone in be- 
half of the Connecticut Missionary Society as 
a missionary to the Indians in 1801, was re- 
called to New Connecticut in 1804. "In the 
month of August he left the isle of Mackinaw, 
with his wife and two children, the 3'oungest 
less than six weeks old, and, after a weai-y and 
dangerous voyage, some part of which was 
performed in an open canoe, they arrived safe 
on the soil of the Western Reserve. About 
the 1st of October they were at Hudson, 
where they found a temporary home."* The 
church proposed then to hire him one-half of 
his time, provided the society would retain 
him in their employ for the balance. This ar- 
rangement was effected — the first time that the 
Gospel was administered in any township oth- 
erwise than by occasional visits of itinerant 
missionaries — and continued until 1807, when 
he moved to Tallmadge. On the 19th of 
April, 1811, it was voted unanimously by the 
church that " Benjamin Whedon be appointed 
a committee for us, and in our behalf to pro- 
cure a minister of the Gospel to dispense the 
Word and ordinances in this place, and the said 
Mr. Whedon is hereby requested and author- 
ized to make such negotiations and arrange- 
ments on the subject as he shall judge prudent 
and proper." The result of this action on the 
part of the church was a vote, February- 27, 
1815. to call the Rev. William Hanford. The 
call was issued under date of June 10, 1815, 
and brought an affirmative response under 
date of August 10, 1815, followed by the in- 
stallation of Mr. Hanford by the Grand River 
Presbyter}', on the 17th of August, 1815, the 
church having come under the care of the 
Presbytery shortly before this occasion. 

It would be interesting to note here that 
"Plan of Union" which eventually agitated 
church circles throughout the Reserve, and 
found in Hudson its main support and exponent. 
Eventually the church became divided upon this 
subject, and, in 1826, the article prescribing the 
form of its prudential committee was erased 
from its regulations. In 1830, a movement 

*A(l<ir('SS of Rev. Lvonanl Bacon. 



I® 

r 



^- 



442 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



was inaugurated to sever the connection of the 
church with the Presbytery, and, five years 
later, the Presbyter}- granted a release. Since 
that time, it has been what it was originally, a 
Congregational Church. The organization still 
retains a large Presbyterian element, which, in 
connection with the majority, works harmo- 
niously to the end of all church effort. The 
internal growth of the church has been regular 
and uninterrupted. Up to the pastorate of 
Rev. William Hanford twent3'-seven members 
had been admitted, principally by Revs. Joseph 
Badger and Abraham Scott, both missionaries 
of the Connecticut Society. Daring Mr. Han- 
ford's pastorate, from 1815 to 1831, 133 were 
added ; in the pastorate of Rev. Amri Nichols, 
from July to December, 1832, nine were added ; 
by Rev. Giles Doolittle, supply, 1832-4(1 fifty- 
two were admitted ; by Rev. Josiah Town, July 
to October, 1840, eight were admitted ; Rev. 
Mason Grosvenor, during his pastorate, 1840- 
43, admitted fifty-six ; Rev. William Hanford, 
in October, 1843, admitted two ; Rev. John C. 
Hart, in his pastorate, 1844-52, admitted 122 ; 
Rev. N. Barrett, 1853-58, admitted ninet}-- 
seven ; Rev. G. Darling, 1858-74, admitted 
196 ; Rev. E. W. Root, 1874-76, admitted 
twenty-six ; Rev. J. Towle, 1876, admitted 
two ; and Rev. T. Y. Gardner, 1876, — ; the 
present pastor has admitted forty-one up to 
October 6, 1878. There are now about 200 
members. 

The outward improvement of the church be- 
gan in 1819. On the 26th of June, 1817, at a 
" town meeting " held in the " Center School- 
house," it was voted that "there shall he a 
place selected for the purpose of building a 
house of public worship, according to a sub- 
scription paper now in circulation, provided 
the difl!'erent denominations do not unite in 
building a house together. Voted, that the 
house shall stand on the west side of the green, 
the southeast corner to stand where tliere is 
now a stake stuck in the ground, and to extend 
thence north from said stake, and as far back 
as it shall be necessary to build said house. 
Voted, that Joel Gaylord, Daniel H. Johnson 
and Owen Brown shall be a committee for the 
purpose of adopting some method upon which 
to unite in building a meeting house for differ- 
ent denominations of Christians." At this time 
there was a great deal of denominational differ- 
ence among the members of the community. 



A church building resulted from this action, 
and was erected upon the site chosen, but the 
bond of union in this project trenched too 
much upon the orthodox notions of such men 
as Mr. Hudson, Owen Brown, Benjamin Whe- 
don and others, and they decided to build for 
themselves. Timbers for the frame work were 
brought upon the ground, but they laid upon 
the ground near the schoolhouse for nearly two 
years while the people wrangled over the proper 
site. In March, 1818, the Congregational so- 
ciet}', having decided to build a place of wor- 
ship on their own account, selected the site now 
occupied by the town hall. The building com- 
mittee consisted of Benjamin Whedon, Moses 
Thomp.son and Heman Oviatt, with Augustus 
Baldwin as Treasurer. Owen Brown was the 
contractor, and was two years in completing 
the building, which cost upward of $5,000. It 
was dedicated on March 1, 1820, and. in the 
old New England style, was for several years 
without the means of warming it during the 
cold season.* In 1865, this building was aban- 
doned for church purposes, and served, under 
the name of Thompson's Hall, for public gath- 
erings until 1878, when it gave place to the 
town hall. The present brick edifice on Aurora 
street was projected in 1863, and completed 
some two years later, at an expense of $10,000, 
in addition to the cost of lot and furniture. 

The Union Church building, the result of the 
effort above mentioned, was used in common 
by the Universalists, Methodists, and any oth- 
ers that desired to have a hearing. Among 
others remembered as preaching here, are John 
Campbell and his son Alexander. The Meth- 
odists finally built a place of worship on Aurora 
street, and the '' Free Church " was after awhile 
sold and used for a blacksmith-shop. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- 
ized in 1828, with Daniel Gaylord, Moses 
Draper, Perley Mansur and their wives as earl}- 
membei-s, with others. In 1846, their building 
which stands on Aurora street was erected, Mr. 
F. W. Bunnell being the contractor. What the 
contract price was is unknown, but the con- 
tractor received $1,600 in addition to contribu- 
tions of labor, etc., on the part of subscribers. 

* Eliziir Wright relates an incident of his early going to 
church which illustrates the difficulties attending the early wor- 
ship here. Ho says: "I remember taking my brother-in-law 
Hanford'sold gray liorse, and taking my wife upon the horse behind 
me. She'was not used to this way of riding, and when the horse 
besan to flounder in the mnd of the bottoms near the green, she 
became alarmed, and alighting iu the mud, lost one of her shoes." 



i^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP 



443 



The first pastors in the new house were Rev. 
D. Prosser and Rev. Pinney. The church has 
suffered severely by removals and death, and 
gradually dwindled in numbers, until there is 
now no regular service held in this church 
building on the Sabbath. The last entry upon 
the chui'ch records is as follows : "I, Thomas 
Hickling, came to Hudson from Massillon, in 
the boundar}' of the Pittsburgh Conference, on 
April 4. 1873, to reside and do business, and 
found the society in a very indifferent condition, 
without an}' regular means of grace, and, being 
an ordained local preacher, volunteered my 
services and found them appreciated."' There 
were then twenty-seven members. 

Early in the year 1840. a few residents of 
Hudson Township, desiring a place "where the 
worship of God could be conducted according 
to the primitive usages," proposed the organiza- 
tion of an Episcopal Church. Henry O'Brien 
and Frederick Brown were the leaders in this 
movement, and finally' invited T. B. Fairchild, 
of Cuyahoga Falls, to come to Hudson to 
preach. The call thus extended was accepted, 
and Mr. Fairchild held the first services in this 
j-ear in the Congregational meeting-house. 
The second service was held in the room over 
Kent & Brewster's store, and continued there 
until late in the fall of 1840, when, by the con- 
sent of the authorities of the Methodist 
Church, their services were held there. Dur- 
ing the following spring, Mr. Fairchild, with 
Rev. George S. Davis, of Franklin, conducted 
services here alternatelj' every two weeks. 
During the summer, each of the clergy of the 
Northwest Convocation arranged to give two 
Sunda3's to Hudson. The services were then 
transferred to the " brick academy," and, with 
a view of forming, a regular parish, the follow- 
ing document was circulated for signatures : 
"We, whose names are here affixed, deeply 
impressed with the importance of the Christian 
religion, and wishing to promote its holj' influ- 
ence in the hearts of ourselves, our families 
and our neighbors, do hereb}' associate ourselves 
under the name, style and title of the Parish 
of Christ Church, Hudson, Count}- of Summit, 
and State of Ohio. And b}' so doing, do 
adopt the constitution and canons of the Prot- 
estant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of 
Ohio, in communion with the Protestant Epis- 
copal Church of the United States of Amer- 
ica." Thirty-seven names were secured to this 



paper, among which were those of Henry 
O'Brien, A. A. Brewster. Frederick Brown, 
Arthur Sadler, David O'Brien, Dr. Israel Town 
and others, nearly all of whom were heads of 
ftimilies. July 11, 1842, an organization was 
effected and sei'vices were regularly held in the 
old brick academy until it was sold, when 
services were again held over Kent & Brew- 
ster's store. At a meeting of the Vestry on 
Januar}' 6, 184G, discussed the necessity of 
a church building ; Rev. A. Phelps, the Rector, 
offered s^lOO of his salaiy toward the object, 
and a building committee, consisting of A. A. 
Brewster, David O'Brien and Joshua Hertzell, 
was finally appointed. A lot on the public 
square was secured, plans were drawn by S. C. 
Porter, and the corner-stone laid b}' Rt. Rev. 
C. P. Mcllvaine, D. D., Bishop of the Diocese 
of Ohio, in April, 1846. It was completed in 
five months, and the opening services conduct- 
ed on the 25th of September, 1846, b}- Bishop 
Mcllvaine. The church was free from debt ; 
provided with an organ through the exertions 
of the ladies of the church and the liberality 
of Mr. Brewster, and a bell as the gift of D. 
H. Arnold, of New York. In 1847, Mr. Phelps 
resigned his pastoral charge of the church to 
engage in the church school, which had been in 
contemplation some time, pi-eaching one-half 
the time until August 1, 1848, when Rev. T. B. 
Fairchild was again invited, and accepted. He 
continued with the church until 1856, when he 
again resigned, and removed from town. The 
pulpit was temporarily supplied by Rev. L. L. 
Holder until June 1, 1859, when Mr. Fairchild 
was a third time invited to preach here. He 
accepted, and continued until 1870. when he 
resigned to accept a call to St. John's Church 
in Kewanee, 111. The succeeding Rectors have 
been Rev. Robert A. McElhennev, 1871-72; 
Rev. Albert B. Putnam, 1873-74, and Rev. S. 
W. Garrett, October 4, 1874, and the present 
incumbent. In 1849, the town clock was pre- 
sented to the society b}' Mr. Brewster ; in 
1875. a new vestry-room was added, at a cost 
of $350 ; in the winter of 1 876. a cabinet organ 
was purchased for the Sabbath school at a cost 
of $100 ; and in May, 1878, a new organ was 
purchased for the church at a cost of S700. 
There are al)out one hundred members at 
present. 

The St. Mary's Catholic Church of Hudson 
dates to about the year 1858, when the present 



444 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



small place of worship was built. Before this 
date, the Catholics of this section were visited 
monthl}' by pastors resident in Cleveland. The 
first priest to locate in Hudson was Rev. P. H. 
Brown, who remained five years ministering 
to the wants of the few scattered and poor peo- 
ple he found professing liis faith. Mr. Brown 
died in Cleveland in 1879. He was succeeded 
by J. Hannon, who held charge for nine years, 
when he moved to Youngstown. Rev. A. Pag- 
anini succeeded, him but remained only a yeai*. 
He is at present located at Eagle Harbor, Mich. 
In July, 1877, the present Pastor, Rev. P. H. 
O'Mara, took charge of this church. Improve- 
ments have been added under each succeeding 
Pastor, and to-day the little church building, 
though not a very imposing structure, is neat 
and comfortable. Cuyahoga Falls and Penin- 
sula are also attended b}' the Pastor at Hud- 
son. The members of St. Mary's Church are 
generall}' farmers, some of them among the 
most substantial in the county. The church 
has recently purchased thi-ee acres of land in 
the corporation for cemetery purposes. 

The common school preceded the church in 
Hudson one 3'ear. This project needed no out- 
side assistance, and was established in 1801. 
The work of the founders was eminently 
characterized by thoroughness, and Mr. Hud- 
son is found, on his visit to Connecticut, pur- 
chasing a library for public use, fashioned upon 
the old custom of the East. He expended $100, 
not an inconsiderable sum in that time, and on 
his return sold shares in his lif)rary among the 
settlers in Hudson, Aurora and Mantua. This 
library has long since passed away, but its nat- 
ural successor still occupies its place in the 
communit}' in a public library for the Union 
School, which was established in 1871. The 
first school building was a rude log structure, 
located on the east side of Main street, on the 
public green, a little below Mr. Buss' store. A 
second was built a little south of this, and sub- 
sequently a frame building was erected on the 
other side of the street but in the near vicinit}'. 
The first school was taught by George Pease 
and the second by Miss Patty Fields. The third 
was taught b}^ Miss Amy Cannon, of Aurora, 
in the southeast quarter, near John Oviatt's 
residence. Among the early teachers ai'e re- 
membered Titus Wetmore, Martha Filer and 
Benjamin Whedon, the latter teaching in 1807. 
Schoolliouses were erected in various parts of 



the township, as the convenience of the grow- 
ing population demanded, until, in 1825, the 
Township Trustees divided the township into five 
school districts, the first at the center, second 
in the northwest, third in the southwest, fourth 
in the southeast, and the fifth in the northeast. 
In 1827, another district was added, in 1830 
one more, and, in 1838, District No. 1 was di- 
vided and others erected, making a total of nine 
districts in the township. In 1855, the two cor- 
poration districts were united, under the law of 
1845, and the joint district set off as an inde- 
pendent one. The schools were graded, Misses 
Sabin and Birge being the first teachers under 
the new dispensation. In 1857, another school 
building was erected at the end of the old brick 
house then in use in tlie southern portion of the 
corporation, and a third teacher added. Mat- 
ters worked harmonioush' in this way until 
18G3, when the north corporation district with- 
drew from the union arrangement. The State 
School Commissioner decided against the val- 
idity of this action and the two districts re- 
united. The school facilities did prove sat- 
isfactor}' to a large part of the citizens, and an 
agitation for a high school began to be made. 
In 18G5, therefore, a lot. No. 13, was bought of 
Mr. Porter, on which to erect a suitable struct- 
ure for school purposes. In 1867, $5,000 was 
voted for a schoolhouse, but, on receiving plans 
and bids, it was found insuflScient for the pur- 
pose, and $1,500 more was asked for and granted 
by the people in 1868. The contract was let to 
G. W. Church, for $6,225, and completed and 
accepted b}' the Board of Education on the 18th 
of November, 1868. The proceeds of the school- 
houses and the sale of part of the lot, supplied 
the board with additional funds for furnish- 
ing the schoolrooms. In 1871, the new build- 
ing was found to be too small for the accom- 
modation of the district. The Seminary build- 
ing, on Baldwin street, was secured for a part 
of the scholars, and is still used, though the 
board is seriously considering the question of 
building a new house. The question in regard 
to the removal of the Western Reserve College 
has suggested the feasibility of securing one of 
the college buildings in case of their becoming 
vacant, has caused a dela}' in taking measures 
to secure a more suitable buildinii'.* 



*Amoiifr tlie stiuleiits of ninlsoirs comiiioii sclinols mimv I'e 
ni'iitioiH'il Rev. T.oonani Biiron aii'l Jiiliii Btiiwn, bolli ol wli'Hn 
have giiinccj a iiatioiiui ifpiitation. 









HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



445 



The intellectual activity occasioned by the 
presence of a college in the village has given 
rise to repeated attempts to furnish a school 
for that class of youth for which the college 
made no provision. The history of these 
efforts, and especiall}' that which sought to es- 
tablish a school for 3'oung ladies in Hudson is 
nearly co-extensive with that of the college. 
In 1827, Mrs. Nutting, wife of tutor, afterward 
Prof Nutting, opened a school for 3'oung ladies, 
Mrs. Raymond, sister of Rev. Mr. Hanford, 
opening the parlor of her residence on what is 
now Aurora street, for the schoolroom. This 
was the pioneer effort in the cause of female 
education in Hudson. Prof Nutting gave in- 
struction in the higher branches of English 
study, and Mrs. Nutting in the common 
branches, embi'oidery, painting in water colors, 
etc. Her pupils were from the families of Rev. 
Messrs. Pitkin and Coe, Dr. Thompson, Esquire 
Brown, Capt. Ellswoi'th and others. There 
was also considerable patronage from neigh- 
boring towns. This school was continued with 
varying success for several 3'ears, and was 
finally superseded by a select school, opened in 
the building just south of Farrar's Block, by a 
Miss Eggleston, from New York. 

About 1832, a small school building was 
erected by subscription on land which was 
owned by Rev. Mr. Doolittle, Capt. Oviatt and 
Judge Humphrey. In 1833, Miss Upham, 
sister-in-law of Rev. Mr. Doolittle, commenced 
a school for 3'oung ladies in this building. This 
school numbered thirt}- or more pupils, and 
was liberally patronized from abroad. 

In 1834, H. H. Gross came from Connecti- 
cut and opened a school on Aurora street, which 
was well patronized and encouraged him to 
erect in front of his schoolhouse a brick build- 
ing which has become generally known as the 
" Brick Academy." This was a two-stor^' 
building with a basement, and was erected in 
1835 at an expense of $3,000. The basement 
was designed for a primary school, the first 
story for a bo3's' school, and the second story 
for a 3'Oung ladies' department. This building 
was subsequently purchased b}^ a joint-stock 
company of the citizens of Hudson, and was 
furnished rent free to the teachers who depended 
on the receipts from tuition for their salaries. 
This institution was styled the Hudson Acade- 
my. The first teacher in the female depart- 
ment was Miss Smith, who afterward married 



Lyman Hall, Esq., of Ravenna. In 1840, Miss 
Eunice Towne was employed in this depart- 
ment, and taught fors ome time with great 
acceptance. Her successor was Miss Re 
becca H. Dana, now Mrs. Atwater, of New 
Haven. 

In the spring of 1843, Miss Mary Strong be- 
came Principal of the school, and brought to 
its management such distinguished abilit}- that 
the school which at first numbered not more 
than twenty pupils increased in interest and 
patronage until it often numbered sixty or more 
pupils. In 1845, Miss Strong erected a two-story 
frame building on the west side of Main street. 
In the following year, she opened the spring 
term of her school in the new edifice and chris- 
tened it Hudson Female Seminar}^, the old 
" Brick Academy " in the meantime falling 
into the hands of the corporation school board. 
The seminar}^ remained under Miss Strong's 
superintendence until the spring of 1854, when 
her health failed, and the school was suspended. 
During the continuance of this school there were 
three female seminaries in Hudson ; the " Hud- 
son Young Ladies Seminar}-,"' b}- Mr. Grosve- 
uor, and the " Seminary for Ladies." by !Mr. 
Phelps, in addition to Miss Strong's school. 
These, save the latter, were boarding and day 
schools, and, for a time, received a liberal pat- 
ronage from the towns on the Reserve. 

The " Hudson Young Ladies' Seminar^' " was 
opened in 1843 by- Rev. ^lason Grosvenor, in a 
building on the east side of the public square. 
Mr. Grosvenor gave instruction in Latin and 
mathematics, and his sister, Miss Lucy Grosve- 
nor, presided in the schoolroom and gave 
instruction in the common branches of study, 
drawing, painting, etc. In 1845, Miss Grosve- 
nor married, and the school was discontinued 
until the autumn of 1846, when Mr. and Mrs. 
Skinner, from Massachusetts, re-opened it. The 
next spring Miss Charlotte Lee took charge of 
the academic department, and Mr. and Mrs. 
Messer of the boarding-house. The school 
continued until about 1852. The third of these 
seminaries was opened under the auspices of 
the Episcopal Church, in 1840. by Rev. Mr. 
Phelps. The building occupied as a school- 
room, is now occupied as a blacksmith-shop liy 
Mr. Farwell, on Aurora street, the boarding- 
house maintained in connection with the school 
now being used by Mr. Farwell as his residence. 
Miss Dever was Principal of the academic de- 



Jkl 



44G 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



partment until 1851, when the school was dis- 
continued. 

In 1853, Mr. J. W. Smith prepared a suite of 
rooms in the third story of the Pentagon for 
school purposes, furnished them with improved 
furniture ordered from Boston, visited the 
seminar}' at South Hadley, Mass., and se- 
cured the services of Miss Elizabeth Burt, as 
Principal, and became personally responsible 
for the expenses of the school. This seminary 
was well sustained for about two years, when 
the general business failure in 1855 closed the 
school. In the fall of this year, an association 
of gentlemen, citizens of Hudson, was formed, 
who purchased the school furniture, rented and 
repaired the " Hudson Female Seminary '' l)uild- 
ing. and sent to Mount Holyoke Female Semi- 
nary for a teacher. In response to this appli- 
cation, a Miss Everett came on and assumed 
the direction of the school. This lady lacked 
that '^ suarifer in m.udo,'' which is conducive of 
the highest success, and, at the expiration of 
the academic 3"ear, the association found itself 
in debt, and the school greatly reduced in num- 



bers. Then came a time chiefly remarkable 
for the short tenure of office, on the part of the 
teachers. Not less than five had charge of the 
school in four years, and, though most of them 
were competent and efficient teachers, such was 
the depressed condition of things in Hudson 
that the school made poor returns for the labor 
expended upon it. 

In 1860, Miss Emily Metcalf assumed the 
charge, and a few years later purchased the 
building, and moved it to its present site on 
Baldwin street. The course of stud}- was en- 
larged, and the school, for the greater part of 
thirteen years, received a flattering patronage. 
The advance of the high school system, the 
general opening of colleges to women, were 
causes that began to make an unfavorable 
effect upon the seminary in Hudson, and in 
1873, it was again suspended. After the lapse 
of an academic 3'ear, it was again opened by 
Rev. B. W. Hosford. whose daughters con- 
ducted it for one year, when it finally suspended. 
The building is now used b}' the Board of Edu- 
cation of the independent district of Hudson.* 



C H A P T E R X \.\ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP — THH WKSTHllN RRSERVE COLLEGE— ITS LOCATION AT HUDSON — EARLY 

SUBJECTS OF AGITATION — DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS — PREPARATORY 

SCHOOL — LIBRARY, APPARATUS, ET(\ — THE REMOVAL. 



IN 1801, when there could not have been 
1,500 inhabitants on the Beserve, a petition 
to the Territorial Legislature by Rev. Joseph 
Badger, the onl}- minister on the Reserve, ex- 
cept one, and the onl}' one from Connecticut, 
praying for a charter that steps might even thus 
earl}' be taken to found a college. The petition 
was not granted, but the petitioners bided their 
time. 

Ohio was admitted to the Union as a State in 
February, 1803. The first Legislature convened 
on the 1st day of March. On the IGth of 
April, an act was passed incorporating the 
" Erie Literary Society." The preamble of the 
act declares that : " Whereas, it has been rep- 
resented to this assembly b}' certain persons 
associated under the name of the Erie Literai'y 
Society, that a number of proprietors of land 

tCorapik'd by J. H. Battle, from a historv hy President Carroll 
Cutler. 



within the county of Trumbull are desirous to 
appropriate a part thereof to the support of a 
seminary of learning within said county, and 
that the intent of such donations cannot be 
carried into effect without the interference of 
the Legislature, b}' incorpoi'ating a Board of 
Trust for the reception and management of any 
property, real or personal, that may be given 
for said purpose and for the establishment and 
direction of such seminary, as soon as funds 
sufficient shall be collected — Be it enacted, etc." 
The first name in the list of corporators is 
David Hudson, and the last Joseph Badger. 
Trumbull County at that time embraced the 
whole Reserve, and the population was prob- 
ably less than three thousand. The intention 
of these Trustees was to establish an academy 

*Tl)o matter pertaining to the seminaries of Hudson has been 
compiled chiefly from a sketch prepared in 1868 by Miss Emily 
Metcalf. 



;^ 



iL 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



447 



or college, with President, professors, instruct- 
ors, library and apparatus, and the act gave 
them full powers to hold property, erect build- 
ings, have a common seal, fill their own vacan- 
cies, and do all those things usually done b}' 
such corporations. 

The small and scattered population, wholly 
occupied in clearing the land, making roads and 
gaining a livelihood, could evidently do but lit- 
tle for the endowment or patronage of such an 
institution as yet. But they showed their wis- 
dom and proved themselves true sons of Con- 
necticut, b}' thus early taking steps to establish 
the higher institutions of education. Common 
schools were of course established in all the 
scattered settlements, as fast as the numbers 
of the population would allow. Social libraries 
were early founded in man}- places. The Erie 
Literary Society received some gifts of land, b}' 
way of endowment. With the avails of these 
lands an academy building was erected in 1805, 
at Burton, and in that or the following year, 
the school was opened — the first of its kind in 
Northern Ohio. This school was maintained 
more or less continuously until 1810, when the 
building was bui'ned, as was supposed, by an 
incendiary. In July, 180(i, Mr. William Law, 
of Connecticut, a large land owner on the Re- 
serve, donated to the society 1,130 acres of 
land, to revert, however, to his heirs, if the 
college should ever be removed from Burton. 

It had become obvious that the sparse popu- 
lation could not support an academical school 
continuously. After the loss of the building, 
therefore, the Trustees were slow to move for a 
new one. The war of 1812, came on speedily, 
and produced as serious an effect on the pros- 
perity of the Reserve as on that of any other 
part of the countr}-. The educational move- 
ment was retarded with all other good causes. 
After the war, in 1817, the Trustees determined 
to erect another building, and open the school 
so soon as a suitable instructor could be found. 
The}' resolved " that the Principal should be a 
graduate of some American College." In May, 
1 820, the school was opened under the instruc- 
tion of Mr. David L. Coe, a graduate of Williams 
College, and continued in operation under its 
charter until 1884. 

It is probable that the chief movers in the 
Erie Literary Societ}' were the land- owners, with 
an eye to speculation ; but their movement was 
earnestl}^ seconded by the clergy. In February, 



1817, the Presbytery of Grand River, which 
embraced nearl}' all the Presbyterian and Con- 
gregational ministers and churches of the Re- 
serve, formed itself into a society " for the edu- 
cation of indigent, pious young men for the 
ministry, within the limits of the Presbyter}'." 
They say that, " considering the destitute situ- 
ation of many churches and congregations 
among ourselves, as to the means of religious 
instruction and edification, and the great and 
increasing call for ministerial labors in many 
parts of our land and the world at large ; con- 
sidering that at the present day there is a call 
for special efforts accoixling as God has pros- 
pered His people, to raise up men to go forth' 
into the extensive fields which are now becom- 
ing white to harvest ; and. considering the im- 
portance of some general plan of operation, 
whereby many indifferent places may be enabled 
to act in concert, and bring their small scattered 
sums into a common stock, that they may be 
expended to the best advantage ; the Grand 
River Presbytery think it important to form a 
general society " for the purpose. 

They adopted a constitution, elected Trustees 
and a Treasurer, and endeavored to stir up the 
people to form auxiliary societies. The next 
year, they published au address to the " friends 
of science and religion," urging them to enter 
into this work. Young men were already com- 
ing forward to avail themselves of the aid thus 
proffered. These beneficiaries pursued their 
studies privately with some one of the ministers, 
more commonly with Dr. Giles H. Cowles, of 
Austenburg ; ReA^ John Seward, of Aurora ; 
Rev. Caleb Pitkin, of Charleston, or Rev. Harvey 
Coe, of Vernon. After the school at Burton 
was re-opened, they studied there. 

In 1818, the Presbytery of Portage was 
erected, and also formed itself into an education 
society in the same manner. These societies 
held their annual meetings, and took annual 
collections. The urgent need for more minis- 
ters to supply the destitute chui'ches, and do 
missionary work, led these two Presbyteries, 
in 1822, to appoint committees to confer together 
for the purpose of devising '■ ways and means 
for establishing on the Connecticut Western 
Reserve, a Literary and Theological Institution." 
The committee of Grand River Presbytery were 
Rev. Giles H. Cowles, Rev. Harvey Coe and 
George Swift ; that of Portage Presbytery were 
Rev. John Seward, Rev. Joseph Treat and 



j) y 



448 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Elizur Wright. These committees met at War- 
ren on the 16th of April, 1822." The afternoon 
of the day preceding was, b}- recommendation 
of the Presbyteries, observed as a concert of 
prayer by the clmrches, that the blessing of 
God might attend the deliberations of the com- 
mittees, and lead to a happy result. " On the 
13th of April, the two Presbyteries held a joint 
meeting at Warren," to hear and consider the 
reports of their committees. The report, which 
was adopted, recommends the Presbyteries to 
establish a theological institution, on the foun- 
dation of the Erie Literary Societ}', located at 
Burton, (jeauga County, provided the Trustees 
accede to the following conditions, to wit : 

1. That the Trustees enact laws binding 
themselves. 

(a.) To appropriate to the education of 
pious, indigent young men for the Gospel min- 
istry all mone3'S that may be intrusted to them 
for this purpose. 

{b.) To allow no person to hold the office of 
President in the institution who is not a mem- 
ber of some Christian church. 

(c.) To allow no person to hold the office of 
Professor in the Theological Department, un- 
less he shall subscribe to the confession of faith, 
which every Professor supported on the Asso- 
ciate foundation in the Theological Seminary at 
Andover, Mass., is required to subscribe. 

(d.) To permit, while this connection con- 
tinues, the managers of the education fund an- 
nually' to examine into tlie progress of the insti- 
tution, the state of said fund, and the manner 
in which it is applied. 

2. That the Trustees give bonds to re-convey 
to the managers of the education fund, within 
one year after demanded by them, all such un- 
expended property, personal and real,' as the^' 
shall have received from them. 

The conditions were unanimously accepted 
by the Trustees. The Presbyteries, having 
been certified of the fact, proceeded to appoint 
a Board of Managers of the Education Fund. 
The Presbytery of Grand River appointed for 
this purpose Zalmon Fitch, George Swift, Rev. 
Ephraim T. Woodruff and Rev. Amasa Loomis. 
The Presbytery of Portage appointed Elizur 
Wright, Joshua B. Sherwood, Rev. Caleb Pit- 
kin and Rev. Benjamin Fenn. This Board of 
Managers was to have perpetual succession, 
and to fill their own vacancies. They were to 
receive and convey to the Erie Literary Society, 



agreeably to the conditions named, all property 
intrusted to them for the education of pious 
and indigent .young men for the sacred minis- 
try, annually to visit the institution to exam- 
ine into its state and progress and the applica- 
tion of the education fund, and to attend to 
such other business as shall b}' them be deemed 
necessar}- to promote the great objects of edu- 
cating young men for the Gospel ministry. 
They were also to make a report annually to 
each Presbytery. 

At this joint meeting at Warren, the Portage 
Presbytery appointed a committee to prepare 
and publish an address on the subject of edu- 
cation. This committee consisted of Rev. 
Messrs. Pitkin, Seward, Curtis and Stone, Mr. 
Benjamin Whedon and Mr. George Swift. 
The}' issued an urgent and spirited appeal '' to 
the patrons of literature and religion, on the 
subject of establishing a literary and theologi- 
cal institution in the Connecticut Western Re- 
serve." They say that, " as considerable de- 
lays must be occasioned and expense incurred 
by the formalities of obtaining a separate act 
of incorporation, and as ample powers and 
privileges were already given in the charter of 
the Erie Literary Society, it was judged expe- 
dient both to save time and money, and to pre- 
serve unity of design and harmon}' of feeling, 
to erect a theological department on the foun- 
dation of that charter. 

The connection thus formed between this 
Board of Managers and the Erie Literary Soci- 
ety " continued a little more than two years, 
until June 8, 1824. In the course of the 3'ear 
1823, the Managers became convinced that an 
institution equal to their desires and expecta- 
tions and to the necessities of the public could 
not be built up at Burton. They, therefore, re- 
quested the Trustees of the Erie Literary So- 
ciety to remove their establishment to a more 
eligible situation. The request was, at sevei'al 
meetings of the Trustees, full}- discussed and 
ultimately rejected." The ground of this dis- 
couragement at Burton and effort to remove 
the institution, according to the testimony of 
many persons, was the supposed unhealthiness 
of the place. It is probable, also, that there 
was a desire to place the college nearer the 
center of the Reserve. During those 3'ears, 
Burton had been visited with very severe and 
fatal sickness, so as even to break up the school 
for a time. The effort of the Managei's to in- 






ll^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



449 



duce the Trustees to remove the institution to 
a more eligible situation, and "preserve the 
unity of design and harmony- of feeling," full}' 
proves that there was no discord between the 
boards on any other subject, and that the^- 
were willing to continue their co-operation. 
The unwillingness of the Trustees to accede to 
the request of the Managers is adequately ac- 
counted for by the fact that the Board held 
lands which must i-evert to the donors or their 
successors if the college should ever be removed 
from Burton. Those of the Trustees who were 
especiall}- interested in that part of the Reserve 
doubtless believed also that the unhealthiness 
was merely temporar}-, which, indeed, proved 
to be the case. The academ}' at Burton was 
popular and useful for some 3'ears. after the 
withdrawal of the Managers, when the sickness 
which proved to be incident to the newness of 
the country had passed awa}'. 

" The managers applied to the Presb3'teries 
to appoint four commissioners, two ministers 
and two laymen, from each, to meet at Aurora 
on June 2, 182-t, for the purpose of consulting 
and advising as to the course which the Board 
of Managers shall pursue under existing cir- 
cumstances." The Presb3'teries complied with 
the request. The Presbytery of Grand River 
appointed Rev. Giles H. Cowles, Rev. Joseph 
W. Curtis and Mr. Titus Brockway ; the Pres- 
bytery of Portage appointed Rev. John Sew- 
ard, Rev. Joseph Treat, Mr. David Hudson 
and Mr. Lucretius Bissell ; the Presbytery of 
Huron, which had been formed by dividing 
that of Portage, since the Board of Managers 
had been constituted, appointed Rev. Simeon 
Woodruff, Rev. Israel Shailer and Mr. Harmon 
Kingsbury. The Board of Managers met with 
these commissioners. At this meeting it was 
determined to discontinue the connection with 
the Erie Literai-y Societ}-, and tr}' to establish 
a separate institution. It was also resolved 
that it was expedient to request the Presb^'ter}' 
of Huron " to appoint four persons — two minis- 
ters and two laymen — who, together with the 
Board of Managers, should constitute the 
Board of Trustees for the contemplated insti- 
tution." It was resolved to recommend the 
Presbyteries to appoint four commissioners 
each, to locate the institution, who should 
meet at Hudson on September 22, " and come to 
a decision as soon as practicable." 

The Presbyteries approved of this action, and 



appointed their commissioners, from Grand 
River, Revs. Giles H. Cowles and Harve}' Coe, 
Mr. Abraham Griswold and Mr. Eliphalet Aus- 
tin, Jr.; from Portage, Revs. John Seward and 
Joseph Treat, Col. Lemuel Porter and Mr. 
John H. Whittlesey ; from Huron, Revs. Al- 
fred H. Betts and Lot. B. Sullivan, Mr. Samuel 
Cowles and >Ir. David Gibbs. These commis- 
sioners were directed in making their decision 
" to take into view all circumstances of situa- 
tion, moral character, facility of communica- 
tion, donations, health, etc." The principal 
places which competed to secure the location 
were Burton, Aurora, Euclid, Cleveland and 
Hudson. After several meetings at different 
places, the commissioners, in January, 1825, 
■ decided in favor of Hudson. The amount of 
the subscription at Hudson to secure the col- 
lege was $7,150, of which $2,142 was contrib- 
uted by Mr. David Hudson. In the competi- 
tion between different locations within the 
town, Mr. Hudson gave 160 acres of land to 
secure it for the place it now occupies, rather 
than have it put half a mile south of the center 
of the town. The Presbytery of Huron now 
added to the Board of Managers, as they had 
been invited to do, the names of Rev. Simeon 
Woodruff, Rev. Stephen I. Bradstreet, Hon. 
Henry Brown and Mr. Harmon Kingsbury. 

This Boai'd of Managers, now called Trustees, 
held their first meeting at Hudson on February 
15, 1825. They approved of the report of the 
Commissioners for locating the institution, made 
arrangements for erecting a college edifice, ap- 
pointed Benjamin W^hedon Treasurer, and Da- 
vid Hudson, Owen Brown and Heman Oviatt a 
Committee of Agency, to superintend the work 
of building. The}' also adopted a confession 
of their religious faith, and elected Rev. John 
Seward and Mr. Samuel Cowles members of the 
board. The}^ iDcgan their efforts to procure 
funds, prepared a draft of a charter to be pre- 
sented to the Legislature, and of a petition in 
favor of the charter, to be circulated for sub- 
scription on the Reserve ; appointed Hon. 
Henry Brown " to procure the granting of the 
charter by the Legislature ' at its next session, 
adjusted the lines of the college plat, procured 
deeds of the ground, drew up a detailed plan 
of the first building, and decided upon the 
mode of laying out the campus. Their plan 
was to erect the buildings in a line from north 
to south, on the height of ground where they 



450 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



now stand, but facing toward the east ; in front 
of tiie buildings, a street sixt}' feet wide was to 
be laid out, and on the east side of it, facing 
westward, were to be erected the houses for the 
President and Professors. Middle College was 
accordingly built facing eastward. The plan 
was changed for a west front in 1828, and the 
pi'csent location for Professors' houses was se- 
lected. 

It is said that the eftbrt to secure a charter 
encountered severe opposition in the Legisla- 
ture, especiall}' on account of the religious 
character which the institution was likel}' to 
bear. The names of the corporators contained 
in the petition were tiiose of seven clergymen 
and seven laymen. There were men in the Leg- 
islature of infidel sentiments, who were unwill- 
ing that education should be so much under the 
influence of the clergj-. These men so modified 
the draft of the charter asked for as to exclude 
all religious instruction from the college. It 
appears, also, that the}' made determined oppo- 
sition to two names among the corporators, so 
that these had to be dropped. This is said to 
have been on account of personal hostility. 
Eev. E. T. Woodruff" and Rev. Amasa Loomis 
had been appointed Managers of the Education 
Fund by the Presbytery of Grand River, and 
their names must therefore have been in the list 
of cor})orators in the petition, but the}' are not 
found in the charter. By some means, also, the 
name of Samuel Cowles was replaced by that 
of David Hudson. The corporators were thus 
seven la3'men and five clergymen. 

A cop3^ of the charter thus amended was sent 
to Mr. Hudson, who laid it before Mr. Pitkin. 
Mr. Pitkin immediatel}' started on horseback, 
in midwinter, for Brownhelm, and rode from 
there with Judge Brown to Columbus, to pre- 
vent the passage of this charter and secure an 
acceptable one. After laboring earnestly to- 
gether for some time with the opponents. Judge 
Brown, seeing the situation, said to Mr. Pitkin : 
" You had better go home and leave me to man- 
age this matter. This is a thing which sinners 
can manage best." Mr. Pitkin returned home, 
and Judge Brown secured, if not the charter 
asked for, at least an acceptable one — we trust 
not by sinful methods. The charter bears date 
of February 7, 1826. This was the fifth col- 
lege chartered in the State, not counting the 
Erie Literary Societ}'. 

In accordance with the charter, the Trustees 



met at Hudson on the 1st of March, 1826, and 
organized by electing Rev. Caleb Pitkin, Presi- 
dent ; Rev. John Seward, Vice President ; Rev. 
William Hanford, Secretary ; and Benjamin 
Whedon, Treasurer. The}" went immediately 
forward in their work with the greatest energy 
and harmony. They closed contracts for the 
building, fixed the proper forms for their busi- 
ness transactions, appointed agents to solicit 
funds, adopted a common seal, elected a pruden- 
tial committee and determined their duties, 
appointed a committee to prepare by-laws, and 
" a committee to prepare a condensed history 
of the origin " of the college, and attended to 
their duties as managers of the education fund 
of the Presbyteries. Preparation of materials 
had been made during the previous winter for 
the new building, and under the superintend- 
ence of Mr. Heman Oviatt, the foundation was 
ready in April. On the 26th of April, the cor- 
ner-stone was laid with great ceremony in the 
presence of a large assembly. It was a warm 
June like day. A procession was formed at 
Mr. Hudson's house, and moved to the meeting 
house, where there was prayer and singing. 
The procession then moved to the college 
campus, where an address was delivered in 
Latin by 3Ir. Pitkin, and the stone laid with 
Masonic ceremonies. The procession then 
returned to the meeting house, where Mr. Brad- 
street delivered an address on the principles 
which actuated the Trustees in the work they 
had undertaken. 

Owing to innumerable hindrances and em- 
barrassments, the building was not completed 
until August, 1827. But the work was thor- 
oughly and substantially done, as is proved by 
the fact that, with very slight repairs, old Mid- 
dle College did service until the summer of 
1875, when it was thoroughly repaired within 
and without. 

In the summer of 1826, a cabinet and a 
library were begun, the first books and minerals 
having been presented b}' Rev. Judah Ely. On 
the 22d of September, Mr. David L. Coe, a 
graduate of Williams College and an excellent 
scholar, " was appointed Tutor j»-o tempore, and 
authorized, if application should be made, to 
examine and admit those whom he should find 
qualified into a Freshman class, and to take the 
class under his particular care and instruction. 
Mr. Coe had been Principal of the Burton 
Academy from 1820 to 182-1:, and was now 



^\ 



l^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



451 



teaching in the Academy at Tallmadge. He 
was not required to remove to Hudson because 
the building was not yet complete, and he 
could perform his office as Tutor while teaching 
the Acadeni}-. In December, he admitted to 
the Freshman class in college, J]llery Bascom, 
Charles M. Preston and Oren C. Thompson, and 
took charge of their studies during the 3'ear. 

Thus the college was established, and was 
actually carrying forward in 182G the work 
of building and the work of instruction. 
In the autumn of 1827, the first building was 
completed here and filled with students. In 
tlie catalogue of that year are found Sopho- 
more and Freshmen classes, a preparatory class 
and students in a partial course, under the 
instruction of Mr. Ephraim T. Sturtevant, a 
graduate of Yale College. 

It is astonishing with what energy the Trust- 
ees took hold of their work so soon as the}^ 
secured their charter. The Trustees of the 
Erie Literary Society had made very little ef- 
fort to establish and carry forward the college. 
Mr. William Law had made a donation of 1,130 
acres of land for the college at Burton, but it 
does not appear that an}^ effort was made for 
further endowment until after the managers of 
the education fund had united with them. The 
supposed unfavorableness of Burton as a loca- 
tion for the college and the consequent attempt 
to secure its removal, doubtless restrained 
the managers from any great exertion to in- 
crease the endowment while it remained there. 
They did, however, secure some donations of 
land and of money. But so soon as the college 
was located at Hudson, its Trustees and friends 
most earnestly and systematically began to 
canvass the Reserve and sent agents to the 
East to raise the means requisite to build and 
support instructors. Mr. Pitkin, Mr. Kings- 
bury and Mr. Coe, of the Trustees, labored es- 
pecially in this work. A good deal of this 
kind of service was also performed b}' Rev. 
Daniel W. Lathrop and Rev. Greorge Sheldon. 
A number of others, both clergymen and \ay- 
meu, as much interested in the success of the 
college as its Trustees, engaged in agencies for 
short periods as special services were needed. 
Mr. Pitkin, who was President of the Board, 
seems to have been employed almost exclusive- 
I3' in some form of agency from January, 1826, 
until x\ugust, 1843. His devotion to the col- 
lege, and that of all those early Trustees, was 



most hearty and self-sacrificing. They never 
spared time, labor or expense when the inter- 
est of the college required their services. They 
would attend meetings of the Trustees or Pru- 
dential Committee four or five times a year, 
coming some of them fifty or sixty miles, 
through the horrible roads of a new country, 
with their own conversances, and remaining from 
two to six days together in earnest council and 
action. 

This unreserved devotion and indefatigable 
energy could not but secure them all the suc- 
cess which the nature of the case permitted. 
The country was yet very new and though 
population was increasing rapidly, there was 
3'et ver}' little acquired wealth ; money was 
extremely scarce, access to markets difficult 
and the people still mostl}- engaged in the rough 
work of the pioneei's. The contributions, 
therefore, were made chiefly in land which bore 
a very low price, or in cattle or in some form 
of merchandise which required much care, en- 
ergy and prudence, to work them over into col- 
lege buildings and professors' salaries. This 
kind of donations, from the nature of the case, 
lasted a long time, and was a great source of 
perplexit}- and embarrassment down to the 
close of President Pierce's administration. 
This is not to be thought of as a discredit to 
the donors in an^- respect. On the contrary, 
it was greatl}- to their credit that with so little 
of read}' means, the people had such a sense of 
the importance of higher education, that they 
would give, though their gift might be small 
and of a kind not easily convertible. Thus, 
the college received donations of land and sold 
it for stone, lumber or labor. Mr. Pitkin re- 
ceived two-tliirds of the compensation for his 
services in kind. Tutor Sturtevant received a 
part of his salary in board and washing. Mr. 
Daniel Metcalf, iii 1827, gave the college $450 
in goods. In looking over the list of donations, 
many are found to have come in ver}' queer 
forms. This " store pay," and what was worse, 
no pay, the Trustees and Faculty knew a great 
deal about for many ^^ears. These difficulties 
which met the Trustees at the beginning were 
inevitable. They foresaw them, of course, and 
being all hardy pioneers and pioneer mission- 
aries they were never daunted by them. 

The idea of a college which these men en- 
tertained, was of such an institution as they 
had been acquainted with and had enjoyed the 



:^ 



^ 



453 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



advantages of in New England. The Western 
Reserve was a second New England in all her 
interests and aspirations, especiall}' as per- 
tained to education and Christianit}-. All the 
clerical members of the board were college 
graduates — four from Yale, two from Williams 
and one from Dartmouth ; of the lay members 
Mr. Elizur Wright was a graduate of Yale, and 
Judge Brown had been a student at Harvard ; 
the rest were Connecticut men familiar with 
the organization, spirit and noble record of 
Yale College. The other ministers who so 
earnestly aided and encouraged the work of 
founding the college, from Father Badger's first 
petition for a charter in 1801, were almo.st all 
graduates of New England colleges. The peo- 
ple of the Reserve were mostly Connecticut 
people. They honored and loved those institu- 
tions, and believed that a college, which was to 
do the same work for the sons of New England, 
transplanted to a new soil, ought by all means 
to be of the same type, and should aim to be of 
the same rank. This explains how the}' came 
to speak of their college as the Yale of the 
West. The Reserve was very commonly called 
New Connecticut, both here and in New En- 
gland ; it was like in manner and for the same 
purpose to have its college, and it was both 
natural and probably wise, to pattern after that 
old college they had known and revered so well. 
The instruction for the year 1827-28 seems 
to have been given entirely by Mr. Sturtevant. 
Mr. Hanford, then Pastor of the church in the 
village, and Secretary of the Trustees, was ap- 
pointed to superintend the students, but it does 
not appear that he gave any instruction. In 
March, 1828, Rev. Charles Backus Storrs, then 
pastor of the church in Ravenna, was elected 
Professor of Sacred Theology. He accepted 
the appointment and entered upon his office in 
December, 1828. It does not appear that theol- 
ogy, be^'oud what forms a part of the course 
now, was taught at that day in the college, nor 
that there were special theological students 
here until 1831. But this chair was filled first 
on account of the prominence of the idea that 
the college was planted in order to raise up 
ministers for the destitute churches. Mr. Storrs 
probably instructed in mental and moi'al 
science, and the evidences of Christianity. Rev. 
Rufus Nutting, a graduate of Dartmouth Col- 
lege, was engaged in August, 1828, to give in- 
struction for the fall term, and finally engaged for 



the entire year. In March following, he was ap- 
pointed Professor of Languages, and Mr. Elizur 
Wright, a graduate of Yale College, was ap- 
pointed Professor of Mathematics and Natural 
Philosophy-. In August, 1830, Rev. Beriah 
Green, a graduate of Middlebury College, was 
appointed Pi'ofessor of Sacred Literature, and 
the theological department was established. 

After man}' efforts to secure a President, 
Prof Storrs was finally persuaded to accept 
that office in August, 1830. He was in all re- 
spects admirably qualified for it, except in the 
matter* of bodil}' strength. He was born at 
Long Meadow, Mass., in 1794, descending from 
a long line of able and scholarly ministers. 
He had not graduated at au}^ college, but had 
neai'l}' completed the junior year at Princeton 
with the highest rank as a scholar, and distin- 
guished alike for talents and diligence, when 
ill health compelled him to abandon his stud- 
ies. After a time devoted to the restoration of 
his health, he studied theology in private, was 
licensed, and preached a year, when he was 
again compelled bj' feeble health to abandon 
labor. In 1817, he entered the theological 
seminary at Andover, and passed through the 
regular course of stud}' there, after which he 
went South and labored as a missionary' in 
South Carolina and Georgia. Again inter- 
rupted by poor health, he traveled northward 
through Ohio in 1822, and accepted a call to 
the church at Ravenna, where he labored with 
great success until he came to the college. He 
was very retiring, unselfish, unambitious, with 
a very deep and earnest religious devotion, in- 
flexible in his adherence to principle, solid, 
acute and comprehensive in thought, greatly 
loved and revered b}- all the students, of won- 
derful eloquence as a preacher. As a theologian, 
he was of the school of President D wight. 
His ill health had doubtless tended to make 
him more a man of reflection, and to heighten 
those qualities which excited the love and rev- 
erence of all who knew him. He was a quiet, 
unassuming man of power, suited to make 
deep and lasting impressions upon all who 
came under his instruction. 

Mr. Sturtevant left the township in May, 

1829. Mr. Charles M. Preston, of the Class of 

1830, was tutor in 1831-32, and Mr. Ralph M. 
Walker, of the Class of 1832, did excellent 
service as tutor from 1832 to 1835. The first 
Faculty was at length organized, with two pro- 






-4* 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



453 



fessors and a tutor in the academic depart- 
ment, and two professors of theology. The 
institution was thus fully under way, but des- 
tined to encounter severe trials speedily. The 
few years which succeeded 1830 were years of 
great excitement upon most weighty questions 
respecting the internal management of the col- 
lege, which arose here as they did almost 
everywhere else. The first was, whether so 
large a use of heathen authors, as they were 
called, in the course of study, was necessary or 
right ; the second was respecting the manual 
labor S3stem. 

In regard to the former question, after con- 
siderable agitation, a committee of the Facultj' 
was appointed to examine and report on the 
subject. In August, 183-4, this committee pre- 
sented an able and sensible report, taking 
the ground on which the college had always 
stood in favor of the classics, but recommend- 
ing the study of the Bible also in the original 
languages. The discussion was carried on 
with much earnestness among the students and 
friends of the college, but good sense pre- 
vailed, and the classics in fact always retained 
their accustomed place in the course of study. 

The manual labor system was, at that time, 
a fashionable hobb}^ all over the land. The 
Presbyteries of Grand River and Portage, in 
their capacity as Education Societies, had, in 
1822-23, b}' resolutions "recommended to the 
managers of the education fund, to adopt a 
system of manual labor for all students under 
their care, and that the avails be applied for 
the support of those students by whom the 
labor is performed. 

In March, 1830, the Trustees resolved '-that 
they deem it expedient that the students in 
this college, during term time, labor for exercise 
and the preservation of health, either in agri- 
culture or some of the mechanical arts, at 
least two hours every day, except the Sabbath, 
according to regulations hereafter to be made, 
and that it be recommended to all students 
now connected with the college, and required 
of all who shall hereafter become members, to 
labor in conformity with such regulations, ex- 
cept in extraordinar}'^ cases, of which cases a 
committee appointed for the purpose shall 
determine." 

To carry out this system, the college pro- 
vided three workshops — -a cooper-shop, cabinet- 
shop and wagon-shop — and a form for those 



who preferred that kind of work. They even 
went so far in 1837, as to consider the expedi- 
ency of opening a blacksmith's shop. These 
shops and the farm were provided with tools 
and superintendents, and an earnest and perse- 
vering effort was made to carr}' out the plan 
successfully. At one time, the students formed 
a mechanical society to carry on work, and had 
a standing advertisement in the Ohio Observer 
of their cabinet wares. A steam engine was 
procured for the shops. No care or expense 
seems to have been spared. But the students, 
like so many other people, proved to be disin- 
clined to manual labor. A^ery few had any 
knowledge whatever of the use of tools, and 
many had no capacity to learn to use them 
skillfull}', especially as the inclination was 
wanting. The wares were found to be rude, 
ill-jointed, unworkmanlike and hard to sell. 
Many, for various reasons, got relieved from 
the requirement to labor, and an invidious dis- 
tinction grew up between the workers and the 
non-workers. It even turned out that this un- 
willing labor was not beneficial to health. 
Grradually, after many shifts, one part of the 
system after another was reluctantly' given up, 
until the whole was abandoned. The last lin- 
gering ray of it is found in the catalogue for 
1851-52. 

But greater questions than these agitated the 
college. About the time of founding the col- 
lege, the slavery question began to agitate the 
country. It was in 1829 that Grarrison came 
out boldly and decidedly in the advocacy of 
the immediate and unconditional abolition of 
slaver}'. He went on to attack the scheme of 
colonization as aflbrding no remedy for the evil, 
and its advocates as enemies of the slave and 
real supporters of the system of slavery with 
all its horrors. The Liherafor first published 
in 1831, quickly aroused the whole nation 
North and South. Many men of keen, moral 
sensibilities took up the cause of the oppres.sed 
with great fervor, and with true martyi'-spirit 
were read} to sacrifice everything — to make all 
other questions and all other interests subor- 
dinate to this one. The Liberator found its 
way to the Western Reserve ; it came into 
the hands of President Storrs, of Profs. 
Wright and (jrreen, and into the hands of the 
students. Its arguments and appeals were 
here '' like good seed sown on good ground.'' 
One of the students who had recently hid an 






454 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY, 



interview with Garrison, and had brought a 
package of documents and copies of the Lih- 
cnitor to distribute in tlie college, calling on 
President Storrs " and, seeing the Liberator on 
his table, asked the slow-spoken, sedate thinker 
what he thought of Garrison's writings on 
slavery. The answer was, '■ I do not see how 
the}' can be refuted." President Storrs and 
Profs. Wright and Green immediatel}' became 
ardent ad^-ocates of Garrison's views, and lost 
no opportunity to proclaim and defend them. 
They were able and eloquent men, and their 
advocacy had great influence in the community. 
In 1832, Prof. Wright began to write in the 
Ohscrvor and Telegraph, then published at Hud- 
son, against colonization, and in favor of aboli- 
tion. These articles aroused a great deal of 
opposition with some and great favor with 
others. In the summer of 1832, Profs. Wright 
and Green sent for Mr. Amos P. Hawle3% of 
the sophomore class, and requested him to pre- 
pare a colloqu}' to be spoken at the ensuing- 
commencement, and gave him for the subject 
of it "The Recaptured Slave." The colloquy 
was successful. At the opening of the next 
term, the question of negro slaver}' and its re- 
lations to colonization became prominent sub- 
jects of discussion among the students. 

On the 8th of May, 1833, President Storrs 
and Prof Green delivered addresses at the 
annual meeting of the Tallmadge Anti-Slavery 
Society. President Storrs spoke nearly three 
hours with great power. It was his last work. 
He had always been feeble in body, but now 
his lungs were seriously aflfected, and this 
great excitement and over exertion prostrated 
him. On the 26th of June he received leave 
of al)scence for six months that he might travel 
and recruit his health. He went lo Braintree, 
Mass., to the house of his brother, the Rev. R. 
S. Storrs, where he rapidly declined and died 
of pulmonary consumption September 15, 
1833. Prof Green received a call to the Pres- 
idency of the Oneida Institute, at Whitestown, 
N. Y. He resigned his professorship and left 
Hudson in June. Prof Wright resigned at 
commencement in August. Thus only Prof 
Nutting and Tutor Walker were left of the old 
Faculty. 

When Profs. Green and Wright resigned, 
conservative people rejoiced, and declared that 
they had been dismissed by the Trustees and 
their course, and all their opinions on this sub- 



ject, condemned. This was not true. There is 
no intimation of anything of the kind in any 
of the records of the college. Prof Green de- 
clared it to be false in a letter to the African 
Repository. He resigned only because he deemed 
it his duty to accept his call to Whitestown. 
Prof. Wright, in a letter to the Observer and 
Telegraph, dated Hudson, September 9, 1833, 
says : " My resignation was produced, not by 
any attitude the board had assumed or was 
likely to assume, but simply by an invitation to 
another field of labor." The effect, however, of 
this year's transactions and of the misunder- 
standings which grew out of them, on the pros- 
perity of the college was very great, and con- 
tinued for a long time. 

This was a reformatory era in other respects 
also, and the students were thoroughly impreg- 
nated with the spirit of it. They entered with 
ardor into the temperance movement under the 
lead of the Faculty. They had their Temper- 
ance Society, made investigations and published 
their reports. The Society of Enquiry entered 
into what was called the moral reform move- 
ment. They had a standing committee on lewd- 
ness, and published a lengthy report on the 
subject. In 1834, they formed what they 
called a " Magdalen Society," in defense of the 
seventh commandment, in sympathy with Mr. 
McDowell and his movement in New York. 
One of the students prepared and published a 
tract on the subject for general circulation. The 
young men went abroad lecturing on this sub- 
ject also. They seem to have felt the moral 
burden of the world resting heavily upon their 
shoulders, and they were determined to dis- 
charge their responsibilities manfully. We can 
not but admire their devotion to duty, as they 
understood it, and to righteousness. But it is 
difficult to imagine the students of the present 
day going about the fcountry lecturing on slav- 
ery and the seventh commandment, however 
much they may debate any and all subjects of 
present interest in college. 

On the 13th of July, 1831, the college church 
was organized with twenty members. Seven 
other persons joined the church on the same 
day. The reasons for forming a separate church 
are not stated in the record, nor is it known 
who were the chief movers in the matter. It is 
probable that the founders had before their 
minds the example of Yale College and And- 
over Theological Seminary. The college church 



^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



455 



has been greatly' blessed with frequent and 
powerful revivals from the first down to the 
present year, though the effect of these revivals 
is but partiall}- seen in the membership of the 
church. Many young men born into the king- 
dom here have preferred to unite with churches 
at their homes. The church now unites with 
the village church in preaching services, main- 
taining, however, in all other respects, an inde- 
pendent organization. 

The financial condition of the college, up to 
the close of President Storrs' administration, 
had been steadily improving. At the time the 
charter was obtained, the property in the hands 
of the Trustees amounted to about $10,000. At 
the close of the 3-ear 1833, all the receipts 
from donations had amounted to about $54,000. 
There had been expended for grounds, buildings, 
including Middle and South College, the Presi- 
dent's dwelling-house,* the work-shop, etc., $14,- 
600 ; for agencies, instruction, library, appar- 
atus, etc., probably about $17,000. The funds 
in hand, therefore, aside from the buildings, 
grounds and appliances for instruction, were a 
little over $22,000. Besides this sum in actual 
possession, more than $32,000 had been sub- 
scribed, which, for various causes, was never 
paid, though there was then good reason to 
expect that it would be paid. President Storrs 
himself devoted very little of his time to finan- 
cial affairs ; he had not the health, and probably 
not the inclination for verj- much work of that 
kind. He was a student, a teacher and a 
preacher. 

After commencement in 1833, the first work 
of the Trustees was to fill the chairs made vacant 
by death and resignation. The instruction for 
the succeeding year was provided for by the 
appointment of Mr. Clement Long, Instructor, 
and Mr. William C. Clark, Tutor,"both gradu- 
ates of Dartmouth College. In November, Rev. 
Nathaniel S. Folsom, a graduate of Dartmouth, 
was elected Professor of Sacred Literature, to 
succeed Mr. Green, and probably entered upon 
his work immediately. In March. 1834. Mr. 
Long was elected Professor of Intellectual and 
Moral Philosophy. The chair of 3Iathematics 
was not filled until 1835, when Mr. Jarvis Gregg, 
also a graduate of Dartmouth, accepted an 
appointment to it ; the work meantime was per- 

* South" Coll«ge was built in 1830-31, at a cost of Rb mt S5,000. 
The double-house for the President and Professor of Theology was 
built in 1830. 



formed by Tutor Walker. Ptev. George E. 
Pierce was elected President in March, 1834, 
but did not enter on his ofHce until commence- 
ment. The college year 1833-34, was, there- 
fore, an interregnum ; but there was the same 
number of instructors as during the previous 
year, and the work went on probably with more 
calmness after the first anti-slavery excitement 
was over. 

President Pierce was a Connecticut man, a 
graduate of Yale College in 1816, had taught 
an academ}' two years, studied theoleg}' at 
Aiidover, and had been a most successful Pastor 
of the church at Harwiiiton Conn., for twelve 
years. When he entered upon his office as 
President, he was just fort}' 3'ears of age, with 
good health and great animation, and his spirit 
and energ}' were immediateh' felt in eveiything. 
He was deeply imbued with the Connecticut 
idea of a college, and he kindled anew the 
determination to carry it out speedily and 
thoroughly. He immediately began the effort 
to increase the endowment, to erect new build- 
ings, to establish new professofships, to elevate 
the standard of scholarship, to increase the 
library and apparatus for instruction. 

The Trustees were ready to follow such a 
leader, and to support him in all his projects. 
The building of the chapel was begun early in 
1835. President Pierce appealed, through the 
Ohio Ohsercer and the New York Ecdiic/elist, to 
the friends of the college to contribute $50,000 
to increase its resources, and agents entered on 
the work of raising the mone}'. There was an 
obvious and decided improvement of college 
affairs in all respects. The number of students 
increased, the requirements for admission were 
raised, the course of study was made much 
fuller, fences and grounds were improved, trees 
were planted in the college campus and on the 
streets. Eveiything showed that a man of 
taste, force and high ideal and decided views 
was at the head. 

The work went forward with great rapidity. 
In 1836, the chapel was completed and dedi- 
cated at commencement, with a sermon by 
President Pierce. In the same year, Rev. Lau- 
rens P. Hickok, a graduate of TJnion College, 
came as Professor of Theology, the work of 
that department having been performed during 
the interim since President Storrs' death b}' 
President Pierce. After the accession of Prof 
Hickok, President Pierce gave instruction in 



K 



456 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



other branches of theology. Prof. Folsom 
having resigned, Prof. Elijah P. Barrows, a 
graduate of Yale College, came, in 1837, to the 
Chair of Sacred Literature. With this enlarge- 
ment of the theological facult}'. North College 
was built in 1837-38 for the use of divinity 
students. Prof Gregg served but a part of a 
year in the Chair of Mathematics and Physics, 
and was then transferred to the Chair of Homi- 
letics and Pastoral Theology. His sudden and 
premature death in less than a year from his 
first appointment was a serious loss to the col- 
lege, for he was a man of fine scholarship, of 
great promise, greatly beloved by the Faculty 
and students. The Chair of Mathematics and 
Physics thus made vacant was immediatel}' 
filled by the appointment of Mr. Elias Loomis, 
a graduate of Yale College, who went to Eu- 
rope for a j-ear's stud}' and travel, commis- 
sioned also to procure books for the library and 
apparatus for the department of physics and 
instruments for the observator}-. He brought 
to his chair great abilities and enthusiasm in 
his department and power of work. Under his 
guidance the mathematical part of the libraiy 
and the apparatus were considerabl}' increased, 
and, in 1838, the observatory- was erected and 
admirably equij^ped. In 1838, Dr. St. John, a 
graduate of Yale College, was appointed Pro- 
fessor of Chemistry and Geology, and a large 
apparatus for that department was procui'ed. 
This led to the erection of a new building for 
the accommodation of the two departments of 
physics and of chemistry and geology. This 
building, called Atheneum, was not completed, 
however, until 1843. Meantime, in 1840, Rev. 
Henry N. Da}-, a graduate of Yale College, had 
been added to the Facult}-, taking the chair of 
of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology ; and in 
the same year Mr. Nathan P. Seymour, also a 
graduate of Yale College, had taken the Chair 
of Languages vacated b}- Prof Nutting. In 
February, 1844, a modification of the charter 
was procured from the Legislature so as to 
allow the establishment of the medical depart- 
ment in the city of Cleveland. A course of 
medical lectures had been begun in Cleveland 
in the autumn of 1843 by Dr. Delemater and 
his distinguished associates. The department 
was fully organized, and the first class gradu- 
ated in March, 1844. 

It is evident that during the first decade of 
President Pierce's administration, there had 



been a great enlargement and improvement of 
the institution. Three large, convenient and 
substantial edifices had been erected, and an 
astronomical observatory had been built and 
equipped. The Faculty had been increased 
from four to eight members, besides tutors. 
The number of students had increased from 83 
to 140 ; the apparatus and librar}- had been 
enlarged ; the requirements for admission and 
those for graduation greatly increased ; a new 
and flourishing department added. The Fac- 
ulty which President Pierce gathered was com- 
posed of men distinguished for learning, gen- 
eral ability and teaching power, men who would 
have given honor and distinction to any insti- 
tution. He showed himself to be an admirable 
judge of men. Not only did the broad founda- 
tion of the college seem to have been laid, but 
the Connecticut ideal seemed to have been ac- 
tually realized. It was almost to the minutest 
particular a faithful copy of Yale College. 

During the second half of President Pierce's 
administration, the financial difficulties of the 
college increased until the}- became well-nigh 
overwhelming. The causes of these difficul- 
ties were two — first, what seemed to be unwar- 
rantably large expenditures for buildings and 
instruction ; and, second, the opinion of some, 
whether well or ill founded, that the manage- 
mens of the funds was not so cai-eful and pru- 
dent as it should have been. The four build- 
ings erected during the first half of President 
Pierce's administration, viz., the Chapel, North 
College, Observatory and Atheneum, cost but 
little above $22,000, or the actual fund inher- 
ited from President Storrs' administration. If 
the question were asked whether these build- 
ings were all necessary, we should have to re- 
ply that the plan on which Yale College was 
conducted was adopted here as the sum of all 
wisdom in such matters. The plan required 
abundant dormitories and a separate church — 
all the appliances for a community complete in 
itself, and separated from the rest of the world. 
It is easy now to find fault with the plan, and 
to point out other less expensive methods 
which have proved successful elsewhere. But 
the buildings then erected have proved ver}- 
useful ever since, and are indispensable acconl- 
iug to that plan. If we look at the expendi- 
ture for instruction, it certainly cannot be said 
that the salaries of the Faculty were ever large, 
and if we consider how much the President and 



M- 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



457 



Professors contributed to the fund of the col- 
lege out of their salaries, it will be acknowl- 
edged that they were quite inadequate to their 
support. But even these small salaries, under 
the pressure of the circumstances, were often 
paid in a manner which made them b}' no 
means equal their nominal value. Seven hun- 
dred dollars was the highest salary paid to any 
one except the President, who received $900 ; 
and President Pierce often gave out of this 
$200 a year to the college, and the Pi'ofessors 
were in general equall}^ liberal in their dona- 
tions. Indeed, it is doubtful if an}- college was 
ever served by such able men for so meager 
stipends. The number of the Faculty was such 
that the salaries of all, with that of the Treas- 
urer, amounted from $3,500 to $7,500 a year. 
If the number of the Faculty should be drawn 
into question as unwise and unnecessar}-, the 
answer is eas}', that it was the plan to have the 
institution a real college of the highest order ; 
it must therefore be fully manned by able schol- 
ars and teachers. If the number of students 
was as yet small, it was reasonably expected 
that they would increase as the population 
grew, and that an able Faculty would attract 
students. Indeed, the number of students was 
increasing, and the learning and ability of the 
Faculty did establish for the college the high- 
est reputation, until the operation of the second 
cause mentioned led on to the most serious 
disastei's. 

It has alread}' been said that the financial 
necessities of the college kept President Pierce 
in the field as an agent a large part of the time 
for several years. His self-sacrifice and devoted 
labor in this hard and unpleasant task, we 
should think, have rarely been equaled ; but. 
with all his toil, to make ends meet, it was impos- 
sible. As early as 1836, the college had a debt 
of $6,000, though the nominal assets were 
$60,000. But these assets were largely sub- 
scriptions, many of which, after years of 
waiting, finally failed altogether ; others wei'c 
land, or other property, whicli could not then 
be wisely converted, or converted at all without 
serious loss. This state of things continued 
— the expense going on, which must be met 
with ready monc}' — the assets, however much 
they might be nominall}-, never answering to 
their face, and hard to bring into usable form. 
The debt steadily increased, until, in 1846, it 
stood at $35,000, and the assets at $38,000. 



The annual deficit at that time was such that 
five years more would consume all the assets in 
hand, and leave only the fixtures and the debt. 
The difficulty in paying the salaries of the Pro- 
fessors, and the sacrifice required of them, led 
to the resignation of Prof Hickok and Prof. 
Loomis in 18-14, the former being called to the 
Chair of Theology in Auburn Seminary, and the 
latter to the Chair of Mathematics and Physics 
in the University of New York. This was in 
every respect a most serious loss to the college. 
But it was not to be expected that such men 
would submit to so much perplexity in the 
matter of support when they could do the same 
work elsewhere in more comfortable circum- 
stances. Their places were, however, speedily 
filled, and the college went on doing its solid 
work, maintaining its high scholarl}- and liter- 
ary character, but groaning under its financial 
burdens. Prof Hickok's place was filled by 
the transfer of Prof Long to the Chair of Theol- 
ogy ; Prof Loomis', by the appointment of Mr. 
James Nooney, a graduate of Yale College. 
Prof. Long's chair was filled by the appointment 
of Rev. Samuel C. Bartlett, a graduate of Dart- 
mouth College. 

In view of the failure of pledges and the de- 
preciation of property, the board resolved, in 
1845, to enter on an effort to raise $40,000 to 
replace the losses and pay the debts. This 
subscription was completed in 1848. They im- 
mediately began a new effort to add $60,000 to 
the permanent fund, the entire sum to be raised 
by January 1, 1850. This effort, entered upon 
with great vigor, was also successful. But the 
slowness with which payments were made left 
the college still in difficulty. Although the 
debt was diminishing, it was still $28,000 in 
1850. The pressure of creditors and the im- 
mediate necessities of life led to the practice of 
loaning the money of the permanent fund to 
the general fund. From this and other causes, 
such as an inadequate S3stem of book-keeping, 
arose a suspicion, in the minds of some of the 
Trustees, whether well grounded or not, that 
the management of the funds was not good ; 
that there was a lack of business accuracy and 
order ; that the distinction l)etween mnim and 
fuum in the funds was not accurately kept. 
There can, of coui'se, be nothing dishonest in 
the mere loaning from one fund to another ; 
but, considering the difficulty in which the col- 
lege then was — the pressure on every side — it 



\ 



458 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



is not strange that it excited nervousness in tlie 
hard-worked and ill-paid Faculty, and among 
some of the donors. No one could for a mo- 
ment question the perfect integrit}^ and high 
Christian character of President Pierce and the 
Trustees. But " the best-laid plans of mice 
and men gang aft agley," and the college had 
had too serious an experience already of the 
uncertaint}' of pledges to trust the general 
fund too far with the sacred resources of the 
permanent fund. Moreover, it was the growing 
sentiment on all sides that the expenses should, 
by some means, be brought down to the proba- 
ble income, or nearl}' to that, and that the gen- 
eral fund should be so managed as speedily to 
remove all indebtedness. 

In 1850, the sum of .$60,000 had been sub- 
scribed to the permanent fund. In view of this 
fact and of the importance of the work of col- 
lecting and securely investing this, and in view 
also of the earnest request of President Pierce, 
that he might, as speedily as possible, be re- 
leased from all financial responsibility, at the 
meeting of the board in March, a Ji nance com- 
mittee was appointed, consisting of President 
Pierce, Mr. Joseph Perkins, Hon. E. N. Sill and 
Mr. C. L. Latimer, all of them men who were 
skilled and practiced in financial business, to 
take charge of the whole matter of collecting 
and investing the new fund, of the administra- 
tion of the general fund, and the payment of 
the debt. They were specially " charged to 
see that no part of the permanent fund was 
diverted from its proper purpose, or entangled 
with other funds or effects of the college." 
This committee, at the outset, made a full and 
minute survey of the state of affairs. With a 
debt of $28,000 they find assets applicable to 
its payment of $38,000. They declare that 
this debt must be paid without further delay, 
that the assets applicable to the purpose are 
"barely sufficient to meet the demands," and 
that '• decision and energy will be very requi- 
site " in the management of the matter, or " the 
funds will melt in our hands and our debts be 
left an incubus upon us." Besides interest, 
the annual expenses were then $1,500 beyond 
the reliable income. But all attempts at the 
reduction of expenditure were met wifh oppo- 
sition. There seemed to be a great desire on 
all hands to retrench, without retrenching ; and 
the committee, finding at the end of a year and 
a half that, with all their efforts they could not 



secure the requisite control, that the debt was 
reduced only $7,500, while the available assets 
had shrunk $1G,000, resigned. Their duties re- 
turned to the hands of the prudential com- 
mittee. 

This brought on a crisis in the affairs of the 
college. This finance committee had been di- 
vided in opinion — on the one side, President 
Pierce, the Chairman, on the ground, with the 
actual control in his hands, and dreading in 
an}' degree to impair the number or efficiency 
of the Facult}', which had brought the institu- 
tion up to his ideal in that respect — on the 
other side the other membei'S who saw clearly 
and felt deepl}' the financial necessities of the 
case. The disagreement which brought about 
the resignation of this committee now entei'ed 
into the board and divided it so that the cast- 
ing vote was alwa3-s in the hands of the Presi- 
dent, and he always cast it with the same side. 
The division touched every question of policy 
and of popular action. The Faculty, feeling 
most deeply ever3'thing which threatened the 
honor, stability and efficiency of the college 
for which they had so devotedly labored 
and sacrificed, and, though not doubting 
the integrity and good will, yet doubting the 
ability of President Pierce and the pruden- 
tial committee to successfully cope with the 
financial problem, insisted that the finance 
committee should be continued, and should 
have complete control of the funds according 
to its original plan. Disheartened and foresee- 
ing evil from the resignation of that committee, 
Profs. Barrow, St. John and Bartlett resigned, 
Prof Long having also resigned a few days be- 
fore the committee. This was almost a break- 
ing-up of the college, since there only remained 
besides the President, Prof Day in the Theologi- 
cal Department, Prof Seymour in the Academic, 
and Prof Frost Shepherd, who never received 
a salary, was never responsible for any fixed 
duty, and who was here but a small part of the 
time. After much agitation and negotiation 
with meetings of the Alumni and of students 
to consider the subject, and express their opin- 
ions and wishes at commencement in July, 
1852, Prof Lord withdrew his resignation, and 
the other Professors were re-appointed, with 
the expectation that they would continue their 
labors, and the college would still live and 
flourish as of old. But these hopes were 
blighted. Personal disagreements had grown 



k^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



459 



up out of questions arising in the Facult}', as 
well as deep differences of opinion growing out 
of the financial and other questions arising in 
the Board of Trustees, and concei'ning general 
policA'. The strong feelings excited could not 
be easih' calmed. The Professors, being widely 
distinguished in their departments, had tempt- 
ing offers of important positions elsewhere, 
where their fields would be larger and their 
salaries sure. The attempt to restore the old 
order of things failed. The Professors left, 
the students mostly left, and the labor and pa- 
tience of many good men for many years, 
seemed to have failed of the promise. 

Aside from the debt and the general fund 
available for its pa3-ment, the college had also 
a permanent fund, amounting nominally to 
$85,000 ; but $54,000 of this was in the "form 
of subscription notes, for the most part on in- 
terest, and payable between the years 1850 and 
1855; $10,600 was in stocks and bonds; the 
remainder chiefly in real estate, bills receivable 
and the like, with $3,000 in cash. The discords 
and contentions in the college interfered with 
the collection of the principal and interest of 
this fund as it became due, thus greatly re- 
ducing the expected income and increasing the 
embarrassment. The}' alienated man}' of the 
donors, also, as might have been expected, and 
undoubtedly had an injurious influence upon 
other young colleges in the West which w'ere 
seeking to raise their flrst endowments. Men 
who had means to give to them had their fears 
excited that their donations might be lost 
through the discords, if not the mismanage- 
ment of boards of trust. In this view, the 
I " Societ}' for the Promotion of Collegiate and 
Theological Education at the West."' which had 
between the years 1845 and 1848 given the 
college about $13,000, and recommended it to 
the favor of the churches and Christian people 
at the East, took a deep interest in all these 
transactions here, and urged the speedy settle- 
ment of the difficulties. In Febuary, 1855, 
this society even sent a committee of distin- 
guished men, which met the Board of Trustees 
in their semi-annual meeting at Cleveland, and 
urged them to refer all their differences to arbi- 
tration. This friendly counsel was rejected by 
a majority of the board. They seemed to feel 
themselves bound to work the matter through 
without outside aid or advice. 

At the beginning of the academic year 



1852-53, the Faculty consisted of President 
Pierce, Prof Seymour and Tutor Gates. Prof. 
Day still retained his office, but as the Theo- 
logical Department had no students, he ren- 
dered no service. There were only two classes 
— the sophomore and freshman — with twenty- 
three members. In March, 1853, Rev. Alfred 
Emerson, a graduate of Yale College, was 
elected Professor of Mathematics and Physics, 
and entered on his duties at the beginning of the 
year 1853-54. In November, 1853, Rev. Heury 
B. Hosford, a graduate of Williams College, 
was elected Professor of Intellectual and Moral 
Philosophy and Rhetoric, and entered on his 
duties in January, 1854. Both these elections 
were opposed and strongly protested against 
by a portion of the board, not out of objection 
to the men, well qualified pledges, but because 
in their view it was necessary to the prosperity 
of the institution that President Pierce should 
retire from office, and that there should be an 
entire reconstruction. 

At commencement in 1853 there were no 
graduates, and the commencement exercises 
consisted of the oration before the Alumni, by 
Mr. Hoadley, of the Class of 1844, the inaugu- 
ral address by Prof Emerson, two orations by 
representatives of the societies, and three mas- 
ters' orations. In the next year, beside the 
President, there w-ere three Professors, a Tutor 
and twenty-five students, all the classes being 
represented. The work of the college went on 
after the old fashion, according to the old 
sfandai'd, though the continued agitation in the 
newspapers and in private, must have made 
all parties extremely uncomfortable. Even 
through another year did this weary time of 
conflict extend. 

On the 31st of May, 1855, President Pierce, 
having arrived at the age which he had long 
before set as the proper time for him to retire, 
resigned his office, and Rev. Henry S. Hitch- 
cock, of Columbus, a graduate of Yale College 
and a distinguished minister, was elected his 
successor. All parties seem to have l>ecome 
weary of the conflict, as well they might. Mr. 
Hitchcock was inaugurated at commencement, 
on the I'ith of July. Several members of the 
Board of Trustees resigned : there places were 
filled by men having the confidence of both 
parties, and the college entered upon its new 
era. 

President Pierce lived sixteen vears after his 



rfv 



460 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



retirement b}' the side of the college, rejoicing 
in its revived prosperity, its larger endowment, 
and in its faithfulness to the standard and the 
traditions which he had established. During 
these later years his health allowed him to do 
but little labor, but he had a keen interest in 
all public affairs and was full of sociality and 
good humor. Death came suddenly upon him 
at last without warning, and he was mercifully 
saved from a painful sickness, which he had 
always greatly feared. He died on Sunday 
morning, May 28, 1871, in the seventy -seventh 
year of his age. 

The task which President Hitchcock under- 
took was one of great difficulty on account of 
the labor involved, and of great delicacy in con- 
sequence of the excited state of feeling concern- 
ing the college in the community and among the 
graduates. Eveiy step he took was sure to be 
criticised ; all his acts and every aspect of the 
c 'liege under him were sure to be compared with 
the great days of old when achievements as 
well as hopes were high and skies were clear. 
He came to the college in the prime of his life, 
at forty-two years of age, with his powers well- 
disciplined by seventeen years of ministerial 
labors, in which he had learned to manage diffi- 
cult financial affairs as well as preach the 
Word. Singularly enough, he was a native of 
Burton, a pupil, and subsequently a teacher in 
the Academy of the Erie Literary Society, his 
father being a Trustee and all his family and 
friends stout defendants of that institution, 
when the attempt was made to remove it to 
Hudson. The sequel will show what a grand 
revenge Burton and that society had on Hud- 
son and the Western Reserve College. He 
bore one of the most honored names in the his- 
tory of the State of Ohio, and by his wisdom, 
prudence and earnest Christian labors had 
proved himself worth}- of it. He was not only 
made President, which brought upon him the 
financial responsibility, but he was also made 
Professor of Christian Theology and Pastor of 
the College Church. The professorship of the- 
ology required that he should teach natural 
theology and evidences of Christianity as 
they are usually taught in colleges. As Pas- 
tor of the church he was expected to preach 
twice on Sunday in the chapel during term 
time, and to do whatever other pastoral labor 
he should find desirable. His preparation for 
this last office was abundant ; for in all his min- 



istrj' he had written faithfully and had acquired 
the habit of extempore speaking. The teach- 
ing which he did gave him one recitation or 
lecture a day for half the year. For this he 
always studied diligently and he had an admir- 
able grasp of the subjects of his department. 

The teaching and the preaching would certain- 
ly be consiilered a sufficient burden for one man 
to bear in ordinar}^ circumstances ; but Presi- 
dent Hitchcock had other burdens greater than 
these. He had the financial burden of paying 
the debt and collecting the subscriptions from 
subscribers, many of them reluctant or hostile 
by the transactions which had occurred since 
they made their pledges ; and the task of doing 
away with the prejudice in the communit}', en- 
gendered by the quarrels of the last five years, 
of winning back alienated friends and divided 
Alumni. 

Few men could have been found willing to 
undertake such a work. It required a man who 
was ready to face long and incessant labor, will- 
ing to subject himself to ungrateful criticism, 
to encounter rebuffs, and tov/ait long for recog- 
nition and obvious success. President Hitch- 
cock had all these qualities. When he had 
made up his mind that duty called him to the 
work, his whole soul was devoted to it, so that 
no obstacles daunted him, and nothing that he 
possessed was kept back. He had all the en- 
ergy, devotion and spirit of self-sacrifice, which 
characterized President Pierce, but he was 
especially fitted for his difficult office because 
he was yielding and conciliator}- in his temper, 
never asserting himself, but always putting for- 
ward his cause, and, while firmly adhering to 
principle, and always insisting on what was just 
and right, he was cautious not to offend. He 
was kindly, charitable toward all men, friendly 
with everybody, considerate of everybody. 
He was such a thorough Christian man that 
none who knew him could fail to see that he 
was not serving himself but God. His modest, 
unassuming Christian character impressed it- 
self upon the students, and made it eas}- for 
him to govern and to lead them in right wa^-s. 

Another thing which fitted President Hitch- 
cock for his general work outside the college, 
was his ability as a preacher and his tact and 
experience in revivals of religion. This made 
him a valuable man to the religious interests 
of this part of the State, in a way which every- 
body could see and appreciate. His value as a 



Iv> 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



461 



mail won friends to his cause. Indeed, we ma}' 
almost say that Dr. Hitchcock had no quality., 
intellectual, moral or personal, and there was 
no event in his previous histoiy which did not 
directly fit him for the laborious and delicate 
task whicii he now undertook. 

The most pressing demand which President 
Hitchcock met when he entered upon his work 
was the payment of the debt. This debt he 
found, at the beginning of his term of office, 
about $22,000. It had not been reduced at all 
since October, 1851. On the withdrawal of 
President Pierce it was increased to $25,000 by 
the vote of the board to pay him $3,000, rather 
as some small recognition of his past services 
than as a compensation for them. The general 
fund applicable to the pa3'ment of this debt 
had mostly disappeared. As no part of the 
permanent fund could be used for this purpose, 
it was necessary to raise the means by a special 
subscription. This was a hard thing to do, 
but one which absolutely must be done if the 
college was to survive. To this, therefore, the 
President applied himself It was necessary 
that he should go about it by personal solicita- 
tion. The work went on slowly but steadil}', 
as he could gain time from his other duties. It 
was no slight labor, meanwhile, to manage the 
obligations and to meet the interest. It was 
onlj' after nine years, in 18G4, that the last of 
the debt was paid. It had begun to accumu- 
late as early as 1836, and thus, after twent}'- 
eight years, having caused unspeakable vexa- 
tion and having nearly swamped the college in 
the meantime, it was removed. The lesson was 
one which this college will not soon forget. The 
good friends who helped to lift that load de- 
serve to be held in special gratitude. 

But this was not the only financial work of 
the President during this period. The out- 
standing pledges to the permanent fund, which 
amounted, in 1855, to about $43,000, were now 
all full}' due, and needed to be immediately 
collected, principal and interest, and invested. 
This was essential in order to provide for the 
running expenses. But such was the state of 
feeling among many of the subscribers, grow- 
ing out of the discords in the college, which 
had become so notorious, that we cannot won- 
der that the}' were very reluctant to meet their 
pledges. The financial crisis of 1858 brought 
a new difficult}" in the case of many who had 
not yet paid. But the work was carried stead- 



ily forward by this quiet, kindly, persistent 
man, until nearly the whole sum was paid or 
compromised. In connection with these labors, 
the President began, as early as April, 1856, to 
solicit new subscriptions to the permanent fund. 
This was necessary if the college was to main- 
tain its old standard of scholarship and in- 
struction ; for the Faculty must be enlarged, 
and salaries must be raised in order to get and 
retain suitable Professors. The means for sup- 
porting instruction must not only be more am- 
ple, but must not be contingent, as in the olden 
times, nor would it do again to pay Professors 
with orders nor with store pay. In 1859, he 
began to secure donations to the general fund. 
These various labors he carried forward simul- 
taneously, with such respites as the state of the 
country required, until the time of his death in 
1873, when, it is found, that he added $67,000 
to the permanent fund and $99,000 to the gen- 
eral fund, besides paying the debt and collect- 
ing all that was collectable of the money due 
on the pledges made between 1848 and 1850. 
A considerable portion of this general fund was 
afterward transferred to the permanent fund. 
And this work he did himself, not by agents, 
except in the matter of about $6,000. Besides 
this, with the aid of the prudential committee, 
of course, he had the care of the funds, and of 
their safe investment — a duty of no small im- 
portance — which he performed with great wis- 
dom and prudence. 

Of the Faculty of the old palmy days, only 
Prof Seymour remained under the new regime, 
Prof Day retaining a mere nominal connection 
with the college until 1859. Prof Emerson, 
who had come into the Chair of Mathematics 
and Physics during the interim, retired in April, 
1856, and was succeeded in January following 
by Mr. Charles A. Young, a graduate of Dart- 
mouth, who served the college with great suc- 
cess until February, 1866, when he resigned 
to accept the Chair of Physics and Astronomy 
at Dartmouth College — a chair which had been 
filled by his father and grandfather before him. 
In April of that year, Mr. Young was succeeded 
by Mr. Allen C. Barrows, of the Class of 1861, 
who served until the close of the year 1869-70, 
when Mr. Charles J. Smith, of the Class of 
1870, the present incumbent, entered upon that 
office. Prof Hosford came in, also, in what 
we may call the interim, to the Chair of Intel- 
lectual Philosophy and Rhetoric, which he 



rf^: 



46-: 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



filled until December, 1859. He was succeeded 
by the present incumbent in April, 1860. 
Prof. Seymour retained the Chair of tlie Greek 
and Latin Languages until 1870, having en- 
tered upon this professorship in September, 
18-10. He thus served the college with distinc- 
tion from the days of its greatest prosperit}' 
under President Pierce, through the period of 
conflict and darkness, until the time of its 
gi'eatest prosperity in the new era. On his 
i-esignation, he was made Emeritus Professor. 
He has since given instruction on two occa- 
sions, when his services were needed. Mr. 
Edwin S. (Iregory, a graduate of Harvard Col- 
lege, held the position of Atljunct Professor of 
Latin, and gave instruction in the college from 
18G1 to 1866, while he was Principal of the 
preparatory school. 

On the retirement of Prof Seymour, the pro- 
fessorship was divided, 3Ir. Thomas D. Se}-- 
mour, his son, of the Class of 1870, being ap- 
pointed to the Chair of Greek and Modern 
Languages, with leave of absence for two 3'ears, 
that he might study and travel in Europe. The 
work of the Greek Department v/as performed 
meantime b}^ William R. Perkins, of the Class 
of 1868. The Chair of Latin and English Lit- 
erature was taken b}- Prof Allen C. Barrows, 
who filled it but one year, when he resigned to 
become Pastor of the church at Kent. He was 
succeeded immediatel}* by Kev. Lemuel S. Pot- 
win, a graduate of Yale, the present incumbent. 
In 1868, Mr. Edward W. Morley, a graduate of 
Williams College, was appointed Professor of 
( 'hemistry and Natural History, a chair which 
had been vacant since Prof St. John resigned 
in 1852. The instruction in this department 
had been given, meantime, by lecturers — two 
years, 1855 and 1856, by Prof. Chadbourne, 
now President of Williams College, and from 
1857 to 1868 inclusive by Prof Cassell, of the 
Medical Department. Mr. Morley began his 
services as Professor in Januar}-, 1869. In 
1860, Prof Long returned to the college as 
lecturer for one term in the Department of Moral 
Philosophy. From 1869 to 1872, Hon. Thomas 
Hastings, of Cleveland, gave a course of lect- 
ures each year on Municipal Law. Since 1869, 
Mr. M. C. Read, of the Class of 1848, has given 
a course of lectures each year on Practical Ge- 
ology and Zo'.jlogy. Such were the changes in 
the Faculty during President Hitchcock's ad- 
ministration. 



The prosperity of the college, which was ob- 
viously returning in all respects, received a se- 
vere check at the breaking-out of the war in 
1861. It was then the first thought of every 
one that all else must be sacrificed if need be, 
for the salvation of the country. Young men 
in college were among the first to feel the pat- 
riotic impulse. Several students entered the 
army at the first call for volunteers. During 
the summer term in 1861, all the students en- 
tered heartily into military drill under the in- 
struction of Col. Ilayward, of Cleveland. At 
the beginning of the next term, the classes 
were verj' much diminished, a considerable 
number entering the service for the war. The 
grammar school also furnished a large quota of 
soldiers. It is much to be regretted that no 
record was kept of the undergraduates who en- 
tered the array. The catalogue of 1862-63, at 
the end of the summary, adds the remark : " In 
addition to those named and enumerated above, 
there are in the army sixteen members of col- 
lege classes, and twenty-seven members of the 
preparatory school." Of course there were many 
others before and after that year who left to 
serve the country. In May, 1862, after the de- 
feat of Banks in the Shenandoah Valley, Presi- 
dent Lincoln issued a new call for volunteers to 
serve three months. The students had a well- 
drilled military- compan^' and immediately of- 
fered their services to Gov. Tod. They were 
accepted and repaired to Columbus, where 
they remained in charge of the military prison 
for three months, after which they were sent to 
Vicksburg in charge of a large body of prison- 
ers for exchange. They were mustered out 
September 29. Commencement was held that 
year on the 15th day of October, and the first 
term of the new academic 3'ear began on the 
following da}^ This was the only interruption 
of the regular work of the college during the 
war, but of course the numbers were kept down 
and the financial progress was doubtless much 
retarded. Of those undergraduates who en- 
tered the army, quite a number lost their lives, 
and those who returned found themselves either 
past the college age, or from other causes un- 
able to complete their studies. The war record 
of the college must be considered good, since 
somewhat more than 100 out of -102 of the ac- 
ademic alumni served in the army, to say 
nothing of the theological and medical gradu- 
ates. They were found in all ranks from pri- 



T 



fe* 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



463 



vate and hospital steward up to Major Gen- 
eral. 

It might well be supposed that no man could 
bear alwaj's such a burden of care and labor 
as that which President Hitchcock took upon 
his shoulders. He maintained great vigor and 
elasticity of health and constitution for several 
years ; but, in 1867, his health seemed to be 
giving way, and it was obvious that he must 
rest or break down. He desired to be released 
from his connection with the college, but 
neither the Faculty nor the Trustees would con- 
sent to his resignation. The physicians ad- 
vised at least six months of rest. At a meeting 
of the prudential committee in September, 
leave of absence was given him for eight 
months, the Faculty undertaking to do his 
teaching and to supply the pulpit during his 
absence. Leaving home on the 8th of October, 
he went to the southern part of France, where 
he spent the winter. After some travel he 
returned home in season for commencement the 
following June, very much recruited in health. 
But the old energy and power to work never 
fully returned. He went on, however, as before, 
with some assistance in the pulpit, still improv- 
ing the financial condition of the institution, 
and discharging his ordinary public duties. 
But, in February, 1870, feeling too much the 
pressui'e of care, he tendered his resignation ; 
but, at the earnest solicitation of the Trustees, 
withdrew it. Again, in June, 1871, he renewed 
his resignation, which was now accepted. He 
remained, however, in his professorship as Pas- 
tor^of the church and in care of the financial 
affairs. He was really relieved only from the 
government of the college and from responsi- 
bility for home affairs. After the great im- 
provement in the financial condition, it was the 
responsibility for the government which had 
especiall}^ worn upon him. Dr. Hitchcock con- 
tinued in the discharge of his duties until the 
summer of 1873, when a few daj's before com- 
mencement he was taken sick and died on the 
6th of July in the sixtieth 3'ear of his age. 

On the resignation of President Hitchcock, 
at commencement, in 1871, Prof Carroll Cutler 
was elected to fill the vacancy. He entered on 
the duties of the oflSce immediately, but was 
not inaugurated until commencement in 1872. 
The presence of Dr. Hitchcock and the respon- 
sible position which he still filled caused the 
affairs of the college to go on as before, and 



there was nothing to indicate to any one that 
any change had occurred. Before 1872, the 
question so much discussed in some other col- 
leges of the same type with this, in regard to 
the admission of women to equal privileges of 
study and instruction, had been often privately 
considered by the Facult}'. Especially when 
some women asked to be admitted to Wabash 
College and were refused, the question was 
sprung, " What course should we take in like 
circumstances ?" It was unanimousl}- agreed 
that if any woman thirsting for knowledge 
should seek it at their fountain she should not 
be refused merely because she was a woman. 
Neither the charter nor the laws of the college 
presented any obstacles to the admission of 
women, and, on inquiry, it was thought there 
would be no objection on the part of the 
Trustees. In his inaugural address, therefore, 
Mr. Cutler announced the fact that women 
would be admitted to all the privileges of the 
college on the same conditions with men. In 
the autumn of 1872, several 3'oung ladies 
entered the preparatory school ; in 1874, one 
entered the Freshman class, and, in 1875-76, 
there was one in the Senior class, one in the 
Sophomore, and two in the Freshman class. So 
far they have been conducted with credit and 
maintained an average grade of scholarship. 

During the existence of the Theological De- 
partment, its histoiy was one with that of the 
college, and has been substantially recounted 
above. It really began operation when Mr. 
Green came here as Professor of Biblical Liter- 
ature, in 1830, and continued until 1852. The 
time of its greatest prosperit}' was from 1842 
to 1850. It was abandoned because there were 
not funds enough to support Professors. The 
necessit}' for a Seminary had ceased also, be- 
cause two others had been planted since the 
opening of this, one in and another near the 
field which this was intended to occup}'. The 
funds which were contributed as a permanent 
endowment of this department were very 
small. Mr. Heman Oviatt gave $10,000 in 
1837 to endow the Chair of Sacred Rhetoric. 
In 1853, Mr. Oviatt, in writing, expressed his 
desire to the Trustees that, in view of the then 
present state of the college, the Professor, on 
his endowment, should give instruction in the 
Collegiate Department. To the endowment of 
the other theological chairs, there was contrib- 
uted only about $5,800. Twelve hundred dol- 



V 



464 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



lars of this was o;iven by "sundry persons," 
through Moses Allen, of New York, and no 
further record can now be found of it. Four 
thousand six hundred dollars were given by 
eighty-six persons in small sums, the largest 
single donation being $212. All other funds 
were for current use. 

The high character of the seminary is obvi- 
ous from the abilit}' of the men who ftUed its 
chairs of instruction, and also from the stand- 
ing and usefulness of those who received their 
theological education here. One needs but to 
recall the names of President Storrs, Professors 
Green, Folsom. Long, Hickok, Barrows and 
Day to show that the instruction was nowhere 
abler. These names, also, as well as those of 
their pupils, clearly indicate the doctrinal 
views taught. Those who studied here have, 
many of them, occupied prominent positions, 
and all of them have been very useful in the 
ministrj' of the Presbyterian and Congrega- 
tional Churches, in both the home and foreign 
fields. The seminary was linked to that eccle- 
siastical system which grew upon the Reserve, 
called the '-Plan of Union." The Professors 
all entered heartily into it in good faith, as did 
most of the churches, until restless and grasp- 
ing men on both sides drove forward the work 
of division. The seminary, however, and all the 
Professors, continued their adhesion to the Plan. 
The number of those whose names appear in the 
catalogue as theological students is 106. It 
does not look at present as though this de- 
partment would ever be resumed, at least in 
its old form. The seminaries now in operation 
are enough for the wants of the countr}-, and 
will be for a long time to come. 

A preparatory school was opened in connec- 
tion with the college at the very first. Per- 
haps it would be better to say that the college 
was first opened in connection with a prepara- 
tory school ; for the first Freshman class was 
admitted and studied the first year at Tall- 
madge, in the academ}-, under Mr. David L. 
Coe, who was Principal of the school, and col- 
lege tutor pro tempore. When the college 
opened in the new building at Hudson, in the 
fall of 1827, the first catalogue shows that 
there was a Sophomore and a Freshman class, 
a preparatory class and a class pursuing a par- 
tial course. There has been a preparatory 
class ever since. The name " Preparament ^' 
was first used in 1838. In 1843, there was a 



Preparatory Department in two sections, class- 
ical and English. In 1850, this department 
was first called a " Grammar School," a name 
which it retained until 1860, since which date 
it has been called a " Preparator}' School." 

It was the expectation of the Trustees that it 
would be necessary to continue the school but 
a very few 3'ears, they supposing that academies 
would be established and endowed on the Re- 
serve as they had been in New England. At 
one time there were as man}' as twenty acade- 
mies in successful operation. First and last 
there have been more than thirty academies on 
the Reserve. But nearly all of these schools 
were entireh' unendowed, and as the public 
schools improved, the number of pupils in them 
diminished, and as new, more exciting and more 
remunerative fields of labor opened, teachers 
could not be found for them, and the}- were 
abandoned. A number of them have been 
attached to the school system of the towns 
where they are as high schools. But the}" do 
not thus accomplish the object of endowed 
academies. The necessit}' for the preparatory 
school, therefore, continues to this da}-, and we 
can see no prospect that it will soon cease. 

This school has always been under the super- 
vision of the college Faculty, and taught for the 
most part by some of the younger graduates. Oc- 
casionally some of the Professors have given in- 
structions there for brief periods, and Professor 
Gregory was Principal and carried on the school 
for five years, with the aid of a tutor, after he 
was made Adjunct Professor of Latin in college. 
The school has never been self-supporting, ex- 
cept for two years, 1850-52, under Mr. Turner. 
During the period when the great calamity and 
depression were upon the college, from 1852 to 
1860, the teachers received only the tuition fees, 
but the college furnished for it a local habita- 
tion. 

The early catalogues show that there were 
from the beginning, students here in a partial 
course. The precise nature and extent of that 
course is not indicated. As these men were 
not Bachelors of Arts, it is probable that they 
pursued the higher English studies with the 
college classes and received a certificate of pro- 
ficiency, but not a degree. In 1855, when 
President Hitchcock entered on his office, a 
Scientific course was announced in the cata- 
logue, '' designed for those who desire a more 
complete education than is furnished by acada- 



TT 



■^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



465 



mies and high schools, without pursuing the 
learned languages." The course of study was 
intended to be three 3'ears. In 1839, the cata- 
logue contains the names of two resident grad- 
uates, and in 1845, one besides those engaged 
in theological study. They were pursuing 
those studies which properl}' belong to a Phil- 
osophical Department. In 1847, appear the 
names of eleven Bachelors and Masters of Arts, 
who were engaged here in such work, and in 
1848 there were sis names in the same class. 

The library has grown, but ver}- slowl}-, to 
some 7,000 volumes, mostly by donations of 
books, while the college has paid out of the 
treasury probably about $1,200 for this object 
previously to the year 1874. The library has 
now an endowment of $3,700, and waits with 
strong desire for the payment of the remainder 
of the $10,000 subscribed for its endowment at 
commencement in 1873. The society libraries 
contain about 5,400 volumes, purchased by the 
students from time to time. 

The ph3^sical apparatus, which must have 
been reasonably good for so young an institu- 
tion according to the ideas of those early times, 
was greatly increased by Prof Loomis when he 
entered upon his work here in 1837. He 
brought with him from Europe the most im- 
portant instruments for investigation and in- 
struction, to the value of $2,200. This appa- 
ratus has been well preserved, and since 1868, 
has been steadily increased by the addition of 
almost all those new instruments which the ad- 
vance of science has made necessary or useful 
in a college in order that the instruction might 
keep pace with the times. 

The astronomical observatory was built un- 
der the direction of Prof Loomis in 1838, at a 
cost of a little above $1,000, and furnished 
with a transit circle, equatorial telescope and 
siderial clock, procured in Europe at an ex- 
pense of $1,750. 

When Dr. St. John came, in 1858, $2,500 
was appropriated as an outfit for his depart- 
ment, some $500 of which was probably ex- 
pended in the purchase of chemical apparatus, 
and the $2,000 upon the cabinet. Accordingly, 
the cabinet seems to have grown and prospered 
for some time ; but, during the period of 
depression and disaster, it was almost entirely 
neglected. In 1858, it received a valuable 
accession from Rev. Horace S. Taylor, of the 
Class of 1840, and a missionary in India. He 



procured a large fragment of a meteorite 
which fell within his field of labor February 
28, 1857, and sent it to the college. This was 
broken up in consequence of man}- applica- 
tions for specimens, and b}' exchanges the cab- 
inet contains now a series of seventy-six 
different meteoric irons and stones. There are 
1,450 named and labeled specimens of mine- 
rals in ca,ses, 500 not labeled, 250 specimens 
of shells, with many duplicates, and a series of 
casts of typical fossils, 173 in number, which 
were added in 1874. There is also a small 
collection of archaeological specimens. 

The chemical apparatus procured by Prof 
St. John had almost wholly disappeared when 
President Hitchcock entered on his office. Very 
little was done in the way of repairing these 
losses until Prof Morley came, in 1869. Since 
that date, this department has received its 
proper share of attention. An admirable ap- 
paratus for the purpose of anal^'sis and re- 
search, as well as for use in instruction, has been 
procured, mostly purchased in P]urope, at an 
expense of $2,500. There is a well-furnished 
laboratory for the use of students, where 
the class perform, under the guidance of the 
professor, all those experiments which are suit- 
able for them. The departments of natural 
science, which, from the very first, seem to 
have attracted the enlightened attention of the 
Trustees, have thus been well provided with 
the means of instruction. 

At the present, an important change in the 
history of the college is pending, which must 
result in important consequences to the insti- 
tution. At a meeting of the Trustees at 
Cleveland in 1876, the question was proposed 
to the President as to how much money would 
cover the cost of removing the college from 
Hudson to Cleveland. After deliberation, the 
sum was placed at $500,000 by President Cut- 
ler, and an itemized statement to that effect 
was drawn up. Subsequently, Amasa Stone, 
Esq., of Cleveland, offered that amount if the 
removal should be effected. A movement was 
at once put in progress to secure this end, and 
the success of this effort seems to be not far 
from realization. There is, of course, a decid- 
ed difference of opinion upon the wisdom, of 
this course, some of the Alumni believing with 
the great majority of the citizens of Hudson 
that it does great injustice to those who have 
sacrificed a great deal in its behalf, and at the 



^ 



466 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUITTY. 



same time carries the youth right into the 
midst of temptations from which it is of the 
greatest importance to shield them. On the 
other hand, it is urged that Cleveland is des- 
tined to attract a university, which, if the 
Western Reserve College should neo;lect its 



present opportunity, would result disastrously 
to its interests. By removing to Cleveland, it 
is hoped that the scope of the college's influ- 
ence will be enlarged, its prosperity enhanced, 
and that it will speedily assume that place 
which its founders hoped for in its inception. 



CHAPTER XVI.* 

CUYAHOGA FALLS — INTRODUCTORY — FIRST IMPROVEMENT— EARLY SETTLERS— LAYING OUT OF 

VILLAGE — INCORPORATION — ORGANIZATION AS A TOAVNSHIP— INDIANS 

AND THEIR TRAILS — BANKS, CANAL AND OTHER 

BUSINESS— FACTS, INCIDENTS, ETC. 



^r^HK citizen of the incorporated village of 
J._ Cuyahoga Falls who looks back upon the 
privations and labors which his predecessors 
went through, and sees how many comforts and 
advantages he has inherited, can hardly realize 
how short the time is since the work first be- 
gun. Those earliest laborers have all passed 
away except Henry Wetmore. He still resides 
in the town, at the age of over eighty yeai's. 
He has seen every step of the progress of the 
place, from the first real emigration to the pres- 
ent time. He has been an active participant in 
all these changes, since the day he helped to 
mark the spot where the first work was to be 
done. He alone can have a full, a complete 
realization of the change that has been wrought. 
To chronicle the leading incidents which have 
taken place since the first settlement of the 
village, and to record the changes brought 
about since that period, is the object of this and 
the following chapter. 

Cuyahoga Falls is among the most thor- 
oughly enterprising villages in Ohio. With im- 
portant manufacturing industries, fine business 
houses, and a progressive class of citizens, it is 
worthy of conspicuous notice in the history of 
vSummit County. It is situated on the Cleve- 
land, Mount Vernon & Columbus Railroad, 
thirty-four miles from Cleveland and five miles 
distant from Akron, the county seat. The place 
is four hundred feet above Lake Frie, with a 
healthy and pure atmosphere, abundance of 
purest water, fine churches and private resi- 
dences, and one of the most complete school 
buildings in the State. 

* Contributed by C. W. Butterfleld. 



There is probably no point in Ohio which of- 
fers more desirable manufacturing advantages ; 
and, as a place of residence, its elevated posi- 
tion freeing it from miasmatic influences, its 
beautiful scener}', and accessibility to the larger 
cities of the State, renders it most desirable. 
It has become a favorite resort for pleasure- 
seekers and excursionists during the summer 
months, where visitors can enjoy the beauties 
of natural scenery unequaled in Ohio. For the 
last twenty 3'ears its growth has not been rapid. 
According to the Federal census of 1860, the 
village had 1,516 inhabitants ; increased in 
1870 to 1,859 ; in 1880 to 2,294. 

As early as 1812, the water-power of the 
Cuyahoga River, at the place where the stream 
is now crossed by the railroad, having been 
improved by Kelsey & Wilcox, there sprang 
up in that immediate vicinity a number of 
houses. This is still called the -'old village." 
But the real founders of Cu3'ahoga Falls were 
Joshua Stow (nominally), William Wetmore and 
Henry Newberry. 

The Western Reserve had been sold by the 
State of Connecticut to the Connecticut Land 
Company, who had it surveyed in 1797. It 
was laid off" in townships five miles square, and 
was designated b}' numbers and ranges. Num- 
ber 3, of Range 10, came into possession of 
Joshua Stow, of Middletown, Conn., and was 
named after him. The township of Tallmadge 
became the property' of two companies, of one 
of which Roger Newberrj^ was a member. His 
share was 1,000 acres. It la}- in the northwest 
part of the township, now the southeast por- 
tion of Cuyahoga Falls. So it was that the 



[^ 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



467 



two — Stow and Newberry — ^owned what after- 
ward constituted (as will soon be shown) " the 
town of Cuyahoga Falls." 

The undivided half of 210 acres in the south- 
west corner of Stow's township — which now 
embraces the northeast part of the village — was 
purchased by William Wetmore, and together 
they began the improvement of the tract in 
1825. In 1814, Henry Newberry, the son of 
Ivoger Newberry, came on to see his lands 
which had been given him by his father, which 
have been just described as 1,000 acres lying 
in the northwest part of Tallmadge Township. 
Henry was so well pleased with his gift that 
he resolved to make there his future home. He 
did not remove to Ohio, however, until 1824. 
He first lived upon a farm at Stow Lake (now 
Silver Lake) two j^ears, meanwhile making im- 
provements at the Falls ; so that those of Stow 
and Wetmore on the north, and those of New- 
berry on the south were begun at about the 
same period. The year 1825 may, therefore, 
be considered as the one from which to date 
the existence of Cuyahoga Falls. 

While Henry Newberry was living at Silver 
Lake, he ei'ected a log house for his workmen 
upon the spot where George D^^re's house now 
stands, and cleared about an acre between it 
and the river. This was the first building upon 
his part of the town. Stow and Wetmore 
began their improvements by the erection of a 
cabin where the brown house now stands north 
of the livery stable, directly west of the upper 
dam. The improvements made by them of the 
water-power at this point will be noticed here- 
after. 

William Wetmore was born in Middle- 
town, Conn., September 15, 1771. He was a 
descendant of Thomas Wetmore, one of the 
proprietors of Middletown, who purchased the 
site of the Indians in 1662. He removed to 
Ohio in July, 1804, and built the second house 
that was erected in what was afterward Stow 
Township. It stood about twenty rods east- 
wardly of the northeast corner of Lot 36. In 
1808, Stow Township was organized, and he 
was elected a Justice of the Peace. In August 
of that year, the county of Portage being or- 
ganized he was appointed Clerk of the Court 
at Kavenna. He afterward resigned the office, 
moved back to Stow and settled on his farm. 
He died at his residence on the east bank of 
Silver Lake, October 27, 1827. Henry New- 



berry was born in Windsor, Conn., in January, 
1783. In 1814, soon after the death of his 
father, he came to Ohio, as before stated, to 
look at his possessions in the Western wilds. 
He first lived at Silver Lake two years, having 
moved there, as previously mentioned, in 1824, 
and then took up his residence at the Falls. 
He died in 1854, in the stone house, afterward 
the residence of James H. Cooke. Such, in 
brief, are the biographies of the founders of 
Cuyahoga Falls.* 

In 1822, Elkanah Richardson came from 
Stow and built the house long known as the 
" Red House," which stands a little north of the 
" Big Spring," on the west side of Main street. 
This house was the first frame house erected 
south of the "old village." The first frame 
building put up on Stow and Wetmoi'e's land 
was intended for a dwelling-house and store. 
It was built by William Wetmore, Jr., in 1826, 
and is now known as the " Perry House." In 

1828, the store now occupied by Giles L'Homme- 
dieu was built, and the goods removed into it, 
leaving the first to be used for a dwelling only. 
It was not long before it became a place of en- 
tertainment for strangers, and finally a regular 
hotel. It was first kept by Benjamin F. Hop- 
kins. He was succeecled by E. B. 31organ, and 
he by Ira Loomis. It was known as the Amer- 
ican House. It has passed through several 
hands since then, but has been little changed. 
The same j^ear (1828), Jabez Hamlin came and 
built the house next south of the " Big Spring," 
and, soon after, the tannery now owned b}' C. 
Kettleberger. In 1829, Mr. Richardson built a 
log house in the southeast corner of what is 
now George Sacketts yard, and afterward the 
thii'd house south of Falls street, on Front 
street, in which he spent the rest of his life. 
He died in 1836. 

John Wells came to Cuyahoga Falls not long 
after Jabez Hamlin, and built the house now 
owned by the widow of the late John Tift. In 

1829, John Rumrill came as the foreman in 
Stow & Wetmore's paper-mill. He built the 
house near the depot, known as the Jones 
House. Rowland Clapp came from Vermont 
and took up his residence in the village in 1828. 
He has made it his home in the place ever 

♦Although Joshua Stow came to the township named after him 
in 1804, he returned to Connecticut the next year; So that he can 
only be identified as one of thefounders of the Falls from thecircum- 
stances of his having an interest therein. On that account no 
sketch of his life is given in this connection. 



\ 



^- 



468 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY 



since. E. N. Sill came in 1829, an<l, in 1834 
and the year following, built the center part of 
his house, the wings having been added at a 
later date. The builder was Mr. Lodge, who is 
still a resident of the Falls. Grrant E. Turner, 
with his father, came in 1828 ; soon went to 
Ravenna, but returned in 1835, and has resided 
in the town since then. C. W. Wetmore and 
S. D. Wetmore came to the place in 1832, and 
built their houses soon after. John Eadie and 
George Dailey came in 1830. 0. B. Beebe ar- 
rived in 1831, and Israel James in 1832. Be- 
fore this date came also the following : Pres- 
cott Sawyer, Noah E. Lemoine, Henry James, 
William Lauson, J. T. HoUoway, J. Blair, S. 
D. Clark, Alexander Gillispie, Noah Rice, John 
Willard, Birdsey Booth. Alexander English, 
Isaac Gill, Prince Hopkins (colored), Asa Mar- 
iner, Mr. Lamb, Mr. Teal, Thoma- Gill, John 
Alexander, Simon Brown, William Perkins, 
Charles Hamlin, Henr}' Barger, J. Jenkins, A. 
Yockey, Joseph- Beebe, Dr. C. W. Rice, John 
Braiuard, Nathan Rose, '• Judge " Burgess, 
William Alley, James Alley, H. N. Pool, David 
Wadsworth, A. Wadsworth. Many of these were 
heads of families. 

The town of Cuyahoga Falls was first laid 
out in 1825, by Elkanah Richardson. It was 
subsequently re-surveyed, platted and recorded 
by Birdsey Booth. It was located in the town- 
ships of Stow and Tallmadge, and included all 
of the present platted village except so much 
as has since been platted east of the Cuyahoga 
River and north of the Tallmadge Township 
line. The part last mentioned was platted and 
recoi'ded by R. A. Ashman, Count}' Surveyor, 
in 1837. The original proprietors were Henr^' 
Newberr}', Joshua Stow and William Wetmore. 
The proprietor of the addition was Joseph 
Hale. No allotment has been made to the orig- 
inal plat except the one of 1837. That part 
lying in the township of Stow was owned b}' 
Stow and Wetmore ; that part included in Tall- 
madge was the propert}' of Newberr^'. 

The name of the village is derived from the 
falls in the Cuyahoga River, to be seen within 
its limits. The stream has cut a channel into 
the sandstone from eighty to one hundred feet 
in depth. This deep-cut channel extends over 
two miles. In it ai"e the falls. The name first 
given to the village was Manchester ; but, as 
there were many towns of that name in the 
Union, and the falls of the river were seen to 



be of great value and importance, it was 
changed to Cuyahoga Falls. 

B}' an act of the General Assembly of the 
State of Ohio, passed March 5, 1836, it was 
provided that "so much of the townships of 
Tallmadge and Stow as is comprised within 
the following limits, to wit : Beginning at the 
northwest corner of the township of Tallmadge 
and running south on the west line of said 
township, two hundred and forty rods ; thence 
east two hundred and forty rods ; thence north 
to the north line of Lots Nos. 1 and 2 in said 
[township] of Stow ; thence west two hundred 
and forty rods ; thence south to the place of 
l)eginning ; and any addition thereto that may 
be hereafter platted and i-ecorded, be hereby 
constituted a town corporate, by the name of 
Cu^-ahoga Falls." The act also provided for 
the election of a Mayor, Recorder and five Trust- 
ees — constituting the Town Council. This 
body was given power, among other things, to 
" provide for the election or appointment of a 
Treasurer, a Town Marshal, and such other 
subordinate officers as the}' may find neces- 
sary." Unfortunately, the provisions of this 
act were not known to the electors of Cuya- 
hoga Falls " until after the day on which, b}- 
said provisions, the election of the Town Coun- 
cil should have been holden ; " and doubts hav- 
ing " arisen whether the privileges granted by 
said act " had not ceased by the neglect of such 
election, therefore a bill was passed to revive 
and amend the before-mentioned act, giving it 
vitalit}' and removing all doubts as to its legal- 
ity ; also providing for an election of oflScers 
to be holden " on the first or any succeeding 
Tuesday in April next," after the second act 
took effect. 

Pursuant to public notice, on the 4th of 
April, 1837, the qualified electors of the town 
of Cuyahoga Falls met at the schoolhouse for 
the purpose of electing officers under the acts 
of incorporation just described. Henry New- 
berry was chosen Ma^^or ; Grant B. Turner, 
Recorder; 0. B. Beebe, Asa G. Bill, E. B. 
Dennison, E. N. Sill and Henr}- Wetmore, 
Trustees. On the 7th of the same month, 
these officers were qualified and the Council 
organized. Ogden Wetmore was elected Treas 
urer the same day, and, on the day following, 
Sherman Peck was chosen Marshal. 

The town of Cuyahoga Falls, thus organized, 
continued its existence until March 1, 1852 — a 



•A 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



469 



period of nearly fifteen years. During that 
time, the following gentlemen filled, success- 
ively, the office of Mayor : Henry Newberry, 
C. W. Wetmore, Hosea Paul, C W. Wetmore, 
Birdsey Booth, Hosea Paul, 0. B. Beebe and 
C. W. Wetmore. It may here be mentioned 
that a township was organized in April, 1851, 
out of the corners of Tallmadge, Stow, North- 
ampton and Portage, called Cuyahoga Falls. 
Some time subsequent to this, it was generally 
conceded by the denizens of the town of Cuya- 
hoga Falls, that it would be to the benefit of 
all that the corporation should be given up 
and cease to exist — that it should be, in fact, 
merged into the newly created township of the 
same name. So, on April 30, 1853, "on mo- 
tion,'" said the Town Council, '• we do commit 
all interests of the town of Cuyahoga Falls to 
the Trustees of Cuyahoga Falls Township, and 
that we do now adjourn without day." So the 
town of Cuyahoga Falls ceased its corporate 
existence. 

In March, 1868, there was presented to the 
Commissioners of Summit County, at their reg- 
ular session, a petition of 215 residents and 
qualified voters of the township of Cuyahoga 
Falls, asking " that the territory known as the 
township of Cuyahoga Falls " be made an in- 
corporated village, under and b}^ the name of 
the incorporated village of Cuyahoga Falls. 
Thereupon, on June 3 of that year, the County 
Commissioners entered upon their records the 
following order : 

The matter of the incorporation of the township 
of Cuyahoga Falls under and by the name of the 
" Incorporated Village of Cuyahoga Falls," came 
up for hearing to-day, as adjourned from the March 
session ; and, on consideration thereof, we, the 
Commissioners of said county, do find and deter- 
mine that due notice of the rtling and pendency of 
said petition was given according to law ; and we 
are of the opinion that the prayer of the petitioners 
should be granted. And we do order that said town- 
ship of Cuyahoga Falls may l)e organized under and 
by the name of " The Incorporated Village of Cuy- 
ahoga Falls," and order the same to be recorded. 

The " village " was organized by the election, 
September 1, 1868, of William A. Hanford, 
Mayor ; Porter G. Somers, Recorder ; Henry 
C. Lockwood, Treasurer ; T. F. Heath, Charles 
Hunt, L. W. Loomis, W. M. Griswold and John 
Hinde, Trustees, and l)y these gentlemen, on 
the 9th of that month, taking the oath of the 
office to wliich the}' were several I3' elected, and 
assuming the duties thereof The following 



gentlemen have successively filled the office of 
Mayor : Richard Blood, C. P. Humphrey, J. 
L'Hommedieu, H. B. Camp, George W. Rice, 
William A. Hanford. The village is, as al- 
read}^ shown, co-extensive with the township. 
Its exact limits will hereafter be given. 

At the March session of 1851 of the Board 
of Commissioners of Summit County, " Hosea 
Paul and others came and presented a numer- 
ously signed petition, from the village of Cuj-a- 
hoga Falls and vicinity, asking the Board of 
County Commissioners to construct a new 
township from the northwest corner of Tall- 
madge Township, the southwest corner of Stow 
Township, the southeast corner of Northamp- 
ton Township, and the northeast corner of 
Portage Township." On AVednesda}', March 5, 
1851, •' The Board all present. Then came 
Hosea Paul and others presenting a petition, 
and urging personally that a new township be 
formed out of the northwest corner of Tall- 
madge, northeast corner of Portage, southeast 
corner of Northampton, and the southwest cor- 
ner of Stow Township, furnishing a map of the 
proposed new township ; and the board l^enig 
satisfied that all necessary legal preliminary 
steps had been taken, and there is an incorpor- 
ated village (Cuyahoga Falls) within the bounds 
of the proposed new township, ordered that lots 
one, two, eleven and twelve (1, 2, 11, and 12), 
in the township of Stow ; lots eight, nine and 
ten (8, 9 and 10), in the Township of North- 
ampton ; all of tract one and fort}' rods of the 
north part of tract five, in the Township of Tall- 
madge, and so much of the northeast corner of 
Portage Township as is embraced within the 
following boundary, to wit : Beginning at the 
northeast corner of said Portage Township, and 
running thence west on the north line of said 

Portage Township rods to the west line of 

George Sackctt's farm of 160^^^ acres, thence 
due south to the Cuyahoga River ; thence east- 
erly on the north liank of said river to the east 
line of said Portage Township ; thence on said 
east line to the place of beginning — be consti- 
tuted a township, and that the legal steps be 
taken to organize the same under and by the 
name of Cuyalioga Falls Township, Hosea Paul 
pledging himself that he would give notices 
required l)y law, and that the new township of 
Cuyahoga Falls would defray all the expenses 
incurred by the creation of said township." 

The township thus set apart from the cor- 



^'y 



A^ 



^^ 



470 



HISTOKY OF SUMMIT COUXTY. 



ners of four others was erected by the County 
Commissoiiiers for the purpose of accomo- 
dating the citizens of the town of Cuyahoga 
Falls. As the boundaries defined by the Com- 
missioners were afterward adopted as the 
boundaries of the incorporated village, it fol- 
lows, of course, as already mentioned, that one 
is co-extensive with the other ; and the limits 
just given as those of the " township of Cu3'a- 
hoga Falls " are the limits also of the " incor- 
porated village of Cuyahoga Falls." 

At the first election held in the Township of 
Cuyahoga Falls, on the 7th of April, 1851, the 
following persons were chosen officers for the 
_year following : Trustees, Horace A. Miller, 
Henry Newberr}^, Jr., and Porter Gr. Somers ; 
Township Clerk, Grant B. Turner ; Township 
Treasurer, Lucius Bradley ; Assessor, William 
H. Taylor ; Constables, William W. Lucas and 
William J. Wilson ; Supervisor, Seymour Dem- 
ing. Upon the qualification of these officers, 
and their assuming the duties of their respect- 
ive offices, the township of Cu3^ahoga Falls 
was legallj' organized. 

The people of Cuyahoga Falls had before 
been dependent upon four townships for the 
administration of their affairs ; for, of course, 
each township exercised jurisdiction over that 
part lying within its limits. This Avas a great 
inconvenience, as the citizens of the village felt 
that they had a unity of interests. As it was, 
a concert of action necessary to their relation 
with each other was impossible. The organi- 
zation of the new township was therefore a re- 
lief in many wa^'s, and gave a new start to the 
prospects of the town ; but its histor}' is so 
merged into that of the village, that the two 
are inseparable. 

A writer, in speaking of Tallmadge Town- 
ship, says : 

"The water-power at the southwest and 
northwest corners of the Township concentrated 
population at these points till their numbers 
were so great that Middlebury and Cuyahoga 
Falls were made separate election districts, 
and, at length, the northwest corner was set 
off to the new township of Cuyahoga Falls. 

" Of the aboriginal inhabitants, few, probably, 
had ever inhabited this part of the country 
even prior to the surrender of their title to the 
whites. There are, indeed, evidences that, at 
some remote period, this country was occupied 
b}' a people more numerous and of a higher 



type of civilization ; but this is true of Indians, 
who occupied the country at the time of its 
settlement by the whites. This had been the 
border ground of different tril^es, and was oth- 
erwise an unfavorable location for a large peo- 
ple, depending mainly upon hunting for a sub- 
sistence. Wild game, though seemingly abund- 
ant to the whites, was ^-et too limited for the 
wants of a larger population. 

'• Living partly by a rude cultivation of the 
soil and by fishing, as well as by hunting, the 
Indians preferred the open and fertile bottom 
land of rivers and lakes. There were, indeed, 
some small and scattered villages or encamp- 
ments of Indians in this vicinity. [The writer 
here speaks of Tallmadge Township, but the 
remark is equally true of Cuyahoga Falls.] A 
small number of Senecas lived near the junc- 
tion of the main and Little Cuyahoga, at or near 
the place somewhat widely known in modern 
times as the Chuckery. 

" An anecdote of Stigwanish, the chief of these 
Indians, has been related to me, which seems 
to furnish evidence of somewhat higher moral 
perceptions than has alwa^'s been ascribed to 
untaught Indians. Stigwanish was friendl}- to 
the whites, and often visited the settlement at 
Hudson. It was at just about the time of the 
first settlement of Tallmadge that this chief wtis 
at the house of a Mr. Pease in Hudson, and. to 
persuade a son of Mr. Pease, a child of some 
four or five years of age, to come and sit upon 
his lap, he offered to give him his pipe-hatchet. 
The offer proved sufficient to overcome the re- 
pugnance of the child to the swarthy face of 
Indian. As the chief was about to leave, the 
return of the hatchet was proffered, but reso- 
lutely refused, Stigwanish saying. 'Musn't lie to 
children — no good.' This native chief had 
scarcely learned this precept from the whites, 
however frequently, in his intercourse with 
them, he might have had illustrations of its 
truth, and he who obeyed it could scarcely have 
been a savage. S. Pease, of Cuyahoga, was the 
recipient of the chief's hatchet.'' 

" A branch of an Indian trail," writes Gen. 
Bieree, in 1854, in speaking of Cuyahoga Falls 
Township, " from Fort Mcintosh, on the Ohio 
[Beaver, Penn.,], to Sandusky, passes through 
this township. On arriving near Fish Creek, 
in Franklin, Portage Count}-, it branches — one 
branch of the trail passing north, through the 
Indian towns in Northampton and Bath ; the 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



471 



other turning south to the Great Falls, called 
by the Indians ' Coppacaw.' This was a cel- 
ebrated trail for the Indians in their war ex 
cursions, as well as with the ' Rangers ' in their 
pursuit of them. It was on these two trails 
that Bradj^'s men were divided, at the time of 
his defeat near the towns on the Cuyahoga, 
and on which a part made their retreat. Sev- 
eral years ago, a rifle barrel was found in the 
Big Spring, in this village, a remnant, proba- 
bly, of that hasty flight. 

"Tlie trail passes nearly in front of Mr. 
Newberry's house, and, near where the canal 
bridge now is, was a plateau of about twenty-five 
feet square raised about a foot, where probably 
had been a council house. In his garden, as 
well as on the rise of ground north of the Big 
Spring, are remains of Indian wigwams. But 
poor ' Logan, the friend of the white man,' with 
his braves, who so often traversed these grounds, 
has gone to the spirit-land, where it is to be 
hoped his fidelity will receive a better reward 
than it did on earth — if not, justice is unknown 
in earth or heaven." 

The topography of Cuyahoga Falls presents 
but few interesting features except in the im- 
mediate vicinity of the river. Back from the 
stream, the surface is gently undulating. The 
falls are the most striking natural objects 
within the limits of the village. The river, for 
a distance of about two miles in this township 
and Portage, has a descent of two hundred 
and twenty feet. There are, in that distance, 
three falls of considerable height, but the de- 
scent for the whole wa^' is so rapid that it 
forms a continuous water-power. The river 
has made for itself a deep channel, with pre- 
cipitous banks of great height, as already 
mentioned. These are clothed with evergreen 
and other trees, presenting very picturesque 
scener}-. As will hereafter be shown, the eftect 
of these natural embellishments in beautifying 
the landscape has been to cause it to become a 
fixvorite I'esort for parties of pleasure during 
the summer months. This scenery' extends 
from north to south nearly through the whole 
length of the village. The town is underlaid 
by sand rock, in which is an abundant supplv 
of pure water. The slope of the land is such 
as to render drainage an easy matter. This 
furnishes special reasons for the healthiness of 
the place. 

Concerning the water-power of Summit 



Count3% but particularly that of Cuyahoga 
Falls, a writer in 1837, in a published state- 
ment, says : 

" The western part of the county of Portage 
[now Summit County] affords, indeed, a field 
full of interest, not only to the geologist, but 
also to the agriculturist, the merchant, the 
mechanic, and especially to the manufacturer, 
for here are to be found in rich profusion all 
the incentives to active industry and enlight- 
ened enterprise. Within the space of about 
fifteen miles north and south, and ten miles 
east and west, it contains an extent of water- 
power (so rarely to be found in abundance in 
the State) which is known to be equaled by 
an}" west of the mountains, and so distributed 
as to accommodate an abundant population 
and a great extent of country. This water- 
power is the result of the fall of the main 
Cuyahoga and the Little Cuyahoga Rivers 
from the high level of the country, about two 
hundred and fifty to three hundred feet to their 
junction, and the fall of their united streams 
thence to the north boundary of the count}-, 
being about one hundred and seventy-feet. 
The whole power is equal to drive 3-46 run of 
mill-stones, each run being capable of grind- 
ing 200 bushels of wheat a day ; or, to 3,460 
horse-power, each one being equivalent to 
raising 25,000 pounds one foot a minute." 
The writer divides the " runs " as follows : "At 
Franklin, 18 ; at Monroe Falls, 5 ; at Cuyahoga 
Falls (within town plat), 80 ; at the same place 
(within two miles of the center of the village), 
114; Middlebury, 5 ; Akron (including acces- 
sion by canal, etc.), 19 ; at the same place (on 
Little Cuyahoga, within three miles north), 9 ; 
on the main Cuyahoga River, at Niles, Boston, 
and other places, 94 ; total, 346 run." There are 
now (1881) five dams across the Cuyahoga 
within the limits of the village, and all within 
a distance of about a quarter of a mile. The 
river is crossed by four bridges — the iron 
bridge, which is the upper one, and is located 
at the " old village ; " the stone bridge ; the 
covered bridge, a wooden structure ; and the 
high bridge, of iron. There is also a railroad 
bridge which crosses the stream at the " old 
village." 

Coal of the best quality was discovered at 
an early day upon Mr. Newberry's land, and 
has been ever since mined with profit. The 
first coal carried to Cleveland was from these 



^ 



473 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



mines, and the speculation proved a bad one. 
" It was in the summer of 1828," says H. V. 
Bronson, the pioneer of canal coal-carriers of 
this region, " that I carried the first load of 
coal over the Ohio Canal from the Tuscarawas 
Valley. It came from the mine of Henry 
Newberry, near Cuyahoga Falls — I can't tell 
the exact location. It was brought from the 
mine by wagon to Lock 20, where it was 
loaded on the boat. There was about one 
hundred tons of it. We took it to Cleveland, 
and it required Newberry three years to get 
rid of it, and he never sold one-third of that 
even. People would come along and ask what 
it was, and when told that it was cannel coal 
would take a chunk away as a curiosity, but 
they couldn't be induced to burn it ; they 
didn't understand it, and preferred wood." 

" When the Ohio Canal was opened to 
Akron, in 1827," saj^s Col. Whittlesey, " it was 
thought coal might be taken in wagons from 
the mines, about three miles, to the canal at 
Lock 16, north of Akron. Mr. Newberry tried 
the experiment, I think, in 1828, but the Canal 
Collector's returns do not show receipts of 
coal till 1829." 

'•Deacon E. Wright," continues the writer, 
" and his son, Francis H. Wright, about this 
time made an entry on the east side of the 
coal hill, about one-foui'th of a mile south of 
Newberry's. In 1830 or 1831, Cyrus Menden- 
hall, formerly' of Cleveland, now of Jefferson 
County, made explorations and borings on 
Coal Hill. He found and opened coal at the 
south end of this hill, but it was too thin to 
work profitably. Another opening was made 
at the end of the ridge by Mr. Woodruff soon 
after, and this was worked until 1838. From 
1829 to 1837, Mr. Newberry, F. H. Wright 
and Messrs. Whittlesey & Newton mined coal 
for Cleveland, which was hauled to the canal 
at Lock 16." 

It was customary in early times in Cuya- 
hoga Falls, as well as in other places, to make 
free use of whisky on most all occasions. For 
laborers it was thought to bo almost as neces- 
sary as bread. Stow & Wetmore furnished 
a barrel a week to their workmen as their 
stated supply. They also kept it on their 
counter at the store for the use of all who chose 
to drink, and a few refused. But they were 
convinced that it was unnecessary and hurtful ; 
and, after mature deliberation, they resolved to 



banish its use and sale from their establish- 
ment. In May, 1828, they put their resolution 
into practice by refusing to furnish it to their 
workmen. Upon this, the workmen withdrew 
in a body to consult upon the course they 
should pursue. They soon returned and de- 
manded their accustomed supply. Upon the 
repetition of the refusal, they left their work 
and demanded their pay. About one-third of 
the men came back on the new terms, but the 
rest held out, and it was two mouths before 
their places were filled liy new men. and they 
could go on with their work. The firm adhered 
to their purpose, and never returned to the use 
or sale of it again. A temperance society was 
organized at the time, which is believed to 
have been the first in Ohio. It numbered at 
first but nine men ; afterward sixty-five per- 
sons in Stow Township became members. 
There were at this time four distilleries in the 
township, but in less than two years they had 
all closed. 

" On the north bank of the Cuyahoga, below 
the village of Cuyahoga Falls," writes Gen. L. 
V. Bierce, in his " Historical Reminiscences of 
Summit County," " is a remarkable cavern. I 
discovered it in 1826, when the country' around 
there was a wilderness. It is on the very brink 
of the chasm cut by the river ; and the small 
opening but just large enough to admit a per- 
son's body was on a level with the ground. A 
few leaves, or a rotten log, will easil}' conceal 
it. In company with Charles B. Thompson, 
Orville B. Skinner and Jabez Gilbert, formerly 
mail contractor from Pittsburgh to Cleveland, 
I entered it, and found it about ten feet high. 
It was divided into two rooms, with a small 
passage between, barely sufficient for a person 
to pass. There was no opening, except at the 
place where I entered, from which I was let 
down by my companions. It being totally dark 
in the cavern, I could make but few examina- 
tions ; and, fearing some chasm in the bottom, 
I did not let my curiosity tempt me far in ni}- 
explorations." 

The Portage County ^Mutual Fire Insurance 
Company was incorporated in 1831. It was 
organized at Ravenna in 1832, by the appoint- 
ment of William Coolman, Jr., Cyrus Prentiss, 
Frederick Wadsworth, Edwin Wetmore, Elias 
Smith, Charles Clapp and George T. Wallace, as 
Directors, and Samuel D. Harris as Secre- 
tary. 



"Il 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



473 



No Inisiness was done b}- the company under 
this organization. In Angust, 1833, a new 
organization was effected, with Henr}' Newberry, 
Henr}' Wetmore, William Coolmau, Jr., Edwin 
Wetmore, George T. Wallace, as Directors ; 
Henry Newberry as President ; E. N. Sill, Sec- 
retary, and the company's office located at Cuya- 
hoga Falls. Its business commenced immedi- 
ately, and continued during the twenty-five 
3'ears of its chartered existence, under the same 
management, excepting only that, upon the 
resignation of Henry Newberry in 1839, Justin 
Gale was appointed President ; and, upon his 
death in 1842, Frederick Wadsworth was ap- 
pointed, and served till the close of the com- 
pany's business. This company was the first 
mutual insurance company organized in the 
State, and one of the earliest in the country. 
Its operations extended over the entire State, 
and into the contiguous portions of the several 
adjoining States. Tiie amount of its business 
and its benefits largely' exceeded the anticipa- 
tions of its original projectors. Its insurance 
covered many millions, and it paid a proportion- 
ate amount of losses. 

No efibrt was made to extend the period of 
its charter, it being the opinion of its long-time 
manager that a diffei'ent plan of fire insurance 
was better adapted to the changed financial 
condition of the countr}'. 

Another old " institution " of the village was 
the " Cuyahoga Falls Band. ' This was organ- 
ized in 1834, and was the first of the kind in 
Northern Ohio. It was established upon tem- 
perance principles, no one joining it who did 
not pledge himself to refrain from the use of 
intoxicating liquors. Its leader was Henry W. 
Bill. It was composed of about a dozen mem- 
bers. In 1835, they went to Cleveland to cele- 
brate the Fourth of July. The Cleveland com- 
mittee sent a packet boat to Old Portage to 
convey them to the city. They also played at 
the celebration of the opening of the Ohio and 
I]rie Canal. They made an excursion to Mas- 
sillon, where the}' gave a concert to the edifica- 
tion of that infant town, besides participating 
in other patriotic and festive scenes. The mem- 
bers were E. N. Sill C. W. Wetmore, T. R. 
Butler, C. Bronson, C. Wilcox, L. Wilcox, J. 
H. Brainard, Mr. Sperr}^, R. Upson, H. Y. 
Beebe, C. Thornburgh, Israel James. 

In 1837, a description of Cuyahoga Falls was 
published as follows : 



Cuyahoga Falls is situated in the geographical 
and business center of an interesting section of 
country. It has an unrivaled water-power. This 
water-power is all available. The descent of about 
two hundred and forty feet in the Cuyahoga River 
is by a long slope, the commencement and termina- 
tion of which is but about two miles apart, and 
which admits of tlie easy use of the whole fall, and 
in such portions as may be desirable. The sides 
and bottom of the river are rock, and the banks 
furnish an abundance of the finest stone for all con- 
structions whicli may be desired. 

Coal is found in the hill forming the slope on 
the eastern bank of the river and is supposed to l)e 
within a short distance of the (Ohio & Pennsylva- 
nia) canal; but no mines have j^et been opened less 
than about a mile from the village. Its quality is 
not surpassed by that of any in the State, and the 
quantity is in exhaustible. 

Within the village three dams are now erected, 
giving a fall at each of fifteen, ten and twenty feet, 
and another of twenty feet is about to be erected. 
One is above Portage street; one below Broad street; 
and one at the foot of Reed street. One of twenty 
feet fall has been commenced near the foot of Tay- 
lor street, and one of the same fall is about to be 
erected at the foot of Prospect street. 

The population of the village is now (1837) about 
1,250. Three and a half years since, it was but 
375. The whole number of deaths within its 
bounds during the last six years has been as follows: 
Adults — scarlet fever, one; chronic inflammation, 
two; old age, one; epilepsy, one; consumption, one; 
drowned, one; total, seven. Children over two 
years — fever, one; killed by a fall, one; drowned, 
one; measles one; total, four. Under two years of 
all diseases, eight, Making a grand total of only 
nineteen deaths in six years! 

In each of the last two years (1836 and 1837), 
there have been erected about one hundred houses. 
The last season there would have been nearly double 
that number built, had it not been for the derange- 
ment in the currency of the country. The gross 
receipts of the post office will probably exceed 
$1,000 for the year (1837). This will indicate 
in some measure the amount of business done 
here. 

The town (of Cuyahoga Falls) is binlt on both 
sides of the (Cuyahoga) river. The land ascends 
gradually from each bank about a half a mile, af- 
fording fine situations for residences, combined with 
facility of access to the water-power and canal, 
around which the business, of course, centers. 
Water of the purest quality is easily found any- 
where in the sandstone rock which underlies the 
town at various depths. The soil is well adapted 
for building upon, for roads and for gardens. Thfre 
are no stagnant waters in the vicinity, the rapi<l de- 
scent of the river causing a gentle draught of air from 
the high grounds during the stillest nights, which 
prevents the a('(;umulation of those damp exhala- 
tions which are usually found in the vicinity of 
streams; and the inhabitants enjoy a degree of 
health rarely to be found in any country. The 
charaeter of the inhabitants may be in some meas- 
ure estimated b}- tlie fact that it "is not known that 



^ 



474 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



ardent spirits are sold at any place in the village 
(that is, in 1887, not 1881). 

There is, in the village, a handsome Episcopal 
church building; a Congregational meetinghouse; 
and preparations are made for a Methodist meeting 
house. There are common schools, a lyceum (en- 
dowed with at least $3,000), a female seminary, and 
preparations are making for a high school. The 
scenery in and around the village is uncommonly fine ; 
as you approach it, you acknowledge the justness of 
the designation which has been given it as the 
"Village of White Houses." The view of the falls 
is said hardly to be sin-passed in beauty by any in 
the country. 

The amount of manufactures and sales of goods 
within the last year (1836), have been carefully esti- 
mated, and amount to $407,000; and the sales of real 
estate have been to the amount of probably $300,- 
000. The machinery propelled by water-power is 
as follows: Two large paper-mills, one flouring-mill, 
two saw-mills, one oil-mill, one pump-making estab- 
lishment, one tilt-hammer, ax and scytlie factory, 
one woolen-mill, one stone saw^-mill, one chair fac- 
tory, oneplaning-mill, one furnace and foundry, one 
engine and machine shop, and other smaller works. 
There are two drug and medicine shops, one printing 
office, one book-bindery, one book store, three shoe- 
shops, four blacksmith-shops, one milliner's-shop, 
two groceries, one hat and fur store, one pump-shop, 
one clothing store, eight dry goods, etc., stores, four 
tailor-shops, two tin factories, one plow factory, two 
cabinet-shops. 

After the revulsion in money matters in 
1837, there was great embarrassment for want 
of a eurrency, which led to the adoption of a 
plan for issuing notes in the similitude of bank 
notes, upon the basis of real estate for security. 
But it was soon abandoned as a failure, caus- 
ing loss to some, but without very serious inju- 
ry to many persons. Some of these notes are 
preserved by a few persons as curiosities and 
mementoes of the past. They are signed by 
Moses Thompson, President ; Ogden Wetmore, 
Cashier. Upon their face are printed these 
words : " Real estate pledged by deed of trust 
to double the excess of issue beyond the capi- 
tal paid in and stockholders liable." The "in- 
stitution" was known as the Cuyahoga Falls 
Association. The nearest banks at this time to 
Cuyahoga Falls, were at Cleveland, Painesville, 
Warren, Canton, Massillon and Wooster. 

The Summit County Branch of the State 
Bank of Ohio, was organized at Cuyahoga Falls 
in 1845, by Joseph Hale, Horace H. Miller, 
William Rattle, H. B. Tuttle, and others, with 
a capital of $100,000, and Joseph Hale, as 
President, and H. B. Tuttle, Cashier. 

In January, 1851, its stock was transferred to 
E. N. Sill, S. W. McClure, E. S. Comstock, 



Charles Cantess and others — with E. N. Sill, 
President, and E. S. Comstock, Cashier — with 
which organization, with an occasional partial 
change in the Board of Directors, it operated 
till January, 1862, when J. H. Stanley was 
appointed Cashier, and without other change 
till the expiration of its charter in 1866, at 
which time the First National Bank of Cuyaho- 
ga Falls was organized with a capital of $50,- 
000, by E. N. Sill, T. W. Connell. Henry New- 
berry, C. S. Sill and others, with E. N. Sill, 
President, and J. N. Stanley. Cashier. The 
First National continued business till April, 
1869, when it sold its franchises to the First 
National Bank of x\kron. Its stockholders 
then formed a banking partnership, under the 
firm name of the International Bank of Cuya- 
hoga Falls, with the same officers — which last 
organization is still continued. These three 
banks had no legal connection, but were prac- 
tically successors, their business never having 
been publicly interrupted during the thirty-six 
years now past. 

After the completion of the Ohio & Erie 
Canal, it was thought indispensable to the pros- 
perity of this section of country that there 
should be a water communication between 
Cleveland and Pittsburgh, through the Western 
Reserve and Pennsylvania. After much exer- 
tion the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal, extend- 
ing from Akron, Ohio, to Beaver, Penn., was 
completed. It passed through Cuyahoga Falls 
and entered the Cu3'ahoga River at Frank- 
lin Mills. A writer in 1837, says: "The Penn- 
sylvania & Ohio Canal, now in the course of 
rapid completion, forms a junction with the 
western section of the Pennsylvania Canal at 
New Castle, and unites with the Ohio Canal at 
Akron. It strikes the bank of the Cuyahoga 
River just below the village of Cuyahoga Falls, 
and passing through that village on the bank 
of the river adjoining, a water-power of about 
150 feet fall in that stream, it passes through 
the villages of Monroe Falls and Franklin, 
affording to this part of the State a ready com- 
munication with the Ohio, with the interior of 
the State, Lake Erie, the Atlantic seaports, and 
furnishing the means of a ready exchange of 
the manufactures, the coal, and the various 
other productions of the one ; for the iron, the 
wool, the merchandise, and the agricultural 
productions of the other." But necessity for 
the canal had been greatly over-estimated, and 



"TH 



A. 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



475 



its tolls were never sufficient to pay expenses 
and keep it in repair. It was found, also, that 
as the eountr}- was alread}' up, the volume of 
water in the Cuyahoga River was greatly re- 
duced, so that in the summer it was necessai-y 
to suspend some of the works at Cuyahoga 
Falls for want of power, on account of its be- 
ing diverted from the river by the canal at 
Franklin. At a later period, the railroads laid 
through this region being more direct and ex- 
peditious, rendered the canal unnecessary, and 
measures were taken to return the stream to 
its ancient bed. After much contention with 
the mill-owners at Akron, who alone were in- 
terested in keeping it open, the canal was final- 
1}' vacated, and the water allowed to resume 
its old channel. 

The growth and prosperity' of Cuyahoga Falls 
have suffered for man}' years from a plan which 
was undertaken in early times to divert the 
water-power and use it elsewhere. Persons 
came to the village and bought separate por- 
tions of it, under profession of desiring to util- 
ize it on the spot, but when the}' had possessed 
themselves of the whole in the lower part of 
the town, the}' organized a company called 
the Portage Canal and Manufacturing Com- 
pany, popularly known as the " Chuckery 
Company." In 1843, they built a dam at the 
upper end of their purchase with a race be- 
ginning opposite what is now Hinde's Mill ; 
this race they carried at great expense to what 
is known as " Chuckery Plains," where they 
planned for a city of magnificent proportions, 
which they called " Summit City." They suc- 
ceeded in getting this through, but they got 
into quarrels among themselves and the work 
was stopped. Law-suits followed, and after 
years of litigation the company broke np and 
the scheme was abandoned. Their dam and 
race went to decay, and the ruins of the latter 
and the gloomy remembrances of surviving 
members of the " Chuckery Company," are all 
that remain of the magnificent scheme. '• Sum- 
mit City," which was to have been one of the 
largest manufacturing places in the United 
States, has dissolved "into thin air." 

Li 1852, the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Rail- 
road was completed, thereupon steps were 
taken to build a railroad which should leave 
the first-mentioned road at Hudson and go 
south through Cuyahoga Falls. It resulted in 
what is now the Cleveland, Mount "N^ernon & 



Columbus Railroad. It was opened to Akron 
before the close of the year, and, in two years, 
was completed as far as Millersbui'g. This 
gave to Cuyahoga Falls a new means of transit, 
and has done much to increase the prosperity 
and comfort of the people. The track runs 
near the bank of the river through the entire 
village, from north to south ; and, from its con- 
spicuous position, gives passengers an excel- 
lent view of the scenery, and of the natural 
advantages of the place as a business center. 
The road is convenient to all the shops, giv- 
ing them access to its cars without expense 
for side tracks, and ofl[ers superior inducements 
to manufacturers to invest their money where 
they have so many advantages at so little ex- 
pense for cartage or individual outlay, to ac- 
commodate their business. 

In 1853, the school district library was com- 
menced, and for several years was kept in the 
school building. In 1873, the library, contain- 
ing 800 volumes, was removed to the business 
street, and, by the efforts of the G. A. R., was 
added to a free reading-room under the charge 
of J. H. Brainard, Librarian. In 1878, by the ef- 
forts of the Temperance Union, a building was 
constructed for the library and reading-room 
free to all. Under Mr. Brsinards charge, the 
reading-room has been supplied with the Cleve- 
land and Akron papers, and with scientific, ag- 
ricultural and literary periodicals, and the libra- 
ry has been increased by the addition of scien- 
tific statistical works. 

Joshua L'HoMMEDiEr, Plaintif, 

against 
George A. Wait and 
Elizabeth W. Wait, Defendants. J 

Plaintiff complains of the said defendants for 
that the said phiintiff was on the 6th day of ]\Iarch, 
A. D. 1858, the owner and tlien in possession of a 
certain liarrel or cask of brandy, thenl)ein,<r and sit- 
uate in the Township of Cnyaliosra Falls, Countyof 
Summit and State of Ohio. 

Phiintiff' further comphiins of the defendants 
for that on said 6tli (hiy of March, A. 1). 18.-)8. the 
said defendants did with force and arms, at lliesaid 
township of Cnyahosi'a Falls, break open said barrel 
of brandy, wlie'reby the contents of .said l)arrel. to 
wit : twenty-tive gallons of brandy, were wholly 
lost and des'troyeiC to the damage of the plaintiff, 
in the sum of .*n()0. Whereupon the said plaintiff 
asks judgment against the said defendants for the 
sum of 1 100. 

Such was the commencement of a suit for 
damages brought ^[ay 9, 1859, by Joshua 
L'Hommedieu against the defendants al)ove- 



In (laninges. 



K 



476 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



named, before C. W. Wetmore, a Justice of the 
Peace, in Cuyahoga Falls. The result of the 
suit was a judgment for $60. One of the de- 
fendants, Mrs. E. W. Wait, was said to have 
been one of the compan}' of ladies engaged in 
what is known as the '' Whisky Riots," on March 
6, 1858, when divers barrels of whisky, brandy, 
beer and other 'beverages" were taken vie et 
armis and emptied into the gutters of the vil- 
lage ; hence, the bringing of the above-men- 
tioned suit. 

Cuyahoga Falls, during the war of the re- 
bellion, was not behind her sister towns in her 
readiness to assist the country in her sorest 
need. A large number of men were enlisted in 
several regiments and batteries. Of these, the 
following fill soldiers' graves : Capt. D. N. Low- 
ry, Thomas Evans, J. D. Cooke, J. I. Patterson, 
William Lyons, George L. Holden, David Mc- 
Arthur, First Lieut. John Eadie, Jr., Second 
Lieut. J. C. Ely, J. W. Eddv, Robert Cxaylord, 1. 
J. Wood. C. Neeley, A. K. Goodrich, F. B. Pu- 
rine, Robert Green, Edward Green, John Patter- 
son, J. B. Lyon, Seneca Blood, John Congden, 
John Shellhorn, Charles E. Moon, G. G. Crane, 
J. Murphy, John C. Schneible, H. F. Eddy, H. 
J. Ligalls. J. Hogle. These names should be 
cherished as a precious treasure, to be handed 
down to posterity, that they may give them the 
honor they so justly deserve. To them and 
their many associates is due the preservation of 
the country in its integrit3^ 

The people of Cuyahoga Falls were long 
noted for their social qualities. They came to 
the town from difterent places, having been 
reared under different influences. In the early 
settlement of the place, they were all, of course, 
brought into contact, and there was, of neces- 
sity, a toning down of many of the asperities 
peculiar to New England manners and habits. 
The consequence was, that there was a friend- 
ship which continues, though in a modified 
form, to the present day. Later years and the 
coming in of new residents have changed the 
aspect of aftairs somewhat ; not, however, to 
the gain of happiness or the pleasures of social 
life. The recollections of the older inhabitants 
are always pleasant, as they go back over those 
early days, and the regret which they often ex- 
press because of the change shows how superior 
was the enjoyment then to what is now the 
rule. This, however, is not wholly the fault of 
the present. In those days, the inhabitants 



were largely dependent on each other ; their 
cares were confined to narrow bounds, and they 
were driven to find amusement in each other's 
company for the want of other resources. It 
was before the days of railroads or daily pa- 
pers, concerts or lyceum lectures. 

The first resident preacher in Cuyahoga Falls 
was J. T. Holloway, recently deceased. He 
was a licensed local 3Iethodist preacher. The 
first store opened was by Stow & Wetmore in 
1825 ; another was brought in by Mr. Stanley 
in 1829, and opened on the corner of Water 
and Broad streets, north of the present covered 
bridge. The first birth in the village was Ed- 
ward, son of William Wetmore, Jr. This was 
in 1827. The first death was a son in the same 
family in 1826. The first adult who died in 
in the place, was the first wife of E. N. Sill, a 
daughter of Henry Newberry. The first mar- 
riage is believed to have been the daughter of 
Deacon Hamlin to Washington Butler. The 
first Postmaster was Henry Newberry, who held 
the office till he was led to resign it because of 
the pressure of his other business. The first 
bank in 'the county was the Summit County 
Bank, organized under the State banking law 
in Cuyahoga Falls. 

Cuyahoga Falls has been visited by several 
destructive fires. In 1833, a warehouse be- 
longing to Stow & Wetmore, filled with paper 
stock was burned. In 1851, a flouring-mill, 
the property of these gentlemen, was likewise 
destroyed by fire. In 1866, a stone building, 
known at the time as the bank building, which 
stood upon the site of James' Block, and occu- 
pied b}' H. C. Lockwood, with several adjoin- 
ing structures, were consumed. At this fire, 
John Marsh Hinde lost his life. The woolen- 
mill on the west side cf the river, as previously 
mentioned, was burned ; also the paper-mill on 
the same side, twice. Messrs. Bills machine 
shop and foundry, and the Empire Paper Mill, 
belonging to llanford Brothers were burned in 
1872. Several residences have gone down in 
devouring flames, but, general!}', they were not 
of great value. From the earliest times, the 
village has been exceedingly fortunate as to its 
dwellings, in regard to fires. Since the forego- 
ing was written, the works of the Falls Wire 
Manufacturing Company were largely burned. 
This occurred on the evening of March 31, 
1881. They will be immediately rebuilt. 

Cuvahoya Falls has become noted as a sum- 



^ 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



477 



mer resort. High Bridge, Grlens and Ctives, 
Big Falls, Silver Lake and tiny steamboats 
upon the riv^er, are the chief attractions. The 
Lake and Big Falls are outside of, but near to, 
the corporate limits. The High Bridge is 
elsewhere described. At this structure, the 
entrance to the Glens and Caves, a rude stair- 
way has been constructed, which leads down to 
a plateau, where has been erected a building 
with spacious dining-room and kitchen at- 
tached, where dinner and other parties are 
served refreshments, and under the same roof 
is a restaurant, where everything in the line of 
refreshments can be had. On this level is also 
a fine croquet ground and numerous rustic 
seats, shadowed by overhanging, high perpen- 
dicular rocks. 

A few feet below is Lovers' Retreat, a broad 
ledge of rocks, shadowed by large forest trees, 
and down still another flight of stairs, close by 
the river-side, hedged in by rustic work, is a 
broad, level surface, which forms the entrance 
to Fern Cave, a subterranean cavity in the solid 
rock, 35x54 feet in dimensions. This retreat 
is supplied with numerous rude seats of iron 
and wood, where those weary from climbing 
can rest. Leaving the Cave, we pass down the 
strongly-braced stairway, running diagonally 
with the ftice of the wall, and reach Observa- 
tion Rock, a huge stone of over one hundred 
tons' weight. Fi'om this point, a magnificent 
view is presented to the eye. Looking back 
and up the stream, one gets a fine view of the 
waterfalls above, of from fifteen to twenty 
feet in height ; also High Bridge, some eighty 
feet above. Still farther below, and immedi- 
ately under Fern Cave, is Doves' Retreat, a 
huge cavern, with an overhanging roof of rock 
twent^'-five feet above. To the right and down 
the stream is Suspension Bridge, which crosses 
the stream above high-water mark. It is made 
of strong rods of iron, crossing the chasm, se- 
curely fastened to huge bowlders upon either 
side, with strong hand-rails, and affords a se- 
cure passage over the foaming, surging waters 



below. Crossing the bridge, we are upon the 
east side of the river, near Cascade Point, 
which is a lovely retreat, reached by a path 
made of rocks and bowlders, under Weeping 
Cliffs, a solid wall of overhanging rock, one 
hundred feet in height, and fringed at the top 
with hemlock and birch trees. Here a beauti- 
ful spring of cold mineral water gushes forth 
from the face of the rock, climbing over and 
under a high point. A broad avenue is pre- 
sented, which borders the rugged bed of the 
stream for a mile. This is called the Grand 
Promenade, and is hedged in on one side by 
lofty, overhanging rocks, and on the other by 
innumerable shade trees and the winding river. 
Here sunlight has to struggle for an entrance, 
and it is always a cool and romantic retreat. 
Swings and croquet here abound. Ferns and 
mosses literall}- cover the grounds and rocks 
upon every side. 

Boys & Clarkson had a steamer built in 
Akron by William Paine, in 1878, and has run 
on the river two seasons. It is called the Sil- 
ver Wave. It cost $1,200. The boat is now 
owned by J. N. Clarkson. This was the first 
one on this stream. Another boat was built in 
Cuyahoga Falls in 1880. She ran one season 
only. She was built by Dailey & Barker. The 
boating distances on the river run b}' these 
boats is from the upper dam to Snakes' Den 
and Goose Egg Island. The round trip is 
three miles ; fare 10 cents, during the boating 
season. 

There is but one public hall in Cuyahoga 
Falls. It is now called Apollo Hall, formerly 
James' Hall. It is located in the third story of 
James' Block, and was completed in 1869. It 
was opened April 12 of that year, with a con- 
cert given by Miss Fannie A. Sill and her pu- 
pils. The seating capacity of the hall is 500, 
with standing room for 200. It was refitted 
and newly decorated in 1879, having new and 
elaborate scenerv. The proprietors are George 
Sackett, 0. B. Beebe and W. 0. Beebe. 



;v 



478 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



CHAPTER XVII.* 

CUYAHOGA FALLS — EDUCATIONAL — CUYAHOGA FALLS 1N8TITUTF— CHURCHES— SKETCHES OF 
THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS— BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES—THE MANU- 
FACTURING INTERESTS — G ENEKAL BUSINESS. 



THE subject of education has always held a 
high place in the estimation of the people 
of Cuyahoga Falls, as evinced by the interest 
manifested by them in their common schools. 
Previous to the erection of a new township out 
of the corners of Stow, Tallmadge, Northamp- 
ton and Portage, the village schools were those 
belonging to these several townships. How- 
ever, soon after the organization of the town- 
ship of Cuyahoga Falls and the creation of a 
Township Board of Education, the whole terri- 
tory was erected into one school district, as will 
hereafter be shown. Previous to this time, the 
histor}'' of the schools is that only of ordinary 
district schools of the country ; but with the 
new order of things began an increased interest 
in these " nation's colleges." 

The school building located north of St. 
John's Churcli edifice was built by the Wesley- 
ans for church purposes. The structure was 
afterward sold to the School Directors for a 
high school. In 1872, the new high school 
building was ready for nse and that school was 
transferred to it, since which time the other 
house has been used for schools of a lower 
grade. The two accommodate all the schools 
of the village. The smaller structures — the 
district schoolhouses — have all been sold. 

In pursuance of an act passed by the Legis- 
lature of Ohio, entitled " An act to provide for 
the re-organization, supervision and mainte- 
nance of common schools."' the following- named 
persons — L. L. Holden, Clerk of the Directors 
of Cuyahoga Falls School District No. 1 ; P. J. 
Lee, Clerk of Union District No. 8 ; and 
Charles Clark, Township Clerk — met at the 
office of McClure & McKinney and organized a 
Board of Education for Cuyahoga Falls, by 
appointing L. L. Holden Chairman, the Town- 
ship Clerk being by law the Clerk of the Board 
of Education. This was on the 18th of April, 
1853. That portion of School District No. 8 

^Contributed by 0. W. ButterfieUl. 



lying in the township of Cuyahoga Falls, and 
the Cuyahoga Falls School District No 1, were 
united and formed into one district on the 24th 
of xVpril, 1854, to be known as the " Cu3-ahoga 
Falls School District." On the 2Gth of June, 
L. L. Holden was appointed Acting Manager of 
Schools for the township. On the 15th day of 
Ma}', 1855, " Mr. Taylor" was 'appointed Prin- 
cipal of the Central School," and " Mrs. Tay- 
lor" his assistant. Together they were to be 
paid the sum of $700 '-for the year of forty 
weeks." On that day the Board " Resolved^ 
That we attach great importance to the good 
government of a school and the moral instruc- 
tions which the children receive, and the thor- 
oughness with which they are drilled in the pri- 
mary branches and first principles of educa- 
tion." 

On the 25th day of May, 1855, the record of 
the board says : "This day sold to John Love 
the schoolhouse near the Widow Ga^dord's for 
the sum of $100." For the school year ending 
August 31, 1857, the whole number of pupils 
enrolled was 482 ; number of teachers em- 
ployed, 7 — one male and six females. Union 
District No. 10 in Tallmadge and Cuyahoga 
Falls Townships was discontinued June 18, 
1858. H. K. Taylor, Principal, on the 1st day 
of July, 1861, " made a summary report from 
the high school, showing general improvement 
in scholarship and deportment for the last 
month." Seventeen days thereafter, Mr. L. H. 
Delano was " emplo}' ed to teach the Central 
school ; whereupon, on the 1st day of August 
following, " a petition numerousl}' signed by 
citizens of Cuyahoga Falls was presented " to 
the board, asking them " to reconsider their 
action changing the Principal of the high 
school or resign ; " but they did neither. 

The Board of Education resolved July 2, 
1863, "that William L Chamberlain, of Hud- 
son, be employed to teach as Principal in the 
high school at a salary of $600 per annum." 



'k* 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



479 



The total number of youth enrolled in the 
schools at this date was 452. The number of 
schoolhouses was five ; the number of schools, 
five — four common schools and one high 
school. The school library was valued at 
$300, having on its shelves 755 volumes. 
June 24, 1864, Mr. Chamberlain's salary was 
raised to $75 a month. 

On the 26th of June, 1865, George Mc- 
Laughlin was employed to teach the Central 
school as Principal at a salary of $650 per 
annum. At this time, besides the central 
school, there were . the southwest primary, 
southeast primary, northeast primary and 
northwest primary. The next year, the salary 
of the Principal was raised to $750. Jul}^ 18, 
1866, W. C. Kogers was employed as Principal 
of the central or high school at a salary of $75 
per month. The successor of Mr. Rogers as 
Principal was B. B. Tremlin, who was em- 
ployed in December, 1866. 

On the 16th of January, 1867, at a meeting 
of the electors of the township, it was resolved 
to move all the schools into one building. On 
the 16th of February, 1867, at a meeting of 
the qualified voters of Cuj'ahoga Falls School 
District, it was moved and carried that a tax 
not exceeding three-fourths of one per cent be 
levied annually for a period not exceeding five 
years, for the purpose of building a central or 
union schoolhoase in the village. On the 17th 
of May, 1867, the qualified electors voted 
'' that the School Directors be authorized to 
purchase of H. A. Miller for a schoolhouse 
site, the nine lots north of the hotel lots, be- 
tween Front and Second streets, and south of 
Stow street. 

Virgil P. Kline was, on July 1, 1867, em- 
ployed as Principal. At this time, there were 
five common schools in the district and the 
high school. The number of pupils enrolled 
was 456. The total value of schoolhouses and 
grounds was $2,400. It was voted by the 
board, on the 5th of November of that year, 
that, "Whereas, it is ascertained that at the 
last school'exhibition a young lady's dress was 
accidentally damaged seriously, and that there 
remains unexpended some of the avails of 
said exhibition, the sum of $3 be paid out of 
said avails to the owner of said dress." At a 
meeting of the qualified voters of the district, 
held Januar}' 3, 1868, it was voted that the 
site of the new central schoolhouse should be 



the " Cooke Lot." This lot was deeded by 
James H. Cooke to the district in consideration 
of $1. The deed conveyed two acres of land 
on the south side of the old township line 
road and foi'ty-eight rods east of Newberry 
street, conditioned that the building should be 
commenced within five 3'ears. On the 8th of 
May, 1868, the salary of Mr. Kline was raised 
to $1,000. 

On the 12th of May, 1869, the board deter- 
mined that the school building to be erected 
should be three stories high. At the same 
time A. Koehler, architect, of Cleveland, was 
employed to prepare necessary plans and 
specifications for the house. In July, 1869, 
Miss Booth " agreed to remain in the high 
school as teacher another year, upon a salary 
of $1,000," Mr. Kline having declined to labor 
an}' longer as Principal. The pupils of the 
intermediate school were taken into the high 
school. 

On the 4th day of August, 1869, the board 
contracted with Greorge Allison, of Tallmadge, 
for the erection of the basement story of the 
new Union Schoolhouse, for the sum of $5,200. 
On the 7th of September following, Ed- 
ward Sill was engaged as Principal of the 
high school at a salary of $900. The number 
of schoolhouses was four frame and one brick ; 
total, five. On the 29th of November an ad- 
ditional tax was voted b}' the qualified voters 
of the district to erect the school building, of 
three-fourths of one per cent. An agreement 
was entered into by the board with George 
Allison, on the 1st day of March, 1870, to do 
the mason work for the school building, except 
the plastering, for $11,701.51. They agreed 
with Dunn & Witt, of Cincinnati, for $2,630, to 
have the roofing and galvanized iron work 
done. The Board engaged George Thomas & 
Son, of Akron, for the residue of the work, in- 
cluding joiner work, painting, plastering, etc., 
for the sum of $12,400. The original contract 
price, thei'efore, for the building amounted to 
$31,931.51. This, of course, was exclusive of 
heating the building. This cost an additional 
$3,000. There was also paid Mr. xVUison for 
extra work $617.37. The contract for seating 
the building was made on the 21st of June, 
1871. There was allowed Thomas & Son 
$1,698 for extra work. 

Miss A. A. Booth was engaged as Superin- 
tendent of the public schools at a salary of 



-©PV 






480 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



$1,200, on the 12th of July, 1871. It was 
voted at an election held April 8, 1872, by the 
qualified voters of the district, to sell the Cen- 
tral school house and the four primar}- school- 
houses and their lots. The northwest primary 
school l)uilding was sold for $800. The ex- 
pense of seating the new high school building 
was $1,773.50. The northeast primar}' school- 
house and lot was sold for $400. 

The Board of Education was re-organized 
under the school law of 1873, on the 20th of 
April, 1874, by the election of L. J. Germain, 
President ; G. W. Rice, Clerk, and W. M. Gris- 
wold, Treasurer. The supervision of the 
schools was assigned to Mr. Germain. On the 
1st of August of that year the board passed a 
resolution to " advertise for a competent and 
experienced teacher as Principal of our Union 
Schools." George L. McMillan was the suc- 
cessful applicant, at a salary of $1,000. The 
number of schoolhouses in the district at this 
time was one union and one not used ; the 
number of rooms, exclusive of rooms used 
onl}" for recitation, high school, one ; primary, 
three ; total, four. The value of school prop- 
erty' was $36,000. The number of teachers 
employed, six. On the 4th of November, the 
clergymen of the village were requested to act 
as a visiting board of the schools. On tlie 
26th of April, 1875, the President of the 
Board was " authorized to emplo}^ Mr. A. X. 
Bernard as Superintendent and Master of the 
Union School for the balance of the present 
school term," at a salaiy not exceeding $1,200 
per annum. His services were continued at 
the rate of $120 a month salary. There were 
this year enrolled in the school 401 pupils. 

On the 17th of February, 1876, the board or- 
dered that " any scholars who have been sus- 
pended from the public school of this district on 
account of exposure to the small-pox, shall fur- 
nish the Superintendent, before they shall be 
re-instated, with proof that they have been vac- 
cinated." Four days after this, an order passed 
that " hereafter no pupil shall be admitted to 
the schools of this village until they have fur- 
nished the Superintendent with proofs of vac- 
cination." Besides this, the schools were "sus- 
pended until further notice." They were not 
opened until the second IMonday of April fol- 
lowing. Previous to this, at an election of the 
qualified voters of the district, it was deter- 
mined to increase the board from three to six 



members. The following resolution was passed 
unanimously April 24, 1876 : '' ResoJeed, That 
Dr. Heath be requested to furnish Mr. Bernard, 
School Superintendent, with a list of such fam- 
ilies as should, for the present, be held back 
from sending their children to school ; that at 
least thirty days should elapse after an}' case 
shall have terminated before an}' family shall 
be allowed to send their children to school, and 
that all school books be destroyed that ma}' 
have been exposed in families who have had 
the small-pox." 

On the 6th of May, 1878, it was stated at a 
meeting of the boai'd that " it was the opinion 
of many that the population of our village was 
more than 2,500 ; if so, then by law it is our 
privilege to have our own Boaixi of Examiners of 
Teachers." And they had them ! On the 28th 
of June, 1878, Mr. Bernai'd was continued Su- 
perintendent, at a salary of $1,100. The num- 
ber of pupils enrolled during this year was 502. 
The Union School building was fitted up with 
a steam-heating apparatus during the year 1879, 
at a cost of about $1,500. On the 21st of June, 
1 880, the board passed a resolution " that Joanna 
Cutler, Lizzie M. Richardson, Mary A. Clark, 
Jessie Knox, Grace E. Sykes, Rial Smith, Otto 
C. Richardson and Albert Kingsbury, the mem- 
bers of the class of the high school of 1880, 
be graduated on Friday evening, June 25." 

The branches now taught in the Union 
School in Cuyahoga Falls are reading, spelling, 
writing, arithmetic, geography, English gram- 
mar, oral lessons, composition, drawing, vo- 
cal music, United States history, physical 
geography, natural philosophy, German, al- 
gebra and Latin. The schools are in a high 
state of efficiency, owing to the interest taken 
by the parents of the district ; to the intelli- 
gent labors of the Board of Education, and the 
wisdom and zeal of the Superintendent and 
teachers. 

One of the first efforts in the promotion of 
education, outside the common school, was the 
oi'ganization and charter of the Cuyahoga Falls 
Institute, under the management of the Rev. 
Mr. Brooks and Charles Clark. The school 
was started and kept in operation some time, 
but the hard times which came in 1837 made it 
necessary to abandon the project. After the 
building of St. John's Church, a seminary for 
girls was kept in the schoolroom adjoining, by 
Miss Sarah Carpenter. She was succeeded by 



7- 



•-^ 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



481 



Miss Frances C. Barron, the last named b}- Miss 
Eliza Deaver. 

Churches were early established in the vil- 
lage of Cuyahoga Falls ; but. instead of com- 
fortable church buildings, those who came first 
were obliged to meet in schoolhouses and other 
inconvenient places. As a consequence, church 
services were irregular and infrequent. 

In giving the histor}- of St. John's Church, 
in Cu\-ahoga Falls, it is necessar}' to go back to 
the time when stately forests covered the land- 
scape, and over the fertile fields where now the 
eye rests with delight upon the evidences of 
civilization, but few marks of improvement 
were anywhere to be seen. Log cabins dotted 
it here and there, and some clearings were 
begun, but the roads went winding through the 
forest, and communication between points was 
slow and tedious. The Cuyahoga River sang 
its merry song in freedom, fettered onl}' by the 
rocks which gave it voice. Its waters had not 
been forced to turn the busj' wheels, and few 
sounds had been heard upon its banks, except 
the song of the birds, the howl of the wild 
beasts, or the more savage yell of the wild 
Indian. Akron had not been thought of, and 
Cleveland was known as a little village six 
miles from Newburg. Here and there a farm 
was opened, and the busy settlers were making 
the wide forests ring with the sound of their 
axes, which were letting in the light where long 
had brooded only the somber shade of its 
matted woods. The first settlement at Stow 
Corners was made by a few families from the 
same Eastern home, most of them relatives. 
Just south of Gross' Tavern, it will be remem- 
bered, there is an orchard, but, in 1818, there 
was a log cabin standing in that lot, which dis- 
appeared many years ago, and in it lived Josiah 
Wetmore, with his wife and children. No 
sooner were they settled than Mrs. Wetmore, 
who was a devout member of the Protestant 
Episcopal Church, gathered in her neighbors 
for worship, which she continued to do for 
three years. There was no other service held 
in the settlement, and they came with ox teams 
and on horseback from all the region around. 
After the}' had met in that wa}- for about a 
year, Mrs. Wetmore reading the service and 
her husband the sermon, the Rev. Roger 
Searle, who lived at Medina, and oflftciated in 
many places on the Western Reserve, paid a 
visit to the place, and preached in Mrs. Wet- 



more's house. This was in 1819, and was the 
first sermon preached and the first service held 
by an Episcopal clergyman in all the region. 

The people who came to these services in 
Mrs. Wetmore's house increased in numbers, 
and soon filled her house, and in warm weather 
the yard about it. The}' had no boards of 
which to make seats, but split logs, and hewed 
them into what was called puncheons, and put- 
ting them upon legs, raised them high enough 
to be used for seats for the assembled worship- 
ers. They had no carriages to convey them 
to the place of worship, but came upon sleds 
drawn by oxen, and on horseback, and many on 
foot. Thus they gathered, and there can be no 
doubt that as acceptable worship was offered in 
that humble cabin as ever went up among the 
fretted arches of a cathedral ; and there in that 
humble cabin was the first step taken, which 
twelve years afterward culminated in the or- 
ganization of St. John's Church. 

After three 3'ears' residence thei'e, Mr. Wet- 
more went back to New England with his 
famil}' to give them such advantages of educa- 
tion as they could not get in this new state of 
societ}'. After the}' left, the services were held 
in different places, centering, however, about 
the Corners. After some years the}' came back 
to Cuyahoga Falls, where Mrs. Wetmore lived 
until 1865, esteemed by all who knew her for 
her virtues, when she fell asleep in Jesus, and 
was buried in the cemetery, where she awaits a 
glorious resurrection. Mr. Wetmore lived until 
1867, when he was laid beside his wife, at the 
age of eighty-four years. 

Along the center line of Stow there were 
many families settled by this time who had 
been reared in the Episcopal Church. On the 
western end of that line lived Orin Gilbert, and 
a little way north of him was Arthur Sadler 
and Henry O'Brien. East of Mr. Gilbert was 
Frederick Sanford, and striking southeast were 
the Wetmores and Frederick Wolcott (who had 
become attached to the service since its estab- 
lishment), Roland Clapp, and some families of 
Gaylords In Tallmadge there were also sev- 
eral families ; and up the river, in the western 
part of Franklin, were Col. Stanley, Mr. Furber, 
the Furgesons and some others. Some of 
these were young men, who with their wives 
had come to make their homes in the then far 
West, and some of them were in middle age, 
with half-grown children, who had reached this 



;Rr 



482 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



distant point after long and painful journe3'S ; 
but all were of slender means, and depended 
upon the blessings of a kind Providence on their 
labor, and the returns of strenuous ettbrt from 
a generous soil. 

These scattered families, spreading over not 
less than ten miles square, and others about 
them, as we have seen, had been accustomed to 
meet on Sundays for divine service in the use 
of the Book of Common Prater, and hearing a 
sermon read from such collections as they had 
brought from their Eastern homes. These 
services, after the first three years, were held 
in different places, and were participated in by 
persons coming from parts of Stow, Hudson 
Tallmadge, Franklin, and parts adjacent, with 
great labor and inconvenience, to worship G-od 
as they had been taught in the homes from 
which the\' came. 

Like most of the emigrants from New En- 
gland, they were of decided opinions and firm 
convictions, and the principles they had im- 
bibed in early life were clung to with a tenacity 
which showed their fitness to be founders of 
new societies, and to transmit to their suc- 
cessors the institutions under which they were 
reared, in their integrity. Those who had been 
reared in the Episcopal Church could not be 
satisfied to give up the church of their fathers, 
and showed how deeply they were attached to 
its ordinances by the pains they took to enjoy 
those ordinances, with no other than lay serv- 
ices. 

The first step toward organization was to ob- 
tain, from Bishop Chase, licenses for Roland 
Clapp, a young man from Vermont, and Col. 
Stanley, of Franklin, as la}^ readers, who were 
authorized to gather the people together and 
hold regular service, with the reading of such 
sermons as were specified by the Bishop. Thus 
their love for the church was fostered, and some 
were led to unite with them who were reared 
under other influences. But ministers were 
very scarce in those days, and those w^ho loved 
the church were obliged to content themselves 
with lay services for a long time after the}' were 
accustomed to meet for social worship. 

The next minister of the church who ofl3- 
ciated for them was Rev. William N. Lyster, who 
was acting as a missionary in Trinity Church, 
Cleveland, then a small village upon the lake 
shore. He came on foot, and preached in Hud- 
son and Stow on the first Sunday in February, 



1830. He came again on the first Sunday of 
the following month, and preached in Franklin 
(now Kent) in the morning, and in Stow in the 
afternoon. Two months after this, he preached 
in the morning in Hud.son, and at Stow, in the 
tavern, in the afternoon. During that visit, the 
first steps were taken toward the organization 
of a parish. Their lay service was continued 
by uniting from all parts within reach, till the 
following winter, when Rev. James McElroy, 
who had succeeded Mr. Lyster in his mission- 
ary work at Cleveland, paid them a visit. He 
preached in Hudson in the morning, and in 
Stow in the evening, and, before they separated, 
they organized the parish of " St. John's Church, 
Stow." This was in 1830. The organization 
of the parish of Christ Church, Franklin, was 
eflfected some time afterward, but the prospect 
of establishing the church in Hudson was not 
thought encouraging enough to warrant any 
further eflbrt there, and all the members in 
Hudson Township were enrolled in St. John's 
Church. 

After the organization of the parish, lay serv- 
ices were held regularly until 1834. A dam 
had been built near the present railroad bridge, 
and a mill had been erected upon it, and sev- 
eral houses were built in the neighborhood ; 
and, among others, a log schoolhouse. The 
services were held in this house, which stood 
in the south part of what was long known as 
the ■' old village." It was supposed that the 
town would be built at this point. After a 
time, a building was erected for a store further 
north ; it stood on the west side of the present 
railroad, between the two crossings. The serv- 
ices were then removed to that building, but 
Stow Corners was most convenient for the wor- 
shipers, and larger numbers could be gathered 
there, and, as the services were first begun 
there, they were taken back, and continued to 
be held there until the present edifice was ready 
for use. 

But the water-power at this point had been 
brought into use, and the town had been rapidly 
filling up with a busy population, and it was 
manifest that there was to be an important vil- 
lage lower down the stream than they first be- 
gan to build ; and when the society was ready 
to build, they resolved, after long debate, to 
have the church at Cuyahoga Falls. In 1834, 
Rev. C. V. Kelley was appointed a missionary 
at Ohio City, -with, instructions to give every 



^^ 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



483 



^ 



alternate Sunday to the parish at Stow. He 
had not been otHciating long under this ar- 
rangement, before it was thought best that he 
should go to New York to solicit aid for these 
feeble churchmen in building their church ; 
and after a protracted absence he returned, 
and paid over for this purpose $700, which was 
used in the erection of this church. He then 
rc!turned to New York and took charge of St. 
Bartholomew's Church, and St. John's was 
without a minister. 

In the spring of 1835 the}' chose this site, 
and began the work of building. The town 
had grown very much, and manufactures of 
many kinds were introduced, and it was thought 
that a very large population would soon be 
gathered ; and it was seen that here was the 
place for the church. But the services were 
still held at the Corners. While they were 
building it was thought best also to secure the 
services of the minister, and they proceeded to 
secure the services of a minister, and they pro- 
ceeded to call Rev. William H. Newman, of 
Bristol. R. I., who accepted the rectorship on 
the 10th of November, and continued in charge 
of the parish till June 18. 1837, when he re- 
signed and removed to Newark, Licking Co., 
Ohio. 

The church edifice was completed in 1836 
and consecrated to the worship of Almighty 
God by Bishop Mcllvaine on the 10th of July 
of that year. It is the oldest church within a 
very large area, unless it be the Congregational 
Church at Tallmadge, which stands to-day as it 
was originally built. The plan adopted was 
the same essentially^ as that of old Trinity 
Church. Cleveland, except that the front of the 
building was more showy, and the chancel more 
elaborate and expensive. But such as it was 
at first it remains to this day, except the 
ciiange in the chancel made last year. There 
were present at the consecration. Rev. Abraham 
Bronson, of Peninsula, and Rev. Thomas Bar- 
row, missionary- at Akron, and the Rector. 

The first Sunda}^ school was organized the 
same month, and has continued till the present 
day without intermission. After the removal 
of Mr. Newman, the Rev. Zachariah Mead, of 
Virginia, was called to the rectorship, but he 
was not pleased with the people of the North, 
and after spending three or four weeks in the 
parish, he returned to Virginia. 

After him the Rev. Mr. Cushman was called. 



but he remained only a short time, and noth- 
ing is found upon the records as done by him. 

In 1837, Rev. Albert T. Bledsoe, who was 
one of the converts at West Point, under Bishop 
Mcllvaine's chaplainc}*, and was ordained by 
him, was called : but, after about four mouths, 
he became dissatisfied with his profession, and 
resigned both the rectorship and the ministry, 
and went to Virginia, where he has long held a 
professorship in the University of Virginia. 

After his removal, the parish was vacant 
until the 10th of April, 1839, when a call was 
given to Rev. James Bonnar, Deacon, of Utica, 
Licking Co., Ohio. He accepted the call, and 
was ordained Presbj'ter, together with Rev. 
Charles C. Townsend, in this church. He re- 
mained less than a year, and, resigning, went 
to Marietta, Muskingum County. 

In February, 1840, Rev. Thomas B. Fairchild, 
of Orafton, was called to the vacant rectorship, 
and entered upon his duties immediately. In 
the meantime, a parish had been organized in 
Franklin, called Christ Church, which took 
several members who had been enrolled in St. 
John's Church ; but he found upon the list the 
names of forty persons. In 1842, he organized 
the parish of Christ Church, Hudson, which took 
several prominent members. He remained un- 
til 1844, when he resigned, and went to W^ooster, 
Wayne County, leaving upon the record sixty- 
four resident members. 

He was succeeded by Rev. Alvah Guion, who 
stayed not over a year. Rev. David J. Burger 
was called to fill his place in the summer ; but 
died suddenly, after a few months in charge 
here, while on a visit to Toledo, where he had 
previously lived. 

Upon his death, a call was given to Rev. Levi 
L. Holden, of Gi'afton, who removed to the 
parish in July, 1847. He held the rectorship 
till 1867, twenty years, when he resigned, and 
went to W^ooster, leaving a large circle of 
friends, both out of the church and in it, who 
remember and speak of him with esteem and 
affection. 

Services were held at irregular intervals, by 
Rev. Mr. Fairchild, then at Hudson, and Rev. 
E. B. Kellogg, of Gambler, until the next sum- 
mer, when Rev. George Bosley, Deacon, was 
sent by the Bishop to fill the parish. The next 
3'ear. he was advanced to the Priesthood, and 
continued in charge till 1871, when he resigned, 
and went to Marion, Ohio. 



484 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



In March, 1871, Rev. T. B. Fairchild, Rector, 
in charge of St. John's Church, Kewanee, 111., 
was called back to his old charge, and, on the 
first Sunday of April, began his labors. He 
continued in charge until March 8. 1879, when 
he died. His successor was Rev. George W. 
Williams, the present Rector. 

When Mr. Newman left the parish, there were 
forty-nine members upon the record. Of these, 
onh' two remain— Roland Clapp, Mrs. Lucy 
Rice. The rest have died or removed ; proba- 
bly most of them have passed away from earth. 
" There were no entries made in the church 
record from his removal,'" writes ]Mr. Fairchild 
in 1875, "until m}^ residence, but there were 
forty communicants when I came. During my 
first rectorship, fifty-three were added to the 
number. The organization of the parish in 
Hudson took several valuable members ; but, 
of those added during the four years and three 
months, there are now twenty members upon 
the list. After my removal, I was present at 
the visitation of the Bishop, and presented ten 
persons for confirmation, who had been prepared 
for it before I left. Of those ten, not one is left. 
Nine were added by ]Mr. Burger, but they are 
all gone. During Mr. Holden's rectorship, I 
find 72 names entered in his hand-writing, but 
of these only 20 are members to-day. After 
his removal, 3'our present Rector held services 
for a while in the afternoon, and, as the fruit of 
that labor, 14 were confirmed, and 10 of those 
are members still. During Mr. Bosley's resi- 
dence, 50 names were added, but onlj- 23 of 
these are members now. Since my return. 24 
have been added, and 6 of these have died or 
removed, leaving 87 resident members. The 
whole number, from the beginning, being 305 
members. 

" Upon the record of baptisms, I find recorded 
by Mr. Newman 22, Mr. Bonnar 8, Mr. Gruion 
4, Mr. Holden 94, Mr. Bosley 50. and by myself 
90, making 279 persons since the oi'ganization 
of the parish. But I am persuaded that there 
were many baptisms in its earlier days which 
have not been recorded, as there were no entries 
made until Mr. Newman's time. 

" The first confirmation recorded was held by 
Bishop Mcllvaine, but there are several persons 
whom I know to have been confirmed before 
this, whose names are not recorded. There 
are, however, 154 names upon the record, and 
may safely be reckoned at nearly two hundred. 



showing that at least two-thirds of all the mem- 
bers who have lived here, first made their pro- 
fession in this church. 

" Of marriages, Mr. Newman solemnized 2, 
Mr. Guion 4, Mr. Holden 75, Mr. Bosley 15, 
and myself 23, making 119 couples in all. 

" Upon the record of burials I find eleven b}' 
Mr. Newman. On the 21st of October, 1837, 
when the parish was vacant, that teri'ible tor- 
nado passed over Stow, and Rev. Ebenezer 
Boyden, of Cleveland, was called to lay its four 
victims in one grave. Mr. Guion buried 4. Mr. 
Holden 112, Mr. Boslej' 26, buried by myself 
72, by other persons 22, making in all 242 per- 
sons, of whom 136 were adults and the rest 
children and 3'ouths. Of those committed to 
the ground, I tliink hardly a family connected 
with the parish has failed to furnish a part, 
while in some cases, whole families have joined 
the gi'eat congregation. The consolation of its 
funeral rites has been given freely to all, and 
few in this region have not shared them. I 
have myself in all these 3'ears, preached 5,579 
times ; baptized 296 ; married 149 couples, 
and buried 302 persons." 

As will be seen by these statements, the 
hindrance to the growth of St. John's Church 
has been its continual losses by removals, which 
have been vei-y heavy from the first. The ad- 
ditions by removal from other parishes have 
been comparatively small ; and the great pro- 
portion of the members we have lost from this 
cause, has been of those who first became com- 
municants here, and then removed to other 
parishes. 

The history of the Methodist Episcopal 
church is this : The " Twinsburg Circuit " was 
organized November 1, 1832. The society in 
Stow Township, now Cuyahoga Falls, was one 
of the appointments. The members met in a 
storehouse at the " old village," as it is now 
known. The first Presiding Elder was W. B. 
^lack. The circuit preachers were Thomas 
Carr and John E. Akin. They preached once 
in two weeks alternateh'. Carr was re-ap- 
pointed for 1833, and L. D. Prosser as his col- 
league. The preachers for the next 3'ear (1834) 
were Ira Eddy and A. Reaves. At this date, 
William Stevens was Presiding Elder. In 
1835, E. H. Taylor and J. L. Holmes were sent 
to the circuit. The meetings were then held in 
the basement of the church building, at the 
Falls. The circuit preachers, in 1836, wei'e E. 



^ « 



L£ 



CUYxlHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



485 



H. Taylor and Horatio N. Stearns. In 1837 
and 1838, Rev. E. T. Kinney was in charge. 
Artluir M. Brown was preacher in 1839, and 
Wesley Maltby was his assistant. The Falls 
then became a station. Rev. Timothy Good- 
win was station preacher for the next two 
years — 1840 and 1841. He was succeeded, for 

1842, by Rev. AV. French, and the latter, in 

1843, by A. Calendar. The successor to Mr. 
Calendar was Rev. D. Prosser. This was for 
the year 1844. The latter was re-appointed for 
the next year, 1845. B. W. Hager was the 
preacher for 1846. For the next two years 
(1847 and 1848), Rev. A. M. Brown. The fol- 
lowing Pastors have since had charge : 1849, A. 
Hall ; 1850, A. Hall ; 1851, A. Rogers ; 1852, A. 
Rogers; 1853, Thomas Stubbs; 1854, John Trib- 
by ; 1855, John Tribbv ; 1856, D. C. Wright ; 
1857, D. C. Wright ; 18'58, E. J. L. Baker ; 1859, 
G. W. Chesbrough ; 1860, G. W. Chesbrough ; 
1861,E. S.Gillet"; 1862,E. S. Gillet ; 1863, J. E. 
Chapin ; 1864, J. E. Chapin ; 1865, C. T. 
Kingsbury ; 1866, C T. Kingsbury ; 1867, J. 
R. Lyon; 1868, J. R. Lyon; 1869, R. M. Bear; 
1870', R. M. Bear ; 1871, E. A. Squire ; 1872, 
E. A. Squire ; 1873, E. A. Squire ; 1874, 1875 
and 1876, G. W. Gray ; 1877, 1878 and 1879, 
Dr. S. M. Hickman ; 1880, Dr. W. A. Davidson. 

The church edifice was commenced on the 
lot deeded to the society, on the public square, 
about 1834 ; meetings were held in the base- 
ment until the structure was completed. This 
was in 1840, the dedication of the building 
being on the last day of that year. The house 
was enlarged in 1864, and the inside materi- 
ally changed. The edifice will seat comforta- 
bly 500 persons. The organization has been 
from the beginning ver}- prosperous. The 
members number at present 200. The only 
town clock in tlie village is in the steeple of 
this church. The organ cost $1,600. 

The following are the oflBcers of the church : 
Trustees, Israel James, Jacob Weidner, Hi- 
ram Gaylord, Alexander J. Billman, Orin 
James, Mathew Crawford, Hiram W. Carter, 
Arthur Lewis and Isaac Reid ; Stewards, Israel 
James, Edgar Inskeep, Henry Plum, William 
Hill, Isaac Reid, Richaixl Blood, Jacob Weid- 
ner and Simeon Dickerman ; Class-leaders, Rich- 
ard Blood, A. R. Knox, L. D. Williams and H. 
W. Carter. 

There is one supernumerar}' preacher, J. C. 
Castle ; and one local preacher, Richard Blood. 



In connection with the church there is a well- 
organized and efficient Sunday school, having 
an average attendance of 1 50. Officers — Super- 
intendent, Dr. H. W. Carter ; First Assistant, 
Arthur Lewis ; Second Assistant, Mrs. Mathew 
Crawford ; Secretary, Mrs. David Brown ; Treas- 
urer, Mathew Crawford ; Librarians, Isaac Reid 
and Mary C. Weidner. 

" The Congregational Church of Cuyahoga 
Falls," wrote Birdsey Booth in 1861, "was or- 
ganized February 14, 1834, by Rev. B. C. Bald- 
win (then residing at iMiddleburj), and Rev. J. 
C. Parmelee, of Tallmadge. Ten persons, five 
male and five female (five by letter, and five by 
profession), united in the organization. Of the 
ten thus uniting, one removed his connection ; 
six are no more, for God has taken them, they 
having died in the faith ; and three remain to 
this day. The whole number which have been 
received into connection with the church, is 
287, of whom 188 were received on certificate, 
and 99 on profession (about one-third by pro- 
fession). 

" Of the 287 which are, or have been, mem- 
bers, 41 have died ; 123 have removed their 
connection ; 23 dismissed for prolonged absence ; 
14 have been excommunicated ; leaving pres- 
ent number 86, of whom some 14 are probably 
permanently absent. 

'• Twenty- four adults and twenty infants have 
been baptized since April, 1841, previous to 
which there is no record of any. 

"From the organization to January- 1, 1835, 
the pulpit was supplied by Rev. B. C. Baldwin, 
preaching ever}' alternate Sabbath. From Jan- 
uary 1, 1835, to October of the same year, l)y 
Prof Long, of Western Reserve College ; from 
October, 1835, to May. 1836, by Prof Gregg, 
of Western Reserve College ; from May, 1836, 
to November 23, same year, by various individ- 
uals ; from November 23, 1836, to May, 1838, 
by Rev. Joel Byington ; from May, 1838. to 
October, same year, by various individuals. 
October 24, 1838, Rev. William C. Clark was 
ordained and installed Pastor of the church. 
Mr. Clark continued his services with the church 
down to x\pril 5, 1847, about eight and a half 
years, when, on account of ill health, he re- 
quested to be released from his pastoral labors, 
which, the church acceding to, was dissolved 
by action of Portage Presbytery called for that 
purpose. (It should be remarked here, that the 
church was organized in connection with Port- 



486 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



age Presbytery, and until the meeting above re- 
ferred to, had been regularly represented in that 
body. Ou this occasion, the church presented 
to Presbyter}' a resolution previously adopted, 
requesting a dissolution of its connection with 
that body, which was granted at the meeting- 
aforesaid. Since then, the church has been an 
independent Congregational body, except as it 
has entered into mutual relations with other 
Congregational Churches.) 

" From April 5, 1 847, to October 12 of the same 
year, the pulpit was supplied by various indi- 
viduals, but chiefly by Rev. William C. Foster, 
whom the church and society invited to become 
their pastor, and was ordained and installed by 
Council, October 12. 1847. The relation thus en- 
tered into continued until May 28, 1849 (a little 
more than a year and seven months), when the 
relation terminated by his request, acquiesced 
in by the church and action of Council, called 
for the purpose. A few Sabbaths after, the 
pulpit was supplied by Rev. S. P. Leeds, who, 
having supplied the pulpit for two years, ac- 
cepted the call of the church and society, and 
was ordained by Council June 18, 1851. Mr. 
Leeds continued the relation thus entered into, 
until June 23, 1855 (four years), when it was 
terminated by his request, reluctantly ac- 
quiesced in by the church and Council. From 
the termination of Mr. Leeds' labors, June 28, 
1855, down to May 2. 1858, the pulpit was sup- 
plied b}- many different ministers — for several 
months by Prof H. B. Hosford, of Western Re- 
serve College, and for one year by Rev. J. L. 
Tomlinson ; subsequently, b}' Prof H. N. Day, 
of Western Reserve College, for several months 
to May 2, 1858, when Rev. Dr. T. S. Clark, who 
is still with us, commenced his labors. 

"January 1, 1838, Jabez Hamlin and Ogden 
Wetmore were chosen Deacons of the church. 
On the 8th day of June, 1841, Deacon Wetmore 
died, and, on the 24th of November following. 
B. Booth was chosen his successor. January 7, 
1858, Deacon Hamlin, by reason of the infirm- 
ities of age, requested a discharge ft-om further 
duties of the office and a successor chosen. 
Whereupon Mr. Charles Clark was chosen his 
successor. 

" Mr. E. N. Sill was the first Clerk of the 
church, and held the office to Ma}- 24, 1841, 
when iVIr. Charles Clark was chosen Clerk. Mr. 
Clark held the office to October 5, 1842, when 
B. Booth was chosen. 



" The church was organized in a schoolhouse 
standing on the same lot or near where the 
present churcli edifice stands. The next year 
a building was erected on an adjoining lot bv 
the citizens of the village, for public assemblies, 
called the Lyceum, which was, however, under 
the control of our church for religious pur- 
poses. In this house the church worshiped 
until the spring of 1847, when the present 
church edifice was dedicated. 

'•There was a revival in the spring of 184(1, 
while Rev. W. C. Clark was Pastor, the fruits 
of which were added to the church by profes- 
fession, at the communions in April and July, 
twenty-five persons. One in the spring of 1 848, 
under Rev. W. C. Foster's pastoral labors, 
whereby there were added to the church in 
April and July, thirteen by profession. One 
under the pastoral labor of Rev. S. P. Leeds. 
in 1854, when in July seventeen were added to 
the church by profession."' 

Since that time, 215 liaA'e been added to the 
church, 137 by profession. The present num- 
ber of members is 165 — male, 50 ; female, 115. 
Hon. E. N. Sill is the onh' remaining one of the 
original ten members. 

Dr. Clarke's labors terminated June 8. 1862. 
During the two years following, the pulpit was 
supplied b}- various individuals — from June 19, 
1864, to April 1, 1866, by Rev. D. M. Rankin. Oc- 
tober 28, 1866, Rev. E. V. H. Danner commenced 
his labors ; was ordained and installed January 
3, 1867, and is still the Pastor. In 1870, the 
church edifice was enlarged and improved, at an 
expense of $6,121.56. The Sunday school was 
organized in 1838, and has been held uninter- 
ruptedly since then. Organizations under the 
management of the ladies of the church, sew- 
ing societies, or dime societies, have existed al- 
most from the organization of the church, and 
have proved very efficient aids in raising funds 
for the church. In March, 1875, two ladies' 
missionary societies (one for young people) 
were organized, and are still active. Annual 
contributions are made by the church to the 
American Bible Society, the American Board 
of Commissioners of Foreign Missions, the 
American Home ^Missionary Society, the Amer- 
ican Missionary Association, the Education So- 
ciety-, and the Congregational Union. During 
the pastorate of Rev. S. P. Leeds, this church 
and Pastor were active in the formation of the 
Puritan Conference. 



CUYAHOCxA FALLS TOWXSHIP. 



487 



The Church of Christ is the youngest of the 
church organizations at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 
its existence as an independent church body 
dating from the 27th day of March, A. 0.1881. 
The history of the efforts made by the disciple 
that led to the organization of the church, cov- 
ers a period of about two years. 

In the month of January-, 1 879. upon the in- 
vitation of the Ohio Christian Missionary So- 
cietN', District No. 15, and the church at Stow, 
Elder T. D. Grarvin, of Columbus, Ohio, visited 
Cuyahoga Falls to hold a series of meetings. 
James' Hall (now called Apollo Hall), was ob- 
tained for this purpose. The weather during 
these meetings — which continued nearly four 
weeks — was excellent, and the members of the 
church at Stow attended nearly all the meet- 
ings. James' Hall was filled night after night 
to the close. Rev. T. D. Garvin's labors on 
this occasion were rewarded by quite a num- 
ber of additions to the church. The expenses 
of the meeting were borne jointly b}' the mis- 
sionary society and the Stow church. 

In the spring of 1879, the members of the 
Stow church, who were living at the Falls, or- 
ganized a mission, rented the hall over J. 
L'Hommedieu's store, and held regular meet- 
ings, for social worship, preaching and com- 
munion. 

These meetings were continued during the 
year with rather indifferent success. A. S. 
Wlieelei", Elder of the Stow church, had charge 
of the mission, and the mone^' necessary to sus- 
tain it was contributed b}' the missionary so- 
cietv and the members of the church resident 
at the Falls. 

In December, 1879, Elder T. D. Garvin held 
a second series of meetings in Apollo Hall, 
which continued till Januar}' 12, 1880. Like 
the meetings of the previous winter, these were 
largely attended, and resulted in some thirty 
additions to the church at Stow. The expense 
of the meetings, which was about $8 per daj', 
was paid in equal parts by the missionary so- 
ciety and by the brethren and friends of the 
mission. 

In February, perhaps, of 1880, the mission 
rented the hall over Giles L'Hommedieu's store, 
where it has since held its meetings. In April 
of the same year, William Southmayd, an El- 
der of the Stow church, moved to the Falls and 
took an active part in the work of the mission. 
A Sunda}' school was organized in connection 



with the mission on May 1, 1880, and William 
Southmayd was chosen Superintendent. A 
good corps of teachers was secured, and with 
an enrollment of about twenty-five (which at this 
writing. May 28, 1880, has grown to nearly 
fifty), the Sunday-school work of the mission was 
begun. 

About April 15, of the same year, Leonard 
Southmayd was emplo3'ed to preach regularly 
for the mission. He pi'eached regularly from 
the time of his employment up to the date of 
the organization of the church, ever}-- Lord's 
Day morning, with one exception. The expense 
incident to this period of the mission's life was 
borne bj^ the members of the mission, the mis- 
sionary societv and the church at Stow. 

In December, 1880, Elder C. C. Smith, of 
Akron, held a protracted meeting in G. L'Hom- 
medieu's hall, which resulted in a few accessions 
to the church. The church at Akron gave El- 
der Smith's time. Elder Southmayd supplying 
the Akron pulpit during Elder Smith's labors 
here. A pleasant feature of the close of this 
meeting was the presentation to the Mission 
Sunday School by Elder Smith, in behalf of the 
Akron Sunda}- School, of the beautifully -framed 
mottoes which now adorn the walls of the Sun- 
day-school room. 

On February 7, 1881, at the request of mem- 
bers of the mission, the State Evangelist, Elder 
R. Moffat, called a conference to take into con- 
sideration the propriety and practicability of 
organizing a church. At this conference which 
met at William Southma3xVs. there were present 
from Stow, Ulysses Marvin, Eli Gaylord, L. Har- 
tle, C. B. AVetmore, Josiah Wetmore, J. 0. Will- 
iamson, Joseph Whittlesc}', L. Southma}^! and 
A. B. Griffith ; from the Falls, A. S. Wheeler, 
William Southmayd, John Jones, 0. M. Hart, 
Zeno Culver, J. T. Ream. In addition to these 
there were present R. MolTat, State Evangelist 
of the Ohio Christian Missionar}' Society, Linus 
Rogers, C. C. Smith and A. E. Myers, State 
Evangelist of West Virginia. 

The unanimous conclusion of the conference 
was that a church be organized at the Falls, 
provided such act met the approval of the 
brethren of the mission. 

The Elders of the Stow Church gave their 
consent to the transfer of some fifty-seven 
names from their church record to the record 
of the church at the Falls whenever organ- 
ized. 



<s 



488 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Subsequently the members of the mission 
concluded to effect an organization. With 
that end in view, the State Evangelist, Elder 
R. Moffatt was invited to hold a series of meet- 
ings at the hall of the mission, which he did 
beginning on Saturday evening, iMarch 18, 
1881, and closing on Sunday evening, March 
27, 1881. On March 27, 1881, by appropriate 
exercises, the church was formally organized, 
though not legally incorporated as the Church 
of Christ, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and the 
following officers were chosen : A. S. Wheeler 
and William Southraayd, Elders ; 0. M. Hart, 
John Jones and T. J. Ream, Deacons ; W. M. 
Griswold, Treasurer, and Charles Fillius, Clerk. 

There are in Cuyahoga Falls but few secret 
societies. Howard Lodge, No. 62, I. 0. 0. F., 
was instituted March 12, 1846, by 0. P. Stid- 
ger, D. D. G. M., of Canton, Ohio. The char- 
ter membex'S were Philemon Bliss, Richard 
Creighton, George Rouse, Augustus Einger and 
Daniel M. Curtiss. Their charter was surren- 
dered August 27, 1862. The lodge, however, 
was re-instituted August 1, 1872, by H. Y. 
Beebe, P. G. M., of Ravenna, Ohio. The new 
charter members were John Grimm, D. H. 
Jones. William Daugherty, Andrew Schmidt, 
W. H. Dailey, A. M. Musson, John Little, E. 
L. Babcock and C. Kittleberger. The present 
officers of the lodge are : I. N. Reid, N. G.; 
George Williams, V. G.; George W. Rice, Sec- 
retary ; W. H. Dailey, Recording Secretary ; 
W. M. Griswold, Treasurer. The Trustees are 
George J. Parks, George W. Rice, A. C. 
Goble, Humphrey Parkin, W. I. Clarkson. The 
names of the Past Grands now connected with 
the lodge are D. H. Jones, John Grimm, Will- 
iam Daugherty, Andrew Schmidt, E. L. Bab- 
cock, W. H. Dailey, George W. Rice, Nelson 
Holcomb, E. A. Inskeep, A. C. Goble, Thomas 
Garret}', C. Kittleberger, George J. Parks, W. 
S. Hough, George F. Patterson, W. I. Clarkson, 
John D. Thomas, David Forbes and Joseph 
Jones. The present number of members is 
seventy-three. Their night of meeting is Tues- 
day' ; their place, Loomis Block, northeast 
corner of Front and Portage streets. 

Letters of dispensation were granted to Star 
Lodge, F. & A. M., by the Grand Lodge of the 
State of Ohio January 9, 1850. The first offi- 
cers of the lodge were : Richard Creighton, 
W. M.; H. N. Gillett, S. W.; H. Dowd, J. W.; 
G. L'Hommedieu, Treasurer ; John Davis, 



Secretary ; A. M. Manchester, S. D.; I. Lewis, 
J. D.; William Wright, Tiler. The lodge re- 
ceived their charter from the Grand Lodge of 
the State of Ohio the 17th day of October, 
1850. 

The following were charter members of the 
Lodge : Richard Creighton, Harrison M. Gil- 
lett, Henr}- Dowd, Charles W. Whetmore, Giles 
L'Hommedieu, John Davis, Alonzo N. Man- 
chester, Isaac Lewis, William Wright, Timothy 
Brainard, George Allen and Robert Peebles. 

The following members were Past Masters 
of the lodge : R. Creighton, J. Chamberlain, 
A. M. Manchester, C. W. Whetmore, P. V. 
Curch, S. Comstock, John Hinde. R. Peebles, 
I. James, M. Crawford and E. L. Babcock. 

The lodge holds two regular communications 
a month in the Buck Block, on the corner of 
Front and Portage streets. 

The present officers of the lodge are ; Will- 
iam Sid well, \V. M.; William Blong, S. W.; 
J. M. Craflts, J. W.; C. Kittleberger, Treas- 
urer ; C. A. Hall, Secretar}' ; D. Forbes, S. D.; 
C. Clarke, J. D.; H. M. Stanley, Tiler; J. H. 
Insande and J. I. Reid, Stewards. 

Royal Arcanum, Enterprise Council, No. 234, 
was organized January 3, 1879. The charter 
members were E. L. Babcock, W. S. Hough, 
John I. Jones, P. H. Standish, T. F. Heath, J. 
J. Moore, George Paul, Thomas Garrety, 
George F. Patterson, E. A. Inskeep, W. A. Tay- 
lor, W. A. Harrington, A. J. Vaughn, T. J. Fran- 
cisco, E. A. Chamberlin, W. 0. Beebe, W. M. 
Griswold, J. C. Reid, H. E. Howard, George J. 
Parks. The first officers were E. L. Babcock, 
Past Regent ; T. F. Heath, Regent ; A. J. 
Vaughn, Vice Regent ; W. 0. Beebe, Collector ; 
W. M. Griswold, Secretary ; John I. Jones, 
Treasurer. The Lodge meets twice a month in 
G. A. R. Hall, in the James Block. The pres- 
ent officers are : W. S. Hough, Past Regent ; 
Thomas Garrety, Regent ; W. S. Hough, Col- 
lector ; W. M. Griswold, Secretary ; E. A. 
Chamberlin, Treasurer. 

The Council is one of man}' similar councils 
of secret organization, extending nearly all over 
the United States, organized for the purpose of 
mutual insurance on the assessment plan, each 
member paying, according to age. Upon the 
death of a member in good standing, the heirs 
are paid from the fund raised by the assess- 
ment the sum of $3,000. 

It also has a social interest for which pro- 



.f'^ 




^]sW^> 





9^'A 



'Uv 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



motion its stated council meetings are held. 
Besides its assessments, each council collects 
its quarterl}' dues for defraying its running ex- 
penses and creating a fund from which each 
member is entitled to not less than $1 per week 
in case of sickness. 

On the 8th day of June, 1867, the following 
citizens of Cuyahoga Falls — L. W. Loomis, I. 
N. Reid, G. M. Patterson, Amos Wills, W. H. 
Shaffer, D. Shumway, M. V. Burt, R. M. Hin- 
man,W. H. Carloss and B. B. Tremblin — former 
soldiers of the late war, met for the purpose of 
organizing a Post of the Grand Army, and 
signed an application for a charter which was 
forwarded to the headquarters of the then 
Eighteenth District, at Cleveland. On the 
evening of Jul}' 5, 1867, they met and were 
regularly mustered in by Col. George L. Childs, 
District Commander. The names of Josiah 
Brown, A. S. Emerson, J. H. Shewey were added 
to the charter list. 

The officers elected at this meeting for one 
year were A. S. Emerson, Post Commander ; 
R. H. Hinman, Senior Vice Commander ; D. 
Shumway, Junior Vice Commander ; B. B. 
Tremblin, Post Adjt. ; L. W. Loomis, Post 
Quartermaster ; W. H. Shaffer, Surgeon ; G. M. 
Patterson, Chaplain. 

The name chosen for the Post was Eadie 
(Post No. 232), in honor of the Eadie boys — 
John, James and Henry — who lost their lives as 
soldiers during the rebellion. The number was 
afterward changed to No. 37. 

The first meetings were held in the old Tem- 
perance Hall, but in a few weeks the Post made 
arrangements to occupy the hall in the Loomis 
Block with the I. 0. G. T. 

The organization grew rapidly during the 
years up to 1870. In that year the Post had 
increased from fourteen members to over one 
hundred and twenty -five. But in the year 1869, 
it pleased the National Headquarters to intro- 
duce a new system known as the " Three 
Grades " — (1st) recruit ; (2d) soldier ; (3d) vet- 
eran. For soldiers, this sj'stem did not work 
well. In consequence, recruiting about stopped, 
members became delinquent, and, finally, in 
December, 1873, the old Post ceased to exist. 
While it flourished, no member that belonged 
to it need be ashamed of its work. They col- 
lected, outside of the regular fees and dues, from 
the years 1867 to 1873, about $1,200, and used 
the same for charitable pui'poses. They took 



care of their own sick and poor ; they buried 
their own dead, and helped to establish the Sol- 
diers' Orphan Home. Slany a strange soldier 
was sent on his way rejoicing through the kind- 
ness of the comrades of Eadie Post. The last 
work they did was one of practical benefit to 
Cuyahoga Falls, the donating of the last $100 
in the treasury to establish the free reading 
room, which is an honor to Cuyahoga Falls. 

In March, 1880, there met in the office of 
George Paul, a number of the old members of 
the G. A. R. and old soldiers, and signed an 
application for a new charter. The meeting 
for organization was held March 17, 1880, in 
the old Temperance Hall, and the Post was 
duly organized by Judge L. C. Williamson and 
comrades from Buckley, of Akron. Twenty- 
six members were regularly mustered in. 

The officei's elected from the charter list for 
the first year ending January 1, 1881. were 
W\ 0. Beebe, P. C; J. A. Ramp, Sr. V. C.; H. 
Ingals, Jr. V. C; C. T. Parks, Adjt. ; J. C. Reid, 
Q. M.; G. M. Patterson, 0. D.: M. H. Diffendorf, 
0. G.; W. S. Hough, Surg.; J. A. Craffts, Chap- 
lain ; H. Steele, Sgt. M.; M. C. Tifft, Q. M. Sgt.; 
George Paul, Dept. Aid de Camp. 

The old name and old number was adopted, 
" Eadie Post, No. 37, Department of Ohio." 

Since April 1, 1880, the Post has occupied a 
lodge-room in Apollo Hall block. The Post 
has steadily increased in the last 3'ear, having 
now about fifty members, good and efficient 
officers, and well- attended meetings. In fact 
its future never was brighter than at present. 
There is but one grade ; the object is fraternit}', 
charity and loyalty. Since the re-organization, 
the Post has lost by death one of our most 
valued members, Adjt. W. J. Patterson, a brave 
soldier, and the most efficient Adjutant that 
has occupied that office since the Post was es- 
tablished in Cuyahoga Falls. The death roll 
as near as is known since 1877, of tlie Post is 
John Williams, Christopher Post, Frederick 
Bethel, Frank Brainard, William Cooper, A. 
H. Goble and William J. Patterson. 

In 1812, Kelsey & Wilcox built a dam across 
the Cuj-ahoga River at the place in Cu^'ahoga 
Falls where the railroad bridge crosses it. At 
this point they erected a grist-mill and a saw- 
mill. These were the first in the village. After 
the war with Great Britain of 1812-15, the 
property- was purchased by Stow & Wetmore, 
and an oil-mill l)uilt. 



^1 



490 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



It is well known that, at an early day, there 
was a portage or carrying- place between the 
waters of the Cuyahoga and those of the Tus- 
carawas used by the Indians and traders to 
transport their canoes and peltries within the 
present Summit County. This portage was an 
important path, even after the country was 
occupied by the whites. At a point on this 
carrying-place was erected by the United 
States Government a military post, and what 
was called a " navy yard," and supplies were 
gathered here for their maintenance. These 
were drawn from as far south as Chillicothe, 
being brought up to the head-waters of the 
Muskingum and conveyed overland to the Cuy- 
ahoga. William Wetmore was appointed Com- 
missary of this post, and all the lumber neces- 
sary to supply the wants of the Government at 
the station was supplied b}^ the saw-mill at the 
"old village," near, as we have seen, where the 
railroad bridge crosses the river. 

In the course of time it was discovered that 
a "power" existed farther down the river 
much to be preferred to the one which had thus 
been improved ; so the last named gentlemen 
commenced in April, 1825, to make improve- 
ments at the latter place. William Wetmore, 
Jr., acting for Stow & Wetmore, gathered thirty 
men from the surrounding country, who were 
set to work to construct a dam where the upper 
one now stands. This was finished in June 
following. Here was erected a grist-mill, also 
a saw-mill and an oil-mill. As the erection of 
this dam flooded the one above, the mills first 
built were taken down. 

In 1830, Stow & Wetmores (the father of the 
latter was then dead) built a paper-mill upon 
the east side of the river. The first sheet of 
paper was run off on the 8th of December of 
that year. Previous to this, the tannery, now 
occupied by C. Kittleberger, was erected. 

"On the 1st day of April, 1825," writes 
Henry Wetmore, " Brother William and I came 
to what is now the village of Cuyahoga Falls 
from the banks of Silver Lake, in the township 
of Stow. We cut away the alders on the bank 
of the river, where Israel James' flouring-mill 
was afterward erected, to take a look at the 
river, and the wild scenery on each side. The 
next day Father came to line out the 210 acres 
which were subsequently the Stow Township 
part of the village, and to take a level of the 
fall of the river, to ascertain the height of the 



dam he was to build. All around was an un- 
broken forest. On the 30th of April we had a 
house up, and a goodly numl)er of men em- 
ployed in cutting and hewing timber for our 
dam and saw-mill, flour and linseed oil mill, all 
of which were built in the year 1825-26. 

" In December we completed our paper-mill, 
it being the first mill in the State to make 
paper by the method of gathering the pulp on 
a cylinder. There were three or four small 
hand mills in Ohio which made paper with 
selves by dipping up the pulp and shaking it. 
Joshua Stow, of Middletown, Conn., was our 
partner, under the firm name of Stow & Wet- 
mores. In March, 1837, I sold out m}' interest 
in the firm to Mr. Stow. Since then the de- 
stroying hand of time and decay wore out the 
paper-mill frame and timbers, and it was pulled 
down. Some fiend burned the flouring-mill, 
and the oil-mill was discontinued for want of 
seed to stock it. 

"In 1836, a gentleman came to Cuyahoga 
Falls to locate in business. He liked the place 
much, but he had heard of a place called Chi- 
cago, and he would go and see it before locating. 
On his return, he said Cuyahoga Falls was 
doing the most business, and would always 
continue to do so ; so he located here !" 

While Stow & Wetmores, in 1825, were con- 
structing their dam and building their mills as 
before mentioned, Henry Newberry was engaged 
in making improvements in the lower part of 
the present village. What is now Turner, 
Parks & Co.'s dam was built by him during 
that year. The next year he erected on the 
west side of the river a saw-mill, and on the 
east side an oil-mill. The latter was carried 
away by a flood in 1832, but a new mill was 
immediately put up, and was used by E. N. 
Sill and Ogden Wetmore. It was afterward 
sold to John Rumrill, who disposed of it to 
Prentiss Dow, the latter converting it into a 
paper-mill. Dow ran it in company with Rum- 
rill, under the firm name of Dow, Rumrill & 
Co. This partnership was closed after a time, 
and then run by P. & G. Dow. The building 
was finally removed. 

The first woolen factory in Cuyahoga Falls 
was erected near where are now the shops of 
Turner, Vaughn & Taylor. This factory was 
burned — the incendiary was spontaneous com- 
bustion. There was an oil-mill which was run 
by Penfield & Starr, adjoining the woolen fac- 



>^. 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



491 



Uivy at the time of its destruction, which was 
saved ; but this has '• gone where the woodbine 
twineth." In 1834, a foundry and trip-hammer 
shop was built by Mr. Vaughn, on the south 
side of what is now the stone bridge, where the 
saw-mill stands ; but this was burned and 
never rebuilt. Just south of this was a car- 
riage-shop carried on b}^ Isaac Lewis. The 
building was afterward changed to a paper- 
mill, and run by George E. Clarke in com- 
pany with his nephew, Sej'mour ; but like 
others of its class, it, too, has passed away. 
In 1834. Ogden Wetmore and B. R. Manches- 
ter built a foundry and machine-shop near 
where the brick paper-mill now stands. They 
ran the foundry for about two years, when 
Manchester's place was taken by L. W. Butler. 
In 1835, the machine-shop was leased by the 
Messrs. Bill, who afterward purchased the prop- 
erty' and used it until 1843, when it was de- 
stroyed by fire. 

In 1845, the Messrs. Bill put up a brick build- 
ing for a foundry and machine-shop, but, for 
the purpose of renting it to J. M. Smith & Co. 
for a paper-mill, the}- erected a small shop on 
the other side of the street for their own use. 
The lease of this company was for ten years, 
but, before its expiration, they were succeeded 
by Harrison & Hanford, who purchased the 
propert}- and added to it till it became what 
was known as the Empire Mill. This came 
into the hands of Hanford Brothers, who ran it 
until 1872, when it burned down. The Messrs. 
Bill took into copartnership James Chamber- 
lain, and their shops were run for several j'ears 
under the firm name of Bill & Chamberlain. 
To accommodate their increasing business the}' 
removed the shops first built, and put up large 
buildings opposite the Empire Mill. There 
were some changes in the proprietorship from 
time to time, but the shops were kept running 
until the fire of 1872, when they disappeared 
with all their contents. A paper-mill, built by 
T. L. Miller, once stood on the east side of the 
canal. This was run by steam. It was sub- 
sequentl}- occupied by Caleb Howard, but fell 
into decay and was taken down. Among the 
" ancient institutions " of Cuyahoga Falls was 
a distillery. A portion of the buildings con- 
nected with it afterward were appropriated by 
the Taylor Wire Cloth Company. The " deadly 
worm " has long since disappeared. 

A lard oil and candle factory was started in 



Cuyahoga Falls in 1842, by George A. Stanley 
and Henry Holbrook, in the first building north 
of what is now the covered bridge on the west 
side ; but the enterprise was soon abandoned. 
Among other earl}' industries undertaken, but 
which was of short continuance, was a starch 
factory, by Birdsey Booth, at the spring on the 
bank of the river, near the present mill of Mr. 
Hinde. Another one was b\' G. & I. L'Hom- 
medieu, near the depot, a sandpaper and glue 
fiictory, under the management of Mr. Smith. 
Still another was a pump factory, on the east 
side, carried on by R. S. Williams. In 1852, 
there were in the village three paper-mills, two 
oil-mills, two forges, one webbing factory, one 
fork, hoe and tool factory, three machine-shops 
one saw-mill, one fork and hoe factory, two 
grist-mills, one flax factory and one shovel 
factor}'. 

In 1854, Cuyahoga Falls had three paper- 
mills in operation, and another in process of 
erection. The}- consumed 675 tons of the raw 
material, making 525 tons of paper annuall}'. 
In them were employed eight}' persons. They 
consumed $9,000 worth of chemicals and colors 
annually. There were two oil-mills, consuming 
16,000 bushels of seed annually, making 30,000 
gallons of oil. There was one forge for manu- 
facturing car-axles, consuming from six to seven 
hundred tons of pig-metal, and making about 
five hundred and fifty tons of axles annually. 
The establishment employed from twenty to 
twenty-five men. There were three foundries 
and machine-shops. One of them consumed 
from 300 to 400 tons of stock, manufacturing 
about $75,000 worth of machinery annually, 
and affording constant employment to about 
thirty men. There was also a steel-fork manu- 
fiictory, which turned out, on an average, 100,- 
000 forks annually, consuming twenty tons of 
cast-steel, and employing from fifteen to twenty 
hands ; one shovel-factory, which made six 
dozen shovels daily ; one grist-mill, one tool- 
factory, two tanneries, one ashery, two flax- 
mills, and one distillei-y, as previously men- 
tioned. This last-mentioned •• institution " con- 
sumed 75,000 bushels of grain annually, mak- 
ing 30,000 gallons of high-wines. Tt furnished 
food for 3,000 hogs, '-and drinl: for ten times 
that number.' 

In 1876, there were in operation within the 
corporation one foundry, one rolling-mill, two 
grist-mills, two saw-mills, a rivet-factory and 



'f 



493 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



clay-mill, a wire-factory, wire-weaving works, 
a large foundry and machine-shop, a small 
machine-shop and town-clock factory, two pa- 
per-mills, another partly erected, an extensive 
sewer-pipe factory, two potteries, a planing- 
mill, a tannery, a tow-bagging mill and a tile- 
factory. 

Having thus briefly outlined the rise and 
progress of the manufacturing industries of Cuy- 
ahoga Falls, man}^ of which " were, but are 
not," the attention of the reader is asked while 
we recount the story of such as are now in ex- 
istence. 

The buildings of the Variety Iron Works of 
Turner, Vaughn & Taylor consist of the main 
building, 36x74 feet ; an L-shaped attachment, 
32x76 feet ; and a wing, 36x72 feet— each con- 
taining two stories and a basement. The first 
shop upon the place where these buildings 
stand was used by a man by the name of Kel- 
ley as a chair- factor}'. Mr. Lawson used it for 
the same purpose for some time afterward. 
This was replaced by one built by Vaughn, 
Hunt & Co., which was removed to give place 
to the Variety Iron Works, founded in 1856, b\ 
the firm of Turner, Parks & Co. Mr. Parks 
and Mr. Wetmore afterward retired. The re- 
maining members were succeeded by Turner, 
Parks & Taylor, and the latter, in 1879, by 
Turner, Vaughn & Taylor, the present proprie- 
tors. The buildings of this firm are equipped 
with the most perfect machinery known in all 
the departments of iron and wood working, op- 
erated by water, aggregating seventy-five-horse 
power. The specialties of this house are im- 
proved steam engines, grain-cleaning machin- 
ery, mill-gearing, wire-working machinery and 
clay-grinding machines, which latter article is 
patented by this firm. They constructed all 
the wire-drawing machinery of the extensive 
Cleveland RoUing-Mills, and have made ma- 
chinery for every wire-mill in the United States, 
with but a single exception, and are now super- 
intending the erection of similar machinery in 
England. In addition to the leading products 
enumerated above, they also manufacture steam, 
hydraulic and screw presses for sewer-pipe, 
paper-mill, flour-mill and clay-mill machinery-, 
iron and brass castings in great variet}' to 
order ; Russia, sheet and galvanized iron and 
zinc screens, light cast-iron pipe for heating by 
steam, flange-pipe, etc. They have also facili- 
ties for sawing every description of lumber to 



order, and for grinding flour, feed, etc., for cus- 
tomers as required. 

The Falls Wire Manufacturing Company are 
located in Cuyahoga Falls, on the bank of the 
Cuyahoga River. The main building is of brick, 
40x85 feet, three stories and a basement, with 
a wing 30x55 feet, well supplied with improved 
modern machinery and appurtenances for the 
production of every gi'ade of iron and steel 
wire. The production of this article, in all its 
forms and sizes, furnishes an interesting sight 
to the curiosity-seeker. Regarded as a promi- 
nent article of commerce, entering largely as it 
does into a variety of industrial pursuits, its 
manufacture forms no insignificant item in the 
manufactures of the village. The works were 
first known as the Falls Wire Mill, operated by 
the Falls Wire Company, a stock company or- 
ganized in 1873, for the manufacture of iron 
wire. This company was succeeded b}' the 
Falls Wire Manufacturing Company, organized 
in 1879, with an authorized capital stock of 
$100,000. The waters of the Cuyahoga River 
furnish the power (65-horse-power), to turn the 
machinery. There is here produced annually 
over one thousand tons of the various sizes of 
finished wire. The trade of this company is 
principally in the West. They make a specialty 
of wire for fine purposes, such as spring-wire 
for woven-wire mattresses, the extra grades of 
tinned wire, and broom and binder wire. On 
the evening of March 31, 1881, since the fore- 
going was written, these works were largel}' 
desti'oyed by fire. They will, however, be im- 
mediately rebuilt, with but a few weeks' inter- 
ruption of the business of the compan3^ 

The peculiar adaptability of the clay deposits 
of Summit County for the manufacture of potter}' 
has been spoken of in another chapter. Ohio 
stoneware has acquired an extensive reputa- 
tion. The Cuyahoga Falls Stoneware Factory 
was founded about eighteen years ago b}' the 
firm of Tiiomas & Harris. Thomas Brothers 
are the present proprietors. The building oc- 
cupied l)y tills company is a two-story structure, 
36x120 feet in size, and is furnished with a 
complete and thorough outfit of machiner}' es- 
pecially adapted to the manufacture of the line 
of articles turned out, consisting of churns, 
butters, pans, Dutch pots, jugs, preserve jars, 
fruit jars with label tops, covers, stove tubes, 
etc. The capacity of the factor}' is upward of 
300,000 gallons per annum, valued at not less 



:7i" 



. V. 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



493 



than $15,000, the demand for which is principally 
in the States of Michigan, Illinois and Indiana. 
Their manufactor}' is on the corner of Main and 
Broad sti'cets. 

At the corner of Front and Portage streets is 
the business house of L. W. Loomis. It was 
founded in 186i, under the firm name of Loomis 
& Co., with L. W. Loomis, H. E. Loomis, and 
Smith & Harington, of New York, as partners. 
Since 1868, it has been under the sole control 
and management of L. W. Loomis. A specialty 
of this house is the manufacture of tinware, for 
which purpose a large force is employed. A 
number of wagons are kept on the road dispos- 
ing of the manufactured stock. 

The clay banks of Summit County ai'e uni- 
versally acknowledged to be superior to any in 
the United States for the manufacture of sewer 
pipe and similar articles, and the class of goods 
manufactured here have a national reputation. 
The value of these immense deposits of cla}' is 
estimated at nearly $2,000,000 a year, and, as 
the variety and extent of these important arti- 
cles of commerce is continually on the increase, 
without any perceptible diminution of the raw 
material, there can scarcely be a limit to this 
great and important source of wealth and pros- 
perity. At Cuyahoga Falls, the manufacture 
of sewer pipe is extensivel}' carried on b}' G-eorge 
C. Germain. The works now conducted by 
him were founded in 1865, by Lewis, Fosdick 
& Camp, and, after passing through a number 
of changes in proprietorship, came into the 
possession of James H. Cooke in 1877. Mr. 
Cooke has since died. The trade has consider- 
ably increased, and now extends all over the 
United States from INIaine to Minnesota. Mr. 
Germain occupies a spacious and commodious 
building four stories in height, covering an 
area of 40x180 feet, with convenient yards ad- 
jacent. The works are located on the banks of 
the Cuyahoga River, where they have water- 
power equivalent to eighty horses, using one 
sixty horse-power and one twenty horse-power 
wheel. The works are supplied with the most 
appi'oved and latest styles of machinery, and 
appliances especially adapted to this branch of 
industry, and tor capacity, extent and general 
excellence of appointments, as well as for su- 
periorit}' of productions, will compare favorabl}' 
with any similar establishment in the State. 
He turns out ever}' variety of straight, bent, 
elbow, slant and branch pipe, with elbows, 



angles, ring joints and sockets of a superior 
quality. The pipe is vitrified by the chemical 
action of salt while in the process of burning, 
which renders it impervious to the action of 
steam, gas and acids, and is particularly notice- 
able for fine finish, durability and uniformity. 
On the site of these works there once stood an 
oil-mill, built by Cyrus Pi-entiss. It was after- 
ward used by Henr}- Wetmore to make linseed 
oil, till 1863, when it gave place to the works 
before mentioned. 

The Cu^'ahoga Paper Company was organized 
in 1875. Their first building occupied was the 
one built for a grist-mill by Yockey, Vantine & 
Co. This mill was run for the manufacture of 
flour for some years ; but was finally purchased 
by J. M. Smith & Co., and changed to a paper 
mill. Soon after, it was burned down. Another 
mill was immediatel}^ erected in its place, which 
was run bj- Harrison & Hanford, until that one 
was also burned to the ground. Again it was 
built, and used by the gentlemen last mentioned, 
until bought by the Cuyahoga Paper Company. 
This company went into possession in 1875. 
The last-named firm was organized by Robert 
R. Peebles, George Dow and George Sacket, for 
the purpose of manufacturing wrapping and 
colored papers, the latter article being used for 
posters, handbills and tobacco labels principally. 
In 1879, Mr. Dow and Mr. Sacket retired, and 
J. M. Loeser, A. S. Deutsch and S. Levi entered 
the firm. They occupy a number of buildings 
on the banks of the river, which are supplied 
with improved machinery, especially adapted 
to this branch of business. The capacity of 
the mills are 8,000 pounds a day. The motive 
power of the works is supplied by steam, and 
the water of the river. 

One of the largest and most complete manu- 
facturing establishments of its kind in the 
United States, is that of P. H. Standish, de- 
voted to the production of chains and chain 
machinery, and wrought saddlery hardware of 
every description. These works were established 
at this place in 1878, and comprise at the lower 
works one main building 30x50 feet, three 
stories in height ; one blacksmith-shop 30x75 
feet, and one" 20x100 feet; a building 16x35 
feetj used as a japanning and trimming depart- 
ment, and a coke shed 28x30 feet. The upper 
works consist of one main building 50x200 feet, 
with two additions, one 5(1x30 feet, the other 
20x50 feet. All of the buildings are thoroughly 



±lf 



__S) 



494 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



equipped with most perfect and complete ma- 
chiner3-, mueli of wliich is of Mr. Standish's own 
invention, and protected by letters patent from 
the United States Government. Water-power, 
equivalent to 100 horses, supplies the motive 
power required. The leading productions of 
these works are ever}' description of harness 
coil, agricultural and wagon chains and chain 
ma<rhinery, patent wrought swivels, rings, hooks, 
hvp rings, lap links, S-hooks, dees, tees, staples, 
snaps, clips, finch buckles, japanned harness 
rings, buckles, etc. The demand for these arti- 
cles is principally in New York, Philadelphia, 
Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, St. Louis, Bal- 
timore. Fort Wayne, Evansville, and in fact all 
over the United States. Mr. Standish came to 
Cuyahoga Falls from St. Louis. 

The attention of farmers throughout the 
country' has of late years been called to the 
importance and the advantages of a thorough 
sj'stem of underdrainage by means of drain 
tile, and it has been demonstrated that for 
sloughs and swampy places this system is no 
longer an experiment, but an absolute necessity 
for profitable and practical agricultural and hor- 
ticultural purposes. Undei'drainage, when good 
tile are used, is a. permanent and valuable im- 
ment, and the old adage that "Whatever is 
worth doing at all is worth doing well," is as 
applicable to this case as to any other. The 
Cuyahoga Falls Drain Tile are made from a 
very su2)erior qualit}' of potters" clay, the same 
which has obtained a national reputation in the 
manufacture of the celebreted Akron Sewer 
Pipe, and it is admitted to be the best clay in 
the United States for this and similar purposes. 
Tlie tile are smooth, strong, well made and well 
burned. The firm of Camp & Babb first en- 
gaged in the manufacture of these tile, but the 
works are now owned by H. B. Camp. They 
occupy two spacious buildings, one 12x70, and 
one 24x60, supplied with all the requisite ma- j 
chinery, operated b}' a 120-horse-power engine. [ 
They manufacture, in addition to a superior j 
qualit}' of drain tile, roofing tile, building [ 
blocks and a variet}' of other products of a ' 
similar description. The building blocks area 
recent innovation and invention, and a specialty 
manufactured by no other house. They are ; 
s(iuare blocks made hollow, and possess many 
advantages for building purposes over the or- 
dinary brick. They are made from the same 
material as the drain tile. The demand for 



roofing tile is principally in the East, and for 
drain tile at the present time principally in 
Northern Ohio, although as its merits and ad- 
vantages become known, the demand is extend- 
ing through other States. The yearly products 
of these works are about $10,000 in value. 

The planing-mill and factory of Snyder & 
Blood occupies two spacious and conveniently- 
arranged buildings — one 36x70, and one 80x36, 
furnished with planing machines, door, sash 
and blind machinery' of the most approved 
st3des and designs, and all the tools, appliances 
and machinery pertaining to this branch of in- 
dustry. The power used at their factories is 
one thirty-five-horse-power engine and boiler ; 
and their yearly business, which amounts to 
not less tlian $30,000, is principally derived 
from Summit and adjoining counties. The 
house was founded in 1876, by the present pro- 
prietors. 

The manufacture of rivets is becoming quite 
an important industr}' in this country, and has 
grown very rapidly within the last few years, 
especially in the West, where manufacturing of 
every description is constantly assuming greater 
proportions, thus bringing into active and aug- 
menting demand the thousand and one items in 
the shape of material entering into the con- 
struction of mechanical appliances and appa- 
ratus. One of these items of importance — as 
necessar}' to manufacturers generally as nails 
to the house-builder — is the article of rivets. 
There are in the United States several large es- 
tablishments engaged in this branch of indus- 
try, but in no one of them are goods turned 
out superior to those produced by the Falls 
Rivet Company. 

This concern went into operation in the year 
1873. The works, first used as a flouring-mill 
and sash, door and blind factory, are fully pi'o- 
vided with ingeniously devised laboi'-saving 
machinery of the most approved mechanism, 
and thus they are enabled to produce first-class 
goods with the utmost economy practicable. 
They use the best Norway iron exclusively in 
their manufactures, and employ thoroughly' ex- 
perienced workmen. Their marked success in 
this enterprise is measurabl}' attributable to the 
high standard of excellence attained by their 
product, and they are determined to allow none 
to surpass them in the style, finish and quality 
of their work. Among their manifest advan- 
tages is that of favox'able location, as regards 



VI 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



495 



supplj'ing the Western trade, inasmuch as thej 
can reach the Western markets six days in ad- 
vance of Boston. Their rivets are regarded as 
'• standard " throughout the West, and are 
shipped as far East as Syracuse, N. Y. There are 
several large users of these goods in Akron, 
such as the Whitman & Barnes Manufacturing 
Company, and Aultman, Miller & Company. 

The Falls Rivet Company was recently incor- 
porated under the State law, with a capital of 
$100,000. They are working a full force of 
men, in the manufactui-e of all kinds and styles 
of iron rivets, both block and tinned, including 
carriage, block, machine, tire, hame, belt, coop- 
ers' and wagon box, riveting burrs, wagon and 
hinge nails. They guarantee every pound of 
their goods to be of the best quality. Special- 
sized or shaped goods in their line of manu- 
facture are made to order on short notice, and 
at the lowest prices. 

The factory of this company is a commo- 
dious two-story building, situated on the east 
side of the river, and is supplied with abund- 
ant water and steam power, together with 
every requisite convenience and appliance for 
the rapid production of the goods made here. 

C. Kittleberger's tannery was established a 
number of years ago by the present proprietor, 
whose business since that time has steadily 
increased. The tannery building proper, is 
60x50 feet in size, containing two floors ; and 
the currying building, which is also two stories, 
covers an area of 24x48. Both buildings are 
thoroughly equipped with all the necessary 
machinery and appliances, and one sixteen- 
horse-power engine supplies the motive power 
required. Mr. Kittleberger manufactures and 
carries in stock every variety of calf, kip, up- 
per and harness leather, making a specialty of 
the latter article, in which line he has estab- 
lished a wide-spread reputation. He is at all 
times prepared to pay cash for hides and pelts 
at the very highest market rates. His trade, 
which amounts to nearly $20,000 per annum, 
extends both East and West, and the products 
of this tannery meet with a ready sale in all 
parts of the United States. 

The flouring-mill of Turner, Vaughn & Tay- 
lor, was first built for a planing-mill by Henry 
Newberry, and was run b}' him in company 
with Henry A. Sill. It was soon after leased 
by Penfleld & Starr, who changed it into a pa- 
per-mill. It afterward passed into the hands 



of Henry Wetmore, who, in company with a 
man named Wright, ran it for a time. But it 
passed again into Mr. Newberry's hands, who 
removed the paper machiner}^ and changed it 
to a grist-mill, for which purpose it is still oc- 
cupied. It does custom work. 

Buildings were first erected upon the dam of 
what is known as the Chuckery Company, in 
the south part of the village, for making shov- 
els, forks, etc. These buildings were slight 
and soon went to decay. They came, finally, 
into the hands of John Hinde, who rebuilt 
them and employed them in making rope and 
twine. He afterward changed them into a mill 
for making coarse bagging. The manufactory 
is now closed. 

The Improved Barber and Dental Chair Com- 
pany, of Cuyahoga Falls, manufactures L. W. 
Boys' improved quadruple motion revolving 
barber and dental chairs. The President of 
the company is H. M. Stanley ; the Secretary 
and Treasurer, C. H. Reeve ; the Superintend- 
ent, L. W. Boys. The last named, after sev- 
eral years of close application to the matter of 
inventing a barber and dental chair, at length 
produced the one now being manufactured by 
this company. 

The Blakeslee Manufacturing Company has 
works on the west side of the river. The com- 
pany manufactures machine-forged nuts, bridge 
and tank rivets, forged nut machines, heading 
machines for heading rivets, track bolts, plow 
bolts and square or hexagon head bolts. 

The grist-mill known as James' Mill, was 
built for and run as an oil-mill. It is now 
owned by B. F. Thompson, and stands on the 
west side of the river. Mr. James, many years 
ago, purchased the mill and repaired it. He 
ran it until July, 1880, when it passed into the 
hands of the present proprietor. The mill 
does custom work and has two run of stone. 

The rolling-mill and forge near by were long 
the property of Israel James. They are now 
run by Robert Turner. 

The Taylor Wire Cloth Company which manu- 
factured, for several years, all kinds of wire 
cloth, riddles, selves and wire goods generally, 
was incorporated under the Ohio laws, in Feb- 
ruary, 1874. It is not now operating as a 
manufacturing company. The pottery of Hol- 
loway & Hoots, formerly a glue factory, is no 
longer engaged in the manufacture of stone- 
ware. 



:(x: 



iJ 



^ 2) 



ki* 



496 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



In concluding this sketch of the manufact- 
ures of Cu\-ahoga Falls, it maj- be said that 
although its romantic and beautiful surround- 
ings have given to this localit}- a wide-spread 
reputation as a pleasure resort, its various in- 
dustrial and manufacturing establishments, 
have contributed in a more practical manner 
to its fame. 

There are many industries in the village 
besides its manufactories, deserving mention, 
at least, in a sketch of the '• Cuj-ahoga Falls of 
to-da3^" The following ma}- be noted : 

Agricultural Implements — Jones & Howe. 

Attorneys at Law— J. C. Castle, Charles Fill- 
ins, E. C. Kuggles. 

Bakers— F. Link, Fred Ikins. 

Bank — International Bank. 

Billiards — Hoyt & James, M. Deafendorf. 

Book Binders— A. R. Knox, John H. Brain- 
erd. 

Books and Stationery— F. S. Heath & Co., 
H. F. Bannard. 

Boots and Shoes — John Cook, George Han- 
son, Henry Plum. 

Builders — Harvey Snyder. 

Carriage Makers— W. A. Allen & Co., Clay- 
ton & Reid. 

Cigar Manufacturers — T. J. Francisco. 

Clothing — H. E. Howard. 

Coal and Wood— W. M. Griswold, Phillip 
Thomas, Thomas Brothers. 

Dentist — A. B. Curtiss. 

Dress Making — Mrs. Charles Dow, Mrs. 
Alice Dow, Miss Hurley. 

Druggists— F. S. Heath & Co., H. F. Bannard. 

Dry Goods— I. A. Mather, 0. B. Beebe & Co., 
Groves, Quilty & Co. 

Furniture — S. Brown. 

Grocers — A. Patterson, J. H. Byrne, P. L. 
Norton, Isaac Lewis & Son, L. D. Williams, 



Jones Brothers, G. L'Hommedieu, J. L'Hom- 
medieu. 

Harness and Saddles — Ezra Saxe, H. Avery. 

Job Printing— E. O.Knox, F. H. Duffy. 

Livery Stables— C. H. & W. Moon, A. L. 
Gilbert, Jr., W. M. Post. 

Lumber — Harvej^ Sn^'der. 

Mai'ble Works — Wiemer Brothers. 

Meat Markets— S. D. Tifft, Andrew Porter, 
Briese & Martin. 

Restaurant — G. Bitterman. 

Merchant Tailoi' — Augustus Seidshlag. 

Millinery — George A. Brock, Annie Don- 
nelly. 

Photographer— Henry L. Shumwa}'. 

Physicians— T. F. Heath, G. C. Upson, W. 
S. Hough, A. H. Bill, H. W. Carter. 

Undertaker — S. Brown. 

Wagon Makers — Clayton & Reid, Allen & 
Co. 

Watches, Clocks and Jewelry — 0. B. Carr, 
C. M. Hibbard. 

House and Sign Painters — Alfred Letts, 
Sames Hogarth. 

Insurance Agents — William Southmayd, W. 
A. Hanford, Dr. T. F. Heath, A. H. Bill. 

Village Express — W. M. Griswold. 

Barbers — David Berkhimer, L. W. Boys, H. 
W. Johns, F. Ransom. 

Blacksmiths — Joseph Jones, S. Loveland, 
H. McKay. 

Crockery and Glass Ware — L. W. Loomis. 

Stoves and Tinware — G. J. Parks, L. W. 
Loomis. 

Coopers — Jacob Weiduer, Andrew Schmidt, 
David Hawn. 

Hardware — G. J. Parks. 

Hotels — Perry House, Bouys House, Glen 
House. 



^ 



>> 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



497 



CHAPTER XVIII.* 

NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP— ITS EAllLY HISTORY — PHYSICAL FEATURES — COMING OF THE 
WHITKS— INCIDENTS— PIONEER INDUSTRIES— RELIGIOUS— EDU- 
CATIONAL— STATISTICS, ETC. 



"NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP comprises 
J_\| twenty-five square miles of territory, and 
was included in an immense grant by King 
Charles II of England, in A. D. 1665, to the State 
of Connecticut, of which a large portion now 
comprises the State of Ohio. All that portion 
of the grant not included in the State of Con- 
necticut was, in 1786, released to the United 
States, except that included in the following 
boundar}- : North b}' the parallel of 42° 2', east 
by the western line of Pennsylvania, south by 
forty-first degree of north latitude, and westb}^ a 
line 82° 55', west longitude. This tract, the 
" Connecticut Western Reserve," was laid off into 
townships five miles squai'e, and numbered from 
south to north, beginning on the forty -first de- 
gree north as a base, and the ranges to succeed 
each other b}' increasing numbers westward, 
the Pennsylvania line being taken as a starting 
point. Northampton, being fift}' miles west 
from Pennsylvania and ten miles north from 
the foity-first parallel, took its place as Range 
1 1 and Town 3. That portion of Northampton 
lying east of the Cuyahoga River was held and 
occupied by the Indian tribes till the treaty of 
Fort Mcintosh, in 1785, when it was ceded by 
them to the United States, and in May, 1801, 
the State of Connecticut also ceded to the 
United States its jurisdiction over this territo- 
ry, and the President, Jolm Adams, by patent, 
conveyed it back to the Governor for the use of 
the grantees of that State. Thus the title was 
passed from the Indians and through the sev- 
eral Governments, to secure its validity, and 
was then sold by the State of Connecticut to 
what was known as the Connecticut Land Com- 
pany, which secured to them about four mill- 
ion acres, at a cost of $1,200,000, averaging 
30 cents per acre. This company' then con- 
veyed its title to the lands to John Morgan, 
Jonathan Brace and John Caldwell, to hold in 
trust for the proprietors, and they lived to sell 
or dispose of all the land, and thus closed their 

* Contributed by VVllliam Prior. 



trust. Those wishing to purchase would pay 
over their money and take certificates, which 
were numbered and drawn by lotter}^ but the 
book of drafts, in which the account of these 
drawings was kept, is not received as legal evi- 
dence, yet it is upon this that all the titles to 
lands are based, as shown b}' the records of our 
Trumbull County. In this Book of Drafts is 
found Town 3, Range 11 (Northampton), as the 
seventeenth draft, and thus passed to the own- 
ership of W. Billings, Oliver P. Holden, Solo- 
mon Stodard, Jr., John Stodard, Daniel Wright, 
Joseph Pratt, Luther Loomis, David King, 
John Levitt, Jr., Ebenezer King, Jr., Timothy 
Phelps and Fidelio King. 

This township was first included within the 
limits of Washington County, with its seat of 
justice at Marietta. It afterward belonged to 
Jefferson Count}', with its county seat at Steu- 
benville, next to Trumbull County, erected in 
the year 1800, with its Court of Quarter Ses- 
sions (similar to our Common Pleas), under the 
Territorial Governor, St. Clair, located in War- 
ren. It next passed, in 1808, under the juris- 
diction of Portage Count}', with count}'-seat at 
Ravenna, and finally became one of the sixteen 
townships of Summit County, in 1840, with its 
seat of justice at Akron. 

The outline boundary of Northampton as 
other townships along the Cuyahoga River, was 
completed by a surveying party of thirteen men 
sent out from Connecticut in 1797, but its re- 
survey into quarter-section lots was made by a 
party under John Stodard some time after, and 
it is said that, in their journey to this place, they 
bought at Buffalo a 15-gallou keg of French 
brandy to be used in the work, which may ac- 
count for the irregular lines and erroneous metes 
and bounds in the survey. As the brandy be- 
came exhausted before the township was com- 
pleted, part of the men were sent back for a 
fresh supply, and while they were absent, those 
remaining put in their time laying out a village 
plat in the northeast corner of Lot 26, now 



W 



498 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



owned by James Harrington and Amos L. Rice. 
This was a " village on paper," nothing more. 
The lots of this township were numbered from 
north to south, commencing on the east side, 
and were intended to contain 160 acres each, 
but owing to causes before referred to, and per- 
haps some others, they frequentl}' overrun 
from 5 to 40 acres, while others fell short. The 
south tier of lots were of full length, but only 
a few rods in width, and were called a " gore." 
Of the aboriginal six nations occupying ter- 
ritor}' east of the Cuyahoga lliver, the fierce 
and warlike tribe of Tawas controlled Northamp- 
ton, except that part west of the river, which 
was occupied by the remnant of Mingoes, of 
whom the celebrated Logan had been chief, 
with their town near the west line of the town- 
ship, and a fort and earthwork for defense just 
over in Bath. Within a radius of half a mile 
are numerous mounds as large as fifty or sixty 
feet in circumference, and from five to ten feet 
high, which are overgrown with large trees. 
Another fortification opposite this, and on the 
east side of the river containing one-half an 
acre, is in the center of a cultivated field, and 
now nearl}' obliterated by the frequent turnings 
of the plowshare. Another is at a place where 
Hales and Furnace run from the west, with 
banks nearly a hundred feet high, approach so 
closely as to form a sliding ridge, so that but 
one person can be admitted at a time, thence 
diverging to several rods in width, terminating 
in banks too high for ascent. In this plat are 
holes arranged in a square, and about ten feet 
from each other, which seem to have been used 
for cisterns or store-rooms, and are nearly filled 
with dirt. To the south of this and near its 
narrowest point are the remains of a breast- 
work over eight}' feet in length, with an inside 
moat. The engineering skill displaj-ed in the 
location and construction of these fortifications 
for defense, is unquestionably of a high order 
for savages. In tlie forest near where Yellow 
Creek crosses under the canal, is an extensive 
Indian or pre-historic burying-ground, covered 
with full-grown trees, and from its numerous 
graves must have been the final I'esting-place 
of an immense population. Specimens of earth- 
ern dishes have been taken from their graves, 
but the early date of the ancient race that peo- 
pled these regions is lost and forgotten. We 
have evidences of existence, which proves they 
were numerous and the fortifications show their 



warlike character. Their burial mounds hand 
down to coming generations an evidence that 
they wished to perpetuate a memory of names 
and deeds. But of that nothing now remains. 
" Their history is unwritten and they themselves 
forgotten and unknown." 

It was to these fortifications in Northampton 
that, in the summer of 1780, Capt. Samuel 
Brady, commander of a company of rangers 
from Chartier Creek, Penn., pursued a band of 
warriors who had crossed over into that State, 
committing depredations, murder and plunder. 
Retreating back to their defenses, they here 
received the attack, when a fierce and bloody 
battle ensued. With forces largely outnum- 
bering his own, they defeated him and put his 
men to flight. Singling out Brady and leaving 
all the rest, he was hotly pursued till he 
arrived at the Cuyahoga River in Franklin, 
just north of whei'e the bridge now stands, on 
the Ravenna road. Here, to hem him in, they 
closed round, and with loud shouts of ti'iumph 
they thought their prisoner safe. Perpendicular 
rocks here form both banks of the river, with 
a chasm twenty-two feet across. With a 
bound impelled by the energy of despair and 
the certainty of death for failure, he cleared 
the abyss and gained the opposite bank, and, 
while his pursuers were hunting a place to 
cross, he ran to a little lake, called " Brady's 
Lake " to this day, and sunk his bod}' under 
the surface of the water, where he remained, 
breathing through a hollow weed, until his 
enemies abandoned the search, when he made 
his escape. 

A celebrated Tawa chieftain lived here, 
called by the Indians Stig-wan-ish, and, by the 
whites, Seneca. He was a fine athletic speci- 
men, tall, dignified, and of pleasing address ; 
could swing a robe over his shoulders as grace- 
fully as an oriental prince. In youth, he had 
been addicted to habits of intemperance, and, 
in a drunken tantrum, had attempted to kill his 
squaw, but, missing her, sunk his tomahawk 
into the head of his favorite papoose, which 
was lashed to her back. This sobered him, 
and he afterward drank only cider and wine 
very sparingly. Stigwanish was civil and 
friendly, had two beautiful squaws for wives, 
and lived in his wigwam until the whites built 
him a block-house on the river to protect him 
from his enemies. Indians remained here on 
friendly terms with the whites, except when 



- to 



l!t^ 



NOKTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



499 



crazed with " fire-water," until 1812, when on 
the breaking-out of war, thc}^ joined the Brit- 
ish. Onl}' five of them ever after returned, 
and those formed a camp in the great bend of 
the river, where Capt. Mills, of Portage Coun- 
ty, with his Indian haters and hunters, at- 
tacked and fired upon them in the night, killing 
four of the five. The other one escaped, and 
was the " last of the Tawas " in Northampton. 

Indian Wilson was notorious for drunken- 
ness, and when in that condition was ugly. 
Returning one day from Hudson, where he got 
" cockazy," as the Indians called it, he stopped 
in a house where he found a woman and two 
little children alone. Seizing them by the 
hair, he flourished his scalping-knife as if in- 
tending to take their scalps, and, after fright- 
ening them to his heart's content, left. Soon 
after, came in Williams, who was brought up 
at Indian Wheeling. He was without educa- 
tion, and the only things he had ever learned 
thoroughly were to love his gun and hate the 
Indian. This Williams called at that house 
soon after the Indian left, and, hearing the 
woman's stor}'^ he went out with his gun, and 
the Indian was not heard from for years, when 
Williams owned to having shot him as he was 
crossing the marsh stream on a log, from 
which he fell, and Williams then pushed him 
down into the soft muck far as he could reach 
with his gun. Another one of a similar ugl}' 
disposition lived in this township, who fre- 
quently boasted of his success in killing pale- 
faces. The ninety-nine notches cut in the 
handle of his tomahawk represented, he said, 
the number he had scalped and killed, but he 
would not feel satisfied till one more was add- 
ed. He, too, " came up missing," and Williams 
used to say significantl}^ that some one else 
wou'd have to cut the hundredth notch for the 
Indian himself. 

The eastern part of this township is gently 
rolling or level, while the western is very broken 
and hill^^ with deep ravines coursing their way 
down to the Cuyahoga River, which flows 
across the whole breadth of the township from 
south to north in a line nearly parallel with its 
western boundary. Intersected by the eastern 
line is Mud Brook Pond from which a stream, 
by the same name flows south, then southwest, 
across that corner of the township, and becomes 
a tributary to the river at Old Portage. The 
soil along the river valley is exceeding rich and 



fertile, producing crops of corn equal to any 
other lands of Ohio, but some portions of the 
uplands are sterile. The most valuable timber 
is oak, of which the forests produced the great- 
est abundance and of excellent qualit}'. The 
other varieties were beech, maple, hickory, ash 
and elm, with more limited quantities of black- 
walnut, butternut and whitewood. 

Northampton at its settlement was a dense 
wilderness peopled only by Indians, and in- 
fested with wild animals. The first white man 
who settled here was Simeon Prior, with his 
wife and ten children. They were from West- 
field River, near Northampton, Mass., and 
landed at Cleveland, from an open boat, in 
July, 18U2, the year Ohio was admitted as a 
State into the Union. Cleveland was then but 
a hamlet of log cabins. Mr. Prior then came 
to Hudson which had been settled two years 
earlier. He left the famil}" here until the new 
home was hunted up in the woods. A log 
cabin was built on east part of Lot 25, in North- 
ampton, and in August the family moved in. 
Simeon Prior purchased 400 acres, of which 
one lot — No. 19 — is still owned by his descend- 
ants and heirs. Lot 33, now owned bj' D. G. 
Myers, was also a part of this original pur- 
chase. Their nearest neighbors were at Hud- 
son, six miles distant, with no roads, no con- 
veniences, no comforts ; they were compelled 
to be self-reliant and dependent on their own 
resources. Meal made from corn pounded fine 
on a stump, was the material from which bread 
was made mixed with water, salted and baked 
on a split shingle before the open fire. Their 
meat was the flesh of deer, bears and turkeys 
killed in the woods ; their clothing from flax, 
grown upon the farm, worked up into cloth, 
and all of which was done by different mem- 
bers of the family. Linen and tow-cloth were 
the domestic staple products, but for winter 
wear buckskin moccasins, pants and jackets 
were used until in after years when sheep could 
be protected from the wolves, and woolen 
cloth was manufactured by the family. After 
settlement had become more general, a large, 
two-story hewed-log house was built, which 
was used for a hotel for the accommonation of 
travelers. A blacksmith-shop was also built 
and furnished with tools and stock brought 
here with their household goods. 

On this farm Simeon Prior lived till his de- 
cease, in 1837, at the age of eighty-two. The 



f> y 



^: 



500 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



family becoming of age, dispersed and settled 
in different places. The oldest daughter, Sarah, 
married Joseph Darrow, of Darrow street, a 
prominent surveyor at that time. William, the 
oldest son, went south to Chillicothe, the first 
State capital, where he purchased a farm, but 
soon sold it and returned to Northampton. He 
married Sarah Wharton, of Indian Wheeling, 
in Virginia, and lived in Northampton till his 
death in 1872, at the age of ninet}'. David 
bought a farm in Stow Township, where he 
lived for many 3'ears, but sold out and went to 
Missouri where he died. Gurden, the last sur- 
viving member of the family-, sold his farm 
here, a part of the old original homestead, and 
moved to Iowa, where he now lives in comfort 
on the divide between the two great waters, the 
Missouri and Mississippi. The first marriage 
lisense issued in Portage County, was for one 
of the daughters, Polly, who married Eben 
Kennedy. Erastus and Pinkney also moved 
West and died in Iowa. Jerusha, Eliza, Judith 
and Elisha remained, lived and died in Summit 
County. 

The next family moving into this township 
was that of David Parker, from Hartford, Conn. 
His residence was at the foot of the hill where 
the Smith road now comes down into the val- 
ley. He built the first saw-mill on the Yellow 
Creek, in Northampton, and. soon after its com- 
pletion, took malarial fever and died. His son, 
Richard E. Parker, now of Akron, was the first 
white male child born in Northampton, at the 
date of March 9, 1811. 

In 1809, Samuel King moved in with his 
family, settling at Old Portage, where he pur- 
chased a farm and built a tavern and store, and 
embarked in many useful enterprises. He 
reared a family of eiglit children, some of whom 
filled places of honor, trust and responsibilit}'. 
While the canal was building, Ambrose King, 
a son, held the oflflce of Constable, and, with a 
warrant, went to arrest an Irish laborer for 
some offense, and found him in an unfinished 
lock-pit above Old Portage, in company with a 
gang of other workmen, who, when ascertaining 
King's business, refused to permit the arrest, 
surrounded him, threatening to take his life. 
Armed with picks, spades and cudgels, the}' 
cornered him in the lock. With only a horse- 
pistol for defense, he warned them to desist ; 
but, instead, they made a charge when he fired, 
the ball striking one of them on his rib, glanc- 



ing off without inflicting a serious wound. 
Being ver}- active, he sprang up the steep bank 
and ran for his life ; was followed, overtaken, 
knocked down and beaten with clubs until sup- 
posed to be dead. His friends hearing of the 
affra}^ sent a wagon for him, put him in it, and 
started for Akron, followed by the workmen, 
with threats and imprecations. Meeting a 
ph3'sician, they halted, while an examination 
was made, and King was pronounced 3'et alive. 
" Then," shouted an excited Irishman standing 
by, " we will kill him yet," striking a blow at 
his head with a long club, but the horses were 
frightened and started off, and the blow missed 
its mark. Then the furious laborer turned 
upon a German standing b}-, and, with a sweep- 
ing blow of his club, struck him on the head, 
from which he fell as though shot. He was 
left with the Irish and never seen again. It 
was supposed they buried him secretly at night 
in the canal bed, where he could not be found. 
This aroused indignation and vengeance to its 
highest pitch. Next day the military company 
was called out, armed with rifles and ammuni- 
tion ; a bottle of whisk}' was passed round, 
and a battle and bloodshed were imminent. 
Just then a rider came dashing up, his horse 
covered with dust and foam. He was a con- 
tractor, and had just heard of the diflSculty, 
and asked for time to hold a consultation with 
his emplo^-es, hoping to induce a surrender 
without resistance. He rode down, found them 
intrenched for defense, and explained what 
folly it would be to resist ; that every man 
would be shot down, if necessary, to make the 
arrest. They laid down their weapons, surren- 
dered and were marched to Middlebury for 
safe keeping, where the military stood guard 
till the trial and conviction of their leader. As 
King recovered, the penalt}- was not very severe, 
and peace was again restored. 

The first hamlet in Northampton Township 
was old Portage, on the Cuyahoga River, near 
the southern boundary. This was the head of 
navigation on this stream, and the northern 
terminus of the " carr}' " between the Cuya- 
hoga and Tuscarawas Rivers. It was a recog- 
nized landmark in the western boundary line 
of the United States in the treat}- of Ft. Mcin- 
tosh in 1798. This place became famous as a 
trading-post for both whites and Indians before 
and after the building of the Ohio and Erie 
Canal. Some time before the war of 1812, a 



^^ 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



501 



Frenchman moved in these to carr}^ on a 
tratfle with the Indians. He used to sell them 
"fire-water ' till they got drunk, then reduce 
with river water till they would drink them- 
selves sober. Then they would say, " Indian 
get too much Cuyahog-guh," and he would 
have to make it strong again. In weighing out 
powder and lead to them he used to put his 
hand on the scales, saying it weighed just a 
pound. This Frenchman used to indulge in 
some ugly traits by beating and flogging his 
wife, who was a half-breed Indian. The other 
squaws would interfere to save her from such 
punishment, but she would beg of them to let 
her alone, " for," she said, " it was so good 
making up again she really enjoyed the 
quarrel." 

After the canal was built, it was for a time 
called Booth's Port, after Birdsey Booth, a 
surveyor, and some goods shipped here were 
so directed, but the old name has been retained. 
It was said to be not an unusual occurrence for 
a hundred or so of teams to be seen there at 
one time engaged in receiving and transpoi'ting 
overland the goods and merchandise shipped by 
canal for places as far east as Canfleld and 
Warren, south for Canton and Massillon^ and 
west as far as Medina. 

Robert Thompson, in 1813, purchased Lot 
No. 24, now owned by William Viall, Esq. He 
raised a large family and after partly clearing 
up the farm, sold and moved on to the west half 
of Lot No. 23, where he lived till his death. 
Part of this place is yet owned and occupied 
by his son, Amos Thompson. Robert Tliomp- 
son was a shoemaker by trade, and, in the earl}' 
times, it was customary for the tailor, harness- 
maker and shoemaker to go round from house 
to house, boarding with the families, while 
making up a supply of such goods as needed. 
Mr. Thompson used to make himself, while on 
his mission, interesting to his customers by the 
odd and funny stories he knew so well how to 
relate, emphasizing the jokes by a sharp bat of 
his hammer on the sole of some unfinished shoe. 
Barcla}- Hogue was a harness-maker who used 
to go round in the same wa3^ carrying his awls 
and clamps with him, and many a broad " back- 
band " hung in the stables for years as relics 
of that old and easy style. Jesse Ellis was an- 
other early settler, and, besides hunting and 
fishing, his chief occupation was burning lime. 
His wife was the daughter of a wealthy, proud 



and aristocratic family in Canada, and their en- 
gagement being opposed by her parents, she 
eloped with Jesse, and married at the age of 
fourteen. They reared a family of twenty 
children, the first being born when the mother 
was fifteen and the last at sixt^'-five. She is 
still living, at the age of eighty-one, in Kent 
County, Mich., where her husband died in 
March, 1879, aged one hundred. Abel Vallen 
was one of the first to settle on the uplands 
west of the river, where he purchased a large 
tract in Lots 4, 5 and 6. John George Bot- 
zum located on the north half of Lot 76. He 
was a Prussian, from Luxembourg, and recol- 
lected distinctly hearing the cannonading at 
the battle of Waterloo. 

Walter Waite purchased a large tract in 
Lot 71, where he built a house and set an or- 
chard, the trees of which are standing 3'et, and 
the fruit is enjoyed by his children's children. 
The settlers in the northern and eastern parts 
of the township were the families of Burrill 
Viall, William Hill, Benjamin Templeton (a 
singing-master), William McLoney, John Cow- 
ick, David Billman, H. Chase, the two Dicker- 
son families, Jacob Bonesteel, John Everett, 
George Richardson, Eli Benedict and John 
Sapp. Nearer the center were Thomas Owens, 
Adam Gallowaj', John Best, Samuel Hart, 
Reese Jones, Franklin Carr, C. Davidson, Dr. 
Rogers, the Coulters, Tibbets, Porters. Lehman 
Bear, Sweitzer Fike, Frank Penfield and Dean. 
The Job Harrington farm, Lot 26, was first 
settled on by Thomas Yanhyning, who built his 
house on the east side of State road, where it is 
crossed by the center road going east. The 
spring of water used was the one near where 
Alvin Kelso now lives. Lot 14 was settled by 
Thomas M. Turner, of New York, who left that 
city the da}- after the landing and reception of 
La Fa3'ette, on his last visit to America. The 
impressions made by that grand pageant were 
not forgotten by Mr. Turner while he lived. 
The old home farm is now owned by his son, 
Thomas M. Turner. Daniel Turner settled on 
Lot 29, and built his house on the low ground 
between the hills, and planted an apple or- 
chard around it. of which many trees yet re- 
main. William Carter, a brick-mason, settled 
on a farm adjoining. He built the I^rick l)lock 
in Franklin, now known as the Kent Alpaca 
Mills. Henry Billman and George T. Uhner 
took farms along the road farther west, toward 






^ 



502 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



Portage. Nathaniel Hardy purchased a large 
farm on the Cuyahoga River, which is yet 
owned by his sons. Austin Blacli, who was 
the last of the early pioneers in Northampton, 
bought Lot 37, the east half of which he spent 
a life of toil in clearing up, and in the full pos- 
session of which he died in 1 880. Many others, 
who came at a later date are not mentioned 
here. 

In the fall of 1812, an army for the protec- 
tion of these frontier settlements was stationed 
at Old Portage, under the command of Gen. 
Wadsworth, and after the surrender of Gen. 
Hull, this post was re-enforced witli a battalion 
under Maj. George Harrow, of Hudson, and 
Rial McArthur was Captain of one of the com- 
panies. Two of the boats composing the fleet 
on Lake Erie, under Commodore Perry, were 
built at Old Portage. They were launched and 
floated down the river to the pineries, and 
there detained for masts, and while the build- 
ers were preparing them, a wild porcupine was 
killed, and from this one of the boats was 
named the " Porcupine " and the other " Port- 
age," both of which took part in Perry's battle, 
on the 10th of September, 1812. 

In 1805, one Aaron Norton, afterward Judge 
Norton, of Portage County, bought of Solomon 
Stodard ten acres of land in the southeast cor- 
ner. Lot 27, now comprising the waterfalls and 
iron bridge, where he erected the first grist- 
mill in tlie township. This was duly appre- 
ciated as a great convenience by the inhabit- 
ants of this and adjoining townships. Previous 
to this, the method of grinding meal was to 
cut a tree so as to leave a concave surface in 
the solid stump, shaped like a wash basin, then 
bend over a small tree or sapling for a spring- 
pole, bringing its tip over the stump. To this 
tie a barlv or wythe and suspend an iron wedge, 
ax or other weight, for a pestle. The corn was 
then shelled and poured in the stump, and the 
weight taken in hand when the pounding pro- 
cess was commenced, and was continued till a 
tolerable good quality of meal was made. The 
next great public necessity seemed to be a dis- 
tillery, and one was built on the present site of 
the cheese factory, and the dammed waters 
(this is not intended for profanity) of the little 
brook from the opposite side were piped across 
to be used in the distillery. Gains in the 
rock on the south side 3-et show the location of 
that ancient dam. This building was destroyed 



by fire, and another distillery was erected by 
Wyley Hamilton and Aaron Norton just below 
the rock, at the south end of the present iron 
bridge. It was so situated that the little brook 
trickling over the rock was taken into the 
building high enough to run of its own accord 
into the vats or still-tubs. The mill property 
was afterward bought by Col. Rial McArthur, 
and run by him for years. When the distillery 
was abandoned as a manufactory of whisky, it 
was used as a dwelling, where lived Abraham 
Osborn and his two sons, Elias and Arad, who 
were millers. Afterward it was used as a 
meeting-house, then for a schoolhouse, and, 
finally, went to ruins. In the erection of the 
mill, Mr. Norton employed one Seth Webster, 
a skilled workman from Blanford, Mass., as 
millwright. Having become such an immod- 
erate drinker, he was hired, with the promise of 
three gallons of whisk}', extra, to abstain from 
drinking the day the mill was raised, as it 
stood in a precipitous, rock}', and dangerous 
place. This promise he kept, and, on the com- 
pletion of the work, took his extra allowance, 
and in company with a colored man, started on 
foot to Canton, and stopping for the night at a 
camp in the woods, Webster had become crazed 
with whisk}' and called for some water. While 
his traveling companion had gone after it, Web- 
ster, in a fit of delirium, ran out into the woods, 
got lost and died. He was found the next 
morning. It was rumored that he had been 
murdered, but he undoubtedly died of ddiriioti 
tremens, and his body was covered by brush to 
protect it from the wolves, till he was taken 
back to Northampton for burial. He was tlie 
first white man buried in the township. Another 
man by the name of Burge, from Pennsylvania, 
was employed as a workman on tliis mill, who 
acquired an unenviable reputation on account 
of the marvelous an incredible stories he was 
in the habit of telling. One of these was as 
follows : That once upon a time, he was en- 
gaged in shingling a mill on the bank of a 
stream. When near the ridge his foot slipped 
and he fell, sliding head foremost down the 
roof. At the eaves he caught the cornice with 
his hands, and turned a complete somersault 
through the air, and fell into the water without 
being harmed. Immediatel}- after telling this, 
he was sent on to the rock shelf to fix a prop to 
the timbers of the dam, which had nearly- filled 
with water, and while doing this, he, by some 



;k: 



^l^ 



NOKTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



503 



unluck}' mishap, knocked loose the fastening, 
when the dam gave way, and he was swept 
over the rocky precipice by the resistless floods, 
falling twenty feet into the chasm below. Those 
who saw him swept over supposed he would be 
either crushed by the timbers, killed in the fall, 
or drowned in the seething waters. They 
rusiied down below to hunt for his mangled re- 
mains, and were surprised to see him crawl out 
with tangled, matted hair, eyes and mouth 
tilled with mud and sand and water dripping 
from his person, yet unharmed. As this seemed 
more strange and incredible than anything he 
had told, it reversed the opinion of those who 
thought him unreliable, and thereafter, his 
reputation for truthfulness improved, while he 
became quite a hero. 

Rial McArthur sold this mill to Capt. Law- 
ler, an educated Irishman, who had been a 
teacher. After getting possession, he claimed 
the building had not been properly constructed, 
and needing repairs, he took out the machinery 
and pulled down the structure, by which time 
his money had become exhausted, and he, 
drunken and dissipated, took to staying in a 
cavern some twenty rods below the mill. There 
he had placed a board upon the rocks, near a 
trickling spring, from the rocky ceiling over- 
head. So, while lying upon his board, he 
could reach his cup for a drink of pure, cool 
water on one side, or his jug for a drink of 
whisky on the other — making himself happy as 
Diogenes in his tub, until, one da}^ Arad Os- 
born and a young friend, walking along the 
bank overhead, heard him singing below. See- 
ing a bowlder lying handy, and the size of a 
salt-barrel, they rolled it over the bank, and it 
went crashing among the rocks below, as if 
loosened by an earthquake. Excited and fright- 
ened, Lawler ran out, calling upon tlie Holy 
Saints to protect him from destruction. Not 
daring to go back there again, he hired a boy 
to bring out his jug. Provoked at the destruc- 
tion of the mill and the loss of payment for it, 
McArthur ordered him to leave the country, 
which he promptly did, and, not long after, was 
drowned in the Upper Cuyalioga. His summer 
resort has since been known as " Lawler's Cave." 

Mr. Burnham and wife, accompanied by a 
neighbor, were one day going to see a wild 
precipice, half a mile below Lawler's Cave. 
Twin children, Almira and Alvira, were with 
them. Mrs. Burnham was carrying one of 



them, and her husband the other, when, just at 
the crest of a short, steep hill, down which 
they were to go, Burnham's foot was tripped 
by a root, and he, unable to resist, was sent 
rapidly down to the very verge of the precipice, 
over which he seemed to be impelled b}' the 
momentum he had acquii*ed, when, with a des- 
perate effort, he threw back the child, and it 
caught by the limbs of an evergi-een shrub, 
growing from the crevices of the rocks, and 
was thus saved. That place is known as 
" Burnhams Jump Ofl^," to this day. Just 
above this place was, in early days, built, by 
Moses and Oliver Dewey, a saw-mill, periiaps 
the first one in the township ; but, as it was off 
the line of the main road, and of ditficult ac- 
cess, went, after a time, into disuse, and, as 
another one had been built up at the grist-mill, 
this was allowed to go to ruins. In 1S24, two 
brothers-in-law, Elislia Prior and Elisha Per- 
kins, erected a saw-mill about two miles further 
up this stream, which, with the mill erected 
by F. J. French and Jesse Hays, manufactured 
most of the lumber used in the buildings of 
this township, besides large quantities for Cuy- 
ahoga Falls and Akron. At the place where 
the State road crosses this stream, the cas- 
cade is formed bj^ a broad, shelving rock, pro- 
jecting far out over the retreating cavern be- 
low. Over this the water pours in a veil of 
glistening lace-work, behind which the pedes- 
trian could pass under the unbridged stream 
drj'-footed, and was used as a sort of dry-ford 
b}' the Indians. From the gorge below, where 
William Prior and sons built their grist-mill, a 
most picturesque and beautiful view is ob- 
tained. Looking up stream, the old mill on 
the right, the shining cascade and precipitous 
rocks and cavern, while, higher up, the mason- 
ry and airy structure of the iron bridge, grace- 
fully arching the stream with a single span, the 
tapering evergreen trees overhanging their 
banks and casting shadows in the water, with 
cheese-factory and gently sloping hills in the 
distance, presents a picture of rare beauty and 
loveliness. The Prior & Perkins saw-mill was 
purchased by Harry Pardee, who. in 1842. 
erected in connection an extensive woolen fac- 
tory, which was continued in successful opera- 
tion for many years. Besides this, a chair-fac- 
tory, wood-turning and other industries, were 
carried on, but being remote from the public 
road, it was allowed to go into disuse. 



504 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



A distillery was built by Abel Vallen in 
about 1814, near the junction of Mud Bi'ook 
with the Cuyahoga River, for the manufacture 
of potato whisky. The secret of this process 
was known only b}' old Mr. Hovey, who im- 
parted his skill to Samuel Sage. A sufficient 
quantity was made up to suppl}' the home de- 
mand, which was quite extensive, besides 
freighting an open barge, which was sent to 
Mackinaw, and disposed of with satisfactory 
results. Potato whisky was fiery and "dev- 
ilish " till it got old and smooth, when it be- 
came more palatable, and was considered a good 
article. This distillery was afterward convert- 
ed into a castor-oil factory, and the people 
cultivated Richius communis^ but not in suffi- 
cient quantities to keep up the manufacture. 
In later years the dairying business was sup- 
posed to pay better than Falma Christi, and on 
the site of the old distillery, a joint-stock corn- 
pan}^ cheese factory- was erected, but for some 
cause the manufacture of cheese has been also 
discontinued, showing this to be a fated localit}' 
for enterprise. On the river bank in Lot 72, 
Stephen Ayres erected grindstone works, and 
supplied a necessity to the local trade, besides 
shipping largely to Cleveland. In the same 
building he used as a factory he bored for salt, 
and at a depth of 125 feet entered a vein of 
salt water and gas. He intended to establish 
salt works, but was taken off by the yellow or 
gold fever of California, in 1850, and the prop- 
erty went into the hands of L. J. Mix, who util- 
ized the gas for light and fuel for his residence, 
and the saline waters for salting his stock and 
curing meat. This well would have been a 
great boon in early times when salt had to be 
brought from Cleveland on pack-horses, and 
cost from $25 to $35 per barrel. Prospecting 
was afterward made in this locality for petrole- 
um oil, but as no great depth was ever reached, 
the search was a failure. A pioneer hunter liv- 
ing two miles above here was visited one 
winter's day by Julius Sumner, then of Middle- 
bury, who delighted in a ramble through the 
forest in pursuit of game. With a gun on his 
shoulder he started down the Cu3'ahoga, arriv- 
ing at the cabin of his friend at sunset, tired 
and hungry enough. Being invited in at the 
door through which he was hauling great logs 
of wood for a fire, he made known his wants 
and was told that there was not a mouthful of 
food in the house, but that a deer, killed in the 



morning, hung to a tree just over the river, 
which, after kindling the fire, was brought over, 
sliced, stuck on sticks, and held over the fire to 
broil. In the absence of salt, a puncheon floor 
plank was pulled up, which covered an empty 
pork barrel, in which was some brine ; in this 
they saturated the cooking venison, and ate a 
heart}^ supper seasoned with a good appetite. 
Next day a boy was sent to mill with a bag of 
corn for meal, and a jug for whisk}-, when feast- 
ing and revelry ensued. 

All the records of Northampton Township 
showing its organization, naming, first elec- 
tion and officers up to the 3'ear 1820, were 
destroyed by fire at the burning out of 
Capt. Aaron French. The only original doc- 
ument now known to be left is in the posses- 
sion of J. M. Hale, of Akron. It is part of a 
poll-book tally-sheet, from which the date has 
been torn, of an election held when Northamp- 
ton and Bath must have constituted one elec- 
tion precinct. There were eighteen votes cast, 
of which six were by electors living in Bath, 
The following named persons were chosen offi- 
cers : Samuel King, Town Clerk ; John Hale, 
Simeon Prior and David Norton, Trustees ; Wi- 
ley Hamilton, Overseer of the Poor ; Elisha 
Perkins, Constable ; William Prior, Israel Par- 
ker and Jason Hammond, Supervisors ; Luman 
Bishop, Fence Viewer ; and Simeon Prior, Treas- 
urer. The first Justice of the Peace in this 
township was Samuel King. The principal 
township officers elected April 3, 1820, were 
Aaron French, Township Clerk ; William Prior, 
Abel Woodward and James French, Trustees ; 
and Daniel Turner, Treasurer. The clerks 
elected for the ten succeeding years were as fol- 
lows : 1821, Moses Dewe}' ; 1822, James French ; 

1823, William Prior ; 1824, ; 1825, Bees 

Jones, who refused to serve ; 1826, William 
Prior: 1827, Gurden Prior; 1828, William 
Prior ; 1829, Oliver Dewey ; and April 5, 1 830, 
William Prior, and the persons filling that place 
for the next ten ^-ears to 1840 were Gurden 
Prior, Oliver Dewey, George W. Hogue, Anson 
Greenman, J. C. Alvord, Henry W. Prior, Peter 
Voris, Jr., and Daniel Penfield. Those serving 
as Township Clerk after that to present date 
were Arad Osborn, four terms ; Gurden Prior, 
seven terms ; Seth W. Harrington, six succes- 
sive terms ; J. C. Johnston, seven terms ; Will- 
iam Prior, Jr., seven successive terms ; C. L, 
Norton, one, and A. B. Galloway, two. Daniel 




(^y^^'/^a-^^?^ /^U^yi^M4^^^' 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



505 



Turner, Hezekiah King, Elisha Prior, John 
Smith, Rees Jones, Nathaniel Hardy, Job Har- 
rington, Adam Gallowa}'^, Joseph Wallace and 
F. L. Harrington have filled the offices of 
Treasurer, and Simeon Prior, Abel Woodward, 
James French, Aaron French, Hezekiah King, 
William Prior, Gribson Gates, Silas Greenman, 
Job Harrington, Rial McArthur, Alvin Wright, 
Rees Jones, Joseph Sanford, William Norton, 
Nathaniel Hardy, Anson Greenman, Benjamin 
Templeton, Cj'rus Parker, W, H. Boyce, Frank- 
lin Carr, Walter Waite, Jobn Harrington, 
George S. Richardson, 0. F. Rice, H. W. Prior, 
William Hardy, William McLoney, P. D. Hardy, 
George Botzum, Adam Botzum, Edwin Folk, 
Abner Hitchcock. James Harrington, S. S. 
Prior and Henry Lowrey have at some time 
since its organization officiated as Township 
Trustees. 

The Ohio and Erie Canal was laid through 
this township along the Cuyahoga River in 1825, 
was built in tw^o 3'ears, and, on July 4, 1827, 
Job Harrington took his team to Akron, and 
towed the first boat to Cleveland. On board 
was the Governor of the State, and other im- 
portant officers, with many eminent citizens, 
and a band of music. The pomp and circum- 
stance of this trip, with banners fluttering in 
the breeze, and inspiring strains of music echo- 
ing among the hills, was such a pageant as 
never before witnessed. Jonathan Williams, 
the old Indian hunter, was present, as the boat 
moved slowl}' into the lock at Old Portage, and 
stood gazing in wonder and astonishment when 
a friend ventured to ask his opinion. He said 
it " looked almost exactly as he expected it 
would, except the boat was about three-eighths 
of an inch too long." 

Northampton had for many 3'ears, and has 
not yet entirely outgrown its reputation, of 
having a grade of morals scarcely up to that 
of the more fortunate surrounding townships. 
This was due principally to the influence of its 
distilleries, and the fact that, at and after the 
building of the canal, the river region was fre- 
quented by rough characters, among whom was 
a river bully b}' the name of Isaac Wells, who 
would drink whisky, quarrel and fight at every 
opportunity. Besides this, it was infested with 
a notorious gang of counterfeiters and horse- 
thieves. The Mallett brothers, from an adjoin- 
ing township, erected a '' mint " on a lonely iso- 
lated point of land, densel}' covered with timber. 



and ever since known as the " money shop." 
Here a foundry for melting mixed metals with 
molds, dies, plates, engraver's tools, etc., were 
kept secreted. When the annoyance to the 
citizens of this locality, from the presence of 
strange and suspicious visitors, became no longer 
endurable, a public meeting was called, and, 
by mutual agreement, the mint was destroyed. 
This disconcerted the manufacturers ; but the 
business was not suspended. Other and better 
secured localities were provided, where bogus 
coin was minted, and counterfeit bills manu- 
factured extensively for the trade outside. One 
of the leaders of this gang, a man of portly, 
dignified mein, prepossessing in his personal 
appearance, generous to his friends, kind and 
benevolent to the poor, always read}^ to relieve 
the wants and suflferings of the sick or distressed, 
had so won the affections of his fellow-towns- 
men, that he was elected a Justice of the Peace, 
which office he was filling satisfactorily, till 
arrested, and himself taken before a higher 
court, tried, convicted and sent to punishment. 
Even there, his self-sacrificing generosity won 
him hosts of friends, and made him con.spicuous 
among all the others, securing for him, finall}^, 
his restoration to freedom and citizenship. The 
invasion by Asiatic cholera, so fatal in many 
localities, entered the precincts of his prison 
walls, claiming more than its share of victims 
from among these unfortunate people. Here, 
standing bj- the bedside of the sick and dying, 
which appalled the bravest hearts, he did not 
shrink from dut}', and, for this devotion, he was 
pardoned, and retired to quiet, private life. 
Notwithstanding the questionable character of 
some of its earlier inhabitants, Northampton 
has not j'et been destitute of citizens possess- 
ing as high a grade of moral principles, honest 
integrity and respectibility as anj* in the land. 
Joseph Ritter and Jacob Morton came on 
from the East and built a house on the west 
side of the river, where they moved in and 
made themselves obnoxious to the citizens b}^ 
living with w^omen to whom they were not mar- 
ried. Neighbors objected to the scandal, from 
this pernicious cause, but to no purpose ; quiet 
remonstrance was in vain. The}' were notified 
to leave, but refused to go, and then William 
Hardy, Morris Mills and Tra Hovey went there 
in the daytime and commenced tearing down the 
house. Ritter came out with his gun to shoot the 
assailants, but was seen b}' a neighbor, Mrs. 



)Rr 



J^ 



5U6 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Eddins, who screamed with fright. Her husband 
started after Hitter, who ran, but was caught, 
the gun taken from him, discharged and thrown 
away. The house was demolished and the par- 
ties dispersed. Next da}^ a warrant was issued 
by Squire Osborn for their arrest, and Loveland, 
the Constable, went first to Hovey's. The 
young man, seeing him, ran up stairs on the 
ladder, and attempted to pull it up after him, 
but the lower end was seized by the Constable 
when the tug commenced, Mrs. Hovey, in the 
meantime, plying the broomstick and hot words. 
Loveland secured the ladder, and when part 
way up his cornered prisoner kicked a hole 
through the clapboard-roof and went out, jump- 
ing to the ground fastened the door outside, 
got on the Constable's horse and rode off. Har- 
dy was next found on a load of hay, but re- 
fused to get off to be arrested, so the warrant 
was returned without producing the prisoners 
in court, and costs were afterward paid by 
friends. 

The first frame house built here was a store 
for Col. Rial McArthur, and was framed by 
scribe rule, fitting each tenon to its mortise, 
then numbered and taken apart till all was fin- 
ished. This store was said to have been 
stocked by goods brought in a single box, and 
distributed about the different shelves. The}' 
would go a good way in supplying finery for 
the sparse population at that date. The first 
building framed b}^ square rule was the school- 
house built at Steel's Corner, in 1832, of which 
Edward Prior was architect and boss car- 
penter. The timbers were hewn and framed in 
different localities, and not brought together 
till ready for raising when the spectators were 
disappointed at seeing it go together without a 
mistake. 

The early settlers were employed in clearing 
off the forest which cumbered the ground. 
Large fields of fine forest trees were cut down 
and felled into great timber windrows, or heaps, 
and after becoming dried and seasoned were 
set on fire and burnt. Timber was a drug in 
the market ; lumber sawed and delivered in 
market was only worth from $4 to $6 per thou- 
sand. Good barrel staves and heading, at $1, 
and " pit coal," bui'nt and delivered in Akron 
only brought $3.50 per hundred bushels. Agri- 
culture, stock-raising and dairying has since 
become the prevailing occupation. Before 
dairying became general, choice sheep, imported 



from Canada, were brought here till the flocks 
were greatly improved. The increased value 
of dairy products induced the citizens here to 
form a joint-stock compan}', in the winter of 
1870-71, which chose Henry W. Prior as its 
President and Fred S. Prior as its Secretary. 
The factory was erected on the French farm, on 
the north bank of Mud Brook, just above the 
State road crossing, and is known as the Iron 
Bridge Factory, costing about $2,000, and was 
opened for business in the spring of 1871. The 
average price paid for milk the first few sea- 
sons, was about 10 cents per gallon. This fac- 
tor}- business has developed a better grade of 
dairy cows, and put more ready money in cir- 
culation among its patrons than they had be- 
fore. It was leased to S. Straight & Son, of 
Hudson, and soon after bought by them, at a 
loss to the stockholders of one-half its cost 
price. In the season of 1880, it manufactured 
from the milk of about 500 cows, 20,000 pounds 
of butter, and 168,000 pounds of cheese, and 
the average price paid for milk was 9^ cents 
per gallon of ten pounds. In 1839, William 
Prior & Sons, Edward and Henry, bought of 
Jesse and Eliza Hays the water-power and 
site in the gorge below the waterfalls, where 
they erected and put in operation a grist and 
flouring mill. Two run of French buhr stones 
and bolters were put in, and power supplied b}' 
a nineieen-foot breast wheel. The senior mem- 
ber owned his interest in this property till his 
death in 1 872, but the other shares changed 
owners frequently until the whole property was 
bought b}' John Hart and Adam G. Steel. 

Trumbull Countv records show a road to 
have been laid from the salt springs in that 
county to Old Portage, crossing diagonally 
through the southeast corner of Northampton, 
a portion of which, between McArthur's cor-* 
ners and the Elisha Prior residence, was va- 
cated to accommodate the mills. ^ In 1807, a 
public highway was laid out from Canton, via 
Middlebury, to Cleveland, and known in North- 
ampton as the " old State road," from which 
the trees were cut and cleared by William 
Prior, under a contract, and the proceeds of 
this job averaged him 25 cents per day for 
himself, team of oxen and an extra hand, they 
sleeping in blankets on the ground, and work- 
ing industriously from daylight till dark. The 
road from McArthur's kept on directly east 
to Stow Village, at the big spring, instead of 






e) 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



SOI 



turning to the right for Cu^^ahoga Falls, as now 
located. 

In 1836, Peter Voris, a surveyor,- who then 
lived in Northampton with one Snodgrass and 
Judge Henry, laid out a hundred acres at the 
the mouth of Yellow Creek, west side of river, 
into a village plat, and called it Niles. But 
few lots were ever sold. The property was 
afterward bought by J. and J. Vallen, and re- 
duced back to common lands, on account of 
high taxes. A warehouse and store was built 
here at the opening of the canal, and Nathaniel 
Hai'dy also erected a tavern, which received 
extensive patronage for many years. Nicholas 
Botzum and Thomas Owen ran rival mercan- 
tile establishments here at the same time, each 
occup3'ing opposite sides of the canal, but the 
decease of Thomas Owen and sale of his goods 
by administrators, broke up competition, and, 
at the building of the Valley Railroad through 
Northampton, a station was located here, called 
" Botzum," in honor of John A. Botzum, a most 
thorough and energetic business man, who 
took an active part in the railroad enterprise. 
He has been a merchant here for 3'ears, and is 
now the station-agent and Postmaster. Below 
here, on waste waters of tlie canal, have been 
two saw-mills built to manufacture lumber for 
the Cleveland trade. The Browns have also 
kept up a steam saw-mill on their farm for 
years, which has contributed largely to the 
convenience of lumber business. A railroad 
known as Clinton Air Line was laid in a diag- 
onal line across this township, from northeast to 
southwest, crossing the Cu^-aiioga between the 
Hovey and Brown farms. The grading of some 
portions of this road was commenced and stone 
hauled on for culverts, but, for some reason, 
the enterprise was abandoned. A rude and 
primitive establishment was built down the 
Mud Brook by William Rose, in which he 
turned a considerable quantity of wooden bowls 
for the local trade. It was near this that 
Mr. Filley built a saw-mill, and the property 
was afterward bought by L. D. Clements, who 
erected another and lai'ger, known as the 
Clements Saw-mill. 

The first school was taught in this township 
by Justus Remington in 1809, and the school- 
house was built on the north side of a road, 
from McArthur's Corners to Elisha Prior's, and 
run diagonally across Lots 17 and 18. The 
house stood on the lot line between lands now 



owned by H. P. Smith and Martin Shellhorn. 
Since that time, and within the radius of a half 
mile, there have been erected six different 
buildings in which schools were taught. But, 
owing to geographical diversities and configura- 
tion of land, schools for the whole youth of the 
township have been maintained at great incon- 
venience. The river divides the township into 
two sections, almost inaccessible to each other, 
and the deep gullies running down into the 
ri\er valley form almost impassable barriers, 
making opportunities for schooling a portion of 
the children exceedingly difficult. Under the 
general school laws of Ohio, seven subdistricts 
and three union school districts were formed 
where most thorough and efficient schools have 
been maintained, and the pupils arc in no wa}' 
inferior to those of surrounding townships. 
Many of the youth have been educated abroad. 
Emory A. Prior entered Buchtel College at 
Akron in 1871, and graduated with the degree 
of B. S. in 1873. Theiice he entered the Law 
Department of Harvard Universit}- at Cam- 
bridge, Mass., from which he graduated in 
1877, and was the same year admitted to the 
bar before the District Court of Cleveland. 
Miss Viola Smitli also commenced a course of 
stud}' at Buchtel College in 1872. which she 
pursued for two \ears, then changed to Western 
Reserve College, from which she (the first of 
her sex) graduated in 1876. She has since 
then pursued certain courses of study in Cor- 
nell University, New York, and at Harvard, in 
Cambridge. John A. Johnston, Rial Smith. S. 
Hart, J. Botzum, George and Frank Billman, 
T. W. Motz and several others are now, or have 
been, students in either Western Reserve or 
Buchtel College. 

Methodism was the pioneer religious denom- 
ination of Northampton. Most of the earl}* 
families were members of this church. Before 
the organization of a societ}', the believers of 
both sexes would walk or ride on horseback to 
Darrow Street, or Hudson, on a Thursday even- 
ing, to attend prayer-meeting, wiiich could not 
be doubted as a sufficient test of tlieir sincerity 
and devotion. I'rotracted and quarterly meet- 
ings were held in the private re.><idences. barns 
or groves, and were attended by those from 
miles around. Among the early preachers were 
Revs. Crawford, Jones. McLean, Ford, Stearns, 
Holloway and one Gavit, a " four foot" dwarf, 
and notoriously smart. Compared with the 



r 



^ 



508 



HISTOEY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



larger ministers, he was said to be as a silver 
sixpence among the coarser copper coins — 
smaller but worth them all. He could interest 
and hold spellbound by his eloquence, and 
practical hits, the large audiences he addressed. 
A missionary purse was raised, and he was 
thought to be a suitable person to send West to 
convert the heathen. The last heard of him 
he was said to be comfortably located, and in 
possession of a fine farm in Michigan, bought 
with church missionary funds. No early record 
of this denomination can now be found, but 
among the papers of the late Job Harrington, 
who was an active member, there are found evi- 
dences of a most prosperous Sabbath school as 
far back as 1831. 

The Methodists in 1855, b}' the help of other 
denominations and contributions from the citi- 
zens generally, without regard to theological 
opinions, erected a large and commodious 
church edifice at the center of the township. 
The prime movers in this undertaking were 0. 
F. Rice, Isaac Scott, S. W. Harrington, S. R. 
Perkins, Elisha Prior, Samuel McLoney and 
others. The building when completed cost 
about $2,000, and reflected much credit on the 
building committee, the citizens generall}', and 
specially to the architect and builder, J. C. 
Johnston. 

The Baptists for many years kept up a flour- 
ishing organization, and numbered among its 
members some of the best citizens of the town- 
ship. 

The Congregationalists were also, at one 
time, quite numerous, and they also built a 
church edifice at Steel's Corners, and occupied 
it for years, but by reason of removal, loss by 
death and other causes, the members became 
reduced, and the building was taken down and 
removed to the sewer pipe and tile works of 
H. B. Camp & Company, Cuyahoga Falls. Un- 
der the ministrations of Rev T. B. Tait, this 
Congregational society' fused with the Method- 
ists, when they became one organization at the 
building of the center church edifice. 

One John Smith and family of this place be- 
came early converts to the Mormon faith. The}' 
were frequently visited by Prophet Joseph 
Smith and his associate Rigdon, while the Mor- 
mons were at Kirtland, and upon their removal 
to Nauvoo, Smith with his family, which had 
been baptized in Northampton, went with them, 
and thence to Salt Lake City. In the earl}' 



days, a few of the citizens of this township 
joined the Masonic Order, but the opposition 
and prejudice caused by the supposed Morgan 
I murder, prevented its being very generally en- 
dorsed, and those who became members joined 
lodges in other localities. Since that time, 
some have associated themselves with Odd 
Fellows, Sons of Temperance, etc. In March 
of the centennial year, there was a Grange or- 
ganized or Order of Patrons of Husbandry, 
which is an unobjectionable association of 
farmers, with their wives and families, united 
for social and educational purposes. This so- 
ciety numbers among its members some of the 
most progressive and intelligent farmers in 
the communit}'. Since its organization, George 
W. Baile}' has boen its presiding officer. It 
was in an exceedingly prosperous condition, 
numbering over one hundred members, until 
driven into litigation to defend itself against 
the collection of an illegal claim, in a suit 
brought up against it by the officers and Ex- 
ecutive Committee of Ohio State Grange. This 
suit, after creating considerable disturbance 
and ill-feeling, was finally decided in favor of 
Northampton Union Grange. Although this 
township was early the location of distilleries, 
they were soon discontinued and the inhabit- 
ants have usually been sober and temperate. 
Whenever necessary temperance societies have 
been organized and sustained with good eflfect. 
The " Murphy's Society," of 1879, with Mrs. 
Lodica Jones as President, and Miss Hattie 
Harrington as Secretar}', has proved a most ef- 
ficient power in the work of reformation. The 
Literary and Dramatic Club, of 1881, has de- 
veloped sufficient talent so gain some notoriety. 
In the war of the Revolution, Northampton, 
being peopled only by savage Indians, fur- 
nished no troops, but its first settler, Simeon 
Prior, was a Revolutionary soldier. In the 
war of 1812, the able-bodied men belonging to 
an independent rifle company, under the com- 
mand of Capt. McArthur, went into service, 
first at Old Portage, then at Sandusky, protect- 
ing the frontier settlements from invasion and 
Indian hostilities. In the Mexican war no 
troops from this place were called for, and none 
furnished. But in the war of the great rebell- 
ion, Northampton was not found wanting. 
Sixty-three recruits were sent into the field, all 
of whom proved brave and heroic soldiers in 
that bloody struggle, man}- of them giving their 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



509 



lives for their country's cause. We would glad- 
1}^ inscribe the name of each individual soldier 
with his brave deeds, but space will not per- 
mit. In another chapter of this work will be 
found a complete sketch of the late war, and 
the part taken in it by the county at large. A 
list of the dead heroes of this township only 
will be attempted in this chapter : 

Lewis Clements, son of L. D. Clements, en- 
listed at sixteen. But a mere lad of slender 
build and constitution, he could shoot as far 
and straight as those of greater strength and 
endurance. He was fearless of danger, and 
went undaunted where duty called. At the 
battle of Rich Mountain, mistaking the bugle- 
call for retreat, he charged through the rebel 
ranks, where, failing to find his comrades, he 
turned and charged back again, rejoining his 
company unharmed. Newton Harrington, after 
nearly three years of active service at the 
front, sickened from the exposure and hard- 
ships of camp life, and died at Cumberland 
Gap. His remains were brought home and in- 
terred in the cemeter}' on his father's farm. 
George W. Prior, Orderly Sergeant Company 
D, Sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, 
after nearly serving out his term of enlistment, 
and taking part in many fiercely contested 
fields, was killed in the battle of the Wilder- 
ness May 9, 1864. His remains by enemies 
were buried in an unknown grave. The soil of 
Virginia will be to us forever sacred, for it 
holds the last remains of our dearest friends. 
George Bonesteel was captured by the rebels 
and starved to death in the prison pen of An- 
dersonville. David Bonesteel was also taken 
prisoner, and so reduced by starvation that he 
died en route for exchange. Robert Hogue 
sickened and lived to reach home, where he 
died a short time after his arrival. John 
Shellhorn and Phillip Smathers sleep the sleep 
of death in unknown graves. Riley Dickinson, 
Charles Stout, William Waterman, William and 
Charles Stephens, the two Chase brothers and 
George Pa^-ne were drowned at the wreck of 
the Sultana. 

Owing to absence of manufactures, farming 
implements were mostly of home construction, 
and ver\' rude. The " bull plow " had a point 
made of wrought iron or steel, with a landside 
and mold-board of wood. Common black- 
smiths of that day could make the share, and 
an ingenious farmer, with an ax and an auger, 



could make all the rest, requiring about a day's 
time. Mowing was done by hancl with a scj'the, 
and harvesting by a sickle, cutting and laying 
the grain by handfuls. This method was su- 
perseded by a grain -cradle, and finally the 
scythe and cradle gave way to the mowing 
machine. The first one in the township was 
purchased by Job Hayte, and operated by 
his son, Seth S. Grain was either tramped out 
by horses on a floor, or thrashed by hand with 
a flail (which consisted of a short club tied to 
the light end of a handle with buckskin thongs) 
and winnowed from a broad, flat basket. In 
about 1834, the first horse-power cylinder ma- 
chine was introduced, which only thrashed the 
grain, without separating it from the chaft*. 
Charles Kellogg and John Harrington were the 
first to bring in and operate a power-machine 
that thrashed and cleaned the grain read}' for 
market. The Prior brothers — Styles A., Ben- 
jamin H. and Fred S. — introduced steam-en- 
gine power and improved machiner}', b}' which 
from 1,000 to 1,500 bushels of oats could be 
thrashed per day, and 1,000 bushels of wheat. 
The}' also brought in and operated portable 
steam saw-mills, going where wanted on to a 
man's farm and sawing a job of lumber for 
building or fencing, without the inconvenience 
of hauling logs away to streams for saw-mills. 

In 1851, Lots 8, 9 and the "gore," 10, com- 
prising al30ut 335 acres, were taken from 
Northampton and set to the newly-erected 
township of Cuyahoga Falls, forming, there- 
after, part of its territory. In the year 1873. 
a new and commodious town hall w-as built to 
better accommodate elections and other public 
business of the township, and the old hall 
basement at the center schoolhouse was aban- 
doned. 

Many traces of ox3'dized or dead iron ore 
are found upon the surface in the southern 
part of this township, and, from a bed in Lot 
27, a good quality of ore was taken to the 
Middlebury furnace while it w^as in blast. A 
bed of lime rock underlies the surface of some 
portions of the D. G. Myers farm, Lot 33, and 
plenty of this stone used to be found upon the 
surface east of the center, and burned into a 
splendid quality of white lime. A quarry of 
first-class building sandstone was, in 1874, pur- 
chased by L. IT. Cox near the iron bridge on 
the north l)ank of the creek, from which he has 
built so many substantial stone culverts in the 



^ 



510 



IIISTOPvY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



roads of this and adjoining townsliips. E. C. 
Hovey also has, near the old Avers (Jrindstone 
Works, a quarry of ver}' fine building stone. 

The following statistics pertaining to this 
township raa}^ be of some interest to our read- 
ers : Number of horses 348 ; value, $184.15. 
Cattle, 1,344 ; value, $21,876. Sheep, 983 ; 
value, $2,665. Hogs. 454 ; value, $1,370. To- 
tal value of personal property, $86,264 ; esti- 
mated full value, $107,835. Total value of real 
property, $333,711 ; estimate full value, $416,- 
16(5. Aggregate value of real and personal 
property as.sessed, $419,971 ; aggregate value 
of real and personal property', estimated full 
value. $524,001. Total receipts from taxation, 
$5,709.84. 

Expenditures — Expended for schools, $2,- 
015.86 ; paid for roads and bridges. $1,007.83 ; 
for poor, $167.99 ; all other purposes, $2,- 
518.16. Total expenditures, $5,709.84. 

The first place set apart for the burial of the 
dead was on the Yanhyning farm, and now 
known as the Harrington burying-ground, and 
is opposite the Grange Hall. The next regu- 
larly laid out cemetery was one-half mile west 
of the Center, on the hills above Bell Hollow. 
But, in early days, several private burial-places 
were made for separate families. Just on the 
west line of Lot 29, where crossed by the Port- 
age road at the hilltop, are Ijuried old Mr. 
Daniel Turner and wife. On the east side of 
the State road and nearly opposite the resi- 
dence of Mrs. Candace Thorndyke, there have 
been several buried. On the north bank of 
Woodward Run, near the river road crossing on 
the William Hardy farm, was started a private 
burial-place. In the center of Lot 19, on the 
William Prior farm, was also a private famil}' 
cemetery, where eight or nine were buried, some 
of them long years ago. But a portion of them 
have been taken up and removed to public 
cemeteries. 

John Smith, who settled on and cleared up 
what is now known as the Keck Farm, Lot 34, 
and, who afterward went to Nauvoo, was a man 
of some inventive genius. To supply the de- 
mand for chairs, spinning-wheels, etc., he con- 
structed a turning-lathe, which consisted of a 
mandrel attached to a table, and was made to 
revolver by a string, one end of which was 
fastened to a spring-pole over head, then down, 
and took a few turns round the mandrel, and 
then to a treadle plied by the foot. This ma- 



chine, revolving both wa3-s,. allowed the turning 
to be done only half the time, or when the mo- 
tion was direct. A rocking-chair, now owned 
b}' Thomas Turner, and another by John Hovey, 
made in 1831, are specimens of J. Smith's 
handiwork. A Mr. Collar, who was partially 
blind, moved into the northeast part of the 
town, and, being also very ingenious, built a 
model propeller screw, and, for trial, attached 
it to a canal boat, where it worked to satisfac- 
tion. This was claimed to be an original inven- 
tion of the propeller screw. Simeon Prior also 
contrived a device for making wire by hand, 
and he probably made tiie first wire west of the 
Alleghanies. Richard Tew, a blacksmith, was 
skilled in the art of forging wrought iron, or 
steel points and shares used on the wooden or 
bull plows of that day. His house and shop 
stood east side the road, on the north bank of 
Mud Brook, where the lane now turns in to the 
cheese factor^-. After he died, his fiimily moved 
away, and the residence was used for a school- 
house. 

The fourth balloon ascension ever made in 
Summit County was by John C. Johnston, of 
Northampton. He procured an aerostat, and, 
on the 28th September, 1875, made his first 
ascent from the fair grounds at Akron, in the 
presence of a vast concourse of anxious specta- 
tors. The balloon arose majesticall}-, drifting 
in a northeasterly direction, and, when nearly 
over the village of Cu\'ahoga Falls, and at the 
height of over 7,000 feet, it exploded, and the 
perilous fall of about one mile took place. The 
fabric of this airship, being confined by the 
cordage, formed a parachute, while the aeronaut, 
suspended in his basket below, vibrated like a 
pendulum, by the swaying motion of the balloon 
in its fearfull}' rapid descent, after the gas had 
escaped. Almost miraculousl}', he landed on 
terra firma without bodily harm. Not satisfied 
with this exciting adventure, he constructed a 
new balloon, with 25,000 cubic feet capacity, 
and the next year, after its inflation at the gas 
works, it was taken to Fountain Park Fair 
Grounds, where, in starting, some of the ropes 
were held too long by the attendants, and this 
balloon was thrown against the top limbs of a 
tree, and so torn that he did not deem it safe 
to i)roceed, and onl}' reached the altitude of 
1,000 feet, when the gas was let out, and he 
landed safely within one-half mile of starting 
place. His third attempt was made a few days 



& 



■ii* 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



511 



later ; but, as it was boisterous and stormy, the 
balloon was torn to pieces in conveying it from 
the gas works to Fountain Park, since which 
time, he has made no further public attempts 
at ascension. He is still sanguine of final suc- 
cess, and continues to give the subject such 



attention as his time will permit, believing that 
hydrogen in such vast quantities, being one- 
eighth part of all the water, is ultimately con- 
nected with the solution of the great problem 
of aerial navigation. 



CHAPTER XIX.* 

STOW TUVVNSmi'— EARLY PHYSICAL CONDITION— FIRST SETTLUMKNT AND SUBSEQUENT GROWTH 
—PROGRESS OF INDUSTRIES AND IMPROVEMENTS— VILLAGES, CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS. 



STOW, in many respects, is superior to any 
other township in the county. Its fertile 
soil, valuable timber, winding streams and 
beautiful lakes, surround it with attractions 
which coming generations will not fail to ap- 
preciate and enjoy. There is found through- 
out the township that divei'sity of natural 
features — that fine blending of the beautiful 
and picturesque, which delights the eye of 
the landscape gardener. The Cuyahoga River, 
which winds across the southern part, that fine 
body of water — Silver Lake — and the various 
gorges or chasms which are cut deeply into 
the soil, disclosing perpendicular embankments 
of fine stone, furnish abundant material upon 
which the hand of art, in future 3'ears, may 
labor. When we look back through the years 
to that bright page in the history of mankind — 
Grecian glory — when we see how the develop- 
ing mind of man caught the beautiful of that 
sunny clime, and grouping together the various 
charms, gave to each some name which lingers 
with it like the sweet memory of joys that are 
past, we are led to believe that our own beauti- 
ful land, adorned as it is with Nature's lavish 
gifts, will share a similar happy lot. Each 
lake, each stream, each hill and vale will be 
associated with some event, around which the 
fair}' fingers of hallowed recollection will en- 
twine the sweet flowers of other years. Even 
at this early day, local names spring up from 
surrounding events — names that will live, when 
those persons associated with them have long 
since passed into oblivion. Other names will 
come as time sweeps onward ; and for the 
pleasure of those who live in the future, these 
and the circumstances which gave them birth, 
must be carefully recorded. 

* Contributed by W. A. Goodapeed. 



The greater part of Stow is rolling, though 
quite a large tract near the center is compara- 
tively level. The soil, though largely clay, 
contains sufficient alluvium to insure abundant 
crops of all kinds. In the vicinity of the lakes 
and the depressed portions, of which there are 
several, the earth is thoroughl}' mingled with 
decaying vegetable material, a large portion of 
which has been washed in by past inundations. 
Large quantities of sandstone can be had for 
the trouble of quarrying in exposed places. 
The streams give ample drainage, even in the 
region of the lakes, though some portions ai'e 
so low and flat that they were, in former years, 
very wet, and even yet are not suitable for cul- 
tivation. In the course of time these will be 
ditched, thoroughly drained, and final!}- culti- 
vated. Cuyahoga River enters the township 
on Lot 10, thence flowing across Lots 9, 8, 7, 6, 
5, 15, 14, 4, 3, and leaving from 13. This well- 
known stream has considerable fall, and excel- 
lent water-power can be secured through the 
medium of dams. Kelsey Ci'eek enters the 
river from the south, and Fish Creek from the 
north, in the extreme southeastern part. Silver 
Lake is located almost wholly on Lots 24, 23 
and 33, and its outlet is a small branch of the 
Cuyahoga. A small stream which should be 
named Wetmore Creek, rises a short distance 
northeast of Stow Corners, and flows south- 
westwardly into the river. It has cut by ero- 
sion a deep gorge in the sandstone rocks, which 
is known as the "Gulf Cochran Pond is 
located a few rods northwest of Silver Lake, 
but has no connection with the latter, its outlet 
being a small irregular stream, which flows north 
and then west into 31 ud Brook. Powers' 
Brook and Mud Brook, from their tortuous 
course, flow half around the township. Powers' 



i^L 



512 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Brook first flows across the northeast corner, 
thence into Hudson, thence into the northern 
part of Stow, thence again into Hudson, where 
it unites with Mud Brook. The latter stream 
flows across the northwest corner of Stow, 
entering Turtle Lake on the northeast side. It 
flows from this lake first into Northampton, 
tlience takes a turn in the western side of 
Stow, and finally leaves the latter a short dis- 
tance north of Cuyahoga Falls. Turtle Lake, 
the largest bod}- of water in the northern part 
of the county, is intersected by the boundary 
line, dividing Stow from Northampton. On 
several sides the land is so low and marshy 
that artificial approaches to the lake are neces- 
sary, if mud and stagnant water are to be 
avoided. In short, the lake has but two or 
three really good beaches. Cochran Pond, 
named for the first settler on its banks, com- 
prises some four or five acres, and has a low 
and muddy beach, except, perhaps, on the 
eastern side. It is too small and shallow to be 
of any great economic value. Silver Lake is, 
in many respects, a fine sheet of water. Its 
length is nearly a mile, and its width nearly 
half that distance, while its greatest depth 
approximates twelve fathoms. Some of its 
approaches are fine, consisting of coarse sand 
or gravel. Many portions of the bottom are of 
the same nature, rendering the lake vei-y 
attractive to bathers, a very essential feature 
among a people who teach, and evidently prac- 
tice to a reasonable degree, that " cleanliness 
is next to godliness." Many 3'ears ago, when 
the question of supplying the city of Akron 
with water was on the tapis, Silver Lake was 
carefully examined ; but its water was found to 
contain impurities, which rendered it unsuita- 
ble for that purpose. The lake was once the 
property of Joshua Stow, who purchased the 
township of the State of Connecticut. The 
township was named in his honor, and remained 
in his possession until his death, when it fell 
into the hands of his son-in-law, Horace Miller, 
who sold it to its present owner, Ralph Lodge. 
Purchasers of land in its vicinity did not want 
the lake, so that the shore is owned by others. 
In about the year 1850, Zina Buel constructed 
a small steamboat, and launched it upon the 
lake. A wharf was built out from the shore, 
and buildings were erected for excursionists. 
A small fare was charged for a ride around the 
lake ; but there was not realized a suflScient 



revenue to pay for the investment, and the boat 
was removed. Several persons at diflferent 
times have been drowned. There are at present 
several bathing-houses for the benefit of the 
uncleanlj^ and others. 

Joshua Stow, the proprietor of the township, 
was one of the first exploring party sent out to 
the Western Reserve in 1796. He officiated in 
the important capacit}' of Commissarj', and the 
first storehouse built at Conneaut was named 
" Stow Castle," in his honor. The first cabin 
in the township was built by a Virginian named 
William Walker, who had come to Hudson the 
year before. He was a squatter and built his 
small, round-log cabin in the northeast corner, 
on Lot 89.* Here he remained alone until 
1804, when Joshua Stow arrived at Hudson to 
make arrangements for the survey of his town- 
ship. He employed Joseph Darrow, a resident 
of Hudson, who began and completed the sur- 
vey in ] 804, and immediately thereafter there 
came in William Wetmore, Gregory Powers, 
Josiah Starr, John Campbell, Thomas Rice and 
Titus Wetmore. The most of these men built 
further south in the neighborhood of what is 
now called Stow Corners. Prior to the war of 
1812, there also came in John Gaylord, John 
Arbuckle, George Darrow. Adam Steele, John 
Saddler, Joseph Harman, William Lappin, 
William Leach, Samuel Burnett, Samuel Baker, 
Jacob Cochran, Caleb Wetmore, Isaac Wilcox, 
Frederick Victor, Francis Kelsc}', Mr. Kelso, 
Samuel Cheney, Constance Rogers, Jonathan 
Gaylord, Stephen Butler, Erastus Southmaj^l, 
David Ruggles, William McClellan, Bemus 
Hamilton, Mr. Dai ley,' Isaac and'Thomas Steele 
and very likely several of the following, who, 
at least, came in prior to 1825 : Joshua Pendle- 
ton, Timothy Brainard, David Strong, Ira 
Barnes, Ethe Wetmore, James Smith, George 
Hartle, John Kemp, Jesse Pratt, David San- 
ger, Mr. McAvoy, Chancey Lowery, Mr. Beck- 
ley, Martin and Arthur Saddler, William Hib- 
bard, William Galloway, V. M. Thompson, John 
Graham, Ezra Wyatt, Jacob Richmond, Andrew 
Rich, Dr. Spaulding, Henry Kenyon, John 
Blackman, John Sawyer, Thomas Gaylord and 
many others. This is not intended as a perfect 
list, and neither are the dates free from error ; 
yet it is thought that there are but few mis- 
takes. By 1810, there were fifteen or twen- 

*Elizal)etli (Walker) Lappin, of Boston Township, aged ninety- 
three years. 



>> 



STOW TOWXSHIP. 



513 



ty families living in Stow, in rude log cabins 
scattered at intervals throughout the township. 
The forests began to go down rapidly, and 
improvements multiplied. Land steadily in- 
creased in value, and settlers poured in to pur- 
chase before it over-reached their means. 

It was not until 1808 that Stow was organ- 
ized and its first officers elected. At the time 
Hudson was organized, in 1802, Stow was 
included in that township, and remained thus 
until 1808. William Wetmore was the first 
Justice of the Peace ; but, during the month 
of August, 1804, the county of Portage, of 
which Stow was a part, having been created, 
Wetmore was appointed Clerk of the Court, 
and removed to IJavenna ; but, not being satis- 
fied with the empty honor of his official posi- 
tion, he soon resigned, moving back to Stow, 
and locating just east of Silver Lake. The 
early records of Stow were not preserved, and 
the names of the other first officers cannot be 
given. The first election was held at the resi- 
dence of Mr. Wetmore. Capt. Gregory Powers 
built on Lot 85. He was a genius in his way, 
and had had a great deal of experience with 
the world. He was an Italian, and, for many 
years, had followed the wild and extremely 
dangerous profession of privateering on the 
ocean. His daughter Harriet was united in 
marriage with John C. Singletary in 180G, the 
wedding being the first in the township. A 
few months later, on the 29th of Januar}', 
1807, William Lappin and Elizabeth Walker 
were married at Stow Corners by Squire Wet- 
moi'c. In 1806, George Darrow built a frame 
barn, the first frame structure in Stow. In the 
fall of 1803, "Betsey" Walker was born, her 
birth being the first in the township. Samuel 
Walker was born in 1805. Mary Campbell 
was born in 1804, and Clarissa ( Rice) South- 
mayd February G, 1805. In February, 1807, 
Mrs. Powers died, her death being the first. 
Elizabeth Gay lord died in 1809. • 

As early as 1805, the township had put on 
many of the characteristics of civilization. 
The ring and report of ax and rifle awoke the 
echoes of the forests. Numerous small, unpre- 
tentious cabins rested in the center of insig- 
nificant clearings, upon which could be seen 
the green plumage of growing grain. Wild 
animals roamed through the forests. Deer 
could be seen at almost an}' hour of the da}'. 
Many of the settlers had, for several years, no 



meat except venison and smaller game. 
Wolves were troublesome, especially in the 
night, when they seemed to enjoy surrounding 
some log cabin when the inmates were lost in 
slumber and making the night hideous with 
their howls. Bears were frequently seen, and 
there was scarcely an early settler who was not 
accustomed to roam the woods on hunting ex- 
cursions that did not encounter them, often 
under thrilling and extremely dangerous cir- 
cumstances. The Indians, whose headquarters 
were at Boston and Northampton Townships, 
were accustomed to spend the summers in the 
neighborhood of Silver and Turtle Lakes. In 
1810, the carriage road at Silver Lake was a 
continuous line of Indian huts. These were 
made of round poles about six inches in diam- 
eter, the chinks being filled with moss and sod. 
About one hundred rods from the huts, on the 
lake shore, on a neighboring hill, were a great 
many more. About five hundred Indians — 
men, women and children — established them- 
selves here for several summers prior to the 
war of 1812. They wei-e in constant inter- 
course with the white settlers, and usually all 
dealings were of a friendly nature. It was 
well known to the settlers, however, that the 
Indians might " dig up the hatchet " at any 
moment, and begin the dreadful work of 
slaughter. These thoughts filled the mind, 
more especially when it first became known 
that war with England had commenced. When 
news of the battle of Tippecanoe reached the 
Indians, they all withdrew and went toward 
the western part of the State, much to the re- 
lief of the apprehensive settlers. 

It seems proper in this connection to notice 
a few of the many interesting anecdotes that are 
told concerning adventui'es had with wild ani- 
mals or with the Indians. One day, when John 
Campbell was away from home, his wife placed 
her little child on "the floor, with a cup of milk 
and a spoon, and closing the door, went a short 
distance to one of the neighbor's, on an errand. 
She soon returned, and, stepping up to the little 
window, looked in to see what her baby was 
doing. There sat the child upon the floor, 
while close at its side was coiled up a large, 
yellow, repulsive rattlesnake. It had crawled 
up through the cracks of the floor, and, when 
first seen by Mrs. Campbell, was lapping or 
drinking the milk, which had been spilled by 
the child. Just as the mother was taking her 



'TZ 



-4 2) 



514 



HISTORY OF SUMxMIT COUNTY. 



first lightning survey of the fearful sight, the 
child reached out its spoon, either to give the 
reptile some millv or to touch its shining body 
with the sjDoon. The mother gave a piercing 
scream, and the snake slid down a crack and 
disappeared. Mr. Campbell came in soon after- 
ward, and, raising a plank of the floor, killed 
the snake. The "gulf" at Stow Corners was 
filled with these reptiles, and it was many years 
before they were killed off. So numerous were 
they, and so dangerous, that the settlers took 
turns in watching the rocks, to kill all that came 
forth. This was done on sunny days in early 
spring, when the snakes first came from their 
holes to bask in the sun. It fell upon Mr. 
Baker to watch the gulf one Sunda}^, when 
Deacon Butler was holding a class-meeting in a 
log cabin close by. While looking down into 
the gulf, Mr. Baker saw a large number of rat- 
tlesnakes crawl from a crevice in the rocks and 
coil tiiemselves in the sun. When it seemed 
that all had come forth, Mr. Baker dropped his 
coat near the crevice, and, with a long pole pre- 
pared for the purpose, pushed the garment into 
the opening. He then descended to the rock, 
and killed sixfy-Jioe of the venemous reptiles. 
The first intimation that the worshipers had of 
what had taken place, was made known by a 
son of Mr. Baker, who ran to the log meeting 
house at the top of his speed, crying out with 
a loud voice, " Oh, dad's killed a pile of 
snakes ! dad's killed a pile of snakes ! " This 
adjourned the meeting, and the members re- 
paired to the gulf, to continue their thanks for 
the victory over ihe ancient enemy of man. 
The rock whence the snakes had crawled was 
blasted open the next day, though but one was 
found — a lai'ge female, that was thought to be 
the mother of the numerous progeny that had 
been killed. Several persons were bitten, and 
many had narrow escapes from death. A 
young man — a relative of William Walker- 
was struck twice on the heel by a large rattle- 
snake, and did not recover. The Indians had 
a peculiar plant, which was used as a remedy 
in case of snake-bite. It is said that when 
the Indians left the plant also disappeared, 
and could not be found growing in the 
woods as usual. This seems somewhat im- 
probable, though the statement comes from 
some of the oldest and most respected citizens. 
One da}^, as Henry Wetmore was gathering nuts 
near his father's cabin, he heard a sudden com- 



motion in the bushes near him, and immediately 
saw a drove of hogs break cover and run across 
the clearing to his father's stable. Following 
close at their heels was an enormous black 
bear, that halted barely long enough to see the 
bo}- and continued the pursuit to the pen where 
the swine took refuge. Mrs. Wetmore, hearing 
the confusion outside, came to the door, and, 
seeing the bear and at the same time her boy, 
motioned for the latter to take a circuit so as 
to avoid the animal, that seemed in doubt 
whether it was best to attack the swine in their 
pen or not. When the boy was safe in the cabin, 
Mrs. Wetmore went out, and, by shouting, 
frightened the bear into the woods. On another 
occasion Jacob Cochran, while in his cabin, 
heard one of his hogs squealing terribly, and, 
surmising the cause, he seized his rifle and ran 
out, in time to see a large bear disappearing in 
the bushes, in whose company was an unwill- 
ing, remonstrating hog. The bear finally 
dropped the hog, which fell in between two sap- 
lings so that it could not be extricated. The 
detention enabled Mr. Cochran to overtake the 
bear, which was immediately shot. It was nec- 
essary to kill the hog also, as it was terribly 
torn and mangled. It is probable that William 
Walker was the most successful and intrepid 
bear hunter ever a resident of the township. 
He killed sixteen bears, sometimes under cir- 
cumstances which would appall the stoutest 
heart. More is said of him in the Twinsburg 
history. 

In 1803, Mr. Walker's dogs treed a large 
bear in a chestnut tree a few rods from the 
cabin. It was shot, and was found to weigh 
400 pounds, and was so extremely fat that oil 
accumulated within the cavity of the bod}' 
within a few minutes after the animal had been 
killed. Mr. Walker was a chair-maker, and had 
a small log shop near his cabin. One day 
George Wilson, an Indian, came to the cabin 
and asked for whisky, which was given to him. 
He drank the liquor and sat down, and a few 
minutes later was asked to take a seat at the 
table and eat with the family. He accepted the 
invitation with due dignity, seated himself, and 
was handed a plate well loaded with meat and 
vegetables. But by this time the liquor had 
worked into his blood and brain, and, actuated 
by a devilish spirit, he suddenly, without any 
provocation, dashed the plate and its steaming 
contents in Mr. Walker's face. The latter leaped 



J^ 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



515 



to his feet in a passion at the inhospitable act, 
anil started for his rifle to make short worii of 
the savage. But the latter, perceiving the dan- 
ger he was in, ran into a small bedroom and 
under the bed. Mr. Walker, rifle in hand, en- 
deavored to follow him, but was hindered by 
his wife and daughter, who had no desire to see 
the Indian shot. The latter noticed the dela}' 
and made his escape through the bedroom win- 
dow, taking refuge in the chair-shop already 
mentioned. By this time the other members of 
the family had succeeded in pacifying Mr. Wal- 
ker, and the refractory redskin was permitted 
to depart — without his dinner. One day Will- 
iam Lappin and William Leach were at the 
cabin of John Arbuckle, when six or seven 
Indians, among whom were John High, a 
tall, ugh'-looking savage, six feet three or 
four inches in height, and Wabmung, an under- 
chief of the Ottawas, passing along, stopped to 
talk with the settlers and get some tobacco. 
Mr. Leach traded his his hat with one of the 
Indians for some article belonging to the latter ; 
but, immediately perceiving that he had been 
cheated, he snatched the hat from the head of 
the redskin and placed it on his own. This 
was an insult which the savage would not 
brook, so, raising his fist, he knocked Leach 
flat on the ground. The act was no sooner 
done than Lappin sprang forward and with 
one blow sent the Indian sprawling by the side 
of Leach. Lappin was immediately assailed by 
John High and several others, though he suc- 
ceeded in keeping them at bay, and the fight 
became general. Blood began to flow from 
sundry noses, and knives gleamed in the air. 
One of the Savages snatched up a rifle, and 
pointed it at Lappin, intending to shoot him ; 
but the Chief Wabmung, who had remained an 
impassive spectator of the fight thus far, sprang 
forward and struck the muzzle up just as the 
gun was discharged. No harm was done, and 
the Indian, thinking, doubtless, he might get 
into trouble, took to his heels and was soon 
out of sight. The fight was over and the In- 
dians took their departure. Jonathan Will- 
iams, the Indian-hunter, lived for a number of 
years in a little log cabin, in the northwest part 
of the township, on Mud Brook. He gained 
great notoriety for his antipath}- for the Indi- 
ans, many of whom he shot on the slightest 
pi'ovocation. He had been one of those pro- 
fessional Indian slayers who, during the latter 



part of the last century, were in the habit of 
invading the Indian country to carry on their 
work of extermination. Williams was a dead 
shot, and was feared b}' the Indians. One da}- 
a member of the tribe came to his cabin and 
told him that a snake was on his track and 
would bite him. Without any further explana- 
tion the Indian went away. Mr. Williams con- 
strued this statement to mean that one of the 
tribe was lurking around to get a favorable op- 
portunity to shoot him. He, therefore, began 
to watch closely for his foe. The following 
morning, before leaving the cabin, he took a 
careful look from the little window, and, while 
scrutinizing the woods on the border of the 
clearing, saw an Indian suddenly peer from be- 
hind a tree about twenty rods distant, and then 
as suddenly conceal himself Williams told 
his wife what he had seen, and, taking his rifle 
down, looked carefully to the flint and priming. 
He said to his wife, " It's now death for one of 
us ; I'll trick him. Tie up the dog, and don't 
be scared." So saying, he suddenly opened 
the door, and before the Indian had time for a 
hostile movement, the former took refuge be- 
hind a bank of earth near the house. He hur- 
ried a short distance and got behind a large 
tree, and, with his rifle ready, began to watch 
cautiously for the approach of his foe. He saw 
the Indian's dog coming toward him, and 
thought it must soon discover his hiding-place. 
Suddenly, the Savage glided through a small 
glade in the edge of the woods. This was suf- 
ficient, and, like a flash, Williams raised his 
rifle and fired, just as his enemy was disappear- 
ing behind- the bank already alluded to. The 
bullet went straight to its mark, and the Sav- 
age fell upon the earth and expired. Williams 
hurried forward, and, securing the gun, shot 
the dog that had come so near revealing his 
hiding-place. He was at a loss at first what to 
do with the body. The death of the Indian 
would be avenged, if known to his friends. 
Finally, it was taken and sunk in Mud Brook. 
Williams went back to the cabin, and his wife, 
who had heard the report of both rifles, and 
was greatly distressed, not knowing what shape 
affiiirs had taken, was overjoyed to know that 
he was safe. The death of this savage, George 
Wilson, was not discovered until after the In- 
dians had left the county, so that all danger 
from them was averted. 

The Indians seemed to take especial pleas- 



516 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



ure in frightening the wives of the settlers when 
the latter were absent. They would enter the 
cabins and flourish their weapons in an omi- 
nous manner, and a plentiful supply of whisky 
and victuals would be their reward. The^^ 
would often brandish their scalping knives 
over the heads of children until the mother 
was half-distracted, when they would get almost 
anything the}' demanded, and go off grunting 
with satisfaction at the success of their artifice. 
It way be said, however, that generally the 
Indians were orderl}^ unless the}- had been 
abused or were under the influence of whisky. 

Mud Brook Swamp in the northwest corner, 
was the resort during the spring of the 3'ear of 
countless thousands of pigeons. They would 
come to this place to roost after having feasted 
all day on beech and other nuts growing on 
the higher grounds. When they all took wing, 
the noise was like the rushing of a mighty 
wind. They often filled the air so that the sun 
could not be seen ; and when they settled in 
the forest, large trees were broken down by 
them. It was dangerous to go into the swamps 
that were filled with pigeons, and the voice had 
to be elevated to be heard. 

The early settlers in Stow suffered the usual 
hardships incident to pioneer life. They were 
obliged often to live as best the}- could. Flour 
and meal were difficult to get, and when pro- 
cured were judiciously used and made to go as 
far as possible. It was a universal rule in 
pioneer mathematics, that the means of supply 
were inversely as the appetite to be gratified. 
The taste could not be petted with a variety of 
articles, but the meal very often consisted of 
but one, and that in such limited quantities 
that the cravings were unsatisfied. Roads 
were bad, conveyances were bad, supplies of 
all kinds were exorbitant, labor of the hardest 
kind received scarcely any reward, and all efforts 
were exhausted in the one object — to live. It 
is singular how the plastic nature of mankind 
can be molded for almost an}- condition of cir- 
cumstances. Actual enjoj-ment can be had in 
the midst of imminent peril or distressing sur- 
roundings. The settlers saw the bright side 
of their situation, and made the most of it. 
They were contented, because their customs 
were homogeneous, and their trials identical. 
If some settler had come in very wealthy and 
aristocratic ; if he had dressed his family in 
silks, satins and broadcloths cut according to 



the latest and prevailing fashion ; if he had 
scorned to associate with his neighbors, him- 
self and family would have been practicall}' 
ostracised — the}- would have been shunned 
like the plagues of Eg3'pt. It was a fortunate 
thing that they remained in the East with their 
money bags — fortunate for them and for the 
rapid settlement and improvement of the West. 
But, after all, hard times were experienced — 
times when it seemed as if the utmost effort could 
scarcely keep body and soul together. A large 
family of small children to feed and clothe, 
and nothing but strong hands and honest hearts 
to meet the demand ! This was the problem 
that many solved, and upon which many others 
failed. 

It was not long after the settlers had become 
quite numerous, before industries began to 
spring up in various parts of the township, to 
furnish for the stead}- demand supplies nearer 
home. While some settlers erected frame houses, 
the majority did not for many years, but lived 
contented in their rude, though comfortable log 
cabins. It thus occurred that there was not as 
strong a demand for sawed lumber as might 
have been expected. So far as can be learned, 
the first saw-mill in the township was built on 
the river at Moni'oe Falls, in about the year 
1817, by Griswell & Wolcott. At the same 
time, a man named Francis Kelsey erected a 
grist-mill at the same place. These three men 
united means and built a log-dam where the 
present one is located. The grist-mill was 
located on the north side of the river, and the 
saw-mill on the south. The land on the north 
side was owned by John Graham, but he en- 
tered into an agreement with Kelsey, to deed 
the latter two acres for a mill site, provided a 
grist-mill was erected and operated. Both mills 
were supplied with water by means of short 
flumes or races, and a sutficient mill-head was 
obtained to operate both mills at a rapid rate. 
It was not long before both were on a firm 
financial basis, and a fair profit was realized by 
the investment. They were conducted by these 
men (or perhaps they had a change of owners) 
until 1836, with a few insignificant interrup- 
tions, at which time they were purchased by the 
Moni'oe brothers, of Boston Township. For a 
number of years prior to this change in owners, 
the mills had been neglected, especially the 
saw-mill, which had become somewhat rickety, 
and sadly in need of repairs. The Monroes, at 



'1l 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



517 



the time they purchased the mills, also secured 
about two hundred and fifty acres of land, all, 
or at least a portion, upon which the village of 
Monroe Falls is situated. They had a grand 
project in view, which was to found a village 
that should become the public mart of all the 
surrounding country, and a metropolis of opu- 
lence and importance. At this period there 
were some eight or ten residences in the village ; 
but, so far as can be learned, no lots had been 
regularly surveyed and platted. It is thought 
that William Stow built the first dwelling in 
the village ; at least, he built there at a very 
early day. His father had been the proprietor 
of the township, but had sold a large por- 
tion of it to settlers and speculators. His 
residence was located on the south side 
of the river, and is 3'et standing. John 
Graham lived on the north side, but had 
sold out and left a few years before, or, 
perhaps, sold to the Monroes. There also 
lived at the village, in 1836, Samuel Cheney, 
Zebulon Stow, Mr. Griffiths and several others. 
The Monroes evidently expected to make their 
fortunes. They were quite wealthy when they 
purchased the village and mill-sites, and they 
ventured all they had in the enterprise, confi- 
dently anticipating, as many did in early years, 
that a city would spring up around them, like 
mushrooms from a hot-bed. They immediately 
laid out about a hundred lots, and in a few 
3'ears succeeded in securing the incorporation* 
of the village, which, in their honor, had been 
named Monroe Falls. At the time they pur- 
chased all the land for sale in the village or 
surrounding it, they built a small storeroom, 
and placed therein about $1,200 worth of 
goods. A number of years before, perhaps as 
earl}- as 1830, John S. Harvc}' had come to the 
Falls, had built a residence and a small store, 
and had placed in the latter $600 worth of a 
general assortment of goods, consisting mostly 
of groceries and notions. He had obtained a 
fair country trade, and, according to the re- 
ports, had refused to sell to the Monroes, who 
desired to purchase his property. The Mon- 
roes wished no competition in the early history 
of their village, and had tried to purchase all 
property or enterprises that would in any way 
interfere with their intentions or obstruct their 
rapid march to opulence and fame. Several 
lots were sold, and tradesmen and mechanics 

* Gen. Bii-rce. 



appeared, and it seemed at first as though the 
bright expectations of the Monroes were to be 
realized. They founded a " bank," and began 
issuing " wild-cat," " red-dog " bills of credit in 
limited quantities.* Hax'vey soon found that 
the Monroe store was materially injuring his 
trade, so, about two years after the appear- 
ance of the brothers, he either sold out or 
closed out, and went to Akron, according to 
the reports. The Monroes purchased his store- 
room and filled it with goods, and thus monop- 
olized the trade in the village. Their stock 
was increased until they probably owned about 
$5,000 worth of goods. About the year 1828, 
or perhaps earlier, James Griffiths erected a 
wooden factory a few rods below the saw-mill, 
on the same (south) side of the river. He se- 
cured a paying custom trade. Wool-growers 
in the vicinity brought their wool to him to be 
carded, after which it was taken b}- them and 
spun, and then returned to the factory to be 
manufactured into flannel and various other 
varieties of cloth. It must be remembered 
that there were no readj-made clothing stores 
in those days. Suits for men and women were 
cut and made in the houses by the wives of the 
settlers, many of whom became expert tailors, 
especially if they had lai*ge families and large 
quantities of cloth to be disposed of. At cer- 
tain seasons of the year, the entire family 
would be provided with new suits. Journey- 
men tailors traveled from house to house, and 
took contracts at reduced rates to make suits 
for the whole family, often furnishing the 
cloth. Griffiths conducted his factor}' until 
1836, when the entire property was bought by 
the Monroes. Converse & Barnes began man- 
ufacturing chairs in about 1833, and soon had 
quite a brisk trade. They peddled their wares 
in a wagon, which traversed the country for a 
circuit of many miles. Converse was a local 
preacher, and conducted many of the early 
meetings at the village. Some three or four 
men were employed to assist in the manufact- 
ure of the chairs. The owners continued the 
business until 1836, when the property, like 
almost all the balance, fell into the hands of 
the Monroe Brothers. Many years before this, 
iMr. Graham, who had lived on the north side 
of the river, built a small distillery, and began 
manufacturing a limited quantity of whisk}-. 
Considerable liquor was made, which found a 



IT^ 



iz 



518 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



ready sale in the neighboi'hood. Mr. Wet- 
more, also, at an early day, erected a distiller^' 
on what was then called Stow Pond. He also 
made ([uite a quantity of the drink which in- 
ebriates. These enterprises (which, by the 
way, brought to the owners a profitable rev- 
enue), were quite popular in early years, and 
continued so throughout what is now Summit 
County, until about the year 1830, when a 
large number of temperance societies was or- 
ganized, whose objects were to depict the enor- 
mity of the evil tendency of the liquor traffic, 
and to suppress the supply and demand among 
the settlers. The two distilleries above men- 
tioned were closed, however, before this cru- 
sade. The temperance movement became so 
strong and universal, that William Stow was 
induced to oflfer 160 acres of land just north of 
Silver Lake (this land is yet known as " tem- 
perance lot"), to be divided equally among 
those who would take the pledge and become 
abstainers. Many were thus induced to re- 
nounce their intemperate habits ; but a deed to 
the land was not made out, was neglected, and, 
at Mr. Stow's death, his heirs refused to com- 
ply with his promises, and retained the owner- 
ship of the " temperance lot." 

It will be seen that the Monroes became the 
owners of about all the business enterprises in 
the village in 1836. These men threw a vast 
deal of energy and capital into their gigantic 
undertaking, and deserved a better financial 
fate than they were compelled to suffer. They 
soon found that they had miscalculated. But 
few artisans and no capitalists came to their 
relief Instead of rising in value, the property 
depreciated from the price fixed bv the Mon- 
roe purchase. The proprietors had encoun- 
tered large expense. They tore down the grist- 
mill and the saw-mill, and erected larger and 
better ones. The saw-mill was located on the 
north side of the river, and the grist-mill on 
the south side, the reverse of what had for- 
merly been. The latter mill was established 
further down the river, and a long race, coming 
from the dam, supplied it with water-power. 
After struggling some ten years with their un- 
dertaking, the Monroe Brothers, seeing that 
they had failed and had lost large sums of 
money, gradually went out of business. Their 
" promises to pay " were not fulfilled, and 
many others besides themselves lost quite 
heavil}'. The property, or the most of it, fell 



into the hands of Oliver Brown, or, as some 
say, into the hands of William Cartright. At 
least, both men at different times owned the 
mills, and it may be that others also, at times, 
owned an interest in them previous to their be- 
ing purchased b}- the Cleveland Paper Com- 
pany. The saw-mill was owned by various 
parties, as was also the grist-mill. E. P. Willis 
sold goods in the village about the time of the 
Monroe purchase. Others have followed the 
mercantile pursuit at different times. A small 
hotel was built on the canal in early years. 
Phillip North, in about the year 1842, was en- 
gaged in manufacturing hoes — cutting the me- 
tallic portions from plates of iron or steel, and 
furnishing them with handles. Luther Loorais 
conducted an excellent store for many ^-ears. 
Charles Heed has a small store at present. In 
1866, the grist-mill was purchased by the 
Cleveland Paper Company. It was fitted up 
with the apparatus necessary for the manufact- 
ure of paper ; but after a year or two was 
burned to the ground, whereupon the present 
commodious building was erected on the same 
site. Under the superintendency of Mr. Hall, 
there has been manufactured an average of 
three tons of paper each da}-. About thirty 
employes are kept constantly at work, and the 
village, at present, is populated almost wholly 
by the families of these workmen. All the 
coarser varieties of paper are manufactured. 
Many other things might be said about Monroe 
Falls, but enough has been given to exhibit its 
general growth and decay. 

It must be noted that other industries arose 
than those in the two villages in the township. 
Henry Wilcox owned and operated a saw mill 
on Mud Brook as early as 1820, Josiah Starr 
having built it a year or two before. The 
" Bryan Mill " was started quite early, and con- 
tinued many years. There was also an excel- 
lent saw-mill on Fish Creek at an early day. 
Many others have been conducted at different 
times. In about the year 1 810, Mr. Thorndyke, 
son of a wealthy merchant of Boston, Mass., 
opened a general store on Lot 14. After a short 
time, the store was moved to Lot 12 ; but, at the 
expiration of two or three years, the enterprise 
was abandoned, and the building was used by 
the Methodists as a house of worship. After 
the first settlers had opened up the township, 
and greatly modified the hardships to be under- 
gone, improvements went on rapidly. Capital 



'.[^ 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



519 



sought investment, and, erelong, Stow could 
boast of a population as large and as enlightened 
in general knowledge as it can at present. A 
much larger portion of the land was covered 
with forest than now, and the roads and streams 
were in a very unsatisfactory condition. In 
the 3'ear 1837, there occurred one of those 
circling tornadoes, which occasionally strike the 
earth, spreading death and destruction in their 
course. It visited the township on the 20th of 
October, about 3 o'clock in the morning, strik- 
ing the earth first, in the western part, near the 
center road, and thence passing a trifle north of 
east, until it reached alDout the center of the 
township, when it either spent itself, or arose 
above the tops of the trees. The force of the 
wind must have been terrific, as large trees 
were snapped ofl[* like pipe-stems, and carried 
bodily several yards from the stump. Those 
who heard its approach, knew from the awful 
roar that was mingled with the crash of falling 
trees, that something unusual and dreadful was 
in the air. Its pathway had an average width 
of about forty rods, and, though its course la}^ 
through the heaviest timber, not a tree was left 
standing ; but all were heaped in tangled and 
promiscuous confusion. It was accompanied 
with almost incessant flashes of vivid lightning 
and volle3'S of the deepest thunder, and the 
rain came down in angry torrents. It struck 
Cochran Pond, and ver\- likely carried up large 
quantities of water. The residence of Frederick 
Sandford was torn into a thousand fragments, 
and the frightened inmates carried aloft in the 
air. The two sons, Charles and Norman, aged 
respectively twenty-five and eighteen 3-ears, 
were both killed and terribly bruised. Mr. 
Sandford's jaw was broken, as was also his 
thigh, in two places. He was alive when found, 
but died in a few hours, without recovering the 
use of his mind. Mrs. Collins, the mother of 
Mrs. Sandford, was also killed, while the latter, 
with the exception of a few bruises, was unin- 
jured. Mary, the daughter, aged about sixteen, 
was found lying insensible on a gate that had 
been wrenched from its hinges, and carried ten 
or twelve rods from the house. When found, 
she held in her hand a dress, which she was 
probably endeavoring to put on in the few ter- 
rible moments before the cloud struck the house. 
She was comparatively uninjured, and, after a 
spell of sickness, caused by the drenching rain, 
and the nerv^ous shock accompan3'ing so dire a 



calamity, she fully recovered, and is yet living 
within a few rods of where the old house stood. 
The cloud passed on ; wrenched asunder Mr. 
Graham's new house ; carried off the roof of 
the one occupied by Dr. Wells ; crushed in the 
gable of the Barnes residence, pinning several 
members of the famil}' fast until they were re- 
leased, and finally ended its mad freaks by un- 
roofing the Butler residence. The east and 
west road was filled with fallen timber. It 
must be understood that the last-mentioned 
houses wore only on the edge of the course taken 
by the gyrating cloud. Had it been otherwise, 
the historian would have more deaths to record. 
A plow, that had been left in a field in an up- 
right position, though not in the ground, was 
plunged in to the depth of eighteen inches, and 
a furrow in the form of a semi-circle, whose 
diameter was about six feet, was thrown up, 
and the earth scattered six or eight feet around, 
after which the plow was thrown out of the 
ground with landside, mold-board, share and 
other portions of the plow twisted and broken. 
Fowls and birds were plucked entire!}' destitute 
of feathers, and killed. The bed upon which 
Mary Sandford had been sleeping, was found 
lodged in the top of a tree, thirty feet from the 
ground. An ox-cart was blown thirtv rods. 
Articles belonging to the house were picked up 
several miles away ; among these was a small 
purse of money. Quite a number of domestic 
animals were killed or mangled. 

The first house in Stow Corners was built as 
early as 1806, by Ezra Wyatt, and was a small 
log building, located on the southwest corner 
of Lot 36. Within the next two years, three 
or four others were erected. Stephen Perkins 
built on the northwest corner of Lot 26, on a 
small tract of five acres which he owned there. 
Caleb Wetmore built soon afterward, as did also 
Titus Wetmore a few months later. The last 
named built a double log house for the pur- 
pose (as stated by one of his descendants) of 
furnishing a dancing-hall for the neighl)or- 
hood. Samuel Baker lived near by, and was a 
blacksmith by trade, the first in the township. 
Several other residences were erected in the 
village, but no store was opened until about 
the year 1820, when a man named Johnson 
placed a small stock of goods in the Wyatt 
log house, which, a number of years before, 
had been fitted up by Erastus Southmayd for a 
tavern. Lyman Beckley soon got possession 



520 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



of the building, using it for a tavern. He was 
succeeded b}- Allen Nickerson, who, in about 
1843, transferred the property to Gen. Gross 
The latter kept the most disreputable place 
ever in the township. It was a resort for the 
lewd and vicious, and was a disgrace to the 
neighborhood. The old building was discard- 
ed many years ago, and a new one erected. 
Dr. Sweeney owned and conducted the tavern 
for a number of years. It has since changed 
hands several times, and is at present owned 
by C. E. Kidne}^, who has a small stock of 
liquors, which he vends to convivial spirits. It 
is styled the Cliff House. Mr. Gross kept a 
few goods for sale, as did also a man named 
Edmunds. Enoch Brainard conducted a tan- 
nery for some four years, beginning in 1842. 
A few other industries have arisen in the vil- 
lage at different times. 

Knowledge obtained of the early schools is 
exceedingly limited. Recollection, upon which 
the historian largely depends, is erratic and 
treacherous. Traditions are vague, improba- 
ble and unsatisfactory. No one in the past 
has taken the trouble to gather crumbs of 
information for the intellectual appetite of 
coming generations. It has been a matter of 
no pecuniary interest or advantage, and has 
been studiousl3^ omitted from the curriculum 
of pursuits. The plodding details of agricult- 
ure have been far more attractive, for therein 
was seen the glitter of gold. The historian 
casts his hook in the Stream of Time ; it is 
swept backward ; a strange sensation is felt 
along the line ; a sudden effort is made, and a 
few quivering minnows of information are 
thrown upon the shores of the Present. Mrs. 
(Walker) Lappin, of Boston, sa3's that the first 
school in Stow was taught in the northeast 
corner, in the cabin of William Walker, as 
early as the winter of 1806-07. A young Vir- 
ginian, named Dennis B^-an, who had just 
come into the township, and who was decidedh' 
averse to chopping all day in the woods for a 
pittance, made the effort, and succeeded in get- 
ting a sufficient number of scholars subscribed 
to insure him something more than a living. 
The term was three months in length, and the 
subscription per scholar was $1.50. The 
teacher boarded around, and probably cleared 
the greater share of his wages. About fifteen 
scholars were enrolled, quite a number of 
whom came from the southern part of Hudson 



Township. Samuel Burnett had built a log 
cabin in the northern part in about the year 
1805, but had vacated it some two years later, 
going no one knew whither. This building 
was appropriated for school purposes, and 
terms were taught there for several years, be- 
ginning in 1808. A man named Lowell taught 
here quite early. As near as can be learned, 
a schoolhouse was built in the vicinity of Stow 
Corners in about the year 1810, at which time 
the Burnett house mentioned above was alian- 
doned, and the children in the northern part 
sent to the former. It is possible that this 
building — the Wetmore Schoolhouse — was 
erected two or three 3'ears before 1810. It was 
located a short distance west of the present 
village site, and used until about 1816, when a 
frame building was erected, and located nearly 
south of where Josiah Wetmore's residence 
now stands. This house was used some twenty 
or twenty-five 3'ears, when the present one was 
constructed. The latter has been enlarged and 
remodeled until it resembles a newly-built 
schoolhouse. The first school building was 
erected at Monroe Falls in about the year 
1816. Two other houses have succeeded it, 
each au improvement on its predecessor. 
School was taught in the cabin of Mr. Rice, 
near the Center, by Emma Cannon, as early as 
1810. In 1825, there were more schoolhouses 
in the township than the present number — 
eight. There were then at least nine, and very 
probably ten or eleven. The greater number 
were built of logs, and were rude, inconvenient, 
unattractive, cheerless affairs. Notwithstand- 
ing their gloomy, dismal surroundings, they 
were well attended, and were the basis of the 
splendid public school system of to-day. One 
important feature of the early schools should 
be noticed. Knowledge was not turned into 
scholars by a sort of pouring process. The 
teacher refused to afford any assistance save 
where the scholar, after patient and protracted 
study, could not succeed. The schoolhouse 
was not a playhouse ; it was a workhouse — a 
place where many a self-made man received his 
first insight of the hard labor that was before 
him. Erastus Southmayd was one of the earl}^ 
teachers at the Center. He taught many 
terms, and his reputation as a competent in- 
structor became widespread. 

It is universally the case in the earlier his- 
tory of a township, that dift'erent religious de- 



"71" 




-iT^^uWfc^ 



J^ 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



521 



nominations arose and prospered— some of 
them for short periods, and others until the 
present time. Owing to the fact that fine 
churches have been erected in Cuyahoga Falls 
and Hudson, and are within a few miles of all 
parts (the farthest) of the township, a large 
portion of tlie citizens of Stow attend these, 
thus affording but little material upon which 
the historian of that township may work. For 
the first few years, the settlers went to Hudson 
to attend religious service. When Deacon But- 
ler came to the township in about the year 
1806, he began forming a small class, which 
met regularly at his cabin. The meetings were 
conducted in pioneer fashion, and were full of 
entlnisiasm. Local preachers from Hudson 
addressed the congregation occasionally, as did 
also itinerant preachers. Butler was a Presby- 
terian, and an entertaining speaker. The society 
used the schoolhouse. Among the early mem- 
bers were Stephen Butler, William Stow, John 



Graylord, Thomas Gaylord and their families, 
and others. They built a small frame church 
in about 1833, in which they continued to wor- 
ship with increasing numbers, until near 1843, 
when the Disciples got possession of the church, 
and the Presbyterians went to Cu3'ahoga Falls. 
This building was used until a few years ago, 
when the present structure was erected. The 
above is given on the authority of Josiah Wet- 
more. It is stated that a St. John's Church 
society was organized at Stow Corners in about 
the year 1818 ; that it grew and flourished, and 
was finally removed to Cuyahoga Falls, where 
it yet lives, well advanced in j^ears, but with 
the vigor of youth in its limbs, if the figure 
may be indulged in. The chui'ch at the Cor- 
ners is the only one in the township ; but from 
this it should not be inferred that the citizens 
lack religious interest and zeal. They belong 
to churches in other townships. 



CHAPTER XX.* 

COVENTRY TO WNSHir— DESCRIPTION AND PHYSICAL FEATU^^FS— WHITE SETTLEMENT — GROWTH 

AND IMPROVEMENT — PIONEER REMINISCENCES —CHURCHES AND 

CHURCH BUILDINGS— EDUCATIONAL, ETC. 



•■ Tiie ax rang sharply 'mid those forest shades 
Which, from creation toward the sky 
Had tower'd in unshorn beauty." 

— Mrs. Sigourney. 

IT is difficult to realize, as we walk the streets 
of our beautiful towns and cities, and note 
the squares of solid blocks, the immense ware- 
houses, the bus}' mills, the ceaseless hum of a 
hundred factories, where the bulk of a busy 
population " gains its bread by the sweat of its 
brow," that scarcelj' a century ago these beau- 
tiful hills and valleys were peopled by wander- 
ing savages, and formed a part of one vast wil- 
derness, which gave no sign or promise of the 
multitudes of a strange race b}' which it is now 
peopled, or of the mighty developments in 
science and art which should make their lives 
so different from that of their rude predecessors. 
Here the bold immigrant pitched his loneh' Lent 
and staked all beside some stream or near some 
spring of pure and sparkling water, and be- 
neath those " forest shades " where erst the un- 

* Contributed by George I. Wrigbt. 



tamed children of Nature had so long roamed 
unmolested, at one time in search of food, and 
again engaged in the wild pleasures which 
seemed the onl}' occupation of their simple 
lives, and the onl}' end of their existence. The 
sound of the woodman's ax rang out amid this 
mighty solitude, frightening the denizens of the 
forest from their peaceful slumbers, and start- 
ing reverberations whose last re-echo has 
changed into the screech of the iron horse, and 
into the varied hum of a thousand industries, 
which now occupy the millions of busy men and 
women, who have been born and reared under 
a civilization which had its first beginnings in 
the rude log-cabins of those sturd}- pioneers. 

A pleasanter task could scarce!}^ be given than 
that which devolves upon the chronicler of our 
early history. Could he l)ut reproduce the scenes 
of three-quarters of a century ago, with all their 
natural surroundings, that the reader in imag- 
ination might see the unhewn log hut with its 
crevices filled with clay ; the adobe chimney' ; 
the broad fire-place, and the rough, unseemly 



T^ 



522 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



furniture ; that he might see the small clearing, 
so covered with stumps that one could easily 
have leaped from one to another, and in that 
way have passed across the entire breadth of 
the farm. Could he picture the rude shed, made 
of poles and covered with branches, which was 
the forerunner of the fine bank barn, in which 
our modern owner of the same farm stores the 
wealth of grain and produce gathered from the 
fields his forefathers conquered, or the winding 
path to the edge of the woods, where, beneath 
some spreading beech or maple, the spring 
bubbled forth and cut for itself a tiny path 
toward some larger stream, where, after their 
slaking thirst, in the hot midday, the settler and 
his boys would rest for a time from their toil, 
and talk of the trip to the mill or post office ten 
or fifteen miles awa}- . Could he show the read- 
er '' the slashing," where the men, the boys and 
the girls were busy, making and burning log- 
heaps and brush-piles getting another piece 
ready for wheat or corn, the paths that indicate 
the direction of their near neighbors, perhaps 
miles away. Could the historian, we repeat, 
picture all these scenes in their wild but natural 
beauty, he would bring before many a reader 
similar scenes, whose impress have been left in 
the mind by the oft-repeated stories of the gray- 
haired grandsire, recounted with man}' an ani- 
mated gesture, as he " lived o'er again those 
olden times." 

But we must reluctantly recall the reader 
from these general recollections to the more 
prosy subject of our work. Coventry Town- 
ship is bounded on the north by Portage Town- 
ship and Akron City ; on the east by Spring- 
field Township ; on the south by Green and 
Franklin Township ; and on the west by the 
Tuscarawas River and Norton Township. A 
small portion of its territory projects from the 
northern center into Portage, on the western 
margin of the corporation line of Akron City. 
Its southern boundary is the famous south line 
of the Western Reserve, or forty-first parallel 
of north latitude. This line was run during the 
spring and summer of 1797, by one Seth Pease 
and an assistant, one of an expedition seut 
out by the Connecticut Land Company, to sur- 
vey the land which they had purchased of the 
State of Connecticut. This company paid 
$1,200,000 for the tract included between lati- 
tude 41° and 42° 2' north, and extending west 
120 miles from the Pennsylvania line. This 



was surveyed into townships five miles square, 
as far as the Tuscarawas and Cuyahoga in 
1797. In 1806 and 1807, the balance was sur- 
veyed, until which time the Indians owned all 
territor}' west of these rivers. This land was 
divided among the stock-holders in this way. 
The numbers of the townships were placed on 
slips of paper, and all but a few were put into 
a box from which each one drew. Those that 
were not drawn were called " equalizing town- 
ships," among which was Coventry. The ob- 
ject of thus reserving some was to give strips 
of this " equalizing land " to those who had 
drawn poor townships, and in that way make 
them equal to an average township. 

The book in which these assignments of ^ter- 
ritory was kept, was called the " Book of 
Drafts," and was the foundation of all titles to 
land on the Reserve. Coventry was the first 
township in Range 11, and was parceled out 
to several parties. Samuel Hinckley, who was 
proprietor of Hinckley Township, in Medina 
County, got the southeast quarter of Coven- 
try. Gen. Wadsworth and others got strips of 
this township as equalizing land. The survey, 
before noticed, closed on the bank of the Tus- 
carawas, fifty-six miles west of the Pennsyl- 
vania line, this being the western boundary of 
the United States at that time, and on a tree, 
possibly still standing, on the bank of the river, 
the surveyor. Pease, marked the result of his 
measurement — "56 M." This base line was 
re-run, in 1806, by Abram Tap^mn, who diflTered 
somewhat from the original survey, but not 
much considering the distance and sui-round- 
ings. South of this line, the land belonged to 
" Uncle Sam," and was surveyed by order of 
Congress, townships made six miles square, 
and was called " Congress Land " to distinguish 
it from the " Reserve." At the time of this 
survey, that part of Coventry which lies west 
of the Tuscarawas and the " Indian trail," be- 
longed to the Indians, and hence the township 
was fractional. This additional territor}-, how- 
ever, was added to it, when the survey was 
completed in 1806, just after it was ceded to 
the Government by the Indians in 1805. The 
Tuscarawas encroaches upon the territory of 
Norton, in the southwest corner of Coventry. 
But the river was retained here as the bound- 
ary, thus giving to Coventry more than the 
twenty-five square miles, and leaving Norton a 
fractional township. 



<2_ 



X£ 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



523 



The general surface outline is quite diversi- 
fied, and, when we consider the whole area we 
find as great a variety as could well be shown on 
as limited an area. The Tuscarawas enters near 
the middle of the southern half of the eastern 
boundary, passing in its beautifull}' winding 
course through the central part to the center of 
the western boundary, thence continuing in a 
southwesterly dii'ection until it leaves the con- 
fines of Coventry, entering Franklin and contin- 
uing onward toward " The Father of Waters," to 
be lost in its bosom or carried onward to mingle 
with the waters of the great ocean. The Tus- 
carawas has many small tributaries, perhaps 
the most important of which is Brewster's Run, 
which enters from Springfield and traverses the 
eastern half of the township, entering the river 
above the outlet of "Long Lake." This lake 
is a natural basin of pure water containing ex- 
cellent fish, which formed a source of provision 
for the earl}- settlers, as well as the savage red 
men who ranged the forest and fished in these 
beautiful lakes with his crude tackle, and per- 
haps had as good luck as some modern experts 
who frequent the place. Another lake of con- 
siderable note, not onl}' on account of its situa- 
tion but for the uses to which it has been put 
by the enterprising advocates of "rapid tran- 
sit," is Summit Lake, situated in the extreme 
northern center and occupying a position on 
the "divide" which separates the lake system 
of drainage from that of the Mississippi Valley. 
Originally it was surrounded b}' an impenetra- 
ble tamarack swamp, without any outlet worthy 
the name, and its source of supply springs at 
the sides and bottom, with the waters from the 
surrounding hills. It was, in 1825 or there- 
abouts, used as the source of supply for the 
upper level of the Ohio Canal, which passes 
through it. There is a number of smaller 
lakes, among which is Manning's Pond, on the 
northern margin of Summit Lake, connected 
therewith b}' a stagnant stream through which 
the water flows either wa}' according to the 
varying supply in the larger bod}'. Another 
is Nesmith Lake situated about a fourth of a 
mile west of the geographical center of the 
township. The Indian trail, or portage path, 
touched at the eastern side, and the dusky 
warriors perchance were wont to rest arid slake 
their thirst at this point on their expeditions to 
and from the North. A small body of water 
east of Long Lake and connected with it in 



high water, is called " Mud Lake," perhaps, on 
account of the swampy and uncertain character 
of the shores. Its dark waters are said never 
to have been fathomed, and the stories of the 
bed-cords and clothes-lines that have been 
used in the fruitless search for the remote 
foundations thereof, are, at least, interesting to 
one who has ofttimes paddled the frail canoe 
over its placid surface while trying to catch 
the "speckled bass" or the "blue sunfish." 

Perhaps, the most interesting body of water 
in the township is the reservoir, a series of con- 
nected lakes and ponds, partly natural and 
partly artificial. It is situated in the extreme 
southern part, extending into Gi'een and 
Franklin Townships and covers considerable 
territor}-. It was built in 1840 or thereabouts, 
and was designed to secure a sufficient quanti- 
ty of water for the use of the canal, which was 
at this time the principal outlet for the trade 
of Central Ohio. The great number of boats 
passing through threatened to exhaust the sup- 
posed abundant supph' in Summit Lake. 

A few items of the secret history of the Penn- 
sylvania & Ohio Canal, and " the bearings of 
which (as ' Bunsby ' would say), are in the ap- 
plication thereof" At the time when the 
Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal was projected, the 
route was located through Middlebury into 
Coventry, and following the Wolf Ledge Run 
was to have emptied into the Ohio Canal above 
the guard lock, b}' means of a lock, which would 
have helped to supply the deficiency on the 
summit level, for which the reservoir was con- 
structed at a cost of over f 15(),()00 to the tax- 
payers of the State. But the Akron mill-own- 
ers perceived that if this canal could be brought 
into Akrou on the line of the Crosby race (by 
which they were supplied with water-power) by 
enlarging it and running up to the Summit ba- 
sin by means of a lock located (ilore their sup- 
ply race, they would get the benefit of both the 
enlargement and of each lockful of water let 
down, eventually, from the summit level ; hence 
pressure was brought to bear and the route was 
changed. But the supply of water on the sum- 
mit level was not sufficient for both canals, and 
the reservoir was built. It is supplied l)y means 
of a race which starts from the Tuscarawas 
about a mile from the eastern boundary line, 
near the Steese coal bank, runs west along the 
hillsides which skirt the valley, to within half a 
mile of Lono- Lake where it turns south, still 



524 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



skirting the hills, and enters the reservoir near 
the 'Squire Freese farm. A huge embankment 
was built from this point across the lowland to 
the hills southward, and an extensive lake was 
thus formed. This discharges through an im- 
mense iron pipe (and runs into Long Lake when- 
ever there is need of water from this source), 
by means of gates which are raised to let the 
water into the sluice. Long Lake is likewise 
connected with Turkey- Foot Lake, making it 
also a part of the great suppl}' reservoir. These 
discharge through Long Lake into the Tusca- 
rawas, a little south of the center of the town- 
ship. This point was also made the terminus 
of the Portage path by the Indians, because the 
accession of waters from these lakes made the 
river navigable at all seasons to this point for 
their birch canoes. Being nearly on a level 
with the canal, a dam and a supply race or 
feeder were built, by means of which a never- 
failing supply was delivered into the canal. 

These lakes, creeks, and the Tuscarawas, form 
a most complete system of drainage. Aside 
from some low lands along the natural depres- 
sion in which the township was located, the 
township is quite free from waste lands. The 
soil is generall}' fertile, and especiall^^ in the 
southern part, where it is considered the best 
wheat land in the Reserve. Along the valley 
of the Tuscarawas are beautiful meadows, and, 
in the spring and summer seasons, the rich 
verdure relieved by occasional patches of tim- 
ber left to remind one of what it was fift}' years 
ago, forms as pleasant a sight as often meets 
the eye of the lover of the beautiful in natural 
scenery. In the northern part the soil is more 
inclined to clay, and is better adapted to gen- 
eral husbandry and stock raising. 

The geological structure presents many in- 
teresting features. The ridge or divide which 
crosses the township, anciently formed part of 
the beach of a great inland sea which extended 
over the entire basin now occupied by our 
chain of great lakes. One of several outlets 
to this sea, in all probabilit}^, cut through this 
divide and followed the lowlands to the Tus- 
carawas, which at that remote time conducted 
the overflow from the sea toward the gulf At 
a more recent time, after this sea had receded 
toward its present limits, the Cuyahoga passed 
through this water gap into the valley of the 
Tuscarawas, until, becoming dammed up, it cut 
for itself a new channel toward the lake, making 



the sharp curve in the river at this point. 
These facts are shown by an examination of 
the character of the deposits along this old 
channel. The surface is of drift origin, while 
underlying it we find the carboniferous forma- 
tion in full. The coal measures are overlaid 
with shale, while above this is sand rock. Im- 
mense quantities of coal are being mined in 
this township, and of an excellent quality. 
The vein averages in thickness about four and 
a half feet. There is some irregularity, how- 
ever, due, no doubt, to the uueven bottom of 
the old coal marsh, in which the vegetation it is 
formed of. was deposited, and when the overly- 
ing claj's were deposited, the coal material lay 
between the.se ridges and irregularities which 
are now found to obstruct the progress of the 
miners, and are called " horse-backs," or " hogs- 
backs." A bed of hard iron ore is found over 
nearly all the measures opened, varying from 
a few inches to a foot in thickness. Peat bogs 
are also found, some of which are said to be 
from thirty to forty feet in depth. This, by a 
process of drying, is made into an article of 
fuel, which may develop into a possible future 
supply, in case the coal measures are exhausted. 
Mr. J. F. Brunot prepared some for market, but 
it has no more than one-half the heating power 
of coal, and cannot compete with it at paying 
prices. It is an excellent fertilizer, and is of 
great value to the intelligent agriculturist. 
Shell marl is sometimes found, which is one of 
the most valuable fertilizers in the market. 
Any one finding this should test it, and ascer- 
tain its value and reap a harvest from the cat- 
swamp or marsh, that will make a garden of 
the whole farm. These peat and marl beds are 
the filled-up lakelets that ages ago occupied 
their sites, and which became overgrown with 
weeds and grasses, until they finall}' disap- 
peared. Some of them are even good meadows, 
over which cattle have roamed for j-ears. One 
of these dead lakes was discovered recently 
near Mogadore, on the route of the Connotton 
Railroad. All lakes with boggy oj' swampy 
shores, where one can shake the ground for 
rods, are in the first stages of progress toward 
the formation of peat bogs. Man}' granite 
bowlders are found, and the curious ma}' won- 
der whence the}' came. These rocks are evi- 
dences of the powerful iceberg and glacial 
agency in the distril)ution of the surfiice rocks, 
and in the formation of surface features. They 



y\- 



r^ 



:^i 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



525 



are strangers here, from the Laurentian hills of 
Canada, and tell the tale to the people of to- 
day of the wondrous changes and mighty 
forces that had played their parts in the con- 
struction of this continent. 

Before the first waves of immigration, pre- 
cursors of an overwhelming tide that was soon 
to sweep away the last vestige of a crude and 
imperfect civilization began to throw upon 
these shores the scattered settlers who were to 
form the picket line for the conquering race, 
there lived besides these lakes and streams 
bands of Indians belonging to the Delaware 
tribe. The territory over which these Indians 
roamed extended from the bend of the Cuya- 
hoga southward to the Ohio River. On the 
east was the country of the Iroquois family, or 
"Six Nations," while to the north and west lay 
the hunting-grounds of the Ottawas and W}'- 
andots. Thus we find ourselves on the borders 
of disputed grounds. The Delawares had been 
driven from the homes of their forefathers on the 
fertile banks of the Susquehanna and Delaware, 
b}^ the powerful Iroquois confederation, which 
extended from the Hudson to the valley of the 
Cuyahoga, some time in the middle of the pre- 
ceding centui'y. After wandering through 
Pennsylvania and into Ohio, they finally set- 
tled down in the beautiful valley of the Tus- 
carawas and Muskingum. They belonged to 
the great Algonquin family, which included all 
the tribes east of the Mississippi and north of 
the Tennessee, except the isolated Iroquois be- 
fore mentioned. They all spoke dialects of 
the same language, while the Iroquois had a 
different language. The Wjandots and Otta- 
was were Iroquois, but spoke a different dialect 
from the Six Nations, and were at bitter enmity 
with them, and frequentl}' combined with the 
Delawares against their kinsmen. When in- 
cursions were made to the northward, their 
route was from New Portage (their principal 
village in the north) to the southern terminus 
of the Indian trail, by canoe, thence overland 
(often carrying their canoes with them) along 
this portage path, past the western . border of 
Summit Lake, and over the hill past the pres- 
ent site of the house of Col. Simon Perkins, 
northward to the Cu3-ahoga at Old Portage, 
where they again embarked. These Delawares, 
or Lenni Lenapes, as they called themselves, 
were a brave and intelligent people. It is true 
they were at times cruel, and not very discrim- 



inating in their judgments. Many of those 
venturesome persons who preceded the actual 
settler, styled Indian hunters, met with tragic 
deatlis at their hands. 

Hopocan, or Capt. Pipe, as sometimes called, 
a Delaware chief, had his village near New 
Portage, in Coventry Township, which was con- 
sidered of much importance on account of its 
being at the head of navigation. The whites 
looked upon it in a somewhat similar manner, 
for we find that, in 1787, an ordinance was 
passed declaring the Tuscarawas navigable to 
this point, and " forever to be kept open for the 
use of the United States." By the treaty of 
Fort Mcintosh, in 1785, Coventiy, with all the 
land east of this stream, and the Cuyahoga, was 
ceded to the United States by the Indians. 
The history of the " State of Coventr}^ " begins 
with the downfall at this date of the " King- 
dom of New Portage," King Hopocan soon being 
obliged to move his headquarters west of the 
river, under the above-named treaty, which he 
signed with all the dignity of a born monarch, 
as " Hopocan, King of New Portage." This 
treaty remained in force, with onl}^ occasional 
infringements, until 1805, when the treaty of 
Fort Industry was signed, by which the west- 
ern boundary was moved further west, and the 
Indians, who remained in this territory for 
some 3'ears longer, remained b}' sufferance of 
the Government. 

The Delawares were generally friendly to the 
settlers, except when on the war-path. Hopo- 
can led them in the battle in which St. Clair 
was defeated, and he afterward declared that 
he had that day " tomahawked whites until his 
arm ached." He was at Maumee Rapids when 
" Mad Anthony " broke the spirit of the Indians 
of the northwest, who had combined to drive 
the invaders from their chosen hunting-ground. 
In 1812, Hopocan and his tribe took sides with 
the British, and when the fate of war was de- 
cided against them, he signed the treaty of 
Greenville. After lingering for a time in the 
lands which th^' had chosen, but which was 
now rapidly filling up with whites, these Dela- 
wares bade farewell to tiie iiomes they had hoped 
would be permanent, but which, alas, had proved 
to them hut, a transient resting-place in the in- 
evitable pilgrimage which fate had marked out 
for them, toward the setting-sun ! Successive 
removals followed, before the stead}" and re- 
lentless march of a higher civilization, which 



jy< 



52G 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



sweeps everything before it. The weak and 
broken remnant of a once proud and powerful 
nation was finally settled upon a small reserva- 
tion in the Indian Territory. 

In 180G, Daniel Haines eame into the un- 
settled wilderness of Coventry. He was from 
Pennsylvania, and settled on a piece of land 
near the northeast corner of the township, on 
what is now known as the Sumner farm. His 
log cabin was built in the midst of the forest, 
a little south of the site of the large stone 
house, which now occupies the sightly position 
on the hill back from the road. A small red 
house now occupies almost the exact spot, and 
thus keeps in rememlii'ance the location of the 
tirst house built by tlie hands of the paleface 
in Coventry. " Uncle Dan," as the younger 
people of that day called him, built his cabin and 
cleared a small place, where he lived happily 
in his forest home for a number of years. Ariel 
Bradley, at Mogadore, Joseph Darrow, at Dar- 
row Street, and old Deacon Hudson, at Hudson, 
were his nearest and only neighbors for a year 
or two. When the Harts and some others came 
to Middlebury, in 1811, the neighborhood began 
to get too crowded for '' Uncle Dan," and he 
sold out and went into the woods again. This 
time he settled in the central part of the town- 
ship, in a small ravine by the side of a spring, 
about a mile and a half from the north line, 
and about the same distance from the east line 
of the township, on or near what is now the 
Elias Hartong place. There he built another 
cabin and lived in peace, and raised a goodly 
family of children, who figure largel}' in the 
history of the early settlement of this sec- 
tion. The next settler of whom we have 
definite record was Capt. Amos Spicer, who 
located just north of the Haines place, in the 
northeast corner of the township. He was a 
cousin of Maj. Minor Spicer, and came at the 
same time, in 1810 or 1811. They were near 
neighbors, and were wont to go back and forth 
almost daily to see that all was well with the 
respective families. At this jtime there were 
a number of settlers in the vicinity, some at 
Middlebur}-, and a few in Portage Township, 
in the neighborhood in which Akron is now 
located, so that they were not so much alone in 
the world as " Uncle Dan '' had been for some 
years l)efore. Still they felt isolated from the 
world outside of their little settlement, and cut 
off from friends and acquaintances, and wh}' 



should they not feel so, for were they not em- 
barked in an uncertain venture, in a wild and 
untrained country ? Many anecdotes are re- 
lated of the skill with which the old Captain 
could avoid the difficulties of living in a region 
where men were obliged to depend upon their 
own resources and ingenuity in the emergencies 
that daily arose. One incident in which he 
figured as an actor was related to us by an old 
settler. It seems that an old bear made a raid 
on the pig-pen of Maj. Spicer. and carried off 
the squealing porker to the ravine in the edge 
of the cemetery, where he proceeded to make a 
meal. After satisfying himself, he left the re- 
mains for the morrow, and betook himself to 
his ramblings. But Avery Spicer, a boy of 
twelve, caught bruin in the act, and straightway 
ran to get Capt. Spicer to help to capture him. 
They soon matured a plan, which was to set a 
gun-trap, so that when he returned to get the 
rest of his pork (as the}' had no doubt he would), 
he would shoot himself They loaded their 
muskets with big loads, putting in several balls, 
and placed them on forks driven in the ground, 
just high enough to be in range with the bear, 
should he get upon their strings at any point. 
Three of these guns were set with strings from 
the triggers, running over little forks to the dead 
hog. After having everything arranged, they 
retired to the house to await developments. In 
the night, they were startled by the report of 
one of the old muskets, and. on going out, they 
found the bloody trail of bruin leading down 
the ravine. They followed cautiously for some 
rods, when they came upon the dying thief 
The old musket had sent its load clear through 
him. Such adventures formed the spice and 
variet}' of life to these old pioneers, and they 
enjoyed an occasional diversion from the routine 
of wood-chopping and clearing. 

About this time, Jesse Allen bought out old 
Daniel Haines, and settled by the side of Capt. 
Spicer. This was also in 1811, and shortly 
after, Nathaniel Allen, his half-brother, came 
in south of them, and bought the farm that is 
now the Philemon Allen farm. Jesse Allen 
was the first Justice of the Peace in the town- 
ship, in which capacity he served for many 
years. In 1815, Israel Allen also came into 
the same neighborhood, and was also a Justice 
of the Peace for many years. Nathaniel and 
his good wife, " Aunt Massey," as the boys 
called her, planted the first orchard in the 



"Tfc 






COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, 



527 



township, and some of the trees or stumps are 
still standing. They were not such fine grafted 
fruit as we have at the present time, but the}' 
were the best they could get, simply " seed- 
lings," raised in the garden from seeds gath- 
ered wherever they could get the fruit. Here, 
in after years, they had a cider-mill, the first 
one in the Section, where, whoever had apples, 
came to get cider made, and those who had 
none came and bought of the Aliens, who had 
a large orchard. People came here from ten or 
twelve miles in all directions to get cider. 
Here, surrounded by their children, their broth- 
ers and families, they lived and died, after 
witnessing many wonderful changes that the 
next half a century produced on all sides of 
them. Their sons and daughters grew up, 
married, and their children are among the peo- 
ple who to-day are performing the work allot- 
ted to this generation. Another settler in this 
part of the township was Maj. Hart, who bought 
what is at present known as the Stillwell 
place. Stephen Brewster settled just south of 
the Nathaniel Allen place, at an early day, on 
what is now the land of the Brewster broth- 
ers. The old coal-bank of Alexander Brewster 
was one of the first in the township, and has 
been in operation for many years. It was 
originallj' opened by a Mr. Whittlesey, who 
leased the place, but afterward the lease was 
bought off, and since that time it has been op- 
erated by Alexander Brewster or his sons. 
Stephen Brewster's sister married old John 
Bellows, and they settled near there at about 
the same time, and the two families raised their 
childi'en here, where the}' lived for many years 
and died, to be succeeded by their descendants, 
who still own the most of the lands their fath- 
ers or grandfathers cleared. Ithamore Bel- 
lows, who is looked upon as an old settler, 
though a son of the John Bellows before men- 
tioned, when he reached manhood took up land 
in the woods, back to the westward of the Allen 
neighborhood. He married a daughter of 
Daniel Haines, and a story is told of him that 
illustrates the methods of pioneer courtship. 
During the winter of 1815, two young fellows 
came over from Green Township to split rails 
for some settlers -in the neighborhood. One 
evening they followed young Ithamore through 
the woods to the log cabin of " Uncle Dan," 
where, unconscious of pursuit, he entered the 
house, and the spies secreted themselves so 



that they could see the proceedings on the in- 
side as they transpired. Late in the evening, 
" Cupid " was making rapid strides toward 
match-making, and the curtain ought to have 
been down, when a laugh from the outside in- 
terrupted proceedings. Young Bellows seized 
his hat and gave chase. We are led to sus- 
pect that one or both of these fellows engaged 
in this shabby trick was smitten by the same 
fair face. But Ithamore came out winner. 
William Triplet lived west of the Brewster 
place, and opened probably the first coal-bank 
in the township. It was a thin vein, however, 
and was abandoned after the Brewster bank 
was opened. His father settled in Green Town- 
ship, and William came over into Coventry and 
settled, where he lived and died. Another of 
the boys lived farther south, but we could not 
learn the name ; but, after his father died, the 
mother came up and lived on this son's farm. 
She had a little house whei'e she lived alone, 
not far from the log schoolhouse that used to 
stand near the Gregg farm. Here the sciiool 
children went for water, but they were always 
quiet and orderly, for they were afraid of "Old 
Granny Triplett." 

Basil Viers, the ancestor of the numerous 
families of that name who still live in various 
parts of the township, located near William 
Triplett's place, west of Stephen Brewster. He 
was among the very first settlers, and is remem- 
bered only by the old, gray-haired patriarchs of 
to-day. Just this side of the little log cabin in 
which Dan Haines lived, Wheeler Heniman 
located, on the place now known as the " Beck 
Farm," on what might be called South Main 
Street Extension. Little is known definitely 
about him as to where he came from, but he is 
spoken of as a good neighbor, and was well 
thought of Adam Falor settled in the northern 
center, just east of South Main street, in the 
hollow not far from the rolling-mill. He built 
and run a distillery, the first and, as far as we 
are able to find, only one in the township. It 
was located where the old stone house stood, 
through which the Brewster Coal Railroad cut 
its way just after passing under the track of 
the N." Y., P. & 0. R. R. Here the sturdy old 
settlers came from all the country around to 
get the necessary material for raising barns and 
houses, as well as for running the husking bee, 
and other social gatherings. Here Adam and 
his wife Eve lived in peace, never dreaming of 



) "S* 



Xt 



k 



52S 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



"temperance societies," "crusaders," or Mur- 
pliy pledges. They raised a family, many rep- 
resentati\'es of whom are still living in that 
neighborliood. Abram Falor, a son of Adam 
and Eve above-mentioned, built a saw-mill on 
what is now known as Falor's Run, whei'e he 
did a good business for many years. Chester 
Judd was another early settler who came into 
this same section some time before the year 
1820, though that is the time at which we find 
him located just beyond the Adam Falor place. 
Peter and Moses Osburn, brothers, also lived 
adjoining, and near neighbors to Judd. Little 
could be learned in regard to them, as we find 
none of their descendants in the township. 
Thomas Grranger, an old Revolutionary- pen- 
sioner who lived like a king on the credit 
he got on account of his $8 per month 
from the Government, built his log cabin just 
beyond the railroad, on the present Moses 
Falor farm. Granger, with some half dozen 
other pensioners from neighboring townships, 
often congregated at the little store at Middle- 
bury, where they traded out their pension 
money, and had a gay time recounting the 
wonderful adventures in which they had par- 
ticipated to the gaping crowd of younger peo- 
ple, who are always eager to listen to anything 
that sounds of war. It is said that their stories 
rivaled those of Baron Munchausen in the mar- 
velous, and the}- themselves, like the old Baron, 
even came to believe in the truth of their won- 
derful yarns. In the northwestern part of the 
township several families had located at an 
early day, before 1820 at least, though the 
exact date could not be ascertained. Among 
them was Old Basil Cahow, a ftimily of Roots, 
a large family of Hethmans, Seibert Dodge and 
Samuel Nash. One of the sons of old man 
Hethman was for a good many years Justice of 
the Peace. He was an old bachelor, and is 
remembered by many as an eccentric but intel- 
ligent and well-read man. Samuel Nash kept 
a kind of tavern just beyond the Dodge farm. 
This was the first tavern in the towmship, and 
it consisted of nothing more than the log cabin 
of the settler and a stable for the horses, but 
they made the tired traveler welcome, and fed 
man and beast with the best the land aflTorded. 
In 1819, William W. Laird built himself a 
cabin on the banks of the Tuscarawas at New 
Portage, and began the construction of flat- 
boats to run on the river. Henry Chittenden, 



of Springfield, Abram Norton, of Middlebury. 
and Philander Adams, of Tallniadge, at tlie 
same time became contractors and speculators 
in the produce of the country, which they 
bought up of the farmers all over the country 
and hauled to New Portage, and shipped on 
Laird's boats to New Orleans. This seems 
almost incredible to those who know the present 
Insignificant size of the river at this point. 
But such was the case, as we learn from the 
old people, who still remember this river as a 
turbulent stream, which, at certain seasons, it 
was impossible to ford, and which at all times 
was a goodly stream. Now, however, it has 
sadly fallen, and the little school-boys wade 
across its pebbly bed or catch the minnows 
which sport in its shallow waters. Shortly 
after the starting of this new industry and the 
opening of New Portage as a port, one Ambrose 
Palmer and a Dr. Clark settled in what they 
considered the future metropolis, and started a 
glass factory, the site of which is in that part 
of New Portage located in Norton Township. 
It was in operation for several years, and 
turned out considerable quantities of glassware. 
Its history, however, is more particularly given 
in the chapter on Norton Township. The}- 
finally abandoned the glass business, and 
Palmer left for the West, where he died, in the 
Mormon settlement in Utah. Talmon Beards- 
ley, who was for a good many years a resident 
of the township, and some twelve years its 
Clerk, and about the same period Justice of the 
Peace, has in his possession a quart bottle 
which was turned out from this establishment 
in 1822. It is large at the base, and has a long, 
tapering neck, with a peculiar flare at the top. 
The glass is a good article, but has a yellowish 
green cast. 

In 1821, Van R. Humphreys, a young attor- 
ney, located in New Portage, thinking, with 
many others, that it was destined to be the 
principal city in Northern Ohio. But he soon 
became satisfied of his mistake and abandoned 
the new city, finally settling in Hudson. He 
was at one time Judge of the Court of Com- 
mon Pleas for this county. One of the first 
settlers at New Portage was Michael Dixon, 
who came there in 1814 or 1815. He lived 
there during the rise and fall of the varying 
waves of prosperity that came upon this, the 
only town and capital of the " State of Cov- 
entry," as this was wont to be called. He 



w^ 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



529 



shared not only its prosperity but also its ad- 
versit}^ for he remained long after its star had 
set and its prospects sunk into insignificance. 
At a later period, Mr. Viers sought to revive 
its waning prospects by laying out an addition, 
which was to grow and swallow up the old 
town and retrieve its sinking fortunes. One 
lot was sold to Jacob Brown, after whom it 
was proposed to name the place Brownville. 
But Fate did not smile upon the project, for 
but one house was built in the place, which was 
afterward for many years used as a match fac- 
tor}'. Such is the hard fate of many a beauti- 
ful prospective city. One other character must 
be mentioned before we leave the town. Joe 
Keeler was not only a celebrated Mormon 
preacher, but also a notorious passer of coun- 
terfeit money. He built a brick house near the 
canal bridge, where he lived in the purity of 
his faith for years, or until " religious perse- 
cution " thi'eatened to send him to Columbus. 
Jacob Kepler was one or Coventry's pioneers ; 
he settled early in the century in the south- 
western part of the township, and is still living, 
surrounded by the numerous family of children 
and grandchildren, who own some of the finest 
and most profitable farms in the entire town- 
ship. Many are the stories that this old settler 
can tell of the hardships and adventures of 
those early days. Here also came the Harters, 
another family of pioneers, and the Wagoner 
family settled in the same corner, west of the 
Long Lake. In the southeast corner, the earlier 
settlers were David Lee, Fred Hevener, Henry 
Billman, John Buchtel, Daniel Pontius, Dan 
Rex, and possibly' a few others. 

One of the events of the season in those 
days was the periodical coming of the itinerant 
shoemaker, one of whom — Dan Burns — fre- 
quented this corner of the township. He car- 
ried his tools and stock from place to place, and 
while there he generalh^ shod the entire family, 
living as one of the family meanwhile ; then 
he would take the next on the list, and serve 
them, and so on, until he had finished his list. 
Those coming late to engage him were often 
obliged to go barefoot until after mid-winter on 
account of their negligence. 

John Haines, a son of old Daniel Haines, was 
the first or pioneer preacher in the township. 
He was of the Baptist faith, though holding 
the " fore-ordination doctrine " of the Presby 
terians. This, however, he afterward renounced, 



saying that he had a revelation while hoeing 
corn, in which he was convinced of the error of 
that doctrhie, and the old man is said to have 
cried when he thought of the many people to 
whom he had preached it, and to whom he 
could not preach the new revelation. He often 
went oflT to the neighboring townships to pro- 
claim the "glad tidings" to the backwoodsmen 
and their families. On Sunday mornings he 
could be seen making his way to some log 
cabin or schoolhouse near home, where he 
would preach to his friends and acquaintances. 
Then he would start through the woods, follow- 
ing some path, crossing streams on fallen logs, 
until he reached a place where some old settler 
had promised to meet him with a horse or 
wagon, when they would journe}- on together. 
The waters of Summit Lake seemed to suit 
his idea of a baptising medium, and many was 
the young convert to the doctrines which he 
taught, who came from far and near to go 
through the ceremony of baptism. Here Cath- 
arine Buchtel and Nancy Richards came from 
Green Township in 1824, and were led into the 
lake and immersed, both of whom are still liv- 
ing " to testif}^ to the faith that was in them." 
Another pioneer preacher of the same faith was 
Elder Derthick, or, as the impious and irrever- 
ent young sinners of those days used to call 
bim, "Old Deathhook." He settled on the 
Abel Allen place, where he liv^ed and expounded 
the truth to the residents of the northeast. 
Many of the old residents remember to have 
gone to the schoolhouses often to hear him 
preach. One of his favorite places was the 
Falor Schoolhouse. Here one of the oldest 
cemeteries is located, and all the old settlers of 
the neighborhood were laid here, " to sleep the 
sleep that knows no waking," until Gabriel 
shall blow the trump that is to quicken these 
old bodies with the "life immortal." To these 
two men the earlier settlers owed a debt of 
gratitude, at least, for their unselfish devotion 
to the cau§e of religion during all these years 
of trials and hardships. In after years, when 
the soil had been broken, others came in and 
carried the bannei'S. 

Several churches have been built in different 
parts of the township. Perhaps the oldest is 
Wesle}' Chapel, on the banks of the Tuscarawas 
at Pleasant Valle}', a place which at one time 
bore the fateful name of " Sodom." Another 
at Thomastown belongs to the Welsh, who pre- 



>f^ 



530 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



dominated in that place. There is also a church 
and cemetery just west of the Center, toward 
New Portage, and also one west of the reser- 
voir, on the place owned by Benjamin Bowers. 
In the cemeter}- back of each one may read 
much of the history of the early settlers. The 
moss-covered slab tells the tale of the sweep of 
old Time's scythe more truly than could be writ- 
ten by our feeble pen, and the little mounds, 
with the short records and dates, tell to the 
wanderer through these silent resting-places of 
the recklessness with which Death marked as 
his own the old and the young indiscriminately. 
Another character who played a conspicuous 
part in the very early settlement was Liber- 
tine Dixon, the Indian hunter and fighter. Be- 
tween this man and the red men, a deadly ha- 
tred existed, which often led to the shedding 
of blood. Dixon lived for many years in Mid- 
dlebury or near there, but his time was spent 
largely in the woods with his invariable com- 
panion, a long, ungainly looking rifle, which 
he always spoke of with respect, calling it by 
the peculiar name of " Starling." Many are 
the stories of wild, reckless disregard of human 
life, which are told of Libertine Dixon, or 
rather of his gun " Starling." He seemed to 
feel as though an}' Indian who had an oppor- 
tunity would shoot him as quick as he would 
a wolf, and acting upon that supposition, he 
always tried to get the first chance. One inci- 
dent illustrating both this feeling, and his re- 
gard for his gun, was told by an old gray- 
haired man who knew him well and knew of 
the particular time mentioned. One day in 
1815, the narrator of this story was in Middle- 
bury Mills, to see after some sawing, grinding 
or something, at any rate, which called him to 
the mill, when some Indians were seen to come 
into the town and stop at the grocery, where 
Dixon was. As they entered at the front door, 
he came out the back way and hastily went to 
his cabin, saying that the Indians were after 
him, and if they wanted to see him they should 
come for him in the woods. He took his gun, 
ammunition and some dried beef and was gone, 
and did not return for some time; when he did, 
he told this story to our informant : " I went 
into the woods and kept low until the}- left, 
when I followed them, but kept myself so con- 
cealed that they did not suspect me. They 
were, however, on the lookout for some one, and 
scouz-ed the woods, until finally the}"* seemed to 



give it up, and started toward Old Portage. 
One, however, watched the ravine closely where 
the Big Cuj'ahoga flows through the chasm near 
the Big Falls, and once, as he was hanging by one 
arm over the precipice holding to a hemlock 
tree on the edge of the rock, and looking closely 
up and down the valley, I stepped out from 
behind a big chestnut and 'Starling' spoke to 
him. But ' Old Starling ' spoke so suddenly 
that it scared the fellow, and he jumped oft' the 
bank on to the rocks below some forty feet and 
killed himself After awhile, I went up to 
him and as he didn't seem to want his gun and 
other things an}' longer, I took them." At 
another time, when he was hunting down by 
Long Lake in Coventr}', he stepped to the edge 
of the lake, when he discovered an Indian fish- 
ing from a birch canoe. He jumped behind a 
ti'ee and Old Starling thought he would speak 
to the fellow. The Indian was so frightened 
that he uttered a terrific yell and jumped into 
the lake. The smoke had hardl}' cleared away 
when another Indian, a companion probably, 
who was making afire on the bank above, came 
rushing down to see what his companion had 
shot. While he was looking after his friend, 
Dixon slipped away and disappeared. He also 
shot one on a little lake west of East Liberty, 
whose yell can be heard frequently on moon- 
light nights even to this da}', and many times 
would the young people of that neighboriiood 
go miles around rather than pass that little 
lake, from fear of hearing the unearthly yell of 
the murdered Indian or seeing his shadowy 
form gliding over the smooth surface of the 
lake in his birchen canoe, that made " not a 
ripple as he passed." So goes the story, at 
least, and no believer in ghosts and hobgoblins 
has any reason to cast discredit on so well 
authenticated a story as the above. Many of 
the Dixons who live in Coventry are descended 
from this old Indian hunter. 

Between 1815 and 1820, Ben Haines, a son 
of Dan Haines and a brother of the pioneer 
preacher, built a rude grist-mill on the Tusca- 
rawas, near the place where the Steese Coal 
Railroad crosses the river, and on the David 
Jones farm. The dam crossed the valley where 
the road now runs. The old race can still be 
seen on the west side of the road just south of 
the bridge, and some of the old timbers still 
remain to mark the place where the first mill 
of the township was built. Possibly Ben 



^^ 



fc* 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



531 



Haines might have built up a good business 
had he attended strictly to it, but it soon run 
down, and at last, for a number of j'ears, he 
occupied himself in studying on " perpetual 
motion," that bane of many inventive geniuses. 
A story is told of Ben's "machine" which we 
do not vouch for, but give as we heard it : At 
one time the builder thought he had succeeded 
(and perhaps he had, who liuows ?) at any rate 
be agreed to let some parties see it, if they 
would swear eternal secrecy, which thej^ agi'eed 
to do when he conducted them into the old 
tumble-down mill and started liis machine. It 
was constructed in some odd way b}^ an ar- 
rangement of iron balls, chains, wheels, etc. It 
started otf in good style, but began soon to go 
with accelerated speed, until the men who had 
been called in ran out as if to save their lives, 
for the " machine " became wild, and made a 
terrible din. Old Ben himself became fright- 
ened, and in order to stop it he threw a green 
handspike into the midst of the flying wheels, 
which broke it in such a way as to render it 
harmless at least, and it is said that old Ben 
never tried it again. 

The mill now known as the Steese or Brews- 
mill, situated on the Tuscarawas River, on 
the Springfield line, was not built until 1834-35, 
b3' John Wyley. Before its construction, the 
people in this part of Coventry and neighboring- 
townships were obliged to go to Middlebur}' 
mills, or to the Emerley mill in Franklin 
Township, at the foot of Turkey Foot Lake. 
This latter mill site was destroyed when the 
reservoir was constructed, but in 1842, or there- 
about, the State mill was built, utilizing the 
overflow from the reservoir and furnishing bet- 
ter accommodations to the farmers of this sec- 
tion. The first saw-mill was the one built by 
Abram Falor, on '' Falor Run," mentioned 
before. Another earl}^ mill was one built by 
Daniel Rex, a little west of the feeder dam, which 
supplies the reservoir on the Tuscarawas River, 
near Steese's coal bank. Another was in pro- 
cess of construction at quite an earl}' day a 
little above this, the old race of which can still 
be seen near the road that runs east and west 
past " Wesley Chapel." This was built b}- John 
Buchtel, Sr., taking the water from the river just 
back of "Wesley Chapel" Cemetery. It run west 
some half a mile, and discharged again into the 
river near the place where the railroad of Stam- 
baugh, Tod & Co. crosses the river. But this 



was never finished, owing to delays that held it 
in an unfinished condition until the feeder came 
in there and their dam was built just below, 
which backed the water on them and spoiled the 
site. 

The first frame house is sand to have been 
built by one of the Aliens, on the road to Mid- 
dlebury, and it was the wonder and admiration 
of the young people of several townships, some 
of whom made trips of a dozen miles to see it. 

Of the early schools very little can be said, 
except that the houses were rude log struct- 
ures, with a great fire-place in one end built on 
the outside, after the fashion of the day. The 
benches were made of logs split in halves and 
legs put in on the round side, while the split 
side was smoothed up with an ax. Not a plane 
ever touched them, and they were not the most 
comfortable seats in the world. It was not 
necessary to resort to bent pins, the school- 
boy's device, in order to produce a sensation, 
for all that was required was to pinch some one 
and get him to slide along the bench. Some 
of the bad boys are said to have lined the 
seats of their pantaloons with large pieces of 
leather for their protection, both from the 
roughness of the benches and the roughness of 
the "teacher's ferule. There were no fine desks 
with all the furniture of a modern schoolhouse, 
but simply these benches, along which the 
children ranged themselves, and which had to 
serve the double purpose of seat and desk, each 
pupil piling his books and slate on the seat be- 
side him. These seats of learning were in the 
midst of the forest, near some road (or path, 
along which the settlers expected to make a 
road some time). The pupils gathered from 
all directions, coming through the woods by 
paths known only to themselves, crossing the 
streams on logs or fallen trees. On one occa- 
sion, in time of high water, a family of some 
half a dozen children, were crossing on a fallen 
tree when the youngest, a little girl, becoming 
dizzy, fell into the rushing water and was be- 
ing whirled rapidly down stream, when in 
plunged her older brother, who swam lustily 
after her, finally capturing her some rods be- 
low, bringing her safely to shore ; after which 
they hastened on to school, instead of going 
home again, and dried their clothes by the fire 
in the schoolhouse. This shows that even the 
children thought little of such hardships and 
paid little heed to mishaps that would produce 






J^^ 



532 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



consternation in a whole neighborhood to-day. 
One of these pioneer school houses was situated 
not far from the center of the township, and 
was known as the " Tamarack Schoolhouse." 
In this old log building the town meetings and 
elections were frequently held. During those 
early times, they were not so precise as they 
are now, as to the exact place of holding elec- 
tions, which were held here and there to suit 
the convenience of the people. There was an 
early schoolhouse in the woods on what is now 
the Sol. Renninger place, on the road just 
west of the Grregg place. These were built, 
probably, between 1820 and 1825. Then the 
Falor and the Allen Schoolhouses were also 
quite early, the dates of which I am unable to 
learn. 

This township was first organized in 1808, as 
a part of Springfield, which was then a part of 
Trumbull County. This county was afterward 
divided and Portage County formed, of which 
our township continued to form a part until 
1840, when Summit County was erected, and 
Coventr}', with nine other townships, was taken 
from Portage County. Two of the early officers 
of this township are still living, viz., Avery 
Spicer and Talmon Beardsley ; possibl}^ many 
others, whose modesty forbade them to men- 
tion it, but who will be remembered by manj^ 



who read this sketch, as having rendered gra- 
tuitous service to their fellows in some of the 
various capacities. Some years ago, a fine 
town hall was built near the center, on the hill 
above the canal, at the famous " Waterloo Gro- 
cery." Here now the town meetings and elec- 
tions are held. 

When we seek to understand the whole sig- 
nificance of a recital of the facts and incidents 
relating to these previous generations, we must 
bear in mind that we owe to these same people 
the many advantages we enjoy. They came 
and conquered the wilderness, and made it to 
blossom as the rose. It is true that ignoi'ance 
and superstition prevailed, and a crude, imper- 
fect civilization took the place of the savage 
state ; but they were in unison with their sui*- 
roundings, and consistent in all respects. They 
were neither ahead of, nor yet behind the age in 
which they lived. It would not become us to 
belittle their labors ; but rather should we extol 
them, for they underwent the hardships, while 
we I'eap the harvest and enjoy the benefits ; 
they strove to make tolerable the path in life 
along which they were to travel, while we strive 
to enjoy the many advantages which are ours, 
not as the result of our own exertions, but be- 
cause our lot was cast in the middle of the nine- 
teenth century instead of a century before. 



CHAPTER XXI.* 

BOSTON TOWNSHIP— ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS— TOPOGRArHY AND GKOLOGY— OHGANIZATION AND 

FIRST SF/PTLEMRNT— COUNTERFEITING AND UNDERGROUND RAILROAD— G1U)WTH 

OF INDUSTRIES- VILLAGES— SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. 




IT is not generally known, even by those 
living in the northeast corner of the State, 
how the land of the Western Reserve became 
parceled out among its various owners, or how 
it came to pass that citizens in Connecticut 
sometimes found themselves in possession of 
tracts separated the entire length of the Re- 
serve. Accompanying this volume will be 
found a detailed description of the manner in 
which this was accomplished. It may be prop- 
erly stated here that the lands of the Reserve 
were divided into 400 shares, valued at $3,000 
each, and that residents of Connecticut could 
purchase, if their means were limited, a frac- 

*Con(ributed by W. A. Goodspeed. 



tion of a share, or, on the other hand, could 
purchase as many shares as they desired and 
could bu3\ It was often the case that several 
citizens formed themselves into a com pan}-, 
each contributing as much as he could, or as 
much as he desired, and all together suflScient 
to purchase one township, or perhaps one 
share. The membei's of the company would 
decide among themselves as to their order of 
choice out of the tract purchased. Some 
townships were " equalizing townships." That 
is. inasmuch as they were inferior to the aver- 
age township, they were either divided into 
tracts which were distributed to other inferior 
townships to make the latter equal to the aver- 



~r^ 



■k^ 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



533 



age, or portions in other parts of the Reserve 
were attached to them to make them equal in 
value to the average. 

Boston was an "equalizing township." It 
was divided into three tracts (and perhaps oth- 
ers) which were attached to other townships. 
It was decided by a committee appointed for 
the purpose, that, from the fact that Boston 
was crossed by the Cu^-ahoga River, and by 
ranges of steep bluffs which could never be 
cultivated, it was unequal to the average, and 
it was accordingly distributed to others. Tract 
1, lying in the northwest corner, was attached 
to Eaton Township, Lorain County, and was 
owned by Judge Jared Kirtland, Mr. Blinn 
and others. Tract 2, in the southwest corner, 
was attached to Columbia Township, Lorain 
County, and was owned by a company of five 
men, as follows : Harmon, Levi and x\zor 
Bronson, Calvin Hoadley and Jared Pritchard. 
It is not remembered how the land east of the 
river was divided and owned, except that He- 
man Ely possessed the greater portion. When 
Tract i was surveyed by its owner, Judge 
Kirtland, it was found to have a surplus of 200 
acres ; whereupon he instructed his survej'or, 
Alfred Wolcott, to survey Tract 2, and this 
was found to have an excess of 400 acres. 
The Judge immediately shouldered the respon- 
sibility of equalizing the two tracts, by sever- 
ing 129 aci'es from Tract 2 and attaching them 
to Tract 1. This equalizing tract was soon 
afterward sold to Robert and Thomas Brannan, 
a barrel of whisky being given in part pa}'- 
raent. But, when Harmon Bronson came to 
the township and found a portion of his land 
occupied and claimed bj^ the Brannans, he 
commenced an action of ejectment, and, after 
considerable annoyance, succeeded in having 
Kirtland's equalizing act set aside and the 
Brannans ousted. The Kirtland tract was sur- 
veyed into nine lots ; the Bronson tract into 
ten ; and all that portion of the township east 
of the river into forty-five. 

When the first settlers came to the township, 
the prospect was anything but encouraging. 
The Cuyahoga River, then a marshy stream 
that overflowed its banks altogetlier too often 
for the happiness or prosperity of the settler, 
passed northward across the township a short 
distance west of the center. Along the adja- 
cent valley were frequent bogs and marshes of 
decaying vegetable matter, that, under the heat 



of the summer sun, threw off noxious vapors 
to poison and contaminate the air. A large 
portion of the township was cut by narrow, 
deep gorges and ravines, that were overhung 
by precipitous ridges and hills, covered with a 
heavy forest, and having a heavy, sterile soil 
that gave no word of encouragement or prom- 
ise to the backwoodsman. The woods were 
filled with wild animals, and, what was equall}- 
a cause for apprehension of danger, bands of 
Indians were near that might begin the work 
of slaughter at Siuy moment. Markets and 
mills were miles distant, and the journe}' by 
team through the woods was rendered so slow 
and harassing b}' reason of mud and fallen 
timber, that the distance was practically doub 
led. It became evident — painfully so — that 
the settler must rel}' largely upon his rifle 
to supply his family with, very often, only the 
bare necessities of life. Thus was the settler 
surrounded with discouragements, disappoint- 
ments, and apparently unending future priva- 
tions. But he fortunately possessed unbend- 
ing resolution, dauntless courage, and incredi- 
ble hardihood, and the pleasant homes we have 
to-day were founded by him. 

It is well to notice the topographical and 
phj'sical features of Boston before proceeding 
further with its settlement and improvement. 
It is five miles square, with the exception of about 
three hundred acres,which a number of 3'ears ago, 
were taken from the center of the northern side 
and attached to Northfield for school purposes. 
The Cuyahoga enters the township from the 
south, about a mile east of the southwest cor- 
ner, passing in a zigzag course to within about 
half a mile of the center, thence flowing west 
of north and leaving the township one mile 
and a quarter east of the northwest corner. 
The river valley- varies in width from a few 
rods to a mile, and though now almost wholly 
cleared and under cultivation, was once heavily 
timbered and extremeh' wet. The vallej' is 
skirted with precipitous bluffs, which can never 
be used except as grazing land, and which ex- 
tend back from the valley more than half a 
mile. The Waverly group of rocks is exposed 
thi'oughout the township, moi'e especially along 
the river, where inexhaustible beds of splendid 
stone abound. Along the river in the northern 
part the Erie shale is exposed, while in the 
eastern part where the Waverly group first 
comes to the surface, ledges of sandstone con- 



•^ (S~ 



Tv 



534 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



glomerate rise perpendicularly above the sur- 
rounding country, in some cases sixty or sev- 
enty feet. These ledges stand isolated and 
alone, far separated from their kindred strata, 
monuments to the eroding effects of time. 
Numerous small streams enter the river from 
the east, among which are Salt Creek, Richey's 
Run, Haskell's Run, Peninsula Run and Stan- 
ford's Run. The principal ones from the west 
are Oil Run, Slippery Run and Furnace Run.' 
A few small tamarack swamps were to be seen 
in early days in different parts of the township, 
but these have been drained, and a few of 
them are now under cultivation. When the 
settlers first came to the count}', a tract of 
land comprising thirty or forty acres, lying in 
the valley on the east side of the river a short 
distance below the center, was cleared of trees, 
and was under cultivation. It was an Indian 
corn-field, and it is stated that in about 1804, 
settlers living in Hudson went to this field and 
purchased corn of the natives. How long the 
field had been under cultivation is not known. 
A few stone implements, evidently used in till- 
ing the field, are occasionally turned up by the 
plow. Long before the whites came into the 
Northwest Territory', Boston was the site of 
large Indian villages, the evidences still remain- 
ing of their humble habitations. Going back 
still farther — back to an unknown age of the 
world — that peculiar, mysterious people known 
as Mound-Builders, whose gigantic earth and 
stone works excite so much curiosity and spec- 
ulation, dwelt in the valley of the Cuyahoga, 
as is shown by the mounds, sacred, militar}- 
and festival, which are scattered along the 
bluffs on either side of the river. What these 
two races had to do with Boston will be found, 
so far as known, in a separate chapter of this 
work. One thing is certain, when the whites 
first came to the county, the Indians under 
Ponta were stilled encamped about half a mile 
north of the village of Boston, on the west 
side of the river. Half a mile south of this 
camp, on the same side of the river, the chief 
of the Ottawas — Stigwanish — was also en- 
camped with a few of his followers. A de- 
tailed description of these camps, and many 
interesting incidents connected therewith, will 
be found in the chapter above referred to. We 
now come to the first settlement made by 
whites in Boston Township. 

On or about the 1st of March, 1806, Alfred 



Wolcott, John Teale and Samuel Ewart ap- 
peared in Boston, and immediately erected a 
rudely constructed log shanty, about eight feet 
square, and of barely sufficient height on the 
interior to insure safety to the heads of the in- 
mates. This building was erected on the pres- 
ent site of the Boston Village cemetery , and was 
intended to be occupied only until the men had 
time to build better dwellings on the farms. 
Teale was a single man, but the other two had 
wives, and, perhaps, children, who were left at 
Hudson until suitable cabins for their occu- 
pancy had been erected b}' the husbands. 
These three men " bached " and did their own 
cooking, except bread, which was brougiit by 
one of their number about once a week from 
Hudson, the nearest settlement. No difficulty 
was experienced in procuring venison, wild tur- 
key, squirrel, and occasionally a delicious 
piece of bear steak. Within about two months, 
Wolcott, with the assistance of Ewart, who was 
in some way connected with him in business, 
had built a large round-log cabin, about one 
one hundred rods northeast of Boston Village. 
It seems that Wolcott had purchased tlie farm 
soon afterward settled on by Stanford, but his 
wife, whom he had just married, objecited to 
locating on the farm, stating that she was ap- 
prehensive of sickness from the proximity of a 
disagreeable swamp lying just south of where 
the cabin must be built. This objection in- 
duced the fond husband to reverse the injunc- 
tion of the bridal vows, and to exchange his 
farm for one owned by James Stanford, the 
latter being willing, as, notwithstanding the 
presence of the swamp, a fine spring of pure 
water was discovered on the premises. Wol- 
cott immediately erected a cabin on his new 
farm, and was soon as comfortably situated as 
could be expected. On the 23d of March, 
180G, James Stanford, William and Adam 
Vance, and Abner Robinson, a nephew of the 
Yances, came to the township. The Vances 
were Irishmen and old bachelors, and brought 
with them tlieir niece, a young lady named 
Eleanor Ashcroft, who came out to keep house 
for them. One cabin was erected, in which all 
these relatives resided. James Stanford owned 
land on Lot 41. This was sold to a man 
named David Cohoon, who, so far as can be 
leai'ned, did not reside in Boston, although he 
owned land there. These were the first set- 
tlers in the township. After this they con- 



^l^ 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



535 



tinued to come in about as follows, although 
the dates are not absolutely correct : Henry 
Post, Isaac and Jacob Ozmun, Moses Canning- 
ham, William Beer, Aaron sillier, Andrew 
Johnson, Robert Guy, Timothy Bishop, Jona- 
than Iddings, Lancelet Mays, James Jordan, 
John Cunningham, Andrew and Robert Don- 
aldson, John Duncan, Capt. Abraham Miller, 
Joseph Breen, John Galloway', Moses Decker, 
Jacob Morter, Samuel and Abraham Miller and 
John G. Mallet came prior to 1810 ; Samuel 
Brown, William Brown, Jonathan Williams, 
Erastus West, William Cranej' and others by 
1812 ; Elizur Loveland, John Britt, William 
Brannan, Robert Wallace, John Robinson, 
James Dean, John Menough, Abial Hovey, 
Watrous Mather, Ephraim Moody, Nathan 
Drake. Alexander Metlin, James Fitch, Uriah 
Singletar}', came prior to 1820, and the most 
of them about 1814. There also came in previ- 
ous to 1830 the following : Jesse Thompson, 
William Collier. Daniel Collier, Joseph Lamb, 
Ichabod Lindle}-, Thomas Carter, Edward Coyn, 
John L. Butler, Samuel Coffin, W. L. Rich- 
ards, John A. Ackle}^, William Downs, Elisha 
Mather, William McCreary, Henry Burnam, H. 
T. Avery, Thomas Whelen, Nathaniel Parsons, 
William McBride, James Brown, J. A. Clapp, 
Benjamin Wait, Elisha Burnett, Stephen N. 
Sargent, Henry Wetmore, Talmon Bronson. 
Don C. Mathes, William Brannan, Herman 
Bronson, Alonzo Dee, Benjamin Randall, Mar- 
tin Morton, James Rumage, Billings Robinson, 
Amos Fletcher, Caleb Carpenter, Joshua Lilli- 
bridge, Samuel Hogue, Thomas Owens, Philan- 
der Carpenter, George Leveiy and others. 

The township was first organized in 1811. 
Upon the solicitation of the citizens, the Com- 
missioners of Portage County, of which Boston 
was then a part, ordered an election of town- 
ship officers to be held at the residence of Tim- 
oth}^ Bishop, on the 15th of January, 1811. 
The following action taken on that occasion is 
found the township records : ■• The inhabitants 
of the township of Boston, having met at the 
dwelling of Timothy Bishop in said township, 
by order of the Commissioners of Portage 
County, for the purpose of electing two Justices 
of the Peace and other officers, and having 
chosen Capt. Abraham Miller, Chairman, and 
Timothy Bishop, Lancelet Mays and Jonathan 
Iddings, Judges, and Alfred Wolcott and Will- 
iam Beer, Clerks for the Justices' election, and 



Andrew Johnson and Isaac Bacon, Judges of the 
township election, and after being sworn as the 
law directs, the following gentlemen were elect- 
ed : Alfred Wolcott and Moses Cunningham, 
Justices ; William Beer, Clerk ; Aaron Miller, 
Andrew Johnson and Timoth}' Bishop, Trust- 
ees ; Jonathan Iddings and Isaac Bacon, Over- 
seers of the Poor ; Lancelet Mays, Treasurer ; 
and James Jordon, Constable. Although this 
election was held in accordance with the order 
of the Commisioners, yet the term of office 
could run only until the following April, at 
which date the following additional officers 
were elected : Alfred Wolcott and James Stan- 
ford, Fence Viewers ; Moses Cunningham and 
William Beer, Listers ; Aaron Miller, John 
Cunningham, James Stanford and Isaac Bacon, 
Supervisors ; Robert Donaldson, Constable, and 
John Duncan, Treasurer. When Boston was 
first created, and its earliest officers duly elect- 
ed, Northfield and Richfield were attached to it 
for election purposes. This will explain why 
some of Boston's first officers really resided in 
those townships. The propriety of creating 
Boston into a separate township began to be 
discussed as early as 1807. It was about this 
time that James Stanford, Alfred W^olcott, 
Samuel Ewart, John Teale, William and Adam 
Vance, and a few others, when together one 
day, began casting about them for a suitable 
name for the township, which they anticipated 
would soon be created. Mr. Ewart modestly 
suggested Ewartsville ; Mr. Wolcott thought 
Wolcottsburg a much more euphonious cogno- 
men ; the Vances, Stanford, and the others were 
silent, though it was clearly perceptible that no 
name 3'et proposed was satisfactor}*. Finally 
Mr. Stanford said : " Suppose we name it Boston, 
after old Boston in Massachusetts." This prop- 
osition seemed to please all present, and the 
name was adopted. Thus the township had its 
creation and first settlement, and now its growth 
and improvement remain to be noticed. 

It may here be stated that Boston, in com- 
mon with almost every portion of Ohio, was 
first inhabited by wandering hunters, who loved 
no society except that afforded by the forest, 
and who thought the countr} was becoming too 
thickly settled when a dozen families lived 
within as many miles. The result was that the 
settlers above referred to caught but a momen- 
tary glimpse, as it were, of these roving hunt- 
ers, as they shouldered their rifles and moved 



"e) V 



^1 



536 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



farther out into the depths of the forest. Prob- 
abl}- the most noted hunter ever in Boston, or 
perhaps in Summit County, was Jonathan Will- 
iams, who lived for short periods in several of 
the townships. He was remarkabl}' skillful and 
successful in his hunts, but perhaps the most 
distinguishing element of his character was the 
intolerable, murderous hate he bore the In- 
dians. He lost no favorable opportunity to 
shoot them down without a moment's hesita- 
tion, and, in consequence, was feared and 
shunned by them. His constant companions 
were his two dogs and a long-barreled rifle that 
carried a ball weighing nearly an ounce. His 
dogs were so thoroughly trained that they 
obeyed the slightest sign from their master, and 
were of great assistance to Williams in bloody 
conflicts with bears and other dangerous animals. 
Physically, Williams was a remarkable man. 
He was six feet in height, and his movements 
were as noiseless and graceful as those of a pan- 
ther. It was a sight to see him in the forest 
in pursuit of game of more than usual size or 
ferocity. He knew no fear, and would pene- 
trate the deepest swamps, no matter what they 
contained. He went dressed like an Indian, 
with leggings and moccasins, and always took 
pains to have his clothing so harmonize with the 
color of the forest that the Indians or game could 
not easily see him. He wore a buckskin blouse, 
serrated in front and bordered with a fringe of 
otter skin. He was swarthy-complexioned, and 
it is reported that Indian blood ran in his veins, 
and this was generally believed by those who 
knew him, though undoubtedly incorrectl}-. He 
had a wife and family, who were supported by 
his rifle. To account for his hate for the In- 
dians, the tradition is that all his relatives were 
murdered by the Indians before he came to 
Ohio, in consequence of which he is said to 
have sworn " to kill them just as long as he 
lived." The.se reports are all incorrect. On 
one occasion some trouble arose between the 
Indians and whites at Deerfield, Portage County, 
regarding a horse trade that had been made. 
An Indian, to retaliate for some real or sup 
posed injury, shot Daniel Diver in such a man- 
ner as to put out both his eyes without other- 
wise injuring him. The Indians fled to their 
camp in Boston, but were pursued by the infu- 
riated friends of the injured man. The latter 
were joined by Jonathan Williams when they 
reached Boston. The Indian culprits discov- 



ered their pursuers and continued their flight 
westward, but were overtaken in Bath and one 
of them named Nicksaw, a harmless and inno- 
cent old Indian, was instantly shot by Jonathan 
Williams. 

Other incidents will be found in this work 
of his hostility toward the Indians. One night, 
Williams, with his two dogs, went to watch a 
deer lick in southern Boston. He remained 
there all night without meeting with the desired 
success. Just as the gray light of coming day 
began to steal through the forest, his dogs be- 
came uneas}- and restless, and eyed a small 
thicket near by, in such a manner that Will- 
iams knew that something more than usual was 
concealed there. He peered cautiously through 
the leaves, and. indistinctl}', saw the shadowy 
form of some large animal crouching behind a 
small bush. His dogs remained obediently at 
his side, and raising his rifle he fired at the 
animal. A thrilling scream rang ©ut on the 
morning air, and the animal bounded off through 
the woods, swiftly followed by the dogs, which 
had been told to " go." The animal ran up a 
tree, and Williams, hurrying forward, discov- 
ered a large panther crouched on a limb about 
thirty feet above his head. He had lost all his 
rifle balls except one. This was discharged at 
the panther, but only a slight wound was made, 
as it was yet quite dark, and the animal was 
partly' concealed by the limb. The hunter, at 
first, was at a loss what to do ; but, finall}^, he 
cut a branch that would about fit his gun bar- 
rel. The limb was cut up into plugs about an 
inch long, and with these hastily -improvised 
bullets, Williams continued firing at the pan- 
ther. A settler, named Carter, living near by 
and hearing the reports, started out to ascer- 
tain the cause. He came to the spot, and, 
handing his rifle to Williams, who was standing 
in a favorable position, he told the latter to 
" bring it down." One shot was sufficient, and 
the panther fell dead to the ground. It proved 
to be one of the largest of its species, and is 
said to have measured eleven feet " from tip to 
tip." Its hide was cut in numerous places by 
the wooden bullets fired at it by Williams. 
Thomas Owens was another noted hunter, and 
often joined Williams in his hunts. When 
these two hunters " put their heads together," 
they rarely tailed in killing whatever game they 
desii'ed. Owens had no particular antipatli}- 
for the Indians, and the Indian hunting branch 



»<^ (5" 



~^ 



-51 





(^vA^ 




J^ 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



537 



of their sport was turned, without question, over 
to Williams. These two hunters often went on 
long expeditions to sections of the country 
that were wholly unsettled, and, when they re- 
turned, they were loaded with valuable hides 
and furs. Their families were the sufferers on 
these occasions. 

It was in this township that the Indian chief, 
Seneca, erected a wooden god, which was 
worshiped by his followers for many years prior 
to the advent of the settlers. When the Indians 
removed farther West in about 1812, ihis god 
was taken with them. It was proba))ly their 
god of war, as they held feasts and war-dances 
to propitiate his favor, just befoi'e starting on 
their marauding expeditions. On these occa- 
sions, an offering of tobacco was hung around 
the neck of the god, and as soon as the Indians 
were gone, some of the settlers whose taste for 
tobacco was stronger than their respect for the 
Indian deity, would steal forward and appro- 
priate the dried leaves of nicotiana tohacum. It 
is said to have been excellent tobacco. 

In 1814, the township was quite well settled. 
Cabins arose along the valley of the river and 
on the neighboring highlands, and the forest 
was disturbed by the busy hum of human life. 
Forests went down with a rapidity, which, if 
continued a few years, would entirely disrobe 
the land of its primeval covering. Wild animals 
became fewer and fewer, and soon none but 
stragglers remained. Those who were depend- 
ent on the products of the chase for subsistence 
were compelled to abandon the township, and 
depart for homes farther westward. Roads 
were laid out and cleared, that, in after years, 
were to be pressed by the feet of distant de- 
scendants of those who first worked them. The 
years rolled slowl}- by, fraught with mingled 
pleasures and privations. 

Malinda Wolcott, daughter of Alfred Wol- 
cott, is said to have been the first white female 
child born in the township. Her birth occurred 
April 14, 1807; she married Sherman Oviatt, 
and lived for many years in Hudson. The 
first male child born was Andrew J., son of 
James Stanford, his birth occurring March 27, 
1806; and Alexander I., his l)rother, was born 
Ma}' 21, 1807 It had been generally thought 
that Henry Post, Jr., whose birth occurred 
April 8, 1809, was the first white male child 
born in Boston, but this is a mistake, as shown 
b}- the dates. Mary Ann Post was the first 



one to die in the township ; her death occur- 
ring June 9, 1808. Henr}^ Post raised the first 
crop of wheat in the township; this was in 1807. 
On July 29, 1812, William Carter and Elizabeth 
Ma3^s were united in marriage, it being the 
first. Soon afterward, during the same year, 
Israel Ozmun, of Boston, was married to Susan 
Mallet, daughter of John Mallet, of Richfield. 
Abner Robinson was what was known in early 
years as " a poet." He could compose " poetry" 
on all occasions and subjects, and took special 
delight in immortalizing any wrong doing, in 
verse. Two of his neighbors were guilty of 
stealing hogs ; and this fact, coming to the 
public ear, induced some young men to hang a 
hog's skin at the door of one of the men, and a 
hog's head, with eyes protruding, at that of the 
other ; whereupon Robinson evolved the fol- 
lowing : 

"There is a man on Furnace Run, 
Who keeps a dog, but not a gun. 
In hunting hogs he takes great pride, 
He lives by the sign of 'the hog's hide.' 

"Another neighbor lives close bj^ 
And has the sign of ' the pig's eye.' 
' Hog's hide ' to ' pig's eye ' thus did say ; 
'We will steal hogs while others pray.' " 

On another occasion, in a trial before Justice 
Chaffee, when Judge Bliss was opposing coun- 
sel to Abner, the latter gave the following im- 
promptu adverse decision : 

"My name is Billings Chaffee, 
In Boston I do dwell — 
There's not a neighbor in the town, 
But wishes me in hell. 

" They say that I am partial, 
And all such stuff as this. 
That I've no judgment of vay own. 
But follow that of Bliss." 

On yet another occasion, when Jacob Morter, 
whose reputation for honesty was on the wane, 
asked Abner Robinson and Robert Mays, the 
"poet," of Richfield, to compose some verses 
on the occasion of his presentation to them of 
a gallon of metheglin, they responded as follows: 

"Abner Robinson and Rob Mays 
Are truly worth}' of groat praise ; 
For what a neiglibor does that's wrong, 
Like two d— d tools, they'll tell in song. 

"Thus, Jacob Morter, it is said. 
Steals all the corn that makes his bread ; 
And while his noiglibors are asleep, 
He prowls about and steals their sheep," 



Tv* 



538 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY, 



Morter paid the gallon of metheglin, which 
was relished by " the poets " far better than 
the former relished the " poetry."* 

Boston was for many years notorious on ac- 
count of a band of counterfeiters who made the 
deep, inaccessible gullies and ravines of the 
township their headquarters. Not only was 
silver coin counterfeited, but State bank notes, 
especially those of Indiana, were turned out by 
the bushel. Some of the most influential citi- 
zens of the township were induced to engage 
in the unlawful business, and it is even stated 
that a certain aspect of respectibility was con- 
ceded to this occupation. In 1832, the coun- 
terfeiting reached the zenith of its power and 
circulation, and at that period is said to have 
been "the most extensive banking establish- 
ment in Ohio, if not in the Union." There were 
branch offices or " banks," in Cleveland, in 
Rising Sun, Ind., in Vermont and in other sec- 
tions of country-. Coins of some heavy mate- 
rial were first manufactured and then covered 
with a thin film of silver ; or the coin was first 
prepared in plates and then stamped with a 
die of the denomination of money desired. 
Some of the dies used are now at the county 
seat. So successful were the counterfeiters in 
manufacturing and passing their money, that 
they contemplated visiting the Old World and 
even China, where they expected to exchange 
their money for the products of those countries. 
These products they expected to ship to dis- 
tant points to be sold. Their anticipations, how- 
ever, were doomed to encounter reverses and 
rebuffs. They proceeded as far as New Orleans, 
where they were detected and arrested. One 
of the men died in prison in the latter city ; an - 
other escaped, and, like the Wandering Jew, 
began an unending pilgrimage on the earth ; 
another was tried by the United States Court 
and sent to the penitentiary for ten years, but 
was pardoned by President Taylor. The last- 
mentioned offender was a resident of Boston 
and was one of its most intelligent and influen- 
tial citizens. Several of his descendants are 
yet living in the county, and are highly moral 
and upright people. Another one of the of- 
fenders died in the Ohio Penitentiary in 1838. 
Still another was sent to the same place from 
Liverpool Township, Medina County. He also 
died there. Others were prosecuted in differ- 

*From Historical Keminiscences of Summit Coun'.v by Gen. L. 
V. Bierce. 



ent parts of the State, many of whom suffered 
the extreme penalty of the law. The gang was 
at last broken up and it members scattered 
over the countr}- to repent at leisure for their 
misdeeds. It is stated that some of the most 
honored men in the county and in Cleveland 
were so connected with the unlawful business as 
to share its profits without incurring any of its 
liabilities. For many years after the gang was 
broken up, dies, counterfeit mone}', and various 
implements used in the manufacture were 
found in the ravines, and even in the houses of 
some of the citizens. There was scarcely a res- 
ident of the township who was not tempted to 
pass the coin and bills. On one occasion, a 
man with a valise came to Mr. Wait, now living 
in the northern part of Northampton, and asked 
him if he would purchase counterfeit bills on the 
State Bank of Indiana, at the same time opening 
his valise and showing it packed full of those 
bills. He offered them for sale at 25 cents on the 
dollar ; but Mr. Wait informed him that he 
had come to the wrong man, and the fellow 
departed to try his scheme on some other per- 
son. About twenty-five years ago, when a 
house belonging to one of the most respected 
citizens was torn down, a small leather bag 
filled with counterfeit coin in dollars and half- 
dollar pieces, amounting to more than a hun- 
dred dollars, was found concealed under the 
edge of the roof In the eastern part of the 
township are numerous sandstone ledges, which 
arise from the surrounding level in various 
forms and positions. Several deep, dark clefts 
or caverns are thus formed, and it is said that 
in these caves the counterfeiters were wont to 
ply their violations of the law. Evidences of 
their fires there are yet to be seen, and a few iron 
implements, evidently used in counterfeiting, 
were found a number of years ago. A great 
many other intei'esting incidents might be nar- 
rated, if lack of space did not prevent. 

It is said that, as late as 1860, an old orchard 
which had been planted by the French or Indi- 
ans was yet standing near Boston village. The 
trees were quite large, and were bearing when 
the white settlers first came to the township. 
How long they had been planted is not known. 
Of course, the fruit was none of our grafted 
and improved varieties, but was no doubt 
produced from seed obtained at some of the 
frontier settlements. This was the oldest orch- 
ard in the county. 



^ — 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



539 



The settlers, when they first came in, usually 
drove a few head of cattle, hogs, and, perhaps, 
sheep ; but the latter were found too tender to 
withstand the trials brought upon them by a 
home in the wilderness, and usually' died — 
those that did not furnish a repast for the 
wolves and bears. A team of horses was usu- 
ally brought, although many a settler came to 
the forests of Ohio with nothing save his rifle 
and his ax. When Abial Hove}' appeared in 
the township he had no horse, and was told 
that he could have one by purchase from Will- 
iam Beers. But Mr. Hovey told Mr. Beers 
that buying the horse was impossible without 
money. " You may clear land for me and thus 
pay for the horse," replied Beers. " But I 
have no time," responded Hovey. "Make a 
'bee,' and get your neighbors to help you,' 
suggested Beers. This seemed feasible and to 
the point, and Hove}' at last consented. The 
day appointed for the " bee " came and went, 
and tlie land was cleared, and the hoi'se paid 
for. Some time afterward, when Messrs. Beers 
and Hovey, whose land adjoined, were fixing 
the line between their farms, the land as above 
cleared was found to hdong to Hovey. The two 
men stood looking blankl}- at one another for 
about a minute. The silence was at last broken 
by Beers, who quietly remarked to Hovev, 
" Let's take a drink." All controversy or dis- 
pute was prevented by the " devil-may-care "' 
influences of King Alcohol. How diflferent 
would be the course pursued to-day ! A knock- 
down would be very likely to occur, followed 
b}^ law-suits which would swamp horse and 
land, and create everlasting enmit}'. In after 
years, William Beers was a great friend of the 
escaping slave, and assisted many of them in 
reaching Canada. One named Lewis Boler 
came from Kentucky, and not fearing pursuit 
hired out to Beers, with whom he remained a 
year or more. Finally, his master appeai-ed, 
but meeting with decided rebuffs from Beers, 
he resorted to the plan of coaxing his slave to 
return with him to Kentuck}'. But the wily 
slave could not be deceived by promises, and 
was, in consequence, a few nights afterward, 
forcibh' and secretly taken and hurried toward 
his former home in the " Sunn}' South." Mr. 
Beers, upon learning of the act, summoned a 
few neighbors, and together they pursued the 
master, and despite his protests returned to 
Boston with Boler. The latter was told to 



push for Canada, which he accordingly did, 
arriving there in safety. Another escaping 
slave named Sandy came to Beers and obtained 
employment. His master came on and made 
all sorts of promises to induce him to return to 
the South, offering to make a " boss " or over- 
seer of him, and to make him a present of a 
dog and a beautiful white pony. Sandy could 
not resist all these offerings, and returned with 
his master. \ 

In 1824, a dreadful fever (probably typhoid) 
visited the country along the Cuyahoga River, 
and swept off about a score of old settlers — • 
those who had reached advanced ages and 
whose physical vitality was on the wane. With 
the exception of a few cases of this kind, the 
township has ever enjoyed good health. In 
the year 1830, there were living in Boston five 
persons of about one hundred years of age. 
These were Henry Brown, Andrew Johnson, 
Thomas Brannan, Eleazer Gillson and Eleazer 
Mather, the first three being Irishmen. Brown 
died at the age of one hundred and three 
years. In early years, there was raised an oc- 
casional crop of what was known as '' sick 
wheat.'' Animals that ate the grain in quan- 
tity died, and persons, upon eating a small 
quantity, were taken with violent vomiting and 
made deathly sick. No one is remembered to 
have died from this cause. 

Four or five cheese-factories have been in 
operation since comparatively early times. 
One is now owned h\ Mr. Straight, of Hudson, 
and, during the summer season, twenty-five or 
thirty cheeses, of about twenty pounds' weight 
each, are manufactured daily and shipped to 
Cleveland and other points. 

The building now occupied by Alanson Swan 
at ■• Johnnycake," or Everett, was built by 
Henry Iddings before 1820, and was the first 
in the village. Mr. Swan bought the Iddings 
property soon after the opening of the Ohio 
Canal. Mr. Swan's farm was n.creased until 
he owned 500 acres, including the land upon 
which the village now stands. The second 
building in the village was a store, erected l)y 
Swan & Smith in about 1885, into which about 
$500 worth of groceries, dry goods and notions 
were placed. The stock was selected with a 
view to the demand on the canal at that point. 
Smith sold out to Swan in about a year later, 
and the latter conducted the business alone for 
a few years, and then sold to other parties. 






J> ■ 



540 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



David Baxter & Son owned this store for a 
number of years, as did also Ansel Hardy, L. 
J. Mix, Mr. Richardson, Henry Monroe and oth- 
ers. Swan also repurchased the property and 
sold it again two or three times. The stock 
was increased until it was worth probabl}' 
$2,000. Elihu Chilson opened a small store 
on land belonging to the State, near the canal 
lock, as early as 1838, but this never amounted 
to' much. In 1842, Mr. Swan erected a 
warehouse on the canal in the village, and be- 
gan buying corn, oats, hay, etc., to be fed to 
the horses and mules used in drawing the 
canal-boats and packets. A large stable, or 
barn, was erected, where the canal horses were 
fed and groomed. The packet company failed, 
and, in consequence, Mr. Swan lost several 
hundred dollars. The creditors of the com- 
pany at the village attached the packet horses, 
but Mr. Swan i-efused to do this, and, in conse- 
quence, lost what was due him. When it is 
remembered that nearly three hundred horses 
were fed by Mr. Swan, it will be seen that the 
business undertaken was on an extensive plan. 
Alexander Stewart bought the greater share of 
the Swan property about ten years ago, though 
the latter yet retains the old homestead, and 
lives there at an advanced age. Before com- 
ing to the State, Mr. Swan was licensed to 
preach by the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
and, ever since living in the township, he has 
been identified with religious and moral im- 
provement and growth. He deeded all his 
property except the homestead to his children, 
and can now sorrowfully say with King Lear : 

"You heavens, give me that patience I need ! 
You see me here, yoii gods, a poor old man. 
As full of grief as age ; wretched in both ! 
If it be you that stir these children's hearts 
Against their father, fool me not so much 
To bear it tamely ; touch me with noble anger ! 
***** You think I'll weep ; 
No, I'll not weep ; — 

I have full cause of weeping ; but this heart 
Shall break into a hundred thousand flaws. 
Or ere I'll weep — O fool, I shall go mad, 

******* 
How sharper than a serpent's tootli it is 
To have a thankless child — away, away ! " 

The village has been called " Johnnycake '" 
since 1828. In the spring of that year, a flood 
in Furnace Ilun swept into the canal and 
stopped navigation, and the crews and passen- 
gers were compelled to live, water-bound, as 



best they could. They were at last reduced to 
johnnycake, which constituted their diet for a 
number of da^'s. It has even been asserted 
that one baking of johnnycake early in the 
morning furnished the ravenous passengers 
with their only warm daily meal. The cake 
was warmed up for dinner and served cold for 
supper. However, there are probably some 
mistakes in these early traditions. 

Since the advent of the railroad, the village 
has somewhat revived. Its present name was 
bestowed upon it in honor of an officer of the 
road. It was also at one time called Union- 
ville. Evidences of oil appearing near the vil- 
lage in 1865, several members of Cleveland and 
New York oil companies appeared, leased the 
land where the oil was discovered, and began 
boring for oil. The laud was leased upon the 
conditions that the owner was to have from 
one-fourth to three-fourths of the oil produced. 
The terms of the contract were much more sat- 
isfactory and promising than the quantity of 
oil obtained. Oil was found in very small 
quantities. On a small creek near the sand- 
stone ledges, Norton & Ta^'lor began manu- 
facturing salt at an early day. The brine was 
taken and evaporated in several large kettles, 
and the salt found a ready sale at an advanced 
price. On one occasion, a barrel of salt was 
exchanged for a good cow. Abial Hovey was 
also connected with the salt works, as were 
several others ; but the quantity of salt capa- 
ble of being produced was limited, and, as the 
works proved unprofitable, the manufacture 
was discontinued. 

Probably the first building in Peninsula 
village was a log structure built on the east side 
of the river, near where Abel Thompson re- 
sides, by Alonzo Dee, in about 1818. Not far 
from the same time, John Robinson, James 
Brannan and one or two others built at or 
near Peninsula. Brannan was located a half- 
mile west of the village proper ; though, owing 
to the fact that the corporation includes some 
2,000 acres, the builtling was really within 
its limits. Other houses were added ; and 
very likely during the building of the Ohio 
Canal, a tavern and one or more stores were 
located, at least temporarily, in the village. 
However, Peninsula had its real beginning 
when Hermon Bronson came to the township 
in 1824. In about the year 1833, J. M. Adams 
was conducting a general store, on the west 



^ 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



541 



side of the river. James Fielding was also 
there about the same time, with $1,000 worth 
of goods. Charles Curtis began about 1838 or 
1840. He owned a good store, and made 
money. It was discovered that the way he got 
rich was by selling " 0-P" goods (those costing 
45 cents) for $1. He evidently was not resid- 
ing in the village merely for his health. He 
began with some $2,000 worth of goods, and 
verj' soon succeeded in doubling his capital. 
William Haskell opened a store with a stock 
valued at $2,000, not far from 1843. Fielding 
sold out and left in 1836. Curtis continued 
until 1849, when he sold to Wood, Cole & Co. 
These men are yet in business in the village, 
though the partnership was dissolved many 
years since. Mr._ Cole died, but his sons 
succeeded him in the business. In 1838 or 
1840, Adams died, and his goods were closed 
out. Merrill Boody began with a general store 
in about 1858, and continued until about three 
or four years ago. Others have sold goods in 
Peninsula at different times, though those men- 
tioned are the principal ones. There are at 
present three groceries, two hardware stores, 
two dry goods stores, two tin-shops, a barber- 
shop, a meat market, a harness-shop, and 
several shops the nature of which is difficult 
to ascertain. Hermon Bronson, two years after 
reaching Peninsula, built a warehouse about 
thirt3^-five feet square and two stories in height, 
and began buying pork, cheese, lard, butter 
and grain, which were shipped by boat to Cleve- 
land. This was continued until 1835, when 
Mr. Bronson sold out to Janes & Thompson, 
who, at the expiration of five years, retired, 
leaving the warehouse business in the hands of 
Charles Curtis and Wood, Cole & Co. The 
village has had for many years a brisk traffic 
in coal, timber, stone, etc. In the year 1826, 
Herman Bronson built a saw- mill on Slippery 
Rock Run, a small stream which empties into 
the river at the village. The mill was a rough 
frame structure, located on a short race fed by 
water from a dam a few rods above the mill. 
The capacity of the mill was about two thou- 
sand feet per day. It was operated some four 
years, and then the machinery was removed to 
a building erected on the river in the village. 
At this point Bronson and Dee built a log dam 
across the river, which is yet standing, though it 
has been rebuilt and re-adjusted several times 
since. The mill was built over the edge of the 



dam. It was operated by Mr. Bronson until 
1835, when it was purchased by Janes & 
Thompson, who, in 1843, sold to Mr. Holcomb, 
and he, a few years later, to William Wetmore. 
This mill was located on the west side of the 
river. But at the time of its erection Alonzo 
Dee, who had an interest in the dam. also built 
a saw-mill on the east side, and continued 
Operating it some four j-ears, when it was 
claimed by Mr. Haskell, who had purchased 
the land upon which the mill stood. Dee 
had built his mill on land owned by Mr. 
Ely, one of the origina' proprietors of that 
portion of the township east of the river, 
and when the land was purchased by Has- 
kell, all the fixtures and appurtenances 
thereof came into the ownership of the latter. 
Dee, however, received his pay for the mill, 
which remained in the possession of the Has- 
kell family until about ten years ago. It is 
now owned by Otis Fitts. The river makes 
a wide detour at the village, and comes back to 
within fifty feet from where it started. A fall of 
about eight feet is thus created at the neck of 
the peninsula, which was taken advantage of 
by Mr. Bronson, who, in 1832, tunneled through 
about fifty-two feet, and built a grist-mill which 
is yet in operation. A first class natural water- 
power is thus secured, which is very valuable, 
in view of the fact that the dams along the 
river require constant watching and a vast 
amount of labor to prevent being washed away. 
In 1849, the mill came into the ownership of 
H. V. Bronson, a son of the Bronson already 
mentioned, who operated it until 1863, when 
the mill and dam site were sold to Pomeroy & 
Fisher. This firm sold out at the expiration of 
three years, and the property has been owned 
by several parties since. The mill saw its best 
days under the control and ownership of Her- 
man Bronson. Not only was a large custom 
work done, but considerable flour was shipped 
by canal to Cleveland. The merchant work 
was most extensive about 1840. In 1837, Her- 
man Bronson secured the services of a sur- 
veyor, and laid off seventy-one lots on the west 
side of the river, and mimed the village thus 
started " Peninsula," after the natural bend in 
the river already referred to. A plat of the 
village was recorded at the county seat. In 
1866, Mr. Bronson made an addition of many 
lots, which was also recorded. Mr. Haskell 
also laid off a number of lots on the east side, 






'>" 



542 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



but this addition was not properly recorded. 
No otlier man has done so much to build up 
Peninsula, and people it with intelligent, moral 
and enterprising citizens, as Herman Bronson. 
He was its founder, and was tlie first to 
introduce moral and religious tactics among 
tlie vicious and unlawful practices of the canal- 
boat men. He gave freely of his land and 
means to religious and educational purposes*. 
More will be said of him in the proper con- 
nection. 

Alonzo Dee built a small distillery at Penin- 
sula in about 1833, in which was placed a small 
still, where a limited quantity of whisk}' was 
manufactured. The liquor was consumed about 
as fast as it was made. This would impl}' that 
it was a superior article. The still was re- 
moved at the end of some two years. The 
village was incorporated some twenty years 
ago for school purposes, and now has an area 
of about 2,000 acres, with a population of some 
600. Peninsula is the most important village 
on the Valley Railroad, in Summit County, 
north of Akron. It has been the leading place 
for canal-boat building, there having been from 
one to thirty boats built per annum, since the 
canal was first navigated. James A. Garfield, 
the President-elect, often stopped at Peninsula 
while working on the canal. It is said that he 
was so apt and bright, that the Captain of the 
boat upon which the bo}' worked remarked 
that he was too smart to be working upon the 
canal, and should seek some other employment. 
Within the limits of Peninsula are inexhausti- 
ble beds of the finest sandstone. Tlie stone 
belongs to the same stratum as the Berea grit, 
and is superior to the latter in point of dura- 
bility. Stone, at the rate of about a canal-boat 
load per day. is being taken out of these quar- 
ries, which are situated on the summit of steep 
bluffs, which border the river and canal. A 
large amount of labor is thus avoided in load- 
ing the stone on the boats. Another valuable 
property of the stone is, its capability of be- 
ing divided into slabs, varying in thickness 
from a few inches to man}- feet. 

The first building in the village of Boston 
was erected in 1820, and was a frame dwelling 
house. The following year, a saw-mill and 
grist-mill were erected on a dam that was built 
across the river, on the site of the village. 
Watrous Mather built the dwelling and the 
saw-mill, while Talmon Bronson Iniilt the grist- 



mill. Mather put up a two-story frame dwell- 
ing in 1824, and. two years later, Mr. Bronson 
also built one. Abram Holmes came to the 
village in 182G. Mather built a large ware- 
house in 1828, as did also Mr. Holmes two or 
three years later. In 1826, Brown & Ta3'lor 
built a storeroom, and placed therein about 
$1,500 worth of goods, which were sold to 
Mather in 1828. Brown then moved the store 
across both the river and the canal to the east 
side, where it was fitted up for a tavern, of 
which he was landlord for many years. While 
standing in the door of his tavern one day, he 
was struck by lightning and knocked about a 
rod into the yard. His clothing was torn into 
shreds ; his boots were literally torn into a hun- 
dred pieces and carried several rods away, and 
the man was rendered insensible b}' the shock. 
He had a remarkable physical development, 
and was a noted wrestler for miles around. 
Few men could throw him down. He is said 
to have irreverently remarked, after he recov- 
ered from the lightning stroke, " No man ever 
threw me so quick as Grod x\lmighty did." 
William T. Mather sold goods from a stock 
valued at $1,000, beginning in 1830. In 1835, 
he sold out to the Boston Land & Manufactur- 
ing Compau}'. This company purchased the 
mills and warehouse, but, failing in 1838, the 
property fell into other hands — that which was 
not closed permanentl}'. Benjamin Morse 
brought in a few goods at an early day. Wat- 
rous Mather, after opei'ating his saw-mill a 
number of years, tore it down and built a bet- 
ter one across the river, on the east side. It 
fell into the hands of the company, in 1836. 
When the company failed, William Smith be- 
came owner of the grist-mill. J. D. Edson 
bought it in 18-18. It was considered a good 
mill. The village of Boston, in early 3'ears, 
gave great promise, but its subsequent history 
is unattractive. William McBride operated a 
saw-mill for three years, beginning in 183-1, 
about a mile down the river from Boston Vil- 
lage. The canal destroyed his water privilege, 
and he was obliged to stop. Dr. Eleazer 
Mather was the first physician in the village, 
coming as early as 1822. A Mr. Fursons built 
a distiller}' at Boston at an earl}' day. It was 
furnished with one large still, and during its 
most rapid workings could turn out about three 
barrels of whisky per day. It was conducted 
some twelve or fifteen years. Alonzo Dee, 



n^ 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



543 



also, was connected in early years with the 
manufacture of liquor at Boston Village. 

So far as can be learned, the first school in the 
township was taught during the summer of 1811, 
by Miss Lois Ann Gear, a young lady whose 
pai'ents, a number of 3^ears befoi'e, had been 
murdered by the Indians at Upper Sandusky. 
She was alone in the world and almost friend- 
less, and her proposition to teach a term of 
school in an old log building, erected by James 
Stanford within five rods of the present resi 
dence of his son George, was accepted, and the 
house rudely fitted up for the accommodation 
of teacher and pupils. She received as com- 
pensation for her labors seventy-Jive cents per 
week, and " boarded 'round." Where is the 
teacher who would teach at the present day for 
less than seventy-five cents per day? And yet, 
it is highly probable, that Miss Gear saved 
almost, or quite, all she earned. Her board 
was evidentl}- the principal consideration ; and 
what a feast of it she must have had ! Was she 
to be envied even in this respect ? She taught 
six months during the warm months, and after 
that no term is remembered to have been taught 
again until 1816, when a log schoolhouse was 
erected by the neighborhood about thirty rods 
north of the residence of Mr. Stanford, and a 
term of three months was taught therein by 
Alfred Wolcott, the first settler in Boston. 
Wolcott, the survej^or of the township, was 
well educated, and no doubt taught an inter- 
esting and instructive term of school. This 
was the first genuine schoolhouse in the town- 
ship, and was used every winter until about 
1820, when a schoolhouse was built at Boston 
village, and the old house was deserted. In 
1826, the house at Boston was too much to one 
side of the settlement to aflford satisfaction, and 
the greater number of the children were sent to 
Brandywine, which left the old house at the 
the village so nearly deserted that no teacher 
was employed there for a number of years, and 
the building was left vacant. In about the 
3'ear 1836, a frame schoolhouse was built at 
Boston Village, which was used continuously 
until the erection of the present brick building, 
a short time before the late war. In the north- 
eastern part of Boston, in the Wolcott neigh- 
borhood, a school was taught as earlj' as 1813, 
and perhaps 1812. Mr. Wolcott is said to have 
been the teacher, and in the absence of any 
data to the contrary, he will be accorded the 



honor. The school was taught in a building 
that had been used a few years as a dwelling ; 
but which, becoming no longer comfortable or 
attractive, was thought ample and suitably 
adapted for school purposes, and was accord- 
ingly devoted to that use. A few years later, 
a log schoolhouse was built, and this has been 
succeeded by two or three other school build- 
ings, each of which has been a better building 
than the one before it. School was first taught 
in the southeast pai't in about 1820, but noth- 
ing of importance can be learned regarding this 
school. It is probable that school was taught 
at Everett as early as 1825. No facts to sup- 
port this, however, can be given. School was 
taught in about 1830, in a small log building 
near the residence of Mr. Swan. The first 
teacher is unknown, but among the first were 
Miss Gillett and Hector Osborn. A few years 
later, an acre of land was deeded by Mr. Swan 
to the school district for school purposes, and 
upon this a small frame school-building was 
erected in about the year 1838. The building 
was replaced by the present one a few years 
ago. A schoolhouse, located across the river 
from Everett and about half a mile further 
down the stream, was built in 1818. Squire 
Greenman was the first teacher, who received 
his pay by subscription. The house was built 
of logs by the neighborhood, and was used 
about seven years, when the children were 
either sent to Everett or to the " Holcomb 
School," in northwest Northampton, probably 
the latter. In 1829, school was held at Penin- 
sula, in a log house that had been used for a 
dwelling. Probably this was not the first. The 
teacher, in 1829, was Miss Rhoda Payne, who 
was paid by private subscription, and whose 
weekly (or perhaps weakly) recompense was $1. 
Her school comprised some dozen backwoods 
children. For a number of years, the east and 
the west sides had a common school, but after 
man}' years it was found best to divide the dis- 
trict, the river being the line, and since that 
period the village has had two schools, both of 
which are well attended and prosperous. A 
young man named Homer Warner was the first 
teacher on the west side. He received S13 
per month and boarded round. The east side 
schoolhouse, which is built of stone, was erect- 
ed in about 1857. It is a two-storied building, 
the upper story being used as a town hall. The 
west side house is a frame building. A few 



a) 



W 



-W^ 



544 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



years before the last war, the citizeus of Penin- 
sula became dissatisfied with the character of 
their village school, as compared with the 
amount of school tax they were called upon to 
pay. There were six or seven scliool districts 
in the township, and the one at the village was 
called upon to pay from a fourth to a half of 
the school fund raised per annum. Other con- 
siderations growing out of this state of things ' 
vexed the citizens for a number of years, until 
at last they concluded to incorporate the entire 
school district in the village of Peninsula, which 
was accordingly done. This altered state of 
affairs gave greater satisfaction, as the surplus 
of school tax raised could be applied to the vil- 
lage schools, and not to those in distant parts 
of the township. Since the village has been 
called upon, however, to support two schools, it 
is difficult to see what has been gained b}' the 
incorporation of the whole school district. The 
township was divided into six school districts in 
1826, and three years later these were materi- 
ally altered. Numerous alterations have been 
made since. 

It is extremely difficult to tell with accuracy 
where the different church societies of Boston 
wei'e first organized, or under what condition 
of circumstances. Many of the settlers were 
religious, havinsr belonged to some church in 
the East, and did not abandon Christian wor- 
ship, at least in their families, after their ar- 
rival in the township. It is also (juite proba- 
ble that in the earliest da^'S of the settlement, 
various Christian families assembled at some 
selected cabin, and even went so far as to 
semi-organize a religious society, perhaps in 
different parts of the township. These con- 
jectures are rendered plausible by the fact that 
sincere Christian people are disposed to worship 
God, not only within the pale of civilization, 
but in the uninhabited and deserted depths of 
the forest. Religious services were held in the 
vicinity of Evei'ett soon after the erection of 
the old log schoolhonse, on the Butler farm, in 
1818. But little is known except that occa- 
sional sei'vices were held here, ver}- likel}', by 
traveling preachers. When Alanson Swan, 
■who had been licensed to preach by a Method- 
ist Episcopal society, in Connecticut, came to 
the township in 1834, he immediately united 
with others in his neighborhood, including por- 
tions of Bath and Northampton, and organ- 
ized a religious society, which continued to 



meet quite regularly in dwellings and school- 
houses, until it was at length divided by an 
alteration in the views of a portion of the 
members. Perhaps a majorit}^ of the mem- 
bers of this society lived in the two townships 
already mentioned. After flourishing for a 
number of years, and attaining a membership 
of about fift}", a detachment of about half, 
headed by Mr. Swan, separated from the re- 
mainder and re-organized at Everett under the 
name Protestant Methodists. No church was 
built by this society. Some ten years ago, it 
was so broken up by various causes, that the 
United Brethren came in and organized a so- 
ciety out of the fragments and out of new ma- 
terial. This is the ruling society at present. 
As earlj' as 1824, Herman Bronson, who was 
an Episcopalian, began holding religious serv- 
ices at his cabin in Peninsula. His few neigh- 
bors were invited to lend their encouragement 
and support in assisting to build up a strong, 
permanent religious society in the neighbor- 
hood. It is probable, however, that no so- 
ciety of this denomination was organized un- 
til about 1837. Some four years later, a 
small church was built, almost wholly at 
the cost of Mr. Bronson. This church is yet 
used. Mr. Bronson was clearly its founder 
and patron, and did more to sustain it than 
any other man. He deeded the lot upon which 
it stands to the society, and also gave a fine 
lot for a cemetery and one for a public school- 
house. The church cost something like $1,000. 
At the death of Mr. Bronson, he willed to the 
church he had founded a sufficient fund to af- 
ford about $325 per annum, to be used in de- 
fra3'ing the expense of employing a minister. 
This permanent fund has undoubtedly sus- 
tained the society from falling into decay at 
numerous periods of its existence. Some of 
the members of this church have been Herman 
Bronson, Daniel F. Bachelor, Hezekiah Bell, 
James Morrell John Fairweather, Thomas Mc- 
Carday, Jacob Barnhart, Nisbett Wood, W. H. 
Payne, Asa Kimball, Harry Janes, and most of 
their families. Abraham Bronson was the first 
minister in charge of the society ; and was paid 
a few hundred dollars for his services. A Con- 
gregational Society- was organized at the vil- 
lage about the same time that the Episcopalians 
began. Their meetings were held in school- 
houses and dwellings at first ; and sometimes 
the use of the Episcopal Church was tendered 



^'^ *"^ 



/ 

















#1 







/■^^^^^K^^ 0/r7^^^^??<u ^C~~ 



^ 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



545 



them ; but their services were mostl}' held in 
the upper story of Mr. Haskell's store building, 
on the east side. After continuing a number 
of years, the society was so reduced by death 
and removals that it was disbanded. Among 
its members were Roger and George Haskell, 
L. M. Janes, Charles Curtis, Mrs. Thomp- 
son and children, Mrs. McGrouty and oth- 
ers. A Methodist society' was organized in 
the village as early as 1834, or perhaps as 
early as 1830. It is thought that a circuit 
preacher Rev. Mr. Conant, organized it ; though 
others think that Rev. Thomas W. Pope de- 
serves the honor. The society grew slowly 
in membership and wealth until some twelve 
years ago, when a frame church, costing about 
$2,000, was built on the east side. A por- 
tion of the members have been Rev. Thomas 
W. Pope, a local preacher ; Billings Chaffee and 
wife ; John H. Curtis and wife, the husband 
also being a local preacher ; Mr. Ford and wife, 
Mr. Davis and wife, Dr. Lunt and others. This 
society has passed through periods when it was 
extremely difficult to tell whether it lived or 



not. If not, like a cat, it possessed nine lives ; 
for it is now as strong and full of life as could 
be expected. A Methodist society was organ- 
ized on the State road as early, perhaps, as 
1825. This, however is not known with cer- 
taint}'. In after years it became well known, 
and was well attended. But little could be as- 
certained concerning this church. Religious 
services have been held from time to time 
in the schoolhouses in and near Boston Village, 
but no church has been erected and no perma- 
nent society organized in that poi'tion of the 
township. 

In March, 1837, a post office was first located 
at Peninsula. It was secured largely through the 
influence of H. V. Bronson, one of the most 
prominent and respected citizens of the place, 
who was commissioned first Postmaster, an 
office he retained until 1845, when Billings 
Chaflfee succeeded him. The post office at 
Boston Village was secured as early as 1830, 
mainly through the instrumentality of William 
Mather. One was secured at " Johnnycake " 
a few years later. 



CHAPTER XXII.* 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP— ITS PHYSICAL FEATURES — EARLY SETTLEMENT— MINERAL WEALTH- 
POTTER'S CLAY— VILLAGES— CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS— INCIDENTS. 



THREE-QUARTERS of a century ago, this 
division of Summit County was a wilder- 
ness, undisturbed by the enterprise of the 
Anglo-Saxon race. But with the j^ear 1807 the 
history of Springfield actually begins. The in- 
flux of population that commenced with the 
dawn of that year, ceased not until all the va- 
cant land was occupied. The earl^- settlers of 
Springfield Township, forgetful of their own 
ease, at a time when 3'ears of toil could reason- 
abl)' have demanded repose for their declining 
daj's, they braved the difficulties of the un- 
known wilderness, that their children might 
achieve that wealth and greatness their faith 
pictured in the future. The broad lands, rich 
and fertile, the thousand homes, adorned with 
the comforts and luxuries of an advanced 
civilization, the vast resources of mineral 
wealth that abound, not only in this township 

* Contributed by W. n. Pen in. 



but throughout this section of country, are 
among the memorials that attest the wisdom of 
their choice. The inducements which invited 
the immigration of the pioneers of Springfield 
was all that the most exacting could demand, 
or that Nature in her pleasantest mood could 
oflTer. Fine forests, streams of flowing water, 
productive lands, and, as afterward discovered, 
vast stores of mineral wealth. Such advantages 
as these were not to be overlooked in the se- 
lection of homes. 

Springfield is situated in the east tier of town- 
ships, and but one from the southeast corner of 
the county. It intrudes its northwest corner 
into the city of Akron, and is bounded on the 
north by Tallraadge Township ; on the east by 
Suffield Township, in Portage County ; on the 
south by Green Township; on the west by 
Coventr}' Township, and is designated as Town- 
ship 1, Range 10. The south line of Spring- 



-k* 



M 



546 



IIISTOKY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



field is on the southern boundary of the Western 
Reserve — the fort^'-first parallel of latitude. 
This causes a slight jog in the east line of the 
count}-, as the townships south of the Reserve 
are of a different survey. The surface of the 
township is rolling ; but not sufficiently so to 
be termed broken, with one or two small ex- 
ceptions. It is drained mainl}' through the 
little Cuyahoga River, in the north part, and 
the Tuscarawas in the south part and their 
tributaries, together with a number of little lake- 
lets in different parts of the township. The 
largest of the latter is vSpringfield Lake, in the 
geographical center of the township, and is 
about a mile in length and half a mile in width. 
Of this little lake, Gen. Bierce says : •' A com- 
pany at Middlebury, a few 3'ears ago (1854), got 
a special act of the Legislature authorizing them 
to raise Springfield Lake six feet, and lower it 
four, from its natural level. This rise and fall 
affords a sufficient suppl}', on which to draw 
when other sources fail. The right is now 
owned by the mill-owners of Akron." The soil 
of Springfield is a rich, sandy loam, and well 
adapted to wheat growing, although other small 
grain, as well as corn, are produced in more 
or less abundance. Stock-raising also receives 
some attention, but is not made a specialty by 
the farming communit}-. The timber consists 
of the kinds common in this section viz., beech, 
maple, ash, elm, poplar, hickor}-, white oak, 
walnut, etc. Coal-mining was rather extensive 
at one time. This, however, with the potter's 
clay industries, will again be referred to in this 
chapter. An extensive cranberry marsh was 
iu Springfield in early times, near Springfield 
Lake, and embraced some 200 acres ; but this 
has been cleared up, thoroughly drained, and 
is now as productive corn land as there is in 
the township. " Springfield was an equalizing 
township, and was surveyed by Simon Perkins 
in the summer of 1806. He first ran a north- 
and-south line through the center, the east half 
of which was set to Town 4, Range 8, to make 
that equal with the average. A strip off the 
west side was attached to Shalersville. It was 
drawn and belonged to Mr. Shaler, of Middle- 
town, Conn., father of Judge Shaler, of Pitts- 
burgh."* Shaler sold the east half to Messrs. 
Olds, Collar and More, of what is now Mahoning 
Count}', and the strip off the west side to Henry 
and Charles Chittenden. 

*Gen. Bierce. 



The first permanent settlement in Springfield 
Township was made by one Ariel Bradle}', in 
1807, on Lot 12, of the " Shaler Tract," where 
he died years ago. His family are all gone 
from the neighborhood, though, we believe, his 
youngest son is yet living in Lucas Count}', 
Ohio. Gen. Bierce gives the following interest- 
ing sketch of Mr. Bradley : '■ He was born in 
Salisbury, Conn., in 1 767. Naturally of a strong, 
discriminating mind, he was employed, with 
success, when a boy, in scenes and business 
which would have appalled older and more ex- 
perienced heads. Just before the battle of 
White Plains, in 1776, young Bradley, being 
then only nine years old, was employed by Gen. 
Washington to enter the British camp as a spy. 
He took an old horse, and, putting a load of 
grain on his back, got astride of it himself, and 
boldly passed within the British lines under 
pretense of going to mill. He was arrested, as 
he expected to be, and taken to the British 
camp for examination. Here, without exhibit- 
ing any unusual curiosity, he observed all that 
was going on. A long consultation was held by 
the officers, as to what should be done with 
him ; but young Bradley acted the ' Johnny 
Raw ' so completel}' that they finally dismissed 
him, thinking him more fool than spy. As he 
w-as leaving, one of the officers remarked, ' I 
believe the little devil will betray us." The 
mill-boy made his way back to the American 
camp, with the desired information. In 1801, 
in company with Belden and Simeon Crane, he 
removed to Canfield, Mahoning County. They 
left Salisbury on the 14th of June, 1801, and 
arrived in Canfield in August following. He 
remained in Canfield until 1805, when he re- 
moved to Suffield Township, in Portage County, 
and settled on what is known as the old Kent 
farm ; and, in 1807, settled in Springfield, in 
what is now Mogadore. When he first came 
to Canfield, but little could be obtained, north- 
west of the Ohio River, to alleviate hunger, 
except by the chase. Wheat and flour were 
brought on pack-horses from Georgetown, on 
the Ohio ; and salt was an unknown article. In 
1802, Bradley went to Georgetown for bi-ead- 
stuff ; but was unable to get a pound of flour 
or meal. A man there had raised a little wheat, 
and Bradley got the privilege of pounding out 
some, with which he started home through the 
woods. On his way back, and, when about 
thirteen miles south of Canfield, his horse was 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



547 



taken sick, and he was compelled to camp out 
in the woods. He hitched his horse, and, for 
his own security, climbed a tree. Soon after 
dark, the wolves surrounded him, determined 
to have him or his horse ; but Bradley was not 
disposed to surrender either, and, descending 
from the ti'ee, he procured a good club, with 
wliich he stood sentry over his horse and cargo 
of wheat. As the wolves would come near him, 
he would strike at them, and they would retreat. 
Near morning, one more brave than the rest, 
came so near that he hit him over the head. 
The fellow sounded a retreat, and the rest fol- 
lowed with tremendous yells. 

The same year that saw Bradley settle in 
Springtield witnessed the coming of Benjamin 
Baldwin, Nathan More and Reuben Tapper, 
all of whom were originall}' from Salisbury, 
Conn., the native place of Bradley. Baldwin 
settled just across the town line, west from the 
Kent farm, where he died in 1847. More and 
Tupper also died in the township. John and 
James Hall, brothers, came from Pennsylvania 
in 1807, and were the next settlers in Spring- 
field ; John was about eighteen years old and 
his brother was still younger, and thej' remained 
alone in tlie wilderness the first year. Their 
cabin was built near a spring half a mile east 
of the Presbyterian Church of North Spring- 
field, and, at the time, there was not a road to 
or from it in an}' direction. As Indians were 
plenty, thej- dare not sleep in the house, but, 
at night, would make up a fire in the house and 
then take their guns and go into a corn-field to 
sleep, stationing themselves so that they could 
see any one entering the door. In this manner 
they passed the first summer and fall. John, 
the elder of these two brothers, died in Marion 
County, and James went to Huron County. 
John Hall, a lawyer in Akron, is a son of John 
Hall referred to above. Robert Hall, also from 
Pennsylvania, came next and settled on the 
place now owned by Peter Lepper. He died in 
the summer of 1808, from the bursting of a 
blood-vessel, and was the first death in the town- 
ship. He was buried in the cemetery northeast 
of Middlebury. 

The old Keystone State contributed the fol- 
lowing Pennsylvania Dutchmen to the settle 
ment of Springfield Township : Rev. Thomas 
Beer, Thomas Metlin, -John Vallandiiigham, 
James McKnight, Samuel Wood, Capt. William 
Foster, Abraham DeHaven, Francis Irvin, Dea- 



con Ewert, Joseph Scott, Jacob Winters, Sam- 
uel Hinson, James Wertz, the Bairds, Judge 
Robert Clark, George McGrew, Patrick and Ar- 
chie Christy, the Smiths, Deacon McWright, the 

Pallets, Robert Smith, Henderson, James 

McCormic, and perhaps others. Mr. Beer was 
a Presbyterian preacher of the strictest old- 
school principles ; he moved away and is dead. 
Metlin settled in 1814, and moved into Norton 
Township, where he died. Vallandingham 
settled in 1811-12, and moved to Holmes 
County and died there. He was an uncle to 
Hon. Clement L. Vallandigham, who, when a 
boy, used to visit his uncle in Springfield, and 
is well remembered by many of the older resi- 
dents of the neighborhood. McKnight was a 
brother-in-law of John Vallandiiigham, and 
came in 1814, moved to Stark County and died, 
Wood was the father of John B. Wood, of Ak- 
ron ; came in early, and died man}- years ago. 
Capt. Foster was a brother-in-law of Wood, and 
died in the township at the age of eight^'-seven 
years. DeHaven came in 1809, and died many 
years ago. Mrs. Clark, of Akron, is a daughter 
of his. Irvin and DeHaven were brothers-in- 
law. Deacon Ewert came about 1809-10, and 
died on the place of his original settlement, at 
an advanced age. Joseph Scott settled in 1811 ; 
died about 1830, while making a visit to Penn- 
sylvania ; he was brought home and buried by 
the side of his wife in the Kent burying-ground. 
David Scott, of Akron, is his son. Winters 
came with Wood and Metlin, and was from the 
same place ; he died in Richland County. Hin- 
son came in early ; he met with a melancholy 
accident which resulted in his death ; returning 
from Middlebury one evening, his horse ran 
away with him and threw him with such vio- 
lence that he died in a few hours from the ef- 
fects of the fall. Wertz died on the place of 
his settlement many years ago. The Bairds 
were a large famil}-, of whom Joseph, James 
George and Robert were brothers, and came in 
about 1809 or thereabouts. Judge Clark also 
came in 1809, and was one of the first Justices 
of the Peace in the township, and one of the 
first Surve3ors in Portage County ; he was also 
Associate Judge of Portage County. McGrew 
came in 1809-10, and died in the neighborhood 
as did also his wife. The Christys were early 
settlers ; Patrick died in Akron and Archie 
moved back to Pennsylvania. The Smiths, as 
they are everywhere, were a large famih', and 



>w 



548 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



came in about 1811 ; there were Thomas, Jacob, 
George, James and Caleb, who were all brothers. 
Thomas fitted out a flat-boat at Massillon, loaded 
it, and started for the Crescent City via the 
Tuscarawas and Muskingum Rivers, to the Ohio. 
He arrived safely at Natchez, Miss., with his 
boat, but was there taken sick and died. Dr. 
Smith, of Akron, is his son. Jacob Smith was 
a hatter, and used to follow his trade in Spring- 
field. 

Deacon Mc Wright came in about 1809- 
10, and was one of the original members of the 
Presbyterian Church. The EUets were early 
settlers, and comprise quite a large family. 
The old gentleman of all was a Revolutionary 
soldier. A Mr. Henderson was an early settler 
in the extreme south part of the township. 
Robert Smith, another family of those men- 
tioned above, came in shortly after Bradley and 
cleared up the first farm in Springfield. McCor- 
mic also came the same 3'ear, and settled in the 
corner of the township. It will thus be seen 
that Springfield was settled originalh' mostly 
from Pennsylvania. 

Peter Norton, who came in quite early, was 
from Connecticut, and came to Trumbull 
County, Ohio, at an early day. In 1809, he 
moved over into Tallmadge, and, four years 
later, came to Springfield and settled in the 
woods. He died there in 1822. Two sons are 
still living — Lester, now eight^'-three years of 
age, and " Tommy," as everybod}' calls him, who 
is seventy-five years of age. Geoi'ge Carroll 
settled near Springfield Lake. It is not known 
where he came from, but it is supposed he was 
from German}', as he could speak very little 
English when he first moved in. He lived and 
died upon the place of his settlement. John 
Weston ranks among the early settlers of 
Springfield. He was considered well off at that 
early period, because when he came he had a 
wagon and two yoke of oxen. He stopped with 
Norton until he got a cabin put up to go in. 
A son, Francis Weston, is still living on the old 
homestead, an old man now himself, and near- 
ly ninety years old. The old gentleman was a 
Revolutionary soldier, and died at the age of 
eighty-three. Henry and Charles Chittenden, 
mentioned as having bought the west side of 
the township, came from the East (probably 
from Connecticut) and were early settlers. Pe- 
ter Rodenbaugh came in about 1815, and Capt. 
Fulkerson in 1820. Manv others settled with- 



in the next few j'ears, and soon there was no 
vacant land left in the township. 

At tlie time of the organization of Spring- 
field as a township, it was a part of Trumbull 
County, as the first records are headed, " At a 
meeting held in the township of Springfield, 
count}' of Trumbull and State of Ohio." It 
then embraced, besides its present territor}', 
Randolph and Suffleld, in Portage County, and 
Tallmadge, Portage and Coventr}', in Summit. 
At the election held on the day of organization, 
Josiah Ward, of Randolph, was one of the 
Judges ; John Foster, of Mantua, Clerk ; John 
Goss (of Randolph), Benjamin Baldwin (of 
Springfield) and Stephen Upson (of Tallmadge), 
Trustees. The following is a transcript of the 
township records, and shows their mode of doing 
business : " At a meeting of the Trustees, on 
the first Monday in March, in the year of our 
Lord 1810, they settled with all and balanced 
accounts ; Supervisor James McCormic, ex- 
cepted. Found due from him, $2.40, for which 
said James gave his note, payable in labor on 
some county road in Springfield, on or before 
the 1st da}' of April next, at the rate of 62^ 
cents per day." On the 13th day of March, 
Benjamin Baldwin was sworn in as a Justice of 
the Peace, being the first Justice elected in the 
township. Robert Baird was probabl}' the 
next Justice of the Peace in Springfield ; Aus- 
tin Weston was an early Justice of the Peace, 
also, in this township. 

Springfield Township affords some fine mill 
sites along the Little Cuyahoga and Tuscara- 
was Rivers, which run through the township, 
and upon the outlet of Springfield Lake. One 
branch of the Little Cuyahoga has its source 
in this lake, and the other in Sufltield Lake 
which makes the flood of water ver}- uniform. 
As an example of the fine water-power, the 
water in the race opposite the Empire House 
in Akron, is 172 feet below the level of Spring- 
field Lake, and the latter is nearly 700 feet 
above the level of Lake Erie. The following 
incident is related of this beautiful little sheet 
of water : "In the spring of the year, just be- 
fore the breaking up of the ice on Springfield 
Lake, there is often heard a curious, moaning 
sound that is audible, at times, for miles. The 
first time it was noticed was in 1813, by James 
McKnight, while out hunting. He supposed it 
to be some huge animal, and started with his 
gun and little bo}' in pursuit. The sound ap- 



■71^ 



'K* 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



549 



peared to be near the outlet, at the northeast 
part of the lake. In crossing the lake on the 
ice, when near the deepest part, it being ver}'^ 
dark, he stepped into an ' air-hole ' and went 
entirely under ; but holding on to his rifle, 
which reached across the hole, he drew himself 
out by it and thus saved himself The longest 
cords that have been tried, or that can be pro- 
cured, cannot sound the lake in its deepest 
parts." But to return to the water-power. 
One of the first mills in Springfield was built 
by James Brewster, the father of Alexander 
Brewster, in the extreme south part of the 
town, and is now known as the Fritts Mill. 
The next one, perhaps, was McCormic's, at Mog- 
adore. Clinton also built a mill very early, 
but it has long since passed away, and another, 
known as " Gilchrist's Mill," has been built in 
its place. DeHaven built a mill in 1830, on 
the Massillon road not far from the " White 
Grocer}'," on the outlet of Springfield Lake. 
Another of the earlj' mills was built on the 
Tuscarawas in the south part of the township. 
There were mills built in Middlebury very 
eai'ly which were well patronized by the people 
of Springfield. 

Springfield Township is intersected by the 
Valley Railroad, which enters at the northwest 
corner and passes out near the center of the 
south line. While there is no station in the 
township, it is of great benefit to the people, 
as Middlebury is within easy reach and has 
good roads leading to it from all parts of 
Springfield. 

There are several hamlets laid down on the 
map of Springfield, but none of them amount 
to much in the way of towns. Indeed, they 
have not even arrived at the dignity of villages. 
This, perhaps, arises from the fact that other 
villages and trade-centers sprang up, leaving 
but little or no necessity for villages in the 
township. Middlebury, a portion of which is 
in Springfield, was, at one time, the most im- 
portant place in Summit County. It com- 
manded the entire trade on this side of the 
count}', far beyond the present county limits. 
The nearest approach to a village in Spring- 
field, outside of Middlebury, is Mogadore, on 
the east line of the township, and about as 
much in Portage County as in Summit. It 
consists of a few dozen or so of houses, a store 
or two, shops, several potteries and a couple of 
churches, and, as we said, is on both sides of 



the county line. The Disciples and Methodists 
have churches in the village, though we believe 
the Methodist Church is over in Portage Coun- 
ty. The Disciples" Church has been there for 
a number of years. Alexander Campbell, him- 
self, was the first to preach that particular doc- 
trine at Mogadore, and established the church, 
which has ever since continued. One of the 
first merchants was Henry Sawyer, who had a 
small store there many years ago. Several 
others have had stores since, and Robert Atchi- 
son has one there at the present time. Thomas- 
ton is a coal mining place, and consists of a few 
straggling houses and a post office. It is on 
the line and mostly in Coventry Township, and 
is too near the city of Akron to ever amount 
to anything of a town. North Springfield, or 
North Center, is another small collection of 
houses, sometimes honored by the name of vil- 
lage. It is situated just north of Springfield 
Lake, and is known as the township center, 
because Springfield Lake occupies the geo- 
grapical center, and the only means by which 
the official center of the township could have 
been placed in the geographical center, would 
have been to have it like the city of Mexico, in 
the midst of a lake. And, in this case, the 
danger would be that, as the lake is said to be 
bottomless, the town house might have gone 
down to China, sometime in the midst of an im- 
portant township meeting. There is no store 
at North Center or Springfield, but the place 
consists of a few houses only, the town house, 
a pottery and the Presbyterian Church. Mil- 
heim is a hamlet in the south part of the town, 
and as regai'ds population and Importance, is 
on a par with North Center and Thomaston. 

One of the first coal mines opened in Summit 
County was opened in Springfield Township, 
by Abrara DeHaven, in 1808. It cropped out 
on his land, and was accidentally discovered by 
him. He mined it there for years, and the coal 
was hauled away in wagons. About 1842, 
Philpot leased the mines and built a horse rail- 
road to them, and thus facilitated the work. 
These are the only mines that have ever been 
worked to any extent in the township. A 
small one is owned by L. Sumner, but has 
not been worked very extensively. 

The clay used in the various potteries is of 
far more importance in Springfield Township 
than coal mining. There is an almost endless 
number of potteries in the township, turning 



^T 



550 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



out annually, it is estimated, not far short of 
1,000,000 gallons of manufactured stoneware. 
As the ela}' is inexhaustible, this is an industry 
destined to cut a large figure in the history of 
Springfield. Says Gen. Bierce : " Immense 
amounts of the cla}' are carried to other States, 
and even to Canada. In fixing a tariff of duties 
for Canada, John Bull laid a heav}- duty on 
stoneware manufactured in the States, but not 
on cla}'. The enterprising Yankees came it 
over him b}' carrying the clay to Canada and 
manufacturing it there." The first of this cla}^ 
discovered in Springfield was by Fisk. about 
1828, who manufactured the first stoneware in 
Springfield, under the firm of Fisk & Smith. 
Mr. Fisk discovered the cla}- on a four-acre lot, 
owned by a man named Cutchel. Fisk & Smith 
bought it of him and started a potter}-. Since 
then, almost hundreds of potteries have been 
established, and the amount of stoneware, 
sewer-pipe, drain-tile, etc., etc., made each year, 
is simply immense, and must be passed with 
this brief notice. 

The Presbyterians organized the first church 
in Springfield as early almost as any settle- 
ments were made. Rev. Thomas Beer was the 
first preacher, and was of the most unadulter- 
ated old school, believing in all the strict ten- 
ets of that strict sect. As an old gentleman 
informed us, he " believed in fore-ordination, 
predestination and infant damnation.' A 
church was built by them at North Center 
about the year 1812. This building was 
burned and another erected, which lasted some 
time, when the present one was erected. The 
last one is said to have been built in 1828, and 
hence is a rather old church building. Rev. 
Beer was the first Pastor, and was followed 
some years later by Rev. Benjamin Peini. 
Other earl}' ministers, who preached in this old 
church, were Revs. Lathrop, Merriman, Han- 
ford, Sheldon, etc. The membership has de- 
creased within the last decade by death and 
removals, but the church is still prosperous. 
A Methodist Church was built at North Center 
about the year 1831, but it did not last long, 
and was finally torn down and moved away. 

A post office was established in the southeast 
corner of the township about the year 1818, 
with Benjamin Baldwin as Postmaster. He 
was a Whig in politics, but kept the office for 
many years through Democratic administra- 
tions as well as Whig. Samuel Ellet was 



the next Postmaster in Springfield, and kept 
the ofiSce at his residence on the Canton 
road, about ten miles from Middlebury. It 
was established in 1835. The first white 
child born in Springfield Township was Jane 
Hall, a daughter of Robert Hall, born in 1 809, 
who, when grown, was married, and removed to 
Indiana. The first marriage was John Hall, a 
son of Robert Hall, to Margaret Blair. The 
marriage took place in 1810, and afterward 
they removed to Huron County, where they 
both died. The first death recorded in the 
township was Robert Hall, in 1808, who died 
from the effects of bursting of a blood-vessel, 
and was buried in the cemetery northeast of 
Middlebury. Samuel Hinson was another of 
the early deaths, and died from the effects of 
a fall from his horse, which ran away with 
him. 

The first school taught in Springfield was in 
a little log cabin, which stood near Cass' camp- 
ing ground. It was taught in the winter of 
1812, by Reuben Upson, and was on the sub- 
scription and " board-around" plan. Here, in 
this little log structure, 

" skilled to rule. 
Master Upson taught his little school ; 
A man severe he was, and stern to view," 

as every truant and culprit soon learned to 
know to their sorrow. The next school was 
taught by a Mr. Briggs, in the Vallandingham 
Schoolhouse. This was followed by one taught 
by Jesse Hall, which was in what was known 
as the Virginia Schoolhouse. Austin Weston 
was the next teacher, and wielded the ferule 
in the Sheep Schoolhouse. This schoolhouse 
was called after a family- who settled in the 
neighborhood very earl}-, named Sheep. They 
finally grew tired of being considered Kheejnsh, 
and had their names changed by legislative act 
to Morton, a cognomen that their neighbors soon 
perverted into Mutton. Benjamin Meachem 
followed Weston as the next teacher, and taught 
in the McGrew Schoolhouse ; next came Will- 
iam L. Clark, whose widow has died in Akron 
since this work (1881) has been in the course 
of preparation. He was followed by Robert 
Baird, who taught in the Metlin Schoolhouse ; 
and Baird was followed by Henry Westfall, 
who taught in the Dunbar Schoolhouse. Sam- 
uel Ellet next taught in the Ellet Schoolhouse, 
and after him P. C. McDonald, in the Roden- 



ihL^ 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



551 



baugh Schoolhouse. This comprises the earl}' 
schools of Springfield, and brings the educa- 
tional history of the township down within the 
period of the free school system. Springfield 
now has some six schoolhouses, all of which 
are good, comfortable brick buildings, well 
furnished and appointed, in which schools are 
taught by competent teachei's during the requi- 
site terms each year. 

For years after the first white people settled 
in Springfield, their highways of travel were 
blazed paths through the forest. The |irst road 
laid out was that leading from Canton to Middle- 
bury, known as the " Canton and Middlebury 
road." The next, perhaps, was the Middleburj' 
and Kendall road. These were followed by oth- 
ers, mostly centering in Middlebury, then a place 
of much importance. The first mails were 
brought to the post oflfice at Baldwin's, on 
horseback, along a blazed path through the 
woods, from Canton to Middlebury and back 
again. This road afterward^ became a some- 
what noted thoroughfare, and was a stage 
route between Cleveland and Canton. John C. 
Hart, of Middlebury, ran a line of stages over 
this route for a number of ^ears. 

Originall}', as we have stated,, Randolph, Suf- 
field, Springfield and Tallmadge comprised a 
single township. This was the case in 1812, 
and, under the old militia law of that period, 
all able-bodied men between eighteen and forty- 
five years of age, were compelled to drill on 
certain days of each year. The township 
above-mentioned was a military district, and 
formed a militia company, of which Bailey 
Hubbard was Captain ; Ariel Bradley Lieuten- 
ant, and Aaron Weston, Ensign. Weston was 
also Ensign of the company of volunteers from 
this section, under Capt. John Campbell, who 
were surrendered by Gen. Hull at Detroit, in 
the opening period of the war of 1812. 

When John Bull, in 1812, unchained his 
hungry lion upon the United States, there was 
considerable population in this section of Ohio. 
In Springfield Township there had settled quite 
a number of families. Gen. Bierce thus tells 
the war news of that period : " After Hull's 
surrender, a draft was made, and eight were 
taken fi'om Springfield — Joseph D. Baird, John 
Hall, Timothy Holcomb, Alexander Hall, James 
Baird, Lee Moore, Nathaniel DeHaven, and Mar- 
tin Willis, who went as a substitute. They be- 
longed to the company commanded by Capt. 



Lusk, of Hudson; Lieut. Holcomb, of Hudson, 
resigned to John Caris, of Rootstown, who was 
Second Lieutenant ; Hiram King, formerly' of 
Middlebury, was Ensign. The}' belonged to 
the regiment commanded by Col. Rayen, of 
Youngstown, in the brigade of Gen. Simon 
Perkins. Joseph D. Baird, Timoth}' Holcomb, 
Nathaniel DeHaven and Lee Moore are yet liv- 
ing.* John Hall died in Huron Coimty, and 
Alexander Hall died at Camp Huron ; James 
Baird died at La Grange, Ind.; and Martin 
Willis died on his way home at Tinker's Creek. 
On the return of the wreck of Hull's armj', 
after his surrender at Detroit, the ' Ohio volun- 
teers,' under Cols. Cass and McArthur, passed 
through Springfield, and encamped on the 
banks of the river near the south end of the 
bridge, at ' Clinton's Mill.' Samuel EUet, the 
father of John and Jehu Ellet, who then lived 
where Jehu Ellet now does, measured off half 
an acre of green corn and tui-ned it out to the 
soldiers, who picked and roasted it for their 
suppers. The following year, Maj. Croghan, 
when going to the lines with his command, en- 
camped on the same ground. At that time, 
Dr. Joseph DeWolf. of Ravenna, was the onl}- 
practicing ph3'sician, except Dr. Ashmun, of 
Hudson, between Cleveland and Canfield. De- 
Wolf being a Democrat and a strong supporter 
of the war, could do no less than attend on the 
the sick and wounded soldiers as the}' were re- 
turning from what was worse than sickness, 
Hull's disgraceful surrender. He rode night 
and day, performing that unpaid oflBce of hu- 
manity. The poor soldiers owe him a debt of 
gratitude, and his countr}' ought to compensate 
him. Man}' a political brawler has received 
thousands of dollars for far less meritorious 
service than that performed by Dr. DeWolf in 
receiving the sick of the ' Ohio volunteers.' 
Whatever may become of the pecuniary ob- 
ligation of this Government to him, let not the 
gratitude be canceled by the statute of limit- 
ation. 

" After the surrender of Hull, a press was 
made for horses for the use of the Govern- 
ment. David Preston, of Tallmadge, and oth- 
ers, were in the employ of the United States 
collecting horses in Springfield. The Rev. Mr. 
Beers, of Springfield, had five horses when the 

* The abovp extract from Gen. Bierce wag written in 1H54 ; all 
of the squad there mentioned have fought their last battle, and 
are now at rest. — [Ed. 



'Hi 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



553 



kins, of Warren, being at the time agent for 
the proprietors, had a survey made of Town 2, 
Range 10, into lots a mile square, making a 
total of twent^'-five lots, No. 1 being at north- 
west corner of the township. Caleb Palmer 
made this survey in 1803, and it was on this 
survey that the Brace Company, Starr and 
Tallmadge, made the partition of their land in 
May of the same year. The Brace Company 
were Jonathan Brace, Roger Newberry, Justin 
Ely, Elijah White and Enoch Perkins. In this 
partition the Brace Company received 6,105^'^^ 
acres l3'ing on the west side of the township. 
Ephraim Starr received 3,493,^3 acres, being 
a strip one mile wide through the center of the 
township, from the north to the south line, and 
Lot 24, east of Lot 23, on the south line. Col. 
Tallmadge received about 5,611 acres, lying on 
the east side of the township. The first sale of 
land to individuals was to John and Selah Payne, 
and Jotham Blakslee, of Kent, Conn., by Eph- 
raim Starr and Hannah, his wife ; the deeds 
were dated June 28, 1805. John Payne and 
Elizabeth Payne, his wife, conveyed to Col. 
Benj. Tallmadge 884 acres of land for $1,026, 
the deed to which was dated August 19, 1806. 
These deeds may be found among the land 
records of Trumbull County. 

Rev. David Bacon made a contract July 12, 
1806, with Ephraim Starr, and soon after with 
Col. Tallmadge, also with the Brace Compan}' 
(for part of their lands), to become their agent 
for the sale of their lands in Town 2, Range 10. 
Mr. Bacon established himself with his family 
in Hudson until read}' to commence operations. 
His first step was a re-survey of the township. 
Seth I. Ensign was employed to make the sur- 
vey on a plan devised by Mr. Bacon, which 
was to survey into great lots or tracts one and 
a fourth miles square, and the lines running 
to the four cardinal points of the compass to 
be roads, and then diagonal roads crossing at 
the center and terminating at or near the cor- 
ner of the township. The public square or 
green of seven and one-half acres as a parade 
ground for the militia on training days, and on 
which the meeting house and the academy were 
to stand, occupied the center of the town. This 
square was surrounded by the store, the tavern, 
the mechanics' shops, dwelling houses, etc., 
and from it eight roads diverged, so that all 
residents of the townships had a road to come 
to meeting on the Sabbath Day. This showed 



Mr. Bacon's foresight, thus placing every lot or 
subdivision on a road, which has had a ten- 
dency to prevent much contention about roads, 
that some of the neighboring townships have 
been subjected to. Mr. Ensign made this sur- 
vey in November, 1806. His assistants as far 
as known were Justus Sackett and Salmon 
Weston, of Wan-en, Conn., and a man named 
Singletar3\ William Prior says : " I carried 
their provisions to them on a mule from North- 
ampton Mills to their camp. They found the 
noi'thwest corner of the township, then run 
east two and a half miles, then south two and 
a half miles, where they set the center stake, 
and turned their attention to a camping-place. 
They chose a spot about a fourth of a mile 
southwest from the center stake on the bank 
of the brook." Mr. Weston informed the writer 
that the camp was between the brook and a 
bank several feet high. They felled a large bass- 
wood tree which stood on the bank, and from 
it split puncheons with which the sides and top 
of their "camp" were formed. This circumstance 
it was that gave to the little stream the name 
of Camp Brook. When their camp was fin- 
ished, they again went to the northwest corner 
and commenced work. They run a line south 
one and a fourth miles, then east to town line, 
then south one and a fourth miles to the center 
line, then west again. The northwest corner 
tract was No. 1 ; the northeast corner tract 
was No. 4 ; and the southeast corner tract No. 
1 6. The tracts were subdivided into six lots 
generally, which was done by Ensign, except 
Tracts 1 and 4 — the latter was surveyed by 
Elizur Wright in 1817, for Col. Tallmadge. 

The land of Tallmadge Township is rolling 
and somewhat elevated ; several points rising 
to a height of 540 feet above the level of Lake 
Erie. The summit of Coal Hill (near Daniel 
Hines'), is 636 feet, and is the highest point of 
land in the county, with one exception. The 
highest point is in Richfield Township. The 
soil is a light loam, and in places, somewhat 
sandy, but upon the whole, well adapted to 
grain, and also to grass. The prevailing tim- 
ber is oak and chestnut, intermixed with which 
is hickory, elm, ash, white and black walnut, 
bass, cucumber, with beech and maple on 
the streams. On many tracts, quite a collec- 
tion of sugar maples were found, from which 
quantities of sugar and molasses were manu- 
factured. The drainage of Tallmadge is all into 



\ 



554 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



the Cuyahoga River on the north, and the Little 
Cuyahoga on the south ; the east and west 
center road being about the divide. The 
streams are all small. The Little Cuyahoga 
runs through Springfield near the line, and the 
Cuyahoga runs near the north line in Stow, 
making a sharp bend into Tallmadge on the 
Speng farm. The streams are fed by numer- 
ous springs, furnishing water on almost every 
farm in abundance. The swamps have been 
mostly reclaimed, so that at the present day, 
there is in the township but very little land un- 
suitable for cultivation. 

Tallmadge Township was originally bounded 
on the north by Stow Township, on the east by 
Brimfield Township (in Portage County), on 
the south by Springfield Township, and on the 
westb}' Portage Township. In 1851, Cuyahoga 
Falls was set off as a township, and takes from 
Tallmadge the whole of Tract No. 1, containing 
899 ^acres, and about 100 acres oft' the north 
side of Lots 1, 2 and 3, in Tract 5. Then in 
1857, Middlebur}' was set ofl" as an independ- 
ent township, taking from Tallmadge Lots 3 
and 5, containing b}' Ensign's survey-, 299 acres. 
The productions of the township are the various 
kinds of grain, grass and fruit. The pursuit 
of a large majority of the inhabitants has been 
that of farming in its different branches, no one 
branch being made a specialt3\ 

The first permanent settlement in Tallmadge 
Township, from the most reliable testimou}', 
seems to have been made by George Boosinger. 
He was born in 1777, and, in 1801, his father 
emigrated to Ohio with his family, and located 
in Ravenna, in Portage County. George lived 
there until ^rown to manhood, when he mar- 
ried Miss Nancy Simcox. He then bought 
seventy -five acres of land in this township, in 
Lot 6, Tract 14, of Jotham Blakslee, of 
Ravenna, and off' the west side of the lot. 
This farm is now (1881) owned bv Sherman 
Pettibone. Boosinger came over and selected 
a spot on which to build, which was at a fine 
spring of water, near the south line of the 
township, and then returned to Ravenna. In 
March, 1807, he again came over, and brought 
help with him preparatory to building a house 
on his new purchase. Those who came over 
with him were Henry Sapp, Jotham Blakslee, 
Jr., John McManus, Moses Bradford, Philip 
Ward, William Price, David Jennings, William 
Chared, Robert Campbell, Abel Forshey and 



Henry Bozor. They assembled on the ground 
in the morning, cut the logs and raised the 
house, which was about 16x20 feet in dimen- 
sions, made the long shingles, or " shakes " (as 
they were called), put on the roof, cut out a 
door and laid down a floor of puncheons. 
These puncheons were split out of a straight- 
grained tree, and hewed smooth on one side 
and laid down upon the sleepers. As they 
seasoned, they were driven up close together, 
and made a good substitute for board or plank 
floors. The doors were also made of punch- 
eons, pinned on to wooden battens or hinges, 
and often not a nail was used in making them. 
The windows of the pioneer cabins were quite 
as primitive as the doors. A place was cut 
out, across which sticks were put at right 
angles, and tovered with greased paper as a 
substitute for glass. 

His cabin being ready for occupancy, Boos- 
inger left Ravenna the last of March or the 
first of April, and with his famil}' moved into 
his new home, thus becoming the original set- 
tler of Tallmadge Township. At the semi- 
centennial of the settlement of the township, 
Hon. E. N. Sill, in his address on that day, 
gave to Rev. David Bacon the honor of mak- 
ing the first settlement. This was disputed at 
the time b}^ several pioneers who were present, 
and who were familiar with all the circum- 
stances. The}' were well satisfied of the fact 
that Boosinger settled in the township in 
March or April, 1807. These pioneers are 
now dead, but, in years that are past, the 
writer has interviewed some of them, and has 
given that attention to the subject which has 
confirmed him in the opinion that Boosinger 
was the first settler. There was no intention 
on the part of any one to deprive Mr. Boosin- 
ger of all the honor that belonged to him, but 
there was evidentl}' a hast}' conclusion of 
some to give the honor of priorit}' in settle- 
ment to Mr. Bacon. Soon after Boosinger's 
settlement, his wife went back to Ravenna, 
and, while there, gave birth to twins — a boy 
and girl. As soon as prudent, she returned to 
her home in Tallmadge. In a few weeks after- 
ward, the boy sickened and died, and was 
buried on his father's farm. This was the first 
death in the township. Mr. Boosinger and his 
wife were honest, upright and industrious peo- 
ple, and just in their dealings with their fellow- 
men. He was not in sympathy with Bacon 



'A 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



555 



and his grand scheme for supporting the 
church by direct taxation, and united with the 
Presbyterian Church in Springfield, where lie 
and his family attended meeting. Mrs. Boos- 
inger died in Tallmadge, and he married a sec- 
ond time, to a Miss Wolfert. He sold his farm 
to Pettibone in 1836, and removed to Macoupin 
County, 111., where he died in 1862. 

To the Rev. David Bacon this township is 
greatly indebted for its religious and moral 
standing in the community. His influence in- 
duced many others to settle here from towns 
on the Western Reserve, and to co-operate with 
him in his plans for building up a state of 
society of Puritan tendencies. Mr. Bacon was 
born in Woodstock, Windham Co., Conn., in 
1771. In early life he had a strong desire for 
a college education, but this he was unable to 
obtain. Tt did not lessen his desire, however, 
to preach the Gospel, and to this end he com- 
menced the study of theolog}' with Rev. Levi 
Hart, D. D., of Preston, New London Co., Conn. 
He was ordained a minister of the Gospel 
December 31, 1799, and was married to Miss 
Alice Parks about the same time, at Lebanon, 
Conn. He left Hartford on the 8th of August, 
1800, under the patronage of the Connecticut 
Missionary Societ}', with a view of visiting the 
Indian tribes bordering on Lake Erie. He 
sailed from Buffalo September 8, arriving at 
Detroit on the 11th, and about the middle of 
December he returned to Connecticut with 
much valuable information. The next year 
he came back to Ohio, bringing his wife with 
him, arriving in safet}' at Detroit. This place 
was then but little else than a trading-post of 
the Indians, and a military point, garrisoned 
by United States troops. Here Mr. Bacon 
labored as a missionar}' among the Indians for 
some time, and here his eldest child (Rev. 
Leonard Bacon, D. D., of New Haven, Conn.), 
was born February 14, 1802. He went from 
Detroit to Mackinaw, where he labored until 
the latter part of the summer of 1804, when he 
left the place, and after a long and dangerous 
voyage, part of the time in a canoe, he arrived 
with his family on the soil of the Western Re- 
serve. About the 1st of October, he found a 
home temporarily at Hudson. He labored on 
the Reserve as a missionary, but soon became 
convinced that more good could be accom- 
plished for the Reserve by a township with all 
the appliances and the accomplishments of 



New England civilization as an example. Dr. 
L. Bacon, in an address delivered June 24, 
1857, speaking of his father, says : ''Being on 
the western limits of civilization, he looked 
about for a vacant township, in which such an 
experiment might be tried. His prophetic 
mind saw the capabilities of Township 2, 
Range 10 ; its fertile soil, its salubrious air, 
its beautifully undulating surface, its pure and 
abundant water, its streams singing in the 
grand old woods and rich with power for the 
service of man. He saw the proprietorship 
of it was in the hands of men who, as his 
trusting and hopeful nature led him to believe, 
would enter into his views, and would even be 
willing to sacrifice something of their possible 
gains (if need should be) for so great a scheme of 
public usefulness as that with which his mind 
was laboring.'" He went to Connecticut with 
his family near the close of the year 1804, and, as 
alread}' stated, secured the agenc}- of tiie pro- 
prietors of most of the land in Tallmadge 
Township. Being a descendant of the Puri- 
tans, and deeply imbued with New England 
Puritanism, he was thought by man}- to be 
visionar}'. His ideas were uf the true Puritan 
stamp — the church first, and next the school- 
house. The church was to be Congregational, 
and no inhabitants were to be admitted into 
the settlement but those of that denomination, 
or who were in sympathy with the strictest 
Puritan principles. As a people and a town- 
ship we are greatly indebted to Mr. Bacon for 
laying, as he did, foundations so broad and 
deep, and embellished with moral, religious 
and educational principles. Some of the land 
he was unable to control, and a few persons 
settled on it that did not agree with Mr. Bacon 
in all his grand views. The majority of the 
settlers, however, for the first twenty-five years, 
were his adherents, and were firm supporters 
of the Gospel, and of elevating the standard 
of morality. 

In the spring of 1807, Mr. Bacon began to 
make prepartions for moving into Tallmadge. 
He hired a man named Justin E. Frink, who 
had just arrived at Hudson from Vermont, to 
clear a piece of ground for a garden, and on 
which to build a house. He and Bacon came 
over and selected a place which was near Starr's 
west line, and the south li^c of the township, 
at a spring of good water, and about a mile 
west of Boosinger's cabin. Frink cleared off 



:; iVsu 



556 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



the ground and cut logs for a house. The house 
was built, and was of pioneer pattern, with its 
puncheon floor and door, stick chimney, etc., 
and when completed the family moved into it. 
Says Dr. Bacon in the address already quoted 
from : " I well remember among the dim and 
scattered reminiscences of earl}- childhood, the 
pleasant day in the month of July, if I mistake 
not, when the family made its removal from the 
center of Hudson, to the new log house that 
had been prepared for it, in the township which 
had no other designation than ' No. 2, Range 
10.' The father and mother, poor in this 
world's goods, but rich in faith and in the treas- 
ure of God's promises rich in their well-tried 
mutual affection, rich in their hopes of useful- 
ness, and of the comfort and competence to be 
ultimatel}" achieved by their enterprise, rich in 
the parental jo}- with which the}- looked upon 
the three little ones that were carried in their 
arms or nestled among their scanty household 
goods in the slow-moving wagon, were familiar 
with whatever there is in hardsliip and peril, 
and in baffling disappointment, to try the cour- 
age of the noblest manhood or the immortal of 
a true woman's love. The little ones were na- 
tives of the wilderness, the youngest a delicate 
nursling of six months. This child's name was 
Juliana ; was born in Hudson February 25, 
1807. The others were born in a far remoter 
and wilder West than this was even then. 
These five were the family who, on that day, 
removed to their new home. I remember the 
setting out ; the halt before the door of good 
old Deacon Thompson to say farewell ; the 
fording of the Cuyahoga, at Monroe Falls ; the 
slow day's journey of somewhat less than thir- 
teen miles, along a road that had been merely 
cut, not made, through the unbroken forest ; the 
little clearing where the journey ended ; the 
new log house so long our home, with what 
seemed to me a stately hill behind it, and with 
a limpid rivulet winding near tlie door. And 
when at night, the first famil}' worship was 
offered in that lonel}' cabin, when the father 
and mother, having read from this Bible (Dr. 
Bacon holding up to the audience the identical 
Bible his parents used on that occasion), then 
commended to their Covenant God, themselves, 
and their children, and the work which they 
had that day begun ; the prayer that went up 
from those two saintly' souls, breathed the same 
spirit with the prayer that went of old from the 



deck of the Mayflower, or from beneath the 
wintry sky Plymouth. In the ear of God, it 
was as, ' The voice of one crying in the wilder- 
ness, prepare 3'e the way of the Lord, make His 
paths straight.'" 

From April, 1807, up to February, 1808, the 
only persons in Tallmadge were George Boos- 
inger and wife and child ; Rev. David Bacon, 
his wife and three children, and J. E. Frink, a 
hired man in Mr. Bacon's family, making in 
all five adults and four children. In 1808, 
Ephraim Clark, Jr., came in, being the third 
regular settler in the township. He was a na- 
tive of Southington, Conn., and, when he was 
sixteen years of age, his parents removed to 
Russell, Mass., where he lived until his matu- 
rit3^ He caught the Western fever, and, in 
1799, left his laome in Massachusetts, his des- 
tination being " New Connecticut," his object- 
ive point. Town No. 7, Range 7, of the Western 
Reserve, now known as Burton Township, in 
Geauga County. Alone and on foot, he trav- 
eled the distance, often camping out at night 
without fire or blanket, but, finally, arrived in 
safet}-. He liked the country and settled in 
Burton Township. Like many others of the 
pioneei's of the times, he was fond of hunting. 
He once found the carcass of a deer that had 
been killed by a wolf Around the carcass he 
built a pen with an opening and a door, which 
was set with what trappers and hunters called 
a figure 4, and thus caught the wolf He 
pealed elm bark, made a rope, formed a noose 
at one end, which he succeeded in putting over 
the wolf's head, and by this means led it, as 
one might lead a dog, to Burton Square, where 
he tied the rope to the sign post of the tavern. 
Judge Calvin Pease, with an Eastern friend, 
were present, and the " Eastern friend " pro- 
posed to give a gallon of whisky for the priv- 
ilege of shooting the beast, that he might tell 
it at home that he had killed a wolf Clark 
agreed, and when the whisky was given him, 
he handed his gun to the man, who performed 
the great feat of shooting a wild wolf — tied to 
a tree. Mr. Clark killed many deer, wolves 
and bears. In 1805. he left Burton and settled 
in Mesopotamia, where, in 1807, he married a 
Miss Sperry, and, in 1808, removed to this 
township. His wife died in 1833, and he, in 
1858, at the age of eighty years, having lived on 
the Reserve fifty-nine years. The next settler 
in Tallmadge was, probably, Jonathan Sprague, 



^h. 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



557 



who came from Connecticut. In 1801, he emi- 
grated to the territory northwest of the Ohio 
River, crossing over the mountains with his 
team. He stopped in Canfield where he re- 
mained until his removal to this township. He 
came here to co-operate with Mr. Bacon in his 
broad and liberal plans, and in him Mr. Bacon 
found an able and zealous coadjutor. He 
bought Lot No. 5, in Tract 14, of the Brace 
Company upon which he lived until his death. 
He was spoken of as a Puritan of the most 
approved Puritan style. 

Next in the catalogue of earl}' settlers, we 
may mention Deacon Nathaniel Chapman, 
Charles Chittenden, William Neal and George 
Kilbourn, all of whom were from Connecticut 
originally. Deacon Chapman, with his brother 
William, made a trip to the Western Reserve in 
1800, on a tour of inspection. They stopped 
at Canfield, and, being pleased with the coun- 
try, he selected land and made what prepara- 
tions he could for settling on it, and then leav- 
ing his brother he returned to Connecticut. 
The next year, with an ox team, he started 
with his family, taking the " south road," as it 
was called, through Pennsylvania, and over the 
mountains to Pittsburgh. When within ten 
miles of Canfield, his wagon sunk into the 
mud and his team was unable to move it. He 
was in a rather helpless and forlorn condition ; 
no help near, nor any means visible, by which 
he might extricate himself from his difficulties. 
In his trouble, he sat down on a log, the better 
to contemplate the situation, and while thus 
engaged, his brother William's dog came to him. 
He used often to say, that he never, in all his 
life, met so welcome a friend, for he knew that 
help was near. His brother soon appeared 
with a yoke of oxen and assisted him to Can- 
field with his family, which then consisted of 
his wife and five children, and his father, Titus 
Chapman. Mr. Bacon, when he heard of his 
arrival, visited Canfield, and unfolded to him 
his plans in Tallmadge. Mr. Chapman at once 
fell in with the views of Bacon, by whom he 
was induced to sell out at Canfield and remove 
to this township. He came here with his 
family in April, 1808, and settled upon Lot 3 in 
Tract 14. Being of the strictest Puritan prin- 
ciples, he heartil}' coincided with Mr. Bacon in 
the great work he had inaugurated. His daugh- 
ter Sally was the first bride in Tallmadge ; she 
was married to John Collins on the 7th of 



January, 1809, and the ceremon}- was per- 
formed by Joseph Harris, of Randolph, a Jus- 
tice of the Peace. His father, Titus Chapman, 
died November 8, 1808, and was the first death 
of an adult person in the township, the first 
death being, as already noted, Boosinger's 
child. Mr. Chapman, Sr., was the first buried 
in the old Middlebury graveyard. Deacon 
Chapman was the first Justice of the Peace in 
the township after its organization. He was 
an exemplar}' man, and died November 12, 
1834, at the age of sixty-six yeai's. Charles 
Chittenden removed to Canfield with his family 
in 1801, where his wife and child died. He 
afterward married Elma Steele, and, in the 
early part of 1808, removed into this township. 
He settled on Lot No. 6, Tract No. 13, which 
he bought of the Brace Company, and built 
his cabin at a spring, on the place now owned 
by the Buckle family. Here the first white 
child in Tallmadge Township w-as born in June, 
1808, to Mr. and Mi's. Chittenden. She after- 
ward married Isaac Newton, and removed to 
the far West. Mr. Chittenden was a strong 
Episcopalian, and not in accord with the Ba- 
conian ideas of Puritanism. He sold to Deacon 
Gillett about the year 1811, and moved over 
into Springfield Township, where he died in 
1833. William Neal came to Ohio in the win- 
ter of 1806-07, and it is believed that he settled 
in this township in the spring of 1808. He 
bought land of the Brace Company, the north 
half of Lot No. 4, Tract 13, and lived the re- 
mainder of his life in Tallmadge and Coventry. 
He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. and 
died in December, 1842, aged seventy-eight 
years. George Kilbourn left Connecticut on 
the 1st day of September. 1801, with ox team, 
and crossed the mountains to Pittsburgh, and 
thence to Hudson Township in this county, 
where he arrived on the sixtieth day of his 
journey. He was a tanner and shoemaker by 
trade, and had been in business in Farmington, 
where he had been quite successful before 
coming West. In 1805, he removed to New- 
burg, where he worked at tanning and shoe- 
making. In the spring of 1808, he came to 
this township and settled on Lots 8 and 9, in 
Tract 10, antl also bought at same time Lots 1 
and in Tract 11. He and his sons carried on 
the farm and tanning business on Camp Brook. 
This was the first tannery in the township. He 
built a frame barn in 1811, and a ft-ame dwell- 



»f 



IT 



Ml 



558 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



ing in 1815. In 1817, he sold to Aaron Hine, 
untl bought the farm of Capt. Heinan Oviatt, 
in Hudson Township, where he died March 15, 
18G6, aged ninet3'-six years. His wife had 
died in 1859, aged eighty-seven years. They 
had traveled together over life's rugged road 
for sixt^'-eight years. 

To this period in the history of Tallraadge it 
had been known and designated as Town 2, 
Range 10, and as yet had no other name. 
There is, however, some traditions, borne out 
b_v more or less evidence, that the settlers met 
at the house of Mr. Bacon in June, 1808, for 
the special purpose of selecting a name. Mr. 
Bacon expressed a desire to have it called for 
Col. Tallmadge. one of the original proprietors 
of the land, a proposition that was agreed to. 
It is not known whether all the settlers were 
present at this christening of the township ; the 
following, however, were holders of land at that 
time : Rev. David Bacon, Ephraim Clark, Jr., 
George Boosinger, Jonathan Sprague, Nathan- 
iel Chapman, George Kilbourn, Charles Chit- 
tenden, William Neal and Capt. Joseph Hart. 
The latter was the first settler in Middlebury, 
now the Sixth Ward of Akron. Justin B. 
Frink, a single man, and another single man 
named Bradley, were in the town at the time. 
At the close of the year 1808. in addition to 
those named above, the following had moved in, 
viz. : Aaron Norton, Dr. Ainos C. Wright, Mo- 
ses Bradford from Ravenna, Thomas Dunlap, 
from Pennsylvania, and Eli Hill, from Vir- 
ginia. These were all men of families, except 
Hill. The following births had occurred in the 
township since the first settlement : Cornelia, 
daughter of Charles Chittenden ; Eliza, daugh- 
ter of Capt. Hart, and who was the first born 
in Middlebury : Eliza, daughter of (leorge Kil- 
bourn : Amos, son of Dr. Wright, and the first 
male child born, not only in Tallmadge, but in 
the county ; and Alice, daughter of Mr. Bacon, 
making a total, perhaps, of seventy souls in the 
township. 

Dr. Amos C. W^righL was from Connecticut, 
and settled in Tallmadge in the latter part of 
the year 1808. He settled originall}- in Smith- 
field, now Vernon, in 1802, but the influence of 
Mr. Bacon brought him to tliis township, where 
he became an active participant in everj'thing 
calculated to promote the interests of the com- 
munity. He died May 19, 1845, at the age of 
sixty-five years. In February, 1809, the first 



additions for the year was made to the settle- 
ment, in the persons of Edmoud Strong and 
John Wright, Jr., natives of Connecticut. They 
left Morgan, where they had previously lo- 
cated, in sleds drawn by oxen, and by this 
mode of travel brought their families to this 
township. Thej' came by wa^^ of Cleveland, 
and were three days in coming from Gleasoa's 
Mills, in Bedford, in Cuyahoga County, to 
Tallmadge. Strong settled on Lot No. 3, Tract 
No. 6, and was the first settler north of the east 
and west center road. Wright settled on the 
south half of Lot No. 10, Tract 10, where he 
lived until his death, in 1845. Capt. John 
Wright, the father of the one just mentioned, 
emigrated to Ohio with his fixmil}' in 1802, and 
came to Tallmadge in the spring of 1809. He 
was a Revolutionary soldier, and lived here 
until his death, which took place July 29, 1825, 
aged eighty-two years. This branch of the 
Wright family were famous singers and music 
teachers, and it may be very truthfully said 
that, from 1808 to the present time, the choir 
of the Congregational Church of Tallmadge has 
not been without some representative of the 
Wright famil}'. Alpha, another son of Capt. 
Wright, and who was but fourteen years of age 
when his father came to Ohio in 1802, settled 
with his father, in 1809, on Lot No. 8, in Tract 
11, and continued a resident of the township 
until his death, in 1856. Jotham Blakslee set- 
tled on Lot 4, in Tract 15, in the earl}' part of 
1809. His nephew, also named Jotham Blaks- 
lee, and who married his daughter, came to the 
settlement with him. The}^ had originally set- 
tled in Portage County, near Ravenna, in 1^05, 
and the marriage of Jotham Blakslee, Jr., to his 
cousin, was the second marriage ceremony per- 
formed in Portage County. During the sum- 
mer of 1809, he, in company with Gen. Elijah 
Wadsworth, of Canfield, Selah Pa3'ne and a 
Mr. Stewart, explored Tallmadge Township, 
and at night struck up camp on Coal Hill. 
The next morning, they followed the lot lines 
to the center. Here Gen. Wadsworth said to 
young Blakslee, " Boy, let us cut a brush-heap 
here at the center ; I shall not live long to tell 
of it, but you may." Three years later, Blaks- 
lee became a resident of the township, and so 
remained until his death, sixty-one j-ears after- 
ward. He it was that helped Boosinger build 
his log cabin, the first in the township. He was 
a blacksmith, and made wrouo;ht nails, when 



1L£ 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



559 



nails were a scarce article, not only in Tall- 
madge, but on the Reserve. He made the nails 
used in Dr. A. C. Wright's barn, the first 
framed barn in the township, and which was 
built in 1810. He was of strong anti-slavery 
principles and a devoted Christian. He died 
in 1870, at the age of eighty years. Conrad 
Boosinger, father to him who is recorded as the 
first settler in Tallmadge, settled near his son, 
in the spring af 1809. He was also a Revolu- 
tionary soldier. Both he and his wife died on 
the place of their settlement, which was on Lot 
6, in Tract 14. 

Elizur Wright, a wealthy farmer of Connec- 
ticut, exchanged his improved farm there for 
3,000 acres of land in Tallmadge Township, 
and, in 1809, came out to see his new posses- 
sions. Of Puritan descent, and strong in that 
faith, he easily became a disciple of Bacon, 
and adopted his views for the building-up of a 
church and religious society. He made arrange- 
ments to have some land cleared and a house 
built, and then returned to Connecticut to pre- 
pare for removing his family to Ohio. On the 
22d of May, 1810, he left his old home in the 
Nutmeg State for his new one in Tallmadge. 
His goods were brought in two large wagons, 
each drawn by two 3'oke of oxen ; the family 
came in a carriage drawn by two horses, and 
their route was over the mountains by wa}^ of 
Pittsburgh, arriving at their destination on the 
30th of June. A man of wealth, he was a 
valuable acquisition to the little community ; 
liberal in his support of the church, and all 
worthy, benevolent objects. Through his im- 
mediate influence, David Preston was induced 
to sell out in Connecticut, and move to Tall- 
madge. Mr. Preston came in the summer of 
1810, and bi'ought with him his wife ; Drake 
Fellows and wife and two children ; John S. 
Preston and wife and two children. Mr. Preston 
settled on Lot 2, Tract 13. He was a soldier 
of the Revolution, and died July 11, 1827. 
Fellows bought the south half of Lot No. 1, in 
Tract No. 14. William Neal, with that true 
hospitality characteristic of pioneer life, opened 
his cabin to Fellows until the latter could build. 
For the benefit of some of our modern people, 
we will give the following true description of 
Mr. Neal's cabin at the time he took in Mr. 
Fellows and his family : " It was about 18x24 
feet ; a bed in one corner ; a loom in another 
corner, in the others a table, some chairs, pots. 



frying-pan, etc., while Mr. and Mrs. Fellows 
made their bed on the floor under the loom. 
This was the way the pioneers roughed it." It 
is believed that Elizur Wright built the second 
frame barn in Tallmadge in 1811. It stood 
west of the residence of Daniel A. Upson, a 
grandson of Mr. Wright, and was taken down 
(the barn) a few years ago. This barn was 
used as a place of worship before there were 
an}' churches or schoolhouses built in the town- 
ship, and, within its walls, the pioneers were 
assembled together for divine worship, when 
the news came of Hull's sui'render at Detroit. 
The little band instantly dispersed, and, before 
nightfall, all the able-bodied men in the settle- 
ment were ready to march to the defense of 
Cleveland. A second dispatch, however, as- 
sured them that Cleveland was in no immediate 
danger. It was also in this barn that Rev. 
Simeon Woodrufl" preached his first sermon in 
Tallmadge, July 25, 1813. Mr. Wright was the 
senior deacon of the church for thirty years ; 
he died in December, 1845, aged eight3'-three 
years. Samuel McCoy, a native of Ireland, 
came to the township in 1810, and bought Lot 
No. 4, in Tract 14 ; and, the same year. Deacon 
Salmon Sackett came to Tallmadge to look at 
the land, with a view of exchanging for some 
of it his farm in Connecticut. He was well 
pleased with the country, and, returning home, 
made a trade with Col. Tallmadge for 648 
acres of land, which he took in part payment 
for his farm. He moved on it in 1811, and 
arrived on the first Monday in Jul}-. In speak- 
ing of his first visit to Tallmadge, in after ^ears. 
Deacon Sackett said : " On my arrival in Tall- 
madge, I was cordially received by the people 
after the good old New England fashion. They 
met for Sabbath worship in Capt. Wright's 
log house ; the inhabitants of the township were 
mostly there, men, women and children, and we 
had a good meeting. I found that a majority 
of the people were from my native county of 
Litchfield, and among them was Deacon Elizur 
Wright. It was so much like New England 
that I felt at home." Of his sons, and sons-in- 
law, with their families, the party that Deacon 
Sackett brought to the town numbered seven- 
teen persons, quite a valuable addition to the 
settlement. He settled on JiOt 9, in Tract 11, 
and died in November, 1846, at the age of 
eighty-four years. In April, 1811, John Car- 
ruthers moved in from Pennsylvania. His 



"7 



•^k- 



560 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



family consisted of his wife and four children, 
and they settled on 100 acres, which he pur- 
chased on the east side of Lot No. 1, in Tract 
IG. When he arrived, he stopped at the cabin 
of Thomas Dunlap, who received him in true 
pioneer style, for both were Pennsylvanians. 
Mr. Carruthers was of Scotch descent, and Pres- 
byterian to the core. The lives of Mr. and 
Mrs. Carruthers were spent in Tallmadge, where 
they were useful members of society. He died 
in 1853 ; she in 1836. Luther Chamberlain 
settled in Tallmadge in June, 1811, and lived 
to an advanced age. In 1811, Deacon Nathan 
Gillett and his son Ara, bought out Charles 
Chittenden, and settled on his place. Mr. Gil- 
lett was also a Revolutionary soldier. Hosea 
Wilcox came from Morgan, and bought out 
Peter Norton ; and, in 1812, Reuben Upson and 
famil}' came in ; also, Jesse Neal, from New 
York, settled in the township the same year. 
The following incident is illustrative of the 
times of which we write : Hosea Wilcox, Ed- 
mond Strong and Adam Cowles, early in the 
spring of 1802, left Connecticut on foot for the 
Western Reserve. At Gennesee River, they 
overtook Rev. Joseph Badger with a four-horse 
team, moving with his family and goods. As 
both parties were bound to the same place, Mr. 
Badger proposed to them to put their knapsacks 
in his wagon and travel with him, which they 
did. Wilcox drove Mr. Badger's team, which 
is said to have been the first wagon that came 
through from Buffalo to the Western Reserve. 
Cowles and Strong went ahead with axes to 
remove any obstructions that might be in the 
way. The road had been cut through the 3'ear 
before by Gen. Pa3^ne, but had not been used. 
Strong and Wilcox were both pioneers of Tall- 
madge. 

The time of the pioneer was taken up with 
his farming operations, or in performing a piece 
of work for a neighbor to obtain some needed 
article for the benefit of his family. In early 
days all able-bodied men, between eighteen and 
forty-five years of age, were subject to mili- 
tary duty. This was all the holiday the peo- 
could afford to enjoy, the 4th of July, perhaps, 
excepted. The laws of Ohio set apart the first 
Friday in September for " company training," 
and " regimental training ' the last of the same 
month. Everybody attended these meetings, 
even those who had passed beyond the milita- 
ry age of forty-five, and all seemed to enjoy 



them. A great source of enjoyment, especially 
to the young people, was the pioneer "quilting 
party." A lady would invite her friends to 
assist her in getting out a quilt. It must be 
done before night, as parlor, dining-room and 
kitchen were invariably comprised in one room. 
In the evening the quilt and its frame gave 
place to the tea-table, which in turn gave way 
to social enjoyment, as darkness usuall}' brought 
in the young men of the neighborhood, when 
plays, forfeits, etc., were introduced for the en- 
tertainment of the young people. Sometimes, 
and in some particular places, a man would 
enter the room with a mysterious package un- 
der his arm in a green baize bag. The entrance 
of this important personage was the signal to 
" clean the deck for action," or in other words, 
to clear the room of chairs and tables for a 
dance, as the opening of the green baize bag 
always produced the fiddle, and to its enliven- 
ing music the youngsters would '-trip the light 
fantastic toe," regardless of the rough puncheon 
floor. A puncheon floor in a log cabin of one 
room was no obstacle to those who liked to 
dance a jig or reel to the stirring tune of 
"Money in Both Pockets," or, "Polly Put the 
Kettle on," or, "Durang's Hornpipe," or, "The 
Girl I Left behind Me," or, " The White Cock- 
ade," etc. The pleasure and enjoyments of 
those days, if not so refined as now, were of 
quite as much interest to the young people. 
Ye aged pioneers, how was it in the years long 
ago, when, on horseback, you rode to the log 
cabin home of her, with whom, perhaps, you 
have since walked life's rugged journey, and 
found her dressed in a flannel, linsey-woolsey, 
or calico dress ; and when from the corner of 
the rail fence, or from a convenient stump, she 
sprang on the horse behind you and put her 
arms around you to keep her seat — well ! no 
bad feeling existed then. People, perhaps, 
were more honest than they are in this fast age. 
The family supplies of the pioneers were mostl}^ 
produced by themselves. Meat, bread and a 
few vegetables were the main staples in the way 
of provisions. Whisky was very common after 
1818, and in a few families previous to that 
date. The surplus grain was made into whisky 
and thus it was put into better and more con- 
venient shape to handle. Whisky was almost 
a legal tender. Previous to the opening of the 
Erie Canal, goods were hauled from Albany 
and Buffalo in Conestoga wagons, and from 



\^ a 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



ifil 



Philadelphia and Baltimore across the mount- 
ains. Of course, this put upon the goods so 
high a tariff that home manufactures were the 
main dependence for clothing. But little at- 
tention was then dev^oted to stock-raising, or to 
the improvement of stock. Horses and cattle 
were of inferior breed, and hogs even worse if 
possible. Long and gaunt, with snouts of suf- 
ficient length to root a foot deep without get- 
ting dirt in their e3'es ; regular racers and 
chuck full of fight. Sheep were native breeds, 
and course of wool, verj' unlike those we have 
now. The pioneer farmer worked to a great 
disadvantage ; his teams were oxen, and his 
plow was what was called the " bull plow," and 
was made principally' of wood, by some farmer, 
more handy with tools than his neighbors. 
Crops were not raised and harvested without 
the sevex'est manual labor. 

Coal-mining in Tallraadge has been carried 
to some extent, but as this branch of industry 
has been more particularly mentioned in another 
chapter, we shall say but little on the subject. 
Coal was discovered at an earl}' day, at or near 
the southeast corner of the township. There is 
a tradition that it also was discovered one mile 
west of the center, by means of a woodchuck, 
which, in digging its burrow, threw out pieces 
of coal. Col. Charles Whittlesey says : " Coal 
was first found at Coal Hill, in 1810. There 
was an entry made in a ravine north of the east- 
and-west road, which was owned b}- Asaph 
Whittlesey and Samuel Newton. The demand 
for coal in 1824 was considerable, and no other 
mine was opened then. About this time, Hen- 
ry Newberr}', of Cuyahoga Falls, discovered 
coal at the northwest six corners." In later 
years, coal has been extensively mined in the 
township, and the deposits by some are sup- 
posed to be nearly exhausted. The first attempt 
at manufacturing in Tallmadge was in 1817. 
Asaph Whittlese}', in connection with Lair & 
Norton, built a forge and manufactured bar- 
iron. The location is still known as the " Old 
Forge." In 1827, Amos Avery opened a shop 
for the manufacture of wagons. William C. 
Oviatt had opened a blacksmith-shop the year 
before, and in 1836, he and Avery entered into 
partnership for the manufacture of carriages. 
This business, under various firms, has been 
continued to the present time. The manufact- 
ure of stoneware is carried on extensively, 
and sewer-pipe was made by Sperry & Richie 



until they were burned out. John A. Carruth- 
ers at one time did a large business in the man- 
ufacture of sorghum sirup. After carrjing on 
the business for some time, he turned his atten- 
tion to the making of apple-butter*. Barnes 
Brothers also do a large business in this line. 
The first tannery was opened on Camp Brook, 
south of the center, by George Kilbourn. in 
1809. He was followed by Anson Ashley, who 
for several years carried on the business. John 
Carruthers also did some tanning in the south- 
east part of the town. The streams of water 
in Tallmadge were small, and of little force as 
a water-power, but were utilized to some ex- 
tent. A saw-mill was built on the Sperr}' Farm 
in 1828, but finally failed for lack of water. 
Another, built in the southeast corner of the 
township, on the farm of Seth Meacham, failed 
from the same cause. Two steam saw-mills 
have for years supplied lumber to the people ; 
one of them is still in operation. A tavern was 
opened by Aaron Hine in 1819, and was the 
first public-house in the township. This tav- 
ern was south of the center. He was followed 
in the business by William S. Granger", who kept 
a tavern on the south side of the public square. 
He was succeeded b}^ William Kingsbury, 
Ephraim Shaler and others. A large house 
was built on the east side of the public square, 
and has since been opened as a public-house. 
There has nearly always been a tavern in oper- 
ation at the center since 1819, the date of the 
first one opened in the township. 

When Tallmadge first became known to the 
whites, there was a well-defined Indian trail 
passing through the township in a southeasterly 
course from Cuyahoga Portage, and crossed the 
town line a short distance west of the center 
road. Another trail passed up the south side 
of the river, through the township, and half a 
mile from the northeast corner passed into Stow 
Township, crossed the corner into Franklin, 
thence near the river to the '' Standing Stone," 
where was the Indian fording-place. One of the 
first roads in Tallmadge was the north-and-south 
center road. The petition for it was granted by 
the County Commissioners of Portage County, 
soon after its organization as a county in 1808. 
The signers to the petition for this road were 
Charles Clinttenden, Ephraim Clark, Jr., Jona- 
than Sprague, Nathaniel Chapman, Joseph 
Towsley, Theodore Bradley, William Neal, Jus- 
tin E. Friuk and Joel Gaylord. Upon granting 



Al' 



562 



HISTOEY OF SUMMIT COT/NT Y. 



the petition, George Kilbourn, Nathaniel Chap- 
man and David Bacon were appointed a com- 
mittee, and Joseph Darrovv, Surveyer. About 
1824, a State road was laid out from Canton to 
Cleveland through Tallmadge, on the north- 
and-south center road. Another State road 
from Wooster to Mantua, in Portage County, 
passed through Tallmadge on the northeast and 
southwest diagonal road, and was laid out about 
1827. A second petition for a road, dated 
February 20, 1809, was for what is now the 
southeast diagonal road to the center, thence to 
the east line of Great Lot No. 1, and thence to 
the most conv,enient place to build a bridge 
over the Cuyahoga River, near the north line of 
the town. Another road was laid out from 
Hart & Norton's Mill, called the " mill road." 
It was laid out in 1809-10, and another from 
Middlebury to Cuyahoga Falls, passing the old 
Forge and Bettes' Corners. The first mail 
route was established in 1814, over the road 
from Cleveland to Canton, the mail passing 
twice a week. For some years it was carried 
on horseback ; then a hack or stage was put 
on, and passengers as well as the mail were car- 
ried between those points. Some years later, 
another route was established from Akron to 
Kent and Ravenna, and returning via Brim- 
field. Still later a mail route was established 
from Cuyahoga Falls to Tallmadge. the mail 
being carried on horseback. The mail for 
Tallmadge is now received dail}' by the Penn- 
sylvania, New York & Ohio Railroad. The At- 
lantic & Great Western — ^now the New York, 
Pennsylvania & Ohio Railway — was survej-ed 
through the township and in order to have it 
pass tbe center, the people of the township 
subscribed $43,000. This road has been of in- 
estimable value to us. The Valley Railroad 
touches a ver^- small corner of Tallmadge. The 
railroad history', however, is moi'c fully given 
in another chapter. The first store was opened 
in a building which stood in front of the resi- 
dence of I. P. Sperrj', and it is supposed 
that the firm was Fenn & Howard. They con- 
tinued in business some time, and were followed 
by Christopher C. Sturdevant. He erected the 
building now used as a store. Wiswell &Groff 
opened a store in this building, but did not re- 
main long, and Eleazer C. Sackett was the next 
merchant. William A. Hanford clerked for 
Sackett, and eventually bought half of his in- 
terest ; then Homer S. Carter bought out Sack- 



ett. This firm carried on business until E. V. 
Carter bought out Hanford, when the firm be- 
came H. S. & E. V. Carter. E. V. sold to his 
partner, who carried on the store until Clement 
Wright took an interest, and the firm became 
Carter & Wright. Carter finally withdrew, and 
Wright still continues the business. A man 
named Clark opened a store about the year 
1835, in the house now the residence of Benja- 
min D. Wright, which was continued for some 
two years or more. A post office was estab- 
lished in Tallmadge April 9, 1814, with Asaph 
Whittlesey as Postmaster, a position he held 
uniil his death in 1842. His son, S. H., suc- 
ceededed him as Postmaster, and he was suc- 
ceeded by H. S. Carter. During Buchanan's 
administration, Heman K. Parsons was ap- 
pointed, who resigned at the beginning of Mr. 
Lincoln's administration, and H. S. Carter was 
again appointed, who retained the office until 
the appointment of Clement Wright, the pres- 
ent Postmaster. 

The first church society organized in the 
township is known as the " First Congrega- 
tional Church of Tallmadge," and has borne 
that title for sixty years. Rev. David Bacon 
preached the first sermon, not only in Tallmadge 
but in Springfield and Suffield, for the few scat- 
tered inhabitants of the three townships would 
gather on the Sabbath Day, at the cabin of some 
settler, and Mr. Bacon would officiate as a vol- 
unteer missionar}- to the little congregation. The 
first meetings were held in his cabin, and after- 
ward barns were used as temples of worship. 
It is supposed that Rev. Jonathan Leslie was 
the next preacher to Mr. Bacon. He was a mis- 
sionary, and sent out in the interest of the 
missionary' society of Connecticut. Rev. Sim- 
eon WoodruflT was another of the early minis- 
ters who proclaimed the woi'd to the pioneers 
of Tallmadge, and the first regular Pastor of 
the church. Rev. Jonathan Leslie preached 
his first sermon on the 20th of Jauuar}', 1809, 
and, on the next day, which was Saturday, a 
number of persons met together for the pur- 
pose of foi-ming a ■■ Church of Christ," Mr. Les- 
lie acting as Moderator. The following is the 
record of the Sabbath meeting, January 22, 
1809 : " Met according to adjournment. Pres- 
ent, George Kilbourn, Almira his wife ; Eph- 
raim Clark, Jr., Amelia his wife : Alice Bacon ; 
Amos C.Wright, Lydia his wife ; Hepsibah Chap- 
man and Justin E. Frink. The persons above 



^1 



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k. 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



563 



named presented themselves to be constituted 
a Church of Christ. A system of faith was then 
read, to which the}^ gave their consent. They 
were then led to the solemn adoption of a cov- 
enant, in which the}- engaged to keep and walk 
in the ordinances of the (xospel of Christ. The}' 
were then declared a Church of Christ, com- 
mended to His blessing, and charged solemnly 
to keep covenant and walk worth}' the follow- 
ers of the Lord Jesus, the head of tlie church. 
(Signed) Jonathan Leslie, Moderator." This 
organization took place in Mr. Bacon's cabin, 
and, at the same time, the Sacrament of the 
Lord's Supper was administered for the first time 
the township. The ordinance of baptism was 
also administered on four children, viz., Juliana 
and Alice, daughters of Mr. Bacon ; Amos, son 
of Dr. Amos C. Wright, and Eliza, daughter of 
George Kilbourn. The last one of the original 
nine members died in Hudson. This was the 
venerable George Kilbourn, who died there 
March 14, 1866, at the age of ninety-six years. 
The spot whereon Mr. Bacon's house stood and 
in which this church was organized has been 
marked, and is looked on as almost sacred. 
Here it was that the Scriptures were first read in 
the township, here the first sermon was preached, 
and here the first church society was organized 
— almost equal to the spot on which King Sol- 
omon's temple stood, which had been " thrice 
dedicated to the one true and living God." 
The Congregational Church of Tallmadge is 
claimed to be the eleventh church organization 
on the Western Reserve, a fact that is probably 
beycmd dispute. The first is the Fii'st Presby- 
tei'ian, of Youngstown, which was organized in 
1800— this following in 1809. 

There were some of Mr. Bacon's ideas that 
were not by any means popular with the mass 
of the people, and eventually proved impracti- 
cable. He found theory was one thing and 
practice another. One of his cherished ideas 
was that none should receive land but those 
who were either members of the Congregational 
Church or in sympathy with its principles, and 
$2 were to be paid on each one hundred acres 
of land, the sum to go toward the support of 
the Gospel. This provision was inserted in 
some of the early contracts and deeds, but 
never went into general use. The clause was 
as follows : •' Reserving an annuity of $2 on 
each and every 100 acres of land sold, to be 
paid on the 1st day of January of each year 



forever, to the committee of the Society of Tall- 
madge for the support of the Gospel Ministry 
of the Calvinistic faith, and of the Congrega- 
tional order of said society forever, with a right 
and power to distrain for the same in case the 
same be in arrear. Which annuity we, for di- 
vers good considerations, especially for the 
sum of $1, received of the society in Tall- 
madge, in the county of Portage, do for our- 
selves and our heirs hereby give, grant, sell, 
assign and transfer the aforesaid annuity of $2 
on each and every 100 acres of land in the said 
society of Tallmadge, and to their successors 
forever ; to hold and receive the same in trust, 
for the use and purpose of supporting the min- 
istry aforesaid in said society forever. (Signed) 
David Bacon." As we have said, this provision 
did not go into general use. Edmond Strong re- 
fused to pay the sum thus levied on his land, 
and Mr. Bacon commenced a suit against him 
as a test of the legality of such contracts. Pe- 
ter Hitchcock, of Burton, since a Member of Con- 
gress and Judge of the Supreme Court of Ohio, 
was Mr. Strong's attorney. Mr. Bacon lost the 
case, and thus ended the perpetual land tax to 
support the church in Tallmadge. This suit 
took place about the year 1811. But, notwith- 
standing these little difficulties, a majority of 
the people were Bacon's warm, true friends, and 
he was held in high estimation in the commu- 
nity. Early in 1812, he made his arrangements 
to return to Connecticut with his family. The 
people assembled in the schoolhouse at the four 
corners on top of the hill, near Jesse Sprague's, 
to hear his farewell sermon. He chose for his 
text 2 Tim., iii, 9 : " But they shall proceed no 
further : for their foil}' shall be manifest unto 
all men, as theirs also was. ' From the account 
given of this sermon by Mr. Blakslee, who was 
present, Mr. Bacon did not spare the little flock, 
and was very pointed and emphatic in his re- 
marks to Ephraim Clark, Jr., and Mr. Sprague 
for the course they had pursued in opposition 
to his cherished plans. Mr. Bacon died in Hart- 
ford, Conn., August 27, 1817, at the early age 
of forty -six years. 

The first regular Pastor of the Congrega- 
tional Church of Tallmadge was Rcy. Sim- 
eon Woodruff", already alluded to incidentally. 
He was a native of Litchfield, Conn., and a 
graduate of Yale College. He studied theol- 
ogy at Andover, and was licensed to preach in 
1S12. In 1813, he was sent to the Western 



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f 



564 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Reserve as a missionary, and on the 18th of 
May of that year he was installed Pastor of 
the church in Ephraim Clark's barn, a building 
that is still standing. His pastorate closed 
September 19, 182.3, and he died in Bainbridge, 
Mich., in August, 1839. The second Pastor 
was Rev. John Ke^'s, a native of New Hamp- 
shire, and a graduate of Dartmouth College. 
He was installed Pastor of the Tallraadge 
Church by the Presbyter}' of Portage Septem- 
ber 9, 1824, and continued until April 16. 
1832, when his connection ceased. He died in 
Cuyahoga County in January, 1867. Rev. 
Jedediah E. Parmelee succeeded Mr. Ke3's, 
and began his duties as acting Pastor of the 
church Januai'3' 18, 1833. Owing to failing 
health, he resigned his charge April 1-1, 1840, 
and died in New York in June, 1841. Rev. 
William Magill commenced his duties as 
Pastor of Tallmadge Church in 1840, and was 
regularly installed as Pastor August 16, 1841. 
He remained until 1843, when his connec- 
tion ceased ; he is yet living. Rev. Carlos 
Smith was the next Pastor, and commenced 
his ministrations July 25, 1847. By vote 
of the church he was called to the pastor- 
ate, but was never installed as such. He 
labored as Pastor elect until January 14, 1862, 
when he received and accepted a call from the 
Second Congregational Chui'ch of Akron. He 
died in Akron April 22, 1877, at the age of 
seventy-six years. Rev. Seth W. Segur suc- 
ceeded Mr. Smith as Pastor of the Tallmadge 
Church, and commenced his labors on the 8th 
of June, 1862. He continued until April, 
1871, when he tendered his resignation, which 
was accepted, and, on the 30th of the month 
(Sabbath), he preached his farewell sermon. 
He was invited to attend the semi-centennial 
of the church held September 8, 1875. He 
came and participated, but was very unwell, 
and after the services went with IMr. Daniel 
Hine to his home, where he died on the 24th. 
He was the first of the Pastors of our church 
buried in Tallmadge. At this time (1881) 
there are sleeping in the little graveyard at 
Tallmadge Center nine ministers of the Gos- 
pel, viz.: Rev. Aaron Kinne, Rev. Aaron Kinne 
Wright, Rev. Fayette D. Matthews, Rev. Will- 
iam "Hanford, Rev. Elisha S. Scott, Rev. Will- 
iam Monk, Rev. Benjamin Fenn, Rev. John 
Seward and Rev. S. W. Segur. The next Pas- 
tor of the Tallmadge Church was Rev. Charles 



Cutter, who commenced his pastoral duties 
September 1, 1871, and closed his work with 
the church May 30, 1875. The present acting 
Pastor is Rev. William Blackmore Marsh. 

The Congregational Church of Tallmadge 
erected a temple of worship in 1822. It is 56 
x44 feet in dimensions, surmounted b}' a steeple 
100 feet high. The building was raised and 
inclosed in 1822, but not llnished until 1825. 
On the 8th of September of that year, it was 
dedicated to divine worship. The exact cost 
of it is not known, but will probabl}- approxi- 
mate $8,000. It was remodeled in 1849, and 
re-dedicated in 1850. At the time of its first 
dedication, it was considered the best house of 
worship on the Western Reserve, and upon re- 
search was proven to be the fifth built with a 
steeple, after the New England fashion. The 
first of these five was built at Austinburg (now 
in Ashtabula County) in 1816 ; the second in 
Euclid, now known as Collamer, about the 
year 1817; also in the same year, the old 
brick meeting-house at Aurora was begun, but 
was not finished until 1825 ; the fourth was 
built in Hudson in 1819. All of these ancient 
temples have passed away before the march of 
improvement, but those of Tallmadge and Col- 
amer. The number of communicants of the 
Tallmadge Church at the present time are 105 
males and 169 females. The Sunday school 
was organized probably about the spring of 
1822, although classes had been taught after 
the manner of Sunday schools previous to that 
time by Deacon Elizur Wright and others. 
Previous to 1335, the school would disband at 
the beginning of winter, and resume work in 
the spring, but since that time (1835) has con- 
tinued in active operation throughout the en- 
tire year. 

The Methodist Episcopal Church is the only 
religious denomination, aside from the Congre- 
gational Church, that has ever been represented 
in Tallmadge by an organized society. The 
first introduction of Methodism into the town- 
ship occurred somewhat as follows :. Milo Stone 
and Jotham Blakslee, not fully agreeing with 
the Congregational doctrine in ever\- particular, 
went over to Middlebury to listen to the words 
of wisdom falling from the lips of Rev. Billings 
0. Plimpton, at that time preaching on the 
Canton Circuit of the M. E. Church. Being 
well pleased with the liberal doctrine promul- 
gated by Rev. Mr. Plimpton, they invited him 






Li* 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



565 



to Tallmadge Center to expound the truth in 
that localit}'. He accepted the invitation, and 
preached his first sermon in the schoolhouse, 
which tlien stood west of the Center road, 
nearly in front of the town hall. He contin- 
ued his labors at intervals, and near the close 
of the year formed a class at the Center con- 
sisting of Jotham Blakslee (class leader), Milo 
Stone, Sarah B. Stone, his wife, S. H. Lowrey, 
Anna P. Lowrey, his wife, and Mrs. Martha 
Stephens. Mr. Plimpton was returned to the 
Canton Circuit the next year (1826), and Tall- 
madge Center became one of his regular ap- 
pointments. At this time it was in the juris- 
diction of the Pittsburgh Conference, and so 
remained until 1837, when it became a part of 
the Akron Circuit, Ravenna District, and Erie 
Conference. The first meeting-house was a 
plain structure, about forty feet square perhaps, 
costing some $1,500, and stood about two hun- 
dred rods northeast of the public square ; built 
in 1832, and completed and dedicated the next 
year. The dedicatory services were performed 
by Presiding Elder Rev. W. B. Mack. It was 
occupied b}' the church until 1874, when a lot 
was purchased on the south side of the square, 
and the present elegant edifice erected at a cost 
of $8,000, and dedicated on the 4th day of 
April, 1875, by Rev. J. H. Vincent, D. D. The 
present Pastor is Rev. E. A. Simmons, with a 
large and flourishing membership. A Sunday 
school was organized in 1830, which has been 
continued to the present time. It is a note- 
worthy fact that these two denominations have 
always worked together in harmony and love, 
holding Thanksgiving services alternately at 
each church, and the ministers frequently 
exchanging pulpits. The cause of temperance 
has always had many warm friends and sup- 
porters in Tallmadge, though sixt}' years ago it 
was not considered derogatory to the character 
and standing of a family to use spirituous 
liquors as a beverage. Very many farmers 
would exchange their grain for whisky, and 
often would have a barrel of it in their houses. 
But about 1828-30, many began to abandon 
the use of it altogether as a beverage, and this 
feeling has continued to the present day. It is 
highly creditable to the people of Tallmadge 
that there has never been but one distillery 
within the town limits, and this existed but 
about two years, and was near the northwest 
six corners. 



The church and the schoolhouse were always 
leading points in the minds of the Puritans of 
New England, and wherever they went they al- 
ways carried these principles with them ; first, to 
organize a church, ei'ect a building suitable for 
holding meetings, and, next, to erect a school- 
house. Mr. Bacon, in his plan of settlement of 
the town, was, as we have seen, to provide for 
the preaching of the Gospel and its support, 
and also was to provide for common schools 
and academic instruction. In the survey made 
b}^ Ensign there was to be at the Center and at 
each six corners erected district schoolhouses, 
while at the Center was to be located the acad- 
em}'. On the hill now occupied as a cemeter}', 
where sleep so many of the pioneers of Tall- 
madge, Mr. Bacon located in his mind the 
Western Reserve College, the Yale of New 
Connecticut. The first attempt at a school of 
which we have any account was in the spring 
of 1810. A small log building was erected for 
school purposes at the south four corners. 
A meeting was called at this place, as the 
writer was informed by Jotham Blakslee, but 
two men got into an altercation, and it was 
broken up without accomplishing an3'thing. 
But so deeply interested was Mrs. Blakslee in 
having a school, that she undertook the duty of 
visiting the settlers upon the subject. She also 
went to Martin Kent's, in SuflSeld, and hired a 
Miss Lucy Foster as a teacher. She came and 
taught school during the spring and summer of 
1810, which was doubtless the first school in 
Tallmadge. She afterward married Alpha 
Wright, and spent the remainder of her long 
and useful life in Tallmadge, and died Septem- 
ber 30, 1875, at the ripe age of eighty-five 
3'ears. It is thought that a schoolhouse was 
"built in the fall of 1810, on the hill at the 
southwest four corners, and a school kept in 
it during the winter of 1810-11. A similar 
house was built at the south four corners, and 
another in the east part of the township, soon 
after those already mentioned. The first frame 
schoolhouse was built on the public square, on 
the spot now occupied by the Congregational 
Church. It was commenced in 1814, but not 
finished until the next 3'ear ; was 20x30 feet, 
two stories high, the lower story being occupied 
by the district school, and the upper story by 
the academy, and also for religious worship. 
The academj' was opened with Rev. Simeon 
Woodruff as teacher or Principal, and was sue- 



^i: 






^ 



566 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



ceeded by Elizur Wright and others. An act 
incorporating the Tallmadge Academ}'^ was 
passed February 27, 1816. The academy 
buikling was burned on the night of January 
12, 1820, and a new building erected the same 
year, especially for the purpose. A separate 
building was erected for the district school, 
southeast of the town hall, and it was in this 
building that the Methodist Episcopal Church 
was organized. As the population and wealth 
of the township inci'eased, frame school build- 
ings were erected in other districts, and some 
have been replaced with handsome and com- 
modious bricks. When the new town hall was 
built, the people, by subscription, raised a suf- 
ficient amount to build the second story for the 
academ}', and for several years competent 
teachers were employed in this department. 
But the system of graded schools finally super- 
seded the academy. A special district was 
formed at the Center June 1 1 , 1870, and a lot was 
purchased and a building was erected, which 
was used until it was burned. It was speedily 
rebuilt, at a cost (building and furniture) of 
$4,500. There are four departments, occupying 
four rooms, with competent teachers. 

The Deaf and Dumb School of Tallmadge 
was an institution that should have a place in 
the township's history. This project was in- 
augurated in consequence of there being a 
family in the neighborhood in which there 
were three children who were deaf mutes. A 
meeting was held March 19, 1827, to look 
into the matter, and a committee, consisting of 
Rev. John Keys, Deacon Elizur Wright, Dr. 
Philo Wright, Garney Treat and Alfred Fenn, 
with power to act and devise means for a 



school. The}' finally adopted a measure for 
organizing a deaf and dumb school, secured 
rooms and employed Col. Smith, who had taken 
a thorough course in the Deaf and Dumb Asy- 
lum at Hartford, Conn. The school was 
opened May 1, 1827, in a room of Alpha 
VVright's house, one mile south of the Center. 
Tuition was $6 per quarter, and the session 
was for six months. In 1829, the Deaf and 
Dumb Asylum was established at Columlnis, 
and the school was transferred to it. But 
Tallmadge claims the honor of establishing the 
first institution of the kind in the State. 

A library was organized in Tallmadge in 
1813, and continued in existence for over fifty 
years. The idea of a public library- was 
brought from New England. It was supported 
by shares of stock, or memberships, fines, bids, 
donations, etc., etc., and it continued to in- 
crease until it contained over three hundred 
volumes of standard works. Plays and novels 
were excluded, and the best of works only 
allowed. The good accomplished through this 
means cannot very well be measured. 

Perhaps we should not close the history of 
Tallmadge Township without a brief notice of 
anti-slaverj', a question in which Tallmadge 
felt the most lively interest. A large number 
of the people were in sympathy with the anti- 
slaver}' movement, and a man who would in- 
form upon or arrest a colored individual under 
the Fugitive Slave Law would have found Tall- 
madge a rather warm climate to live in. The 
cause gained strength gradually, and, when 
Fort Sumter was fired on, in 1861, Tallmadge 
was read}' for her part in the great battle f(.)r 
humanity and the Union. 



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NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



567 



CHAPTER XXIV.* 

NOHTHFIELD TOWNSHIP— OUTLINE OF PIIVSICAL FEATURES — RISE. PROGRESS AND DECAY OF 

INDUSTRIES— IMPORTANT .nTATISTICS FROM OLD RE'^oRDS— INSTITUTIONS FOR 

MORAL AND INTELLECTUAL IMPROVEMENT — VILLAGES. 



^TORTHFIELD was one of the equalizing 
l\i townships. It was originally' called Town 
5, Range 11 ; and the reason of its being 
classed as one of the equalizing townships will 
be found elsewhere in this volume. It was in- 
cluded among the few townships which were su- 
perior to the average, and each proprietor was 
anxious to have a portion of it ; consequently, 
it was divided into shares of 160 acres each, 
and parceled out among the New England pro- 
prietors, who, not having seen the land, and 
believing that, from its stated superiority, it 
should be retained until time had assured the 
settlers of its value, refused to sell for a num- 
ber of years, thus accounting for the tardy 
appearance of this portion of the county in 
market. It may also be stated that some of 
the original proprietors died, leaving their pos- 
sessions in this township to minor children, 
thus preventing the disposal of the land until 
after these children had arrived at their ma- 
jorit}'. The fact of its being one of the best 
townships in the Reserve served to prevent 
its earl}' appearance in market. It will be 
noted in this connection that, while average 
townships were not altered or cut up into seg- 
ments and distributed to others, on the other 
hand, townships both poorer and better than 
the average were parceled out as has been de- 
scribed. Northfield was accounted one of the 
best sections of country in the Reserve, and 
the various reasons for this view will now be 
carefully noticed. 

Its location was thought at that time to be 
excellent. Along its entire western border was 
a river that could be navigated by boats of the 
largest size, thus favoring the township with 
easy and constant communication with Lake 
Erie and all the towns upon its shore. At that 
time, twice the present volume of water swept 
down the river, and it was not dreamed in the 
philosophy of the earl}' settlers, that the quan- 

*Contril)Utcd by W. A. Goodspeed. 



tity would ever be materially decreased, at least 
to such an extent as to prevent extensive navi- 
gation. The valley of the river on the North- 
field side was sloping and well drained, giving 
abundant promise that future years would dis- 
close a soil of unusual fertility and strength. 
The bluffs bordering the valley, though too 
abrupt and precipitous to be turned up by the 
plow in the future, were sufficiently sloping to 
afford fine pasture land. Back of the hills was 
as fine a land for -the agriculturist as lay 
beneath the sun. Though sufficiently flat to be 
too damp for the farmer in early years, it was 
also sufficiently rolling to promise that, when 
the heavy woods were removed, and the cheer- 
ful light and heat of the sun were permitted to 
drink up the superficial waters, a soil would 
be found of excellent adaptability to agricult- 
ural purposes. The soil is largely alluvial, 
and contains an unusual percentage of par- 
tially decayed vegetable material, though 
years have elapsed since it was first brought 
under cultivation. It contains less clay and 
more organic I'emains than almost any other 
portion of the county ; and for this reason, as 
well as for the fact that there is but little waste 
land, the township was classed by the examin- 
ing committee as one of the finest in the entire 
Reserve. 

The river on the west affords the principal 
source of drainage. It has various small 
branches, which traverse the township with 
sufficient fall, in many places, to furnish fine 
water-power. Of these branches. Brandywine 
Creek is the main one. This stream flows from 
near the southeast corner toward the north- 
west, until the village of Little York is reached, 
when it is joined by Indian Run, and takes a 
coarse toward the southwest, dipping across 
what was once the township line into Boston, 
but returning toward the northwest, and finally 
uniting with the river on Lot 70. Indian Run 
rises near the northeast corner, and flowing a 



TV 



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568 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



trifle west of south, unites with Brand3'wine 
Creek at Little York. Much of the northern 
part is drained b}- Sangamore Creek, while the 
western part sends its waters to the river by 
means of numerous small unnamed streams. 
There are several valuable stone quarries in 
Northfield, though from their remoteness from 
the river, they will not prove as profitable as 
those from which the stone can be loaded with- 
out much expense on the canal boats. A few, 
however, are found bordering the river ; these 
in time will secure merchant work, though at 
present, the stone is mostly used at home. 

The first settler was Isaac Bacon, a native 
of Boston, Mass., who, in 1806, purchased 160 
acres (Lot 63) in Northfield, and the following 
year, in April, came with his family to their 
forest home. No settler lived within six or 
eight miles ; and, as Mr. Bacon was a total 
stranger, and was uncertain where to go to 
secure help in rearing his log cabin, he at last 
concluded to undertake it alone. This was no 
light undertaking, as the logs were much too 
heavy to be raised b}' one man to their elevated 
positions on the wall. Mr. Bacon was there- 
fore compelled to resort to some skillful pro- 
cess, whereby the needed assistance might be 
avoided. Large skids were braced against the 
wall, and then, by means of a long rope, which 
passed over the half-finished building, a yoke 
of oxen pulled the heavy logs to the required 
position. At the end of five days the cabin 
was raised, and covered with a roof made of 
bark ; the family living, in the meantime, in 
the wagon, which stood near. With no neigh- 
bor nearer than Tinker's Creek for three years, 
with the privilege of seeing white faces only 
by traveling many miles, the family of Mr. 
Bacon lived here isolated and alone. Mrs. 
Bacon was afterward often heard to remark, 
that for six months after their arrival she saw 
the face of no white woman, save the one re- 
flected to her aye when she looked in some 
clear pool of water. Many incidents of the 
dangers and privations endured by this family 
ere the township received other settlers have 
been gathered ; and a few of these, which illus- 
trate the lonely, deserted and dangerous sur- 
roundings of the forest will be narrated. At 
this period, almost every stream of any note 
which flowed into Cuyahoga River was the site 
of numerous Indian encampments, which varied 
in size from one wigwam, which sheltered one 



family, to encampments containing several 
hundreds of the semi-civilized race. A small 
camp of three wigwams was on Mr. Bacon's 
farm, and these families continued to camp 
there at stated seasons for many years, or until 
they took their final departure for the West. 
One daj' when Mrs. Bacon was alone in the 
cabin, a party of six or seven Indians went to 
the house, and, after entering without ceremony 
or invitation, called for whisky-. 3Irs. Bacon, 
knowing her helpless condition, and foreseeing 
difficulty and very likely extreme danger should 
her visitors become intoxicated, informed them 
that she had none, and that they had better be 
going on, as her husband would soon appear. 
After talking among themselves a few minutes, 
and carefully and suspiciously e3'ing Mrs. 
Bacon and the various articles in the room, the 
Indians finally insisted that she did have whisky, 
and immediately proceeded to search for it, 
notwithstanding the energetic and earnest pro- 
tests of the defenseless woman. A large bottle 
containing about a gallon of the liquor was soon 
found, and was quickly passed from hand to hand 
until all was gone, when the Indians, with man}- 
grimaces and threatening looks and gestures, 
quitted the premises, to the great relief of the 
apprehensive woman. She had attempted to 
interfere when the bottle was first discovered, 
but several of the Indians drew their knives, 
and circling them in the air as if in the act of 
scalping, sternly motioned her back. They de- 
parted and were seen no more. The Indians 
were not the only human beings to be feared. 
Many desperate men, numbers of whom were 
undoubtedly outlaws, passed through the front- 
ier settlements on the look-out for any game, 
no matter how dark, that would meet their de- 
sires of avarice or selfishness. One day, about 
noon, a dark-visaged man made his appearance 
at the cabin when Mr. Bacon was awa}', and, 
after learning of the absence of the husband, 
and asking all sorts of impudent questions, sat 
down with his fierce eyes fixed on the woman, 
and on a large dog that lay near the hearth 
watching, with suspicious glances, ever}' motion 
of the strange visitor. That the stranger did 
not relish the presence of the dog was soon ev- 
ident from his uneasiness. That Mrs. Bacon 
did not relish the presence of the strange man 
was also clearly evident. As night approached, 
the man was informed that he could not be ac- 
commodated until morning, and, as several 



liL 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



569 



miles intervened until the nearest house was 
reached, that he would better be going on. He 
did not seem inclined to go, and to add to 
the alarm of Mrs. Bacon he asked one of the 
little bo3-s to turn the grindstone, while he 
sharpened his knife. He took his place in the 
cabin, and the woman, with the dog before her, 
sat down to watch and wait. As midnight ap- 
proached, the stranger asked why she did not 
turn out the dog and go to bed. She replied, 
that the dog was allowed to sleep in the house. 
He then opened the -door and told the animal 
to go ; but the faithful creature, with a fierce 
growl, refused to move. The man seemed dis- 
appointed and sat down, and thus matters stood 
until morning, when the unwelcome guest de- 
parted and was seen no more. The family have 
ever since thought, that the presence of the dog 
alone saved Mrs. Bacon from insult or death, or 
perhaps both. 

Wild animals, both fierce and dangerous, 
were often seen in the vicinity of the cabin. 
Wolves would approach in the night, attracted 
by the scent of meat, and howl dismally until 
the break of dawn. Deer were seen by the 
hundreds, and often came quite close to the 
cabin. On one occasion, in broad daylight, a 
bear came quickly from the woods near the 
cabin, and, seizing a half-grown hog, carried it 
bodily off into the woods, where it was partly 
devoured and left. Mr. Bacon obtained a few 
sheep at quite an earl}' day, but they were 
found to be more bother than they were worth. 
One day a pack of wolves got after them, 
when they ran into the cabin, and were saved 
for that time. Mr. Bacon was the only inhab- 
itant until June, 1810, when Jeremiah Cranmer, 
Mr. Bacon's brother-in-law, arrived, and built 
a cabin on Lot 72, within half a mile of the 
cabin of the former. During the excitement 
occasioned by the war of 1812, Bacon and 
Cranmer made preparations to take their fam- 
ilies and seek the protection of the more pop- 
ulous settlement at Hudson. While the prep- 
arations were in progress, an Indian was seen 
skulking in the woods near, and was told that 
if he valued his scalp he had better depart 
without dela}'. He departed. After the}' had 
started, a report reached them that there was 
no danger, whereupon they returned, though 
they kept up an anxious watch for several 
weeks afterward. Mi*. Bacon was drafted and 
ordered to Cleveland, but was soon afterward 



discharged and sent home. Here, in Novem- 
ber, 1812, he was taken sick and died, and was 
buried on Tinker's Creek. Prior to this sad 
event, the Bacon family had, in 1808, lost an 
infant daughter, her death being the first in 
the township. 

In 1813, Abraham Cranmer appeared and 
bought the north half of Lot 72. His cabin 
was built with the assistance of Bacon and 
Jeremiah Cranmer, and his family made as 
comfortable as possible. In June of the same 
year, a young man named Henry Wood, one 
who was destined to play an important part in 
the affairs of Northfield, came to the township. 
While here, he won the affections of Estber, 
daughter of Jeremiah Cranmer, who accepted 
his proposal, and the}' were married September 
22, 1813, at the residence of the bi'ide's father. 
This was the first wedding in Northfield. 
Henry Wood was in the war of 1812, and in 
his compan}' were Henry Post, who acted as 
Orderl}' Sergeant ; Abner Robinson, the poet of 
Boston, and Jonathan Williams, the latter 
serving in the capacity of scout. The com- 
pany went west as far as Sandusky, but did 
not see any active service. It was Henry 
Wood who, in passing a small creek in the 
township, and seeing several small parties of 
Indians encamped thereon, called it Indian 
Creek, a name it yet retains in honor of this 
man, who is yet living at the unusual age of 
ninety-one years. Mr. Wood often had hogs 
killed by the bears. It is related by him that 
on one occasion, he owned one shoat in a lot 
of sixteen, which ran wild in the forest. Hear- 
ing loud squealing one night, he took his rifle 
and hurried out to ascertain the cause, where- 
upon he found that his pig had been selected 
out of the herd, and carried off by a large 
bear. The squealings at a distance in the 
dai'k forest disclosed its fate. 

In 1814, George Wallace came to Brand}^- 
wine, and built a saw-mill. A relative of his 
named John Menough took charge of the mill, 
and Mr. Wallace returned to Cleveland, and 
did not bring his family out until 1818. In 
1815, Robert Wallace came on with his fjimily, 
and built a small log cabin at Brandywine. It 
is said that this village and the creek of the 
same name were named by John Menough, 
after the historical stream in the East, where 
Gen. Washington fought a severe battle during 
the Revolution. In March, 1817, Henry Wood, 



t 






570 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



John Duncan, Maurice Cranmer and a few other 
families moved into the township. There also 
came in, prior to 1819, William Cranney, Will- 
iam Mather, Abel Havens, Abner Hunt, Daniel 
Robertson, Edward Coyne, John Britt and 
Shubael Austin. The following is taken from 
the township records : 

" At a meeting of the qualitied electors of the 
township of Northfield on the 24th of May, 
1819, the following officers were elected for the 
occasion : John Britt, Moderator ; Jeremiah 
Cranmer and John Duncan, Judges ; Orrin 
Wilcox, Clerk. After the officers had been 
duly sworn, the following township elections 
were made : Henry Wood, Clerk ; George 
Wallace, Jeremiah Cranmer and John Duncan, 
Trustees ; William Cranney and William Mather, 
Overseers of the Poor ; Robert Wallace and 
Maurice Cranmer, Fence Viewers ; Watrous 
Mather, Treasurer ; John Duncan, Abel Havens, 
Daniel Robertson and Abner Hunt, Supervisors 
of Highways ; Edward Coyne and Abraham 
Cranmer, Constables." Mr. Wood, who is yet 
living, says that this first election was held at 
the cabin of William Cranney. He also says 
that just before the township received its 
name, the settlers, who had assembled to erect 
a log house near the cemetery, began to sug- 
gest names. Mr. Wood wanted it called " York." 
Other names were suggested by several parties, 
among which was "Northfield," by Jeremiah 
Cranmer. A vote was taken on the various 
names suggested, and -'Northfield" was se- 
lected. The following is quoted from the 
records : " Poll Book of Northjield, Portage 
County, Ohio, October 12, 1819 — Jeremiah 
Cranmer, (xeorge Wallace and John Duncan, 
Judges of Election, and Henry Wood and John 
Britt, Clerks. Number and names of electors 
on this day : Abraham Cranmer, Abel Havens, 
Jeremiah Cranmer, John Duncan. Shubael Aus- 
tin, George Wallace, John Britt, Henry Wood, 
Robert Wallace and Edward Coyne— in all ten. 
Names of persons voted for and for what offices, 
containing the number of votes cast for each 
candidate : For Convention, 1 ; against Con- 
vention, 8. For Senator, Almon Ruggles, 7 ; 
William Whitmore, 1. For Representative, 
Samuel King, 10. For County Commissioner, 
Stephen Woodward, 8 ; Rial McArthur, 2." 
The ten electors just mentioned were not all 
there were in the township, and yet there were 
but few others. The following oflScers were 



elected April 3, 1820, as shown by the records : 
Henry Wood, Clerk ; John Duncan, Maurice 
Cranmer and A. Cranmer, Trustees ; Amos 
Richardson and Nathaniel Parsons, Overseers 
of the Poor ; Edward Coyne and Abner Hunt, 
Fence Viewers ; Dorsey Viers, Isaac Lake, A. S. 
Honey and Robert Richardson, Supervisors of 
Highways ; William Cranney and Robert Men- 
dal. Constables ; William Mather. Treasurer. 
Three weeks later, another election was held for 
the purpose of electing two Justices of the Peace, 
resulting as follows : George Wallace and Wm. 
D. Mather. At this election, there were twenty- 
six votes polled. The following items, which 
are deemed worthy of preservation, are taken 
from the records, which are fast falling into 
pieces : " State of Ohio, Portage County, North- 
field Township : To the Constable of said Town- 
ship, Greeting : Abraham Cranmer, Constable : 
You are commanded to warn Huldah Seeley out 
of said township forthwith, by the order of the 
Trustees and of the Poor Masters for said town- 
ship, and to cany her to the Constable of Inde- 
pendence Township, or Newburg, Cuyahoga 
County, Ohio. Of this writ make legal service 
and due return. Given under our hands and 
seals, this 2d day of June, 1819. George Wal- 
lace and J. Cranmer, Trustees ; W. D. Mather 
and William Cranney, Jr., Poor Masters. Per- 
sonally served by me, Abraham Cranmer, Con- 
stable." It is told by way of joke in North- 
field, that Mr. Cranmer, the Constable, not 
knowing how to dispose of his charge, Huldah 
Seeley, finally took her on horseback to New- 
burg, where he left her, his idea being that the 
law would be best subserved by removing her 
as far as possible from the township. 

In 182G, there were thirty-nine householders 
in Northfield, and the following year there were 
forty-seven, as follows : George Phipps, Abner 
Hunt, Electa Dewey, Casper Noel, David Bow- 
ersmith, William Barkhamer, Widow Lesley, 
Daniel Croninger, Paul H. Beard, George Hills, 
Jonathan Pike, Jeremiah Cranmer, William 
Cliflbrd, A. B. Cranmer, Levi Leach, D. C. Ba- 
con, Henry Hopkins, William Cranney, H. 
Bump, Dorsey W. Viers, Sally Pritchard, Henry 
Croninger, Thomas Hills, Shubael Austin, John 
Wilson, Daniel Stanley, Thomas Appleton. Eliza- 
beth Richardson, John Jones, Maurice Cran- 
mer, A. D. Havens, Abraham Cranmer, Chester 
Northrup, John Duncan, Thomas McKee, Rob- 
ert Guy, William Guy, Allen Burroughs, George 



® - 



ii 



NORTIIFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



571 



McClelland, Erastus Burdick, Robert Wallace, 
George Wallace, David Dilley, Joshua Post, 
Nathaniel Holmes, Mr. Townsend and Marv 
Post. 

By this time, the township was almost as 
well settled and improved as it is at present. 
But we must go back and trace the growth of 
industries, etc. As was before stated, George 
Wallace erected a saw-mill on Brandywine 
Creek ; and this mill, until Lots 19 and 40, of 
Boston, were attached to Northfleld, was in the 
former township. It was a frame mill, and was 
located on the creek where an abrupt fall of 
about ten feet gave an excellent and enduring 
water-power. It was built in 1814, and, in the 
following 3'ear, a grist-mill was built on the 
opposite side of the fall. This mill was a three- 
storied, frame structure, and is 3-et standing, 
being in a fair state of preservation. About 
the same time that the grist-mill was erected, a 
distillery was built back some distance on the 
farm, and given in charge of Allen Burris, a 
practical distiller. It disposed of some twelve 
bushels of grain dail}', and turned out in the 
same time between thirt}- and forty gallons of 
excellent whisky. The old account-books of 
Mr. Wallace are yet in existence, and reveal 
that, not onl}^ was whisky used b}^ ever}' one, 
including ministers (and perhaps abstainers), 
but was used extensively as an article of ex- 
change, serving the purpose almost as well as 
bank notes. Almost every entry involves the 
word " whisk}'." John Menough, who owned a 
third or a half interest in the grist-mill, was the 
miller, and operated it for many years. Robert 
Wallace owned an interest in the saw-mill, and 
was the sawyer until the mills were given into 
other hands. The distillery was conducted un- 
til about 1830, when it was abandoned. The 
saw-mill was operated, with several change of 
owners, until about the year 1851. The grist- 
mill is yet running. Mr. Wallace built a woolen- 
factory near the mills in 1821. During the first 
year of its operation, nothing was attempted, 
except wool-carding and cloth-dressing ; but 
the following year, and for many years there- 
after, the whole process of carding and spinning 
and weaving and dressing was conducted on 
an extensive scale, and a fine income realized. 
This was, perhaps, the most important industry 
ever in Northampton. At one time, the fac- 
tory, the grist-mill, the store, the saw-mill and 
the distilleiy were all in operation, and. as 



these various industries required the assist- 
ance of from twelve to twenty employes, the 
extent and importance of these eflbrts in the 
backwoods can be plainly seen. It is stated 
that, in about 181G, the village of Brandywine 
rivaled the village of Cleveland. But all has 
not yet been told. In 1816, Mr. Wallace sent 
some $1,600 worth of goods to the village, and 
placed them in an apartment that had been 
set oflf" for that purpose in the second story of 
the grist-mill. James, the son of George Wal- 
lace, was placed in the store to dispose of the 
goods. He had come from Cleveland with the 
teamster who brought the goods. The wagon 
moved very slowly through the muddy roads, 
and, as night was fiist coming on when they 
reached the northern part of the township, the 
boy James concluded he would hurry ahead, 
and reach home before the teamster. He was 
walking on quite rapidly, guided by the ob- 
scure markings of the winding road, when 
suddenly he was startled by a large deer 
which bounded across the path but a few yards 
in front of him. Almost at the same instant, 
he heard a loud crashing in the bushes close 
by, and a moment later a large, dark animal 
came swiftly into the path before him. The 
terrified boy saw that the animal was a large 
bear, and, though his blood froze in his veins, 
he determined not to run. But the bear, with 
scarcely a moment's hesitation, and without 
paying the slightest attention to the cowering 
boy. continued its headlong pursuit after the 
deer. The boy was so terrified that he ran on 
for several miles, when, reaching the cabin of 
a settler near Brandywine. he prevailed upon 
some of the boys to accompany him until he 
reached the village. It is scarcely necessary 
to add that the various pursuits thus begun at 
Brandywine w'ere the means of bringing to the 
neighborhood numerous families of settlers, 
and soon the place had all the appearance of a 
thriving village. In 1825, all tliat portion of 
the property owned by George "\\'allace fell to 
the ownership of James Wallace, his son, who 
is yet living, at a hale old age, near Macedonia. 
A year later. Robert Wallace also secured an 
interest in ihe various pursuits, and then the 
business firm was Wallace Brotliers. In 1843, 
a remarkable flood occurred, which swept the 
factory away, scattering the debris for miles 
along the banks, and badly injuring the grist- 
mill. This, however, was immediately repaired, 



IV 



573 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY. 



but the factory was not rebuilt. After this, 
the property gradually fell into other hands, 
and its former usefulness was greatly impaii'ed. 
The firm of Wallace & Wallace opened a store 
at the village in about 184-i, and carried a 
stock of some $2,000 worth of goods for ten or 
twelve years. This storehouse is now used as 
a dwelling. In about 1822, George Wallace 
succeeded in getting a post office established 
at Brandywine. Mr. Wallace was appointed 
Postmaster. The village at its best contained 
some ten or twelve families. 

The village of Little York has had a less 
eventful history. In about 1825, Henry Post 
built a saw-mill on the site of the village. He 
did not own the land, but -'squatted" there for 
the purpose of sawing lumber. His mill was 
operated b}' water-power, partly by natural 
facilities and partlj' by artificial. There was 
at that point a heavy forest of whitewood, 
which at that time was greatly in demand for 
boats on the canal, and for vessels on Lake 
Erie. The mill was enabled to run some eight 
months of the year, and, for six years, Mr. 
Post did an extensive and profitable business. 
George Leach then got possession of the mill, 
and, as the dam was a cheap aflTair and liable 
to be washed away by the first freshet, a 
larger and stronger one was built in the same 
place. This man continued many 3'ears, and, 
at times, did an enormous amount of work, 
operating two saws, and shipping by canal 
large quantities of oak, maple and whitewood 
lumber to Cleveland. In the early history of 
the village, a blacksmith, a shoemaker, a tan- 
ner and a few other tradesmen and mechanics 
located there. This has been about the extent 
of the rise and fall of Little York. 

The first building at the Center was very 
likely a schoolhouse, built as early as 1825.* 
Hezekiah H. Palmer erected the first dwelling. 
This was a round-log cabin, about thirty feet 
square, built in 1832, and divided by partitions 
into bedrooms and sitting-rooms. A 3'ear later, 
George Lillie built the second dwelling, and, 
soon afterward, Lucien Bliss, the third. All 
these were rough log cabins, hastil}' constructed, 
and, from their external appearance, it was evi- 
dent that the architect was inferior in point of 
genius to Michael Angelo, or, perhaps, he thought 
that the more beautiful products of his skill could 
and would not be appreciated in the forest. At all 

* Narrated to the writer by Ambrose Bliss. 



events, the buildings were neither models of 
architectural beauty and precision, nor equal in 
point of sumptuousness to Aladdin's palace. 
However, the families seemed to enjoy life just 
as well as they whose habitations were supe- 
rior and more elegant. During the same year, 
1833, or perhaps the following spring. Col. 
Milton Arthur built a storeroom which is now 
a part of an outhouse belonging to Mr. McCon- 
nell. Arthur placed in this storeroom some 
$500 worth of goods, consisting of a general 
assortment that had been purchased at Cleve- 
land. The store did not amount to much, but 
was an accommodation to those living in the 
vicinit3f and was well patronized. A few years 
later, B. F. Cannon placed a small stock of 
goods in another building, but, after a short 
time, sold out to Hosea and Lucien Bliss, who 
increased the stock somewhat. Soon after the 
Bliss brothers opened their store, Frank Allen 
built another building near by, and placed 
therein a small general assortment. After this, 
frequent changes were made in the merchants, 
none of whom remained any great length of 
time. The village was not a very lively trad- 
ing-point. Many country stores were located 
in adjoining townships, and even in Northfield, 
and storekeepers, with a few fortunate excep- 
tions, were compelled to continue, if at all, 
upon meager remuneration. However, there 
have been some good stores in the village. Af- 
ter Frank Allen and the Bliss Brothers, the fol- 
lowing merchants have held forth at various 
times in about the order given : Warner Wal- 
lace, Mr. Putnam, Woodman & Howe, James 
McElroy, Nelson Decker, M. O'Neil, S. K. Alex- 
ander, Lyon & Logue and J. G. Alexander, the 
present merchant. The most of these men kept 
ordinar}' country stores, including limited deal- 
ings in all the various kinds of country produce. 
It was usual to accumulate a considerable quan- 
tity of the latter, which was then conveyed to 
some shipping-point and sent off for foreign 
consumption. Other industries have existed 
for short periods in the village. Bliss & Taub- 
man (the latter being an experienced tailor), 
opened a clothing store soon after. Ready-made 
clothing was kept, and suits of every descrip- 
tion were made to order on short notice. 

In 1841, 0. A. Bishop built a tavern which 
was thrown open for the entertainment of the 
public the same year. The building is now 
used as a combined grocery and post office. 



~:f\: 



«> 



ht* 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



573 



The tavern, which was located on the State 
road, did a good business until the Cleveland 
& Pittsburgh Railroad was projected through the 
township, when it was closed for lack of cus- 
tom. The first blacksmith in the village was 
a man named Phillips. Ambrose Bliss was 
the first carpenter. Dr. Hosea Bliss was the 
first resident physician. He became well 
known, and continued to practice his profession 
until five or six years ago. Dr. Hazleton ap- 
peared a number of j-ears later, and soon se- 
cured a lucrative practice. George Lillie was 
the first Postmaster, receiving his commission 
in about 1836, the office having been removed 
from Brand3wine to the Center. In about the 
3'ear 1840, George Lillie, Hezekiah Palmer, 
Lucien Bliss and Col. Ai'thur, each of whom 
owned a corner at the cross-roads, threw out 
half an acre of land each for a public square. 
This square is yet sacred to the use of the 
public, and is likely to remain so. The village 
has not been regularly' surveyed and platted, 
the lots being laid off and sold as calls are 
made for them. Perhaps the greatest popula- 
tion the village has had at any one time has 
been about seventy-five. 

It is proper at this point to narrate an occur- 
rence which took place in the township at an 
early day, and which, from its peculiarity, de- 
serves preservation. We quote as follows from 
Gen. L. V. Bierce : " An Englishman named 
Rupert Charlesworth, who was boarding with 
Dorsey Viers in 1826, suddenly and mysteri- 
ously disappeared. He was traced to the 
cabin of Viers on the night of the 23d of 
July, but on the following morning when a 
Constable went there to arrest him, he was 
gone, and no trace of him could be found. On 
the arrival of the Constable Mrs. Viers was 
found mopping up the floor. Questions were 
asked, but Mr. Viers told contradictor}- stories 
as to the disappearance of the man. alleging in 
one instance that he jumped out of the win- 
dow and ran off and could not be caught, and 
in another, that he left when Viers was asleep, 
and the latter knew nothing of his where- 
abouts. A few days later, some one announced 
having heard the report of a rifle at Vier's 
cabin the night of the man's disappearance, 
and of having seen blood on a pair of bars 
which led from the cabin to the woods. Years 
rolled on, and the excitement grew stronger 
with age, until, on the 8th of January, 1831, 



complaint was entered before George Y. Wal- 
lace, Justice of the Peace, that Viers had mur- 
dered Charlesworth. Viers was arrested, and 
a trial of eight days followed. Not only were 
the circumstances above narrated proved, but 
a hired girl who was working for Viers at the 
time of the man's disappearance swore that a 
bed blanket used by Charlesworth was missing 
from the cabin on the day of his departure, 
and that it was afterward found concealed un- 
der a haystack, with large black spots on it, 
resembling dried and clotted blood. It was 
also proved that Charlesworth had a large 
amount of money, and that Viers was, previ- 
ous to the disappearance of the man. compar- 
atively poor, but immediately afterward was 
flush of mone^^ To complete the chain of 
circumstantial evidence, a human skeleton had 
been found concealed under a log in the woods, 
beyond the bars already mentioned. Matters 
were in this shape when two men from San- 
dusky unexpectedly appearejl and swore that 
the}^ had seen Charlesworth alive and well after 
the time of the supposed murder, though when 
seen he was passing under an assumed name. 
On this testimony Viers was acquitted, liut his 
acquittal did not change public sentiment as 
to his guilt. It was generally believed that 
the witnesses had been inducted to perjure 
themselves. Viers, however, did not let the 
matter rest at this stage. He began a vigor- 
ous and protracted search for the missing man, 
and continued it with unwavering perseverance. 
He visited all parts of the Union, and, after a 
search of years, he one day went into a tavern 
at Detroit, and in the presence of a large as- 
semblage of men, inquired if an}' one knew of 
a man named Charlesworth. x\ll replied no. 
Just as he was about to leave, a man stepped 
up to him, and, taking him to one side, inquired 
if his name was Viers, from Northfield. Viers 
replied that it was. The stranger then said, 
'lam Rupert Charlesworth. but I pass here 
under an assumed name.' Charlesworth was 
informed of all that had taken place, and he 
immediately volunteered to go to Northfield 
and have the matter cleared up. On their ar- 
rival, a meeting of the township was called, 
and after a thorough investigation it was the 
unanimous vote, with one exception, that the 
man alleged to have been murdered now stood 
alive before them. It appears that he had 
passed a counterfeit $10 bill on Deacon Hud- 






574 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



son, and fearing an arrest he left the cabin of 
Viers suddenly, and soon afterward went to 
England, where he remained two years, at the 
end of which time he returned to the United 
States under an assumed name, and went into 
the backwoods of Michigan, where his real 
name, former residence and liistory were un- 
known. Tlie name of the family was thus, al- 
most b}' accident, cleared of infamy and shame. 
This renuirkable case is rivalled only b}' the 
celebrated case of the Bournes in Vermont.'' 

The following is also quoted from Bierce's 
history : 

*• A more tragic affair occurred in Northtield, 
on the 24th of July, 1837. On the night of 
that date, some person or persons entered the 
house of Robert McKisson, a respected citizen 
of the township, and with an ax struck Mrs. 
McKisson as she lay on the bed, splitting, or 
rather hewing, the right side of her head 
nearl}' away, and leaving the brain exposed or 
scattered upon the bedding. Lucinda Croning- 
er, Mrs. McKisson's daughter by a former hus- 
band, lying on an adjoining bed, hearing the 
confusion, raised up and sci'eamed, but was in- 
stantly knocked down, senseless, with the ax. 
An alarm was given by some other member of 
the familj', and the murderer made off. The 
neighbors collected and obtained from Mrs. 
McKisson, who, a few hours later, died, the 
statement that the murder had been committed 
by her father-in-law, Samuel McKisson. This 
was the d^'ing declaration of the murdered 
woman, and the testimony of the daughter at 
the trial. Samuel McKisson was arrested that 
night at his own house. Suspicion immediate- 
ly attached to David McKisson, a brother-in- 
law of the murdered woman, who had been 
paying his addresses to the daughter, but who 
had been refused admission to the house by 
the mother. He had been lurking around for 
several days, during which time he had ob- 
tained several interviews with Miss Croninger, 
in one of which they exchanged rings. A few 
minutes after the murder, a person was heard 
running past a house toward the canal from the 
direction of the McKisson cabin. The next 
morning, at daylight, he was seen on the canal, 
about three miles from the place, getting a 
passage to Cleveland. A few days later, he was 
arrested on the Government works at the 
mouth of Maumee Bay, with the blood still on 
his shirt-sleeves. The father and son were in- 



dicted for murder by the grand jury in Sep- 
tember, 1837, and soon afterward tried. The 
father was acquitted, but the son was convicted 
of murder in the first degree, and, on the 9th 
of February, 1838, was executed at Ravenna." 
Abraham Cranmer, in 1824, built the first 
house in Macedonia. It was a hewed-log 
building, with the usual inconveniences and 
lack of attractions, and was located in the 
northeastern part of the village. This house 
stood until 1854, when it was taken down. 
Edwin Hutchinson built the second, just above 
the church, in about 1831. About this time, 
or soon afterward, George Shattuck and Eras- 
tus Beldin also built dwellings at the village. 
All these buildings were of logs, and some per- 
sons have insisted that the three buildings last 
referred to were probably erected some four 
years sooner than as stated above. The above, 
however, is given on the authorit}' of Mrs. 
(Cranmer) Munn, who was living in the village 
with her father, Abraham Cranmer, at the 
time, and who is probably not mistaken. Sev- 
eral other dwellings were erected soon after- 
ward, and the citizens then began to suspect 
that a village was springing up around them. 
A few mechanics and tradesmen appeared, but 
no stock of goods was bi'ought to the village 
until 1852, when Odell, Price & Co. placed 
about $4,000 worth in a storeroom that had 
been built by John Odell the year before. This 
partnership began a brisk business, selling or 
exchanging their goods to the surrounding 
country, and shipping farm produce, including 
eggs, butter and cheese, to Cleveland. The 
quantity of cheese handled by this firm was re- 
markable. They began slowl}^, like cautious 
and experienced merchants, feeling their way, 
until at last all hesitancy was thrown aside, 
from the steady condition of the market, and 
enormous quantities of cheese were purchased 
and shipped to Cincinnati and other points. 
The cheese and butter products of sixty dairies 
were handled by the partnership. Each dairy 
avei'aged one cheese of twenty- pounds" weight 
dail)', making, in all, 1,200 pounds that were 
shipped away each day, from the 1st of May 
until the middle of September. When the 
number of days are considered, it will be seen 
that about 175,000 pounds of cheese were 
shipped from Macedonia each season. During the 
same period, flft)' pounds of butter were re- 
ceived daily from these dairies, and shipped oflF 



n^ 



^ 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP 



575 



with the cheese, making a total of about 7,000 
pounds handled per annum. In 1854, this 
firm was succeeded by Odell & Co., who con- 
ducted the same business even more extensive 
ly than the former firm. Either goods or 
money were given for butter and cheese. Two 
years later, Odell & O'Neil took charge of the 
business, but, at the end of about eight months, 
the senior partner bought the junior's interest, 
and conducted the business alone until July, 
1857, when he failed and closed out his stock. 
Archibald Nesbitt took up the broken threads 
of this trade in 1858, and conducted a fair busi- 
ness until about the time the last war com- 
menced. After this, for a few 3'ears, the store- 
room was vacant. Michael O'Neil was in for a 
few months, during the latter part of the war. 
In 1866, Sage & Hine opened with a small 
stock, and, a year later, Hine sold his interest 
to Chamberlain, and, in 1869, Sage also sold to 
Chamberlain ; but, soon afterward, Darling & 
Drennan took charge of the store, increasing 
the stock until it was valued at $5,200, and 
handling, at the same time, the cheese of two 
factories. Lewis Lemoin became owner in the 
spring of 1875, but sold out at the end of a 
year to J. C. Johnson, who continued until the 
spring of 1879, when S. M. Ranney & Co. took 
possession and have continued since. It would 
seem by the constant change of ownei's, that 
the merchants were either novices at their call- 
ing, or that the mercantile pursuit in the vil- 
lage was as uncertain as it was unprofitable 
and unsatisfactory. Probably both of these 
reasons have contributed to the failures. 
O'Neil & Wilcox opened a store, with $800 
worth of goods, in 1854, but, soon afterward, 
O'Neil sold his interest to his partner, who, a 
year or two later, failed with maledictions on 
his lips. Marvin Ford sold groceries for a 
short time about 1865. Lewis Lemoin bought 
him out, and after continuing eight months, 
with Palmer as his partner part of the time, 
sold his share to Mr. Stone, the latter selling to 
Alton Griswold a year later. In 1870, Palmer 
sold to Griswold, and, four years later, the lat- 
ter sold an interest to L. L. Palmer, who, at the 
end of a year, bought his partner's share, and 
continued alone until 1878, when the present 
firm of Munn Brothers assumed ownership. 
Merchants of Macedonia have surely experi- 
enced a checkered career. They spring up from 
all quarters, like mushrooms from a hot-bed. 



L. Gr. Odell was the first Postmaster, receiv- 
ing his commission in 1852. Zedick Everest 
built an ashery in 1844, and continued the 
manufacture of potash until 1858, turning out 
a ton a week the year round, the most of the 
time he conducted the business. When the 
woolen factory at Brandywine was swept 
away in 1843, David Armstead and Carl 
Storrs bought a portion of the machinery, and 
immediately thereafter erected a fine saw-mill 
at Macedonia. They owned and operated the 
mill until 1852, when Alexander Nesbitt bought 
them out, and four years later a man named 
Griffith became owner. Stone & Buswell 
owned and operated it during the war, and 
did an enormous business. They sawed vast 
quantities of car and wagon lumber from oak, 
ash, maple and black walnut, which was shipped 
by rail to Cleveland. They made their fortunes 
and sold out when the war ended. Since then 
Woodbury, Lemoin, Barnum and others have 
owned the mill. Shields & Chapin have owned 
it since 1872, and are at present doing a large 
business for the car manufacture at Cleveland. 
David Armstead built a hotel in 1840. The 
•Riley House " was built seven years ago.* 

It is probable, though not certain, that the 
first term of school was taught at Brandywine. 
A log schoolhouse was built there as early as 
1817, and a Mr. Stiles was employed to teach 
the few children then in the village. He kept 
irregular hours and was paid at the rate of 
about $1 per scholar for the term. He taught 
several terms, prior to 1820, in the same house, 
which was occupied until about 1830, when a 
frame schoolhouse was built across the road 
opposite the old one. This building was used 
many years, and, though silent and deserted at 
present, is yet standing, a relic of pioneer times. 
The old log schoolhouse at Brandywine was 
well attended from 1820 to 1830. The children 
within a radius of several miles were sent to it 
without regard to township lines ; for it made 
little difference whence they came, provided 
they paid promptly their allotted subscription. 
Children from up nearly to the center were 
given their first schooling in this house, while, 
also, many of those who had attended the Stan- 
ford School while the old log schoolhouse was 
standing there, were sent to Brand3'wine when 
it was taken down. Everybody at that time 
looked upon Brandywine as an unusually prom- 

*Giv<'ii on the authority of Mr. Odell, of Macedonia. 



rv 






576 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



ising village, and for many years it was the 
center of education, religion and industry. The 
place was deemed so important, that its being 
situated partly in Boston and partly in North- 
field was regarded as a drawback to its im- 
provement and growth, and the result was that 
through the influence of the Wallaces and 
others, two lots were severed from Boston and 
attached to Northfield. The following action 
was also taken by the Trustees of the two 
townships at a joint meeting : "■ The second 
school district in the Township of Northfield is 
this day annexed to the second fractional school 
district in the Township of Boston, by the 
Trustees of the said townships. December 1, 
1827." 

It is thought by several, that the first school 
in the township was taught in the Bacon neigh- 
borhood. It will be remembered that, in 1815, 
there were several families living there, each 
of which comprised several children. Henry 
Wood, whose memory is now slowly failing 
him on account of age, but who is probably 
correct, says that school was taught prior to 1 81 7 
in a vacated log dwelling known as the Row- 
ley house. If this be true, it was the first in 
Northfield. A man named King was the first, 
or one of the first three or four who taught 
there. In about 1818 or 1819, a log school- 
house was built within a quarter of a mile of 
the cemetery which lies half a mile north of 
the Center. Henry Wood was one of the first 
teachers in this house. This was used until 
not far from 1825, when a schoolhouse was 
built at the Center, and another about two 
miles northwest of the Center. The following 
action taken from the records was probably the 
first relating to the division of the township 
into school districts : " At a meeting of the 
Trustees of Northfield on April 12, 1826, for 
the purpose of dividing the township into 
school districts, the following division was 
made : Commencing at the northwest corner 
of said township, thence south to the center 
line of said township, thence east along said 
center line to the road running north and south 
through the center of said township, thence 
south along said road to the south line of Lot 
7, thence east along said line to the east line 
of said township, thence north to the northeast 
corner of said township, thence west to the 
place of beginning — said district containing 
twenty-four householders, and to be known as 



No. 1. Also, commencing on the east line of 
said township and running east along the 
center line to the center road running north 
and south through said township, thence south 
along said road to the south line of Lot 47, 
thence east along said line to the east line of 
said township, thence south along said line to 
the north line of Boston, thence west along 
said line to the Cuyahoga River, thence north 
to the place of beginning — said district con- 
taining fifteen householders, and to be known 
as No. 2." The following is also quoted from 
the records : " We, the Directors, Maurice Cran- 
mer and Levi Leach, do agree to have two 
schools in District No. 1, to the best ad- 
vantage of the inhabitants, and the public 
monc}' to be divided to the number of scholars 
each school affords as one school, April 5, 
1828." This division was formally made on 
the 3d of the following Ma}^, the two districts 
thus formed being designated 1 and 8. Prior 
to the division of 182G, the township schools 
had been supported wholly b}^ subscription. 
The houses had been built by everybody with- 
out regard to public or individual expense. 
The one built at the Center, as previously 
stated, was used until 1835, when a frame 
structure was erected to take its place, and was 
used until two years ago. Robert Smith, after- 
ward School Examiner, taught a select school 
in the Putnam storeroom after the latter sold 
out. He taught several terms of excellent 
school. He also taught in the town hall, which 
was built in 1848. Rev. Andrews also taught 
a select school in the Presbyterian Church. 
Esther Cranmer taught the first school in 
Macedonia. She went to Hudson for her cer- 
tificate, and was examined in geography, reading 
writing, spelling and arithmetic by Lawyers 
Humphrey and Kirkham. She taught a summer 
school of four months, and received ten shill- 
ings per week, and boai'ded around. This 
school was taught in about the year 1833. 
The old house was soon disused and a new one 
built, and another has taken the place of the 
place of the last. There are now seven school 
districts in Northfield. 

There are four churches in the township. 
For many years prior to 1831, Methodists, 
Presbyterians, Baptists and Seceders held meet- 
ings in dwellings and schoolhouses, yet, so far 
as known, no society was regularl}' organized 
until the year mentioned. From Mrs. Bacon 






L^ 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



577 



we learn that the Methodists organized a society 
on the 21st of Juh-, 1831, with the following 
members : Abner Hurt, Charles Leader, Caleb 
Brown (the first minister), Betsey Hurt, Jere- 
miah Cranraer and wife, David C. Bacon and 
wife, Daniel S. Stanley and wife, Abram Cran- 
mer and daughter Esther, William Guy and his 
mother, Mrs. Duncan, Morris Cranmer and 
wife, Lyman Richardson, and one other whose 
name is forgotten, making eighteen members. 
The minister. Rev. Mr. Brown, preached his 
first sermon from the text, " Why halt ye 
between two opinions ?" etc. The society wor- 
shiped in a log schoolhouse at Northfield Cen- 
ter for some time, and in Mr. Stanle3''s house 
also. Mr. Brown, after organizing the church, 
preached but twice before going to Conference. 
He was succeeded by Revs. Alfred Bronson 
and John J. Steedman. The circuit at that 
time included Cu3'ahoga Falls, Ravenna, etc. 
The surviving members of the first organiza- 
tion are Mrs. Jane C. Bacon and Esther Cran- 
mer, now Mrs. Munn. Mrs. Bacon remembers 
a camp-meeting held in August, 1832, the next 
3'ear after the formation of the church in 
Northfield, over in Hudson Township, at which 
Mr. Steedman preached one night from the 
text, " And at midnight there was a cry made. 
Behold, the bridegroom cometli ; go ye out to 
meet him." During the .sermon a most terrific 
thunder-storm came up, and as the people 
sought shelter in their tents, the minister took 
the opportunity' to make the storm an applica- 
tion of his argument — that if they did not 
have refuge in Christ, etc., etc., and following 
the application, he commenced singing in a 
tremendous voice the h^mn beginning — * 

" He comes, He comes, the Judge severe, 
The seventh trumpet speaks him near. 
The lightnings flash, the thunders roll." etc. 

The whole scene made a lasting impression 
upon the congregation, and was the means of 
starting a great revival, which continued 
throughout the meeting. 

About the year 1836, the societj' built a 
church edifice. There were several members 
who lived at Macedonia, which led to the organi- 
zation of a separate society there, and the use 
of the church at that place, or perhaps its undi- 
vided ownership was thus secured. This 
church was built in about 1835 by people who 
held a variety of religious opinions, among 
whom perhaps the Free- Will Baptists predomi- 



nated. One of the greatest revivals ever in 
Northfield was conducted at Macedonia, in the 
old log schoolhouse, b}^ Rev. Mr. Worrellow. 
It lasted five weeks, and sixty-five were con- 
verted, a portion of whom joined the Free-Will 
Baptists, others the Methodists, and still others 
the Presbyterians. The first services held by 
the Presbyterians in Northfield were by Rev. 
Mr. Hanford, who came over from Hudson and 
preached occasionally. A church was built by 
this denomination in 1834, which was used 
until about thirt}- years ago, when the present 
one was built. Among the earl}- members of 
this church were A. Chapin, John and Matthew 
Wilson, Levi Taylor, Mrs. Ozmun, Mr. Hall 
and others. A Congi'egational society was 
early organized, mainly through the influence 
of the Taylors. A small church was built by 
them about the year 184-1. Most of this 
societ}^, however, eventually united with the 
Presbyterians, and their church, which was thus 
left vacant, was used a few times in which to 
hold select schools, and was then fitted up for a 
dwelling, and is still used as such. The follow- 
ing has been handed us b}' Rev. J. W. Logue, 
of Northfield : •• The earliest members of the 
First United Presbyterian Church of this town- 
ship came from Ligonier Valley, Penn., in 
1831. These and a few others that came in a 
short time afterward, numbering in all foui'teen 
souls, formed themselves into a church society 
in 1833 by the election of William Lemmon, 
Ruling Elder. A short time afterward John 
Nesbitt, Jacob- Leslie and John Phillips were 
elected to serve in the same capacity. Their 
first communion was held in a schoolhouse in 
the vicinity, the above number of communi- 
cants uniting with them. Their first settled 
minister was Rev. Joseph Banks, who com- 
menced his ministry among them in 1834, 
remaining some five years. Their first church 
building was a comfortable frame house, about 
35x45 feet, and was erected in 1837 at a cost of 
about $1,000, and located near the center of 
Northfield. Their second settled minister was 
Rev. James W. Logue, who began his labors 
among them in 1843, and has continued until 
the present time. Their second church is a 
commodious frame building, about 40x60 feet, 
tastefully constructed and furnished at a cost of 
some $8,000. It was erected in 1871 on the 
site of the former one. This church, the 
strongest in the township, is strongly Calvinistic 



iJ; 



578 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



in its principles. It took an early and leading 
part in the anti-slaver}' reformation in this 
community, and has always been active in all 
moral reforms.'" 

In 1864, a cornet band was- organized in the 
township, composed of the following members : 
Thomas W. Kichey, William F. Drennen, Milton 
A. Van Horn, Joseph Wilson, L. Bliss, J. Gr. 
Alexander, George Eichey and Charles Peck. 
These members, with their own means, pur- 
chased a set of second-hand brass instruments, 
and their subsequent efforts were crowned with 
moderate success. The band continued thus, 
with some changes, until 1872, when, through 
the efforts of A. W. Bliss and the liberality of 
many citizens of the township, a set of fine new 
silver instruments was purchased at a cost of 
$841. This was sufficient to lirouse the mem- i 
bers of the band to their greatest efforts, and 
the surrounding hills and dales echoed with 
music as sweet as that of Orpheus. Perhaps, 
also, the birds of the air, the fish in the streams, 
the wild beasts of the forest, and even the trees, 
rocks and hills, gathered around to hear the 
divine strains. The members of the band shared 
a fate almost as sorrowful as that of Orpheus. 
Three years after their new instruments were 
purchased, they disbanded, and their delicious 
music died out in plaintive echoes. In 1877, a 
new band was organized, composed in part of 
members of the former band. This is yet in 
existence. The members have furnished them- 



selves with new brass instruments, and have 
recently made their appearance in a bright new 
uniform. The present members are George 
Bliss, Isaac Buskirk, Charles Peck, Frank 
Brower, John N. McConnell, Cass Proctor, J. 
L. Ranney, Henry Nesbitt, L. E. Stanley, W. Tj. 
Palmer, Frank Buggies and Will Howe. The 
band is a credit to the township, and should be 
encouraged in a hearty and substantial man- 
ner. 

A Lecture Association was organized in North- 
field in the winter of 1878, of which the folio wing- 
were the six original members : M. A. Van Horn, 
Dr. R. S. Hubbard, Lorin Bliss, G. M. Seidell, 
J. G. Alexander, Jo Harter, and afterward B. 
A. Bobinotte was added. The first officers were 
M. A. Van Horn, President ; J. G. Alexander, 
Secretary ; Dr. R. S. Hubbard, Corresponding 
Secretary, and G. M. Seidell, Treasurer. It be- 
gan as a matter of experiment, and they hired 
their own lecturers, for which they paid out of 
their individual pockets. It proved a success. 
Lectures were held on Thursdaj' evenings of 
each week, alternating in the different churches. 
The association has become self-sustaining by 
the sale of family tickets, memberships, etc., 
and is apparently- on a firm basis. The pi-esent 
officers are Jo Harter, President ; B. A. Bob- 
inette, Vice President ; Dr. R. S. Hubbard, Cor- 
responding Secretary ; Lorin Bliss, Assistant 
Corresponding Secretary : J. G. Alexander, Sec- 
retarv and Treasurer. 



CHAPTER XXV.* 



NORTON TOWNSHll'— ITS PHYSK'AL FEATURES— COMING OF TFIE WHITES — PIONEER INDUSTRIES 
—GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT— VILLAGES— CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS. 



■Ar|"ORTON TOWNSHIP was originally 
.jJN known as Town 1, Range 12, and was a 
a part of Wolf Creek Township, which com- 
prised all that territory now known as Norton 
and Copley, in Summit Countv, and Wads- 
worth, Sharon, Guilford and Montville, in Me- 
dina County. Wolf Creek Township was or- 
ganized in 1816, and, at an election held in 
April of that year, at the house of Philemon 
Kirkham, which stood on Lot 11, in Norton, 
Henry Van Hyning, Sr., and Salmon Warner 

* Contributed by M. L. Shook. 



were chosen the first Justices of the Peace. 
Van H3'ning lived on Lot 19, and Warner, 
just across the line in what is now Wadsworth 
Township. Philemon Kirkham was elected 
Town Clerk ; Nathan Bates, Jacob Miller and 
Abraham Van Hyning were elected Trustees. 
Twenty-two votes were polled at this first elec- 
tion in a precinct whose boundaries inclosed 
150 square miles. In 1818, Norton Township 
was organized, with its boundaries the same as 
at pi'esent. It had been surve3'ed eight or nine 
years previous to this by Joseph Darrow and 



(r~ 



-^ 



:NOIiTON TOWNSHIP. 



579 



others, and platted into lots half a mile square, 
numbering from one to one hundred, and be- 
ginning in the northwest corner of the town- 
ship, numbering fi'om the west to east, thus : 
the west lots were 1, 11, 21, 31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 
81, 91, to the southwest corner. It is bounded 
on the north bj- Copley ; on the east by Coven- 
try, part of which boundary is marked b}^ the 
Tuscarawas River ; on the south l)y Franklin 
and Chippewa, and on the west by Wadsworth. 
Norton is not exactly five miles square, as are 
most of the townsliips on the Western Reserve, 
the reason for which we will endeavor to show. 
That part of the Reserve lying east of the Cuy- 
ahoga River, Portage Path and Tuscarawas 
Branch of the Muskingum was acquired of the 
Indians by the treaty of Fort Mcintosh in 1785. 
It was surveyed in the years 1796 and 1797, 
by running the base line of forty-one degrees 
north latitude through from the Pennsylvania 
line to the Tuscarawas, where a mark was made 
on a tree, " 56m," meaning fifty-six miles 
from the Pennsylvania line. This made eleven 
ranges and one mile over on the base line. The 
territory west of Cuyahoga River, Portage 
Path and Tuscarawas River was not ceded 
b}- the Indians until the treaty of Fort Indus- 
try, in 1805, after which the balance of the Re- 
serve was survej^ed, and that part of Range 12, 
Town 1, or Norton, lying east of the Tusca- 
rawas, having been annexed to Range 11, Town 
1, years before, was never transferred. An in- 
cident which occurred at the time the survey 
was made will not be out of place. Squire 
David Hudson, of the town of Hudson, being 
one of the original owners of Norton Township, 
concluded to go down and see how the land 
which he owned lay ; and also to ascertain how 
the survey was moving along. Arriving in 
Norton, he accompanied the surveying party 
several days, and, one day while looking around 
through the forest, he became detached from 
the rest of the part}' and partially lost, or at 
least did not know which direction to take to 
find his companions. The surveyors did not 
miss him until they heard some one making 
a terrible noise a little distance off, and at 
once made their way to the spot from which 
the sounds came. Here they found Hudson, 
with his arms closel}^ clinging to a tree, which 
he was vainly trying to climb, and calling 
lustily for some one to •' Shoot the bear ! " 
It seems he had happened to surprise an 



old she bear and two cubs, which took to 
their heels as soon as they saw him, being as 
much frightened as the Squire himself was. It 
is reported that he kept close to the surveying 
party after this. 

This township is drained by the Wolf Creek 
and its tributaries. Wolf Creek enters the 
township from the north, in Lot 7, takes a 
southerly course in general, and empties into 
the Tuscarawas River from Lot 88. Its chief 
tributaries are (beginning at the north) Pigeon 
Creek, which enters the township from Copley 
in Lot 10, flows south and a little west of 
south through or across the corner of ]jots 10 
and 20, and empties into Wolf Creek in Lot 19. 
Van Hyning Run, which rises in a marsh near 
the north line of the township in Lots 3 and 4, 
takes a southeasterly course through Lots 14, 
15, 16, 26, 27, 37, 38, and empties into Wolf 
Creek on Lot 48. Hudson Run rises partly in 
Wadsworth Township, Medina County, and 
partly in Norton Township, flows southeasterly 
through Lots 21, 31, 32, 42, 43, 53, 54, 64, 65, 
75, 76, 77, and empties into Wolf Creek on 
Lot 78, near Wolf Creek Lock. Silver Creek, 
a branch of the Chippewa River, drains a 
small portion of the southwest corner of the 
townsliip. Hubbard Run rises near Western 
Star, in Wadsworth Township, enters Norton in 
Lot 41 , takes an easterly course through Lots 
51, 52, 62, 63, 53, and empties into Hudson 
Run on Lot 54. A small lake, called Davis 
Lake, in Lot 68, is the only lake in the town- 
ship. It has no visible outlet, and is fed by 
springs, it is supposed, from the bottom. It is 
about a mile in circumference, and a pleasant 
spot. The bottom is sandy, and it is conse- 
quently a favorite resort during the summer 
months for bathing. 

The soil in Norton Township is somewhat 
diversified. The extreme eastern portion, 
north and east of Wolf Creek, is inclined to- 
ward a sandy loam, in some parts more sandy 
than in others. This land is very easy to till, 
and with care brings abundant crops. The 
land l^ing adjacent to the Wolf Creek is of 
a loamy, mucky nature, and, when first turned 
up by the plow, resembles decayed vegetable 
matter, of which, indeed, it is largely com- 
posed. West and southwest of Wolf Creek, 
we find the soil contains more clay, but in 
places so mingled with gravel and loam as to 
make the best of soil for agricultural purposes. 



D "V 



580 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Drainage is sufficient in all parts of Norton 
with the exception of the south half of the 
Wolf Creek bottoms and a portion of swamp 
lying partly in this township and partly in 
Copley. At the building of the Ohio Canal, 
the waters of Wolf Creek were taken to feed 
the canal below Wolf Creek Lock. This 
caused a stagnation in the last few miles of its 
flow, which is the source of a great deal of 
waste wet land, and that the ver}' richest soil 
in the township. The eastern part of the 
township is somewhat broken and hilly, al- 
though very little of it is so rough as not to be 
utilized. A ledge of sandstone just strikes the 
township on the northeast corner. Another 
ledge forms the Western boundary of the 
Wolf Creek bottoms, this last passing entirely 
through the township from north to south, and 
from one to two miles from the east line. This 
sandstone is quarried at several places, and 
makes the best of building stone. Among the 
quarries now open may be mentioned those of 
Shaw's, near Wolf Creek Lock ; Irish's, on Lot 
47, and Miller's, on Lot 37. The principal 
productions of Norton Township are wheat, 
oats, corn and live stock and coal. This shows 
agriculture to be the chief occupation of the 
citizens. Considerable attention has been paid 
the past few years to the raising of stock. 
Some fine thoroughbred cattle are owned in 
the township. Among cattle-raisers, the name 
of A. D. Betz takes first rank, although 
others have made considerable advance toward 
fine stock. Norton has long been noted for its 
draft horses, and, at the fairs of the county, 
the farmers of Norton very rarely take the sec- 
ond place in the matter of horses. Norton is 
well supplied with villages, no less than seven 
being wholly or in part included in its terri- 
tory. New Portage is situated near the east 
line of the township, and midway between the 
north and south lines, on Lots 50 and 60. 
Loyal Oak, in the north part of the township, 
about one and three-fourths miles from the 
center ; Western Star, partly in this and partly 
in Wadsworth Township, on the county line 
between Summit and Medina Counties, two and 
one-half miles west of Norton Center ; Denni- 
son Station, one and one-half miles west and 
one mile south of Norton Center ; Johnson's 
Corners, one and one- half miles south of Nor- 
ton Center ; Hametown, one and three-fourths 
miles southwest of Johnson's Corners, on the 



Wooster roajj ; and, last and least, Norton Cen- 
ter, situated in the geographical center of the 
township. 

Norton Township, as we have said, was Town 
1, Range 12, in the Western Reserve, and at its 
formation was named after Birdsey Norton, 
one of the original owners of the township. It 
was formed into an independent township in 
the spring of LS18 ; and at an election held on 
the first Monday of April, Joseph D. Hum- 
phrey was elected Town Clerk ; Abraham Van 
Hyning, Ezra Way, and Charles Lyon, Trust- 
ees. Among the Supervisors of Highways 
for that year, of whom there were five, we find 
the names of Joseph Holmes, Elisha Hins- 
dale and John Cahow. Henry Van Hyning, 
Sr.. was Justice of the Peace. Probably the 
first purchase of land was made by James Rob- 
inson, he having purchased Lot 19, as early as 
1810, and built a hut on it. It seems, however, 
that he did not make this his permanent resi- 
dence. He was originally from Otsego County, 
N. Y. In 1815, he sold his lot to Mr. Henry 
Van Hyning, Sr. About the same time that 
Robinson came to Norton, John Cahow settled 
on Lot 20, about a half-mile east of Robinson's 
place, and erected a log cabin. It is a matter 
of some dispute, whether Robinson's or Cahow's 
house was the first one built in the township. 
Some authorities claim the former and others 
the latter. Cahow came from Marjdand and 
had raised some crops before the war of 1812, 
and kept a hotel or tavern as it was then called, 
during that war ; his place being on the great 
trail from old Portage, on the Cuyahoga, to the 
Scioto. No progress was made toward set- 
tling up the township until after the war of 
1812, when a general rush of settlers found 
their way through the trackless forest. Among 
them we notice Philemon Kirkham. who set- 
tled on Lot 11 ; Seth Lucas, on Lot 12 ; the 
Bates brothers, who settled south of what is 
now Johnson's Cornel's at first, and soon after 
two of them removed to where Loyal Oak now 
is. Their names were Nathan and Lyman 
Bates. The}' each erected a cabin, one on the 
southwest and one on the northeast corner. 
The place took its name from them. Abraham 
Van Hyning came in 1814 and settled on Lot 
75, now Johnson's Corners. His house stood 
on a spot about twenty rods nearly due west of 
the present storehouse, on the l)ank. John 
Bryan, or O'Brien, perhaps more properly, set- 



w — 



•-4* 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



581 



tied a little southwest of Van Hyning's place, 
near the present Wooster road, on Lot 85. i 
About the same time, a family by the name of 
Clark settled at New Portage, and built a log 
cabin, partly in this and partly in Coventry' 
Township. A son of this familj', named Miles, 
afterward became the first physician of the 
township. In 1815, quite a number of families 
settled in the township, among them Henry 
Van Hyning, who, with his sons, plaj^ed a 
most important pai't in the earlj' history of 
Norton. Having purchased Lot 19, of James 
Robinson, he I'emoved his family from North- 
ampton, where he had settled ten years before, 
to Norton, where he had intended to pass the 
remainder of his days. Van H3'ning came 
originall}' from Saratoga, N. Y., and was of \ 
Dutch origin, his forefathers having emigrated ; 
from Holland to New York, when that was 
called New Amsterdam. His second wife was I 
a direct descendant of the great Bogardus men- 
tioned in history. Van H3'ning, with his fam- 
ily, left Saratoga for the West in 1805, with two 
yoke of oxen attached to wagons, and his wife 
riding horseback through the forest, driving 
three cows which followed the wagons and re- 
quiring little effort on her part. Their course 
lay through Buflfalo, N. Y., to Erie, Penn., near 
which place Mr. Van Hyning built canoes, 
lashed them together and launched them on 
French Creek. He passed down this creek to 
the Allegheny, and thence to Pittsburgh, whith- 
er his teams were coming as fast as they could 
travel. From Pittsburgh they went across 
the counti-y to what is now Canfield, Mahoning 
County, Ohio, where they stopped about two 
months. The lamily was here increased by one 
who was named Sylvester, and who is now liv- 
ing on the old homestead. During the stop at 
Canfield, Mr. Van Hyning went on to North- 
ampton to locate his home, whither he removed 
as soon as circumstances would permit. From 
Canfield they went to Ravenna, thence back to 
Warren where the}' laid in a stock of provis- 
ions, consisting of a barrel of pork, a barrel of 
flour and a barrel of whisky, with numerous 
other articles of necessity to a backwoodsman. 
From Warren they made their way to west- 
ward to the Cuyahoga River, which they crossed 
at a point called " Brady's Leap.'" The bridge 
across the stream at tiiis place, consisted of 
two " stringers," or logs, placed across the stream 
(which was about twenty' feet wide) and a split 



puncheon floor. Over this they crossed and 
to Northampton they were obliged to cut a road 
most of their way. The journey, including the 
stop at Canfield, occupied about four months. 
These early settlers were subjected to many 
privations ; their provisions did not hold out 
until more could be produced and after a crop 
was raised they had no mill within a distance 
of thirty miles. When they went to mill they 
had to take a big load or the teams would eat 
it all up before they got back home. A few 
years, however, removed the diflSculty. The 
mill and other comforts were added from time 
to time. This is a sample of the journey across 
the unbroken wilderness by the earl}' settlers, 
and one will suflSce as all were much alike. 

About the same time that Van Hj^ning 
came to Norton, Benjamin Hoadley moved in 
and settled in Lot 15, near Loj'al Oak. He 
was from Connecticut and had bought eighty 
acres of land, which he afterward cleared and 
where his widow still lives to tell of the hard- 
ships of their early life. In 1816, Joseph 
Holmes settled on Lot 67, having bought 197 
acres in Lots 67 and 68. Holmes came from Mass- 
achusetts originally, but like a great many more 
had stopped several years in New York State, and 
from there moved to Ohio. Previous to this, the 
settlers had erected a log house near the line 
between Norton and Coventry for school and 
church purposes. Here Holmes landed and 
stayed a few days. He moved on to his land 
on a Wednesday, and camped beside a big tree 
which had blown over on a spot near where 
William George now lives. Next day, Thurs- 
day, he cut the logs for a cabin, on Friday the 
neighbors helped him -^ log it up," and on Sat- 
urday his family moved into it. This shows 
how expeditious these old pioneers were. Of 
course the house was not " chinked up." or 
plastered with clay, yet it was a dwelling, and 
sheltered the inmates from the chilling April 
storms. Our informant was one of the party 
who camped beside that big log. He says the 
wolves howled around them all night long, but 
they knew no fear, and suffered no harm from 
them. The same day that Holmes raised his 
house, Charles Miller, father of Cyrus Miller, 
now living near Norton Center, landed in the 
township. He settled a little west of Johnson's 
Corners on the south side of the Wooster road. 
Numerous other settlers came this same year, 
and small clearings began to spring up all over 



i<r, 



582 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



the township. The 3^ears 1817-18 brought 
still more emigrants, and the foundation for 
some of the numerous villages were laid. 
Nearh' or quite all of tliose mentioned hereto- 
fore were either from New York State or from 
the New England States, and they earl}' showed 
their special traits of character in regard to 
social customs and domestic life. \Iuch of 
their time was spent in cutting I'oads, clearing 
up the land and helping each other build their 
houses. When a road was to be opened, all 
turned out and helped to cut the trees and get 
them out of the way. If a man had a lot 
cleai'ed, that is, cut, he invited his neighbors to 
help him roll the logs together and burn them. 
None were selfish in those days, for each one 
knew that he was dependent on the others to 
some extent for his own and his family's safety 
and comfort. Tallmadge, or as it is now called 
^liddlebury, was the nearest trading-post, and 
goods were shipped there in boats up the Cuy- 
ahoga to that spot, or up the Muskingum to 
Upper Portage on the Tuscarawas, and thence 
to Middlebury by teams. These boats were 
long, narrow vessels, frequently " dug outs " as 
they were called, from twenty to forty feet 
long and from three to five feet wide, and pro- 
pelled by means of poles. Their capacity was 
ten to twelve barrels of pork, salt, flour or 
whisky. This last being a verj' important 
article of consumption in those early days. 
Stock of all kinds was scarce. Sheep could 
not be kept on account of the wolves, and many 
a family's suppl}* of pork was prematurely ex- 
hausted hy the hungry bears which prowled 
around the cabins of the settlers. For the ben- 
efit of butter-makers, we will relate the follow- 
ing of Van Hyning's trip to this township. 
As already mentioned, Mrs. Van Hyning rode 
on horseback and drove three cows. Their 
milk which remained unused on breaking 
camp in the morning was placed in a large jug 
and deposited in one of the wagons. By night 
a nice chunk of butter would have been formed 
in the jug churned by the jolting of the wagon 
over the beech roots. Farming was poor busi- 
ness in those days. Corn was the main staple, 
as this could be fed to the cattle and pigs as 
well as the human beings ; wheat was raised 
only for bread and seed, as prior to the open- 
ing of the Ohio Canal it cost more to get the 
wheat to market than it was worth after it was 
there. Beans were also a very important article 



of production, since they could be used with- 
out being ground. Indeed many would cook 
shelled corn with the beans to make them hold 
out longer. But this was only the case prior 
to the building of mills within reach of the 
settlement. 

The first birth within the present boundai'ies 
of Norton was a child of L\'man Bates, which, 
however, did not live long. Bates then lived 
south of Johnson's Corners. A few years later 
another was born, who lived. Soon after this, 
Bates house was burned and he removed to 
what is now Loyal Oak. The first death of 
a white person was Patty O'Brien, daughter 
of John O'Brien, aged about two years. 
James Robinson and Lois Bates were the first 
couple married in the township. They were 
married at the residence of the bride's parents 
south of Johnson's Corners, by William Prior, a 
Justice of the Peace, of Northampton. This 
was in the fall of 1811. Probably the second 
wedding was that of James Cahow and Miranda 
Holmes, daughter of Joseph Holmes, which 
took place at her father's residence about a mile 
east of Norton Center, April 0. 1818, by Henry 
Van Hyning, Sr. 

No Indians remained in the township after 
1812, consequently the settlers were at peace, 
with the exception of a personal squabble once 
in awhile. A few incidents and personal ad- 
ventures will illustrate the times of which we 
write : Soon after Benjamin Hoadley settled in 
Norton, he and Henry \n.n Hyning, Jr., went 
into the woods on a hunting excursion, as was 
customai'y when provisions ran low. In the 
course of their hunt they found a bee-tree, and. 
as it was in the fall of the year, concluded to 
leave it until the weather was colder, and then cut 
it down and convc}' the hidden sweets to their 
homes. Some time during the winter following 
they went forth to cut the tree. But lo ! the 
tree had fallen down, and the bears, who like 
honey as well as the human family, had got 
away with the whole of it. A few years after, 
the same parties again found a bee-tree 
over in the southeast part of what is now 
Sharon Township. This time they thought 
they would make sure of their prize, :uid 
accordingly the next da}-, armed with axes 
and a pail apiece, they made for the spot. The 
tree was soon felled, and the honey literally 
flowed. The pails were soon filled with fine 
white comb. Thei'e beins: so much left and the 






.[£ 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



583 



distance so great, they began to contrive means 
to take more of it, and not be at the necessity 
of making another trip, nor at the risk of losing 
the honey by the cunning bears, who woukl no 
doubt find it before they could make another 
trip for it. Van Hyning wore a long, loose sort 
of a blouse, and of this they contrived to make 
a sack, which the}' thought would hold comb 
honey. So they tied the blouse together at one 
end, filled it with the choicest honey, and secured 
the other end in a like manner. Slinging this 
with their pails on a pole which they had cut, 
and Van Hyning taking the lead, oft' they 
trudged toward home. But they had •' reckoned 
without their host ; " the blouse was not very 
closel}' woven, and the jar caused by walking 
through the woods, over logs, and up hill and 
down, caused the honey to run out of the comb 
and drip out through the blouse. Hoadley was 
soon almost covered with hone}', and never for- 
got this, the sweetest adventure he ever expe- 
rienced. 

Henry Van Hyning, Sr., had two noted dogs, 
Bose and Grunner by name — very large and 
powerful, and ver}- skillful in hunting bear. 
One time soon after Nathan Bates had erected 
the first cabin on the site where now stands 
Bates" Corners, Henry Van H3'ning. Jr., went to 
see how he was getting aloug. When he got 
to Bates' place, Bates told him that there had 
been a bear seen in the woods not far away the 
evening before, and suggested that they go and 
find him. Two of Bates' brothers were also 
with him at the same time. Van Hj'ning, al- 
though acknowledged a skillful hunter, had left 
his rifle at home that morning, and had only 
l)r<)ught one dog with him. They therefore 
concluded to send one of the brothers down to 
Van H3-ning's place for the rifle, and for 
•' Bose,' with instructions to meet them on what 
was called the " Hog Back," a hill on the farm 
now owned by Jacob Wertraan. Van Hyning 
and the two Bates went to this spot with "(run- 
ner " and two rifles. Near the '' Hog Back ' was a 
spring, and just below the spring was a bed of 
sweet sicily. This was a favorite resort fijr bear, 
and for this reason, the men went to this place, 
when Gunner began to show signs of •' bar." 
His bristles stood erect. He sniffed the air and 
whined as though impatient for the fray. 
"Well," said his master, " go for them. Gunner," 
and Gunner went. He had no sooner entered 
the marsh than he raised the roar, which told 



the men that he had found a bear, and the 
sound told them which direction the bear and 
dog was taking. Snatching a rifle from Bates, 
Van Hyning started across the ravine to head 
off" the bear. In this he succeeded by taking a 
route diagonal to that taken by the bear. As 
soon as the latter saw him he started toward 
him for a fight. Van Hyning reserved his fire 
until he could be sure of his aim. He was 
quite a distance from the rest of the part}^ and 
had a rifle to which he was unused, which placed 
him in a serious position. The bear, when 
about ten or twelve feet from the hunter, threw 
his head down for a moment, and this moment 
was suflScient for Van Hyning, who fired. The 
bear turned a complete somersault and landed 
in a little hollow, but was not dead, although 
his neck had been broken by the ball. The 
Bates brothers now came up, and one of them 
placed the other rifle to the bear's ear with the 
intention of blowing his brains out, but the rifle 
missed fire. '• Open the pan," said Van Hyning, 
and, priming the empt}^ gun in his hand, he 
held the two pans together, and flashed the one, 
which ignited the other. This finished the bear. 
On dressing him and weighing his quarters, it 
was found that they weighed 500 pounds. It 
was the largest bear killed in all the country 
around, if not the largest in the State. V^m 
Hyning, who still lives to tell the story, says 
he would not run the same risk again, and take 
the chances, for the whole of Summit County. 

As we have stated, money was scarce and 
hard to get in those early days. Prior to the 
opening of the Ohio Canal, wheat was of no 
value except for food, and man)- had wheat 
stored up, some to the amount of several hun- 
dred bushels. But when tax-paying time came, 
some would take their rifles and shoot deer, take 
the hides on their backs to Cleveland, and thus 
get money to pay their taxes. The canal, how- 
ever, worked a great change in all this. Wiieat 
went up first to 50 cents, then on to $1 per 
bushel. Some settlers had scoffed at their 
neighbors " who were spending their time sow- 
ing and harvesting more wheat than they needed 
for family use," and storing it up in their gar- 
rets. In at least one instance, the joist had to 
be propped up to keep them from breaking 
down. When wheat went up, however, to $1 
per bushel, Joseph D. Humphrey, one of the 
scoffers, said to one of his provident neighbors : 
" Squire, I am just $1,000 out of pocket." 






Jli 



584 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



" Why so ? " said the " Squire." " Why," said 
Huraphre}', " because I have not got 1,000 
bushels of wheat to sell. I might as well have 
raised that much and stored it up as not." 

New Portage was the scene of an epidemic 
from the years 1825 to 1828, which was called 
typhus or malarial fever. This nearly wiped 
the town out of existence. It seemed fatal, 
and those who had clung to it as the El Dorado 
of their hopes, were loath to leave, but were 
forced to do so, or die in their tracks, as scarcely 
an}^ escaped the deadly disease. 

During the early history of this township, a 
great deal of counterfeit money was in circula- 
tion, and a great deal of suspicion was attached 
to persons then living in Johnson's Corners. 
One De Course}' was generallv considered the 
ringleader of the whole crookedness. He was 
a sharp, shrewd man — one who seemed to know 
all that was going on in the whole neighbor- 
hood — for no sooner did the Justice issue a war- 
rant for his arrest than he took to the woods, 
where he would remain until the storm had 
blown over, when he would again make his ap- 
pearance. At one time, when the Constable 
came with a posse to arrest him, De Coursey 
spied them coming, and quick as thought he 
pulled off his coat, tossed it to George Beach, 
who was with him at the time, saying, " Be 
quick, George. Put on that coat and streak for 
the woods." Beach did not wait to be told a 
second time, but " streaked." The Constable 
and posse took after him full speed. Beach ran 
until he thought he had carried the joke far 
enough, when he turned around and faced the 
music with the remark : " What in hell do you 
want ? what's the matter ? " " Sucked, by G — !" 
said the Constable. De Coursey in the mean- 
while had time to escape. About 1825, a young 
man named Henry Flickinger came to Johnson's 
Corners with about $300 in money, which was 
good, but not the kind that would pass at the land 
office where he wished to use it for the purpose 
of buying land. De Course}' then had a man 
with him named Downs, who, they said, could 
exchange money with Flickinger. This Flickin- 
ger was glad to do, but alas ! when Flickinger 
came to the land office with his money, it was 
found to be spurious Virginia mone3^ He swore 
out a warrant for the arrest of Downs, before 
Esquire Van Hyning. It was served by Hen- 
ry Sparhawk, Constable, who found his man at 
Yellow Creek Basin, then a favorite resort for 



counterfeiters and horse-thieves. Downs had a 
fine horse which he rode. They proceeded 
on their wa}' to Norton, but had not gone far 
when Downs took to the woods, leaving the 
horse in possession of the Constable, who 
brought it to Norton, gave it up to the Squire, 
who in turn delivered it to Mr. Flickinger, who 
thus had a horse in exchange for his $300. 
Suspicion also pointed to one James Hender- 
shott, who once lived in a house on the high 
knoll just south of where Jacob Wertman now 
lives. When the house was torn down, soon 
after he left it, some counterfeit half-dollars 
were found in the cellar, supposed to have been 
left there by him, as he was the last and the 
only suspicious character who ever lived there. 

At the organization of the township, only 
three Democratic voters were present. They 
were Abel Irish, Joseph D. Humphrey and Levi 
Waj', who lived in the southeast part of the 
town. Now, the Democrats have a raajorit}' of 
about sixty in the township. 

Norton Township is abundantly supplied 
with coal of a good quality, no less than four 
coal mines being in operation within the limits 
of the township at the present time. The first 
coal was found cropping out of the bank of a 
creek, near where the Bartges or Williams 
Brothers bank now is, as early perhaps as 
1825. This coal was sold for $1 per load, and 
each one dug his own coal at first. About 
1830-31, the bank on the northeast side of this 
creek was opened by Jason Jones and a man 
named Funk. iVbout ten years afterward, Jo- 
seph Burgess opened the bank on the other side 
of the creek, and, years after, the one now in 
operation on his farm, south of Johnson's Cor- 
ners. In 1876, a coal mine was opened on the 
farm of Charles Stuver. In 1863, the Atlantic 
& Great Western Railwa}', now known as the 
New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad, was 
opened through the township from east to west, 
and while grading this, coal was found in a cut 
at Dennison, which led to the opening of a coal 
mine at that place. Hundreds of thousands 
of tons of coal have been taken from this 
mine, and within the last three 3'ears two new 
openings have been made, and the old bank 
abandoned and allowed to fill up with water. 
This mine supplies the railroad with coal for 
their engines, at the chutes, near the mine, thus 
saving transportation on a great amount of 
coal. 



■7[< 



k^ 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



585 



Probably the first tavern or public house 
kept in the township was situated on Lot 20, a 
little east of the Wolf Creek. It was kept by 
John Cahow, who settled here as early as 1810, 
and kept travelers at his cabin during the war 
of 1812, and after, Joseph Holmes who has 
already been mentioned as settling on Lot 57, 
also kept a hotel for the accommodation of 
travelers after 1820. Thomas Van Hyning, 
who settled on the farm now occupied by Mer- 
vin Shaw, was also an earl}^ tavern-keeper. 
Others will be mentioned in the history of the 
villages of the township. The first saw-mill 
in the township was built by Thomas Johnson, 
near Johnson's Corners, several rods south of 
the present grist-mill. It was built about the 
year 1823. Thomas Van Hyning built one a 
little farther up the creek. Hezekiah Ward 
built a saw-mill on Hudson Run, up near the 
Wadsworth line, about 1825. These were what 
was called sash-frame saws and worked very 
slow. About 1837, Nathan Seiberling, who 
had settled on his present farm in 1831, built a 
saw-mill introducing what was called a geared 
mule}' saw, which cut much faster than theold 
style. Some years after, another mill was built 
still farther down the creek than Seiberlings, 
and which is still in use, although steam has 
been substituted for water-power. The five 
saw-mills just mentioned were all on Hudson 
Hun ; one was built on Van Hyning Creek, at an 
earl}^ date, by Henry Van Hyning, Jr. The first 
grist-mill built in Norton was at Johnson's Cor- 
ners, and is still in operation. It was built by 
Thomas Johnson about 1830 ; he soon after 
built another farther down the creek, which, 
however, did not long continue. At the 
raising of this mill, Dennis Bates fell from it 
and was killed, having struck his head on a 
rock and crushed in his skull. Clark's Mill 
was built by Carlos Clark about 1836-37. A 
great deal of litigation has been had about this 
mill and its water-power. The mill was finally 
burned to the ground in 1879 ; how the fire 
originated was never ascertained. The mill 
had been repaired but a short time before, and 
was just getting under way and doing good 
work. There has been but one distillery in the 
township, and it was a short-lived affair. It 
was at New Portage, and was carried on by 
Uriah IM. Chapel, probably as earl}- as 1825. 
The proprietor was a powerful man, noted for 
his strength and agility as a wrestler, but he 



eventually found his match in the person of 
Henry Van Hyning, Jr., who threw him twice 
in succession, at one of the numerous " bees " 
so common in those earl}' da3's. The first tan- 
nery in the township was at Western Star. It 
was built prior to 1830, and was at that date 
operated by Lebbens Hoskinson, late of John- 
son's Corners. In 1835, another was started at 
Bates' Corners, but by whom we are not able 
to say ; both of these are still in operation. 
A third was started at Johnson's Corners, con- 
siderably later, but has long since ceased to ex- 
ist. Samuel Baker was the first blacksmith in 
the township, and, prior to his moving to Nor- 
ton, he plied his trade in Stow, where some 
Norton people went to get their blacksmithing 
done. Baker's brother-in-law, Abe Van Hj'u- 
ing, of Johnson's Corners, was in need of some 
blacksmithing, and concluded to go to Stow to 
get his friend Sam to do his work. He had a 
natural dislike for bear's meat, which formed a 
very important part of Baker's provisions, and, 
indeed, was the only kind of meat they had at 
the time. Baker's wife knew of this aversion, 
but thought she would fix him up a steak that 
he would relish. Accordingl}-, as Van Hyning 
had to sta\' all night, she brought him a piece 
of meat nicely served, calling it beef for his 
supper, saying that she knew he did not like 
bear meat, so she had cooked him some beef 
they had got of a neighbor. Van Hyning ate 
heartily of the heef^ and at last said, " Just cut 
me a small slice of the bear meat to taste." 
He was helped to a small piece from the other 
dish, but pronounced it " strong, couldn't eat it 
no how." The Bakers managed to keep from 
smiling until the meal was over, but after this, 
whenever Van Hyning said he didn't like bear 
meat, some one was ready to remind him of the 
time he ate it and liked it, but supposed it to 
be beef When Baker came to Norton, he put 
up his shop at Clark's Mills, near where George 
Turner now lives. 

The great Scioto Trail, from the Cuyahoga 
Portage to the Scioto River, lay through this 
township. This trail struck the township near 
the northeast corner of Lot 20, crossed Wolf 
Creek where Van Hyning's Bridge now is, 
passed down the west side of Wolf Creek Bot- 
toms, where Stauffer and Irish now live, taking 
nearly the same course of the present road, till 
near "where A. D. Betz lives. It then made a 
straight cut to Johnson's Corners. From there 



'VK 



5«6 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



it took a southwesterl}' course nearly identical 
with the Wooster road. This was the onl}' 
important Indian trail in the township, and was 
the course the first settlers traveled to find their 
homes. It was marked by a well-beaten path, 
in some places almost a foot deep, but was onl}' 
passable for foot passengers. Trees had to be 
cut and underbrush cleared away, before a team 
could get through. The first road was cut 
out upon this trail prior to 1816 as far as 
Johnson's Corners. Philemon Kirkham had 
settled on Lot 11, and Seth Lucas on Lot 12. 
They petitioned for a road from Bigelow Chapel 
to Wolf Creek. This was called the Black 
Snake Road, on account of its crookedness. 
Next a road was cut through from the east line 
of Lots 57 and 67, and passed through the cen- 
ter of the township, and on through to Harris- 
ville, Medina County, where a settlement 
had been formed by Judge Harris, some time 
between 1818 and"l822. Peter Waltz, having 
bought Lot 81, came in to clear up his place. 
He got as far as Johnson's Corners without 
anything more serious happening than getting 
stuck in the mud at Hudson Run ; but west 
from Johnson's Corners, however, the fun came 
in. The neighbors turned in and out, a day's 
time, cut a road through the woods to his 
place, which enabled him to proceed. Soon 
after this, a road was cut through from New 
Portage to Johnson's Corners ; next from New 
Portage to the east end of the center road, on 
Lot 67. In the meantime, the settlers had cut 
cross roads, to facilitate travel in all directions, 
so that, in the course of twelve or fifteen years, 
the township was pretty well supplied with 
roads, such as the^' were. The one across 
Wolf Creek Bottom, east of the center, was a 
corduroy road, that is, made of logs thrown in 
crosswise, and notches cut in for the wheels to 
run in, causing a great deal of jolting to those 
who were obliged to use it. A stage route, 
from Cleveland to Massillon, passed through 
Norton. This was the onl}' public conveyance 
known before the canal was opened. A mail 
route was established from Johnson's Corners 
to Cleveland. The first post office of the town- 
ship was probably at New Portage, but whether 
it was in Norton Township or Coventry, is a 
matter of some dispute. The Ohio Canal was 
opened for traffic in 1827, and caused quite a 
revolution in the business of the township. 
Farm productions advanced in price, and pros- 



perity began to smile on the inhabitants. But 
the unstable quality of the mone}' of this early 
day was a matter of great anno3^ance, as a man 
might go to bed at night with a snug little fort- 
une under his pillow, and wake up the next 
morning and find himself a beggar bj^ the 
breaking up of a " wild-cat " bank. Henr}- 
Van Hyning, Jr., who was Justice of the Peace 
in those early daj'S, and who did a great deal 
of collecting for other parties, would notifj- the 
parties in this manner : " Your money is col- 
i lected, and is all good to-day, but I will not 
warrant it to-morrow." In 1856. the Cleve- 
land, Mount Vernon & Dayton Railroad was 
built along the canal, through Norton Town- 
ship. The first train passed over the track 
late in the fall, and, as a free ride had been ad- 
vertised, crowds gathered along the track, 
thinking the train would stop at an}' place 
where there were people to be seen. Hundreds 
were left standing and gaping at the iron 
horse on this, his first trip through this 
section. Some tried to catch the train, but it 
outran them. In 1863, the Atlantic & Great 
Western Railway was built. Considerable 
mone}' was raised b}' subscription on this road, 
and but little was ever realized from the in- 
vestment. Many citizens worked on the grad- 
ing with teams and b}' hand, and, as wages 
were high at that time, money was plent}- all 
over the township. 

The first bridge built in Norton was the one 
across Wolf Creek, near Sylvester Van Hyning's 
place. The abutments of this bridge were 
made of logs laid up " cob-house " st^'le, and 
four logs flattened on their upper sides were 
laid across for " stringers. " These were cov- 
ered with split puncheons laid as tight as pos- 
sible. The approaches were filled up with logs 
and dirt until they were passable. More of the 
same sort were built at other points as they 
were needed. Stone was, however, soon put in 
instead of logs for abutments, and plank were 
substituted for split puncheons. Now we have 
several substantial iron structui-es ; one across 
Wolf Creek, near Wolf Creek Lock, and two 
more on the road leading from Johnson's Cor- 
ners to New Portage. An immense wooden 
viaduct was built over Hudson Run by the 
railroad compan}-, about one-half a mile west 
of the north-and-south center road. This was 
probably seventy feet high at its highest point, 
and at least four hundred feet long. A splendid 






NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



587 



arched culvert was afterward thrown over the 
run and the gull}^ filled up with earth, leaving 
the timbers in their places. Just west of this 
fill the railroad enters a rock cut about three 
hundred feet long and from ten to twenty-five 
feet deep. Betweim this cut and the fill a new 
branch was built in 1880, running south about 
two miles to Williams Bros', coal mine. New 
Portage was probabl}' the first village laid out 
either wholly or in part in the township. It 
was laid out in 1818 by Ambrose Palmer, or at 
least the part was which belonged to Norton. 
Buildings both log and frame sprang up, and 
soon a thriving town stood where, a few years 
before, there were nothing but woods to be 
seen. A glass factory was started by Palmer, 
soon after, in a large barn-like structure, with 
the stack or furnace in the center. His pots 
and molds were brought from Zanesville, Ohio. 
Sand was procured by pounding sandstone in a 
huge trough, the pounding or crushing being 
done by means of a spring pole and pestle. 
Black salt was used as a flux. This was 
abundant, as black salt was made at many 
places through this new country where ashes 
were plenty from the log heaps that were 
burned b}' thousands in all directions. Wood 
was used for fuel for smelting the sand, and the 
consequence was that much of the glass was 
smok}' and could not be used for window glass, 
when it was made into hollow ware, such as 
tumblers, goblets, drinking glasses, bottles, and 
many other articles useful and oi'uamental. At 
first six blowers were employed, but, afterward, 
the shop was enlarged and eight blowers were 
employed. Sand of good quality was found in 
the marshes of Coventr}- about the time of the 
enlargement, and it was used from this time on. 
But the business proved a failure, and Palmer 
joined the Mormons and " went West." The 
glass factory was situated on the hill north of 
where the church and burying-ground are at 
present located. The glass business failed in 
1828, and soon after New Portage fell a pre}' to 
typhus fever, as already noted, which uearl}- 
annihilated the settlement. Thomas Johnson 
kept a tavern at New Portage in 1817 for some 
time, when he moved on to a farm just across 
the south line of Norton Townshii). A family 
named Nesmith came in 1821. One of the 
descendants of this family, Thomas Nesmith. 
is still living in Norton. A great part of the 
business of New Portage, for the period of per- 



haps tweut3'-five years, was carried on in 
Coventry Township. About 1850, however, 
the Norton part of the town again began to 
revive, but this time farther down the canal, as 
at present. During the decade following 1850, 
a pottery was built by Jacob Welsh just west of 
the present store. This was operated for about 
twelve years, at first with one kiln, afterward 
with two. This pottery was twice burned to 
the ground — rebuilt the first time and enlarged. 
Welsh also had a store and did a large business. 
Thirteen wheels were in use in the pottery. One 
kiln of ware was burned each week, turning out 
six to eight thousand gallons of ware per week, 
which at first was shipped b}- canal, l)ut soon 
after the railroad was finished it was shipped b^' 
rail. Welsh had the post office in his store 
during the time that he was in business, and 
the mail, it was thought, was robbed several 
times while he kept the office. He, it seems, 
suspected that some one was in the habit of 
breaking open the store during the night, rob- 
bing the mail of valuable letters. Upon a cer- 
tain occasion in November, 1869, his son Cor- 
win and himself concluded to watch the office 
awhile to see if an}* one should make an attempt 
upon it. The first night the}' watched, both 
Corwin and his fixther stayed in the store until 
midnight, when Corwin went home, leaving the 
fiither alone on watch. Soon after the son left, 
Welsh heard a noise at the basement window, 
next to the canal ; the window shutter was 
pried open, the window raised, and some one 
was heard coming up the steps from the base- 
ment, who entered the storeroom just before 
the west end of the counter. Welsh was stand- 
ing back of this counter with a loaded shot-gun 
in his hand, and as the burglar arrived at the 
head of the stairs and stooped to strike a match 
on the floor, Welsh fired. The man was not 
over six feet from the muzzle of the gun. As 
the man fell he exclaimed, • My (iod, Welsh, 
you've killed me," and expired. The neigh- 
bors were aroused by the noise of the gun. and 
soon came to see what was the matter. The 
supposed burglar was found to be a citizen of 
the place. These are the facts as nearly as can 
be obtained from those present at the in(iuest. 
A chip was found broken out of the wall out- 
side of the window where the bar had been 
rested while prying open the window. Welsh 
was ac(}uitted from all blame by the inquest 
held over the bod}'. 



^ 



^. 



588 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



L. B. Schneider, now of Akron, had a store 
at New Portage in 1863, and was in business 
several years. After him came first Weary & 
Bro., then Weary & Witner, and still later 
Weary & Downer, each continuing about a year. 
Next, Joe Ellis & Co., then Corwin Welsh, dur- 
ing whose stay the shooting above related took 
place. Next, Harry Diesern took the store, 
and. last. Mr. John McNamara, who is still 
doing business in the old original room. His 
stock in trade is probably worth |1,200. New 
Portage is a station on the Cleveland, Mount 
Vernon & Columbus Railroad, and New York, 
Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad. The former road 
does a cash business of al^out $100 per month 
at this office in freight and passenger traffic — 
the latter about $75 or $80. Mr. David L. Cart- 
mill has had charge of the office of the New 
York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad for fifteen 
years or more. The coal shipped from Norton 
Township over this road is all billed from New 
Portage. This road has a frame depot build- 
ing, pumping-house of brick and a water tank, 
and a side track for trains to pass, of nearly a 
mile in length. 

New Portage has one of the finest springs of 
fresh water that can be found in the county. It 
runs a stream just so strong, and is never more 
or less so, whether in wet or dry weather. The 
post office at this place was established at an 
early day, but the exact date is not known, but 
is probably the earliest in the township. At 
present, Mr. W. C. Jaquith is the Postmaster. 
The office pays a salar}' of about $140 per j'ear. 
Two canal boats are owned at this place — 
"Lily," Wellman Witner, Captain, owned by 
Witner Brothers, and " Wheeling.'" Willson 
Witner, Captain and owner. 

Next in the order of villages, we find Bates" 
Corners (Lo3al Oak P. 0.) This place was set- 
tled by and named after two brothers — Nathan 
and Lyman Bates — who settled here about 1817 
or 1818. one building on the northeast corner, 
the other on the southwest corner, as it now 
stands. The first tavern was kept by James 
Moore, but it could hardly be called a public 
house. Moore was also the first blacksmith in 
the place. Thomas Brown was the first mer- 
chant of the place, and had a small store on 
the southeast corner, as it now stands, but did 
not remain long, others taking his place in the 
same business. Bates" Corners has seen so 
man\' changes in its early da3's, that the half 



of them cannot be noticed here. A tanner}' 
was started in 1835, and is still in operation, 
although it has been rebuilt since that time. 
Mr. John J. Bauer is the present owner, having 
bought it in 18C4, remodeled it, and introduced 
steam power. His son, Byron B. Bauer, is at 
present connected with him in the business. 
Bates' Corners owes a great deal of its pros- 
perity to Mr. Peter Lerch, who alone has had 
nearly as many buildings erected as all the rest 
of its inhabitants together. He at present occu- 
pies the new hotel at that place. Mr. Edward 
Laubach built a steam saw-mill in 1867, at a 
cost of $3,200. Business was good, and he in- 
troduced a pair of chopping buhrs for grinding 
feed, with which he did a large amount of work. 
In 1874, the mill burned to the ground, but he 
immediately rebuilt it, at a cost of about 
$1,000. It is at present owned by J. J. Knecht 
& Brother, who are doing considerable work. 
Mr. Jacob Flickinger is the blacksmith at pres- 
ent. He builds some wagons, and occupies a 
substantial frame building just east of the 
Lo3^al Oaks House. Bates' Corners has one 
church edifice. It is built of stone, as a union 
church, by the Lutheran and German Reformed 
societies, in 1851. Mr. A. Schneider is the 
present mei'chant and Postmaster. The post 
office at this place was not established until re- 
cently. Western Star, or, as it was originally 
called, Griswold's Corners, was first settled b}' 
a family named Richards, consisting of the 
father and five or more sons, of whom the 
father and three sons, named Mills, CuUen and 
Ezekiel, lived in Norton, the others in Wads- 
worth. They came here as early as 1819, per- 
haps earlier ; the father lived where the old 
Himmelwright homestead now is. Nathan 
Starr, of Connecticut, was the original owner 
of a large tract of land lying adjacent to and 
east of Western Star. About 1825, Hezekiah 
Ward built a saw-mill about a mile north of this 
place, and, four years later, in 1829, the Gris- 
wold brothers came and settled here. Prior to 
this, however, several other families had settled 
in and around the place, so that quite a settle- 
ment was formed. Dr. Austin, the first ph}'- 
sician of the place, lived in a house on what is 
now known as the Reimer lot. The place was 
named Griswold's Corners from the brothers of 
that name, just mentioned, who came here in 
1829. William Heustis came the same year, 
and worked for the Griswolds, who had a store 



iht^ 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



589 



and two asheries, or black salt factories, in oper- 
ation soon after their advent in the town — one 
at this place and one near where Dennison now 
is, on the farm latel}'^ owned by Alpheus M3'ers. 
The second 3-ear the Griswolds were here, they 
cleared up 300 acres of land and sowed it in 
wheat. A post office was established about this 
time, but who the first Postmaster was we were 
unable to ascertain. The Sutton House is the 
first tavern of which we have any trace, al- 
though there probably* was one earlier. Julius 
Richards had a wagon-shop in operation at a 
ver}' early day. In 1831, Nathan Seiberling 
bought out one of the Richards brothers and 
settled where he still lives. The first store 
building was erected on the northeast corner. 
The first schoolhouse was a little farther north, 
opposite Shaft'er's harness-shop. The first 
church was organized about 1835-36. The 
present school building was erected as a semi- 
nary in 1844. The site, containing one acre of 
land, was deeded by Nathan and Grrace T. 
Starr, of Middletown, Conn., to certain persons 
named therein as trustees, with the proviso that 
" they shall erect a suitable building for a sem- 
inary building, and shall keep in good repair 
at all times, otherwise the land to revert to the 
original owners." This deed is dated November 
7, 1844. The seminary was started the follow- 
ing spring, with Revs. Lorenzo D. Williams and 
Merritt Matteson as teachers. At present. 
Western Star contains two school buildings, 
one church (United Brethren), two stores 
(Dague Brothers & Co. and Levi Shaffer), a 
carriage shop, b}' Warren Hanshue, who is at 
present refitting an old building as a repository 
and varnish room, one tanner}-, and, on the 
Wadsworth side, a hotel, by William Stevens, 
shoe-shop and harness-shop. It was incor- 
porated in 1842, with Maj'or, Marshal and 
Council. Has a graded school, and is generally 
prosperous, (jr. C. Dague is present Postmas- 
ter, Aaron Eicheberger Mayor, and Warren 
Hanshue, Marshal. 

Dennison (Sherman Post Office), on the New 
York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad, has 
sprung into existence since the railroad was 
built. At one time, it contained a store, kept 
by the Koplin Brothers ; but at present is with- 
out a merchant. The post office was established 
about 1864, with Joel C. Koplin as Postmaster, 
who has held the office ever since, with the 
exception of a few months. The principal busi- 



ness of the place is that caused by the Norton 
Coal Compan3''s mines, which are located here, 
with coal chutes and a telegraph office. Hame- 
town, one and a half miles south of Dennison, 
has also been brought into existence by the 
coal business. It contains a store, kept by J. 
W. James, and two saloons and a shoemaker's 
shop — ^F. Schneider, proprietor. 

Johnson's Corners was the second settlement 
in the township. The first person to settle 
here was Abraham Van Hyning, in 1 814. John 
O'Brien came soon after, Jacob Miller and 
others followed soon. Charles Miller came in 
1816, with others ; but all settled around where 
Johnson's Corners now stands. About 1822-23, 
Thomas Johnson moved from his place just 
across the line, south of Norton, to this place, 
and began to build up the town. His saw-mill 
was built soon after he came, and, about 1826-27, 
he erected the hotel which is still occupied as 
such. This was, however, not finished for several 
years. In 1830, Johnson commenced the first 
grist-mill ever erected in Norton Township, 
which is still in use for the same purpose. The 
saw-mill that he had built stood a few rods 
farther south. Two or three 3ears after, John- 
son erected another mill, nearly' a mile farther 
doAvn the stream, and nearly opposite where 
Jacob Hoch now lives. At the raising of this 
mill, Dennis Bates, who had volunteered to help 
to put on the rafters, fell from the plate, struck 
on a rock, and shattered his skull, causing 
almost instant death. Johnson had, in the 
meantime, started a store, and held the office of 
Postmaster. He was probably the first Post- 
master in the place. In the year 1835-36, a 
Methodist Church society was organized, with 
Johnson as the first class leader. Rev. Mr. 
Bigelow was probably the first minister. He 
was soon afterward ordained as Presiding Elder, 
and Rev. Messrs. Jaynes and Hazzard took the 
circuit. A church building was erected about 
1841, which served as a place of worship thirty 
years, when a new and imposing building was 
erected b}- the 3Iethodist society. It is one of 
the best church buildings in the county, outside 
of the incorporated towns, surmounted by a 
tower and belfry, and is lighted by elegant 
stained glass windows. The walls and ceiling 
are frescoed in fine style. 

The first school taught in the township was 
kept at Johnson's Corners, in a log schoolhouse, 
about 1818-1 9. It was taught by Sarah Wyatt. 






.l£ 



590 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



This village has been blessed with perhaps more 
different schoolhoiises than any other in the 
township. At present, it has a comnaodious 
school building, well filled with scholars when 
school is in session. One or more stores have 
been in existence ever since Johnson's time, 
Mr. Amos Miller being present merchant and 
Postmaster. Besides this, the village contains 
a hotel, by John T. Price ; two blacksmiths, one 
wheelwright, one harness-shop, two shoe-shops 
and a steam saw-mill, built in 1807, b}' Peter 
Hunsicker, at a cost of $8,600. It was burned 
to the ground in 1875 ; but was again rebuilt, 
and is doing considerable business. The cost 
of rebuilding was about $800. 

Wolf Creek Lock, a small hamlet on the Ohio 
Canal, near the mouth of Wolf Creek, contains 
a small grocer}', kept many years ago by Will- 
iam Pierce, and, in later times, by James Owry, 
who has lately sold to William Hablinger ; one 
boat is owned at this place, the " Fisher ;'" 
John Reichard, Captain. Norton claims another 
boat, the ' Crawford ;"" Henry Manderbach, Cap- 
tain and owner. 

The first settlement made at Norton Center 
was by Joseph D. Humphrey. He was a grad- 
uate of Yale College, and had studied law. 
He settled at Norton Center about 1816-17, 
and began clearing up Lot 60. He was after- 
ward elected as fix'st Township Clerk of Norton 
Township, in the spring of 1818. Li 1823-24, 
Mr. Thomas Brown came from Bates' Corners 
and built, or started to build, the house still 
standing on the southwest corner of the public 
square. It was intended for a store and 
dwelling. Brown, however, died before it was 
completed, when Henr}' Van Honing, Jr., 
bought it and finished it up. Soon afterward, 
he rented it to a man named Gillet, who occu- 
pied it as a store and dwelling-house for man}^ 
years. A log-house was built soon after the 
above on the northwest corner, and, after a 
number of 3'ears, one on the northeast corner. 
Three acres of land were deeded to the town- 
ship by Birdsey Norton's heirs and Deacon 
David Hudson for a public square, as early as 
1818. A schoolhouse was also an early acqui- 
sition. The first was a log structure, which 
was superseded by a frame building, this again 
by brick, and last a substantial frame school- 
house, the largest and best in the township, 
with a belfry and spire. During the last 
twenty years of its histoi'y. Norton Center has 



been a dull place. In 1869, Mr. Lewis Setg- 
fried built a hotel on the northeast corner of 
the square, into which he moved on the last 
da}- of March, 1870. For j-ears previous to 
this, he had kept a hotel about a mile east of 
the Center. In 1871, Mr. Aaron Hartzell and 
M. M. Dickson opened a store in partnership. 
A storehouse was built, a stock of goods 
bought and placed in it, and on May 1, 1871, 
the store was opened to the public for business. 
In the fall of 1872, the stock was moved to 
Johnson's Corners, as the room had grown too 
small for the business carried on. In the 
spring of 1877, Mr. A. (}. Seas moved his 
stock of goods from Johnson's Corners to Nor- 
ton Center, into this same building. M. L. 
Shook was taken in as a partner, and together 
the}' did a small business until the spring of 
1879, when the stock was closed out and the 
partnership dissolved. The post office was 
established at a ver}' early day, but the date 
and the first Postmaster's name have not been 
ascertained. Thomas Young was Postmaster 
for many ja^ars, until the year 1872 — probably 
the winter of 1872-73— when it was trans- 
ferred to George Lahr, who had it until the fall 
of 1873, when J. J. Stauffer was appointed 
Postmaster. He moved away from the Center 
the following spring, and the post oflBce was 
discontinued. During the fall of 1877, an 
effort was made by the citizens of the Center 
and vicinity to have the oflflce again estab- 
lished, which was finally successful, and, in 
the spring of 1878, Mr. A. G. Seas received 
his appointment as Postmaster. He retained 
the office until the 1st day of October, 1880, 
when M. L. Shook was appointed in his place, 
who still retains the office. 

During the spring of 1876, an eflFort was 
made by several prominent farmers of Norton 
Township to organize a grange. Their eflforts 
were finally successful, and, on the 1st of 
June, 1876, a grange was organized at Norton 
Center, with E. H. Yiers, Master ; A. D. Betz, 
Overseer, and Reuben Stauffer, Secretary. It 
was called Summit Grange, P. of H., and num- 
bered 1,283. Meetings were first held in the 
store building owned by A. Hartzell. The 
organization, strong in numbers from the start, 
slowl}' increased, and, the following year, a 
large hall was built on the southeast corner of 
the square. The hall is 28x50 feet, and two 
stories high, with a cellar under the south half 



"71' 



fe^ 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



591 



of the building. The lower story is finished 
for a kitchen and dining-room. The upper 
floor has two comfortable ante-rooms and 
lodge-room proper, with arched ceiling and ros- 
trum. The acoustic qualities are exceptionally 
fine, and, all in all, it is one of the best halls for 
the purpose outside of the cities. The grange is 
still in a flourishing condition, with about sixty 
members square on the books. Present Mas- 
ter, Henry Tippery ; Overseer, A. D. Betz ; 
Secretary, Wellington Miller ; Treasurer, Jo- 
seph Burgess. 

Prior to the 3' ear 1830, the population of 
Norton Township consisted principally of New 
England people or their descendants, with a 
few Irish and a few English interspersed. But 
about that time a thrifty, industrious class of 
Pennsylvania farmers began to show them- 
selves, and, attracted by the fertility of the soil, 
soon we find them buying out the Yankees and 
superseding them in all manner of business. 
Among the first Pennsylvania Dutch families 
we find Nathan Seiberling, 1831 ; Abraham 
Koplin, 1831 ; Lautzenhiser, 1831 ; the next 
year brought still others, until among the 
farming" community we find at present more 
than 75 per cent of Pennsylvania people and 
their descendants. According to the census 
of 1880, the population of Norton is 2,067. 
Among them we find 81 persons over sixty-five 
years of age ; 54 over seventy years of age, and 
9 over eighty years of age. Twelve pairs of 
twins were enumerated, of whom two pairs 
were both females, seven pairs both males and 
three pairs of one male and one female. Two 
hundred and eight farms were enumerated, 
averaging seventy-two acres per farm, and in 
the crop report for 1880, we find seventy -two 
farmers reporting 57,276 bushels of corn in the 
ear, averaging ninety bushels per acre. Seven- 
ty farmers reported 23,126 bushels of oats, or 
thirty-eight bushels per acre. Seventy-eight 
farmers report 28,551 bushels of wheat on 
1,035 acres, or 27.5 bushels per acre. Sixty- 
nine farmers reported 18,285 bushels of apples 
(estimated). 

The first organized church in Norton was a 
Methodist society formed as early as 1816, 
in the northeast part of the township. The 
earlier Class-leaders were natives of Coventry 
Township. They held their meetings in pri- 
vate houses for a number of 3'ears. James 
McMahan and John P. Kent were the circuit 



preachers at that time. John C. Brooks came 
on in 1817, and was instrumental in bringing 
about a great revival of religion in that year. 
We next find Dennis Goddard and a Mr. Booth 
on the circuit, with James B. Findlay as Pre- 
siding Elder. About this time the log-church 
building in the woods north of New Portage 
was erected, where powerful work was done 
for the cause of religion. Under the direction 
of Brooks, a Methodist society was formed at 
Bates' Corners, soon after the great revival of 
1817. This was at one time a verj' strong 
society. A church was built and the society 
was prosperous for a considerable number of 
3'ears. Next after the Methodists, the Baptists 
got a footing at Bates' Corners, and organized 
a society, but by whom is not known. They, 
in their turn, were succeeded by the Disciples 
and Congregationalists, and in 1 8-17 a Union, or 
more strictly speaking, a Lutheran society was 
formed with about forty members. Daniel 
Bauer and David Moser were the first Elders, 
with Charles Miller and William Sweitzer, 
Deacons. John Buhl, a Reformed minister, 
was the first one employed regularly. Meet- 
ings were held in the Disciples' Church until 
1851, when the Evangelical Lutheran and Ger- 
man Beformed united and together erected the 
church building now in use. The corner-stone 
was laid about the 10th day of Ma^-, by Revs. 
D. Rothacker and J. W. Hamm ; the latter had 
been serving the society some time before. The 
church is built of stone and finished with a gal- 
lery on three sides, at an expense of about 
$2,300 ; was dedicated in November, some time 
toward the close of the month. Rev. Rothacker 
was emploj^ed b}' the Evangelical Lutheran 
society at that time, and continued to serve 
them until October 1, 1875, when the Rev. J. 
H. Smith was called to the pulpit, and has 
served them since. Father Hamm served the 
German Reformed societv from 1849 till 1862. 
Rev. C. H. Reiter. 1862 till 1868. since which 
Rev. S. C. Leiter has had charge of the flock. 
Present number of communicants : Lutheran, 
190; Reformed, 140. 

At Western Star, a Methodist Church was 
organized about 1835, or perhaps later. Among 
the early circuit preachers were Rev. Lorenzo 
Bevin, in charge of the society at this place. 
No regular church building was erected, al- 
though a lot was deeded to a religions associa- 
tion by Nathan Starr and wife, of Middletown, 



W 



A< 



592 



HISTOKY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Conn., which was to revert back to the grantors 
if not used for the purposes and in the manner 
specified. In 1878, the United Brethren formed 
a society at this place, with a membership of 
fifty-two, and, the following year, a church 
building was erected, at a cost of $2,200. It 
was dedicated by Bishop Weaver. Revs. 
Sprang and Whitney served the congregation 
the first year, and at present Revs. Sprang and 
Moody have the charge. Present membership, 
about fifty. In 1838, a union society of Ger- 
man Reformed and Evangelical Lutheran com- 
municants was formed in the southwest part of 
Norton Township, with some members in Chip- 
pewa Township. A site was secured, and a 
building erected by Petei Burkert (now living 
in Akron). The building was quite large, with 
gallery on three sides. It was used as a 
church for thirty -five years, and originally cost 
about $1,700. In 1873, a new church was built 
on the opposite side of the road in Waj-ne 
County, at a cost of $3,200. Father J. W. 
Hamm served this charge for thirty-three 
years in succession, having been the first Re- 
formed minister installed as Pastor of this 
church. The present Pastors are Rev. S. C. 
Leiter and Rev. Mr. Sponseller. At Johnson's 
Corners a Methodist society was organized, as 
already mentioned, in 1835-36. A church 
building was erected in or about 1841, and 
used as such until 1871, when a new church 
was built for the same society at a cost of 
$5,000. It was dedicated by Rev. Mr. Osborn, 
of Akron. Present Pastor, William S. Fitch ; 
number of communicants, forty. The old 
church was at first seated with rough boards 
laid across poles, with legs put in by boring 
holes in the poles and inserting a short stick. 
These served as seats for some time, when 
Thomas Reese finall}' put in better seats. 

The Reformed Church at Johnson's Corners 
was organized in 1852 by Rev. P. J. Spangler, 
with David Waltz and Henry Yaukey, Elders, 
and John Hoffman and Michael Wise, Esq., as 
Deacons, and about twenty-five lay members. 
Their meetings were held in the old Methodist 
Church until 1868. Prior to the organization of 
this society. Rev. George Schlosser, a German 
Reformed minister, had preached at and around 
this place in schoolhouses. He was a power- 
ful speaker, talented and able in debate. Span- 
gler was also a good speaker and served the 



society seven or eight years ; he was followed 
by Rev. Jesse Schlosser, who remained about 
two years ; next came Rev. David H. Reiter, 
who also served the charge about two years, 
then Rev. Jesse Hines about four years, Rev. 
J. J. Excell not quite two years, when S. C. 
Goss took the charge, and has retained it ever 
since. He was educated at Heidelberg College, 
Tiffin, Ohio. In 1868, the society erected a 
house of worship of their own, which was dedi- 
cated about the 1st of November. The church 
cost about $2,200, is a medium-sized, com- 
fortable building ; present membership about 
seventy-five. In 1868, a church was built at 
New Portage for the Methodist society of that 
place, which cost $2,500. It is well finished 
throughout, and stands on a hill overlooking 
the surrounding country. The present number 
of members is about seventy-five, under the 
charge of William S. Fitch. The history of 
the churches of Norton would be incomplete 
without the mention of the great Mormon ex- 
citement between 1832 and 1838, and even con- 
siderably later than that. When Joseph Smith 
settled at Kirtland, Ohio, to establish his earthly 
Zion, one of his followers (who afterward be- 
came an Elder), Sidney Rigdon, began to work as 
a missionar3^ Around New Portage meetings 
were held, frequentl}^ at private houses, and 
people joined the Mormons by the score. A 
great love feast was held by them at one time, 
at which Joseph Smith himself was present. 
Rigdon suflfered considerable persecution for 
his faith, having at one time been treated to a 
coat of tar and feathers at Kirtland, along with 
Smith. Rigdon was the originator of the " spir- 
itual wife " theory, which afterward led to 
polj'gamy. Upward of twenty-five souls left 
Norton and followed the Mormons on their 
Westward journe}- in search of Zion, and many 
more remained behind whose faith in Mormon- 
ism remained apparently unshaken. 

Norton Township supports eleven schools, 
most of which are in session nine months in 
the year. During the year 1880, $2,707.60 
was expended as tuition for an average daily 
attendance of 400 scholars. Average price per 
month paid to teachers was to males, $28 ; 
females, $20. Total enumeration between the 
ages of six and twenty-one, 664 ; total value of 
schoolhouses and grounds, $8,350. 



ll. 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



593 



CHAPTER XXVI.* 

,r..\ T0WN8II IP— I'H VSICA L FEATURES — SQUATTER-H I NTERS — AN 1N( "1 DENT — SETTLEMENT — 
I'lONEEK HAUDSH IPS — MILLS AND OTHER INDUSTRIES — SCHOOLS— 
(CHURCH ES — GRAVEYARDS — VILLAGES. El'C. 



GREEN TOWNSHIP is situated in the 
southern part of Summit County, below 
the forty-first parallel of latitude, which is the 
southern limit of the Western Reserve. This 
township is bounded on the north by Coventry 
and Springfield ; on the east b}' Lake Township, 
of Stark County ; on the south b^" Jackson 
Township, of Stark County, and on the west b}' 
Franklin Township. Green is Township 12 of 
Range 9. in what is known as " Congress land." 
It is six miles in extent from east to west, and 
about five and one-half miles from north to 
south, containing nearl}' if not quite thirty three 
square miles of land. The general character 
of the land might be considered rolling, but 
toward the southwestern portion the undula- 
tions are much higher and these elevations are 
called " hills " by the inhabitants. The town- 
ship is naturally well drained by several small 
streams and creeks, which wind around the 
hills and through the vales, but this natural 
drainage has been improved by numerous 
ditches. The water-shed between the Missis- 
sippi Valley and the St. Lawrence basin ex- 
tends into this township and divides the waters 
which descend from the heavens. This can 
plainly be seen on several diflFerent farms. A 
short distance west of the Gongwer School- 
house, near the center of the township, are two 
small swamps ; the overflow from one finds its 
way to the Gulf of Mexico, while the waters of 
the other reach Lake Erie, on their route to the 
sea. The soil of the township is very fertile 
and well adapted to farming, and Green ranks 
with Springfield and Franklin Townships among 
the richest agricultural townships in Ohio. Sev- 
eral of the farms are underlaid with beds of 
rich coal, and the owners of other tracts sus- 
dect that the vein is also hidden beneath their 
lanp, but their fears of disappointment pre- 
vent them from prospecting for the desired 
treasure. A mine has been worked on Wise's 

* Contributed by Thomas P. Hopley. 



farm, in Section 24, for some twelve years, and 
another on Whitacre's land, about one half- 
mile south of Greentown Station, for nearly, if 
not quite, three decades. Some thirty rods 
east of the township line they discovered a vein 
of iron ore, man}- years ago, which they mined 
for a short time, but failed to find a sufficient 
amount to make the mine a profitable invest- 
ment. Several veins of coal have been struck 
while miners were prospecting on various farms 
in Green Township, but the results obtained 
did not please the operators, and the mining was 
discontinued. Among these abandoned shafts 
is one on John Kepler's farm, southeast of the 
village of East Liberty. 

On Sections 7 and 18 of this township, is a 
portion of Turkey Foot Lake, the greater part 
being situated in Franklin Township, on Sec- 
tions 12 and 13. This body of water is about one 
mile in length from east to west, and varj^ing 
in its width. At the narrowest point, directly on 
the township line, it is but little over a quarter 
of a mile in width, but, at both ends, it is from 
one-half to three-quarters of a mile in width. 
It is called Turkey- Foot Lake because the shape 
of the sheet of water resembles the foot of a 
turkey. Just north of this lake is the " Reser- 
voir," a portion of which extends into Green 
Township, on Section 6. Another small lake 
or pond is situated in this township, upon Sec- 
tion 33. This sheet of water, which would pos- 
sibly be more correctly' termed a marsh, lies be- 
tween the hills, and is about one mile in extent 
from north to south and ver}' irregular in 
width. The southern portion seems to termi- 
nate in a sink-hole, which is said by some to be 
bottomless, but, by more reliable authority, 
from sixty to eight}- feet in depth ; the sink- 
hole covers an area of about three acres. There 
are also three very deep little lakes or sink-holes 
on and near the southwest corner of Section 20, 
which have destroyed man}- head of cattle in 
times past that approached too near them and 






rnv" 



4 



\^ 



594 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



were swallowed in the miry muck which sur- 
rounds the ponds. Tritt's pond, on Section 31, 
and Heckman's mill-race on Section 18, are ar- 
tificial reservoirs, which serve as water-power 
for mills. Gren. Bierce says : '' One of the great- 
est curiosities of the township in the early settle- 
ment was 'Rattlesnake' Spring, on Section 25, 
first owned by John Yarrick. It is on the road 
from Greentown to Grreensburg. When Yarrick 
first purchased this land, the spring was a great 
resort for rattlesnakes. The water issues from 
a crevice in a limestone rock, overlaid with a 
bold bank of about twenty feet high. In the 
\ fall of the year, the snakes would resort to this 
spring and enter the crevice of the rock, where 
the^' remained through the winter. When the 
warmth of spring revived them from their tor- 
i por, they would emerge from their winter quar- 
\ ters to bask in the sun. At this season they 
j fell an easy prey to the destroyer. Yarrick and 
I his family' would kill hundreds of them, then 
I pile the snakes on a log-heap and burn them. 
By this wholesale butchery the spring was soon 
rid of rattlesnakes, but it ever afterward bore 
the name of its first venomous inhabitants.'' 

For many years previous to the settlement of 
Ohio by the whites. Green Township must have 
been a fiivorite resort of the aboriginal race 
which then inhabited the State, for in the early 
day, man}' remains of their handiwork were 
found. Gen. Bierce says : " The northwest 
quarter of Section 25, on land purchased by 
Cornelius Johnston of the United States in 
1813, appears to have been a favorite hunting- 
ground of the Indians, as arrow-heads, hatchets, 
skinning knives and other implements have i 
been found there in great abundance. From ' 
the numerous flint chips found on that quarter j 
of the section, it would seem to have been a : 
place for manufacturing their stone hatchets I 
and arrow-heads. Where they found the stone 
is unknown. This spot seems to have been se- ! 
lected on account of its being light-timbered, 
clear from underbrush, and elevated a little 
above the surrounding lands. Scattered over ; 
this elevated plateau were found piles of stones, 
varying in size from a man's fist to his head, 
and arranged in heaps of from four to six feet 
to a little larger or smaller. Tradition assigns i 
to them the honor of holding the ashes of some ! 
warrior or chief, but as no bones or human re- 
mains have ever been found in them, I am in- 
clined to think them altars, on which they sac- 



rificed to their gods, and the spirits of their 
departed braves. Among all the tribes sacri- 
fices were common. Tradition saj-s that one 
of the early settlers in Green attempted to 
desecrate one of the altars, but after throwing 
down three or four feet of it, and when he was, 
as he supposed, about to accomplish his object, 
he was seized with a supernatural fear, and 
abandoned the enterprise." Previous to the war 
of 1812, Indians were quite plenty in the town- 
ship, but as they sided with the British the}' 
were compelled by the white settlers to leave, 
and since then an Indian has rarely been seen 
within the limits of Green. Man}' families who 
located after the war declare the red men had 
all left when they came from Pennsylvania. 
The remains of their old forts and wigwams 
were seen as late as 1855, according to Gen. 
Bierce, at the head-waters of the Nimishilla, on 
Sections 36 and 25. They also occupied sev- 
eral camps near Turkey Foot Lake, and what 
is now the reservoir, in 1809, when the Kepler 
family first located in the township. " Among 
the celebrated Indians who used this township 
for a hunting-ground was a chief called by the 
whites ' Beaver Hat.' He had a settlement at 
what is how the south part of the village of 
Wooster, where the Baptist burying-ground now 
is. His Indian name was Paupellnan, and his 
settlement he called ' Apple Chanquecake,' or 
apple orchard. He was a bitter enemy of the 
whites, and, when drunk, he would take out a 
string with thirteen white men's tongues on it, 
dried, and exhibit them with much pride. One 
day he got out his string of tongues, and began 
to shake them, when George Harter took his 
rifle and started after him, sa3ing he would go 
and kill a buck. The report of a rifle was soon 
after heard, but he brought back no game, nor 
was Beaver Hat ever heard of more." — Bierce. 
Harter lived immediately south of Section 16 
land for a few years at an early day. Most of 
the original permanent white settlers of Green 
Township were Pennsylvania Dutch and their 
descendants, and the cast and tone of morals 
and society still retain a decidedl}' German 
character. The citizens are honest, frugal, in- 
dustrious and wealth}'. Although the dialect 
of the Pennsj-lvania Dutch is to a great extent 
the medium of communication between the 
residents of the township, it is seldom an in- 
habitant is found who cannot understand when 
asked a question in English, and these exeep- 



ik^ 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



595 



tional cases are generally the aged and infirm. 
Many of the early settlers and their children 
refused to adopt the advanced ideas and new 
improvements advocated by the genius of the 
most progressive nation known to history, and 
many of these old fellows died still clinging 
to their old notions of the past, but occasion- 
ally one still living and blessed with wealth will 
declai'e how little he cares for those glories of 
the nation as shown by mighty works of archi- 
tectural grandeur ; and this poor mortal will 
expect you to accord to him a meed of praise 
and make a virtue of his ignorance. But the 
descendants of these men have, by mingling 
with a different race, caught the spirit of prog- 
ress which will in future years bring forth a 
rich harvest, for by uniting to the bone and 
muscle the industry and frugalit}- of the Ger- 
man, the refinement and progressive spirit of 
the Yankee, a generation will be born in Green 
that will i-ank with the best bone, muscle and 
mind of the country. 

Green Township was for many years the 
hunting ground of several families, mere 
•' squatters" on the land, who were as nomadic 
in habit as the}' were transient in location. 
They lived chiefly b}' hunting and fishing, and 
many of them paid very little attention to ftirra- 
ing. Among these were Johnny Holmes, an 
old fellow who was raised with the Indians and 
was possibly a half-breed. He married an In- 
dian squaw, and they lived with Williams, an 
Indian, who camped on Williams Run. When 
the war of 1812 broke out, Williams was anx- 
ious to leave for Upper Sandusky, but Holmes 
did not wish to go, and this created bad feeling 
between the two. Williams left with his wife 
and after two days sent back for Holmes, re- 
porting that he had reached a place where much 
game abounded ; this had the desired effect 
upon Holmes, and he left with his wife for the 
favored locality-, but upon reaching the place 
found that Williams was still feeling savage 
toward him, for at supper time he refused to 
let Holmes have anything to eat, but supplied 
Mrs. Holmes and his own wife. This to Holmes 
was a ver}- bad sign, and he left that night for 
his old home by a different route from the one 
he had previously traveled. By special agree- 
ment his wife returned another way ; they met 
at a secret place in the vast wilderness which 
was known to both ; they were then tired and 
hungry, so famished that they were willing to 



feast on a hedge-hog which Holmes shot. This 
old fellow afterward settled near New Portage, 
and after living ihere some years moved 
away. 

There is considerable ignorance among many 
old pioneers of Green in regard to the first 
family that settled in the township. Gen. 
Bierce in his history stated that " it was John 
Kepler, who came in the fall of 1809." This is 
a slight error ; Kepler was the first person to 
purchase Government land and make a perma- 
nent settlement, but when he arrived in 1805), 
there were several families temporarily located 
on Section 16 land. These were John Cruzen, 
David Hartman, Bazil Viers, the Dixons, the 
Triplets, and their families. This statement is 
made on the authority of Jacob Kepler, son of 
John, Mrs. Mary Paulner and Mrs. Sarah War- 
ner, daughters of Andrew Kepler, and John 
Buchtel. The former three are over seventy- 
five years of age, and came with their parents 
in 1809 and 1810. Mr. Buchtel was twelve 
years old when he settled in Green, shortly 
after the Keplers did. Both John and Andrew, 
sons of Andrew, deny this statement and de- 
clare that no other families were living in 
Green Township when the Keplers came, but 
Andrew was not born till 1815, and consequent- 
ly obtains his knowledge through other parties, 
and John says he was only three years old 
when his fiither moved to Ohio. Very little is 
known of some who located temporarily on 
these school lands at an early day. They were 
generally very poor, and the Trustees of the 
township permitted them to live on Section 16 
lands if they would each year put a certain 
amount of improvements upon the farms they 
occupied. There is some doubt in regard to 
which family first located on these lands. 
Mrs. John Hunsberger, of Greensburg, a daugh- 
ter of William Triplet, relates that her father 
always claimed that either he or John Cruzen 
was the first settler of the township. The wives 
of these two men were cousins. Cruzen had 
a large family of children. He once killed an 
elk near a small stream which was afterward 
named Elk Run. This spot was one mile and a 
half southwest of Greensburg Village on the 
farm now owned by Widow Beltz. It is claimed 
that this was the only elk ever killed in this 
section of the State, but a pair of elk-horns 
were afterward found on old Philip Hartong's 
farm. Cruzen remained in Green Township 



3) 



:tv: 



596 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



but a few years, and then removed to near San- 
dusk}- City. 

William Triplet, who was the second settler 
of the township if Cruzen was the first, appeared 
about 1807. By the statements of John Buch- 
tel and Mrs. Sarah Warner, he came several 
years previous to 1809 (the year John Kepler 
located in the township). William was the son 
of Joseph Triplet, who also settled in Grreen 
with his family' a short time after his son did. 
Joseph was born in England, and for many years 
followed the sea as a captain's cook. By his 
first wife he had three children — Hetty, John 
and Charles ; they did not remove to Green 
with the father. The two sons left for the West 
before their father did, and were never heard of 
afterward. Joseph's second wife was a Miss 
Drake, of Mar^^land. He followed butchering 
in Baltimore, then moved to South Branch, Ya., 
where his daughter Hett}' married a man named 
Wolf Joseph removed to Pennsylvania, then 
located for a short time in Ohio, near Steuben- 
ville, and afterward in Green Township. This 
old gentleman must have spent much of his 
time moving ; he finally died about the year 
1825, aged seventy-one, at the residence of his 
son William, in Coventry Township. He dressed 
in buckskin, with coat, pantaloons and vest of 
that material ; wore moccasins on his feet and 
a fur cap, made from wild-cat, otter or raccoon 
skin, on his head. Bj' his second wife, Joseph 
had eight children, all of these were early set- 
tlers of Green Township. They were William, 
the first or second settler of Green ; James 
died in Coventr}^ ; Polly, married Simeon Payne 
and removed to Licking County ; Abraham, 
settled inDe Kalb County, Ind.; Betsy, married 
Jonathan Potts, and they moved West ; Sallie, 
married Samuel Hanes, they settled in Brimfield 
Township ; Solomon, who traveled with a cir- 
cus at an early da}', and afterward located in 
Licking County ; Jacob moved to Indiana. 
These eight children of Joseph Triplet are all 
dead. Many incidents are related in regard to 
this family. When they first located in Green 
Township, they had to secure all supplies at 
Steubenville, and secured their grist at a mill 
on the Sandy Biver, until the old '' tub-mill " 
was built at Middlebury. It is said that Will- 
iam Triplet would plow all day with his horse, 
and turn it out to pasture at uight, but the 
wolves being very troublesome, it was neces- 
sary to guard the animal, and Triplet would 



lay down near the animal with his rifle, remain- 
ing all night near the faithful beast, in order to 
protect it. One day the Triplets heard their 
pigs squealing, and when William visited the 
pen to investigate matters, he discovered a bear 
walking off with a fine article of bacon ; Bruin 
alwaj's relished pork meat, and never failed to 
make the settlers uneasy in regard to the safe- 
ty' of their winter supply. An Indian squaw 
paid a visit to the Triplet family on one occa- 
sion, and greatly admired the dress worn by 
little John Triplet ; the effect of her covetous- 
ness was that she stripped the white child, and 
adorned her own papoose with the stolen 
clothing. William once shot at a deer and 
missed it ; he followed the animal for a short 
distance, and was suddenly confronted by an 
Indian, who exclaimed, " Whoa ! see me buck ? " 
This unexpected appearance of the native who 
desired information in regard to ' his buck " 
cooled the ardor of the white deer- hunter, and 
he relinquished all claim to the animal he de- 
sired to capture. The Indians claimed all the 
game in the forests, and when the whites com- 
menced to settle the county, the red men ap- 
peared moi'e frequentl}' on this portion of their 
hunting-ground, in order to secure as much of 
their '' own property " as they could. W^illiam 
Triplet was drafted during the war of 1812 ; 
that is, ever}' able-bodied man was expected to 
turn out and })rotect the settlement fi'om the 
British and Indians. Triplet visited Canton, 
but was so sick that the doctor exclaimed, " We 
don't want any such looking men as you are ! '" 
and William was sent home. The Triplets 
lived on Section 16 land for six or seven 
years, then moved to Coventry Township, where 
Joseph and his son William died. The latter 
married Mary Dixon, daughter of Thomas Dix- 
on, an early settler of Green Township. Will- 
iam Triplet was the father of nine children — 
John, Hetty, Cynthia, Joshua, Eliza, William, 
Amanda, Marian and Sophia. The eldest, John, 
is now a resident of Coventry Township ; Cyn- 
thia is now living in Greensburg, the wife of 
John Hunsberger. These are the onl}' two of 
Triplet's children now living in Summit County. 
Another early settler on Section 16 land 
was Thomas Dixon. John Buchtel thinks that 
the Dixons were the first settlers of Green 
Township. They appeared about the same time 
the Triplets did, and the two families were con- 
nected by marriage. Thomas was a weaver by 



-^—^ 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



597 



trade, and his daughter Ann assisted him at 
this occupation. The Dixons had previously 
lived near Steubenville, Ohio. Thomas had 
five daughters and four sons— Marj' Dixon mar- 
ried William Triplet ; Ann married Bazil 
Viers ; Betsy married Jacob Smith ; Margaret 
married David Hartman ; the fifth daughter, 
Jane, died, being unmarried. Triplet, Viers, 
Hartman and Smith were early settlers in 
Green ; the first three lived on Section 16 
land, near their father in-law. Very little is 
known in regard to Hartman and Viers, but it 
is related of old " Grann}' " Viers, possibly the 
mother of Bazil, that she was a good hand to 
call on in case of sickness, and once, when a 
cow in the neighborhood was bitten bj' a snake, 
old granny collected some herbs and cured the 
valuable beast. It is to be hoped that many 
other good deeds were recorded for this old 
lady in the " good book above," for she passed 
over the river fifty years ago. Thomas Dixon 
afterward removed to Coventry Township, with 
his two sons-in-law, Triplet and Viers, and died 
about the year 1822. Dixon's four sons were 
Liberton, Michael, James and John ; the latter 
died at New Portage ; James and Michael re- 
moved to Richland Count}-. 

About the name of Liberton Dixon is clus- 
tered much that is romantic, for he of all the 
earl}' settlers of Green Township has been 
handed down to posterit}' as the daring advent- 
urer of the early day. There is considerable 
added to the credit of this mighty hunter of 
the past which would not bear the closest scru- 
tiny of an unbiased historian ; but, if we 
should fail to give Green Township due credit 
for lieing the home of this illustrious Nimrod, 
and record on these pages some of the stories 
told about him, then every true son of Green 
would brand the Summit County history as a 
''fraud." It is said that Liberton lived with 
the Indians for seven years, until one evening 
an old Indian got mad at Liberton while they 
were around the camp-fire, and took after liim 
with a huoe knife. The famous hunter being 
convinced that " discretion is the better part of 
valor," fled from the camp and was followed by 
the warrior. Liberton accidentally tumbled 
over a brush heap, and the brave sliared the 
same misfortune. It was a lucky accident for 
Liberton, but an unlucky one for the Indian, 
who dropped the knife when he fell ; Liberton 
seized the weapon, killed the savage, and 



decided to return again unto the haunts of civili- 
zation. When on the way to the white settle- 
ments he was chased by the Indians who had 
discovered the body of their comrade. Liber- 
ton sought shelter from their bullets behind a 
tree, but the trunk was so small that it did not 
satisfactorily answer the desired purpose, and 
some seven shots were put through his clothing, 
but nevertheless, he escaped, and afterwai'd set- 
tled in Green Township ; but, in his after years, 
he became a bitter enemy of the red man in 
consequence of their treachery toward him. 
According to his own accounts man}' Indians 
sufljered death by his hands. It is said that, in 
relating his exploits, be would always leave his 
hearers to infer that the savage antagonists 
with whom he had frequent encounters had all 
been sent to the " happy hunting grounds " in 
consequence of his skill as an " Indian hunter." 
But the event of his life, which relates more 
particularly to Green Township, was the tragic 
death of Wam-pe-tek. This savage was the 
chief of a band containing about forty, and 
they had their headquarters near Turkey Foot 
Lake. These inoffensive red men never harmed 
the whites, but spent most of their time hunt- 
ing, fishing and resting, at which latter occupa- 
tion they were very successful. But one day 
Liberton and the chief quarreled about a bee- 
tree which both claimed. The result was, 
shortly afterward, the Indian was missing. Some 
one hearing the report of a rifle, asked Liberton 
what he had shot. " I shot at a deer," was the 
reply. " Where is your prize ?" was the next 
question, and his answer was, "I missed the 
animal." Dixon was a crack shot with the 
rifle, and never missed the object he fired at ; 
consequently, his statements on this occasion 
were not believed, and it has always been said 
that Wam-pe-tek, and not the deer, was his 
mark ; the chief never appeared to clear the 
mystery, and the supposition is that, while 
the savage was standing on a log near Indian 
Pond the fatal bullet struck him. Dixon then 
threw the body in the pond, which is situated 
about one mile west of East Liberty, and just 
northwest of the schoolhouse at that point. 
Other persons add other statements in regard 
to the matter. It is stated that a few days 
after tlie chief disappeared the aslies of a fire 
were discovered in the woods, and in them only 
half consumed were several articles formerly 
owned by the savage. Also that the band of 






tr 



® k^ 



598 



IILSTOHY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Indians suspected Liberton, and would have 
killed him, but Dixon's brother John interfered. 
This. brother John was also a hunter of some 
note ; but, fortunately, did not consider it was 
necessary to slaughter ever}' inoffensive Indian 
who crossed his path. It is related of John 
that he killed a very large wild-cat at the 
swamp which is just west of Grreensburg, and 
this locality was afterward called " Wild-Cat 
Swamp." He also shot a large bear which was 
on a chestnut tree, standing upon land now 
owned by Widow Spitler, of Greensburg. Lib- 
erton married Mrs. Hannah Culver, formerly 
Miss Pelton, and removed to Coventry Town- 
ship, where he died about 1830. There are 
some old settlers who declare that toward the 
end of his life he was afraid to go out after 
night through fear that the spirits of some of 
the savages he had killed would capture him. 
Liberton was the father of four children ; they 
all moved West. It is related of Liberton and 
his brothers that they were brought up in the 
backwoods and were inured to all kinds of 
hardships ; they could sleep on the ground, and 
were not particular about a shelter to protect 
them from snow and rain if they desired repose ; 
they could eat an^-thing and live, march, and 
work without eating for a much longer time 
than the men who were the permanent settlers 
of the township. The Dixons were not afraid 
of danger, and, therefore, more valuable in 
turbulent times during the war of 1812 than a 
score of the farmers who inhabited the town- 
at that time. 

John Kepler, who made the first permanent 
settlement in Green Township, came out to the 
new country with his family in the fall of 1809. 
Re was a blacksmith by trade, and worked at 
this occupation some in his new home. Tlis 
brother Andrew brought him out to Ohio with 
his four-horse team ; he then returned to Penn- 
s\ivania for his own family, and they reached 
Green Township in the spring of 1810. The 
Keplers were born in Bucks County, Penn., 
and married twin sisters. John's wife was 
Magdalena Cramer, and Andrew married Mary. 
The Keplers purchased from the Government 
320 acres, comprising the east half of Section 
17. John occupied the western part of this 
tract and Andrew the eastern half In after 
years they purchased other extensive tracts, 
which are now the propert}' of their descendants. 
When John first arrived with his family, they 



lived for some time in a hut built beside a log ; 
then erected a more permanent residence on 
the land afterward occupied by his brother An- 
drew, which the}' owned during the first win- 
ter, and for a short time after Andrew's fiimily 
came, in 1810 ; for a brief period both families 
occupied the same cabin. John Kepler was 
not able to go to the war of 1812. and so he 
assisted in sending young John Dixon as his 
substitute, furnishing him with blankets and 
other articles of clothing. John was a resident 
of Green Township for about twenty-five j^ears 
and was then killed while working a cider-press. 
His wife survived him many years. John was 
buried in the grave^'ard on his brother An- 
drew's farm. He was the father of nine children, 
as follows : Catharine, married Henry Warner, 
of Coventr}- ; John, formei'ly of Green ; Jacob, 
now a resident of Coventry ; Andrew, shot 
on August IG, 1871, by his son-in-law; Dan- 
iel, moved to De Kalb County, Ind. ; George, 
formerl}' of Coventry, now deceased ; Henry, 
died at eighteen ; Samuel, died in Illinois, and 
Lena, died after marrying Henry Cook. Dan- 
iel was the ^'oungest child when the family re- 
moved to Ohio. After x\ndrew Kepler moved 
his family to Ohio, he sold two of his horses to 
his brother John, and, shortly afterward, the 
other two animals died. He then purchased 
oxen to aid in farming. The family suffered 
man}' hardships for several years. The Indians 
would frequently appear with their ponies, dogs 
and papooses ; the}' brought baskets which 
they desired to trade for flour, meal, potatoes 
and other articles. When Andrew was with 
the American army, during the war of 1812, 
the Indians kept his wife supplied with ven- 
ison, which they exchanged for meal and pota- 
toes. Mrs. Kepler never feared the savages, 
for they were always friendly and kept their 
promises. It was only necessary to supply one 
with a loaf of liread and tell him that venison 
was desired at a certain time, and he never 
failed to respond. But the wolves were ver}- 
troublesome, and would occasionally approach 
within five or six rods of the fire where Mrs 
Kepler was cooking the meals. Mrs. Rebecca 
Herring, formerly Miss Kepler, says : •' We 
children did not hate the Indians so much as 
we did the wolves ; these animals howled 
around the house at night until we thought 
the clap-boards on the roof were shaking." 
Finally, the State offered a bounty for each 



■7< 



GREEX TOWNSHIP. 



59!) 



wolf scalp, and the howling tribe of the forests 
commenced to decrease in numbers, and in a 
score of years farmers were able to raise sheep 
with profit. At one time, during the absence 
of her husband, Mrs. Andrew Kepler caught a 
wild turke}' with her hands ; she made a feast, 
to which she invited her relatives and friends. 
About the same time, old Joseph Triplet's wife 
having obtained a rumor, from some source, 
that the British and Indians were coming, 
alarmed the neighborhood. The two Kepler 
families, the Smiths and the Buchtels hastil}' 
prepared to leave, and got half-wa}' to Canton 
before they found the alarm was false. (This 
was possibly at the time Capt. Drake, in order 
to try his men, gave a false alarm, and his 
men became panic-stricken.) Andrew Kepler, 
after living in the township nearly fifty years, 
died January 16, 1855, at the advanced age of 
seventy-eight years and eleven months. He 
was buried in the graveyard at East Liberty. 
He was the father of eleven children. Nine 
grew to maturity, were married and raised 
large familes, and the Kepler descendants are 
very numerous in Green Township and else- 
where. These nine children are located as fol- 
lows : Elizabeth married Samuel Stover and re- 
moved to Illinois ; Mary married three times, 
and is now the widow of Jacob Paulner, at 
Grreensburg ; Catharine married Peter Wilhelm, 
of Green, and died ; Safah, now Mrs. David 
Warner, of Green ; John, of Green ; Rebecca, 
now the widow of Lewis Herring, of Green ; 
Jacob A. died in Green ; Andrew, of East Lib- 
erty, and Samuel, struck by lightning on August 
10, 1854. 

Gen. Bierce says in 1854 : -Jacob Smith, Ja- 
cob Coleman and Col. Dillman nextcame into the 
township. They were all from Center County. 
Penn. Coleman and Smith died about fifteen 
^•ears ago (1839) and Dillman twentj^ (1834)." 
Of these three men, Coleman settled on land now 
owned by Alex Stine, and was buried at Union- 
town ; Jacob Smith was the son of Conrad 
Smith, who entered the northwest quarter of 
Section 17 in the spring, and died six months 
after .settling upon it; previous to his death, 
he endeavored to make a bedstead to sleep up- 
on but failed. His son Jacob put a large 
bowlder upon his grave, and in rough letters 
carved the name of his father on the stone. 
It is reported that, after the farm was sold to 
the Baughmans, this rude monument was taken 



for the corner-stone of a new barn. "Col. 
Dillman," it should be Conrad Dillman, settled 
upon 1 GO acres now owned by John Gougler ; 
he was a very moral and religious man, and 
would go from house to house with his Bible 
teaching the people. He was a prominent 
member of the Methodist Church at an early 
day, and afterward united with the Evangelical 
Association. His youngest daughter married 
Rev. Adam Klinefelter, for many years a prom- 
inent citizen of Green Township. Dillman was 
buried on the southwest corner of his farm. 
The Buchtel family also settled in Green 
Township at an earl}' da}-. Peter Buchtel 
came in May, 1811, with a large family of chil- 
dren, and entered at the Government office at 
Steubenville the land now owned by John 
Kepler. Peter was in the iVmerican army dur- 
ing the war of 1812, and died of disease at 
Sandusk}' Cit}-. John, his oldest son, who re- 
sides north of Akron, is the father of Hon. 
J. R. Buchtel, of that cit}'. John relates the 
following : ■• The first house we lived in was 
built of stakes taken from a large chestnut 
tree which we cut down, and formed a rude 
hut by leaning the stakes against the log ; 
there were eleven children in our family, but 
we never had a doctor in our house. We lived 
mostly on deer's meat and wild honey ; father 
killed twenty-five deer one fall, and found one 
bee-tree which contained eighteen gallons of 
honey ; after father died, I had to assist in 
supporting the family ; I had to work four 
days for a bushel of wheat, and two da3's for a 
bushel of rye." Peter Buchtels wife was Mar- 
garet Cramer ; she was a sister of Mrs. 
Mary and Magdalena Kepler ; their brother 
Daniel, Jacob and Abraham Cramer were also 
early settlers of Green Township, locating up- 
on Vfovernment laud about 1812. Among 
those who settled in the township previous to 
1820, were John Yarrick, who entered the east 
side of Section 25 about 1809; his daughter 
was the mother of Lewis Miller, Esq.. of 
Akron ; William Ball, southwest quarter of 25. 
about 1809 ; Thomas Macbee, northwest of 36, 
about 1809 ; Abraham DeHaven. southwest of 
24, about 1810; Ludwig Spotts, southeast of 
34, in 1812; Daniel Raber, southeast of 24. 
about 1813: William Beltz. southwest of 26. 
about 1813; Henry Everhart, northeast of 36, 
about 1813; Jacob Sichley, northeast of 26, in 
1813 (this gentleman always claimed he heard 



^ 



-Jl §1 



600 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



the roar of the cannon during Perry's victory 
on Lake Erie, from his farm in Green Town- 
ship); — Swales, southeast of 26, about 1813 ; 
Cornelius Johnston, northwest of 25, in May, 
1814; Simon Yarrick, father of Adam, in 
1814; Daniel Wise, about 1813; John Kreigh- 
baum, in 1814 ; Michael Myers and sons with 
their families, in 1814 ; Philip Hartong, about 
1813; Henry Raber, Sr., about 1814; Adam 
Working, about 1815; Robert Hall, in 1817; 
Jost Sn3'der, in 1810 ; John Hunsberger came 
with his family in 1822, and purchased 400 
acres on Sections 15 and 22 ; he brought $800 
with him from Pennsylvania, and the money 
was hid in the churn while traveling to Ohio ; 
Hunsberger built upon his land the finest house 
and barn which, up to that time, had been 
erected in the township ; the children of the 
family received in Pennsylvania a good com- 
mon-school education, and have always taken 
a prominent position in Green Township. 
Abi'am, the eldest son, taught school for twenty- 
one successive winter terms; served as Jus- 
tice of the Peace for twenty-four years, and 
was also Township Clerk twenty-one years. 
Among the prominent families who have set- 
tled in the township since 1820, are the follow- 
ing: John Foust, in 1822; Henry Warner, 
1823; Jacob Hartong, 1824; Jacob Dicker- 
hoff, 1826 ; Henry Beard, 1827 ; Michael Heck- 
man, 1828; Peter Thornton, 1829; George 
Chisnell, previous to 1830 ; Jacob Vandersoll, 
John Mottinger and George Bidleman, in 
1830; David Grotz, 1832; Jacob Humbert 
and Michael Schreiner, about 1833 ; Joseph 
Grable and Charles Stroman, Sr., 1834; Peter 
Wise, 1835; David Smith, 1836; John Goug- 
ler, about 1837 ; Jacob Grable, 1838 ; Joseph 
Stauffer, 1840; Isacc Franks, about 1841; 
George Foster and George Kline, in 1842. 

Most of the early settlers of Green Township 
suffered many hardships. At first, there were 
no mills nearer than Steubenville, Ohio, and 
other supplies had to be obtained about the 
same distance from their new homes ; fre- 
quently, some families would run entirely out 
of provisions, or, by living on short rations for 
weeks, secured an appetite which would de- 
vour anything that could be " chawed." Alex 
Johnston relates an incident in regard to one 
family in their neighborhood, who, for a time, 
had only " parslej' for breakfast, parsle}^ for 
dinner and parsley for supper." Fortunately, 



after several days, the}' secured other diet. 
Another household demolished the last food in 
the larder. After planting their early potatoes 
and growing hungry, they dug up the " seed- 
lings," devoured the outside, and then planted 
the eyes. But the soil was very fertile, and, in 
a few years, all had an abundance. Then each 
man desired to sell his surplus grain ; but, for 
years, there was no market for anything raised 
on the farm. Consequently, money was very 
scarce. When a new settler arrived from Penn- 
sylvania, he generally had a small balance in 
cash, but desii'ed something to eat. The result 
was, that there was a strife among those having 
produce to see these new settlers before their 
neighbors did, and secure a portion of this 
money to pay necessary bills, such as taxes. 
John Spotts relates that when his father settled 
in the township in 1812. wheat was so scarce 
that Ludwig had to pay $3 for a bushel. In a 
few years, the old gentleman had wheat to sell, 
and then he could not get 25 cents for the same 
amount of grain. In those days, farmers re- 
ceived so little for their produce that frequently 
men hauled a load of wheat to Cleveland, and 
exchanged it for a barrel of salt. Money being 
scarce, people considered themselves poor, al- 
though they had plenty to eat and clothes to 
wear. Their apparel, however, was general h' 
home-made. Before the canal was completed, 
all store goods were high, and, consequently, 
settlers without funds could not alwa3-s secure 
these high-priced luxuries ; but they clothed 
themselves, for there were many spinning-wheels 
brought from Pennsylvania, and the women 
knew how to use them. The men frequently 
wore buckskin, and garments made from tliis 
material were not an uncommon sight many 
years after 1820. The forests, for a few years, 
were full of game ; but the white population of 
the township increased so i-apidly that b}' 1825 
scarcel}- any wolves or deer could be found. 
The last deer shot in the township was possibly 
killed by Simon Yarrick, about the year 1830. 
Bears and panthers were hunted down and ex- 
terminated many y(iars previous. Gen. Bierce 
saj-s : " Superstitious notions about ' spooks ' 
were formerly somewhat common among many 
of the early Dutch settlers, who dreaded the 
spirit of a dead Indian far more than they did 
the living spirit encased in flesh and bones, 
however well armed. In the earl}' settlement 
of the township, the low grounds were noted 



/.^ 




^J^^:;^^^^^:-^^-^' <LA/y^^^^i^ 



k 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



601 



for the appearance of the ignis fatuus, or ' Will- 
o-the-wisp." By the superstitious pioneers, 
these dancing and deceiving lights were sup- 
posed to be the spirits of the Indians or ' spooks,' 
who had come back to visit their hunting- 
grounds, and upbraid the pale faces for their 
fraud and double tongues. These harmless 
lights caused many a strong man to tremble, as 
he paced his solitary waj' through the dense 
and dark forest. 

But the early settlers of Green Township 
were not all farmers, and this was fortunate, 
considering the large amount of produce raised 
each 3'ear, which could not be sold, for want of 
a market. When these tillers of the soil ex- 
changed, at Canton, forty-four bushels of r^-e 
for a barrel of salt, they could not so readily 
complain because some men thought it was not 
expedient for all mankind to be farmers, and so 
followed other occupations. Some of the early 
settlers who purchased farms, occasionally 
worked at trades thej^ had learned in Pennsyl- 
vania. John Kepler and Michael Myers were 
blacksmiths as early as 1814," and erected 
forges near their dwellings. Myers transferred 
his forge to his son Henry, and he to his son 
Michael, who to-da}' uses the vise brought from 
Pennsylvania by his grandfather. Ludwig 
Spotts, who came in 1812, also followed black- 
smithing. A man named Kauffman started a 
rude tan-3-ard at an early day, on the farm now 
occupied by C. Long, west of Greensburg. In 
those days, tanners were " luck}^ " men, for 
their goods were in greater demand than the 
fruit of the soil. Nearly everybody had wheat, 
but few had leather, which they all needed ; 
consequently, leather was valuable, and it was 
the article with which everj'thing else could be 
obtained. Tanners would not exchange their 
work for wheat at all times, for in those da3's 
leather was as good as cash, and it was 
frequently the medium of exchange between 
the settlers, notwithstanding it did not have the 
stamp of the Government upon it. Kauffman 's 
tannery was afterward removed to Greensburg. 
There was also a tan-3'ard near East Liberty at 
an early da}'. The first shoemaker that started 
a regular shop was old Adam Musser's son 
John, who manufactured and repaired, about 
one mile east of what is now Greensburg. 
Previous to this, Adam Working followed this 
trade some at his farm, which he entered about 
1815. John Foust, who came in 1822, was a 



shoemaker, and worked at this occupation 
during the winter, when his services were more 
in demand. In those early days, the Knights 
of St. Crispin would wander through the coun- 
try, and deliver the settlers from the evils of 
going barefooted. These cobblers would re- 
main with a family until all the members were 
" shod " to order, and then seek emplo3-ment 
elsewhere. The first weaver who appeared was 
Thomas Dixon, and he was assisted by his 
daughter Ann. George Dull, who came in 
1814, was a weaver for two years, then returned 
to Pennsylvania. Jost Snyder appeared in 
1819, bringing his loom from Pennsylvania, 
and followed weaving for many years. In 1824, 
Jacob Hartong, father of Cyrus, settled on land 
now owned b}^ the Widow Thursby, and, while 
his sons farmed, Jacob provided the clothing 
for his own families and man3' other settlers of 
the neighborhood. Philip Hartong, brother of 
Jacob, came in 1 8 1 3. For several years, he kept 
an inn on the old Portage road, near where Ja- 
cob King's brick residence is at the present 
time. The hotel business being unprofitable, 
he built a saw-mill on land now owned by 
Henr}' Krumroy. This mill was erected about 
1819, and reported to be the first in the town- 
ship, but this is ver}^ doubtful, as there were 
man3^ families 133' that time, and. in all new set- 
tlements, a saw-mill is generall3' provided b3'^ 
some enterprising man at a much earlier period 
in the histor3^ of the community. However, 
mills of this description were soon numerous. 
The Hartong Mill was run b3' Philip and his 
son Samuel for some twenty -five 3'ears. About 
the same time Hartong erected his saw-mill, 
John Richards built one on the site now occu- 
pied b3' the Peter Heckman mill. Richards 
ran this about five 3'ears, until he died, in Oc- 
tober, 1823. Another was also erected previ- 
ous to 1827, in the extreme southeastern part 
of Green Township, on land now owned b3' 
Simon Young. Henr3' Beard started another 
mill by 1828, and he thinks there was also one 
on Turkey Foot Lake, in Green, run by a Mr. 
Rex. Beard continued the business nearl3- 
forty years. He also Iiad a fulling-mill and 
carding machine in connection with his saw- 
mill, which establishments were conducted for 
some fifteen years. David Eb3" also ran a card- 
ing and fulling-mill for several 3'ears. There 
were also one or two flouring-mills operated at 
an earl3- day. Gen. Biercesays : " George A. 



602 



HISTOEY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



Rex erected the first mill in the township 
(1816-17), at the outlet of Turkey Foot Lake 
(this was possibly in Franklin Township), but 
when the State took possession of the water 
for their reservoir, and raised the level, the 
mill-site was ruined."' However, the State paid 
damages. Christian Swartz milled at what is 
now the StaufFer flouring-mill, for three 3'ears 
after he came, in 1835, and, in 1827, Tritt op- 
erated a mill, which stood near the present site 
of the Tritt Mill. When Peter Wilhelm set- 
tled in Grreen Township, May, 1814, he put up 
a distillery, at which was manufactured much 
that did not improve the citizens. The estab- 
lishment was located just south of the present 
site of Greensburg. John Yarrick also started 
a still-house about 1820, just southwest of what 
is now Greentown Station. After some twelve 
years, this "gin-mill " was discontinued, as was 
also Wilhelm's. 

The eary settlers of Green Township found it 
a very difficult task to travel from one section 
to another for the lack of roads. The first 
thoroughfare laid out through what is now 
Summit County, was the old Portage " Path," 
which extended from Canton to Cleveland, bj' 
the way of Portage. This was in the early 
days a route extensively traveled by many 
desiring to journey from Stark County and that 
section of Ohio, to the lake. The road was 
located at a very early period, but not com- 
pleted as a highway for several years. This 
Portage road entered the township at the south- 
east corner of Section 35, and crossed it in a 
northwesterly direction, passing nearly one 
mile west of what is now Greensburg. A 
considerable portion of this old " Portage Path " 
is still used as a highway, but in some places 
has been vacated. Many years since. Rev. E. 
Staver had the section across his farm, in 
Green Township, abandoned and a new road 
opened. When the early settlers wished to go 
any place with their wagons, it was necessary 
to go out with an ax and cut the underbrush 
away. The second road through the township 
was laid out by John Richards, from his farm, 
on the northwest quarter of Section 13, to Can- 
ton. It is doubtful if Richards ever had the 
route of his highway recorded, but deemed 
that by general consent the settlers would al- 
ways permit the road to remain, and so they 
did, for the " Richards " road remains to this 
day, cutting across Sections 24, 25 and 36 of 



Green Township in a southerly direction, and 
bearing to the east. Other roads were planned 
and finished to suit various neighborhoods, but 
for years some of these were ver^^ unsatisfactory 
highways, at first only paths cut out through 
the trackless forests, but they were improved 
year after year, until at the present time the 
roads of Green Township will compare favor- 
ably with the highwa3's of any other farming 
township in the State not traversed by stone 
pikes. 

Until 1840, Green Township formed a por- 
tion of Stark County, which was organized in 
1809. In 1811, what is now four townships 
in the northern part of the county, was organ- 
ized, with one set of officers. Gen. Bierce says 
in regard to this : ' The township then em- 
braced Green, Lake, all of Franklin lying east 
of the Tuscarawas, and Jackson. The first 
election was held at the house of Nathan De- 
Haven, one and a half miles northwest of Green- 
town, on the 6th of JUI3', 1811. Abraham De- 
Haven, Jacob Harsh and Joseph Triplet were 
Judges of the election ; Jonathan Potts and 
William Triplet were Clerks. Peter Dicker- 
hof, of what is now Lake Township ; Christian 
Bolmer, of what is now Jackson ; and John 
Yarrick, of what is now Green, were elected 
first Trustees. Samuel Spitler, a resident of 
what is now Lake, was elected Clerk ; George 
Knoddle, Treasurer ; William Ball, Assessor ; 
Simeon Harsh and John Kepler, Constables. 
At the fall election, October 3, 1811, there were 
only sixteen votes polled in the territory com- 
prised by these townships, and, at the Pres- 
idential election, October 20, 1812, during the 
war, only nine votes. Peter Dickerhoff was the 
first Justice of the Peace ; his commission bore 
date August 21, 1811. The commission of 
John Wise, who was the next Justice, bore 
date June 16, 1814. He resided in what is now 
Lake Township, and died in Greentown, in 
January, 1853." Green Township as it now is 
was organized April 7, 1815, and the following 
officers were chosen : Trustees, George Mc- 
Cormic, William Ball and Joshua Richards ; 
Clerk, Robert Lawson ; Treasurer, Daniel Wise ; 
Constables, David Hartman and Thomas Par- 
ker. At the election held only seventeen votes 
were polled. Green Township continued a por- 
tion of Stark County until 1840, when Summit 
was formed from fourteen townships of the 
Western Reserve, and Franklin and Green, 



i\£l^ 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



603 



from Stark County. Bierce says in regard to 
this : "That it was the first instance in which 
the southern line of the Reserve had been 
brolven in the erection of a county, and when 
the bill was being considered in the Legislature, 
Senator Hostetter, of Stark, declared : ' You 
might as well attempt to make a Dutch horse 
and a Yankee broad-horn work together, as the 
inhabitants on the opposite sides of that line 
to amalgamate.' Experience, however, has 
shown that such fears were groundless, and 
such divisions wholly imaginary." However, 
the citizens of Green Township were not gen- 
erally satisfied with the new arrangement, and, 
consequently, when the question of a county 
seat was submitted to the voters, certain men 
from Cuyahoga Falls appeared among them 
and promised to use their influence and have 
Green re-attached to Stark if the dissatisfied 
citizens of Green would cast their votes in 
favor of Cuyahoga Falls as the county seat in 
preference to Akron. If any votes were se- 
cured by these fickle promises, they failed to 
change the result of the election, for it was de- 
cided in favor of Akron. 

Most of the early settlers of Green Township 
were Pennsylvania Dutch, and many of these 
were veiy ignorant and superstitious, conse- 
quentl}' at an early da^- the cause of education 
did not flourish. Possibl}' the first school held 
in the township was taught b}- William Trip- 
let, who endeavored to instill into a few youth- 
ful minds the first rudiments of knowledge. 
The children assembled at an old shanty on 
Section 16 land, and Triplet undoubtedly did 
his duty, but was not appreciated by the par- 
ents of his pupils. John Buchtel, who resides 
north of Akron, states : " I never learned to 
write, as there were no schools in Green Town- 
ship at an early da}-." Mrs. Herring, of East 
Libert}-, says : "In those days, they had to pay 
50 cents a month for each scholar, and if a 
teacher failed to secure enougii scholars, no 
school could be held for two or three years." 
Mrs. Herring was the daughter of Andrew 
Kepler ; her sister, Mrs. Paulner, declares : " I 
had to plow many a day for my father, and 
had no time to go to school." This was the 
secret of the absence of educational facilities; 
it cost something, and they wanted the children 
to work, and the ignorant minds possessed by 
some of Green Township's early inhabitants 
failed to comprehend the benefits of a culti- 



vated intellect ; consequently they refused to 
permit their oflTspring to have advantages 
W'hich were possessed by themselves in Penn- 
sylvania, and a race was multiplied, a genera- 
tion raised in ignorance the effect of which will 
be felt to the third and fourth generation. Sev- 
eral years after Triplet attempted to establish 
a school in that neighborhood, Nicholas Sichley, 
who married Andrew Kepler's sister. Susan, 
made a second trial in a log building on Sec- 
tion IG land ; this building had possibly been 
occupied as a residence by some of the early 
settlers on the school lands. Sichley 's sup- 
port was not extensive, and he was followed 
months afterward by William Early in the 
same building. This gentleman also taught in 
other districts of Green Township. About 
1820, he was employed in a building on the 
southeast corner of the land belonging to the 
Foust heirs ; William Sweeney also taught at 
the same place. A schoolhouse was put up at 
an early day in what is now the King District, 
which was also used as a church. Alex John- 
ston says : " The first school I attended was at 
what is now Greensburg about 181 G. It was 
taught ]iy an Irishman named Robert Lawson, 
in a building which had been erected by George 
Dull for a weavers shop." The first school- 
house in District 6 was built about one mile 
west of my residence after 1820, but at that 
time, there were special buildings for school 
purposes in other districts. Simon Yarrick 
relates : " We didn't go to school much in those 
days, in good weather had to stay at home and 
tramp our wheat ; boys attended school longer 
than they do now, sometimes until twenty- 
four and twenty-five }ears of age.'" In about 
1823, a German school was tauglit by a Mr. 
Crum in the district east of East Liberty ; it 
was held in a log building put up for school 
purposes some two years previous. Henry 
Beard taught a few scholars at his home about 
the year 1827. and thinks this was the first at- 
tempt made in southwestern Green, but the lands 
in that section were not settled until after many 
inhabitants were in other portions of Green. It 
is a satisfaction to learn of one Dutch mother 
who appreciated education, as Adam Yarrick 
relates : " My mother used to spin on the spin- 
ning wheel in order to secure money to i)ay ttie 
tuition of her children. She got a dollar for 
spinning six dozen cuts and could finish eighteen 
each day, netting her twenty- five cents. Con- 



i V^ 



604 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



sequentlj' we got a better education than most 
children of the township." Among those who 
taught in the township at an early day, not 
previously mentioned, were Henry Gates, John 

Betz, Pjlecta Tuppei', McCauley, Jacob 

Everhart, George Tousley, Showalter. Mc- 
Cauley went to sleep one day in his chair, and 
was tipped over by the large boys of the school. 
Alex Johnston also taught many terms, and 
Abram Hunsberger was emplo3ed for twenty- 
one successive winters at teaching in various 
districts. Simon Yarrick relates of him : " Once 
we barred old Abram Hunsberger out, and 
kept him out for three days because he would 
not treat us to apples on Christmas." Apples 
were very scarce in those days and prized more 
by the children than at the present time, when 
every farm contains a fine orchard of the 
choicest varieties. 

The first ministers to preach the Gospel in 
Green Township were pioneer missionaries of 
the Methodist Church ; among these were Revs. 
Hollowa}' and Green. Several families, formerly 
members of the Evangelical Association in Penn- 
sylvania, united with the Methodist Episcopal 
congregation, continuing their support to this 
denomination until some time after Evangel- 
ical ministers appeared in the township ; one of 
these early members was Conrad Dillman, who 
would go from cabin to cabin with bis Bible 
teaching the settlers. The public services were 
held at private cabins and log schoolhouses for 
over two decades ; in later years, the congrega- 
tion used the First Evangelical Church until 
some time after 1840, when a brick meeting- 
house was erected in Greensburg on land do- 
nated by a Mr. Switzer ; William McBride 
built this church, which was fi^nall}^ torn down 
in the spring of 1881. At one time, the Meth- 
odist Episcopal congregation was a strong and 
influential church, containing about seventy 
members, but man}- died or moved West ; 
other troubles weakened the church, and services 
were held very irregularl}' ; at the present time, 
the few members left are without a church or 
regular preaching. Closely following the Meth- 
odist ministers in the pioneer days, were 
missionaries of the Reformed and Lutheran 
Churches, holding services in the German lan- 
guage. At that time, the differences between 
these two denominations were so slight that 
many families encouraged and supported minis- 
ters of both sects. It is said that Rev. John 



Hamm, a Reformed or German Presbyterian, 
first conducted services in a round log-house 
which stood on Phillip Hartong's farm, now 
owned b}' Jacob King. This building had former- 
ly been used by Hartong as a residence, but when 
he built another cabin, his first rude home was 
donated for school and church purposes. Rev. 
Hamm lived at Manchester for man}^ years, 
until he died some five years since. In the 
early days it was his custom to walk over from 
Manchester to this log building, accompanied 
by his wife ; he organized the Reformed Con- 
gregations in Green Township, both at Greens- 
burg and East Liberty, and it is said those at 
Uniontown and Mud Brook. It is possible, 
however, that Rev. Wier, of the Lutheran, and 
Rev. Faust, of the Reformed Church, conducted 
services in Green Township, at private houses, 
before Rev. Hamm did, as they preached at 
Manchester before he appeared in this section 
of the State. Among the early ministei's of 
these sects were Revs. Wyant, Happock, Hart- 
brook and others. The Reformed Congrega- 
tion erected the church at Greensburg, now used 
by the Church of God, or Winebrennarians, 
and another building was erected at East Lib- 
erty and used b}^ both the Lutherans and Re- 
formed congregations. The principal religious 
sect in the township at the present time is the 
Evangelical Association, which has two flour- 
ishing and influential congregations, one at 
Greensburg and the other at East Liberty. It 
is not certain who the minister of this denomi- 
nation was that first held services in Green, 
but among those who preached at the cabins 
of early settlers and log schoolhouses were 
Revs. Hosier, Samuel Van Gundy, — Fr}^, Abra- 
ham or Henry Neeble, George Mottinger, Jo- 
seph Long, Aaron Yombert, Adam Klinefelter, 
Elias Staver. John Kopf, Abraham Ream, Adam 
Hennich, John Triesbach and others. Each 
one of the last four has been claimed by differ- 
ent persons to have been the first minister who 
conducted services in the township in the in- 
terest of the Evangelical Association, but it is 
conceded by most authorities that the first 
regular circuit was organized in 1829, that 
Revs. Adam Klinefelter and P^lias Staver were 
the ministers in charge ; they organized the 
association at Greensburg, which was the first 
congregation of this sect established perma- 
nently in Summit County. These men rode a 
circuit of about four hundred miles ; it was 



(S — 



?iv 



llL 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



605 



said of Rev. Klinefelter at his death : ■' His 
travels were extensive, as he frequently had to 
make long and tedious journeys back and forth 
from Pennsylvania to Ohio in the saddle ; the 
circuits then embraced as much territory as 
the entii-e conference district does at the pres- 
ent time. He preached almost ever}' day ; was 
exposed to all kinds of weather ; lodged in 
poor huts and rude log cabins, with a great 
change of diet ; almost impassable roads. The 
greatest hardships he endured were in Ohio, 
when the country was yet a wilderness, thinly 
inhabited and the people mostl}' poor." Serv- 
ices were conducted at the cabins of various 
pioneer settlers ; among these were Jacob Kauff- 
man's, Conrad Dillman's, Elias Benner's, Fan- 
nej-'s, John Mottinger's, John Buchtel's, Peter 
Thornton's and others. Schoolhouses were also 
occupied for man}' j'ears ; finally, about the 
year 1838, the congregation erected a house of 
worship about three-fourths of a mile west of 
Greensbui'g, at the present site of the grave- 
yard. This church was dedicated by Bishop 
Long and the General Conference of the Evan- 
gelical Association held in it from October 23 
to November 2, 1843. Some years afterward, 
another edifice was erected in Greensburg, 
which building is now occupied by the congre- 
gation. The church at East Liberty was erected 
in 1869, at a cost of $3,200 ; the congregation 
was organized many years previous, and a Sun- 
day school started since 1869. The first camp- 
meeting held in Green Township was conducted 
about the year 1828 on land belonging, at that 
time, to Phillip Dundore, now to John Leonard ; 
it was continued about one week under the 
direction of Revs. Joseph Long, Aaron Yom- 
bert, George Mottinger and others. Several 
camp-meetings were afterward held at the same 
place in after yeai's. Disciple ministers ap- 
peared occasionally after 1840 and held meet- 
ings ; among these were Elders Row, Green 
and his son, Lockhart and others. Services 
were conducted in the schoolhouse at Greens- 
burg, and afterward in the Winebrennarian 
Church. About four j-ears since the Disciple 
congregation built their present meeting-house, 
which is one of the neatest chapels in the 
county. The Church of God or " Winebren- 
narians " organized their congregation after the 
year 1850, and about twenty years since pur- 
chased their present house of worship from the 
Reformed Church for $400. Rev. Cassell is 



Pastor at the present time. This sect has 
another congregation in the southwestern part 
of the township, who occupied ■ Tritt's Bethel." 
This building was erected about the 3'ear 1871, 
while Rev. Lily was Pastor ; Samuel Thursby, 
Joseph Tritt and Emanuel Working were the 
first Trustees of the association. A Total Absti- 
nence Societ\^ was started by Abram Huns- 
berger and Jacob Dillman previous to 1830, 
which, for a short time, exerted quite an influ- 
ence on some of the young men. 

" All that tread the earth are but a handful 
to the tribes that slumber in its bosom." This 
can be appreciated by one who endeavors to 
write a record of all the burying-grounds of 
Green Township. It is not known who was the 
first white person laid beneath the sod by those 
earl}' pioneer settlers. Andrew Kepler's little 
son, Andrew, died about 1812, and was buried 
on his father's farm, and possibly the first regu- 
lar graveyard of the township was then estab- 
lished. The exact spot is near the center of 
the east eighty acres of the southeast quarter 
of Section 17. When others died in this neigh- 
borhood, they were laid beside young Kepler. 
About fifty interments wei'e made, but scarcely 
a dozen stones were erected to the memory of 
these departed ones, and most of the graves 
have been desecrated. Possibly, old Conrad 
Smith died before young Kepler. He was buried 
on his own land, and a huge stone placed over 
the grave by his son, who carved upon it his 
father's name. In after years, the bowlder was 
used for the corner stone of a barn. When 
John Rhodes died, about the year 1825, he was 
buried on the southwest corner of Conrad Dill- 
man's land. Other settlers were buried here, 
and the spot of ground became consecrated 
earth, and sacred to the memory of these dead, 
was fenced in, and Mr. Dillman deeded the 
ground for cemetery purposes. Years after- 
ward, he was interred upon this land, as was 
also his wife, Rev. Adam Klinefelter, his son- 
in-law, Mrs. Klinefelter and many of their chil- 
dren. When a man named Herring committed 
suicide, about 1828, he was buried just south- 
west of this ground. John Richards died Octo- 
ber 26, 1823, and his wife Katharine, two days 
later. They were buried on their own land. 
Their graves were inclosed by a neat fence, and 
plain stones put up to mark the spot. Some of 
Mr. Palmer's children, who lived where Levi J. 
Hartong does now, were interred on that farm 



T^ 



606 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



as early as 1830. Old Jonatliaii (Irable was 
also buried here, and about one dozen others. 
When Henr}' Beards infant daughter Christina 
died, May 4, 1832, slie was laid beneath the sod 
on Beard's farm. Others of that neighborhood 
were placed beside her. The ground was fenced 
in, but no stones ever erected. The Evangelical 
Church gravej'ard, about one half mile west of 
Grreensburg, was started about the year 183G. 
Peter Thornton states he donated the first piece 
of this land to the church for cemetery pur- 
poses, and that his son, Creorge Thornton, aged 
about twelve, was the first person buried there. 
In 1875, an additional acre of land was pur- 
chased from George Gougler, and added to this 
cemetery. Rev. Klias Stoeber was possibly the 
first person buried in the new addition. The 
cemetery at East Libert}' was started about 
1845, and is already well filled with those who 
formerly lived in that neighborhood. But those 
who died in Grreen Township were not all laid 
within these cemeteries ; for in those early da3's, 
many mothers oft wept beside little graves 
placed in leafy dell, or near the babbling brook. 
These little mounds, unmarked by marble slab, 
were only consecrated b}' their tears. Many of 
these lonely burial-places have been desecrated, 
and the ground plowed over by those who were 
either ignorant or careless in regard to the 
sacredness of that soil. 

There is considerable speculation in regard 
to the first marriage ceremony performed in 
Green Township. Gen. Bierce says in regard 
to this : " The first recorded marriage in the 
township was Abraham Bair to Elizabeth Har- 
ter, who were married by Abraham DeHaven 
on March 31, 1812, though tradition shows that 
previous to that time Jacob Smith, Jr., was 
married to Miss Betsy Dixon, but of which no 
record was ever made. Ti'adition says the mar- 
riage ceremony of this first couple was ' You 
bromis to take te voman you holt by te hant to 
pe your vife, and tat you will shtick to her 
through hell-fire and dunder ? Den I bronounce 
you man and voman, by cot ! " Blair died soon 
after the marriage, and his widow subsequently 
married Jehu Grubb, and now resides in Plain 
Township, Stark County." (This was written 
in 1855 : it is said that she is still living there, 
although it is now nearly seventy years since 
her first marriage). The general opinion of 
many old settlers is that the quaint ceremony 
above mentioned was actually performed, and 



that the man who married the couple was old 
Andrew Kepler. Several of his children ad- 
mit that he performed the ceremon}', but his 
oldest living daughter, Mrs. Mary Paulner, says 
the story is not true. John Buchtel states that 
Kepler performed this marriage before he re- 
ceived his commission of Justice of the Peace, 
and that afterward he refused to serve in this 
capacity. Others state that the last words ut- 
tered by Kepler to the bride and bridegroom 
were "Now, vers mine tollar?" These ad- 
ditional words furnish more convincing proof 
to the truth of this incident than the second- 
hand statements of several men. It is doubt- 
ful who the first child born in Green Township 
was. The earliest of which we can obtain anj' 
knowledge is John Triplet, son of William, who 
is now a resident of Coventr}'. He was born 
March 4, 1809, and must have been among 
the first two or three white natives of the town- 
ship. However, there were several other fam- 
ilies at that time living near Triplet's, and the 
first birth might have occurred among one of 
these. 

Since the settlement of Green Township, three 
villages have been laid out within its borders ; 
these are Greensburg, East Liberty and My- 
ersville. Greensburg, the oldest of these, was 
surveyed August 27, 1828, by David Baer, on 
land belonging to Abraham Wilhelm. This 
village is located on the southwest part of the 
northeast quarter of Section 27 ; it lies consid- 
erabl}^ south and a little east of the township's 
center. A short time after the village plat was 
first made and recorded, Wilhelm decided not 
to establish a town on his land, but, after sev- 
eral years, the village was permanently located. 
The place contained only six or eight houses 
for many years. The tax duplicate of 1846 
shows that it then had onl}' ten frame houses, 
although the plat contained at that time Mty- 
three lots. When Greensburg Seminary was 
established, it received a " boom," and a move- 
ment was made to have the place incorpor- 
ated, but it is said objection was raised to 
this by some who were afraid their cows would 
not then be permitted to graze on the streets, 
and the movement was squelched. Among the 
earl}^ business of the burg and vicinity were the 
following establishments : Wilhelm kept an 
inn a short distance south previous to 1820 ; he 
also had a stopping-place for the old stage line 
which ran from Massillon to Middlebury, but 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



607 



this four-horse stage was only run a short time 
over this route and then changed to a road run- 
ning through Manchester and Canal Fulton. 
One of the Wilhelms had a distillery just south 
of the village, previous to 1820, and, after it 
was discontinued, a Mr. Moulton ran a chair- 
factory in the same building. John Shick 
started the first store, about 1836, and also kept 
the first hotel ; he ran this latter establishment 
five or six years, and it was finally destroyed 
by fire ; another was built on the same site, 
which was run by Benjamin Seiss for about ten 
years ; it passed through several hands and is 
now owned bj' Peter Thornton and run by Jerry 
Garmon. The present landlord enlisted in 1861 
in the Union army, and served faithfully during 
the war ; he then joined the regular army for 
several years. Jacob Garmon, his father, put 
up a hotel on the northwest corner, previous to 
1840, and this building was also destroyed by 
fii'e. John Hunsberger started his mercantile 
establishment in the village about 1838 ; he was 
appointed first Postmaster of the place under 
Van Buren's administration ; when he settled 
in the village, there were only six houses ; these 
were two hotels, one pump-factory, Hunsberg- 
er's residence, and a wagon-shop, which was 
run b}' George E. Smith for many years. The 
pump-maker, Peter Weidman, remained about 
ten years. About 1840, the first schoolhouse 
was built in the village ; previous to this the 
scholars went to school about one mile south. 
Harry Raefsnider started a tan3^ard south of 
the village previous to 1838, but quit after a 
few years ; then another was established nearer 
Greensburg by Jacob Kauffman ; this was af- 
terward sold to John Hunsberger, who trans- 
ferred it to I. W. France. The first blacksmith- 
shop was owned by Lewis Denious, and John 
Wetzel built the first saw-mill. Some thirty 
years since, a brickyard was established b3^Adam 
Leopard. Daniel Bender commenced man- 
ufacturing and repairing harness as early as 
1843. 

Many other industries have been carried 
on for a time in the village and then discon- 
tinued. The first physician to locate there was 
Dr. John Thomas, who remained about two years. 
Among those who practiced there in later 3'ears 
were A. H. Mann, H. Peters. Jacob Musser, 
Wesley Boden, Garber, C. A. Perdue, Da- 
vid Joseph, B. F. Sampsell, Levi Markam, A. 
M. Weidler, 0. E. Brownell, Parmlee, 



Howland, 



Reynolds and others. An 



addition was added to the village by Elias Her- 
ring, which was surveyed by Henry Beard ; 
John Switzer afterward added another. 

The most important enterprise ever estab- 
lished at Greensburg was the seminary. This 
educational institution was for a few ^^ears in a 
very flourishing condition. It was, to a great 
extent, under the control of the Evangelical 
Association, and, at one time, two conferences 
of this sect desired to control the seminary, 
and much bad feeling was occasioned. It was 
finally re-organized with twenty-six stockhold- 
ers, at $50 per share, and at another period of 
its history was conducted in the interest of the 
Disciples' Church. It was originally started in 
1855, with Prof J. W. Raubalt as Principal, 
and Miss Jennie Wells as x\ssistant. The di- 
rectors at that time were Revs. Abraham 
Leonard, P. W. Hahn and E. Stavei-, Alex 
Johnston and D. Cramer. Prof Raubalt re- 
mained two years, and was succeeded for three 
years bj' Prof Barnes, who had assisted Rau- 
bault one year ; then Prof Idgins was Princi- 
pal for one year, and he followed by Profs. A. 
A. Smith and J. W. Hahn. Under the Disci- 
ples' Church management, Prof Williams had 
charge and G. F. Burgetts was assistant. 
Prof Davis ran the institute for a short time 
in his own interest. During the time the sem- 
inary was conducted, many of the young folks 
of Green Township attended ; these acquired a 
higher and more complete education than the 
children of those settlers who did not appre- 
ciate the value of the institution. During the 
Know-Nothing movement, quite an influential 
order of this political secret society was estab- 
lished at Greensburg, and for a time flourished 
like a " green bay tree," and then gave way 
before the " irrepressible conflict "' which re- 
sulted in the rebellion of 1861. The farmer 
opposed the " middlemen " for a short time by 
organizing a grange which continued for sev- 
eral years, but the onlv secret societ}' of Green 
Township at the present time is Hadassah 
Lodge, No. 450, of the I. 0. O. F.; this was in- 
stituted July 9. 1870, by Horace Y. Beebe, 
with seven charter members, as follows : D. F. 
Hunsberger, O. E. Brownell, J. P. Snyder, W. 
P. Hoff'ert, J. H. Anderson, Stephen Zembrot 
and C. Intermela. The lodge met for some 
eight }"ears in a small room back of Hunsber- 
ber's store. At the present time they have one 






-a) V 



^1 



-^R 



608 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



of the finest lodge-rooms in Ohio for a village 
the size of Greeusburg. 

East Liberty was laid out on land belonging 
to John Castetter February 15, 1839. It was 
surveyed b}- Henr}' Beard, and Adam Yerrick 
assisted in carrying the chain. George An- 
drews put up the second house immediately 
south of Castetter's, who then occupied the 
southeast corner of the town ; Castetter kept 
a cabinet-shop there for about fifteen years. 
George Andrews opened the first shoe-shop. 
Daniel Lutz started a tannery at an early day, 
which he sold to Henry Raefsnider and David 
Thornton ; the latter sold out to the former, 
and after ten years the business was continued. 
About 1841, Andrew Kepler built the tavern 
now owned by Kroft. Several stores have 
been established in the village during the past 
forty years ; prominently among these is the 
establishment conducted by Charles Stroman 
for some fifteen years. This gentleman taught 
school for twenty-one terms, was Clerk and 
Treasurer of the township for many years, 
took the census for one decade, and was Post- 
master ten or twelve years ; he died May 8, 
1879. The first physician who settled in the 
village was Dr. L. S. Witwer, who remained 
about six years, and was succeeded for about 
five years by Jonathan Buchtel. There is 
some jealousy and strife between the two 
villages of East Liberty and Greensburg, which 
is manifested mostly at spring elections. By 



general consent, the polls are held at Greens- 
burg in the fall and at East Liberty in the 
spring. The result of this is that the town- 
ship officers are generally " East Libertyites," 
and this occasionally causes some of those as- 
piring to these same positions who reside at 
and near Greensburg to feel dissatisfied with 
the successful political spring campaigns 
waged by the sons of Liberty, but in the fall the 
Greensburgites generally do the "smiling." 

Myersville, which is destined in the near 
future to be the most important village of 
Green Township, was surveyed by Jacob Mish- 
ler on the land of J. B. Myers. The plat has 
not yet been recorded by Mr. M3'ers. The first 
house was built by Moses Kroft in the summer 
of 1876. The next year William Miller 
erected one, and Curt. Brause and James Rilej^ 
started the saw-mill. A storeroom was built 
and Edward Steese opened out a stock of 
goods, and afterward sold out to William 
Sweeten, who continued the business from 
April, 1880, to February, 1881, when he re- 
moved to East Liberty. The warehouse was 
erected b}^ Edward Steese in the summer and 
fall of 1879 ; it is now leased by Hunsberger 
& Shick ; the first grain was purchased March 
17, 1880. The construction train of the Val- 
ley road first passed over the Uniontown pub- 
lic Road at Myersville Station August 4, 1879, 
at 10:15 A. M. 



CHAPTER XXVIL* 

RK'IIIIKLK TOWNSinr— DKS('Kir»TION AND TOPOGRAPHY —EARLY SETTLEMENT — DEVELOPMENT 

OF INDUSTRIES— VILLAGF^IS — CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS— INCIDENTS 

— THE GREAT SLEIGH-RIDE. ETC.. ETC. 



IN writing the history of even so small a 
pai't of the earth's surface as is contained in 
one of the Western Reserve townships, it 
becomes evident that nothing like absolute jus- 
tice and impartiality can be attained in any 
history whatever. The truth is, no history 
absolutely correct in every particular was ever 
written. To give just the right amount of 
importance and space to each individual and 
interest would manifestly be impossible. It 
might be a curiosity to see a book wherein each 

* Contributed by Dr. A. E. Ewing and S. U. Oviatt. 



individual was allowed to dictate or write up 
his own consequence and that of his family ; 
but such a production would give a very incor- 
rect idea of individuals and their affairs. Some 
would be swelled out of all proportion to their 
real importance in the community, while others, 
through innate modesty, would only occupy a 
few lines, if they allowed themselves to appear 
at all. 

Gen. Bierce, of Akron, published in 1854 a 
small volume of "reminiscences." His labor 
must have been great, and his reward small. 



«<^ s- 



L^ 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



609 



From his book many items in this sketch are 
taken and duly acknowledged. Where his 
words have been copied, quotation marks are 
used ; but, in some cases, his facts are given 
without such credit. Of Indian history, treat- 
ies, etc., Gen. Biei'ce saj^s : " By the treaty of 
Fort Mcintosh in 1785, the Cuyahoga River, 
Portage Path and Tuscarawas River were 
the western boundary of the United States. 
Tliis was confirmed by what was called ' Wa3'ne's 
Treaty,' made at (Ireenville, August 3, 1795; 
the chiefs of twelve tribes were present and 
ratified it. The land on the west side of the 
Cuj'ahoga was not purchased until 1805, when 
the United States acquired it by the treaty of 
Fort Industry, on the Maumee. This fort was 
on the land of a Wyandot chief b}^ the name 
of Ogonst, who, with his tribe, hunted on the 
grounds between the Maumee and Cuyahoga, 
in connection with the Miamis, Pottawatomies, 
Delawares, Shawanese, Ottawas and Senecas. 
There was also a small band of Mingos on the 
west bank of the Cuj-ahoga, being a part of the 
Ca^nigas, but formed a distinct band." Here 
follows in Gen. Bierce's book some further par- 
ticulars, which will be found in fewer words, 
and with a trifling error or two corrected 
further along in this chapter. 

The township of Richfield is known as Town 
4, in Range 12, and may well be considered 
one of the choice townships in the Connecticut 
Western Reserve. Its estimated value in an 
early da}' as a township was adjudged above 
the average. A strip of land, designated as 
" Tract 7," about seventy-two rods in width 
east and west, and extending the whole length 
of the township from north to south, containing 
about seven hundred acres, was cutoflF the east 
side of the tovvnship and annexed to the town- 
ship of Boston, thereby placing the geograph- 
ical center about thirty-six rods west of the 
centers of other townships in the same range. 

The surface of the land in Richfield, from a 
point about a mile northeast of the center, in 
what is called '• Furnace Run Valley," to the 
southeast corner of the township, is very 
broken and hill}-, but the township generall}' 
exhibits a rolling and undulating surface, pos 
sessing a rich and fertile soil, and consisting of 
a gravelly loam, with a clay subsoil, producing 
good crops of both grain and grass, and distin- 
guished likewise for its fine fruits. The extreme 
altitude of the township is about eight hundred 



feet above Lake Erie, and 1,365 feet above tide 
water at New York, giving to it a circulation of 
pure air, free from miasma or any malarial 
influence. One of the old pioneer physicians, 
Dr. Rawson, after forty years' practice, said that 
he never knew a case of fever and ague that 
originated in this township. Richfield is 
bounded on the north b}- Brecksville Township, 
in Cuyahoga Count}' ; on the east by Boston 
Township ; on the south by Bath Township, and 
on the west by Hinckley Township, in Medina 
County. It abounds in springs of pui'e water 
well distributed, and two considerable creeks, 
viz.: a branch of Rocky River, which flows for 
a mile or two through the west part of the 
township in a southerly direction, then enters 
Medina County and Furnace Run, which rises 
in the northwest part of Richfield, flows south- 
east and empties into the Cuyahoga River at 
Everett, in the southwest part of Boston Town- 
ship. The name of Furnace Run was obtained 
through the discover}- of iron ore in the valley 
bordering it, and the probability of the erection 
of a furnace in the immediate neighborhood. 
When first seen by white men there were in the 
west and south parts of the township a heavy 
growth of beech, maple, hickory, ash, black 
and white walnut, interspersed with large oaks 
of the diflferent varieties, while nearly all the 
eastern part was covered almost exclusively 
with white oak. 

When the Western Reserve was conveyed to 
the State of Connecticut, and, in turn, by the 
State to the " Connecticut Land Company," 
Richfield, in " the draft," became the property 
of five or six proprietors or land speculators. 
Col. Benjamin Tallmadge owned the northwest 
quarter, which was designated as " tract one ; " 
Capt. John Smith, tract two, and a fraction 
north, in southwest quarter ; Edwards & Green, 
tract three, in south and southeast part of the 
township ; Uriel Holmes, a tract in the north- 
east quarter, and J. Wilcox tract six, in the 
east part. The northwest quarter, or tract one, 
containing 4,000 acres, was sold in 1811, by 
Col. Tallmadge to Capt. Heman Oviatt, for the 
sum of $5,000, who, soon after, had it re-sur- 
veyed into quarter-sections by Alfred Wolcott, 
the father of Hon. A. Wolcott, of Boston 
Township. For this service he received fifty 
acres of land, and was allowed to take his 
choice of any fifty acres in tract one. He 
chose a lot near where John Corastock now 



^ 



«♦• 



610 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



lives. The name Richfield seems to have orig- 
inated from a weed whicli grew here in great 
abundance, in an early day, and which was very 
nutritious and greatly relished by stock. It 
was called b}- some " ox-balm," but more gen- 
erall}- known as "rich-feed," and, bj- a very 
slight corruption, it became " Richfield." This 
name was given to the township at the time of 
its organization in 1816, by the Commissioners 
of Portage County. For two years after the 
organization of Richland, it included what is 
now the township of Bath. The first officers 
elected for Richfield, in April, 1816, were as 
follows : Daniel Keys, Nathaniel Oviatt and 
William Jourdan, Trustees ; John Bigelow, 
Clerk ; Isaac Welton, Treasurer ; Jared Barnes 
and John Farnam, Overseers of the Poor ; John 
Bigelow and Isaac Hopkins, Constables ; John 
Farnam, Jason Philips, Isaac Welton, P]lijah 
Hale and John Holmes, Supervisors. In the 
3'ear 1818, the township of Bath was setoff 
from Richfield, leaving the boundaries of the 
latter as they are at the present da3\ 

The first white man to settle in what is now 
Richfield Township was Launcelot Mays, who 
came here in 1809, and was followed, in 1810, 
by Jared Barnes, Daniel and John Mallet 
(father and son), with their families. During 
the same year, a daughter was born to Mr. and 
Mrs. John Mallet, which was the first white 
child born in the township. In 1811, Nathaniel 
Oviatt, of Goshen, Conn., came to this town 
with his family, performing the journey with 
oxen and cart the whole distance. The same 
year, also, Enoch D. Buck, Mr. Nelson, Jason 
Philips and Ben Payne ai-rived, with their 
families. In 1812, the first death of a white 
person occurred, that of Polly Payne, who 
died at the age of eighteen years and three 
months. She was a sister of the venerable 
John Payne, who; at the age of eighty-four 
years, is still living in the town. The first 
couple married was William Carter and Miss 
Betsey Mays. They were married b}^ Alfred 
Wolcott, a Justice of the Peace, in 1812. Al- 
fred Wolcott and Lernan Farnam were the 
two Justices of the Peace for the territory' now 
comprising the townships of Richfield, Bath, 
Boston and Northampton from 1812 to 1816, 
when, upon the organization of the township of 
Richfield, Isaac Welton was elected Justice of 
the Peace, his commission (now in the hands 
of I. T. Welton) bearing date July, 1816. 



In 1812, Amos and Johnsey Barnes also 
settled in the township. Judge Isaac Welton 
came in 1812, cleared off the ground and sowed 
six acres of wheat. He then returned to Con- 
necticut on foot, and moved back here with his 
family in 1813. John Farnam and family came 
also in 1812, and located north of the center, 
on what, with its numerous additions, is called 
the " Farnam Domain," and is owned by Ever- 
ett Farnam, who is still living, at the agejaf 
fourscore 3'ears. At about this time, and for 
two or three years following, we find Amos and 
Jonathan Searles, Timothy Hurlburt, Moses 
Woi'den, Jacob Spaftbrd, John Bigelow, Ste- 
phen Welton, Elijah Welton, Bildad and Israel 
Hubbard, Stephen Pixley, John Wilcox, Na- 
than Carpenter, Daniel Moulton (father of Col. 
Moulton, now of the Treasury' Department), 
Earl Moulton, William West, Reuben Coole}', 
Alvin Coole}', Newcomb Carter, Bradfoi'd Stur- 
tevant, Salmon Oviatt, Elijah Ellsworth, Augus- 
tus Adams, Birdse}' H. Oviatt, Samuel Robin- 
son and John Newton, as settlers in Richfield 
Township, nearly all of whom came from Con- 
necticut and Massachusetts. Vigorous in mind 
and body, and with willing hands, they came 
prepared to battle with the wild beasts of the 
forest, and have succeeded in leaving to their 
descendants the beautiful homes they to-da}' 
enjoy. 

[The following narrative, which scarcely be- 
longs in the histor}' of Richfield Township, is 
given herewith, as illustrative of pioneer life, 
and, at the request of the writers of the chap- 
ter on Richfield, many of whose citizens are 
descendants of the " captives " mentioned. The 
narrative was originality published in the Litch- 
field (Conn.) Enquirer in 1833, and in the Ohio 
Observer in 1846. — Historian.] 

Soon after the " Frencli and Indian war," Mr, 
Nathaniel Carter removed from Killingworth to 
Cornwall (Conn.), where he purcliased a farm and 
resided for some years. But, as the tide of emigra- 
tion was at that" time setting from New England 
toward the pleasant and fertile valleys of the Dela- 
ware and Susqueliauna in Pennsylvania, early in 
1763, Mr. Carter, with some of his hardy neighbors, 
began to make i)n'i)arations for removing thither, 
Tlie aeeounts wliicli they had received of that 
country had filled them with glowing antieii)ations, 
though they were by no means unmindful of the 
fact that the life of a pioneer was one of hardship 
and peril. Mr. Carter's family at this tune con- 
sisted of a wife and six children — Jemima, the eld- 
est daughter, having a short time before been mar- 
ried to Mr. John Bates, of Warren. The other 



4<- 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



611 



children were Nathan, Surah aged eleven years, 
Elizabeth eight, Nathaniel six, and an infant. 

On a beautiful morning in the spring of the year 
above mentioned, this family (except the married 
daughter), together with two other families from 
the same neighborhood, took up the line of their 
journey to the " land of promise." After a tedious 
tour, marked with the usual vicissitudes and advent- 
ures of such a journey, they arrived in safety at 
the forks of the Delaware, where they remained a 
short time, and ultimately settled on the Lacka- 
waxen Creek, in Wayne Count}', about twelve miles 
below the site of the present town of Bethany. 
They advanced about lifteen miles beyond any 
other white settlement, cleared a small spot near 
the bank of the stream and erected a building of 
logs, in which the three families resided. Here 
they passed a few months in apparent security, en- 
gaged in various employments to improve the safety 
and comfort of their new residence. The tall trees 
immediately before their dwelling they had in part 
cleared away, some grain and garden vegetables 
were growing near b^^ while around the doorway a 
few flowers, transplanted from their dear native 
New" England, were budding and blossoming — add- 
ing variety and beauty to the scenes of their wil- 
derness home. While some were laboring, others 
carried the muskets and ammunition, acting as 
sentinels, that they might seasonably be apprised of 
approaching danger, Every day seemed more prom- 
ising of future happiness and security, and added 
something to their little stock of comforts. The 
wild scenery had become familiar to their view, and 
an agreeable interest had associated itself with 
most of the objects which were embraced by the 
little horizon, formed ])y the tall and unbroken 
forests which stretched away to an almost inter- 
minable breadth around them. 

One day in the latter part of September, when the 
inmates of this little settlement were occupied in 
their usual pursuits, Mr. Carter, with his eldest son 
and one or two others, being engaged in building a 
house a short distance in the woods, and the man 
whose business it was to act as sentinel having 
gone a few rods out of sight of the house to examine 
some traps, the Indians, who had been secretly 
watching for their prey, uttered their savage war- 
whoop, and rushed upon these defenseless women 
and children. At this moment, Mrs. Carter and 
her daughter Elizabeth were a few yards from the 
door engaged in picking corn for dinner, Elizabeth, 
seeing them before the war-whoop was given, and 
knowing from their peculiar appearance that they 
were banded for war, turned to her mother and 
gave the alarm, but her words were scarcely uttered 
before she saw that beloved parent turn deadly 
pale, and the next moment she beheld the toma- 
hawk buried deep in her skull. The Indians, 
twelve in number, then rushed into the house, 
where were the elder females, one of whom was 
confined to the bed by illness, a daughter of the 
same woman aged sixteen, who was also ill; the in- 
fant daughter of Mr. Carter and five other children. 
One of the Indians seized the infant and dashed its 
brains out against the logs of the house; and the 
two sick women were instantly put to death with 



tomahawks. The man who had gone to examine 
the traps, hearing the shrieks of the sutferers, hast- 
ened to their defense, but had only time to dis- 
charge his gun once, before he received a death- 
blow from the hands of the assailants. 

The Indians, having selected such of their cap- 
tives as they supposed could best endure the hard- 
ships of savage life and taken the scalps from thos(> 
they had killed, and also having taken the clothing 
and utensils which the}' thought would best serve 
their convenience, they set fire to the house, and 
then hurried off to their encampment a short dis- 
tance from thence, on the opposite side of the creek. 
The captives were three children of Mr. Carter 
(Elizabeth, Sarah and Nathaniel), Mrs. Duncan, and 
three children belonging to the other family. At 
the encampment they found about 200 Indians, 
principally warriors. Several large fires were burn- 
ing, around which the Indians began to regale 
themselves with roasted corn and other refresh- 
ments, which they had brought from the white 
settlement. After having freely indulged them- 
selves in exultations at their recent success, and, 
night approaching, they secured their captives with 
cords and stretched themselves on the ground aroimd 
the fires. Sarah, the eldest of the three children of 
Mr. Carter, appeared perfectl}" distracted by the 
circumstances of her situation. She continued cry- 
ing and calling for her father to come and rescue 
her. The Indians several times appeared deter- 
mined to silence her screams with the tomahawk. 
At length, when they had become Ijuried in sleep, 
Sarah obtained a small brand from the fire, with 
which she barely succeeded in burning the cord 
which bound her to the savages, but leaving her 
hands still tied together. In this situation, and 
surrounded by the midnight dai-kness, she suc- 
ceeded in finding a canoe, and loosing it from its 
fastenings, in which she reached the opposite bank, 
and, finally, found her way back to the smoking 
ruins of her recent home, where she gave way to 
the most violent lamentations. Though her cries 
were distinctly heard at the encampment, she was 
not pursued until morning, when she was re-taken. 

The Indians then commenced their journey 
through the woods, carrying their captives on 
horseback. After pursuing their route three days 
in a westerly direction, they halted and sent back a 
war party of about one hundred. After five or six 
days, the party returned with several scalps, and 
the horror of the unfortunate c«i:)tives can scarcely 
be imagined, when they discovered among the num- 
ber, those of Mr. Carter and Mr. Duncan. These 
men on returning from their labors and seeing the 
desolation wrought by the Indians, repaired to the 
nearest white settlement, and procured the aid of 
forty men, with whom they returned for the cattle, 
and with the faint hope of" recovering the captives. 
Just as they gained the vicinity of their recent 
home, they were suddenly surprised by the yell of 
these savages and by the flight of their arrows. 
About half of Carter's men instantly deserted, and 
left their companions to fight the battle as best they 
could. Yet. though struggling against such fearful 
odds, these brave men stood their ground, till Car- 
ter fouml himself alone — all besides having l»eeu 



® 



(^ 



^t 



613 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



either killed or disabled. lie had stationed himself 
behind a rock, and still kept up the fire until struck 
down by the tomahawks of the enemy. Some four 
or five of those wounded in the earl}^ part of the 
enjj;agement, succeeded in crawling so far into the 
forest as to elude the subsequent search of their 
wily foes, and at length reached their homes. 

On the return of the Indian warriors to the en- 
campment, there was great lamentation and mourn- 
ing among the savages, over those of their number 
who had fallen in the battle, more than half of the 
100 being afliong the slain. The Indians then re- 
commences their march through the woods to the 
residence of their nation. As nearly us the captives 
could recollect, they traveled several days diligently 
in a northwesterly direction, and at length arrived 
at their place of destination. Here in dark filthy 
huts, ornamented with the scalps of their parents 
and friends, separated from each other, did these 
lonely captives spend the long and tedious winter, 
in a state of almost perfect starvation. The Indians 
would never go abroad to obtain new supplies of 
food so long as one morsel remained, and then some- 
times returned with little success. 

Nathaniel, the youngest of the captives, having 
from the first been a general favorite with the Indi- 
ans, was treated by them with great comparative 
kindness and attention, and with so much success, 
that the little white stranger soon ceased to mourn 
his bereavements, and join heartily in the amuse- 
ments and pastimes which they devised for the pur- 
pose of diverting him, and making sport for tliem- 
selves. Early in the spring they deserted their 
winter quarters and journeyed toward the lakes. 
After a tour of several weeks the}" arrived in the 
vicinity of Fort Niagara, where Elizabeth and Sarah 
were ransomed through the negotiations of Sir Will- 
iam Johnson. But all efforts to obtain Nathaniel 
were unavailing. No consideration would tempt 
the Indians to part with him, and, strange as it may 
appear, he had become so much attached to them 
that he would not consent to leave them. His sis- 
ters, after bidding him an affectionate and final 
farewell, were conveyed to Albany, where their 
Connecticut friends, being apprised of their ransom, 
met them, and they soon had the unspeakable grat- 
ification of once more visiting the home of their 
nativity, and of finding themselves surrounded by 
sympathizing friends and relatives. Yet it was 
long, very long, b^ore thej' ceased to mourn over 
the dreadful scenes through which they liad passed, 
and their sad bereavements. 

The reader who has followed thus far our narra- 
tive, may feel an interest to know something of the 
subsequent historj^ of the captives. Sarah Carter, 
from h(!r ill treatment and mental sufferings never 
fully recovered. Though she lived to old age, her in- 
tellect was permanently impaired; she died in Go- 
shen, Conn. Elizabeth was married to Mr. Benjamin 
Oviatt, of Goshen, and died in that town in 1835. 
Among her children were Mr. Luman Oviatt, of Go- 
shen; Ileman Oviatt, Esq., an enterprising citizen 
of Hudson, and a liberal patron of the college at 
that place, more recently a resident of Richfield; 
Mr. Nathaniel Oviatt and Mr. Salmon Oviatt, of 
Richfield. 



Nathaniel grew up among the Indians, im- 
bibed their habits, and married one of their 
daughters. It is a remarkable circumstance that 
among the articles which the Indians carried away 
with their captives was a Bible, which they after- 
ward gave to their young favorite. He had previ- 
ously learned to read, and by means of this book, 
which he kept till manhood, he ever retained that 
knowledge. He died in the Cherokee nation, at the 
age of about seventy. 

Some years later, while the foreign mission school 
was in operation at Cornwall, Conn., Mr. Isaac 
Bates, a warin friend of the school, received a letter 
from a missionary among the Indians, stating that 
he had sent on to be educated a young half-breed 
Indian, of fine talents and exemplary piety, named 
Carter, exj^ressing a wish that he would become ac- 
quainted with him. An early acquaintance with 
the young man was sought by Mr. Bates, and great- 
ly to his siu-prise he discovered in him a son of the 
long lost captive. The youth remained at the school 
some time, frequentlj^ visiting his relatives in that 
vicinity. After completing his studies, he returned 
to his native country with a view of there preach- 
ing the Gospel. 

The first saw-mill was built in 1818 by John 
Farnam, about one and one-fourth miles north 
of the Center, on Furnace Run, near what is 
now called " Lake John." A few ^^ears later, 
it was moved lower down the creek. In subse- 
quent 3'ears, there were no less than seven saw- 
mills on Furnace Run at different times, and 
two saw-mills and one grist-mill in the west 
part of the township. But the first and most 
primitive grist-mill was built by Enoch D. 
Buck. It was made by hollowing out the top 
of a white-oak stump, and using a pestle 
worked by a spring-pole to crack or grind the 
grain. 

There are two villages in the township, one 
at the Center and one (now the largest and 
most flourishing) about three-fourths of a mile 
west of the Center, and is called West Rich- 
field. Between the two villages, and near 
West Richfield, is a steam grist and saw mill, 
that has been in successful operation for 
twenty-three years, owned by A. C. Shepard. 
The oldest frame building now standing is at 
the center of Richfield (occupied b}^ S. R. 
Oviatt), and was built by Gen. 0. M. Oviatt in 
1820. He also built the store at the center of 
Richfield in the same year. Two of the old 
pioneers who assisted in building the store are 
still living, viz., John Paj'ne and Lester Hall. 
The following year, the frame houses of John 
Farnam, John Newton, Salmon Oviatt and 
Nathaniel Oviatt were erected. The two latter 



^^. 



:li 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



613 



were built by two young men who were car- 
penters, and who came on foot from Guilford, 
Conn., in 1820, with their knapsacks, and set- 
tled for a short time in Brecksville ; their 
names were Martin Chittenden and James W. 
Weld. A few years later, they settled in Rich- 
field, and, together with Deacon T. E. Ells- 
worth, were for some years the building 
mechanics of Richfield, and were among our 
most worthy citizens. Deacon T. E. Ellsworth 
still is living in West Richfield. Mr. Chitten- 
den served a few years as Justice of the Peace, 
and died in 1841. James W. Weld, about 
1830, built and occupied the first frame hotel 
(now called the Ellas House) at the center of 
Richfield. It was the stopping-place for the 
four-horse stage-coach on its route through 
from Cleveland to Massillon. He was Justice 
of the Peace for a number of years, and a 
well-read lawyer, although he never practiced 
at the bar. He was Treasurer of Medina 
County two years, from 1840 to 1842. He 
returned to Richfield, and was an active leader 
in every moral and religious enterprise. He 
died in March, 1863. 

Among those who devoted considerable at- 
tention to fine fruit, for which Richfield was 
distinguished in an early day, may be men- 
tioned the Weltons, Lernan Farnam, J. Humph- 
rej' and Wadhams ; and, at a more recent date, 
J. W. Weld. 

William Wheatly and Robert Garget have 
paid special attention to Durham cattle, and 
are among the largest owners in the township. 
In an early day, I. T. Welton did much to im- 
prove the stock of this section. Richfield, 
although a grazing and farming township, is 
not without its mechanical industries. Three 
or four blacksmith-shops, two harness-shops, 
two carriage and wagon shops, two furniture- 
shops, two drug stores, two dry goods stores, 
two hotels, one grocery and meat-market, and 
one barber-shop are among its business indus- 
tries. 

Richfield contains four churches, viz., Con- 
gi'egational, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist and 
United Brethren. The first church organiza- 
tion was effected Ma}- 15, 1818, under the 
name of the " Church of Christ," and is now 
known as the " First Congregational Church of 
Richfield." It was organized by two mission- 
aries, viz., Rev. William Hanford and Rev. 
John Seward, from Portage Coimt}', with the 



following members : Elijah W^elton and Han- 
nah, his wife ; Isaac Welton and Anna, his 
wife ; Stephen Pixley, Newcomb Carter, Bird- 
sey N. Oviatt, Augustus Adams (now living), 
Mary Oviatt, wife of Salmon Oviatt, Sarah 
Sturtevant, wife of Bradford Sturtevant, and 
Lj'dia Carter. Newcomb Carter was the first 
Clerk, and he and Isaac Welton the first 
Church Committee. Meetings were occasionally 
held under the auspices of Missionaries Sew- 
ard and Hanford until November 2, 1820, when 
Revs. J. Treat and Israel Shaler, as mission- 
aries, oflSciated. Rev. Israel Shaler was duly 
installed the first Pastor of the " Church of 
Christ" April 24, 1821, and Stephen Pixley 
elected the first Deacon August 30, 1822. The 
church formerly united with the (jrand River 
and Portage Presbytery February 18, 1824. 
In April, 1837, it united with the Western 
Reserve Congregational Association at Ober- 
lin. April 1, 1833, the First Congregational 
society, of which this church formed a part, 
was " incorporated " and organized. It hired 
the Rev. Horace Smith as its Pastor until 1849, 
and again from April, 1854, to April, 1860. 
Rev. S. C. Leonard occupied the pulpit from 
1849 to April, 1854, and Rev. Reuben Hatch 
from 1860 to 1863. From August, 1864, to 
the present time. Rev. J. A. McKinstry lias 
supplied the pulpit. The church building was 
erected in 1832, and is still in good condition. 

The first Methodist church building erected 
was raised and inclosed in 1822, but not fin- 
ished for many 3'ears, and was burned in 1852. 
It was succeeded by the present beautiful 
building, nearly west of Richfield, with a flour- 
ishing societ}- worshiping therein. The Baptist 
Church, built at West Richfield in 1838, is still 
in good condition, and has sustained religious 
services most of the time since its erection. 
The Church of the United Brethren, in south- 
east Richfield, is a large and flourishing church, 
with a new building, recently erected, called 
the " Centennial Church." 

The old Richfield Academy- is worth}' of 
mention. It was built in 1836, and was in 
successful operation for about thirt}-five years ; 
then, yielding to the modern free-school sj'S- 
tem, it passed away with other relics of the 
pioneer days. Under the administration of 
Rev. Harvey Lyon, who was its Principal for 
many years, it stood in the foremost rank of 
the academical institutions of the West. From 



© 



W 



614 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



its spacious halls, where " studious lore was 
conned,"' went forth many of our practical 
business men. Teachers in vast numbers, 
students for college, merchants, mechanics, 
surveyors, etc., etc., here received their educa- 
tion and the foundation for their liigher 
honors. 

Richfield was one of the foremost townships 
in Summit Count}' in establishing a township 
librar}'. Such an organization was made in 
1825, under the supervision of Dr. Rawson. It 
contained at one time several hundred volumes 
of the best standard works to be obtained, and 
was well sustained and patronized until re- 
centh', when our common and high school 
libraries have superseded it. 

Among the historical incidents of Summit 
Count}', and one which attaches to Richfield 
Township, possessing more than a passing in- 
terest to its citizens, is the great sleigh-ride of 
1856. The following is the substance of this 
memorable event, as taken from a recent news- 
paper article : The winter, like the one just 
past (1880-81), was one of unusal severity, with 
much snow, which lay on the ground until far 
into the spring. Upon a certain occasion dur- 
ing the winter, a border township turned out 
quite a number of four-horse sleighs, while one 
of the number bore a rude banner made of cot- 
ton, a yard square, upon \\4iich was painted a 
negro boy with his thumb upon the end of his 
nose, his hand spread out, and a scroll from his 
mouth bearing the legendary words, " You can't 
come it." This friendly challenge brought 
other townships into competition, and the rude 
banner passed as a prize, from one to another, 
as it was captured by a larger number of four 
or six-horse ("none other counted) sleighs than 
had been turned out by the predecessor, until 
it finally became the prize of Richfield Town- 
ship. To such an extent had the affair gone 
that it now became a county matter, and Cu}-- 
ahoga and Medina Counties entered the contest. 
A day was set— March 14, 1856 — when they 
(one or the other) would wrest the prize from 
Summit. The day came, and with it a large 
concourse of people to witness the friendl}- bat- 
tle. As Richfield held the prize, it was decreed 
that the meeting should take place in this town- 
ship, and the particular township turning out 
the largest number of sleighs on the great trial 
day should receive the flag, and in turn present 
it to its respective county. When all had as- 



sembled, the marshals proceeded to count the 
sleighs from each county, when they were 
found to be as follows : Medina County, 140 ; 
Cu^'ahoga County, 151 ; and Summit County, 
171 — a total numlxu" of 462 four and six-horse 
sleighs in one grand and friendly rivalry for a 
rude banner that cost originally just — six 
cents. The procession was formed, and passed 
on to Akron with the most perfect order and 
decorum. Upon arrival, the flag was presented 
to Hudson Township, as having the largest 
number of teams, by James W. Weld, of Rich- 
field, and received on behalf of Hudson by Dr. 
C. R. Pierce, who presented it, in accordance 
with a pre- arrangement, to the County of Sum- 
mit. It was variously estimated b}- eye-wit- 
nesses that not less than five or ten thousand 
persons witnessed this grand slelgh-ride. Many 
of the sleighs were handsomely decorated with 
evergreens and profusely ornamented with 
flags. All passed off in the utmost harmony, and 
not an accident of any kind occurred during the 
day. Akron received the baimer with great 
dignity, which was to be preserved among the 
valuable relics of the county until some rival 
should come with a larger number of teams 
than she had turned out on this occasion. The 
glory of being the possessor of the prize was 
short-lived. On the following Tuesda}-, Medina 
County came over with 185 four and six-horse 
sleighs, being fourteen more than Summit 
County had turned out. The banner was 
turned over to her and carried to Medina, where 
it was de})osited among the archives of the 
county, to be kept until captured by some other 
rival. It still remains the prize of Medina 
County. And thus ended the most remarkable 
sleigh-ride on record. 

For a period of nearly twenty 3'ears, Rich- 
field was tiie central point for the union fair of 
this and adjoining townships. The institution 
is now abandoned, and the agricultural, horti- 
cultural and mechanical interests of the town- 
ship are more or less represented in the county 
fair at Akron. 

A lodge of Free and Accepted Masons was 
instituted in Richfield September 5, A. L. 5823, 
known as Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 69. The 
charter members were Isaac Welton, Isaac M. 
Morgan, Abraham Freese, John Smith, Adon- 
iram Swift, Jonathan Sheldon, Salmon Oviatt, 
David Green, David Jones and others. The 
first Master of the lodge was Isaac Welton, who 



'i^ 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



615 



held the office until November, 1826, when 
Solomon Curtis was elected Master, and served 
as such until 1828. The lodge held its meet- 
ings at the house of Orson M. Oviatt from 
1823 to the close of the year 1828, when they 
removed to the house of Ebenezer Palmer. 
Willis Welton was elected Master in 1828, and 
served as such until 1832, at which time the 
lodge disbanded. In October, 1855, it was re- 
organized as Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 266, in 
Richfield, with the following charter members : 
Hiram Bronson, L. F. Ward, James W. Ward, 
Elihu Parmelee, Joshua Finch, Ebenezer 
Palmer, John Churchill, Sr., Thomas E. Ells- 
worth and Oliver Hart. The first Master was 
Hiram Bronson. The lodge room is located 
over the furniture store of Thomas E. Ells- 
worth, in West Richfield. 

The township of Richfield early took an act- 
ive and prominent part in the war of the re- 
bellion. When the news came that the rebels 
had fired on Fort Sumter, the excitement was 
intense, and in a few days the men, old and 
young, were drilling. The first company' that 
grew out of the excitement was composed of 
all classes of citizens, and was commanded b}' 
Norris Humphrey as Captain, and Martin Big- 
elow, First Lieutenant. The company were 
usually known as the " String Beans." We 
met every Saturday afternoon for drill, and, 
though no one knew ver}' well what was re- 
quired in the way of military tactics, we made 
up for all deficiencies by the ardor with which 
we went to work. This organization finallj^ 
died a natural death, and from its remains wei'e 
formed the Richfield Grays, A. N. Goldwood, 
Captain ; R. C. Ellsworth, First Lieutenant ; C. 
W. Wood, Second Lieutenant. The members 
of this company were of the very best material 
(all young men), and was one of the most thor- 
oughl}- drilled and efficient volunteer militar}^ 
companies ever in Summit County, nearly all 
of the members of which sooner or later drifted 
into the army. Our township furnished 137 
soldiers for the Union arm}' in the great war of 
the rebellion. There are at the present forty 
soldiers living in Richfield. Of this number, 
twenty-five are of the original 137 ; the balance 
are those that have come into the township 
since the war. 

About the 1st of October, 1862, tlic first and 
only draft of men occurred. Of Richfield men, 
thirt}' were taken, none of whom went into the 



army at that time, but all furnished substi- 
tutes. We lost in the war twenty-seven sol- 
diers. Of this number five were killed ; the 
rest died of disease contracted while in the 
South. Six of our soldier friends carr}- hon- 
orable scars, received from our misguided 
brethren in the late unpleasantness. Thirteen 
remember the genial hospitalities extended to 
them b}' the Southern Brigadiers in the pleas- 
ant picnic grounds of Libb}^, Andersonville, 
Salisbur}' and other pleasant resorts of comfort, 
happiness and plent}-, which were so freelj' ex- 
tended to them by their rebel friends. The 
larger part of our old comrades have emigrated 
to the Western States, where the}' are now en- 
gaged in the different pursuits of life. 

Another of Richfield's claims to notoriet}- is 
contained in the fact that the now famous ' Old 
John Brown " was once a resident within its 
borders. If he was not an •' Ohio man '' origi- 
nally, he was certainly a citizen of Ohio for a 
time. For a few years — how many is not re- 
membered now — between 1840 and 1850, he 
lived in Richfield Township. Says a corre- 
spondent writing from Richfield : '■ A man 
though somewhat visionary and unfortuate in 
business aflfairs, yet honest, firm and unyield- 
ing in his convictions of right, he challenged 
the admiration of the world in his devotion to 
human liberty and freedom." 

To Dr. T. E. Ellsworth are we indebted for 
a record of mortality for a portion of the time 
in our past history. From 1839 to 1880, a 
period of 41 years, there were 860 deaths : the 
greatest number in one year was 31, the least 
being in 1838, which was 4. In 1822, 17 chil- 
dren died who were under seven years of age. 
The population of our town the last 50 years 
has been from 1,000 to 1,300, being in 1870, 
1,019, and in 1880, 1,253 ; it is thought that in 
1840 it was about 1,300. There have been 
9 residents of our town who were pensioned 
for services rendered in the war of 1812, of 
whom Stephen Welton is the only survivor. 

Many of our Western Reserve townships 
have been, in the way of holding re-unions from 
from year to year, for the purpose of getting 
together present and past residents, renewing 
old memories, etc., but Richfield was behind in 
this respect till August 11, 1880. On that day, 
such a gathering was witnessed in a grove 
owned by Mr. John Kirby, as was never held 
here before. It is safe to say that at some time 



;r^" 



616 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



during the day, every man, woman and child in 
town, able to be around, visited the grounds. 
The neighboring towns all sent huge delega- 
tions, and many old residents were here from 
hundreds of miles away. Gov. Axtell, Presi- 
dent of the Re- union Association delivei'ed a 
fine address of welcome, after which he read 
the following " greeting," written by Dr. A. E. 
Ewing, who was not able to be present, and 
was therefore compelled to perform his part b}' 
proxy. The greeting is as follows : 

"Back to the mother that bore you ; back to the 
land of your birth; 

From field, from workshop and office, back from the 
ends of the earth; 

Back to the haunts of your childhood we welcome 
you every one ; 

Yet not as the patriarch hoary welcomed his prod- 
igal son. 

"We hall you with unalloyed pleasure, imtinged by 

sorrow and tears; 
But the patriarch's joys were darkened at thought 

of the wasted years; 
At thought of the wasted treasure the profligate 

youth had strown 
Among the wanton and vicious, while traveling 

that broadway down. 

"We gi-eet you with song and with laughter, from 
hearts all aglow with delight; 

But sigh as we must for the missing, who've per- 
ished and gone from our sight; 

May we meet them again in the future, when life 
and its turmoils are o'er; 

Or is their abode so distant that their presence will 
glad us no more V 

" Let us trust that they still are near us and join in 
our joys to-day; 

That none of us here are more blissful than those 
who liave fallen by the way; 

And hope, when our time comes to travel the shad- 
owy road they have trod, 

We may meet in a grander re-union by the bright- 
shining rivers of God." 

After this, speeches were called for and re- 
sponses came from S. R. Oviatt, Sheriff Lane, 
of Akron, Andrew Hale, of Bath, the first white 
child born west of the Cuj'ahoga River ; George 
Howlet, of Cleveland, and F. Wilcox — sons of 



Richfield. Then followed Gen. Voris, of Akron, 
Rev. M. McKinstry and the Hon. M. C. Hills, of 
Medina, Dr. Pixley, of Peninsula, and possibly 
others not now remembered. The music, both 
vocal and instrumental, was highly appreciated, 
and the dinner, which was abundant in quantity 
and superb in qualit}', was enjoyed by the many 
thousands in attendance. Toward the close 
of the afternoon, a vote was taken, and with- 
out a dissenting voice, all agreed to meet on 
the same grounds one year from date. 

The second man who settled in the township, 
as already stated, was Henr}' Mallet. He 
located in the southeast part, on land owned 
afterward by Richard Sweet. Mallet had two 
brothers, John and Daniel, who, as well as him- 
self, were in favor of hard currency. They 
accordingly erected a mint on a point of land 
ever since known as "the money shop," just 
over the line in Northampton, where they manu- 
factured " the hard " currency to order. This 
drew to the settlement a set of individuals that 
did not add to its respectability, and the inhab- 
itants, therefore, destroyed the shop with fire. 
Notwitlistanding the destruction of his mint, 
Mallet continued to tinker with the currency 
until he was finally " taken into the employ of 
the State," and died in Columbus. 

In 1820, the people, being without a stated 
preacher, met in town council to elect a person 
" to lead in meeting " (presumably a sermon 
reader). The candidates were Bradford Stur- 
tevant and Elijah Ellsworth. On a full can- 
vass, Ellsworth was declared duly elected ''to 
hold his office during good behavior." As he 
was somewhat addicted to swearing, he agreed 
to abandon the practice so long as he held the 
office. He fulfilled his engagement, and more 
than answered the expectations of his friends. 
In fact, he did his work so well that he was 
afterward elected the first " train-band captain " 
in town, and finally rose to the post of Colonel. 
He lived in town till quite an old man, and 
then moved to the south part of Bath, where 
he died about twenty years ago. 





^{T-O 




O-D 




® 4^ 



liL 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



617 



CHAPTER XXVIII.* 

BATFf TOWNSHIP — DESCRll'TIVE — THE I'INERY — SQUATTKflS AND EARLY SETTLERS— PfONEER 

HARDSHIPS— ERECTION OF MILLS— AGRIOULTURAL IMPROVEMENTS 

— V I LLAGES — SCHOOLS — CH U RCH ES. 



THE greater share of Bath Township is ex- 
tremely rough and preciiDitous. Its central 
and northern portions, though far from being 
level, are not as rough and irregular as the bal- 
ance of the township. The eastern third, and all 
the land along the valley of Yellow Creek are cut, 
divided and subdivided into innumerable bluffs 
and hills of all shapes, sizes and altitudes. 
Deep gorges wind around the bases of the bluffs, 
and in some cases are fully 300 feet below the 
summits of the conical knobs, which appear 
almost mountainous, when viewed from below. 
On account of the extreme roughness of Bath, 
the land was not considered desirable ; so that, 
in early j-ears, settlers passed on, and it was 
only after the lapse of time, that large additions 
were made to the original pioneers. The prin- 
cipal and only stream of note is Yellow Creek. 
In many respects, it probably has no equal in 
the county. It is reported that, either from 
actual measurement or careful estimation, this 
stream, in flowing across the township (five 
miles), has a fall of 400 feet. While the stream 
does not afford any noticeable natural falls, 
almost its entire course is characterized by a 
succession of rapids, rendering the creation of 
first-class water-power an undertaking at once 
easy and permanent. Since the earliest settle- 
ment, these facts have been well known, and 
tliis will account for the large number of saw 
and grist mills that have been located along the 
stream. During the warmer months of dry 
seasons, the water becomes almost or quite in- 
sufficient for milling purposes ; but, in ordinary 
years, and especially during the rainy months, 
the creek is a rushing torrent, which sweeps 
noisily down the valley over its bed of I'ocks. 
One of the finest natural views in the county is 
in this valley, in the eastern part of the town- 
ship. At a place where the creek takes a sud- 
den turn toward the north, a basin of two or 
three acres is formed on the western side of the 

* Cjiitiibuted by \V. A. Goodspeed. 



creek bottom. Looking southward from the 
northern part of this basin, the beholder sees 
an attractive picture. The iDluffs, which extend 
upward at an angle of forty-five degrees, form 
a graceful curve, and are covered with a fine 
forest of pine trees. These trees are found no- 
where else along the creek, and form a beauti- 
ful contrast with the neighboring oaks and 
maples, which greets the eye of the spectator 
with pleasure. The}- are the white pine {Fiiius 
strobiis), and extend along the creek, mostly on 
the south side, for a distance of about eighty 
rods. The larger ones have been cut down and 
sawed into lumber, several of which measured 
almost four feet in diameter, though at present 
they are largely' of a smaller growth. Numer- 
ous springs of pure water are found in various 
parts of the township. A small stream, in the 
northeast part, drains that portion of the town- 
ship, and flows directl}' into the Cuyahoga. 
Another interesting creek rises near the north- 
west corner, and takes a southeasterly course, 
flowing into Yellow Creek at Ghent. On the 
northwest corner of Lot 37 is quite a large 
pond, drained by the last-named creek, which, 
so far as the writer knows, is nameless. 

Yellow Creek flows across Lots 80, 79, 78, 83, 
77, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69 and 70. Its bed is 
stony, and the stream, through an unknown 
period of 3'ears, has cut its way deeply into the 
soil. This is rendered apparent by the steep, 
high bluffs, bordering the creek and the rapid 
flow of the water. The surface soil is largely 
clay, mingled in many places with pebbles, ren- 
dering tillage unpleasant and difficult. In ba- 
sin-like portions of the township, the soil con- 
tains considerable decaying vegetation, and 
these portions are valued highly by the agri- 
culturist. An abundance of excellent sand- 
stone is easily obtained. The eastern half of 
the township is rich in mineral and fossiliferous 
remains. There is, unquestionably, a large per- 
centage of iron oxides, or perhaps bog iron ore. 



) i«y 



4v 



618 



HISTORY OF SITMMIT COUNTY 



in the soil, as is proved by the character of the 
water and the peculiar coloring of earth when 
newl}' turned up. The most of the water is 
strongl}^ ferriferous, and even the streams de- 
posit along the banks a reddish precipitate, or, 
perhaps, this peculiar coloring is produced by 
the action of the iron held in solution in the 
water, upon the clay along the banks. At an}- 
rate, the soil along the banks is discolored, and 
iron is the agent. Col. Riall McArthur, who 
originally survej'ed the township, made the fol- 
lowing entry in his note-book : " The attraction 
of the needle on these lines (in the eastern part 
of Bath), is on account of the vast quantity of 
iron ore that lies in the earth, under where the 
lines pass or near them. There is all the ap- 
pearance of ore in the rivulets. Small pieces 
lifted and held toward the needle had particular 
influence on it, and by passing through the deep 
hollows has had particular influence on the 
lines." Upon examination the stones, even on 
the surface, are found to contain a large per- 
centage of iron, and the swampy portions of 
the township are usually underlain with a 
thick bed of bog-iron ore. Swampy tracts of 
land that have been drained are found to 
contain this ore. It is utterly improbable, 
however, that smelting works and iron manu- 
factories will ever be erected in Bath. The 
iron ore is much too scanty and impure to ever 
be profitabl}' mined, although it is possible 
that future years may reach some vein of the 
requisite richness. Tn portions of the eastern 
part, there are also found large quantities of 
fossiliferous limestone. So far as the writer 
knows, this has not been classed, by those who 
have examined it. with an}' known group of 
rocks. On the contrary, the formation seems 
to have been placed there by local causes, the 
nature of which is difficult to deterniine. The 
rock seems to be made up almost wholly of the 
casts of animals that must have existed under 
the surface of water. A more detailed descrip- 
tion of this I'ock will l^e found in the chapter 
on geology. The rock is covered with man}' 
feet of earth. It has been used for making 
lime, and is excellent for that purpose. It 
would pay the owners of the land where it is 
found to burn it and ship the lime by rail to 
distant points. Large quantities of coral of 
the honeycomb and sponge varieties are also 
found, not only on the surface but far under 
the soil. 



Bath Township was not owned by the Grov- 
ernment until after the treaty of Fort In- 
dustry in 1805. If any persons other than the 
Indians, and, perhaps, French, lived upon the 
soil, they were squatters, and only held a 
" squatter sovereignty " in the land. The 
township is No. 3 in Range 12, and was 
originally called Wheatfleld, and is so named 
in the field-book of Rial McArthur and R. 
Warden, who surveyed the township into lots 
in 1808. The name is said to have been given 
by these men from the fact that the soil looked 
as though it would raise excellent wheat. How 
long the name was used is not definitely 
known, but it went out of use in two or three 
years, and then the township became popu- 
larly known as Hammondsburg, named thus 
for one of the earliest and most prominent 
settlei's. Letters from Connecticut with this 
address were received. They also came direct- 
ed to Township 3. Range 12, Western Reserve, 
Ohio. In fact, this was the ordinary way of 
addressing letters that, were sent to this section 
of country. 

Bath was not settled as early as some of the 
neighboring townships, at least by those who 
owned the soil. When the squatters first 
entered cannot be known with any degree of 
certainty. It may be that wandering hunters 
built their rude cabins immediately after the 
treatv at Fort Industry. At least, it is well 
known that when the first permanent settlers, 
who were owners of the land, appeared in 
1810, there were then living in the township 
some six or eight squatters, several of whom 
had made no little improvement. It was not 
customary, however, for squatters to bother 
themselves much about the clearing of the 
land or other improvements. All they wanted 
was a small garden, wherein their half-clothed, 
half-starved wives and children could raise a 
few potatoes and other vegetables. Many of 
these squatters lived in the rudest and most 
primitive fashion. They apparently copied the 
customs of the Indians, and many of them 
existed in about the same miserable plight. 
The Indians got so they built small bark shan- 
ties, but little better than deer-skin wigwams, 
and many of the squatters erected and inhab- 
ited the same kind of dwellings. The meat 
was largely venison, but this was extremely 
dry, so that the earliest settlers, when they 
could procure a piece of fat pork, thought they 



■71 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



619 



had secured a luxuiy indeed. Wild turkej-s 
were abundant, and were so fat, it is said, that 
sometimes when the}' fell to the eartli after 
being shot from the top of high trees, the skin 
upon their backs burst open like a ripe pod. 
Wolves were very troublesome, and gave the 
settlers any amount of annoyance if sheep and 
other domestic animals were to be protected. 
Sheep brought into the backwoods had a sorry 
time of it, and usually died either under the 
sharp fangs of wolves or bears, or on account 
of the peculiarities of the food upon which 
they were necessarily compelled to subsist. 
Even cattle and horses suffered greatly on the 
latter account. The poor oxen were annoyed 
by swarms of flies and gnats that thirsted for 
their blood. It is even asserted that oxen were 
killed by these flies, so great was the annoy- 
ance. Bears seemed to relish pork better than 
any other kind of meat, and woe unto the 
porker that fell into their hands (or rather 
claws). A bear would attack a hog in the 
woods, would mount upon its back, burj-ing 
the sharp teeth in the neck, and tearing the 
sides of the fated swine with its powerful 
claws. Piercing squeals would re-echo through 
the forest, sometimes reaching the ears of the 
owner, who would seize his rifle and rush to 
the rescue, and then it often fared hard with 
Mr. Bruin. Sometimes the owner would be 
glad to give up the swine and call the account 
square ; but, in a case of this kind, the}' 
always changed their minds soon afterward, 
and vowed future vengeance upon all members 
of the genus Ursus. The bears were usually 
so well satisfied with the terms of settlement 
that they afterward undertook to obtain a re- 
newal of the account, that a similar settlement 
might be enjoj-ed. Sometimes they succeeded ; 
sometimes they died. 

Prior to 1810, there lived in the township 
the following squatters : Aaron Miller, Gib- 
son Gates, Hezekiah Burdit, Aaron and Moses 
Decker and Moses Latta. When these men 
first entered the township has not been ascer- 
tained, and probably never will be. Two or 
more of them, at least, came in during the 
spring of 1810, but the date of the arrival of 
the others is missing. These men had erected 
rude shanties in different parts of the township, 
and were busily engaged in hunting and. possi- 
bly, trapping, and some of them had begun to 
make improvements. The township was owned 



by several proprietors in Connecticut, among 
whom were Ezekiel Williams and Thomas Bull, 
of Hartford. In the Bull tract, Jason Ham- 
mond had first choice, and Jonathan Hale .sec- 
ond. Moses Latta had squatted near Ellis' 
Corners, and Aaron Miller had performed the 
same act on Lot 11. Mr. Hammond's lots were 
26, 27, 28, 20 and 30. Jonathan Hale's were 
11, 12. 13 and part of 14. The other squatters 
named above located mostly in the southeast- 
ern part. Abel Vallen also located in that por- 
tion, though whether as a squatter or an owner 
is not stated. A few jears later, this man was 
living on the Cuyahoga, in Northampton, where 
he opened adistiller}-. These and a few others 
were the first settlers, and for a number of 
years they were alone in the toAvnship. West 
of them was an unsettled wilderness of indefi- 
nite extent, while east of them various settle- 
ments had been made, some of them ten years 
previous. William Cogswell, one of the most 
expert hunters ever in this part of the county, 
lived in the township for a number of years, 
and there is scarceh' a hill or vale that has not 
echoed with the sharp report of his rifle. He 
became celebrated as a bear hunter, and subse- 
quent generations have listened with interest to 
his recital of daring acts, that, beyond doubt, 
actually transpired. On one occasion, he 
started, late in the evening, from Granger to go 
to the cabin of Aaron JMiller. in northeastern 
Bath. Night came on, and Cogswell, not wish- 
ing to proceed zx\y farther at that time, pre- 
pared a couch of branches, and, stripping the 
bark from a large tree, covered himself with it 
and laj' down to sleep. At daylight he awoke, 
and, throwing oft' his coverlet, arose to his feet, 
when he found that, during the night, about 
three inches of snow had fallen, cohering him 
completely, and rendering his situation warm 
and comfortable. He started on toward the 
cabin of Miller, where he soon arrived with an 
excellent appetite for breakfast. 3Irs. 3Iil]er 
furnished him with a quantity of cold boiled 
hominy, which he devoured with relish and sat- 
isfaction, apparently thinking his breakfast fit 
for a king. Indeed, it was no uncommon oc- 
currence for settlers to live for weeks upon a 
single article of food. Sometimes venison was 
all the cabin could furnish ; at otlier times, 
especially in the dwellings of those settlers who 
were inferior hunters, meat would be lacking 
for man}' days. Hunters fared better as re- 



:rz 



::s: 



620 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



gards meat, while those who devoted more at- 
tention to gardening enjoyed eating the greater 
number of vegetables. 

The settlement and improvement of Bath 
were at first slow. The war of 1812 no doubt 
had something to do with this state of things. 
A few came in during the war. but no extensive 
improvements were made until a short time 
prior to 1820. As near as can be remembered, 
the following arrivals, at about the dates men- 
tioned, took place : Old man Jourdan and his 
sons James, Moses. Joseph and John, 1813 ; 
old man Dunbar and his sons Lewis, Thomas 
and two or three others, 1814 ; Isaac Hopkins, 
1813 ; Salmon Skinner and Eleazur Rice. 1816 ; 
Hopkin Nash, 1817 ; Theodore and Calvin 
Hammond. 1814; Phineas Nash, 1819; and 
besides these, there came in during the same 
years, or perhaps later, the following well- 
known men : George W. Story, the first black- 
smith in the township. William Jones, Junius 
Darrow. Lemuel Hoadle}', James Hoot, Nathan 
Green, David Willey, Elijah Jacox, Joseph and 
Samuel Hawkins, Benjamin Bishop, James P. 
Baldwin. Mr. Heater. Mr. Boughton, Mr. Brad- 
ford, Mr. Seakons, Mr. Frost. John McFarland, 
William Williamson, Orville and William Mc- 
Farland, Deacon Crosby, Simeon Crosby, John 
Kent, Manville Thorp, E. W. Simmons! Noble 
Simmons, Asa Jackson, Mr. Collins, Mr. Hatch, 
George Phillips, a large family of Shaws, the 
father's name being Constant, and some of his 
sons, Sylvester, Samuel and Phillip, Mr. Doolittle, 
Levi Bissell. Asa Hurd, Adam Vance, Seymour 
Ganyard, Benjamin Damon. Dr. Henry Hutson, 
two or three Whitcrafts. some of whom be- 
came prominent in the township, Henry Van- 
sickle, Mr. Fowler, Lyman Nash. John Duryea, 
William Davis ; after 1830, Deacon Smith. Abin 
Sage, Mr. Lloyd, and many others whose names 
have passed out of recollection. It may be 
said that the greater number of these men were 
Connecticut Yankees, and almost all came di- 
rectly from that State to the Western Reserve. 
Several came from the settlements a few miles 
east, and undoubtedl}' a great manj' came in 
who afterward became dissatisfied and removed 
farther west, or went back to the East. The 
The settlers were usually industrious, and it 
was not long before cabins could be seen in 
great numbers over the township, and the busy 
hum of human life took the place of the wolf's 
dismal howl and the Indian's wild whoop. In 



every direction forests could be seen going 
down, that were afterward burned in great con- 
flagrations, that rivaled the sweeping prairie 
fires of the West. Small fields of corn and 
wheat waved their green plumage in the sum- 
mer air ; deer bounded past within easy rifle 
shot ; the peculiar howl of wolves could be 
heard ; the ring and echo of ax and rifle awoke 
the sleeping voices of the hills ; snakes, irmum- 
erable and venomous, wound their slow length 
along, and a multitude of circumstances, un- 
known to the present generation, presented 
themselves. And 3'et the early settlers were 
happy, or thought themselves so, which is much 
the same. They made enjo^^ment from their 
surroundings. But the cultivation of the high- 
er qualities of mind and heart were omitted 
from the forest curriculum, and it may be 
wisely doubted whether the early settlers en- 
joyed themselves so well after all. 

The township was organized in 1818, and, 
when that is said, about all the tale is unfolded. 
Where the first election was held, who were the 
first officers, what action was taken on that in- 
teresting occasion, and many other important 
things, have been locked forever in the jeweled 
casket of the Muse of history. Some other 
historian will be allowed the privilege of prowl- 
ing through the township to quicken into life 
the dying embers of the fires of recollection. 
Until then, many events will remain in the 
gloom of forgetfulness. Success to the patient 
worker ! As was before remarked, the town- 
ship was first called Wheatfield, and then Ham- 
mondsburg. At the time of the organization 
of the township, the settlers were called upon 
to select a name by which said township should 
be known in the future. Various names were 
suggested, but none seemed to give satisfaction. 
A few insisted on its being called Hammonds- 
burg, whereupon Jonathan Hall called out, 
" Oh, call it Jerusalem, or Jericho, or Bath— 
anything but Haramondsburg.'' Bath was im- 
mediately selected and bestowed upon the town- 
ship. Dr. Henry Hutson (or Hudson) was 
the first Justice of the Peace, if the writer is 
correctly informed, while Eleazer Ilice was the 
first Constable. Rice was a small man, and 
was not verjf well liked. One Sunday, Lewis 
Hammond and Isaiah Fowler, in sport, tipped 
over Rice's sled, and lo ! it was broken. Rice 
entered complaint before Squire Hutson. for a 
violation of the Sabbath, and as he was the 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



621 



only Constable, the warrant was placed in his 
hands for service. The two men went willingly 
before the Squire to answer to the charge ; but, 
just as they got there, instigated by a little of 
the spirit that Jesus once cast out of a Syro- 
Phenician woman's daughter, they both started 
and ran in opposite directions. The Constable 
was in a dilemma. He linally started in pur- 
suit, unfortunately, of the larger man. How 
the " trial" terminated, the writer has not been 
informed. This was the first " case " in the 
township. Abner Robinson, the poet, men- 
tioned elsewhere in this work, lived in Bath for 
a time. He had a peculiar manner of speaking, 
which Gen. Bierce characterizes as "crawfish." 
Robinson one day said of Jacob Morter : ■ Jake 
says. ' Abner, come and look at my pigs.' I 
went, and they were fine ones. Jake says, ' The 
youngest is the oldest — no — I mean the biggest 
is the littlest — no-o — I talk like a d — d fool ! 
Any liow, they. look so much apart you can't 
tell 'em alike.' " A petition for a road leading 
from Boston to Old Portage, was presented in 
1811, to the Commissioners at Ravenna. This 
was the first authorized road that touched Bath. 
Perhaps the next was the one on the southern 
line of the township, called the Smith road. This 
was well traveled in early years, and numerous 
taverns for the accommodation of travelers were 
erected, one or two of them in Bath. Moses 
Latta opened his house for a public tavern as 
early as 1818. He took in a great many shil- 
lings from travelers, and made considerable 
money. 

By 1820, the township was quite well popu- 
lated. Improvements were pushed rapidh^, 
and industries began to arise as the demand 
for various articles nearer home was created. 
In 1818, Maj. Hoadle}' built a saw-mill at 
Ghent. Excellent water-power was obtained, 
and the enterprise promised success. The fol- 
lowing year the mill was purchased by James 
Root, but was sold again in two or three years 
to James Myers. The mill was located so far 
from the dam, that, on account of the great 
fall of the stream, the lower part of the race 
was a wooden trough, resting on posts. The 
wheel was overshot. A few years later, Mr. 
Root built a new saw-mill about a quarter of 
of a mile west of Ghent. This, in after years, 
proved a valuable mill. David Parker built 
one about the same time, locating it down Yel- 
low Creek, not far from the eastern boundary 



of the township. An enormous dam, built on 
the " beaver principle," was constructed ; but 
some time afterward this was washed awa}- b}' 
a sudden freshet. James Root built a distillery 
at an early day. It was at the height of its 
prosperity when the great temperance revival 
swept over the county. Some of the citizens 
asked him to stop his distillery, whereupon he 
turned suddenly upon them with the pointed 
question, • Stop ! what am I to live on ? cow- 
slips ? T can't stop the distillery." And he 
did not stop, but whisky flowed from it at 
the rate of about two barrels per day. Much 
of this was shipped oft', and sold at the rate of 
from 12 to 18 cents per gallon. James P. 
Baldwin did more in early 3'ears to improve the 
township than any other man. He built many 
mills, both for sawing lumber and grinding 
grain, and filled every enterprise that he touched 
with life. James Root built several mills, and 
was quite a wealth}' man, but he did not put the 
energy into his undertakings that was necessary 
to make them highly successful and useful. 
He is said to have remarked in later years, 
"I have ruined the township; " meaning thereby 
that most of his enterprises had been of no 
use to the township. Yet this is not doing Mr. 
Root credit. It is certain that his improve- 
ments drew intelligent and enterprising citizens 
to the township. Many mills were built in 
early years, and very likely errors will occur in 
attempting their description. In about 1826, 
J. P. Baldwin built the Miller grist-mill. It 
was a frame building, three stories in height, 
about thirty-five b}- seventy feet, and in it were 
placed four sets of stone. It was one of the 
best mills ever in the township. In addition 
to custom grinding, it did a large amount of 
merchant work, sending, during its best years, 
about three hundred and fifty liarrels of flour 
each day to Cleveland, by canal. After a num- 
ber of yeai's, the mill was purchased by Henry 
Harris ; but a few years later it was destroyed 
by fire. The present one was built on the same 
site in about 1846. It is a large frame build- 
ing, and has done good work. It is at present 
owned by W. C R. Miller. Baldwin also built 
a saw-mill the same time his grist-mill was 
built. It was coimected by shafting, or other- 
wise, with the machinery of the grist-mill. 
This was also destroyed by fire. In 1859, 
Henry Harris, Jr., built a saw-mill on the same 
site. This is 3'et in operation. Baldwin built 



^1 



633 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



another saw-mill a sliort distaiujc down the 
creek from this mill. It did good work for a 
few years. Jason Hammond and his sons 
built a saw-mill, as early as 1820, on a branch 
of Yellow Creek, west of the center. The dam 
was so situated that thirty or forty acres of 
woodland was flooded with water. The trees 
man}" of them, fell down and began to decaj', 
and soon this dam was regarded as a breeder 
of malaria and pestilence. At last proceedings 
were begun in law to abate the whole thing as 
a nuisance. The proceedings were successful, 
and the water was let oft, much to the relief of 
families living in the neighborhood. A Mr. Beach 
built a saw-mill near where William Barker 
lives, in about the year 1838. It was operated 
some eight or ten years, and then was aban- 
doned. William Barker bnilt one near the 
same place, in 1859. This mill has furnished 
considerable material, which has been shipped 
awa}', among which are railroad ties, three-inch 
plank and flitch. A year or two ago. the dam 
was washed away, and the mill is not running 
at present. Just after the last war, Hemming- 
way. Hopkins & Burris and William Barker 
erected a hub, spoke and felloe factory within 
a lew rods of INIr. Barker's dwelling. The com- 
pany and Mr. Barker each owned a half inter- 
est in the business. A planing-mill was con- 
nected with the factor}-, and for a number of 
3^ears a good business was done, but the 
destruction of the dam caused it to stop. Will- 
iam Jones conducted a distillery for a number 
of years. tt was located back on his farm 
some distance from the road. It is said that 
the bears, on several successive nights, had 
carried oft' his hogs, and he determined to 
watch. He summoned a few convivial spirits, 
and with those already at the distillery, had a 
loud time of it during the night. No bears 
were seen. The Ghent Champion Mill was 
built by James Root at an early day. It was 
operated b}' him until 1853, when Alanson 
Barker assumed control, but a year later Will- 
iam Barker became owner, and remained so 
until 1871, when the mill went to Edward 
Heller, who now owns it. The mill has done a 
great deal of good work ; not only custom, but 
merchant. Mr. Root also built and operated a 
saw-mill, near the grist-mill, at an early day. i 
Peter and John Marshall erected a woolen | 
factory about a quarter of a mile east of the j 
Harris grist-mill. It was probably built in 



about 1840. A limited quantity of light cloth 
was manufactured, but in about ten or twelve 
years the Marshalls retired from the pursuit, 
and the building was transformed into a lath 
factory. The grist-mill west of Ghent was 
erected earl}', antl has been one of the best in 
the township. It has changed owners various 
times, and has done considerable merchant 
work. Several other mills have been built and 
operated along Yellow Creek and its branche.« ; 
and it may be said that on no other stream in 
the county, of the same size, has thei'e been so 
many mills and so good ones. Dams are easily 
built from the stone and timber along the creek, 
and owing to the narrow bed of the stream and 
the narrow valley, short dams, strongly built, 
furnish splendid water-power. We will now 
leave the imperfectly treated subject of mills 
and notice the growth of villages. 

Unlike other townships, Bath's Center never 
grew to the dignity of a village. A small shoe- 
shop, opened there at quite at an early day, 
was about the only attempt toward village- 
making. Shoes were taken to this shop for re- 
pairs, but probably before this was opened, the 
following circumstance occurred : One day, 
Alonzo Coffin, his little sister and another girl 
of about her age, none of whom were older than 
ten years, were sent to Brandywine to have 
their shoes mended. The families lived near 
there at that time. The shoes were mended, 
but by this time darkness had thrown her sa- 
ble curtain over the earth. Just as the chil- 
dren were about to start for home, the wolves 
were heard howling dismally in the woods, 
through which they must pass, and Mr. Mc- 
Clellan, the cobbler, declared he would not go 
through the woods at that time for anything, 
and told the children they had better sta}' 
all night. But Alonzo said he was not afraid, 
and told Mr. McClelian to " get me a torch, and 
I'll go." A large torch of hickory bark was 
procured and lighted, and the three little chil- 
dren started out through the darkness for 
home. They had no sooner reached the woods 
than the wolves surrounded them with angry 
howls, but kept at a respectful distance on ac- 
count of the fire. The children hurried on, 
keeping close together, and the wolves con- 
tinued to follow them until they were within a 
few rods of home, when the savage animals, 
disappointed at not getting the expected feast, 
ran off through the dark forest. It was custo- 



•el 



f 



— ^ 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



623 



mar}^ in early years, for cobblers to travel 
around from house to house to pl}^ their craft, 
often furnishing everything and making shoes 
for the whole family. Three villages proper 
have arisen in Bath — Hammond's Corners, 
Ghent and Ellis' Corners. The Hammonds 
were probabl}' the first residents at the former. 
It is thought that Royal and Horatio Ham- 
mond brought the first stock of goods to the 
village, but the date is indefinite. If there at 
all, they probably opened up before 1830. John 
Rhodes was there with a small stock soon after 
1833. Reison Randolph sold goods there for 
many years. Joseph Whitcnift is there at 
present, and has been doing a good country 
store trade for quite a number of years. Him- 
self and store are highly spoken of A few 
others have sold goods in the village. Among 
other industries may be mentioned the wagon- 
works of Clem Jagger. This man has followed 
the occupation for many years. A post office 
was secured at the Corners in about 1838. 
Prior to that date, the office had been at the 
Center, whei*e Phineas Nash, Theodore King, 
and probably Lewis F. Lane and others, had 
served as Postmaster. Various parties have 
held the office at the Corners, the present one 
being Mr. Whitcraft. Dr. Hutson, who came 
to the township in about 1819, was the first 
practicing physician in the township. His res- 
idence and office were a short distance north of 
the Center. He was a kind old man, and would 
preach to the settlers in their dwellings, or in 
the schoolhouses. Some time after 1833, Dr. 
H. A. Robinson came to the township, and for 
man}' years he prescribed for the temporal dis- 
orders of the citizens. He was quite skillful 
with ague and the typhus fevers, and secured a 
lucrative practice. Ghent has had a different 
experience and a different growth. In 1818, 
there were three or four families living at what 
is now Ghent. Mr. Boughton opened a small 
store about the same time, placing his goods 
in* a small, rough, frame building that is 
3'et standing, though altei'ed and remodeled, on 
the east side of the Center road, near the 
bridge. This man had considerable money, 
which was invested in young cattle. The ani- 
mals were herded in the woods and along the 
open spaces near the streams. The foi'ests fur- 
nished abundant food for the cattle. The rich 
browse was abundant, and was eaten in large 
quantities with excellent results, as the ani- 



mals gained rapidly in weight, until at last 
they were driven to the Eastern markets. Oth- 
ers engaged successfully in the same pursuit, 
Mr. Boughton did not continue his store but for 
about four years. As near as can be ascer- 
tained, the village, after he left, was without a 
store for a number of years. Moses McFarland 
was in with a stock of goods in 1844, and had 
probably begun as early as 1840. Mr. Leggitt 
was connected with him in business, and, in 
about 1848, bought McFarlands interest in the 
stock and store. A few years later, he sold to 
Francis Husong, who probably had about $1,500 
worth of goods. Finney & Fairchild succeeded 
Husong, but closed their store after a few 
years. Thomas Pierson sold groceries about 
thirty-five years ago. Henry Pardee opened a 
store during the last war. This he conducted 
until 1881, when he sold out to James Green- 
leese, the present storekeeper. Mr. Pardee 
kept a good store, and has been an energetic 
and respected citizen. The oldest woolen fac- 
tory in the State is located in the village. It 
was first started in 1832, by x\lleu & Bloom, 
but, three years later, was sold to Alpheus Bab- 
cock, and soon after this to Spafford Brothers. 
These men failed in business, and the property 
fell into the ownership of Johnson & Fuller. 
In 1801, the factoi'y was purchased by its pres- 
ent owner, Alonzo Coffin, who has conducted 
it, with the exception of five years, ever since. 
As high as 10,000 pounds of wool have been 
bought in one year. Yarns, flannels, satinets, 
fulled-cloth, cassimeres and other kinds of 
cloth, have been manufactured. Five or six 
years ago, Mr. Coffin removed to Akron, and 
the factory was idle. It is now in operation 
again. Soon after 1850, Thomas Pierson be- 
gan making barrels, buckets, kegs, etc., and do- 
ing a general cooper- wook, which he continued 
some twelve or fifteen years. James Myers 
conducted a small grist-mill (or ' pepper-mill," 
as it was significantl}- called) in the village, in 
about 1828. Whether he built the mill is not 
stated. It was finally destroyed by fire. Mc- 
Farland & Leggitt were conducting an ashery 
at Ghent in 1858. Archibald Hubbard owned 
and conducted it before them. How early he 
began is not remembered. James Root is said 
to have built the first house in Ghent. This 
was the Boughton store-building. In 1846, 
there were about twelve families living in the 
village. It may be stated that Mr. Pardee was 



f 



N* 



t 



624 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



connected with the woolen factory for a few 
years, perhaps about 1858. He is now en- 
gaged in manufacturing water-proof goods, ac- 
cording to some new and valuable recipe. 
Thomas Pierson was very likely the first Post- 
master at this point. Mr. Pardee assumed 
control of the office about the time Mr. Lin- 
coln went into the White House. The mantle 
of Government position looked well on Mr. 
Pardee. However, he did not become afflicted 
with aristocracy on that account, nor did he 
believe himself a prospective candidate for said 
White House, because he had been honored(?) 
with an humble position under Uncle Sam. 
James Root is thought to have laid out the 
original surve}' of lots at Ghent. The date is 
indefinite. Some say that James Myers named 
the village, but wh}' the particular name Ghent 
was selected is not known. Dr. Cooley lived 
and practiced in the township before 1820. Dr. 
Darling and Dr. Chaffee were in the township 
at an early day. 

Mr. Latta's tavern was the center around 
which the citizens of Latta's Corners congre- 
gated in early years. This man probably erected 
the first building in the village. Other tavern- 
keepers were Mr. Ellis, Parvin Delong, Milo Ful- 
ler, Moses McFarland, James Moore, Carter 
Smith, and others. Orrin Walker was selling 
goods in about 1835. After him were Frank 
Smith, Mr. Doolittle, Archibald Hubbard, Fred 
Nash, N. D. Hanson, A. R. Damon and Albert 
Beach. All these, except Walker, were east of the 
hotel, and some of them kept excellent stores. 
Morris Lyon is the present merchant. The 
village was at first Latta's Corners, but when 
Mr. Ellis became the central figure it graduall}' 
assumed the name, Ellis' Corners. Dr. Humphre}' 
Robinson located at the village not far from 
1830. He continued to practice until his death, 
about thirty years ago. He was succeeded by 
Dr. Robert McNeil, who also died a short time 
before the last war. Dr. Sales was the resident 
physician just before the war, as was also Dr. 
Merriman. Dr. E. King Nash located perma- 
nentl}' in the village, and began to pi'actice 
his profession in 1865. He served the coun- 
try during the war in 
sistant Surgeon of the 
Fortieth Regiment, but 
war came out as Surgeon, 
practiced in the village after 



the capacit}' of As- 
One Hundred and 
at the close of the 
Dr. Merriman 
the war, and 



until four years ago. Among the indus- 



tries that have been conducted was an ashery 
at an early da}^ by Mr. Ellis. Also a wagon- 
shop b3' Burris & Son. This, in outline, has 
been the growth and decay of business indus- 
tries. A post office was secured at an early 
day, and letters came directed to Montrose. 

Schools are the oflTspring of civilization. 
They are unknown among barbarous people, 
and are found numerous and perfect in the 
degree of the removal from the savage state. 
The ignorant, those who willfuUj^ and persist- 
ently remain unlettered, triumphantly quote, or 
rather misquote, " Ignorance is bliss ; 'tis folly 
to be wise."' The}' assert that extended educa- 
tion only opens the eyes and heart to disap- 
pointments and defeats, and that nothing but 
absolute ignorance of the great majority of 
surrounding circumstances can give satisfaction 
and the resulting happiness. That mode of 
conduct, carried into effect by actual experi- 
ment, would reduce man to the savage state, 
and lead to the utter extinction of the race. 
Knowledge does not end with a revelation of 
cares and defeats. It reveals countless paths 
of happiness to be traversed, and points to the 
cultured a ready means to avoid those spots on 
the journe}' of life, over which the dark clouds 
of sorrow and sin pass. Knowledge is the 
shield that wards off the strokes of unpropi- 
tious surroundings. At the same time it pro- 
tects the shrinking form of humanit}' from the 
bitter blasts of adversity. It amplifies the 
vision of the intellect, widens the moral and 
social capabilities, and elevates the enchanted 
observer to mountainous heights, from which 
countless glittering domes of beauty and excel- 
lence are seen. It multiplies the sources of 
enjoyment, divides those of sorrow, and adds 
to the happiness of human life. It is highly 
necessary for the preservation of the American 
Govei'nment that the people should foster and 
protect schools as the}' would their jewels. 
The nature of the government and the pecu- 
liarities of its institutions should be taughtin 
every school. Too many young men, and even 
those in maturer 3'ears, know comparatively 
nothing of the aim of the government as out- 
lined in the constitution. There is seen the 
strange paradox of citizens voting for officials 
to administer laws, the nature of which, though 
vitally important to them, is almost whoU}- un- 
known. The wonderfully rapid growth of 
educational advantages insures to the masses 



-•^ 



BATH TOWXSIITP. 



625 



of the people a speedy and practically pei'fect 
knowledge of the fundamental principles of the 
government. Millions in mone}' are annuall}- 
expended in rearing that unpretending temple 
of learning — the sehoolhoase. The standard 
of scholarship is steadily rising in the United 
States among the great body of the people. 
This is the onl}' salvation for our government, 
but the people must learn to control their 
excesses, or the nation we all love so well will 
go down in darkness like Rome. Tlie morals 
must be educated, the appetites must be con- 
trolled, the passions must be checked, the 
desires must be directed to proper objects, pur- 
suits and practices must be elevating in their 
tendencies, and together with all these people 
must acquire wisdom. 

The first school in Bath was taught in the 
northeastern corner, in a log house that had 
been built in 1810, by Aaron Miller, one of the 
few first settlers in the township. The building 
was about sixteen feet square, and the first 
teacher's name was Maria Lusk. The first 
terra was in 1811, and after that date schools 
were held quite regularly in the neighborhood, 
sometimes in one house and sometimes in 
another, depending for location on their prox- 
imity to the homes of the greater number of 
children. In truth, the schools for many years 
continued to follow the scholars, going as near 
as possible to where the greater number lived. 
Alfred Wolcott was one of the early teachers. 
Tt is related that on one occasion, that genius 
of mischief, the school-boy, in the absence of 
the teacher at intermission, fortified the chair 
of the latter with pins bent in a fiendish man- 
ner. The result was a sudden bound, and the 
following I'everent exclamation : " Who, in 
heaven's name, has been meddling with this 
chair ? ' Such questions were often asked in 
early j'ears, but seldom answered. So far as 
known, Mr. Wolcott shared the same fate as 
other early teachers. There were several 3'ears 
when no school was taught in northeastern 
Bath, but the scholars were sent to a well- 
attended school in northwestern Northampton. 
A veiy early school was taught in Mr. Ham- 
mond's house. Mr. Lucas was one of the first 
teachers in that neighborhood. Schools were 
usually taught b}- subscription, and at stated 
times teachers were accustomed to send in their 
bills for collection or settlement. Although 
it seems unaccountable, 3'et it is asserted that 



the first schoolhouse in the northeastern part 
was not erected until after 1830, but that schools 
continued to be held in dwellings and abandoned 
houses. This house was a frame, about 16x16 
feet, and the first teacher, as near as can be as- 
certained, was Edward Brown, a nephew of 
John Brown, whose soul is yet supposed to be 
marching on. This house was used for some 
twenty-five years, when the present one was 
built. A school was taught very early at Mr. 
Yallen's residence in the southeastern part, but 
unfortunately nothing definite could be learned 
of it. It ma}' be said, in general, that all schools, 
prior to 1820, were held in buildings that were 
temporarily devoted to that use. It is probable 
that the first building erected for a school- 
house was either near Hammond's Corners or at 
Grhent, although both the dates and the facts 
are uncertain. School was taught as earl}' as 
1816, at Latta's Corners, and at Ghent a few 
years later. In 1820, the citizens living at 
Ghent sent their children to school in a log 
house that had been built about thirty rods 
from the present residence of Mr. Spitzer, b}'^ 
William Wood. Mr. Wood had abandoned the 
house, which was then devoted to educational 
purposes. Henry Boot was one of the first 
teachers in this house, and the following circum- 
stance is related of him by Benjamin Bishop : 
The teacher started one cold morning for his 
schoolhouse, and while on his wa}^ through the 
woods was confronted by a large, gaunt, hun- 
gry-looking wolf The animal, evidentl}- ren- 
dered desperate by hunger, advanced with open 
mouth and glaring eyes upon the apprehensive 
teacher, who, having no weapons save a jack- 
knife, caught up a heavy club, and backed 
against a rail fence as the wolf continued to ap- 
proach. When the animal was within reach, 
Mr. Root struck at its head, but only succeeded 
in giving it a partial stroke. The wolf caught 
the end of the club in its teeth, and for some 
moments Mr. Root was unable to withdraw it 
for the purpose of delivering another blow. 
Several blows were struck, all of which the 
wolf avoided, but finally a fortunate stroke 
disabled the animal, which was then quickly 
dispatched by repeated blows on the head. 
How many teachers would now enjoy such an 
encounter? Do not all speak at once. Mr. 
Root then dragged the dead wolf to the school- 
house, where it remained during the day. The 
historian is also compelled to record that the 



:V 



626 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



teacher complained of the confusion and whis- 
pering in the schoolroom, and of the almost 
universally imperfect lessons on that day. A 
young lady named Eveline Hall taught in this 
same building as early as 1818. School was 
early taught in Mr. Rice's house. There have 
been three different schoolhouses at Ghent, the 
last one being built a few years ago. In the 
Hurd neighborhood, in a building that had been 
vacated by Mr. Banks, school was taught as 
early as 1828. The next year a schoolhouse 
was erected near by, and one of the first teach- 
ers was Robert McNeil. The building was used 
as a meeting-house, but after a number of years 
it took fire and burned to the ground. Two 
other houses in the neighborhood have suc- 
ceeded it. The township was first divided ofi" 
into two school districts, and some alterations 
were made in these annually, until, at last, 
another one or two were added. Many disputes 
arose in consequence of the shifting of the dis- 
tricts. iVU desired schools within a few rods 
of their own dwellings, and when this was 
found to be impossible, the vials of their wrath 
were freely poured upon the naked heads of 
all opposers. The districts continued to be 
divided and subdivided, until they at present 
number ten. 

Religious societies took root in the township 
in early days. It is always the case in a newly 
settled country, that the citizens, many of them, 
are members of churches in the land whence 
they came, and having experienced the bless- 
ings and reality of religion, ai-e desirous of 
renewing their devotions. This state of afiairs 
would result in numerous meetings at the set- 
tlers' homes, where either a local preacher or 
an itinerant one would be called upon to pre- 
side. The Presbyterians and Congregation al- 
ists built a log meeting-house on the " accom- 
modation plan," at the Center, in about the 
year 1818. This building afterward became 
famous for its revivals. It saw continual use 
until about 1834, when a frame building was 
erected in its stead. The frame was used until 
1870, and was then remodeled and converted 
into a town hall. The following is quoted from 
the church records : "At a meeting previouslj' 
appointed to be held at Bath, November 2-1, 
1823, present Caleb Pitkin, John Seward and 
Israel Shaler, missionaries, the meeting was 
opened with prayer by Brother Seward, after 
which Robert Bell and Mary, his wife, from the 



church in Stow ; William Jones, from the 
church in Randolph ; William and Hannah 
Smith, from the church in Sandsfield, Mass.; 
Mrs. Mary Heater, from the church in Can- 
field ; Mrs. Mercy Hall, from the church in 
Grlastonbury, Conn.; Laura, wife of William 
Jones, and Samuel Petei's and Esther, his wife, 
from the world, presented themselves with the 
request to be organized into a Church of Christ. 
As a preparatory step, the council proceeded 
to an examination of these persons respecting 
their doctrinal and experimental knowledge of 
the Christian religion, and their views of the 
duties and privileges of a Christian Church. 
Being satisfied on these subjects, the council 
proceeded to organize the church. Brother 
Pitken preached from the text, " Jesus answered, 
' My kingdom is not of this world,' " etc., after 
which Brother Seward read the confession of 
faith and covenant to the persons above named, 
and proceeded to constitute them a church, 
regularly organized and entitled to all the priv- 
ileges and ordinances of the Grospel, and 
solemnly charged them in the name of the 
Lord Jesus Christ to work worthy of the high 
calling. Being thus organized, the church was 
put under the care of the Presbytery of 
Huron, as the First Congregational Church of 
Bath. Their confession of faith, covenant and 
articles of practice are the same that have been 
prepared and presented b}^ the Presbytery in 
this section of the county (signed) Caleb Pit- 
kin, Clerk of Organizing Committee." Al- 
though not so stated in the report of the meet- 
ing, the session was held in the old log house 
at the center of the township. The following 
persons joined the church June 30, 1832 : 
Ward K. Hammond and wife, Rojal Hammond, 
Robert McNeil, Nancy Smith, Aurora Piper, 
Elisha and Ann McNeil, Mary and Jane Ful- 
ton, Sarah Nash, wife of Phineas Nash, and 
Lavina Banks. Phineas Nash joined in Decem- 
ber, 1823. It is stated that James Root gave 
nearly $3,000 as a permanent fund for the use 
of this church. The truth of this is left to the 
reader. The church since its organization has 
not always been in good working order. Al- 
though there is no church building at Ellis' 
Corners at present, the L'nited Brethren have 
a society there. Among the members are Will- 
iam Reed, Abraham Spitzer, Lot Watson, Mor- 
ris Lyon, Samuel Briggs and N. I). Hauser. 
This society purchased a Methodist Church, 



Y 



FRANKLIN T0WN8H1P. 



627 



located at Stony Hill, and moved it to the Cor- 
ners a short time after the last war. This was 
used b}' the society for a number of years ; 
l)ut the building was subsequently sold for $50, 
and is now devoted to other uses, and the mera- 
"i)ers assemble in the schoolhouse. Rev. William 
Whitney is prominent among the membership. 
A Methodist societ}' was instituted at Ghent as 
earl}' as 1818, some of the members being 
Messrs. Hoadley, Bradford. Seakins, Rice and 
Frost. They assembled in dwellings for a few 
years, and finally the organization was dis- 
solved, or, perhaps, as some say, it finally 
started up again, and became the foundation of 
the present iVIethodist Church in the northern 
part. Their building was erected many years 
ago, and is known as •• Moore's Chapel." It 
cost some S3,000, and is the best building of 
the kind in the township. This church is well 
attended and prosperous. There are many 
Germans living in the eastern part, and this 
section of the township is familiarl}' known as 
• Germany." Many years ago, an Evangelical 
society was organized, and soon afterward a 
small chun^i was built in •' Germany. " Here 



this industrious class of citizens meet to con- 
duct their religious ceremonies in their char- 
acteristic way. The United Brethren started 
up at an early day, and first began holding 
meetings in the schoolhouse near Kurd's Cor- 
ners. Here the}'^ assembled for some time, 
shifting their location, finall}', to neighboring 
schoolhouses, to be as near as possible to the 
greater number of members. After a few 
years, this state of things became somewhat ob- 
noxious, and the propriety of erecting a small 
comfortable church was discussed. Several 
objected, saying that the tax was greater than 
they desired to sustain. At last the voice of 
majorit}' was in favor of Iniilding such a church, 
which was accordingly done, at what is known 
as Hurd's Corners. Although there are but 
four churches in the township, the religious 
element is not confined to these alone ; for at 
Ellis' Corners is a society, and a large portion 
of the citizens in the western part belong to a 
Disciples' Church, which is located in Granger 
Township, Medina County. The churches and 
schools throughout Bath are up to the standard 
of those in the country townships in the count3^ 



CHAPTER XXIX.* 



FRANKLIN TOWNSHir — THVSI(\A.L FEATURES— COAL AND OTHER MINERALS — SETTLEMENTS OK 

THF, WHITES— CH.ANBMRRY GATHERING— INDUSTRIAL GROWTH— VI LLAOES 

— EDUCATIONAL AND RELIG OUS INSTITUTIONS. 



T' 



the mysteries of the silent past do not 
end with the beginning of authentic history, 
but linger with multiplied beauty around the 
strange myths and fairy tales that come to us 
through the lapse of unknown centuries. 
Through the medium of ethnology, archgeology 
and philolog}^, a wonderful vision of past 
years is revealed to the present age — one that 
haunts the inquiring mind of the historical in- 
vestigator like the face of an angel, instead of 
like the dismal shadow that shook its gory 
locks at Macbeth. The vision reveals that, 
thousands of years before the Christian era — 
unknown centuries before a means of recording 
human events had been invented — the human 
race lived a quiet pastoral life in Central Asia. 

*Contributed by W. A. Goodspeed. 



Seen through the mists of years, their homes 
and haunts became the source of many a legend 
or poetic tale, that had its creation on the bold 
summits of the Scythian hills, or in the fertile 
valley of the Oxus or the Jaxartes. Every 
known field has been carefully searched to 
clear up the darkness that antedates recorded 
history ; but the sacrifice of time and labor by 
the assiduous inquirer has been almost wholly- 
fruitless, and has met with continued disap- 
pointment and rebuff; and the early mythical 
traditions are believed to be an imperfect ac- 
count of what actually transpired in pre-his- 
toric times. Since tlie origin of writing, the 
most valuable invention ever given to the hu- 
man race, remarkable strides have been made 
in intellectual and moral advancement, and in 
all that makes a people great. During the 



J^dl 



hL 



628 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



passage of time, though unnumbered events of 
vital importance to the liuman race have been 
left unrecorded ; yet " line upon line and pre- 
cept upon precept" of measureless value to 
man have been written for his perusal and im- 
provement. History is but an imperfect record 
of human experience, though, notwithstanding 
its defects, it is of almost infinite importance 
to the race, for the probable events of the 
future can be foreknown only b}' a knowledge 
of the past. Men and nations are wise only as 
they can look into the future and anticipate 
coming events which cast their shadows before, 
and this can be done onl}^ from analog}' with 
what has taken place in the past. " The proper 
study of mankind is man," and history in its 
widest and grandest sense is such a study. 
This places the historian in the light of a pub- 
lic benefactor to succeeding generations ; but 
a prophet — one that can anticipate the future 
— labors on without the respect or honor of his 
own country and age. His name will become 
embalmed in song as the C3'cles of time sweeps 
by, will become colossal in the hearts of gen- 
erations yet unborn, a sublime monument to 
the departed genius of past ages. 

It is not expected that the simple narrative 
of these pages will be prophecy, for the art of 
divination is yet in its swaddling clothes. It 
is difficult enough for ordinary capabilities to 
acquire a correct and comprehensive knowl- 
edge of what has taken place in past years, 
without borrowing trouble by attempting to 
peer with curiosit}' into some Pandora's box of 
the future. Fictions and hopes and idealisms 
are thrown down, and facts of all hues are 
taken up to be woven into the gaudy Miric of 
local historv. The historian, like the insur- 
ance agent or the undertaker, has a thankless 
task, but he takes comfort in knowing that 
coming generations will fully appi'eciate the 
result of his labors. It may appear to some 
that the historian has an easy time in rummag- 
ing through dusty memorials, or following- 
some Jack-with-the-lantern tradition that con- 
stantly eludes him, but knowing as he does 
that the weight of the responsibility of record- 
ing the truth, giving to each item of history 
its appropriate and comparative degree of im- 
portance, leaving no path partially neglected or 
wholly unsearched, resisting the demands of 
the bigots who insist in having their names en- 
rolled high on the page of honor, rests upon 



his shoulder like the sphere of Atlas, he puts 
forth his greatest powers to encompass the sit- 
uation and to hand to posterity an accurate 
and comprehensive record. Nothing but pa- 
tient, protracted labor brings the desired infor- 
mation. It thus occurs that, in looking over 
Franklin Township, much difficulty is experi- 
enced in accumulating its past history. Tra- 
ditions are vague and unsatisfactor}', and an 
accurate knowledge of all the facts is out of 
the question. It often occurs that no two men 
who are questioned give a similar account of 
the same event, thus adding much to the per- 
plexity of the historian, or placing the subject 
beyond the possibility of a correct solution. 
A cheerful readiness to tell eveiything known, 
and to volunteer much information of events 
of doubtful occurrence, is met with everywhere. 
Men yet living, who were in the township at 
the time of its creation, cannot i-ecall any of 
the incidents connected therewith. The names 
of many of the earliest settlers have passed 
beyond the powers of recollection, and the 
gloom surrounding many important circum- 
stances refuses to yield to the historian's re- 
peated and emphatic injunction, "Let there be 
light ! " It is again necessar}- to call the at- 
tention of the reader to the fact that history 
at best is but a partial narration of events. 

In 1854, Lucius V. Bierce wrote: "The 
portion of Franklin Township lying east of the 
Tuscarawas was surveyed in February, 1800, 
by Kbenezer Buckingham. The Tuscarawas 
was then the boundary between the United 
States and the Indians, which was the reason 
why the balance of the township was not sur- 
ve5"ed at the same time. It will be recollected 
that the Indian title east of the Cuyahoga, the 
Tuscarawas and the portage path was extin- 
guished by the treaty of Fort Mcintosh 
(Beaver) in 1785. Their title to the territor}' 
west of those rivers was not extinguished until 
the treaty of Fort Industry, in 1 805. It is a 
singular feature of these treaties that the In- 
dians, in the first treaty, ceded the territory 
east of those rivers, and, in the last treaty, all 
west of those rivers, but have never ceded the 
rivers, the fee of which is still in the Indians. 
This township is No. 2 of Range 10 of the 
Ohio Land Company's purchase. In forming 
ranges, the United States began at the east 
line of the State, on the base of the Western 
Reserve, and ever}- six miles west was a range, 



yr, 



J^j 



FRANKLIN TOAVNSHIP. 



639 



numbering- from the east toward the west' 
The townships on the east side counted from 
the Ohio River north to the base line of the 
Reserve. Thus the north township in tlie first 
range in Stark County on the base line of 
the Reserve is No. 19, Range 16, lying nine- 
teen townships, or 114 miles north of the Ohio 
River, and 6 townships or 36 miles west of the 
east line of the State. The townships contin- 
ued to be thus numbered until they reached 
the Ohio Land Company's purchase, when they 
count from the nortli line of that purchase. 
This regularity continues until Range 10 is 
reached, when the north township (Franklin) is 
numbered 2 from the following circumstances : 
Li 1800, when the survey was made and the 
township and ranges numbered, there was but 
a fraction of Franklin lying east of the Tusca- 
rawas and within the Grovernment limits — all 
west of the river belonging to the Indians. In 
running the west line of Range 10, the survey- 
ors struck the Tuscarawas in Lawrence Town- 
ship, next south of Franklin, and, as they 
could not cross the river to complete the 
required six miles east and west of those two 
townships, they named them Fractions 1 and 2 
in Range 10. In 1807, two years after the 
land west of the Tuscarawas became the prop- 
ert}^ of the (xovernment, it was surveyed b}^ 
Joseph H. Harwell, and enough was added to 
the fractional townships on the east to make 
two full townships each six miles square, but 
the numbers have never been changed ; so that 
what originally stood for the numbers of frac- 
tions now stands for the numbers of the town- 
ships." Franklin is thus No. 2 instead of No. 
1, as it should be to conform with adjoining 
townships. 

In early years the situation of the township 
was looked upon with favor by the settlers. 
An abundance of excellent water-power could 
easily be obtained on almost ever}' stream, es- 
pecially at places where the smaller ones en- 
tered the Tuscarawas. The river, then a much 
larger stream than it is at present, afforded fine 
communication with the southern portion of 
the State. Several lakes were in the township, 
in which an abundance of excellent, though 
small, fish abounded. The soil, though lying 
flat and ver}' wet, was rich with decaying vege- 
table remains, and gave promise of boundless 
fertility, when the stagnant water could be 
turned into some of the neighboring streams, 



and the action of the sun could be unchecked 
by the removal of the forests. The township 
is a fraction over five miles north and south, 
and exceeds that distance by a little east and 
west, although not quite six miles. The sur- 
face like the greater portion of Ohio is irregular, 
though in some portions is comparatively level. 
There are thirty-six sections. No. 1 being in the 
northeast corner, and No. 36 in the southeast. 
The northern and western tiers of sections are 
fractional. The Tuscarawas River enters the 
township on Section 4, thence crossing Sections 
9, 16, 20, 29, 32, and leaving from 31. Chip- 
pewa River joins the Tuscarawas on Section 31. 
Nimisilla Creek drains the greater portion of 
the southern part, and finally unites with the 
Tuscarawas in Stark County. The southeastern 
part is drained by several small streams which 
flow into the Tuscarawas. Polecat Run rises in 
the northwestern part, and flowing southward 
joins the river about a mile north of Clinton. 
Mud Lake, a small body of water of about fifty 
acres, lies in the eastern part of Section 32. 
Turkey Foot Lake, pi'obabl}' the largest body 
of water in the county, lies near the northeast- 
ern corner of the township. It is said to have 
been named for a noted Indian chief Its out- 
line is very irregular, the lake consisting of 
several distinct bodies of water, joined by 
straits of different width. It probably covers 
about a section of land, and its extreme length 
is about two miles, while the greatest width will 
not exceed half a mile. An enlargement of the 
outlet of this lake, in the extreme northeast 
corner, is used as a reservoir, where large quan- 
tities of water are stored up during the rainy 
months, to be gradually' used for milling and 
other purposes in dr}' portions of the year. The 
lake is quite deep, though the water is inclined 
to be ' drumlie," as Robert Burns says of the 
streams about the Castle of Montgomer3^ 
However it is a fine lake, and its value will be 
slowly developed as time passes. There are 
several small lakes, or rather ponds, scattered 
over the township, though the number has 
greatly decreased since the township was first 
settled. Several have been drained, others have 
dried up, and a few yet remain to l)e subjected 
to the same fate. In traveling over the town- 
ship, ihe chief characteristic which meets the 
eye is the prevalance of depressed tracts of 
land, or more properly basins, that at an indefi- 
nite period in the past wei'e undoubtedly small 



■<< 



630 



HISTOin^ OF SUMMIT COrNTY 



lakes. Some of these contain peat, and not a 
few of them contain a considerable quantity of 
bog iron ore. The township is rich in that 
valuable mineral deposit, coal. In 1838, there 
were three coal mines worked, but at that 
date a Prussian miner, named Michael Becker, 
came to the township and opened up several 
others, giving such impetus to coal raining that 
about fifteen yeai's later the exports of coal ex- 
ceeded 60,000 tons annually. There ai-e now 
twelve or fifteen mines, and the exports are not 
far from 100,000 tons per annum. Side tracks 
are laid b}' the railroad companies to many of 
the mines, thus favoring extensiA^e and rapid 
work. The coal deposits are enormous and are 
practically inexhaustible. 

In earl}' years thousands of bushels of cran- 
berries grew annually in the numerous Franklin 
swamps. These cranberry fields were called 
marshes, and the berries were gathered by the 
Indians before the first settlers arrived, and 
taken to Pittsburgh and other towns in Pennsyl- 
vania and Virginia, where they were exchanged 
I'or ammunition, clothing, ornaments, etc. The 
berry is a member of the heath family, and is 
known to liotanists as Oxycoccus macrocarpus. 
The plant is a creeper, or trailer, with slender, 
hardy, woody stems and small evergreen leaves, 
more or less white underneath, with single 
flowers, borne on slender, erect pedicles, and 
having a pale, rose corolla. The stems are 
from one to three feet long, and the flowers are 
lateral, rendering easy the gathering of the 
berries. Tlie plants require very wet ground, 
and are often found growing where the soil is 
covered with several inches of water. The 
conditions for the possible life of the plant 
have been removed almost wholly, and cran- 
berries no longer grow in paying quantities in 
the township or county. Tlie berries, which 
get ripe in autumn, are red, with some 3'ellow, 
and are ver}' acid. The harvest begins in 
October, and is only closed by cold weather, or 
perhaps the quantity of berries fails. They are 
gathered during the spring months also, having 
remained out all winter. The}' are less acid 
when gathered in the spring, as the freezing 
converts portions of the starchy substance of 
the berries into sugar compounds, and in this 
condition the berries are valued more highly, 
as less sugar is required to fit them for the 
table. When the township was first settled the 
berries were almost worthless, as there was no 



market for them in the west, and the lack of 
sugar required to sweeten them prevented their 
general use in the cabins of the settlers. The 
settlers were compelled to forego the use of 
such luxuries, being satisfied often with the 
bare necessities of life. However, after a few 
years they were worth 25 cents per bushel, 
and, in about 1830, had arisen to from 50 cents 
to |1 per bushel. The cranberry business then 
became very extensive. Thousands of bushels 
were purchased annually by the merchants at 
Clinton, Manchester, and other neighboring vil- 
lages, and taken by v/agon to Pittsburgh, Phila- 
delphia and New York, the teamsters bringing 
back loads of dry goods, groceries, salt, notions, 
etc. Water-tight barrels were filled with tlie 
berries, after which the remaining space was 
filled with water, and the barrel closed. In 
this condition the berries kept fresh and bright 
for many months. So great became the quan- 
tity purchased at one timeb}' Mr. Patterson, an 
early merchant at Clinton, that he either could 
not find market for them, or could not procure 
wagons in which to ship them East, and 300 
bushels spoiled on his hands, and were thrown 
away. Very likely the same thing happened 
to others. When cranberry picking was at the 
height of its prosperit}' many of the settlers 
were thus engaged, several of whom made no 
little money. Tiiose gathering the berries — 
men and women — wore long-legged boots to 
keep out the water, and as a precaution against 
snake bites. , The berries grew on their short 
stems, on the under side of long, wiry vines 
that crept over the mosses and sedges, growing 
in profusion in the marshes. A section of 
plank from a foot and a half to two feet long 
and about a foot wide was taken, and around 
one end was bound a tough band of hickory 
bark, forming a sort of box. The other end of 
the plank was serrated, the teeth being about 
eight inches long. Two handles were attached, 
and the rude implement thus completed was 
used in gathering cranberries. The teeth were 
placed over one of the long, slender vines, and 
the implement was held so that when it was 
pushed along tlie berries were scooped into the 
box at tlie other end. Fifteen or twenty 
bushels were often gathered in one day with 
this implement. Whole families turned out 
during the cranberry season, and the marshes 
swarmed with settlers, some of whom came 
man}' miles and remained several days, camp- 



e) 



:l^ 



FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 



631 



ing in their wagons. AVhen a sufficient quan- 
tity of berries was gattiered to fill the wagon- 
bed, it was taken to some of the villages and 
sold. The berries when first gathered were full 
of leaves, moss and grass, and had to be cleaned 
before they were taken to market. A sort of 
ladder was made, having the cross pieces about 
an inch apart. When emptied upon this rude 
seive, the berries fell through the slits, and the 
grass, etc., was collected on the slats. Large 
quantities of berries were cleaned in a few 
hours b}' means of this rude screen. 

Immediately after the Indian title to the 
soil west of the river was extinguished, a 
wealthy Quaker, named Richard Carter, living 
in Wheeling, purchased the land, and em- 
ployed John Harris, Esq., and David L. Mc- 
Clure to lay out a town at the junction of the 
rivers, Tuscarawas and Chippewa, the latter at 
that time being known as Indian Creek. This 
was accomplished in Septembei', 1806, and the 
village in honor of its founder was named 
Cartersville. It was located on the low land at 
the junction of the rivers, and at ever}- freshet 
its uninhabited lots and unworn streets were 
overflowed by the murky waters. If any build- 
ing was erected in this village, or if an}' im- 
provement was made other than laying out the 
streets and lots and platting the same on paper, 
such improvements are unknown. Very likely 
the village existed only in name, but the infer- 
ence is that as soon as it had its origin on 
paper, its ambitious founder made efforts to 
have settlers locate there. Like many another 
man in early years, his hopes were destined to 
be blasted. His village died out with the plat- 
ting and christening, and nothing remains to 
mark the spot where it once was located. It 
surpasses in loneliness the " deserted village " 
of Groldsmith : 

"Sweet smiliug- village, loveliest of the hiwn. 
Thy sports are fled and all tlij' eliarms withdrawn. 
Amidst thy bowers the Tyrants hand is seen. 
And desolation saddens all thy green." 

After this event, no permanent improvement 
or settlement was made until the spring of 
1814. Prior to that time, the township was 
the home of those wandering hunters, who kept 
moving westward as the tide of settlement ad- 
vanced, and whose practical training in wood- 
craft and in the arts of the chase could furnish 
pleasure onl}' in the depths of the uninhabited 



wilderness. The forest was filled with wild 
game, and the swamps, rivers and lakes were 
the resort of man3M'^aluable fur-bearing animals, 
that afforded the trappers almost his only 
means of support. Small cabins were erected 
in which were domiciled their wives, who, to 
all appearances, were capable of living without 
any visible means of support, and who were 
frequently left alone in the cabins for weeks at 
a time, while the husband and father was off 
on a long hunting excursion. The whole family 
were inured to privation, and if the cabin did 
not contain the needful supply of food, it was 
no unusual occurrence for the mother to go out 
into the surrounding woods and bring down a 
deer or a squirrel or some other animal that 
would afford food for the hungry children. 
This was true, not only of the families of the 
professional hunters who came to the most 
remote frontier ; but also of families living in 
localities where considerable advancement had 
been made in settlement and civilization. A 
skillful hunter often made by the sale of flesh 
and furs, upward of a $1,000 during the hunt- 
ing and trapping season, a large share of which, 
instead of being used in purchasing land, or in 
providing much needed comforts for the family, 
was squandered at neighboring grog-shops and 
distilleries. Traditions are in existence, that 
several of these hunters lived for short periods 
in rough shanties or wigwams in the vicinity 
of Turkey Foot Lake and on the Tuscarawas. 
In the spring of 1814, Christopher Johnson, 
or " Yankee Johnson," as he was called by the 
Dutch, came to the township and settled on the 
southwest corner of Section 24. He built a log 
cabin and made some improvements in the way 
of clearing and cultivation, but after a few 
years he became tired of his home, and, dis- 
posing of his land, he removed his family to 
Steubenville. What finally became of liim is 
not known. On the 20th of April, 1814, two 
men — Thomas Johnson, from the Keystone 
State, and William Hallowell, from Eastern 
Ohio — arrived in the township, built their rude 
dwellings, and began making improvements. 
Thomas Johnson located on Section 27. where 
he resided with his family several years, after 
which he moved to Norton Township, settling 
at what, in his honor, was afterward known as 
" Johnson's Corners." Wdliam Hallowell lo- 
cated on Section 28, about a mile northeast of 
Clinton. Here he lived and labored until 






632 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUXTY. 



1833, when he sold out and moved to Rich- 
field. After this, the settlers came in quite 
rapidly. Among the settlers who came in at 
this time, or soon after, were Jacob Sour, Jo- 
seph Mishler, John Hick, Mr. Hai'ter, Jacob 
Balmer, George Rex, Jacob HoUinger, Michael 
Bradenburg, David Harvey, Mahlon Stewart, 
John Snider and others. By 1820, there were 
as many as thii'ty families living in the town- 
ship. Other early settlers were the following, 
who obtained patents of their land from the 
Government: Samuel Burgner, Mr. Vander- 
hof, Mr. Smith, Mr. Himelright, Matthias Da- 
vis, John Swaisgood, Adam Marsh, and a little 
later, Mr. Ludwick, Christian Clay, John Spi- 
del, Mr. Waltenberger. George Righley, Mr. 
Wholf, Mr. McMurray, William Harvey* John 
Scott, Ephraim Brown, Mr. Wise, Mr. Green- 
hoe, Jacob Hook, Gorham Chapin, Mr. Rosse- 
ter, Jacob Grove, John Stump, John A. Stump, 
Charles Herring. JohnTeeple, Mr. Bliler, George 
Wirt, Mr. Wagner, John Hoy, J. W. Hamm, Dr. 
Levi Brooks, Dr. Troup, Henry Troup, Mr. Dai- 
ley. Mr.Wiltrout, Benjamin Bear, Jacob and John 
Row, John and Adam Sorrick, and many others. 
The names of some of the most prominent of 
the early citizens have been unfortunately for- 
gotten. From 1815 to 1820, the rush into the 
township was very great, the settlers being 
largely Dutch from Pennsylvania, with a 
sprinkling of Yankees from the Reserve and 
from the East. Improvements were begun in 
all directions, and waving seas of wheat and 
corn could be seen where once the monarch of 
the forest reared his majestic head. Villages 
sprang up as if by magic ; the forests echoed 
with the hum of industries ; schools and 
churches began their mission of intellectual 
and moral improvement, and the aspect of the 
township became materially altered. 

Early in 1817, the Commissioners of Stark 
County, having been properly petitioned by 
the citizens then residing in Franklin, ordered 
the organization of the township by the election 
of the necessarjf number of officei's. The elec- 
tion was held in April, 1817, but only part of 
the officers elected on this important occasion 
are remembered. Jacob Balmer and David 
Harve}' were elected Justices of the Peace, and 
Jacob Hollinger, Michael Bradenburg and Mah- 
lon Stewart, Trustees. From this time onward, 
the growth of the township was rapid. The set- 
tlers belonged mostlv to that industrious and 



sober class of people of whom William Penn 
was a representative man. Instead of endeav- 
oring to make a living by their wits, or by 
hunting and trapping, they went resolutely to 
work, and their comfortable homes soon proved 
the wisdom of their course. In 1814, John 
Johnson, a son of Thomas Johnson, was 
born, being the first birth in the township. 
The parties to the first marriage, which oc- 
curred in 1815, were John Hick and Cath- 
arine Flickinger. The second was in 1816, 
between Jacob Sour and Mary Hartner. Dur- 
ing the summer of 1815, the wife of Jacob 
Balmer was bitten b}- a rattlesnake, and before 
the needed relief could be obtained, she died 
from the effects, her death being the first. 

The rapid settlement of the township be- 
tween the 3ears above mentioned, led to the 
immediate erection of mills and other mechan- 
ical industries. During the winter of 1816-17, 
George Rex erected a grist-mill at the outlet of 
Turkey Foot Lake. The mill was a rude af- 
fair, but was the outgrowth of home demand. 
Notwithstanding the presence of a good mill at 
Middlebury and at other neighboring villages, 
the demand for one in the township resulted in 
its erection. The distance to Middlebury was 
practically double that at present, owing to the 
almost impassable condition of pioneer roads 
(if the}' deserve such a dignified title). Rex 
built a dam across the outlet of the lake, lo- 
cating it at a point where he could obtain the 
advantage of as much tall as possible. He suc- 
ceeded in furnishing quite a fair article of 
flour, and was sufficiently well patronized to 
warrant continuing the pursuit for many years. 
Finally, when the lake was converted by the 
State into a resorvoir for feeding the canal, the 
mill-site was ruined, and Ptcx was paid for the 
damage done him. His mill was one of the 
best in the township in earl}' years. In about 
the year 1825. or perhaps later, Mr. Caldwell 
built a saw-mill in the western part, on Polecat 
Run. He succeeded in obtaining a fair water- 
power, and continued operating the mill some 
fifteen or twenty years, when it was abandoned, 
and a grist-mill built on the same stream a lit- 
tle below it. After a number of years it was 
sold at Sheriff's sale. Prior to the erection of 
Mr. Caldwell's saw-mill, another had been built 
very early above it, on the same stream. It 
was located on a low piece of ground, and how 
it was operated is a mystery, as there is no 



IV 






FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 



G33 



stream passing the site of the old mill, and ap- 
parently never was one. The location seems 
to have been a swamp, but this does not explain 
the nature of the motor. Its owner and oper- 
ator are forgotten. At a point on the river 
just east of Clinton, Mr. Harvey built a grist- 
mill in about the year 1820. He did a paying 
business until the canal was projected through 
the township. At that time some understand- 
ing was entered into between Harvey and the 
canal authorities as to the surplus water of the 
canal, in consequence of which Harvey went to 
work to build a large, strong dam ; but the 
canal, instead of being projected according to 
agreement, was extended along the opposite 
side of the river, and his mill-site was ruined. 
He had conve^'ed large stones into the river 
where the dam was to be located, but all this 
labor was thrown away. Mr. Chapin also 
built a saw-mill at an early day, on the waste 
water of the canal. It was located at a point 
where there was considerable fall, and the result 
was that the dam was washed away some five 
times, entailing an additional cost for repairs 
of nearly $1,000. He then abandoned the en- 
terprise that had lost him so much monej'. 
His mill was a good one, with patented re-action 
wheels, but was idle a large portion of the 
time, on account of the frequent breakage of 
the dam. Mr. Smith also located a saw-mill 
on the canal, using the waste water. The mill 
has been operated almost all the time until the 
present, and has been one of the most valuable 
in its time ever in the township. Mr. Smith 
and the members of his famil}- have owned and 
operated it during the entire period of its con- 
tinuance. It is impossible to estimate the 
enormous quantity of native lumber turned 
out b}' this mill. John Grill erected a saw- 
mill on Polecat Run, locating it a short dis- 
tance above the Caldwell Mill He drove a 
thriving business for a number of 3'ears. On 
account of the large number of frame build- 
ings that were going up in early years, the 
mills, notwithstanding their number, ordinarily 
did a thriving and paying business. Roughly 
though strongly built frame buildings soon 
took the p'ace of the primitive log cabin, 
though occasionally one of the latter is yet to 
be seen, standing like a monument over the de- 
caj'ing habitations of early 3-ears. The first 
cabins were usually built of I'ound logs, but a 
little later nicel}' constructed hewed-log build- 



ings could be seen, and later still, the present 
frames were erected. As soon as the canal was 
opened, much native lumber was sent to Cleve- 
land for ship-building on the lakes, and for 
shipment to other cities. This no doubt con- 
tributed to the paying operation of the mills. 
There were several other mills in the township 
in early years, both for grinding grain and for 
sawing lumber. After Mr. Chapin died in 1841, 
his old mill is said to have been haunted. 
Strange sounds are said to have been heai'd 
there by those who had occasion to pass the 
old mill during the solemn hours of the night. 
It was said by the credulous that Mr. Chapin's 
ghost would wander into the old mill, and 
a strange noise like the filing of a saw thrilled 
the hearts of listeners. There was a grist- 
mill, which did a large amount of grinding, 
erected at an early day, either at Manchester or 
near there, but the name of the owner has been 
forgotten. 

Three or more distilleries were erected in the 
township prior to 1833. A Mr. Wholf built 
one probably as early as 1820, but this was 
abandoned about 1830. John Hoy and Mr. 
Rex each built one as early as 1825, but these 
were likewise abandoned before 18-40. The 
grain out of which the liquor was manufactured 
was probably ground at the nearest grist-mills. 
A certain aspect of respectability was conceded 
the distiller in early years. Whisky was upon 
every side-board, and the custom of dram- 
drinking was universal. It was no uncommon 
thing for women to indulge in this luxur}', and 
many children ma}' be said to have been raised 
on the whisky bottle. In view of this fact, and 
the fact that children largely inherit the appe- 
tite for strong drink from their parents, it must 
not be wondered at that the (}uantity of liquor 
consumed is so large. That the quantity con- 
sumed, on the average, per capita, is a great 
deal less at present than it was formed}' is evi- 
dent to those who have made the subject a 
study. Liquor will always be drunk so long as 
there is a demand for it, and the demand will 
only decrease as the appetite is denied or eradi- 
cated altogether. People must learn to control 
their appetites ; until then the problem of 
intemperance will remain unsolved. The dis- 
tilleries mentioned had a large custom trade, 
though it is not remembered whether their 
products were shipped away or not. They 
started up about the time the canal was being 



n^ 



jVl? 



Jk- 



634 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



built, as it was seen that an enormous demand 
for liquor would be made by the canal laborers. 
There is no neighborhood through which the 
canal extended that did not have its drunken 
brawls and fights, often accompanied with seri- 
ous injmy to one or more participants. The 
expression, " Can drink as much as a boatman," 
became familiar to settlers living along the 
canal. It is likely that the distilleries turned 
out whisk}- or brandy at the rate of about a 
barrel per day each. The old settlers speak in 
high terms of the qualit}' of this whisk}'. They 
say " It was no such stuff as we get now-a- 
days." They also state that there was not as 
much drunkenness at the " rollings " and 
" raisings " in early times as there is at present 
throughout the township. This is probably a 
mistake. The fact that liquor-drinking was so 
common removed all cases of debaucheiy be- 
yond observance, except the more serious ones. 
To-day every case is noted and criticised, and 
the careless comparison magnifies the present 
number of drunkards. Almost every early 
settler, soon after he came in, set out a peach 
orchard, and in a few years enormous quantities 
of peaches were raised. The prevalence of 
heavy timber throughout the State modified the 
climate, rendering this condition of things pos- 
sible. The distilleries made an excellent quality 
of peach brandy that was rapidly consumed by 
the early settlers. In addition to this, large 
quantities of peaches were dried and shipped 
East, so long as the demand was lucrative. 
These distilleries closed as stated, and there 
has been but one in the township since. This 
was built in about 1854, and located about half 
way between Clinton and Manchester. It did 
not amount to much, and closed at the end of 
about three years to the joy of all. 

Prior to 1860, a well-traveled line of under- 
ground i-ailroad crossed the township, being 
confined to what is known as the Chestnut 
Ridge, with occasional side tracks. Prominent 
oflScials on this road were Alexander Russell. 
James Hile, Harvey Maranville, Washington 
Heffleman and George Wirt. These men lost 
no opportunity of assisting runaway slaves to 
Canada. On one occasion, Messrs. Russell and 
Maranville were notified that five slaves — two 
women and three men — were west of Clinton, in 
the heavy woods on Chestnut Ridge, waiting 
for food and clothing. They were accordingly 
supplied, and directed on their course to the 



next station. On another occasion, a settler in 
the township who had come from Kentucky, 
seeing a negro traveling northward through the 
woods with a gun on his shoulder, ran after 
him and took away the gun, saying as he did 
so, " It's against the law for nig's to carry a 
gun." Two or three of the men mentioned 
above informed this settler to return the gun 
to the negro immediately, or trouble would en- 
sue, whereupon the fellow reluctantly did so. 
When questioned as to where the gun was ob- 
tained, the negro replied that " Massa Wales," 
of Massillon, had given it to him to kill part- 
ridges and other game, upon which to subsist 
while traveling North. Wales was probably 
train-dispatcher on this road. He was a good 
one, and no collision has since been computed 
to his fault. John Hall, of Springfield Town- 
ship, often took negroes who were closely pur- 
sued by their masters, and, having concealed 
them several days at his residence, placed them 
in his close carriage and conveyed them the en- 
tire distance to Cleveland, where he saw them 
safe on board Canada-bound steamboats before 
he parted from them. This man was a promi- 
nent oflBcial on another line. Mr. Hile was a 
Methodist, and a poor man. as far as this worlds 
goods were concerned, but in many of the car- 
dinal virtues, was a millionaire. It is said that 
" He would run his legs off any time to assist 
runaway slaves." The reader is cautioned 
against construing this statement in a literal 
sense. It simply means that Mr. Hile would 
fly ai'ound the township when escaping slaves 
were in trouble. The reader is further cau- 
tioned not to render the last sentence in a literal 
sense, for Mr. Hile would have been a rara avis 
indeed, had such a condition of things tran- 
spired. 

Franklin has been the site of four or more 
villages. The first laid out has already been 
referred to. No house was built there, and 
consequently the '' village " existed only in the 
'' mind's eye " of the projector. In the ex- 
treme southwestern part of the township, on 
the north side of Chippewa River. David Har- 
vey laid out a village as early as Mai'ch, 1816. 
It was platted, and properly recorded at Can- 
ton, and one or more additions of lots were 
afterward made. Lots sold quite rapidly, and 
erelong the Aallage could boast of a popula- 
tion of about sixty. One or more small stores 
were built and filled with a small stock of 



k.. 



FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 



635 



goods each. A blacksmith came in, and the 
sound of his hammer re-echoed through the 
muddy streets. A carpenter appeared, and 
began to ply his craft. A shoemaker built a 
small shop, whei'e " patching ' could be se- 
cured on short notice. He probabl}- kept a 
small stock of shoes for sale. A tailor also 
located in the village, and passers-by on the 
streets could see him sitting cross-legged in 
his little shop, busil}' engaged on a suit of 
clothes for some one of the settlers. It is likeh' 
that a saw-mill was started on the river in the 
village, although this is not certain. The vil- 
lage, which had been named Savannah, grew 
quite rapidly — not so much so, perhaps, as 
" Jack's bean stalk " or " Jonah's gourd " — 
yet improvements went on until it was seen 
that the coming canal would not touch the 
town, in which case the latter would be sup- 
planted by its more fortunate rivals. The 
location of the village was not healthful, as 
some, of the citizens were shaking or ailing 
almost all the time. In addition to these, 
other circumstances arose, and, finally, in 
about 1825, a grand rush was made for Clinton 
and other points on the canal, and Savannah 
became entirely deserted. The stores and the 
trades were the first to leave, and soon after- 
ward the villagers, seeing the impending fate 
of their village, likewise - took up their beds 
and walked." It is stated that, in 1827, no 
family resided in the village, although several 
deserted buildings were yet standing. Many 
of the buildings were taken apart and re- 
moved, after which they were again put to- 
gether where they had been conveyed. Thus 
were the hopes of Mr. Harvey blasted. How- 
ever, he had cause to be grateful, as his son, 
William Harvey, who had laid out Clinton in 
Februarj-, 1816, owned valuable property at that 
place, and as the rush from Savannah was main- 
1}' to Clinton, the loss to the famil}- was not so 
serious after all. Clinton, from 1825 to 1840, 
did more business compared with its popula- 
tion than any other village in Summit County. 
The village had no sooner been laid out by Mr. 
Harve}- than William Christmas and J. W^. 
Lathrop made additions to it, and industries 
of various kinds made their appearance imme- 
diatelv. Stores were opened, hotels were 
erected, mechanics and tradesmen appeared, 
numerous dwellings were built, and finally the 
rush from Savannah and the opening of the 



canal tripled improvements of all kinds, and 
lifted Clinton to prominence and wealth. The 
village immediately entered upon a career of 
prosperity unknown to it before or at present. 
Three good storerooms were built, and were 
constantly occupied b}' fair stocks of goods, in 
charge of capable salesmen. Tradesmen and 
mechanics began their needed labors. Black- 
smiths, carpenters, shoemakers, tailors, gun- 
smiths, wagon -makers, merchants, doctors, 
lawyers, butchers, tavern-keepers, liquor-deal- 
ers, millers, warehousemen, preachers, teach- 
ers, and a variety- of others, entered upon the 
prosecution of their individual duties, and the 
village soon gained wide reputation as a lively 
trading-point. Three large warehouses were 
built quite early, and the quantit}- of grain 
purchased and shipped north on the canal 
seems marvelous. All three buildings were 50 
feet square ; one was three and a half stories 
in height and the others two and a half Mr. 
Maranville, who kept books and purchased 
grain for the owners, saj's, that at one time the 
largest warehouse was filled to the roof with 
wheat, and contained 100,000 busliels. and the 
other two were almost as full. He says that 
he purchased as high as 1,500 bushels of 
wheat from sun to sun, and that several other 
buyers at the same time did about the same. 
Farmers from as far west as 3Iansfield brought 
their grain to the village. In fact, a largo 
share of the producers in Richland. Ashland, 
Wayne and Medina Counties sold their grain 
at Clinton. The presence of so man}' farmers 
in the village afforded the merchants an exten- 
sive trade. From 1840 to 1850 more wheat 
was purchased at Clinton than at Akron. 
It is said that lines of teams extending into 
the countr}' a mile waited their turns to 
unload, and many a man sat in his wagon 
patientl}- waiting until after midnight. An 
average price of about 40 cents per bushel 
was paid for wheat. Clinton became a point 
to which merchants living west in the coun- 
ties above referred to ordered their goods 
to be shipped. Upon their arrival by boat, an 
arrangement was made by which they were de- 
posited in the warehouses until the owners could 
send teams for them. A small commission was 
charged for the storage. Teams loaded with 
grain, coming from distant villages, returned 
loaded with goods for the merchants. Corn, 
clover-seed and other grains and seeds, were 



j) fy 



^'. 



636 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



purchased b}' parties in the village. The 
enormous grain trade infused life into every 
industry in the village. It soon became a great 
coal center, and large quantities were shipped 
b}' boat to Cleveland, to be used on the lake 
steamers, and to be taken to cities on the lake 
shore. Large quantities of iron and salt, and 
leather, and merchandise and other articles, 
came to the village, to be used throughout the 
country by the farmers, mechanics and dealers. 
A large wool business was also done at the vil- 
lage. A carding machine was started, but, for 
some unknown reason, abandoned the contem- 
plated project. Among the merchants have 
been Mr. Chapin, Hardy & Mofflt, John Patter- 
son, Sorrick and Welhouse, Filson & McCon- 
nell, Alexander Russell, M. D. Wellman, Henry 
Davis, John Price, and many others. Mr. Rus- 
sell kept store many years. He died a few 
years ago, and his business was graduall}' 
closed b}^ his daughter Maggie. Dr. Alexan- 
der Porter located in Savannah when that vil- 
lage was at the zenith of its prosperity. Some 
of the Clinton followers of Esculapius have 
been Dr. Chapin, Dr. Richie, Dr. David Chi- 
chester (the last two keeping drugs). Dr. Ed- 
wards and Dr. Andrew Oberlin. Dr. William 
Bo wen, of Massillon, practiced in the township, 
as did also Dr. Dolbear, of Fulton, and Dr. 
Armstrong, of Do3^1estown. Charles Rinehart, 
a lawyer, lived at the village a number of years. 
Several pettifoggers, the most prominent being 
Jacob Bradenstine, have also practiced law. A 
post office was secured about the time the canal 
was opened. Mr. Rosseter, who kept a small 
tavern on the bank of the canal, in 1833, was 
one of the first Postmasters. He made out 
three different reports for the same time, all of 
which were returned marked " incorrect." He 
said to Mr. Maranville, " I've made out three 
reports, and can't make 'em stick." Mr. Maran- 
ville assisted him, and the next report " stuck." 
Some of the merchants employed five or six 
clerks, although the stock of goods kept on 
hand was usually not very large. Clinton, like 
almost every other village, has been in its time 
a "tough place." Large quantities of liquor 
were drunk there in earl}- years, and several 
times the crowds of half-drunken men have 
taken possession of things. Squads of miners 
would come to the village, get drunk, and con- 
vert themselves into beasts generally. The 
citizens were imposed upon, until, finall}', they 



sent to Cleveland and purchased a dozen re- 
volvers, or perhaps pistols, and warned those 
who were in the habit of creating a disturbance 
that such conduct must cease. It gradually 
did. Like all places where miners are in the 
habit of congi'egating, fights and drunken 
brawls have been unpleasantly frequent. The 
village at its best has had a population upward 
of five hundred. At present it is about three 
hundred. Clinton was first laid out on the west 
bank of the river, but, in 1835, Gorham Cha- 
pin, on the opposite side, laid out another vil- 
lage, which he named Orradeen. The lots were 
so low and wet, however, that but few persons 
located there, and two years later William and 
Francis Pumro}- laid out the village of Pumroy, 
on the east side of the river, adjoining Orradeen 
and a little below it. Here it was that the 
business centered, and Clinton proper, on the 
west side, was almost deserted, many of the 
lots being sold at Sheriff's sale. The post of- 
fice is. Clinton, but, in conve3'ances of real prop- 
erty, the names Orradeen, Pumroy and Clinton 
are employed, depending where such property 
is located. 

Manchester has had, in many essential re- 
pects, a widely different history. In Septem- 
ber, 1815, Mahlon and Aaron' Stewart laid out 
the village, platting the same and properly re- 
cording it at the county seat. Lots were im- 
mediately sold, and the village began a per- 
manent and rapid growth. The site was much 
pleasanter than that of Clinton, and in many 
I'cspects a better class of citizens located at the 
former place. Mr. Palmer opened the first 
store, not onlj- in Manchester, but also in the 
township, and John Snider opened the first tav- 
ern. The settlers poured into the neighbor- 
hood rapidly, manj' of whom built dwellings 
in the village, where they resided. Tradesmen 
mechanics, teachers, merchants, etc., appeared, 
and by the time the canal Avas opened through the 
township, three or four good stores and other in- 
dustries to a like extent were in good running 
order. By this time, Manchester had become 
quite prominent as a trading-point. Its stores 
were well-conducted, and were capable of sup- 
pl3'ing almost an3'thing in the usual line of 
merchandise. Its citizens were enterprising 
and industrious, and withal Manchester was a 
pleasant place for country people to trade. 
When the proposed canal became a settled re- 
ality. Manchester suffered considerablv, as 






>l^ 



FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 



fi3'; 



many of its citizens removed to the more favored 
villages that sprang up on this highway of wa- 
ter. It did not die, far from it. It suffered the 
drain from its vitals, and when the worst had 
been done, it slowl}' regained much of its lost 
strength. Of course, Manchester was never the 
grain point that Clinton was. Its removal 
from the canal rendered that out of the ques- 
tion, besides several industries that were con- 
ducted with great vigor at Clinton. On the 
other hand, Manchester enjojed the absence of 
many perplexing problems, proposed for the 
villagers at Clinton to solve. It was never 
captured b}- a brutal and drunken mob of reck- 
less men, nor were its citizens insulted and 
persecuted. Whisky was sold, and men got be- 
yond their reason, or in other words, drunk, but 
beyond a few light skirmishes at times, the 
citizens enjoyed the blessings of peace. Ad- 
ditions have been made to the village, and 
Manchester at its best has had about as large 
a population as Clinton. Hon. John Hoj^ lived 
at Manchester, and Hon. Hugh R. Caldwell at 
Clinton, both of whom served as County Judges 
after Summit was created. When this event 
occurred, or just before it, great opposition was 
manifested in the township, when it was pro- 
posed that Franklin should be severed from 
Stark County, and made a portion of the new 
county of Summit. The citizens opposed it to 
the bitter end, and emplo3'ed every means to 
prevent it, but without avail. They dx'eaded 
the idea of becoming a part of '' Cheesdom," as 
thej' called the Reserve, and clung with filial 
affection to '' Molly Stark," to whom they were 
deeply attached. They begged to be let alone, 
and, like Rachael weeping for her children, re- 
fused to be comforted because they were not. 
Notwithstanding their earnest and repeated pro- 
tests, the dreaded change took place, and went 
into effect as silently and perfectlj- as the late 
financial resumption. Nobod}' saw any change 
save in their " mind's e3'e, Horatio." The Dutch 
mingled with the Yankees with impunity, and 
were not harmed. The Yankees visited the 
Germanic portion of the count}', and went back 
loaded to the muzzle with glowing metaphors 
in its praise. The change took place without a 
ripple, and the quiet waters of contentment 
laughed to scorn the words of prophec}', that 
had predicted unpleasant and even direful re- 
sults. 

Schools were opened in Franklin at an earl}^ 



day. The necessity for educating the pioneer 
children forced itself upon the attention of the 
early settlers, and, like the ghost of Banquo, 
would not " down." Some of the adjoining 
townships had been settled earlier, and had 
opened school, such as they were, at the time 
the township was first visited. Large scholars 
could traverse the long distance through the 
woods to these distant schools, but the smaller 
ones were compelled to remain at home until 
nearer schools were begun, or until they in 
turn had grown large enough to be trusted on 
the long journev. It is stated that a small 
log church had been built at Manchester 
as early as 1816 or 1817. This building was 
probably intended both for a church and a 
schoolhouse. At least, it is remembered that 
in the year 1817, a 3'oung man named Joseph 
Mishler, of Teutonic descent, taught in this 
old log building. The room was provided with 
a goodl}' number of roughly constructed seats. 
A large fire-place, capable of taking in a log of 
almost any dimensions, occupied one end of the 
room, and a small table was provided at the 
other, to establish for the teacher a permanent 
position from which to pronounce decrees, issue 
commands, and administer condign punishment 
to offending pupils, or, perhaps, it was intended 
as an altar, from which some pioneer preacher 
could thunder the anathemas of heaven upon 
the hj-dra- headed forms of infidelity, or pour 
divine blessings, in golden showers, upon the 
joyous hearts of the faithful. As was stated, 
Joseph Mishler was a German, and could 
handle the glib idioms of his native tongue 
with fluency and precision. Mr. Mishler had 
but one personal drawback — he was verj' 
homely. It is true he could not help that, al- 
though it may be presumed that be ruefully 
contemplated his ugh' features in that blessing 
of civilization — a looking-glass— and wished 
with all his heart that he could have the priv- 
ilege of chiseling his nose to a more respect- 
able shape, of rounding the irregular outlines 
of his face, or of taking all the features of his 
face apart and putting them together again 
after the ideal his aching heart had created. 
These things are to be presumed. Yet, through- 
out all his trials, Mr. Mishler remained as 
homely as ever. One thing is certain, he was 
a good disciplinarian and a competent in- 
structor, and his school was liked so well that 
it was continued from that time onward. Mr. 






63» 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



^lishler enjoyed the honor of " boarding 
around." It is no wonder tii.it he vviis homely, 
and tliat gray liairs soon sliovved tliemselves in 
the auburn loclis on his brow. •' Boarding 
around " is a direful enough punishment 
among relined people ; but when that burden 
is thrust upon the unfortunate shoulders of a 
pioneer pedagogue by backwoods people, it 
becomes cruelty unspeakable. This old house 
was used but a few 3'ears, and was then replaced 
by a larger and better one. One or more other 
schoolhouses have taken the place of the old 
one. It is quite certain that school was taught 
in Savannah, although nothing definite on this 
point has been learned. Where fifty or sixty 
people resided for several ^ears, it is not out of 
place to presume that schools sprang into life. 
At all events, when Savannah was deserted, a 
building that had been used there, either for a 
schoolhouse or a store, was taken apart, con- 
veyed to Clinton, where it was put together 
again, and used for a schoolhouse. This 
building was thus used until about 1836, when 
a "compromise" schoolhouse was erected about 
half a mile north of the village. This was 
caused by the fact that, from the shape of tlie 
school district, several families, living about two 
miles north, were unwilling to go so far to school, 
and insisted on having the new schoolhouse 
located nearer their i-esidences. It may be 
said here that, in early 3'ears, schools followed 
the scholars instead of the reverse. Two other 
schoolhouses have been built in Clinton. About 
the time the canal was projected through the 
township, two or tlu-ee school districts were 
formed. As time passed on, these were in- 
creased, and now Franklin can boast of having 
many good schools. Mr. Maranville, who 
located in Franklin in 1833, says, that at that 
time there wei'e but few competent teachers in 
the township. Large numbers applied for cer- 
tificates to the Board of Examiners, and if any 
were permitted to teach, the grade of the teach- 
ers' qualification must be lowered. This was 
done, and persons not familiar with even the 
rudiments of the fundamental branches became 
teachers. Mr. Maranville says that, on one 
occasion, a " teacher " came to him for assist- 
ance, having become " stuck " on a problem in 
long division. Teachers assembled evenings 
and assisted each other on the next day's 
problems. Spelling schools were numerous, 
and afforded a 2:reat deal of amusement. It is 



related that one of the country spelling 
schools was once broken up b)' a gang of 
roughs, and the occasion ended in a pitched 
battle, although it is probable that some of the 
participants did not afterward designate the 
occasion as ainusive. 

The early church history of the township is 
almost wholly lost in the shadows of the past, 
and man}' dates and interesting incidents re- 
lating thereto have faded from the memory of 
the oldest settlers. Many of the early settlers 
were members of various religious organiza- 
tions, and these began to meet earl}^ at des- 
ignated dwellings to woi'ship God. It was not 
long ere the propriety of erecting log churches 
began to be discussed. Itinerant ministers ap 
peared in the township as early as 1816, and 
held meetings in the cabins of the settlers. 
They traveled over large sections of country, 
and always stopped to preach where a few were 
readv to listen. At the close of the services, a 
collection was usually' taken for the benefit of 
the preacher. Some of these collections did 
not " pan out " as well as the minister desired, 
i^tany of the earlj' preachers were eccentric 
characters, singularly- gifted with a rude elo- 
quence that fired the hearts of the pioneers. 
Man}' had renounced all social ties, save such 
as bound them to the house of praise and 
prayer. With hearts overflowing with love for 
Grod and humanity, they had come into the 
wildnerness to preach " peace on earth ; good 
will toward men." They were instrumental in 
laying the foundation of man}' of the fine relig- 
ious organizations that are seen throughout the 
country to-day. So far as known, the first 
church was the old log building located at 
Manchester, as alreadv referred to above, unless 

'■ The groves wore God's first temples." 

Meetings were conducted in this old house by 
local preachers, and by some of the more prom- 
inent of the early settlers. It is not certain 
which denomination, if an}', predominated at 
these gatherings. It is likely that all pro- 
fessors of religion, without regard to creeds or 
sects met here and worshiped in unison and 
harmony. An early minister in the township 
was Rev. J. ^Y. Hamm, an Old-School Presby- 
terian, who was a Grerman, and who could 
preach either in his native tongue or in broken 
English. If the German element predominated 
in his cono-regation. the word of God was 



'/• 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



639 



preached in that language ; but if many were 
present who could understand German imper- 
fectly or not at all, the sermon was preached 
in English. The Presbyterians built a church 
at Manchester a few 3'ears after the canal was 
opened, and this society, at times, has been 
quite strong, and has done much good in the 
neighborhood. It is impossible to estimate 
the great good done by a lively religious so- 
ciety. The nobler instincts of life are strength- 
ened, many species of vice are shunned, and 
the result is an abundant harvest of pure lives 
and morals. May religious societies continue 
their noble work until — 

' ' All crimes shall cease, and ancient frauds shall fail, 
Returning Justice lift aloft her scale ; 
Peace, o'er the world, her olive wand extend, 
And white-robed Innocence from heav'n descend. ' ' 

Some eight or ten years after the Presby- 
terian Church was built, an Evangelical Church 
was erected at Manchester. This society is 



said to be doing well. About the same time, 
the Methodists constructed a church at Clinton. 
At the head of this denomination were Alex- 
ander Russell, Washington Heffleman, James 
Hile and others. The United Brethren also 
built a church at Clinton, during the late war. 
About four years ago, the English Lutherans 
started up, and built a church at Clinton. The 
most of these churches are doing well. When 
the Germans make up their minds to join a 
church, like a flock of sheep they go with a 
rush, and go to stay. The German Lutherans 
have a small church in the northern part. The 
congregation is considerably- reduced. Franklin 
is well supplied with good churches and schools, 
and no family of children need be raised to 
their ma,jority without a good common-school 
education, sufficient for the transactions of life, 
and the acquirement of that earl}' religious and 
moral training, which furnishes sober, intelli- 
gent and upright citizens. 



CHAPTER XXX.* 



(OPLEV TOWNSHIP— EARLY PHYSICAL CONDITION — NAMES OK EARLY SETTLERS — PIONEER 

IVIPROVEMENTS — RISE AND PROGRESS OF INDUSTRIES— COPLEY 

CENTER— SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. 



THE generations of to-day can scarcely 
realize the hardships passed through by 
their parents and grandparents more than half 
a century ago. The countiy was covered with 
an unbroken forest, through which wild ani- 
mals and wild men roamed at will, and nothing 
but continued toil and privation could be ex- 
pected if pleasant homes were to be created. 
The roads were mere paths through the woods, 
and these were in a state bordering on chaotic. 
Indeed, it is averred by the early settlers that 
during the spring of the year they could be 
traveled in but one direction — toward China — 
and during the remainder caused many a sober 
and moral man to violate his church vows. 
What caused the greatest anxiet}', however, 
was the extreme difficulty in getting supplies of 
every kind. Men who came to the back woods 
with but little money or property and a large 
family of almost helpless children, were, indeed, 
to be pitied, as, in nine cases out of ten, a mis- 

♦Contributed by W. A. Goodspeed. 



erable existence was before them, without any 
satisfactory promise of improvement for a 
score or more of years. Store supplies of all 
kinds were almost fabulous in price ; wages 
were reduced to a starving minimum ; crops 
raised under tr^'ing and adverse circumstances 
brought scared}' any return ; schools did not 
exist, even in name ; neighbors were far apart, 
each struggling to make a living, and the 
homes were cheerless, uninviting, and too often 
uncomfortable. This is the darker side of the 
picture. Some families came to the backwoods 
with abundant means. These succeeded in ren- 
dering their situation comfortable, and very often 
attractive, and, after a comparatively short pe- 
riod were independent and happy. 5lany times 
families were compelled to relinquish their 
farms and return to their former homes in the 
East. 

The long slopes of land in Copley Township 
render it one of the most beautiful tracts of 
land in the county. The vision is not bounded 



V 



^'i 



^ ^>' 



640 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



by short distances, but extends across exten- 
sive valleys or basins, through which the prin- 
cipal streams flow. These valleys are not 
bounded by bluffs, but have a gradual ascent, 
in some cases, for several miles, and the higher 
lands, even after that distance, do not reach an 
altitude but little exceeding eighty feet. How- 
ever, there is some rough land in the township, 
perhaps mostly in the eastern and southern 
portions. Wolf Creek enters from the west, 
crossing Lots 31, 32, 39, 42, 43, 48 and 47. 
Pigeon Creek rises in the northwest corner, 
and flows across Lots 11, 20, 19, 22, 23, 17, 24, 
25 and 26. Shocolog Creek (an Indian name, 
probably) rises in the northern part, and crosses 
Lots 3, 8, 7, 14, 17, 16 and 25. The land 
bordering these streams, with some exceptions, 
is swampy even at the present day, and in eai'ly 
years must have been great bodies of muck 
and water. Wolf Creek, throughout the most 
of its course, is not so swampy. Shocolog 
Pond is an enlargement of the creek of the 
same name. White Pond is located on Lot 35, 
and Black Pond on Lot 36. In several places 
along the swampy valleys of these streams, 
there are what might be called islands. These 
are small, irregular-shaped bodies of land, rising 
in some cases fifteen or twenty feet above the 
level of the swamp, and presenting the appear- 
ance of having been surrounded with water at 
no very remote period. One of these, called 
" Fort Island," near the residence of Delos Bos- 
worth, is the site of what is unquestionably the 
remains of an ancient earth fortification. A 
description of this interesting " fort " will be 
found elsewhere in this volume. An island 
near this is called " Beech Island," and is sup- 
posed to have been used in ancient times as a 
cemetery, and small mounds, resembling graves, 
are pointed out. Another body of land farther 
down the same stream (Shocolog Creek) is 
called "Sugar Island." Pigeon Creek, after 
leaving the township from Lot 26, takes a cir- 
cuit in Portage Township, and returns, crossing 
Lots 36, 45 and 46. These three lots are cov- 
ered with an extensive swamp, which, in early 
days, was the resort of countless millions of 
pigeons that came there to roost. In fact, all 
along the valleys of these streams, the pigeons 
were accustomed to assemble in spring and 
autumn. Large numbers were killed and eaten 
by our parents. It was dangerous to enter the 
swamps at night, as very often large limbs 



were broken from the trees when the birds set- 
tled upon them. An unusual noise would cause 
millions to rise,' and after they had circled 
around a short time in the darkness, all the 
time following a leader, they would suddenly 
descend, and, very likely, all would try to 
alight on the same tree, which would be broken 
down. In the northeast part is a small creek, 
called Sand Run. An abundance of excellent 
sandstone is to be found in the township. The 
traveler over Copley notices that the township 
is crossed by several prominent ridges, which 
have a general direction east and west. These 
ridges are a mile or two apart, and seemingly 
belong to that series of terraces or ridges, which 
extends across Ohio, south of Lake Erie and 
north of the water-shed, which geologists main- 
tain was formed during the Glacial period. On 
the farm of William Wagner is a large mound, 
supposed by some to have been built by the 
Mound-Buiiders, and by others to have been 
formed by natural means during the Griacial 
epoch. 

The whereabouts of the early records of the 
township is unknown or forgotten, and thus 
much interesting material is placed be^'ond the 
reach of the historian. •' What is everybod^^'s 
business is nobody's business," is verified in 
the case of the early records. The proceedings 
on the occasion of the oi'ganization of the town- 
ship are alwa^^s interesting, and will continue 
to become more so as time advances. A few 
items are recollected and these will be recorded 
in their proper connection. The first settler in 
the township is said to have been Jonah Turner, 
who came from Pennsylvania and located on 
the Stony Ridge east of Miller's Tavern. He 
came in 1814, and built a small log cabin. A 
3'ear or two before. Turner had marched along 
what is now well known as the Smith road with 
the battalion under Maj. Crogan, of which he 
was a member. The army had camped near 
where Turner afterward selected his farm, and 
on this occasion (as is related) he concluded 
that, if his life was spared thi'ough the dangers 
of war, he would locate in that vicinity. He 
lived here until his death. William Green also 
came to Copley in 1814. It is not known 
to the writer whether this man was a relative of 
Gardner Green, one of the purchasers of the 
township, from Connecticut, or not. The latter 
owned perhaps more than any other of the 
original proprietors, and in his honor the town- 



^ 



a k^ 



J>L 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



641 



ship had been informally styled " Greenfield ; " 
but afterward, for some reason unknown, the 
name was changed to Copley in honor of 
Green's wife, whose maiden name was Copley. 
These two were probably the only settlers in 
the township until the foil of 1815, when Sam- 
uel Hawkins came from the Green Mountain 
State, and located in the northwest corner. 
His son, George Washington, was the first 
white child born in Copley, his birth occurring 
December 29, 1815. The following list is only 
approximately correct : Lawrence 3Ioore, a 
Scotchman who had come to x\merica in 1797, 
settled on Lot 1, in 1816. He was a sailor, and 
soon after coming to this country was im- 
pressed on board the British frigate, Tartar, 
where he served for six years, but finally pur- 
chased his release by paying $1,225. Moore 
built a small log cabin, and lived until a few 
years ago. In 1817, Allen Bosworth came 
from Rhode Island, and settled near the center. 
His son Delos was the second child born in the 
township, his birth occurring in January of the 
following year. Delos Bosworth is yet living, 
and it is due to his unusuall}' retentive mem- 
ory that many of the events narrated here are 
rescued from falling into forge tfulness. In 
1818, Jacob Spafford, Nathaniel Davis, Jona- 
than Starr antl Gat Yale ai'rived. In 1819. 
Chester Orcutt came. In 1820, Parker and 
Benjamin Taylor, and within the next ten years 
the first settlers came about as follows : David, 
Samuel and James Griffin, H. C. Aikens, Na- 
thaniel Norville, Erastus, Flavil and Harvej' 
Beckworth, David Ta3'lor, Chauncey and Will- 
iam Davis, Smith and Austin Hull, Noah, Al- 
bert and Thomas Spafford, Budd Hopkins, 
Levitt and Peter Wicks, Benjamin Sandford, 
Noah Robinson and otiiers. There also came 
in soon afterward Henry Francisco, Jackson 
Chapman, Ashabel Chapman, H. D. Patch, Will- 
iam and Hiram Randall, James Smith, Frank 
Wilcox, Darwin and CuUen Clark, Lorenzo 
Russell, Joseph Younglove, William Hanson, 
Dr. Alpheus Babcock, S. P. Starr, Thomas Cole, 
Dow Hanson, Lawrence Brewer, Alonzo Coon, 
George Traver, William, Jacob and Thomas 
Weager, M. D. Pratt, John Mann and several 
others. Dr. Elijah Canfield and his bi'other 
William came in about 1824. Prior to 1835, 
there also came in Lyman Green, William Hux- 
ley, Chauncey Lease, Robex't Stimpson, Henry 
Begun, Daniel, Joseph and Richard Riley, Dan- 



iel Sandford, John Pratt, Salmon Haysington 
and several others. 

In 1825, evidences of civilization were every- 
where apparent. Log houses sprang up from 
all directions, and various industries began to 
arise. The settlers slowl^^ began to surround 
themselves with something more than the bare 
necessities of life. Schools, churches, mills, 
etc., began to appear, and something like pleas- 
ure was felt in living in the fast disappearing 
forests. 

The homely ways and rude garb be- 
gan to give way before the advance of the 
autocTat Fashion. Calico could be obtained 
for less than 75 cents a yard ; axes were no 
longer $5 or $6 ; all supplies steadily decreased 
in cost, as the roads and means of transporta- 
tion became better ; wages for the poor man 
were soon higher, and the township, and in- 
deed many other townships in Ohio, entered an 
era of prosperity unknown to it before. In 
1281, a ball was given in the township, at 
which all attended. The girls came out with 
their calico dresses with flowing skirts, and the 
boys appeared in the rustic garb of fashiona- 
ble pioneers. The entertainment was a finan- 
cial enterprise, created in the brain of Smith 
Hull, who agreed to furnish everything neces- 
sary except whisky and music, provided each 
gentleman would chop wood for him two da3's. 
Roswell Barnett played the fiddle, for which 
each couple paid him a bushel of corn (not the 
juice). AH was gayety and enjoyment. Cupid, 
the little wretch, was abroad, armed with bow 
and arrows, whose barbed points had been 
dipped in the green poison of jealousy. His 
skill at archery was better than usual on that 
occasion, and even he, hard-hearted though he 
be, must have enjoyed the music and dance, as 
during the evening he shot several arrows into 
warm hearts — arrows that had not been pois- 
oned with jealousy — hearts that wxre after- 
ward united. The ball was a domestic event, 
as well as a financial success. "Scheming 
mammas" were present to select husbands for 
their daughters — at least they were present. 
There was snow on the ground, and what a 
merry time they had going home. How " eyes 
looked love to eyes," and each throbbing heart 
beat a responsive echo to the one near it ! How 
short seemed the walk through the woods, and 
how the parting was protracted, as the first 
warm kiss of love was given and returned ! 



-^ 



642 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



There comes to the mind the sweet music of 
Burns — 

•'How sweetl}^ bloomed tlu' gay green birk! 

How rich the hawthorn's blossom! 
As underneath their fragrant shade, 

I clasped her to my bosom. 
The golden hours on angel wings 

Flew o'er me and my dearie; 
For dear to me as life and light. 

Was mj^ sweet Highland Mary." 

■' Wi' mony a vow and locked embrace, 
Our parting was fu' tender; 
And pledging aft to meet again 
We tore oursel's assunder." 

But the walk, so short and enjoyed so much, 
was ended — the sweet dream, like a vision of 
heaven passed awaj^ and the sober realities of 
pioneer life swept over the bright scene with 
their gloom and shadow. How many hearts 
that on that happy evening beat with love for 
the first time, could afterward cry out in sorrow 
as Burns did — 

"O! pale, pale now, those rosy lips, 

I aft hae kissed sae fondly; 
And clos'd for aye that sparkling glance, 

That dwelt on me sae kindly. 
And moldering now in silent dust. 

The heart that loved me dearly: 
Yet still within my bosom's core, 

Shall live my Highland Mary." 

Is there anything more precious than the sweet 
recollection of a sainted face that was once s » 
bright in youth and health, but which now lies 
pale and cold in the embrace of death "? Ah ! 
how man}' hearts, in the morning of life, with 
every prospect delightful and ever}' impulse of 
heart and mind ennobled by the vision of 
divine ideals, have been stricken down in fren- 
zied sorrow as their earthly idols were laid low 
in the dust — have gone weeping away, clothed 
in the mourning raiment of sackcloth and 
ashes. Then how kind is Solace to enter the 
sorrowing heart with sweet promises of the 
renewal of love in the shadowy world revealed 
to us in dreams. 

Copley belonged to Medina County before 
Summit County was created. It was Town- 
ship 2, Range 12, of the Western Reserve, and 
was one of six which composed Wolf Creek 
Township, the others being Norton, Wads- 
worth, Sharon, Guilford and Montville. It was 
organized into a distinct township, with its 
present boundaries and territory, in July, 
1819. The first township election was held in 



the barn of Allen Bosworth, as is shown by 
the following, which is quoted from the rec- 
ords : " On motion, Thomas Beckwith was 
elected Chairman, and then the meeting was 
adjourned to the barn of Allen Bosworth for 
the purpose of doing business." A year or 
two before, Lawrence Moore had been com- 
missioned one of the Justices of Wolf Creek 
Township, of which Coplej' was a part, and 
after the creation of the latter he served out 
his time. At this first election, Joseph Bos- 
worth and Jonathan Starr were rival candi- 
dates for the position of Justice of the Peace 
(not much rivalry, however, as neither was 
anxious to officiate in that capacity). Thirteen 
votes were polled, of which Bosworth received 
seven and Starr six. Owing to some imperfec- 
tion, either in the election or in the qualifica- 
tion, these proceedings were annulled, and a 
new election was ordered to be held June 10, 
1820, at which time Starr was elected. From 
the fact that the official duties in early years 
were light or altogether wanting, it was cus- 
tomary to honor one man with the responsibil- 
it}' and dignity of several offices. It thus 
occurred that Starr was the first Township 
Clerk. Thomas Beckwith was elected Super- 
visor in April, 1820, and Jacob Spafford and 
Lawrence Moore were elected Overseers of the 
Poor. The names of the other early officers 
are forgotten. The first lawsuit begun in Cop- 
ley was before Justice Lawrence Mooi'e. Suit 
was instituted at the suggestion of David 
Point, whose wife had loaned a spinning-wheel 
to Mrs. William Green, the latter, as was 
alleged, refusing to return certain portions of 
the machine. The matter was compromised 
before trial through the influence of Moore, 
who advised Mrs. Point in this wise : " You 
keep the grass too well trod between your 
houses ; let it grow thicker, and you will agree 
better." Some years afterward, Gat Yale arose 
one Sunday morning, and going out, discovered 
a bear endeavoring to escort a member of the 
genus Sus. against its wishes and vociferous 
protests, into the forest ; whereupon Yale, re- 
gardless of the day, pursued the bear and shot 
it. He was prosecuted before Squire Moore 
for violating the Sabbath, and, upon conviction, 
was fined $1. Whether this had anything to 
do with Gat's subseijuent conduct is not 
known ; but he soon afterward joined the 
Mormon ranks, and was living, not many years 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



^ «) 



643 



k 



ago. ;it Salt Lake City. From the fact that 
most of the earlier settlers of Cople}^ have 
passed awa}- like the twilight, and also that the 
township was settled later than others in its 
vicinit}^ it has been impossible to get posses- 
sion of personal incidents of adventure, with- 
out which a township record lacks an attractive 
feature. That many exciting and interesting 
hunts took place in early years is well known 
to the citizens. A circular hunt was instituted 
in about the year 1823, and a large portion or 
the whole of the township was inclosed. The 
center was one of the lax'ge swamps. But lit- 
tle could be learned by the writer concerning 
this hunt, except that quite a large number of 
deer, bears, wolves, etc., was killed. It is related, 
that, in the disposal of the game after the 
hunt had ended, two men, each of whom enter- 
tained a bitter grudge against the other, be- 
came angry, and a savage and protracted fight 
occurred, in which both men were badly used 
up. William Cogswell, who settled in Granger 
Township, Medina County, was one of the 
most noted of the early hunters in this section 
of country. He often penetrated the swamps 
in Cople}'. and, if the fticts could be known, 
many an exciting and dangerous hunt, in 
which he played the role of a star actor, could 
be told. Almost all of the earliest settlers 
who had arrived at man's estate when they 
first came in could boast of having killed bears 
during the few earliest ^-ears. At that time, it 
was no trouble to kill deer, as even the most 
inexperienced could fire a rifle (if they had a 
rest), and often that was the only effort neces- 
sary to bring down the quarry. 

It was not long ere Copley was well popu- 
lated, with numerous industries and institutions, 
which arose to improve the domestic, intellectual 
and moral status of the citizens. The steady 
and extensive demand for alcoholic drinks gave 
rise (as it alwaj-s will) to numerous distillei'ies, 
which began to furnish an abundance of whisky, 
which numbers its victims by the millions. So 
prevalent had become the practice of drinking, 
and so manj' men had become confirmed drunk- 
ards, despite reiterated statements to the con- 
trary, that efforts, made in a few localities to 
end the manufacture and consumption, atti'acted 
general attention, and were imitated throughout 
not only Copley and vicinit}-, but over the State 
and country. These efforts received a splendid 
impetus in about 1830, at which time almost 



every township in what is now Summit County 
organized well-attended temperance societies, 
and soon the various organizations could num- 
ber its members in the aggregate by thousands. 
In 1828. the church societies throughout the 
country' recommended a day to be observed in 
humiliation, fasting and prayer, on account of 
the prevailing sin of intemperance. In accord- 
ance with this recommendation, a meeting was 
announced to be lield for the purpose stated at 
the old log schoolhouse, on the northwest corner 
of Copley. The house was filled with enthusi- 
astic people, and prayers for the speed}^ termi- 
nation of the prevailing evil were freely offered. 
Remarks were made b}^ several of those present, 
during which the pointed question was asked, 
" Is it consistent for Christians to pray for the 
abrogation of any particular sin, or evil, when 
their actions and influence favor its continu- 
ance ?" This question unmasked the whole 
situation, and led to a spirited discussion as to 
what should be done in the case b}^ consistent 
and earnest Christian people. A committee 
was appointed to draft a constitution, which 
was to be submitted for adoption or rejection 
at a subsequent meeting. On the 29th of Janu- 
ary, 1829, the committee reported the following 
preamble and constitution, which is given in 
full, as it is said, on good authority, to have 
been the first one drafted and adopted in Ohio : 

Viewing, with feelings of deep regret, the fatal 
consequences resulting from the intemperate use of 
ardent spirits, and believing that so far from con- 
tributing to health, happiness or prosperity, the 
immoderate use of ardent spirits has a direct ten- 
dency to destroy health, debase the understanding 
and corrupt the morals ; and that it introduces vice 
and misery into families, and has a demoralizing 
influence on the community at large. 

We, therefore, the subscribers, professing to be 
friends to morahty and good order, and desiring to 
lend oin- influence to check the progress of an evil 
so fatal in its consequences, do hereby form our- 
selves into a Temperance Society, by adopting and 
adhering to the following constitution : 

Article 1. This society shall be called "The 
First Temperance Society of Medina Count}-." 

Art. 3. The object oi the compact shall be the 
suppression of intemperance, by doing away with 
the unnecessary use of ardent spirits. 

Art. 6. The members of this society pledge 
themselves not to use ardent spirits, unless neces- 
sary for the promotion of health or its restoration, 
and also to discoiu'age their use by others. 

Art. 4. (Refers to the duties and appointment 
of officers). 

Art. 5. The members of the compact shall make 
use of the means in their power to prevent the in- 






644 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



temperate use of ardent spirits, and shall use their 
endeavors to disseminate a knowledge of the direful 
and fatal effects of intemperance upon individuals 
and upon society generally. 

Art. 6. (Refers to the time of holding meetings). 

Art. 7. Each meeting shall be opened and closed 
by prayer. 

Art. 8. Any person may be a member of this 
society, by signing the foregoing articles and ad- 
hering to the same. 

Art. 9. This constitution may be altered by a 
majority vote of the society, notice being given to 
that effect at a previous meeting. 

John Codding, of Coddingville, is believed 
to have been the writer of this constitution. It 
was the first declaration of temperate independ- 
ence in Ohio, and the first four persons who 
appended their •' John Hancock's " to this in- 
teresting document are, in order, as follows : 
Lawrence Moore, John Codding, Eurt Codding 
and Charles Goodwin. This organization did 
good work, and yet apparently, it did not de- 
crease, in the least, the use of alcoholic drinks ; 
for, while some few signed and kept the pledge, 
many — through spite or otherwise — -resisted the 
movement, and encouraged the manufacture 
and consumption of whisky. The organization 
of the society' was largely brought about by 
the evil effects of several distilleries which had 
early been erected in the township, and which 
were doing a large business. The first one had 
been erected by Chancey and William Davis, 
about half a mile north of the Center, in the 
year 1820. Their grain was ground at neigh- 
boring mills, and finally at Akron, and, despite 
the establishment of temperance societies and 
the attack made on intemperance, this distil- 
lery was conducted for more than thirty years, 
turning out during its continuance large quan- 
tities of whisky, brandy, gin, and wine for 
sacramental and other purposes. It is said to 
have averaged as high as fifty gallons a day, 
and large quantities were shipped to distant 
points, and a fine revenue was returned to the 
owners. In about 1826, Allen Bosworth erected 
a distillery one-half mile west of the Center. 
He did a large, paying business for a number 
of years, and then rented the distillery to 
Alonzo Coon, who also conducted the business 
almost as extensively. It is said that the dis- 
tillery averaged about forty-five gallons a day 
while it was conducted. The building and ap- 
paratus were purchased in 1842, by Heman 
Oviatt, who almost immediately closed out the 
business. About this time, Alonzo Coon built 



another on the opposite side of the road. He 
also manufactured extensively for some four 
years, when he severed his connection with the 
business. Daniel Arnold erected a distillery in 
about the year 1840, and for some ten or twelve 
years averaged about twenty-five gallons of 
liquor a day, at the end of which time he like- 
wise changed his occupation. William Wel- 
house built an institution of the same kind 
about the same time, and averaged some forty 
gallons a day during the greater part of ten 
years. This sums up the record of these dis- 
tilleries, and yet it is impossible to write their 
complete history. Who shall tell of the evil 
done by them, of the homes and lives made 
desolate, of the misery created in families that 
before were bright with the sunshine of happi- 
ness. The business was so common, that those 
engaged in it thought no evil of what they were 
doing ; and, in earlier days, the manufacture 
was considered respectable and even laudable, 
as the distilleries furnished a market for grain, 
and supplied whisky, which, on account of cus- 
tom, was indispensable to farm management. 
It thus occurred, that many of the most re- 
spected and prominent citizens were engaged 
in the manufacture and sale of liquor. 

It is thought that Chancey and William 
Davis built the first saw-mill in the township. 
It was located a short distance north of the 
village. They put in the same building a turn- 
ing-lathe and one run of stone for grinding 
grain. A dam was built across Pigeon Creek, 
and a fair water-power was obtained by means 
of a race. After operating the mill about ten 
years, it was sold to Reuben Lord. It after- 
ward was owned and operated for short peri- 
ods b^^ Col. John Stearns, Charles Fuller, Hen- 
ry Clark, George Welhouse, Charles Crum, 
Henry Stimpson, Ransom Arnold, and several 
others. It is yet standing, and is owned by 
Mr. Arnold. While in the possession of Mr. 
Lord, the turning-lathe and set of stones were 
removed, and were not afterward replaced. 
The mill has always been a good one, and, in 
its time, has furnished large quantities of lum- 
ber, much of which ma}- yet be found in dwell- 
ings and other buildings over a large tract of 
country. 

Lawrence Moore built a saw-mill in about 
the year 1830, locating it on Yellow Creek, 
in the northwest part of the township. 
It was abandoned at the end of some ten or 



•K* 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



645 



twelve years. A saw-mill was built on Wolf 
Creek, in about the year 1832, by Col. John 
Stearns, but was sold a year or two later to 
Benjamin Stimpson, who, after operating it six 
or eight years, sold out to John Hetrick, upon 
whose hands it ran down, and was not subse- 
quently rebuilt or re-operated. Parker & T3'ler 
built one on the same stream a year or two 
after the erection of the last mentioned, and 
after operating it quite extensively fifteen or 
twent}^ years, it was purchased by Allen Par- 
dee, who improved it and built a grist-mill on 
the same dam. The saw-mill was soon afterward 
discontinued. Peter and Levitt Wicks also 
built a saw- mill on Wolf Creek prior to 1835. 
At the expiration of about five years, the mill 
was purchased by George Welhouse, under 
whose management it was conducted success- 
fully for about fifteen years, when it went into 
the possession of Mr. Austin, who removed the 
machiner}' to another locality. Chancey 
Davis and Col. Stearns built a saw-mill in the 
swamps in the eastern part, in about the year 
1844. It ran for a number of yeai's, and was 
burned down, but was rebuilt. It was aban- 
doned long ago. Two or three others have 
been built in the swamps in later years, the 
most of which have been operated by steam. 
David Grill built one within the corporate lim- 
its of the village some seven years ago. It 
is operated by steam. A carding-mill was 
erected at an early da}- on Wolf Creek, but af- 
ter two or three years, the enterprise was aban- 
doned. 

The grist-mill, conducted by the Davis Broth- 
ers north of town, was the first in Copley. 
Allen Pardee conducted his grist-mill, men- 
tioned above, until some sixteen years ago. 
Charles Zeigler owns and operates the mill at 
present. It is said that Allen Pardee was the 
only one among the earl}' owners of grist-mills 
who derived a paying income from the busi- 
ness. The mill under his management is said 
to have been excellent, and a large amount of 
merchant work was done in addition to the reg- 
ular custom work. Mr. Welhouse, at the time 
he got possession of the saw-mill on Wolf 
Creek, built a grist-mill on the same dam, 
wliich was burned down some ten years later. 
It was a good mill, and did good work. Col. 
Stearns and Darwin Clark built a grist-mill at 
the Center in about 1858, in which were placed 
three run of stone. The mill started finely, but. 



two years later, was burned to the ground, and 
was not afterward rebuilt. 

In 1837, a stock company was formed for the 
purpose of furnishing teams and a stage, to be 
run from Cleveland to Massillon, by the way 
of Brecksville, Copley and Clinton. Some $2,500 
worth of stock was subsci'ibed and paid in, and 
sixteen horses were purchased to be used on the 
route. The round trip from Cleveland was 
made in two daj's by a change of horses at the 
different stations. The Shepard Brothers, at 
Brecksville, had been largely instrumental in 
securing the subscription, and some twent}- or 
twenty-five men along the route had taken stock 
in the company, several of whom lived in Cop- 
ley. About a year after the stage began run- 
ning, for some cause which the writer was un- 
able to learn, all the horses were taken to 
Cleveland, where they were detained, and the 
stage ceased its regular trips. The company 
was not incorporated, the members being simply 
bound together by a naked contract. The de- 
tention of the horses at Cleveland was probably 
a scheme to defraud the greater number of the 
members out of their stock. But this was not 
to be permitted, and several citizens along the 
route went to Cleveland and got at least a num- 
ber of the horses, and the matter was finally 
adjusted. 

The first building at the center was a log 
schoolhouse, located opposite Mr. Cole's Hotel, 
and was built in the year 1819. In referring 
to the village, the present corporate limits are 
not included, but simpl\- the clusters of houses 
at the geographical center. According to the 
reports, the next building was the Thomas store, 
built by Peter and Levitt Wicks in about the 
year 1826. These men, as stated by several, 
placed in the building about $500 worth of 
goods, which the}^ continued to sell until they 
were bought out by Oviatt & Baldwin. Other 
reports are to the effect that the Wicks Brothers 
did not keep a stock of goods at all. but that 
the storeroom was unoccupied until it was pur- 
chased by Oviatt & Baldwin. At least, it is 
known that the latter firm placed goods valued 
at about $2,000 in the room, in about the j-ear 
1832, and continued selling some five years, 
when the partnership was dissolved, and the 
junior member entered the Cole Hotel, which 
had been erected by him two jears before, and 
formally opened the building for the entertain, 
ment of the public. After the dissolution of 



:v 



4j 



646 



HLSTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



the partnership, Mr. Oviatt almost immediately 
retired, and engaged in other pursuits. Patch 
& Robinson succeeded him, probably' buying 
his stock of goods, which was increased ; but 
these men retired after about one }ear and a 
half They were followed by Robert Codding, 
who likewise engaged in other pursuits after 
two or three years. The room remained unoc- 
cupied for a short time ; but, in 1845, Augus- 
tus Warner entered it with a small stock, 
which was steadily increased, until, at the ex- 
piration of six years, it was worth at least 
$3,000. He kept a good store, and is said to 
have made considerable money, which he knew 
how to save. Nash & Stebbins followed War- 
ner, but two years later they were succeeded 
by John Starr, who continued until the spring 
of 18G5, making in the meantime no little 
money. He then sold to Mr. Lame}^, who, at 
the end of eighteen months, transferred the 
stock to William P. Craig, the latter remaining 
in the business some six 3'ears. Nathan Furst 
was Craig's partner, at least, a portion of the 
time. He continued the pursuit after the re- 
tirement of Craig, but six months later failed, 
and his goods were sold at auction and other- 
wise throughout the surrounding country'. The 
building was then vacant a year or so, after 
which Mr. Gardner placed in it a small stock 
of goods ; but in about 1875, 0. T. Lane be- 
gan with a new stock, and two years later sold 
to Callow & Leonard. The building is at pres- 
ent occupied by Mr. Thomas. 

The town hall building was erected by Joseph 
and Henry White in about the year 1837. It 
was designed for a storeroom, but for some 
reason unexplained was not entered until about 
1841, when Wicks & Parmele placed a stock 
of goods in the building, and conducted the 
mercantile pursuit some three years, when Par- 
melee purchased his partner's share, and soon 
afterward removed his stock to the Welhouse 
settlement, at which place he sold goods for a 
number of years. Two or three other parties 
were in the White building for a short time. 
George Babcock was in with a small stock 
some twelve years before the last war, but with- 
drew at the expiration of about two 3'ears, and 
the building has not been used since as a store- 
room. This has been the extent of the mer- 
cantile pursuit in Copley Center, though there 
have been one or two country stores in the 
western part of the township. The tavern 



building has been used as such the greater por- 
tion of the time since it was built and opened 
b}' Andrew Baldwin. Since then, the follow- 
ing and others have kept public house in the 
village : Noah Robinson, Hiram Randall, Mr. 
Van Evera, Lewis Norton and Daniel Taylor. 
The building was used a number of years by 
Oviatt & Stearns as a cheese dry-iiouse. It is 
now occupied b}' Dennis Cole, an experienced 
landlord, whose personal appearance in every 
way resembles that of his fellow-countr3'man, 
the patron saint of boys (not girls), Santa Glaus, 
or Kurcht Globes. It is also true that — 

" The stump of a pipe he holds tight in his teeth. 
And the smoke it encircles his head like a wreath, 
He lias a broad face and a little round body 
That shakes when he hiuglis like a bowl fidl of 
toddy," 

Various industries have flourished in the 
village. Isaac Moneysraith, as early as 1833, 
erected a suitable building, and began doing 
cabinet work. He emplo^^ed three or four 
workmen, and made bedsteads, tables, bureaus, 
chairs, etc., and continued until about 1837, 
when Douglass Storr became proprietor. This 
man continued the l)usiness perhaps ten years, 
or possibly longer, manufacturing coffins and 
running a hearse a portion of the time. The 
building was finally burned down. Dow Ben- 
nett was engaged in cabinet business for a 
short time. Soon after the last war, Coon & 
Son started a cheese factory, one-half mile west 
of the Center, and have continued doing a good 
business since. The White Brothers opened a 
wagon-shop in about the year 1832. They 
employed some four workmen, and continued 
the occupation ten 3'ears, when they sold to W. 
P. Craig, who, at the end of three or four years, 
transferred the property to William Whitehill, 
in whose ownership it burned down. It was 
rebuilt by Henry Leiby about eight years ago. 
Edward Voluntine now owns the shop, and is 
doing a fair business. The public green or 
square at the Center was the joint gift of four 
men. whose land in earlj- years cornered at the 
cross-roads. These four men were Heman 
Oviatt, Levitt Wicks, Simon P. Starr and Jon- 
athan Starr, who gave the land in about the 
year 1832. It is said that Mr. Oviatt, about 
the same time, laid out a number of lots on the 
northwest corner, which were platted and prop- 
erly recorded at the county seat. Additions 
have since been made to the original lots, and 



?p 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



647 



possibly some of these additions have been 
recorded. A Grange lodge was organized in 
the village a few years ago. Dr. Alpheus Bab- 
cock, who was among the earliest settlers, 
began practicing his profession soon after his 
arrival, and continued some ten years. Dr. 
Elijah Canfield practiced in the township for 
thirty 3^ears, over a large section of country. 
Dr. Samuel Austin was in for a few years. Dr. 
Jackson Chapman began about 1835, and con- 
tinued twelve or fifteen years. Dr. Byi'on 
Chapman was the township phj^sician about 
thirty-five years ago. The township, since its 
creation, has had a resident physician the 
greater portion of the time, several of whom 
secured a wide practice and the confidence of 
their fellow-citizens. 

Opinion is divided in the township as to 
where the first school was taught, and where 
and when the first house was built. The old 
log schoolhouse at the Center, as before men- 
tioned, was erected in 1819, and the first term 
therein was taught the following winter by 
Jonathan Starr. Other reports are to the ef- 
fect that while Starr might have taught the 
first school in the township, he was not the 
first teacher in the old house at the Center, this 
honor being accorded to John Codding, Esq. 
They were both verj- early teachers, and it 
may be that the first school was taught in the 
old log schoolhouse in the northwest corner of 
the township, instead of in the schoolhouse at 
the Center, as it is known that the Hawkins 
Schoolhouse was built very early, some ac- 
counts fixing the date before that when the 
log house was built at the Center. The subse- 
quent township historian will be allowed the 
honor and pleasure of uni'aveling the mystery. 
The old house at the Center was used for school 
and many other purposes some tea or twelve 
years, when a frame building was erected on 
the square to take its place, after which it was 
abandoned. The frame building was used as 
a schoolhouse until the erection of the brick 
building in about 1858, and possibly several 
terms were taught there after the erection of 
the brick. It is said that two or three years 
before the last war was begun, two or three 
schools were in session in the village at the 
same time. The frame building is now used 
as a shop, and the brick was disused in 1872, 
when the present house was devoted to school 
purposes. This building is located in the 



southern part of the village, and since it has 
been used the village has had an excellent 
school. In truth, no other village in the county 
of the same size, except, perhaps. Peninsula, 
in Boston Township, haa had so much to do 
with school ventures and enterprises as Copley 
Center. A short time before the last war, the 
villagers became dissatisfied with the appli- 
ances made of the township school fund. They 
saw that, while the village had no better 
schools than those in suri'ounding districts, the 
Center District was paying a much greater 
amount of school tax than any of the others. 
New schoolhouses in neighboring districts were 
erected, and the villagers were burdened with 
a tax which seemed out of proportion, and 
which they paid only under remonstrance. 
The subject was freely discussed, and it was at 
last resolved to secure the incorporation of the 
Center School District, which was accordingl}^ 
done. This procedure freed them from anj^ 
school tax, save that necessary for the main- 
tenance of their own school. The interest in 
school affairs had arisen to high-water mark, 
and while at the flood the tide was turned in 
the proper direction, and it ma^' be said that, 
since the incorporation of the district for school 
purposes, the interest in educational progress 
has been strong and steady. In about 1858, 
the building now used as a town hall, which 
had been built at an early day for a storehouse, 
was purchased for $1,000, by ten men, each of 
whom furnished $100. These men were M. D. 
Pratt. Cyrus Wicks, J. H. Lyon, John C. 
Stearns, Peter Wicks, James Hammond, Aaron 
Oviatt, Lorenzo Chamberlain, Delos Bosworth 
and Alanson Foster. They fitted up the build- 
ing for a schoolhouse, and employed Rev. John 
Ensell, a capable instructor and a scholarly 
gentleman, to take charge of the school, which 
was then opened. A goodly number of schol- 
ars was enrolled, and a moderate tuition i)aid, 
and it seemed as if the school was destined to 
exert a wide and beneficial influence. But the 
war came on with its damaging influence, other 
discouraging events arose, and the school 
ended some five years after it began. The 
school in the northwest corner has always been 
a good one. It is a union district, comprising 
parts of Copley, Bath. Granger and Sharon. 
It was an early settled neighborhood, and on 
account of the interest which centered there, 
became well known and largely attended. One 



648 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



or more new houses have taken the place of 
the old log one. In other neighborhoods than 
the northwest corner and the Center, schools 
were not taught until about 1828, and in some 
districts even later than that. It was about 
that period, also, that the township was first 
laid out into school districts. 

Two religious societies were organized in tlie 
township, but the date when this occurred can 
not be given, at least with certainty. The 
Methodists and Congregationalists started up 
about the same time, and the date is not far 
from 1830. Among the leading Methodists 
were Joseph and Henry White, Parker Tyler, 
Alpheus Northrup and others. In the winter 
of 1836-37, this society had the greatest re- 
vival probabh' ever in the township. The 
sweeping statement is made, " Why, everybody' 
joined church." Two ministers of State reputa- 
tion — Dr. Cone and Elder Poe — had charge of 
the meetings, and under their experienced 
and able guidance and management, scores 
were converted and the churches strength- 
ened by large additions to the membership. 
Alpheus Noi'thrup was a local minister, about 
whom a curious incident is related by M. D. 
Pratt. Pratt was converted— at least, he joined 
the Methodist Church — and one day Northrup 
came to him and wanted to borrow one of his 
horses, of which he owned several, some of 
them being idle. The request was readily 
granted, and the local man of Grod rode the 
animal away. After two or three weeks had 
elapsed, several of the neighbors' boys, at dif- 
ferent times, spoke to Mr. Pratt, saying that 
the horse which had been borrowed was getting 
poor and did not appear to be well taken care 
of, upon which the owner conferred with the 
minister about the matter, the latter confessing 
that the animal was getting thin, and saj'ing 
that he would get some grain and see that bet- 
ter care was taken in the future. A few weeks 
later, the minister called on Mr. Pratt, saying 
that the horse was dead, and expressing his de- 
sire to pay for the damage done. He also in- 
sisted that, under existing circumstances, the 
price should be cut down at least half Mr. 
Pratt, glad to get an3'thing for the animal from 
the minister, who was in extremely indigent 
circumstances, agreed to the proposal, and the 



price was fixed at $25. Northrup gave his 
note for the amount, and took his departure. 
A few days later, Pratt was astonished to see 
the minister riding the animal which was re- 
ported to have died, and he perceived that he 
had been outflanked. He kept still, however, 
hoping to realize on the note ; but time passed 
awa}', the day of maturity came around, but 
nothing was paid, and thus the matter rests to- 
day. It is said that Mr. Northrup's mind was 
injured in some wa}', and that he often did pe- 
culiar things — things which otherwise would 
reflect seriously on his honest intentions. Mr. 
Pratt tells the tale with some bitterness, 
which, under the peculiar circumstances of the 
case, may be permitted. The Congregational 
society grew in strength and grace, and among 
its early members were the following : Law- 
rence Moore, Heman Oviatt, Joseph and Sam- 
uel Hawkins and Andrew Baldwin. In the 
year 1844, the two societies united means and 
erected the church at the Center. Here they 
have continued to assemble alternately until 
the present. Each society has had its years of 
adversity and prosperity, sometimes rejoicing 
in the strength of a large memberstiip and an 
abundance of funds, at other times reduced in 
numbers, funds depleted, and a noticeable lack 
of religious zeal. That the societies have done 
a great deal to improve the morals of the com- 
munity and control the wayward tendenc}' of 
youth, is apparent to all who will soberly think 
of the subject. However skeptical a man may 
be, though his opinions may be those of Diab- 
olus himself, he cannot successfuU}' deny the 
beneficent effect of good morals on society. 
He may denounce the church and traduce its 
servants, yet he cannot truthfully deny that it 
creates a world-wide benefit to the human race. 
A Methodist Church was built at quite an early 
daN' on the northern line of the township, the 
members living both in Cople}- and Bath. The 
The building is now used as a dwelling in the 
village of Ellis' Corners, if the historian has 
been correctly informed. Citizens in the west- 
ern part of Cople}' attend church in Medina 
County, while man}- of those on the opposite 
side attend the Akron churches when the 
weather is fair. 




> 



^v 



? ■ 




TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



649 



k. 



CHAPTER XXXI.* 

TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP— PHVSICAL AND CLIMATIC FEATURES— EARLY SETTLEMENT AND IM- 
PROVEMENT—PROGRESS OF INDUSTRIES— INCIDENTS OF PERSONAL NATURE 
—TWINSBURG INSTITUTE — SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES. 



Toe AL history possesses a peculiarity which 
J evades a cursory view, remaining concealed 
until persons of greater penetration peer be- 
neath the covering of average superficial human 
thought. People must be content with an ac- 
cuiate, though sifted, partial narration of events. 
Innumerable transactions and events occur in 
life that should and must forever remain unre- 
corded, that should die out in memory with the 
age in which they transpired. History, at best, 
is but a partial narration of particulars, depend- 
ing largely upon the mental and moral caliber 
and culture of the writer. Perhaps no two 
writers, in describing the same historical event, 
will present the same features, the same shades 
of thought or sentiment, the same degree of 
power and importance which each composing 
element bears to its fellows or to the whole. 
Historians cannot, especially if they were 
absent when the event transpired, which is 
Lisuall}' the case, they cannot write all the cir- 
cumstances, all the motives, all the intricate 
blendings and relations of which an occurrence 
is composed. The}' must give an outline, must 
give the salient points with their proper degree 
of importance, must overleap the dark chasms 
of non-essentials which j'awn beneath them, 
and touch only on the heights where the sun- 
shine of human experience, human nature and 
human frailties reveals not only the object for 
Avhich history is written, but the long vistas of 
prominent events which are to be recorded for 
future usefulness and improvement. 

The peculiarity spoken of, which is connected 
with the narration of local history, consists in 
the writer's being required by an inexperienced 
and short-sighted people to give an account of 
occurrences which are better unrecorded, which 
have no special significance nor value in com- 
ing years, which are a clog to the mind of the 
reader while endeavoring to decipher the more 
important events from the general obscurity, 

♦Contributed by W. A. Goodspced. 



and which are onlj' required that the}- may 
answer individual ends. On the other hand, 
the historian must be careful, must be broad of 
heart and mind, that he may grasp the local 
situation, and paint events in their true colors ; 
must be argus-eyed, that nothing may escape 
his scrutiny ; and must be honest and consci- 
entious, that his discoveries may be truthfully 
recorded. He should also be a good judge of 
human nature, that the suggestions of selfish 
and bigoted people may be impartially scanned, 
and accepted or rejected. Events are often 
omitted, which, apparently, should have been 
given ; and again, events ave often given which 
should have been omitted. Human judgment 
is prone to err " as the sparks to fl}' upward ;" 
and even historians are not exceptions to this 
rule. It is the object in these pages to give 
onl}- that portion of the past that is worthy of 
preservation. Trifiing personal incidents, ad- 
ventures and ambitions are omitted, except 
such as show the surroundings under which the 
settlers labored ; and the great mass of histor- 
ical rubbish, though perhaps of present interest, 
is thrown aside as useless and burdensome. 
Onl}' those events which will be valuable twenty 
generations hence are designed to be given. 

Twinsburg is situated in the northeast corner 
of the county. It was originally attached to 
Portage County, from which it was severed 
when Summit Count}- was formed. LjMng as 
it does at the side of North field, its soil par- 
takes largely of the valuable character of the 
latter. There are several valuable stone quar- 
ries lying so near the surface that a heav}- blast 
of powder would, apparently-, throw out hun- 
dreds of perches of the gritty sandstone. As 
it is, large quantities are taken out, and are 
used not merely in the count}-, but in adjacent 
counties. The township is well watered, and 
also well drained. In times of drought, the 
wells are not so liable to fail as those located 
on the bluffs which bound the Cuyahoga 



-4.: 



650 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT C0U:NTY. 



River. The township is drained almost wholly 
by Tinker's Creek. This stream enters near 
the southeast corner and flows northwest, leav- 
ing one mile east of the northwest corner. 
There are several valuable falls, the principal 
one being at Millville. In early years, in the 
northern part of the township, the bed of the 
creek widened out to three or four times its 
ordinary width, thus creating what might be 
termed a lake on a small scale. There is con- 
siderable quite level land, which, when the 
country was new, was very wet, affording but 
little satisfaction to those who were obliged to 
cross it. Since the opening of the forests has 
let in the heat of the sun, the soil is found to 
be in about the proper condition to work. The 
soil is mainl}' destitute of clay, consisting 
mostly' of a dark loam, which contains a large 
proportion of decaj'ing vegetable ingredients. 
Large quantities of stone are being taken out 
at the quarry one mile north of the Center. 

Much of the early history of this township 
has already been written by some of its earliest 
and most reliable citizens. While much of this 
must be repeated, not only from its value, but 
from the fact that it is unusually complete, 
new items of historical importance, which have 
been carefully gathered and selected, will be 
added. The writer has taken pains to collect 
additional information on those subjects which 
are treated quite fully by Ethan Ailing, Luman 
Lane and Gen. Bierce. In a few instances, 
those writers have made mistakes, some of 
which have been discovered and will be 
avoided. Other subjects have not been treated 
as thoroughly as their historical value de- 
mands, resulting no doubt from the primary 
nature of these records. Again, other impor- 
tant topics have been altogether overlooked. 
The writings of the above-named men are valu- 
able, and ai'e mainly followed. 

The original proprietors of Twinsburg were 
Mills & Hoadley, who owned the south and 
southeasterl}' parts ; Henry Champion, who 
owned the west and northwesterly parts, and 
Moses and Aaron Wilcox, who owned the north 
and northeasterly parts. The principal stream 
in the township was named by Gen. Moses 
Cleaveland, in honor of the principal boatman, 
Joseph Tinker, who accompanied the first ex- 
ploring expedition sent to the Western Reserve 
by the Connecticut Land Company. While par- 
ties of the surveyors were running the merid- 



ians in the eastern part of the Reserve, during 
the summer of 1796, Gen. Cleaveland, accom- 
panied by Joseph Tinker, went up the lake on 
an exploring voyage, as far as the mouth of the 
Cuyahoga, and then up that river until they 
discovered a large creek, which, in honor of his 
boatman. Gen. Cleaveland named " Tinker's 
Creek." Tinker was engaged the following 
year in the same capacity, in the second explor- 
ing expedition to the Reserve. In the fall, 
when the company was returning down the lake, 
the boat containing Tinker was capsized, and 
he was drowned. But the stream still bears his 
name, and will until the end of time. 

In 1810-17, Lewis Ailing, of Connecticut, 
purchased 400 acres of land of Mills & Hoad- 
ley, l3'ing in the southeast part of Millsville 
Township (now Twinsburg). On the 3d of 
March, 1817, he sent his son Ethan, then a strip- 
ling aged sixteen years, to this land in the Re- 
serve to commence an improvement. Three 
young men — Zeri Ailing, Rodolphus Wolcott 
and Lex Johnson — were hired and sent out at 
the same time to assist him. After a muddy 
journc}', except one day's travel on the ice from 
Buflialo to Dunkirk, this little part}' of four ar- 
rived at the cabin of Mr. Post, in Hudson, on 
the last day of March. The next da}' the party, 
accompanied, or rather guided, by Mr. Mills, 
started north to have a look at the land, upon 
which they were destined to undergo many hard 
da3's' labor. Following a line of marked trees, 
they at last reached a spot which Mr. Mills in- 
formed them was the center of the township. 
They all sat down and rested under a beech 
tree which stood just at the southeast corner of 
the square. The spot was muddy and uninvit- 
ing, and the party followed up the creek until 
the}^ came to "the falls," where the}' found some 
sticks of hewed timber which had been drawn 
there by settlers of Hudson who designed build- 
ing a saw-mill. The project, however, had been 
abandoned, although a small, partly finished 
log cabin had been erected, which was yet 
standing, an emblem of desertion and loneliness. 
After returning to Hudson and remaining there 
two weeks, clearing in the meantime a piece 
of land to be planted in corn, the boys selected 
a hill known now as the Hawkins farm, the 
land being a portion that had been purchased 
by Lewis Ailing, and began clearing oft' the 
timber. On the 15th of April, the}' "moved" 
to the half-finished log cabin already referred to, 






TWINSBUEG TOWNSHIP. 



651 



taking with them a barrel of stale pork that had 
been bought of Capt. Oviatt for $25, a barrel 
of flour that had cost $8, ten bushels of pota- 
toes that had cost $5, and a gallon of whisky 
that had cost $1.50. The}" were supplied with 
a bake-kettle without a bail, two tin pans, one 
case knife, one iron spoon, and were compelled 
to use chips for plates and sharp sticks for 
forks. Ethan Ailing kept house, doing the 
cooking, etc., not onl}' for his part}- but for va- 
rious visitors who were attracted to the spot, in 
order, perhaps, to get a " square meal." On the 
7th of Jul}', Lewis Ailing and his family ar- 
rived, and moved into a log house that had been 
erected b}' the boys about the 1st of June. This 
building was the home, during the 3'ear, of the 
Ailing famil}-, and also of several others, num- 
bering in all fourteen persons. The house was 
two-storied, having one room above and one 
below, and, although ever^'thing was in the most 
primitive fashion. 3-et all seemed to live well 
and enjoy themselves. Provisions were very 
costl}', though venison could be had without 
much trouble. Pork sold for about $8 per hun- 
dred, while the same quantity of venison could 
be bought for $\. Salt was $10 per barrel, cot- 
ton shirting 50 cents per yard, and calico 75 
cents per 3ard. 

Toward*^the latter part of May, 1817, Maj. 
Elisha Loomis, E. W. Mather and Lester Davis 
arrived from Connecticut, and, after stopping 
a few days with the Allings, built a log cabin 
at a place since known as Loomis Mills. Mr. 
Loomis had been a sailor on the ocean for 
many years, having sailed twice round the 
world in the ship Oneida. Frederick Stanley 
came in about the saine time Loomis did. On 
the 1st of Jul}-, Lewis Ailing, Jr., Gideon 
Thompson and Zenas Ailing arrived with a 
drove of 104 merino sheep, having driven them, 
in thirty days, 660 miles. It was thought that 
sheep-rearing could be made profitable, but the 
owners were doomed to disappointment. The 
wolves killed many of them, as did also the 
dogs, while others died of strange diseases 
which baffled all care. The flock were soon all 
gone. At the close of 1820, the following set- 
tlers had found homes in the township : Lewis 
Ailing. William Allen, Elisha Loomis, Elias 
Mather, Joel W. Thompson, Josiah Myric, 
Noah P. Nichols, A. J. Palmer, Henry Bennett, 
Amos C. Taylor, Lyman Richmond, Keuben 
Chamberlain, Frederick Stanley, John Bassett, 



Samuel Vail, Edwin Vail, Homer Vail, John 
Dodge, Isaiah Humphrey, Roman Humphrey. 
Nestor Hurlbut, Ezra Osborn, Preston Pond, 
Samuel Alger, Cyrus Hodskin, N. S. Barnett, 
Cotton M. Leech, Levi Leech, Emery Alger, 
Elijah W. Bronson, Asa l^pson. Orrin Tucker, 
Leonard Kilbourn, Oliver Clark and Messrs. 
Perkins, Sawyer, Davis and Darling. 

The township was organized in 1819. An 
election was ordered to be held in April of that 
year, by the Commissioners of Portage County, 
and on that occasion nineteen voters were pres- 
ent. Frederick Stanley was chosen Clerk, and a 
few other offices were filled ; but it was found nec- 
essary during the following autumn to elect the 
the remainder, at which time Lewis Ailing and 
Samuel Vail were chosen Justices of the Peace, 
receiving their commissions from the county 
court. Elisha Loomis was the second Clerk. 
E. W. Bronson third, and Luman Lane fourth, 
the latter serving in 1822. The township was 
named in 1819, in honor of and at the sugges- 
tion of, the Wilcox brotheis. who were twins. 
These brothers did not come West until 1823 ; 
but owning as they did several thousand acres 
in the northeastern part, they proposed giving 
six acres at the center for a public square, and 
$20 toward building the first schoolhouse. pro- 
viding the township was named Twinsburg in 
their honor. Their proposal was accepted : but 
prior to that time the township was known 
either by its range and number, or as Millsville. 
Elijah W. Bronson was the real estate agent of 
the Wilcox brothers, being authorized to dis- 
pose of their land previous to their coming to 
the township. Luman Lane was the first, or 
one of the first, to erect a dwelling on the Wil- 
cox tract. Maria Stanley was the first child 
born, that event occurring November 23. 1819. 
The first death was in the spring of 1819. and 
was that of a child of Reuben Chamberlain. 
The first marriage occurred INIarch 19. 1821. 
between p]mery W. Alger and Eliza Dodge, 
Lewis Ailing, Esq.. performing the ceremony in 
backwoods fashion. 

In 1817, Elisha Loomis erected a saw-mill in 
the southeastern corner on Tinker's Creek. A 
natural fall in the stream, of some ten feet, aided 
by a strong dam. furnished a fine water-power. 
Water was supplied by means of a race, and 
the mill continued to do good work for a num- 
ber of years. In 1818, E. W. Mather built a 
frame grist-mill at the same place, on the op- 



"e) ^ 



652 



HISTORY or SUMMIT COUNTY. 



posite side of the creek. This mill was oper- 
ated until about 1840, when it ceased from lack 
of patronage. The presence of these two mills 
at the falls served to atti-act settlers to that 
locality, and several dwellings were soon seen 
on the adjoining hills. This proceeding met 
the approval of the proprietors of that tract, 
who had already placed on paper a plat of the 
prospective village of " Millsville." They saw 
a general disposition on the part of the settlers 
to locate there, and determined to profit by it. 
They accordingly laid out a number of lots, and 
offered them for sale at prices ranging from 
$50 to $200 ; but they had greatly miscalcu- 
lated, as scarcely a lot was sold. There were 
but few mechanics in the country then, and 
they sought larger villages in which to pi}' their 
craft. And then the price asked was ten times 
too much for that early period of the growth of 
the village. All shunned the village, and at 
last, when the proprietors awoke to the true 
state of affairs, they were too late to remedy 
the evil. There was no demand for the lots 
then at any price. The tradesmen, mechanics 
and merchants had gone elsewhere, leaving the 
proprietors to repent in sackcloth and ashes for 
their short-sightedness. The mills, at this antici- 
pated village, were not the only ones in Twins- 
burg in early years. Apollos White built a 
dam across Tinker's Creek in about 1835, and 
erected thereon two mills — one for grinding 
grain and the other for sawing lumber. Both 
did fair work for a number of years. White 
finally sold the grist-mill to a man named Gibbs, 
who, after operating it a few years, sold to other 
parties. It finall}- burned down in about 1865, 
George and Alfred Ledgsham being the owners 
at the time. These mills did good work, and 
had an extensive patronage in their day. It 
was an accommodation to get flour and lumber 
so near home, for it saved tiresome journeys 
through roads whose bottom was too far down 
to be reached with comfort. 

Roads were important considerations when 
the countr}' was first settled. If a path was 
cleared through the woods for that purpose, it 
seemed as if all the stagnant water for rods 
around was sure to settle there. The turnpike 
was largel}' graded by the owners of the land 
across which it ran. Mills and Hoadley worked 
the turnpike along their land, as did also Henry 
Champion. These men evidently had an ob- 
ject in view in this proceeding, as they after- 



ward charged an additional dollar per acre more 
for the land adjoining the turnpike than for 
other portions. The citizens gave from $10 to 
$50 each to assist in defraying the expense of 
constructing this road, the amount given reach- 
ing very nearly $3,000. In 1821, the citizens 
living on the road running north from the Cen- 
ter, pledged themselves to labor on that road 
each alternate Saturda}'^ afternoon, or forfeit a 
half-gallon of whisk}'. Tradition tells us of a 
great many forfeits paid ; but does not utter a 
syllable as to what became of the whisky. In 
spring time, when Tinker's Creek was raging, 
the settlers living on the opposite side found it 
extremely difficult to cross over to the Center. 
This finally led to the erection of a bridge more 
than forty rods in length, which lasted for a 
number of years. Brush and stone and logs 
were placed in muddy spots in the roads ; and, 
some time in the distant future, when these 
places are invaded, and portions of the wood 
found in a fair state of preservation, newspaper 
speculations as to how long they have been 
there will be in order. 

In 1825, J]than Ailing began the dairy busi- 
ness with twenty-two cows, several of which 
had been bought for $12 each. The butter 
made was taken to Akron once each week, and 
sold at 8 cents per pound for the use of the 
canal laborers. Considerable cheese was also 
made, but from a lack of suitable places in 
which to keep it, a large portion was lost. Six 
hundred pounds, however, were sold at Aurora 
for 5 cents a pound. This was the first cheese 
made in Twinsburg. In 1828, Joseph Cham- 
berlain also began making cheese and butter 
from the milk of some thirty cows. About the 
same time, several others began the same occu- 
pation, which was conducted so extensively 
that money began to flow into Twinsburg, in- 
stead of out of it as befoi'e. About $1,000 
came to the township in 1833 from this source 
alone. Twinsburg has since been noted for its 
interest in dairy matters. The sales steadily 
increased until, in 1860, they amounted to 
more than $75,000, and in 1880 to nearly 
$100,000. It is difficult to conceive how scarce 
money was in pioneer times, and how people 
managed to get along without it. When the 
settlers first rushed to the township, there was 
considerable money for a few years ; but when 
a lull in the immigration occurred, the ready 
money flowed away like water, leaving the set- 



\J<j(s- 



■k^ 



TWTNSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



653 



tiers to discover some means of getting along 
without it. At first, when raone^^ was abund- 
ant, prices were ver}' high ; bat when the mone}^ 
had served its purpose and gone to distant 
places, prices gradual!}' went down until they 
became ver}^ low. The settlers, who afterward 
came drizzling in (if the expression may be 
allowed) brought ready mone}', and the settlers 
already there were anxious to become their 
bosom friends. This rapid change created two 
distinct prices — one called the trade price, and 
the other the cash price. Promissory notes, 
due at some future day, were made payable in 
horses, cattle, hogs, wheat, potatoes, etc., etc. 
Quite a number who came early were induced 
to promise to pay $5 or $6, per acre for their 
farms. Some succeeded, but most of them 
failed, and were obliged to leave the farms, 
several of which, with all their improvements 
upon them, were afterward sold for $3 an acre. 
Early in the spring of 1821, Joel W. Thomp- 
son, seeing around him a strong demand for 
liquor, erected a small distillery at a spring in 
the southeastern part of the township. Con- 
siderable rye whisky was made for a short 
time, which was carried away in gallon bottles, 
as fast as it was made. In 1826, a strong im- 
pulse was given to the temperance cause in 
Summit County, or what is now Summit County. 
Societies for the suppression of liquor-traffic 
and liquor-drinking were organized in every 
township, not only in this county, but through- 
out the eastern part of the Reserve. Great en- 
thusiasm prevailed among the workers, and 
scores of persons ceased to manufacture and 
sell ardent spirits. A branch society, with 
headquarters at Cuyahoga Falls, was organized 
in Twinsburg in about 1830, and, three years 
later, the society boasted of 224 members — all 
living in the township. Those who were sell- 
ing liquor at the Center were induced to close 
up their business and join the society, which 
could soon boast that there was no place in the 
township where liquor was sold. It was about 
the time of the organization of this society 
that the first effort was made to secure the 
raising of log-buildings without whisky, but 
the movement was met with violent opposition 
from those who thought liquor one of the neces- 
saries of life. These men refused to appear at 
such raisings, but, when their temperate neigh- 
bors refused to assist them, unless whisk}' was 
omitted from the programme, they finally either 



dropped the use of liquor on such occasions, 
or sought associations more congenial with 
their intemperate habits. A spirit of hostility 
was thus created between parties, which termi- 
nated only when the temperance cause pre- 
vailed. 

Many interesting incidents are told by old 
hunters or their descendants concerning advent- 
ures had with bears or other wild animals. 
Ezra Clark was one day chopping on a piece of 
woodland belonging to Mr. Lane, when sud- 
denly he heard a hog, off some twenty rods 
distant, begin to squeal as though in the great- 
est distress. Clark instantly surmised that a 
bear was endeavoring to carry off the hog. or 
was killing it on the spot. Though unarmed, 
he instantly made up his mind to prevent, if 
possible, the untimely death of the tSus scro/a. 
He hurriedly cut a heavy club, and, seizing it, 
he ran rapidly forward to a large log, behind 
which he beheld a scene which was often 
enacted in the backwoods. A savage-looking 
bear of average size had thrown a full-grown 
hog on the ground, and was busily engaged in 
tearing its flesh with teeth and claws. A large 
hole, from whii;h the blood freely flowed, had 
been torn in the hog's shoulder, and, when first 
seen, the bear had just fastened his long white 
teeth in the tender flesh, with the design of 
tearing out another large mouthful. Mr. Clark 
was at first in a quandary what to do, whether 
to consult his own safety in flight, or to cour- 
ageously attack the bear. His ax was still in 
his hand, and, after hesitating but a moment, 
he approached with the intention of striking it 
into the bear. But the moment the bear be- 
held his approach, it leaped back from the hog. 
and, rearing up on its hind feet, in the act of 
defense, faced the woodsman with a savage 
growl, showing two rows of gleaming teeth 
discolored with blood. The man stopped 
short, as he had no desire to encounter the em- 
braces of the animal. He threw his club, how- 
ever, with all his strength, fairly striking the 
bear, which dropped on all fours and shambled 
off a few rods, when it turned, showed its teeth, 
and, after viewing the intruder a moment, 
turned and made off as fast as it could through 
the forest. On another occasion, a bear was 
seen to pass across the southern part of the 
township, going north. An alarm was given, 
and a party of men with dogs and guns started 
rapidly in pursuit. The bear was overtaken 



:^ 



^'. 



654 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



by the dogs, and treed near the cabin of Aaron 
Post. The men came up, when one of them 
fired, bringing the bear to the ground. It was 
badly wounded, but had plenty of life and 
flight remaining, and the men, knowing that it 
could not escape them, determined to have 
some fun, if it could be called fun. The dogs, 
five or six in number, were urged on ; but 
whenever they came within reach of the bear, 
they wex'e knocked about like foot-balls. They 
soon learned, by sorry experience, to keep at a 
respectable distance, contenting themselves 
with sudden approaches and nips, when the 
bear's back was turned. The animal handled 
its fore feet with remarkable strength and dex- 
terity, wheeling round and round to escape the 
sharp teeth of the dogs, and occasionally send- 
ing one of ihem end over end a rod or more 
away. At last, one of the men, with gun 
cocked, went close to the bear, and fired di- 
rectly at its head, expecting to stretch it dead 
in its tracks ; but, just as he fired, the bear 
made a sudden movement, and thus escaped 
the shot unhurt. Another tried the same ex- 
periment, and succeeded in killing the wounded 
animal. It is related by Mrs. Elizabeth 
(Walker) Lappin, of Boston Township, who is 
the oldest settler living in the count}', having 
been born in October, 1788, and who came to 
Hudson in 1802, that, on one occasion, a man 
named Cackler, while hunting in the woods in 
Twinsburg. as early as 1808, came very nearly 
being killed by a bear. While following its 
trail rapidly, with head bent down, he came di- 
rectly upon it so suddenl}' that he had no time 
to raise his gun or retreat. The animal reared 
upon its hind feet, with a fierce growl, and 
struck a fearful blow at the hunter with its 
fore-paw, but, luckily, he leaped back far 
enough to avoid the stroke. He raised and 
cocked his rifle, probabh' in the same move- 
ment, and, as the bear was upon him, he thrust 
out his gun, with the intention of making a 
quick shot, and, as luck would have it, the 
muzzle was plunged into the animal's mouth. 
The trigger was instantly pulled, and a ball 
went crashing through the brain of the huge 
animal, which, a moment later, fell upon the 
ground in the agonies of death. Had it not 
been for the lucky thrust of the rifle, it would 
have fared hard with the intrepid hunter. Mrs. 
Lappin says that her father, John Walker, 
killed sixteen bears after coming to the county, 



and that, on several occasions, he had narrow 
escapes from death. He had a large butcher- 
knife, which he invariably carried with him, 
and, whenever a bear was killed, a notch was 
cut on the deer-horn handle. This knife is 
now in possession of Mr. Walker's grandson, 
who lives in Indiana, and upon the handle are 
the sixteen notches, cut there more than half a 
centur}^ ago by the fearless old bear hunter. 
Many other interesting stories of a similar na- 
ture might be narrated. 

It is probable that I^lijah W. Bronson, the 
laud agent of the Wilcox brothers, erected the 
first house in the village of Twinsburg. The exact 
date is not remembered, but was prior to 1824. 
The second house was built by Mr. Myric, and was 
a frame structure, located on the south side of 
the public square. The Bronson building was 
on the east side, and was constructed of logs. 
In 1824, Leverett Clark bought the Myric 
property, the latter moving East. A man 
named Gould lived about ten rods west of the 
square in 1824. In 1823, Moses and Aaron 
Wilcox built a small frame house on the north 
side, and hei'e the brothers " bached '' for a 
short time, selling, in the meantime, portions 
of their land, and using their best efforts to 
induce settlers to locate at the village or farther 
north on their tract. They did not commit the 
mistake that resulted so disastrously to Mills 
& Hoadle3^ The}' had already given land for 
the public square, and $20 toward building the 
first schoolhouse, and they now not only sold 
their village lots at a low figure, but gave lots 
to tradesmen and mechanics who would locate 
there permanently. The result was that in five 
or six 3'ears, ten or twelve families were living 
at or near the Center, and various industries 
had arisen, giving the place a business-like ap- 
pearance. While •' baching,'' the brothers em- 
ployed Mi's. Clark to bake their bread ; but 
they otherwise, very probably, did their own 
cooking. In about 1826, each of the brothers 
built a small frame house on the north side, 
and both of these buildings are yet standing 
in a fair state of i^reservation, and both are 
occupied. In the fall of 1825, Ethan Ailing, 
after quitting the dairy business, commenced 
building a tavern at the Center, and the follow- 
ing year, the structure having been completed, 
Mr. Ailing moved in about the 1st of Decem- 
ber. The tavern was formally opened on 
Christmas with a ball, and music and dancing 



"e) V 



:k^ 



TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



655 



ruled the hour. This building is yet standing, 
and composes a part of the large, low frame 
structure which stands, dark and deserted, on 
the southeast corner of the square. In the bar of 
this tavern, liquor was kept for sale, a universal 
thing in those days. The Wilcox brothers had 
succeeded in getting a Post Office at the Center 
as early as 1825, and Moses Wilcox was com- 
missioned first Postmaster. At his death, 
which occurred in the autumn of 1827, iMr. 
Ailing applied for the appointment, and was 
commissioned October, 1827. Mail was then 
obtained from Hudson once a week. The total 
amount of postage received in 1828 was 
.S36.01 ; in 1839, it was 8256.67, and in 1860, 
about $400. Twenty periodicals came to the 
office in 1828 ; about seven hundred came in 
1 860. At that time a well-traveled stage route, 
running from Hudson to Cleveland, passed 
through Northfield Township, bringing an 
enormous custom to hotels there, and filling 
every industry with life. Mr. Ailing and others 
in Twinsburg saw this, and became envious ; 
or, at least, they resolved to make the effort to 
have the stage route changed so as to pass 
through Twinsburg Center. With this object 
in view, Ethan Ailing and Jabez Gilbert, in 
1828, bought out the entire stage pi-operty. 
The sequel is easily guessed. The route was 
immediately changed, and the splendid impetus 
given to every industry at the village soon pro- 
duced a marked result. New life was infused 
into every undertaking ; mechanics and teach- 
ers appeared, and the outlook for the village 
seemed highly favorable. It was one of the 
most important events occurring in the history 
of the township. A tri-weekly mail was thus 
secured, and from one to five stages passed 
over the route daily. The road was exten- 
sively traveled by persons going to Cleveland 
to market, who had previously' gone by some 
other route. It is said that very often as high 
as fifty horses were kept over night at the tav- 
ern barn. But although the stage line was a 
splendid thing for the village and township, it 
was a losing investment to the owners. This 
is difficult to understand in view of the 
fact that, so far as can be learned, the stage 
line was well patronized. However, Mr. Ailing 
lost $600 the first year he was connected with 
the undertaking, and it is likely that those 
connected with him also lost heavily. In 1829, 
Mr. Ailing commenced the mercantile pursuit 



in his tavern bar, a room six feet by eight, 
placing therein $3.50 worth of tobacco and 
Scotch snuff. A few groceries were added the 
following year, and as the trade, though ex- 
ceedingly limited, seemed brisk and prom- 
ising, Mr. Ailing finally concluded to engage in 
the pui'suit more extensively. He accordingly 
rented his tavern in 1831, to Samuel Edgerly, 
and built a frame house, an apartment in which 
he fitted up for a storeroom, the remainder 
being devoted to the use of his family. A few 
hundred dollars' worth of goods comprised his 
stock ; but this was slowly and steadily in- 
creased until, in 1835, the goods wei-e valued 
at some $600, when he erected a large store- 
room on the northwest corner of the square. 
Here a good business was done with a stock 
which, at its best, was worth about $7,000. All 
the different varieties of country produce were 
bought and sold, and the store did much to 
centralize the efforts of the citizens in the vil- 
lage. The sales of goods, exclusive of flour, 
salt and produce, amounted in 1817 to $14,000, 
In 1848, Mr. Alling's sons, Frank A. and George 
H., were given charge of the store, and con- 
tinued until about 1851, when George pur- 
chased his brother's interest, and conducted 
the business until 1856, when he died, and the 
store fell into the hands of Bishop & Chamber- 
lain. The stock at this time was worth about 
$10,000, and a brisk and profitable trade was 
had with the surrounding country. At the 
expiration of two years. Chamberlain sold his 
interest to his partner, the latter continuing 
alone until about the opening of the war, when 
he likewise sold out. In 1830, the tavern now 
owned and conducted by Mr. E. W. Clark, was 
built by Eli and Otis Boise. It was intended 
for a combined store and dwelling, and, in 
what is now the office, about $1,000 worth of 
goods were placed. The brothers sold or traded 
out, two years later, to Edward Kichardson, 
who, at the end of some three years, disposed 
of his goods and converted the building into a 
tavern, a use to which it has since been devoted. 
In about the year 1839, Odell & Taylor erected 
a frame store building on the present site of 
the stone store, and began the mercantile pursuit 
with between $4,000 and $5,000 worth of a gen- 
eral assortment of goods. They likewise bought 
produce, and enjoyed a lucrative trade. At 
the end of about five years, Mr. Odell pur- 
chased his partner's interest and continued 



^ 



JV' 



656 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY 



until his death, which occurred in about 1851. 
He was succeeded by his son, Delos Odell, now 
conducting a harness-shop in Macedonia, and 
two or three other gentlemen, all under the 
partnership name of Odell, Price & Co. In 
1857 or 1858, A. L. Nelson took possession of 
this store building, but was soon afterward 
burned out, whereupon he erected the stone 
store building he now occupies. This mer- 
chant, at times, has done an excellent business. 
Messrs. Hart, Dodge, Santford and Bishop, in 
about 1851, built the store building now occu- 
pied by the Madden Brothers. These men, 
who were partners, began selling goods, and 
continued thus some four or five years, when 
Mr. Bishop sold to the others and withdrew. 
Three years later, Mr. Dodge sold to the Ste- 
phens boys, and thus the partnership continued 
until some three years later, when the parties 
failed and made an assignment of their goods. 
After that, the building was vacant, or practi- 
cally so, until 1866, when MaddenBrothers took 
possession and began to manufacture and sell 
ready-made clothing. They were practical tail- 
ors, and did a good business in their line, con- 
tinuing until the present time. The firm is 
known as I. & P. Madden. Richardson & Tay- 
lor commenced the mercantile pursuit in about 
1846, and continued until 1850, when Mr. 
Richardson sold to Mr. McFarland, and the 
latter, two years later, to Osman Riley. Soon 
afterward, the partners failed in business, and 
the building was finally destroyed by fire, and 
was not rebuilt. Other merchants have held 
forth in the village at different times, but these 
were the principal ones. James Alexander, at 
an early day, began to manufacture wagons, 
conducting the work in a small shop, on a small 
scale. He steadily increased his business until, 
in 1849, he gave employment to ten or twelve 
workmen, and turned out large numbers of 
first-class wagons and carriages. He burned 
out in 1851, but immediately rebuilt, and has 
continued the same occupation until the pres- 
ent, although in late years the business has 
greatly fallen off. It should be mentioned that 
Mr. Ailing, at an early day, bought ashes and 
manufactured a limited quantity of potash for a 
number of years, in the village. A few other 
industries of less consequence have flourished 
from time to time. 

It was customary when the country was first 
settled that, when a death occurred, the de- 



ceased should be buried on their own farms. 
This was done in Twinsburg. In September, 
1823, a cemetery of one acre was purchased 
northeast of the square, and Lucretia Hull, 
who died in September of the same year, was 
the first person buried there. In 1846, a new 
cemetery was prepared on Lot 10, Tract 3, 
consisting of an acre and a half The yard 
was fitted up, planted with trees, and a 
stone wall built around it, at an expense of 
$1,079.66. Other improvements were made, 
and, by 1860, the cemetery had cost the citi- 
zens about $1,850. It is known as Locust 
Grove Cemetery. 

It should be noticed that the first principal 
settlement in the township was made upon the 
Wilcox tract. This tract, it seems, was in- 
cumbered by a mortgage which had been given 
by the Wilcox Brothers to the State of Con- 
necticut. These men, though undoubtedly up- 
right in their intentions, were unable to pay off 
the mortgage, thus leaving settlers who had 
purchased of them in an embarrassing situa- 
tion. When this condition of things became 
known, settlement upon this tract largely 
ceased, which accounts for the slow manner in 
which it was improved. Finally, the Rev. Mr. 
Bissell took the matter in hand, and, by his 
intercession with the proper authorities, suc- 
ceeded in obtaining prompt and honorable 
relief The Wilcox Brothers were remarkable 
in many respects. As has been said, they 
were twins, and, upon arriving at man's estate. 
married sisters, Huldah and Mabel Lord, of 
Killingsworth, Conn. " In life, they so resem- 
bled each other that none but their most inti- 
mate friends could distinguish between them. 
They married sisters, had an equal number of 
children, held all their property in common, 
wrote alike, thought alike, looked alike, dressed 
alike, were taken sick on the same day, with 
the same disease, died on the same day, and 
were buried in the same grave-yard."* This 
remarkable coincidence in similarity probably 
never before occurred. 

In the year 1822, a log schoolhouse was 
built upon the square at the Center. This was 
the first public building of any character in the 
township, and it was used as a schoolhouse, a 
town hall and a church. The first teacher was 
Miss Lovina M. Miream, who taught a short 
term, receiving her pay by subscription. This 

*Gen. Bierce. 



'i^ 



TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



657 



lady afterward became the wife of Mr. North. 
Other district schools were not instituted until 
about 1828, and several were as late as 1833. 
The houses put up were usually rude log build- 
ings, which were used for a few years, or until 
there seemed occasion for the erection of better 
ones. Although these schools have been fair 
in their wa}', j'et they have been mainly primar}^ 
in their nature, from the reason that, ordinarily, 
as soon as the scholars became quite well ad- 
vanced in their studies, they were sent to the 
Twinsburg Institute. So that, really, the 
country schools have been hardly equal to the 
average throughout the county. The history 
of the township would be incomplete without 
a record of the Twinsburg Institute, an insti- 
tution which, for more than half a century of 
usefulness, has done more to improve the in- 
tellect and morals than perhaps any other or- 
ganization, not even excluding the churches. 
It dates its origin as far back as 1 828, when 
yet the townsnip was but a frontier settlement, 
and almost its entire surface was covered with 
primitive forests. Its founder and supporter, 
who is 3'et living, hale and hearty, at the ad- 
vanced age of more than fourscore years, was 
Rev. Samuel Bissell, a native of Connecticut 
and a graduate of Yale College. Immediately 
after receiving his diploma, Mr. Bissell began a 
course of theological studies, designing to en- 
ter the ministry upon their completion. These 
studies were completed under many difficulties ; 
in truth, the life of this man has been one un- 
ceasing round of struggles, through which 
nothing but invincible determination in the 
path chosen and unfaltering patience and self- 
denial could have proved triumphant. Soon 
after his ordination, he came to Aurora, Ohio, 
and, in 1826, began a private school, which 
was continued until 1828, when he was invited 
to take charge of the Congregational society 
at Twinsburg, an invitation he accepted. A 
block-house had been erected for his accom- 
modation, about a mile west of the Center, into 
which he moved. On the same lot was a rude 
log house, twenty by thirty feet, with rough 
boards on the floor, and loose ones for the ceil- 
ing, the building having been originally built 
for a shoe-shop. Three openings were made in 
the logs composing the walls, in each of which 
was placed a sash containing four small panes 
of glass, while at one end of the dismal room 
was a broad fire-place, with chimney built of 



stones and sticks plastered with cla}'. In the 
room were placed a few rudely and hastily con- 
structed seats and desks, and the onl}- cheerful 
feature of the apartment was the roaring fire 
which lighted the place with fitful and ruddy 
glow. Mr. Bissell, upon his arrival, had made 
known his wish to teach the youth of the neigh- 
borhood ; and with his first school in the room 
just described began that unusual system of 
philanthropy which became a characteristic 
feature of his institute, and was the means 
of educating so many indigent 3'outh. This 
schoolroom was thrown open to any young 
people who desired to attend, without any 
charge, except from those disposed to pay, 
in which case the tuition for the term 
was to be $2. About forty students attended 
the first winter, and so much interest was creat- 
ed that several terms were taught in the old 
house, but in 1831, a combined church and 
schoolhouse was erected, in which Mr. Bissell 
taught and preached until 1835, when he went 
to Portage Count}', but returned in 1837, and 
built a house 20x35 feet, in which he taught 
for twenty-nine consecutive years. Two years 
later, this building was enlarged, and other ar- 
rangements made to meet the growing demands 
of the institute, which was fast getting a name. 
In 1843, a large, two-storied frame building 
(the Ailing Hotel property) was secured and 
fitted up for the accommodation of students, a 
lai'ge number of whom were from a distance, 
and were compelled to board in the village. 
Within the next five years, two other large 
buildings were secured for a similar purpose. 
There were now in attendance about three 
hundred students, at least fifty of whom were 
boarders. Seven teachers and assistants, at 
the head of whom was the Principal, Mr. Bis- 
sell, were necessary to conduct the numerous 
classes. A thorough academical course of 
studies, including the classics, higher mathemat- 
ics, French and German, vocal and instru- 
mental music and penmanship, was provided, 
and all necessary opportunities were aflforded 
to prepare students for college. No charter 
was ever obtained, and no public money ever 
appropriated to strengthen the institute, which 
rested upon the shoulders of one man. The 
:^uition charged was usually $2 for the term, 
and never more than $4, even when the classics 
were taught. Elaborate and systematic ar- 
rangements were made for boarding the stu- 



IV 



658 



HISTORY OF SUMMIT COUNTY. 



dents in the numerous buildings referred to, at 
a cost to eacli of from to 12 shillings per 
week. The great value of the institute to the 
village and to all the surrounding countr}' 
need not be detailed. Twinsburg became noted 
lor its thrift, energy and general excellence in 
education and morals. More than six thou- 
sand students have been in attendance at the 
institute during its continuance, and, out of 
these, about two hundred have been Indians of 
the Seneca, Ottawa, Pottawatomie and Ojibway 
tribes. Ministers, statesmen, generals, law- 
yers, professors, physicians and artisans, in all 
portions of the country, trace the beginning of 
their education to the door of the Twinsburg 
Institute. A good librar}^ was secured, and 
literary and other societies were instituted. 
The benevolence of Mr. Bissell was such that 
he not only greatly lowered the tuition, but 
even educated hundreds at his own expense, 
who were unable to pay their own wa^^ He 
was accustomed to give such students a few 
light chores to do, and these trifling duties 
were so divided and subdivided, that the work 
was more in name than in reality. It is re- 
lated that on one occasion, after Mr. Bissell 
had gone to extremes in this respect, some of 
the students thus detailed grumbled about 
having more to do than others. Considerable 
ill-will was thus incited. One morning Mr. 
Bissell arose at his usual hour, 5 o'clock, and, 
beginning with these chores, completed the en- 
tire round before the time for opening the 
school. Not a word was said, but the act 
spoke in volumes to the fault-fiuding students, 
who, after that, vexed the ear of the Principal 
with no more grumblings. Among the Indian 
youth was George Wilson, a Seneca, about whom 
a great deal has been said. He became a fine 
scholar — superior in mauj^ important respects 
to any other ever in the institute. His pres- 
ence was fine and imposing, and he displayed 
rare gifts in logical force and fervid eloquence. 
Mr. Bissell saj^s that the qualitj^ of his elo- 
quence, the unusual power of his intellect and 
the force of his delivei'y, resembled in a marked 
manner those of Daniel Webster. He after- 
ward became chief of his tribe, and was sent 
to represent their interests to the New York 
Legislature, and to the New York Historical 
Society, receiving from the latter several thou- 
sand dollars for his people, who were in a starv- 
ing condition in the West. Another one named 



Jackson Blackbird, or " Mack-a-de-bennessi," 
was an Ottawa, and a direct descendant of Pon- 
tiac. He excelled in composition, and composed 
a comedy, three hours in length, that was pre- 
sented by the societies of the institute publicly 
to lai'ge audiences with great success. He 
afterward did his people good service in Mich- 
igan, as is seen b}' the following in his own 
language: " I left Traverse Bay the last of 
February, 1851, and went on snow-shoes to 
Saginaw Ba}^, on m}- way to the capital of Mich- 
igan with petitions from my people to become 
citizens of the State. I appeared before the 
Governor and officers of the State, and obtained 
the passage of a joint resolution of both Houses 
in favor of the petitions." Mr. Bissell became 
known throughout the Reserve for his philan- 
thropy in the cause of Indian education. 
Some two hundred were educated at the Institute, 
from whom no compensation worth mention- 
tioning was ever received. AH their expenses 
were paid, including board, tuition, room, fuel, 
light, washing, books and stationery, and some 
clothing, at the fair estimate of $200 each, a 
year. This expense, borne by no one except 
the Principal, estimated at these figures, has 
amounted, during the history- of the institute 
to over $40,000. Almost as much has been 
expended on indigent white youth, and when 
the cost of erecting the various buildings 
is added to this, the total amount foots 
up to the enormous sum of over $80,000, 
all of which has been borne b}' Mr. Bissell. To 
offset this, not more than $12,000 have been 
received from all sources. These expenses 
were too heav}^ to be borne, and an embarrass- 
ing debt was the result. When the last war 
broke out, the institute was greatly injured. 
Several of the buildings were sold to pa}' the 
debts, which amounted to some $6,000. A few 
hundred dollars were left, which purchased a 
small building that was used for the school. 
At this time, and without means, the founda- 
tion of the present stone building was laid. 
The manual labor connected with the erection 
of this house was largel}' done by Mr. Bissell. 
He obtained the loan of $1,500, and with this 
purchased the necessary tools, a horse and 
wagon, etc., and without any previous experi- 
ence, put on the roof, made the doors, window 
frames, etc. The entire cost was about $8,000, 
and when it is known that the age of Mr. Bis- 
sell at that time was seventy, not only was the 



-I 3 



ht. 



T W I IS SBURG TOWNSHIP. 



659 



undertaking gigantic, but its wisdom may be 
doubted. The institute is likelj' to fail altogether, 
when the Principal's hand is removed by death 
from the helm. Mr. Bissell is now almost 
penniless, and is compelled to teach for a liv- 
ing at the age of more than eighty years. Con- 
sidering the invaluable service he has ren- 
dered the village and township in the past, how 
scores of people now living there have been 
the recipients of his generous bounty, how 
patient self-denial and faith in God have been 
the watchwords of this venerable old man, it is 
unquestionably due from the citizens to pro- 
vide him with at least the necessaries of life. 
Religious meetings were held in the township 
prior to 1820. They had been held in one or 
two of the few dwellings and, it is said, in the 
upper stor}' of the grist-mill, ver}^ likely bj' 
Kevs. John Seward, of Aurora, and William 
Hanford, of Hudson. After the erection of 
the schoolhouse, in 1822, at the Center, they 
were usually held there. Lewis Ailing, Sr., 
usually led the meetings ; Asa Upson also did. 
A circuit minister, whose name is forgotten, 
organized a class at the house of Asa Upson 
as early as 1821, and the first members were 
Asa Upson, Emer}^ Alger and their families. 
Mr. Seward was preaching for the society at 
this time about once a month. Mr. Hanford 
also held regular service there. A Congrega- 
tional society was organized August 23, 1822, 
and at that time consisted of the following 
members : Lewis Ailing, Luman Lane, Han- 
ford White, John A. Wells and the following 
and their wives : Robert Hurd, J. H. Kelsey, 
Belizer Beech, also Irena Thomas, Comfort 
Nichols and Julia White. Revs. Seward and 



Hanford organized the society. It was greatly 
strengthened by a revival in 1827. On the 
30th of April, 1828, Rev. Bissell was given 
charge of the societ}'. Rev. Hair was its Pas- 
tor in 1835. At this time or soon afterward, a 
division was made in the society, and Rev. 
Bissell became the Pastor of one of them. 
Revs. Treat, Ward and Chapin occasionally 
preached at the Center. Rev. R. C. Learned 
was Pastor in 18-13 ; Horace W. Palmer, in 
1848 ; Joseph H. Scott, in 1853 ; Sidney Bry- 
ant, in 1860, and the President and professors 
of Western Reserve College have also filled the 
appointment. A proposition to build a com- 
bined church and schoolhouse on the square 
met with opposition. Timbers were prepared, 
and, finally, under protest, the house was 
erected. The house was twice moved, and 
then torn down. Another building was erected 
in 1831, at a cost of $700. The present one 
was built in 1848, at a cost of $3,000. 

The fine marble monument standing in the 
public park is a credit to the patriotism of the 
citizens and an emblem of gratitude to the 
brave boys, living and dead, who fought in the 
last great war. Their names and the compa- 
nies and regiments in which they served are 
chiseled into the white stone. The structure 
was erected the " semi-centennial year of the 
settlement of Twinsburg.'" Its total height is 
twenty-eight feet, and it rests upon three 
superimposed bases of sandstone, which form 
a series of steps to the foot of the marble col- 
umn. Standing on the summit, with wings 
outspread, is a life-sized statue of the Ameri- 
can eagle. 



s F- 



:Rr 



PART III. 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES. 



^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



ALLEN FAMILY, Akron. Jesse Allen, Sr., 
the progenitor of the Allen family, was born 
in 1770, in Cornwall, Conn. His father Na- 
thaniel Allen was killed in the Revolutionary 
war, when Jesse was rather young. He (Jesse) 
lived with a family in Connecticut, until he grew 
up, and there learned shoemaking. When a 
young man he went to Tompkins Co., N. Y., 
where he married a lady of German origin 
named Catharine Teithrich, in 1796 ; she was 
born in Trenton, N. J., in 1776. He abandoned 
his trade for farming, and bought a farm near 
Ithaca, N. Y., but lost it by " bailing " a man, 
and thus his hard earnings were swept away, 
except a few hundred dollars, with which he 
determined to remove to Ohio, and, in the sum- 
mer of 1811, set out with his family of seven 
children, and brother's famil}-, bound hither ; he 
bought land which adjoins the Sixth Ward, 
then Middlebur}'. During the war of 1812, he 
served under Maj. Spicer, and, while gone an 
Indian spy came into the house, and the little 
boys working in the clearing came with their 
axes to hew him down ; it is supposed the same 
Indian was killed near Summit Lake. Mr. Al- 
len continued to reside in Coventry Township 
until his death, Sept. 12, 1837. Mr. A. was a 
member of the Baptist Church, and in the early 
days, before ministers came to the country, he, 
being an excellent reader, used to read sermons 
at the pioneer religious meetings. He was the 
father of ten children, seven of whom were born 
near Ithaca, N. Y., as follows : Jonah (see 
sketches in Coventry Township). 

Levi, the second son, was born Feb. 10, 1799, 
and was 12 years old when the family came to 
Ohio ; he walked all the way and drove cattle. 



The following incident is not inappropriate. 
When on the beach of Lake Erie, the wagons 
with the provisions were delayed by accident, 
and Levi and other boys, with John, a little fel- 
low, were on before with the cattle and were 
without provisions, except the milk of the cows. 
At night, he (Levi) covered John with sand to 
keep him warm, and thus they passed the night 
alone. Their first work upon arriving, in July, 
1811, was reaping in a harvest field for Mr. 
Norton. He (Levi) grew up a close thinker, 
and was a man of sound judgment. 

David, the third son, was born Dec. 2, 1800 ; 
when about 18, he learned the trade of machin- 
ist ; he and his brother Jesse and McMillin com- 
menced the manufacture of carding machines 
about 1833. He (David) married, in 1829, 
Beulah Jones. He died in 1842. 

Jacob, the fourth son of Jesse and Catharine 
Allen, was born in Lansing, Tompkins Co., N. 
Y., Feb. 11, 1803 ; he was 8 j'earsold when his 
family removed to Akron ; he learned his trade 
with Humphrey & Bagley in the woolen mills 
at Middlebury, Ohio, and, when about 18, he 
went to New York State and built a woolen 
factory near Ithaca, where he lived until 1835, 
when he returned to Akron and built several 
woolen factories, which he started, and sold 
while in successful operation. He was in corn- 
pan}' with Simon Perkins and Jedediah Cum- 
mins for several jears, and was interested in 
all the railroads, doing all he could to promote 
the interests of Akron, widening Howard street 
and making various improvements. He was 
interested in the manufacture of flour for sev- 
eral years, and established an office for its sale, 
which his son, Frank H., is now conducting in 



lLl 



662 



BIOGRAPPIICAL SKETCHES: 



New York City. He was a Democrat ; never 
sought office, but was several times in the Coun- 
cil. He married Miss Catharine Van Sickle 
Feb. 10, 1830 ; she bore him five children, three 
of whom are living— Frank H., Mrs. Rufus 
Wright, of Brooklyn, Long Island, and Miss 
Lizzie Allen. He was liberal in the support of 
all churches, and died Nov. 25, 1879, in his 77th 
year. 

John, the fifth son, was born Dec. 5, 1804 ; 
he learned the trade of stone-cutter, and was a 
contractor on the locks of the Ohio Canal. He 
died at Piketon, Ohio, Nov. 23, 1829. 

Jesse, the sixth son, was born May 1. 1807 ; 
he learned the trade of stone-cutter also, and, 
with his brother David, manufactured carding 
machines in Akron in early times ; he engaged 
in flouring-mills in 1856, which he continued 
until his death, Sept. 24, 1863. He was a strong 
Whig during the last thirt}' years of his life, 
and an active business man, and firmly estab- 
lished in uprightness and integrity ; of high 
moral standing, talented ; to know him well was 
to esteem him. 

Catharine was born Feb. 9, 1809, and died 
at the age of 32 3'ears. She married Mills 
Thompson, of Hudson, Ohio ; leaves six chil- 
dren. 

Sarah was born Jan. 3, 1812, and was the 
first one of the children born in Ohio. She mar- 
ried James M. Hall, .^larch 22, 1832. She died 
Jan. 27, 1877. 

Hiram was born Sept. 14, 1814 ; he came to 
Akron in 1840, and, with Jacob Allen, his 
brother, erected in succession a woolen mill on 
Cherrj' street, the old portion of Cit}- Mills and 
brick mills, now occupied b^' Allen & Co., first 
used as woolen factories ; he erected the block 
north of the Beacon Block, and which burned 
in 1871, when he immediatel3' put up the pres- 
ent one. He died Sept. 21, 1878, unmarried. 

Christiana (Allen) Caldwell, the youngest 
of ten children, was born Jan. 30, 1822 ; she 
came to Akron in 1840, where she still resides 
in a pleasant home on Broadway'. 

Albert Allen, the son of Levi Allen and the 
grandson of Jesse Allen, Jr., was born March 
12, 1827, in Coventry Township, where, until he 
attained his majority, he was emploved at farm- 
ing and clearing, after which he learned mill- 
wrighting under John S. Gilcrest, of Spring- 
field, and engaged in pl3'ing his trade for a 
period of nine years. In 1856, he built for 



J. & J. Allen & Co., the Allen Mill, and was 
employed as manager of the same for ten 
years. In 18(j7, in company- with Alexander 
H. Commins. he purchased the Stone Mills, 
which then had but four runs of stone ; they 
conducted a successful business under the 
firm name of Commins & Allen, which contin- 
ued up to the time of the death of Mr. Com- 
mins, in 1880, since which time the firm name 
has not been altered. The mills do an entirely 
merchant business, and grind from two hundred 
and fifty to three hundred barrels of flour per 
day. In the spring of 1881, the mills were 
changed to the Hungarian process, which en- 
larges the capacity of the mills to four hundred 
and fift}' barrels of flour per da}'. 

FRANK ADAMS, President and Superin- 
tendent of Akron Sewer Pipe Company. Sixth 
Ward ; was born in Windsor Co., Vt., July 5, 
1819, and is the son of Benjamin and Betsey 
(Crowley) Adjuns, who were natives of Massa- 
chusetts, and were married in Vermont, where 
they had moved with their parents when young. 
In 1838, they came to Ohio, the journey being 
made by a wagon to Troy, N. Y.; thence by 
canal to BuflTalo ; thence b}' lake to Cleveland : 
and thence to Norton Township, in what is now 
Summit Co., where they settled on a farm pre- 
viousl}' purchased ; the}' farmed thereabout ten 
3'ears, when they removed to Akron, v>'here 
the}' lived a retired life until his death, which 
occurred Nov. 22, 1849 ; Mrs. Adams died 
about twenty years later. They were members 
of the M. Vj. Church for more than forty years, 
and took an active interest in all church affairs. 
Frank remained at home until within a few 
months of his majority ; his education was 
confined to a limited attendance at the district 
schools. Upon leaving home, he went to live 
with his brother-in-law, Mr. Samuel Manning, 
who was publishing maps, and with him re- 
mained two years, in the printing department. 
He then engaged as clerk in the post office at 
Akron, remaining one year, when he left, and. 
at the expiration of another year, he returned 
to the post office, remaining this time two 
years, when he engaged in the map business, 
forming the partnership of ^Manning & Co., and 
remained one year, when the firm became Ad- 
ams & Egleston, the latter buying out Man- 
ning. They continued until the spring of 1 848, 
when their building was destroyed by fire, 
which necessitated a dissolution of the firm and 



<i fc-_ 



k. 



CITY OF AKRON. 



663 



the discontinuance of the business in Akron. 
He then took an active part in the campaign, 
and was Treasurer of the Whig Club. In March, 
1849, he , was appointed Postmaster of Akron 
by President Zachary Taylor, and held the of- 
fice during his administration and that of his 
successor, Millard Fillmore. After retiring 
from the post office, he opened a hat store, 
which was burned in the spring of 1855. In 
May following, he purchased an interest in the 
business of Mei'rill, Powers & Co., and, in 1859, 
the firm became Hill & Adams, which contin- 
ued until 1868, when the business was merged 
into a stock compan}', known as the Hill & 
Adams Sewer Pipe Company, and, in January, 

1871, Mr. Hill retired, and the corporate name 
became, as now, "The Akron Sewer Pipe Com- 
pany-," of which Mr. Adams was made President, 
also Superintendent, which offices he still re- 
tains, having held them from the first for- 
mation of the stock company. During the 
war, Mr. Adams served as a member of the 
School Board, member of Council, Treasurer of 
School Board, Corporation Treasurer, and Treas- 
urer of the Soldiers' Relief Fund. He was 
married Jan. 21, 1846, to Miss Sarah J. Gale, a 
native of Vermont, who came to Akron when 
young, with her parents. She died Jan. 11, 
1863. They had three children, two living, 
viz., Julia Latham and Ma}' Perkins, both of 
Akron. He was again married, Sept 2, 1863, 
to Mrs. Janetta L. Murphy, formerly Miss Hart ; 
they have two children, viz., Frank H. and 
Belle M. Mr. Adams was a Whig up to the 
formation of the Republican party, and a Re- 
publican since that time. He has been a mem- 
ber of the Episcopal Church for twelve years. 

ISAAC C. ALDEN, Treasurer of Whitman 
& Miles Manufacturing Co., Akron, Ohio ; is a 
son of Henr}' and Abbie C. (Smith) Alden, and 
was born Nov. 20, 1851, at Bridgewater, Mass. 
When very young, the family moved to Abing- 
ton, Mass., where he went to school until he 
was 15 3'ears old, and then entered a wholesale 
dry goods store in Boston, remaining two 
3ears. In 1869, he entered the knife manufac- 
or}' at Fitchburg, which place he held until 

1872, when he came to Akron and was made 
Assistant Treasurer of the Whitman & Miles 
Manufacturing Co., and, in 1877, he was made 
Treasurer of the concern. He was married, 
Dec. 10, 1874, to Miss Emma L. GiflTord, of 
Fitchburg, Mass. 



ANGELO ANDREW, of R. L. & A. Andrew, 
Akron ; was born Feb. 1, 1846, in Boston Town- 
ship, this county ; he lived at home until 1 7 3'ears 
of age, when he was apprenticed to the printer's 
trade with the Akron Bmcon. After serving 
two years, he went to Cleveland and worked on 
the Ohio Farmer until Aug. 23, 1864, when he 
enlisted in Co. H, 177th O. V. I., and served 
until the close of the war, taking part in all the 
engagements in which his regiment partici- 
pated. On his return from the arm3', he fol- 
lowed the business of painting, in Peninsula, 
for three 3'ears ; he then engaged as clerk in 
the same village, in a general merchandise 
business, for a period of five 3'ears. He then 
came to Akron and worked at his trade with his 
brother, and, in 1877, formed the partnership 
indicated above. Their business is confined to 
wall paper decorations for public buildings and 
residences, which they handle by the wholesale 
as well as retail, and all kinds of painting, em- 
plo3'ing from six to twelve skilled workmen. 
Their store is 22x66 feet, with two stories and 
a basement ; church and hall decorations are a 
special feature of their business. Aug. 14, 
1873, he married Miss Lizzie Warburton, a 
native of Northampton Township ; they have 
three children — Ma3'belle. Frank and Bessie. 

R. L. ANDREW, of R. L. & A. Andrew, 
Akron. R. L. Andrew, senior partner of the 
firm of R. L. & A. Andrew, is a native of Bos- 
ton Township, this count3' ; his parents, Robert 
and Ann A. ( Tubbs) Andrew, were natives of 
England ; his father came to America in 1838, 
and lived with a brother in Boston, Summit Co., 
Ohio ; in the following 3'ear, he returned to En- 
gland and married, returning to Boston with his 
wife in 1840 ; here he followed the trade of orna- 
mental painter, remaining in Boston until 1873, 
when he moved to Akron, where he has since re- 
sided. Mrs. Andrew died in Akron Oct. 3, 1879. 
R. L. Andrew was born May 24, 1841. the eldest 
of three children ; he lived at home, learning 
the trade of his father, and clerking at Penin- 
sula and Akron for some five years until 1862. 
In June of this year he enlisted in the 85th O. 
V. I., Co. B. and served four months, taking 
part, in the meanwhile, in the engagements at 
Prentiss, Miss., and Yickburg. In August, he 
enlisted in Co. H, 177th 0. V. I., and served to 
the close of the war with the rank of Sergeant ; 
he was present at the battle of the Cedars, the 
engagement at Shelb3'ville Pike, Town Creek, 






664 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and was present at Johnston's surrender. Re- 
turning home after the war, he engaged as clerk 
in the store of E. H. Cole, at Peninsula. He 
subsequently went to Michigan and clerked in 
a store in lona, then at Marshall, and finall}' at 
Ann Arbor, for E. B. Thompson & Sons, who 
moved their business about as indicated. 
Oct. 6, 1869, he came to Akron and took up 
the business connected with his trade of orna- 
mental painting. In 1873, he built the present 
store propert}', 240 East Mill street, where he 
has since conducted his business. Jan. 1, 1877, 
he formed the partnership with his brother An- 
gelo. Sept. 6, 1866, he married Miss Emerancy 
Hall, a native of Northampton ; she died April 
3, 1879. Two children were born to them, both 
deceased. 

JOHN H. AUBLE, real estate, insurance, 
railroad, steamship and foreign exchange agent, 
Akron, Ohio ; was born Dec. 2, 1842, and is a 
son of Daniel and Susanna (Orwig) Auble, na- 
tives of Miftliuburg, Union Co., Penn., where 
our subject was born. His parents came to 
Ohio in 1854, and settled near Wadsworth, 
Medina County. He worked on a farm until 
15, when he entered the store of E. G. Loomis, 
at Wadsworth, as a clerk, until July, 1861, 
when he was made a partner, under the firm 
name of Loomis, Auble & Co. He was doing 
a prosperous business, when he enlisted in Co. 
I. 103d 0. V. I., Aug. 2, 1862. Soon after en- 
listment he was detached as Clerk A. G. 0., 
under Maj. Gen. A. J. Smith, and served in the 
army of Mississippi ; was in active service first 
against the rebel Gen. Kirb}' Smith, in Ken- 
tucky ; at the siege of Vicksburg, with Gen. 
Sherman, on the Yazoo, and Grant at its final 
surrender. He was in the Missouri campaign 
under Rosecrans, with Thomas at Nashville, 
and in Gen. Scofield's department during the 
last months of service. He was mustered out 
with his regiment at Camp Cleveland, June 24, 
1865, and returned home. He was at once 
emplo3'ed as salesman by M. W. Henry & Co., 
of Akron, where he remained five years, and, 
in 1871, engaged in the real estate, insurance, 
foreign passage and exchange business. In 
January, 1875, he took the business manage- 
ment of the Beacon Publishing Co., leaving it 
in the fall of 1877 with its financial condition 
greatl}' improved. He is Secretary of the 
Akron Coal Co., operating rich mines in Guern- 
sey County. In May, 1880. he was appointed 



agent for the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio 
Railroad, a position he still holds. He was 
married in August, 1870, to Miss Harriet E., 
only daughter of Rev. W. F. Day, D. D., for- 
merly of Akron M. E. Church. They have five 
children — Anna Helen, Susie Orwig, Hattie 
Day, Bessie Norris and John Henry, Jr. 

J. PARK ALEXANDER. The subject of 
these lines was born to John and Mai-y (Scott) 
Alexander on Aug. 7, 1834, in Bath township. 
Summit Co., Ohio, where he worked on a farm 
until the age of 18, attending district school 
and the academy at Richfield. At the age of 
20 he went to the normal school at Marlboro, 
entering the engineering class under Pi'of 
Holbrook, being a class-mate of Prof Menden- 
hall. Having completed an engineering course, 
he was, in 1856, emplo^-ed in the public schools 
of Akron, where lie taught two years. In 
1865-66, he bought the present site of his fire- 
brick manufactory-, then used as a manufactorj' 
of stoneware, being, at that time, a small con- 
cern. He enlarged the buildings, and at the 
same time contracted for such an amount of 
stoneware as twelve or fifteen manufactories of 
Summit count}- could make. The aggregate 
amount of some years was two million gallons 
of ware. He established a warehouse at De- 
troit, maintaining it eight years, and one at 
Chicago five years. In 1867, he began manu- 
facturing fire-brick, which he has greatl}- im- 
proved in quality. In 1875, he succeeded in 
obtaining a patent for the manufacture of a 
nearl}' pure (98.78) silica brick from white 
pebble. This was the first business of the kind 
in Ohio. They make about one and one-half 
million bricks per year, employing twenty men 
in the making, and a large number in the hand- 
ling of them for market. In 1872, he bought 
two oil refineries in this city and ran them, in 
connection with the Standard Oil Compau}-, for 
five years. In 1858, he was elected Secretary 
of the Summit County Agricultural Society, 
holding the position for five years, which were 
followed by seven 3'ears in the presidency of tiie 
same, during which time (1858 to 1870), great 
improvements were made in the society. In 
1868, he was elected member of the State 
Board of Agriculture, and, in 1872, Treasurer 
of the same. He was made member of the City 
Council in 1865, and, with the exception of two 
years, has continued such, being for the past 
eight vears President of the same, and witness- 



:rv: 



iUl 



CITY OF AKRON. 



665 



ing during that time all the public improve- 
ments, the city having grown from 3,500 to 
20,000 inhabitants. Religious and educational 
institutions have repeatedly been the recipients 
of his munificent gifts. On Sept. 5, 1860, he 
was married to Miss Martha D. Wright, of Tall- 
madge, Ohio, daughter of Francis H. Wright, of 
which union there were eight children, one of 
whom, George B., is dead. Those living are 
Clara W., Helen B., Grace F., Mattie D., Bessie 
H., J. Park, Jr., and Alice S. 

DAVID S. ALEXANDER, agricultural im- 
plements, Akron, Ohio ; is a son of John and 
Mary (Scott) Alexander, both of whom were 
born in Washington Co., Penn., and were mar- 
ried in 1828. In February, 1831, they came to 
Ohio, and settled in Bath Township, where he 
had previoush' bought 175 acres of land, upon 
which was some impi'ovements. He followed 
farming there for several years, and, about 
1840, began to import fine sheep (Saxon breed) 
from Washington Co., Penn., of the McKeever 
stock, driving overland. He was for some 
years a prominent breeder and wool-grower, 
and brought into the county the first flock of 
Spanish merinoes. He died in 1856, aged 58, 
and his wife in June, 1880, at the age of 80 
years. The^' had four sons, of whom David, the 
subject, was the oldest, and was born July 7, 
1829, in Washington Co., Penn., and was an in- 
fant when the family came to this county. He 
grew up on the farm in Bath Township, receiv- 
ing his education in the schools of Bath, and 
attending school in Akron from 18-47 to 1849, 
under Gen. Leggett, now of Cleveland. At 24 
years of age, he commenced business for himself, 
and, in 1851, bought the farm of J. P. Baldwin, 
and for eleven years followed grain and stock 
farming successfully. In 1861, he came to 
Akron, and bought several lots on " Ely 
Tract," and commenced dealing in sheep, but 
dogs were very destructive to them, and he 
quit the business. In 1871, he began to deal 
in agricultural implements, which he still con 
tinues. His establishment was destroyed by 
fire in 1879, entailing upon him a loss of 
$12,000. In rebuilding, he fell from a scaffold 
and broke his thigh. In June, 1853, he mar- 
ried Miss Sarah C. Hale, a daughter of William 
Hale, of Bath Township. Five daughters were 
born to them. Lucy J. was the wife of C. R. 
Grant, of Akron, and died June 8,1880. Three 
brothers of subject died when 3'oung ; those 



living are David S. (subject), Joseph H., J. 
Park and William G., who is a commission 
merchant at Toledo, Ohio. 

FRANK M. ATTERHOLT, lawyer, Akron, 
son of John and Emeline (Williams) Atterholt, 
was born Dec. 19, 1848, near New Lisbon, Ohio, 
where he lived on a farm until he was 14 years 
of age, in the meantime attending school, and 
then entered the New Lisbon High School, 
which he attended for three years. At the age 
of 17 he began teaching, and continued some 
twelve years, spending his summer vacations 
in the National Normal School of Lebanon. He 
graduated from Mt. Vernon College in 1870, 
having entered three years previous. He was 
for three years Superintendent of the Colum- 
biana Public Schools, and for some time editor 
of the Independent Register of that place. In 
the Medina Normal School of 1872 he taught 
mathematics, and in 1873 was made Principal 
of the West Salem Public Schools, which posi- 
tion he retained for five years. In June, 1878, 
he began the stud}' of law under the direction 
of Upson, Ford & Baird, and pui'sued his 
studies with them two years, being admitted to 
the bar on Oct. 5, 1880, at the session of the 
Supreme Court at Columbus, and has since 
been in practice here, having moved here in 
1879. He was married to Miss Mar}' E. Beard, 
of Columbiana, Ohio, Dec. 31, 1872 ; she was a 
teacher in the public schools of that place. She 
bore him one child, a son. 

O. C. BARBER, Vice President Diamond 
Match Co., Akron. The subject of this sketch 
is a natiA'c of Middlebury, now Sixth Ward 
of Akron, Ohio. He was born April 20, 1841, 
and is the fourth of eight children born to 
George and Eliza Barber, who were natives 
of Connecticut and Ohio respectively. George 
Barber was born in the year 1804. His par- 
ents, Ezriah and Ann Barber, moving to Onon- 
daga Co., N. Y., when he was 1 year old, and 
where he remained until he became of age, 
his schooling was confined to a few months 
each year at the district schools of his neigh- 
borhood. At the age of 18, he was appren- 
ticed to coopering, and worked for three years. 
In the year 1826 — feeling the same pioneer 
spirit that had actuated his parents and grand- 
parents before him (he being a descendant of 
a family that came to this country from En- 
gland in 1620) — he thought he would take a 
look at what was then considered the far 



:fv" 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



West, i. e., Ohio, and, after a few years' travel 
through the State hi the clock business, he 
finally settled down at Middlebury, where a 
considerable milling interest was well estab- 
lished, and where and at Akron he followed his 
trade until the year 1845, when he began the 
manufacture of matches, being one of the first 
to take up the business in the West. Meeting 
with indifferent success at first, owing to the 
great difficult}^ of distributing the goods he 
manufactured. There being no railroads at that 
time that would transport matches, it was nec- 
essary to distribute his product by wagons. In 
the year 1852, feeling somewhat tired of the 
struggle, and the necessity of a rest, he con- 
cluded to retire from the business, and traded 
his fixtures and factoiy for a hotel at Middle- 
bury, and was appointed Postmaster of Middle- 
bury, under Pierce's administration. Of this 
he tired in about one year, and again engaged 
in the manufacture of matches and buttons, the 
latter part of the enterprise proving unprofit- 
able was soon abandoned, and he again gave 
his entire time and attention to the manufacture 
of matches, the facilities for which were in- 
proved from time to time, to keep pace with 
the growing demands of the trade ; and from 
making matches by hand in a barn, step by 
step the business was so increased that in the 
year 1880, the business was conducted in build- 
ings that, if on one floor twenty-two feet wide, 
would be over one mile long, and in which are 
made enough matches every twenty-five days, 
if placed end to end, to span the earth, and 
from which the Grovei'nment received for inter- 
nal revenue stamps over $2,000 per day. Our 
subject, who is the only surviving son of the 
founder of this immense business, was raised 
in his native village, and received a course of 
study in the common schools. The circum- 
stances of the family early ushered him into 
business affairs, thus at the age of 16, he began 
selling matches for his father, operating in Ohio, 
Indiana, Michigan and Penns3dvania, in which 
States, through his activity and industr}', the 
reputation of the Barber match soon became 
well-established. In the 3'ear 18(52, the entire 
management was left to his dictation, from 
which time the success of the enterprise became 
more marked. Ver}^ much of this success Mr. 
Barber attributes to his associate and active 
business friend, J. K. Robinson, who about this 
time took charge of introducing the goods into 



new markets, as well as the taking charge of 
the markets where the reputation of the goods 
were established, and no man in the entire West 
is better or more favorably known to the job- 
bing grocer trade of the country than Jack 
Robinson, as he is familiarh' dubbed by his 
many friends. In 1864, the business was merged 
into a stock company', known as the Barber 
Match Co., of which George Barber was the 
President and 0. C. Barber the Secretary and 
Treasurer, and John K. Robinson was General 
Agent. In January, 1881, the company had by 
far the largest and best equipped match works 
on this continent. The same enterprise that 
had made it what it was, suggested to Messrs. 
Barber & Robinson the propriety and economy 
of consolidating all the match companies of the 
States into one ownership or one company, and 
through them and other active manufacturers, 
a consolidation was made of twenty-eight of 
the leading manufacturers of the country, un- 
der the name of the Diamond Match Co., 
with a capital of $2,250,000, of which William 
H. Swift, of Wilmington, Del., is President ; 
0. C. Barber, Vice President ; and William B. 
Gates, of Frankfort, N. Y., is Treasurer. The 
business of this company' is conducted or man- 
aged by these officers, as an Executive Com- 
mittee, with co-ordinate powers, the subject 
of this sketch having charge more direct!}' of 
all the compan^^'s factories in the States west 
and south of Pennsylvania ; the sales depart- 
ment in the same territory being in the charge 
of John K. Robinson. 0. C. Barber married 
Miss Laura L. Brown, of Akron, Oct. 10, 1866. 
By the marriage there have been two children, 
one of whom is living, viz., Anna Laura : 
Charles H. is deceased. 

JOHN RICHARD BUCHTEL, manufact- 
urer of reapers and mowers, Akron, whose por- 
trait appears in this work, was born Jan. 18, 
1822, in Summit Co., Ohio. He was the son 
of John Buchtel, a farmer, and the grandson 
of Peter Buchtel, who was a native of Penn- 
sj'lvania, whence he moved to Ohio in 1809, 
entering service here as a soldier in the war of 
1812, and dying in the army. He engaged in 
farming when a youth, with no opportunity of 
obtaining other education than such as he 
could acquire b}' himself so that, when he at- 
tained his majority, he could with difficulty 
write his name. At that age he began to work 
land on shares, continuing it for several years, 



*7l 



-^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



667 



until at length he was able to purchase a small 
farm of twent}^ acres. Finally disposing of 
this, he bought a farm of IGO acres in Coven- 
try Township, Summit Co., Ohio, which he im- 
proved and lived upon until 1854, when he 
sold it, and purchased a farm in La Porte Co., 
Ind., purposing at the time to remove there, 
and continue faiming. Before doing so, how- 
ever, he modified his plans and entered into 
the employ of Ball, Aullman & Co., of Can- 
ton, then just beginning to make and introduce 
very extensively the ''Ohio," and afterward the 
" Buckeye" mower and reaper, continuing as 
their agent until the spring of 1856. The fiim 
was burnt out soon alter, and made an assign- 
ment to him for the benefit of its creditors. 
They obtained an extension, and he gave them 
such important aid that the fiim, C. Aullman & 
Co., was again on a secure foundation. In 
1864, he succeeded in persuading the Canton 
manufacturers of the "Buckeye" machines, to 
build a manufactorj' at Akion also, and he 
superintended the constiuction of the neces- 
sary buildings, and purchased a one-sixth inter- 
est in the new establishment. By the following 
spring they began manufacturing their ma- 
chines in the new buildings. The next year 
the business was organized as a stock ccmpany, 
of which he was elected President. This com- 
pany has over $1,000,0(10 of paid-up cap- 
ital, and $500,000 surplus. Its works have 
capacit}- for building over ten thousand ma- 
chines annuall}'. The Akron Iron Company, 
with its large rolling-mills and fine blast furn- 
aces, and the Akron Knife Works, of the Whit- 
man & Miles Manufacturing Ccmpany. for the 
production of knives and sickles for mowers, 
grew indirectly out of the establishment of the 
Buckeye works ; and the Akron paper-mill of 
Thomas Phillips & Co., the rubber works, the 
the chain works, and man}- other flourishing 
industries, owed very much to Mr. Buchtel for 
their location in Akron. He was an officer of 
the Canton incorporation of C. Aultman & Co., 
a Director of the Akron Iron Company, of the 
Bank of Akron, and of the Weary. Snyder & 
W^ilcox Manufacturing Company, besides many 
smaller business interests. In politics a Re- 
publican, and in temperance matters a prohibi- 
tionist ; he was the candidate of the latter 
party for Secretary of State of Ohio, in 1874. 
He was appointed by Gov. Hayes, and con- 
firmed by the Senate, one of the Trustees of 



State Agricultural College, and was a member 
of the executive committee during the erec- 
tion of its buildings. Througliout the war of 
Secession, his services to the community were 
simply invaluable. When others deemed the 
obstacles to filling up the quota and escaping 
the draft to be insurmountable, he, b}- his di- 
rect and supervisory eflfbrts obtained the appor- 
tionment laid upon his town. In religious be- 
lief, he is a stanch I^niversalist, but neverthe- 
less contributed for the erection of everj- 
church built in Akron, after he began to take 
an active part in ati'airs. The crowning work 
of his unstinted liberality was reached in the 
establishment and endowment of Buchtel Col- 
lege, Akron, an institution under the control 
i and patronage of the Universalist dencmina- 
j tion of Ohio. As the outgrowth of three 
I years of earnest thought and persistent eflfert, 
I the corner-stone of this college was laid Julj- 
4, 1871, Horace Greeley delivering the address 
of the occasion. Besides donating at the out- 
j set, his library to the institution, he from time 
to time contributed toward its ccm.pleticn and 
peimanent endowment, until his gilts, in this 
direction, amounted to over $100,000. This 
college, at first an experiment, steadily made 
its way foiward until it holds a place of ac- 
knowledged merit among the most flourishing 
institutions of the West. His generous contri- 
butions to the Akron Library Association, of 
which he was President, did much to place 
that organization upon a peimanent basis. It 
ma}- be safely said that he gave away all he 
earned, and was a great public and private 
benefactor. In 1844, he married Miss Eliza- 
beth Davidscn. and their union is without 
issue. In 1877, Mr. Buchtel went to Athens 
Co., Ohio, where he purchased for the Akron 
Iron Company, on the line of the Hock- 
ing Valley Branch Bailroad, 1,400 acres, com- 
prising some of the richest deposits of 
coal and iron in the State. During the same 
year, the railroad compan}- located a station on 
these lands, and in honor of his ettbrts to de- 
velop the mines, they named the station Buch- 
tel. and later, the post office there received the 
same name. As purchaser, projector and gen- 
eral manager of the company during the past 
four years, he has made five openings and es- 
tablished large furnaces, which combined, re- i 
quire a force of over four hundred men to 
operate, with a mining capacity' of 1,000 tons 



^^=f* 



668 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



of superior furnace coal. The rich veins of 
iron there are worked with great facility on 
account of contiguous quarries of limestone 
which produce lime suitable for fluxing. 

CAPT. GEORGE BILLOW, undertaker, 
Akron, the representative of his line of busi- 
ness, has an eventful history. He was born 
April 2, 1833, in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, 
and is the son of John and Elizabeth (Milljus) 
Billow, both natives of Hesse-Darmstadt. His 
parents, with five sons and two daughters, emi- 
grated to the United States about the year 
1844, and settled on a farm near Sandusky, 
Ohio. George remained with his parents till he 
was 17 3'ears old, and then went to Fremont, 
Ohio, to learn the trade of a wagon-maker ; he 
spent three years there at learning his trade, 
and then he went to Cleveland, where he fin- 
ished in fine workmanship ; he then came to 
Akron, and for a time was emplo3'ed by E. A. 
Collins. About this time he was married to 
Miss Mary, daughter of Conrad and Charlotte 
(Graff) Fink ; their marriage took place on 
Sept. 19, 1854. His wife, as well as her father 
and mother, were natives of Germany. After 
his marriage he returned to Cleveland for a 
time, and then again came to Akron, when he 
engaged in the manufacture of spokes for Mr. 
Collins, and for Oviatt & Sperry, of Tallmadge. 
About the time he was engaged in this busi- 
ness, the war of the rebellion had grown to a 
point when President Lincoln issued a call for 
300,000 men. Mr. Billow sold out and closed 
up his interests as best he could, and then entered 
the army ; he enlisted in Co. I, 107th 0. V. I., 
as a private ; this was a German regiment, and 
was enlisted specially for Sigel's command ; he 
entered the army in July, and in the following 
November he was promoted to Second Lieu- 
tenant ; shortly after this he rose to the rank 
of First Lieutenant, and then was made Captain 
of his company. Much of his term of enlist- 
ment was spent in detail service, though he saw 
some hard fighting ; he was in the Fredericks- 
burg campaign, and was at the battle of Chan- 
cellorsville from July 1 to 4 ; in the first bayonet 
charge at this battle, the Captain and thirty 
men of his company were lost. Hagerstown 
and Boonsboro will also l)e remembered by 
him as places of battle in which he participated. 
From Warrenton Junction they embarked for 
South Carolina ; their command had been so 
cut up that the 1st Division of the 11th Corps 



was united with Gordon's Division, and the com- 
mand known thereafter as Gordon's Division. 
They went to Folly Island, under command of 
Gen. Q. A. Gilraore. Capt. Billow was at the 
capture of Fort Wagner, and about Christmas, 
1863, he was at the battle of James' Island ; 
he was subsequently ordered to the assistance 
of the troops at Jacksonville, Fla. ; there he 
was stricken with typhoid fever, and, after re- 
covering, he was detailed Brigade Commissary 
of Subsistence, which position he held for three 
months, and had the honor of having been 
complimented by Commissary General Kil- 
bourn on his success. Again he was detailed, 
and this time on the staff of Gen. Foster, as 
Post Commissary at Fernandina ; he remained 
there about nine months, and was then sent to 
Jacksonville as local Provost Marshal, and was 
there for three months, and then he was re- 
turned to Fernandina, where he remained till 
the close of the war. When he returned from 
the army he engaged in the grocery business 
in Akron, with Mr. C. Kolb ; thev were in busi- 
ness for about two years, when he took charge 
of the co-operative grocery ; he then, for about 
one and a half 3'ears, was traveling and selling 
stoneware. Having seen much of the South 
during the war, he removed to Huntsville, Ala., 
where, for four years, he was on a cotton plan- 
tation ; finding this speculation unprofitable, he 
returned to Akron, where he arrived the 1st of 
April, 1875. He has now been Notary' for five 
years, and is doing an extensive business as 
agent for different ocean steamship lines and in 
foreign exchange ; this, in connection with his 
business as undertaker, makes an extensive 
trade. He is a member of Akron Commander}', 
No. 25 ; and while he was in Alabama, he was 
a member of Huntsville Commander}-, No. 7, 
and held the office of Grand Captain of the 
Guard of the order in that State. Politically, 
he is a Republican. His famil}^ consists of the 
following children : Anna, George W., Charles 
Fernando (named after the Major), Ida, Albert 
C, Jacob L., Edwin M., and the baby, Claire. 
WILLIAM BUCHTEL, lumber, etc., Akron; 
a son of John and Catharine (Richards) Buch- 
tel, was born Dec. 23, 1822, in Green Township 
of this county. His father had but little means, 
except his land (106 acres) and his children 
only went to school when they could be spared 
from the farm in winter. He (subject) and his 
brother, John R., cleared a large portion of his 



'k^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



669 



father's farm. At 22. he commenced for him- 
self, and in one year bought the homestead, and 
engaged largely in wheat-raising. He followed 
farming until 1856, when he bought an interest 
(having rented out his farm) in the Chamberlin 
Mills, which he operated for some time with 
good success. He served in the 164th 0. N. Gr. 
during the late war, and was honorably dis- 
charged in the fall of 1864. After leaving the 
arm}', he removed to Akron, and in the follow- 
ing year he made one of the firm of Jackson, 
Buchtel & Co., and engaged in the lumber 
business for five years — subject being most of 
the time in the pineries near Saginaw, Mich., 
supe^-intending the manufacture of lumber. He 
is at present in the lumber business. Since 
1865, he has located and handled over 20,000 
acres of GoA'ernment and State lands, in Clare, 
Isabella and Missaukee Counties, Mich., and 
still owns some 3,000 acres there. He was 
married March 7, 1842, to Miss Martha Hen- 
derson, of Springfield Township. By this mai'- 
riage there are four children, viz. : James H., 
John D., Wm. M. and C. J. 

JOHN D. BUCHTEL, Akron, second son of 
Wm. and 3Iartha (Henderson) Buchtel was born 
May 20, 1849, in Coventry Township, this county. 
In 1864, when his father went into the army, he 
came to Akron, and worked in the mill until 
his return, when he went to school for two 
3'ears. He then engaged in a flour and feed 
store ; attended commercial school in Pough- 
keepsie in 1868, and spent two summers at 
Saginaw, Mich. He was in the employ of 
Thomas & Son one year (1871), and teller in 
the Citizens' Savings and Loan Association, 
from May, 1872, to March, 1877, when his health 
failed and he lay sick for some time. In 1878, 
he was a member of Tlermania Printing Co. for 
a short time and then went to Chautauqua Lake 
where he clerked in a hotel for three months. 
He then came back to Akron, and in November, 
1878, opened a feed store on Mill sti'eet, which 
he kept until the spring of 1881, when he be- 
came a member of the firm of Wm. Buchtel & 
Sons, lumber dealers. 

CHARLES W. BROWN, barber, Akron, a 
son of John and Margaret (Groves) Brown, was 
born in Cleveland, Ohio, May 7, 1843, where he 
lived until 15 years of age, attending the public 
schools of that city. At the age of 14 he en- 
tered his father's barber shop as an apprentice ; 
he, being a leading barber on Superior street 



for some fifty j-ears. Subject worked in the 
shop until the war broke out. He had drilled 
with a compan}' of colored men under Capt. 
Paddock of the " Cleveland Grays." This 
company, through John Brown (subject's father) 
tendered their services to Gov. Tod, who tele- 
graphed in response : " When we want niggers 
we'll let you know." Subject then recruited fif- 
teen men, and upon offering themselves to Rhode 
Island were accepted. He then returned and 
raised twenty men more, but Ohio had, in the 
meantime, discovered that "niggers" would 
stop bullets as well as whites, and got out an 
injunction against their leaving the State. 
Gov. Sprague of Rhode Island was notified, and 
sent two of his ablest attorney's to manage the 
case. In the trial of the case, Gov. Tod's tele- 
gram was offered in testimon}', and after a full 
discussion of the pros and cons, the " niggers " 
were allowed to follow their own bent, and at 
once reported to Rhode Island, where they 
were mustered into the 14th Rhode Island 
Heavy Artillery. They entered the service in 
October, 1862, and were discharged at New 
Orleans in the spring of 1865. Subject served 
in the Gulf Department, and was in the battles 
of Red River, Mobile, Plaquemine, La., and was 
1st Sergeant of Co. K. He came to Akron in the 
fall of 1865, and has done a good business as 
barber ever since. His shop is located under 
the x\cademy of Music, and runs from three to 
five chairs with competent artists, and has a 
bath room attached. He has always been a 
stanch Republican and is the first colored man 
elected to office in Summit Count}', b}' a popular 
vote, being elected Trustee of Portage Township 
in 1880, an oflfice he has faithfully filled. He 
was married, July 29, 1867, to Miss Laura V. 
Lewis, of Cleveland ; the}' have two daughters 
and one son. His parents were free-born and 
came to Cleveland about 1820, where the 
mother still lives, aged 85 : father died in 1868. 
They had two sons and two daughters. Sub- 
ject is a fine musician, and was leader of the 
first colored band ever raised in Akron. 

DAVID BUNN, policeman. Akron. Ohio ; 
a son of Jacob and Sarah A. (Whaler) Bunn ; 
was born in Wells Co., Ind., May 23, 1842, his 
father having mo\'ed to that locality in an early 
da}'. Subject worked on a farm, and helped to 
clear 200 acres of woodland. He went to 
school, two miles distant, and, at 19, came to 
Ohio, where he worked for David Gailhouse. of 



670 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Wayne Coimty, on farm and in coal bank. He 
enlisted, Aug.* 22, 1862, in Co. G, of the 120tli 
0. V. I., and participated in the Trans-Missis- 
sippi and Vicksburg campaign, and the Red 
River expedition. He was captured at Snagg 
Point, Red River, and imprisoned at Camp Ford 
for thirteen months ; was at one time sentenced 
to be shot by the rebels, and taken out for that 
purpose, but was not executed for some cause. 
After being inhumanly treated, rendering him 
an invalid for five years, he was, in 1865, pa- 
roled at Camp Ford, and returned to Doyles- 
town, Ohio, and clerked for one year for his old 
employer, on farm and in coal bank. He was 
married, October 11, 1866, to Miss Almira 
Spriiiger, of Doylestown, where he lived until 
1875. They have three children, two sons and 
one daughter. Mr. B., in 1866. engaged in the 
grocer}' business, and afterward dealt in dry 
goods. In 1875, he came to Akron, and opened 
a boot and shoe store on Howard street, for 
about three years, when he closed out and en- 
tered the employ of Teeples & Maxim for about 
one and one-half years. In 1878, he was ap- 
pointed, by Mayor Scott, policeman for the 
Fourth Ward, and has been on the force ever 
since, a faithful and vigilant officei'. He has 
always been a stanch Republican in politics. 

J. MARTIN BECK, Akron Varnish Works, 
Akron, Ohio, is a son of Adam and Christina 
(Hoefer) Beck, and was born in the town of 
Selb, Bavaria, Germany, Oct. 14, 1843. At 14, 
he entered as an apprentice in a wholesale gro- 
cery and drug house, and served four years 
without compensation, and paid over $300 to 
learn the business. He passed a regular ex- 
amination, and came to the United States in 
1862, and to Akron in August of the same 
year. Here he first entered the employ of M. 
W. Henry & Co., Mr. Wolf, his half-brother, 
being a partner. He remained six 3'ears, when 
his health failed, and he changed his location 
to Cleveland, where he was employed by E. I. 
Baldwin & Co. as a salesman for one year. In 
the spring of 1869, he went to Europe and re- 
mained till fall, and returned to the United 
States in improved health. He entered into 
partnership with John Wolf and H. J. Church, 
in the dry goods business, until 1878, when he 
sold out, and shortly after formed a partner- 
ship with E. G. Kubler, and established the 
Akron Varnish Works, the first and only fac- 
tory of the kind in the county. The business 



has largely increased since its establishment. 
Jan. 12, 1871, he married Miss Kate J. Buch- 
tel, daughter of William Buchtel, Esq. The}' 
have two sons and one daughter. 

SOL J. BUCHER, Constable, Akron; son 
of David and Catherine (Baird) Bucher, was 
born in Franklin Township, this county, April 
10, 1846. He lived there until the war broke 
out. At 16, he entered the array, enlisting 
August 5, 1862, in Co. H, 104th 0. V. I. He 
served in the Kentucky and East Tennessee 
invasion, and the Atlanta campaign. At Co- 
lumbia, Tenn., he was wounded on the 28th of 
November, 1864, while on skirmish line ; he 
was shot by a sharpshooter, and the ball en- 
tered under his left nostril, crashing through 
the hard palate, grazing the base of the skull, 
and lodged between his ear and bones of the 
neck. The wound was probed by surgeons, 
and they removed a half ounce ball. His hear- 
ing and eyesight were affected for some time. 
He joined his regiment at Greensboro, N. C, 
in May, 1865, and was mustered out at Cleve- 
land with his regiment. On his return, he en- 
gaged in farming in Coventry Township, until 
1869, when he removed to Akron, and was 
there in the employ of Thomas & Sous, in the 
planing business, for about a year ; then, for 
some time, engaged in the grocery business. 
Next, he worked in the different departments 
of the '' Excelsior Works," on i-eapers and mow- 
ers, and subsequently in the Akron Rubber 
Works. In 1875, he was elected Constable for 
Portage Township, which position he has filled 
by annual elections ever since. He has been a 
member of the Republican County Committee 
for two years. September 28, 1866, he mar- 
ried, at Millersburg, Ohio, Mrs. Harriet L. 
Bucher, widow of the late David Bucher, Jr., 
and daughter of David Flickinger, formerly of 
Summit Co. His father was born in Maryland 
in 1808, and came to Canton with his parents 
in 1810, the present city having then but four 
cabins. He grew up there, and moved near 
Clinton, this county, in 1838. He married 
Miss Catharine Baird, of Canton, a lady of 
Scotch descent, born in 1813. He farmed in 
Franklin Township until his death, in 1858. 
Ho was one of the "Minute Men" during the 
Mexican war. He was the father of fourteen 
children, eleven of whom are deceased ; but six 
grew up, viz., David, Jr., John, Joseph, Solo- 
mon J., Lavina and Amelia, Henry (deceased). 



^ 



L^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



671 



John was a member of the 1st Battalion of the 
18th U. S. A., and died at Park Barrack, Louis- 
ville, Ky., Dec. 9, 1862. Mrs. David Bucher, 
Sr., is still living. Theobald Bucher, grand- 
father of subject, was a French soldier, and re- 
moved from Alsatia, France, to America, just 
after the American Revolution, settling at Bal- 
timore, Md.; then removed to Bellefonte, Center 
Co., Penn., and, in 1810, to Canton, Ohio, with 
his family. 

JAMES BUCHANAN, foreman in paper 
mills, Akron ; is a son of James and Elizabeth 
(Patterson) Buchanan ; she a daughter of Frank 
Patterson. All were natives of County Donne- 
gal, Ireland ; but emigrated to America, and 
settled at Quebec, Canada, in 1853, the same 
year coming to Cuyahoga Falls. James and 
Elizabeth Buchanan had four children, two of 
whom are living — our subject, born in 1846, 
and Helen, now a Mrs. Fred Langs ; he a 
molder at Webster, Camp & Lanes. The j^oung- 
est and the oldest children died in infancy. 
James received a limited education, and, at 9 
years of age, began working in the paper mill 
at Cuyahoga Falls, wliere he worked a number 
of years, and learned the different departments 
of the work. In Aug. 2, 1862, he enlisted in 
Co. G, 115th 0. V. I., and was afterward trans- 
ferred to the Second U. S. Calvary, in which he 
served two and a half years. He was mustered 
out of service in August, 1865 ; returned home, 
and learned the harness-maker's trade, at which 
he worked three years. In 1868, he re-engaged 
in the paper mill at the falls, working with the 
engines and machines, until, in the year 1874, 
from which time until, in 1876, he was em- 
ploj^ed at the Monroe Falls Paper Mills. In 
1876, he came to the Akron Paper Company, 
and, in 1879, accepted the position of foreman 
of the works. He was married to Mary Ann 
Nesbitt, by whom he had four children, three 
of whom are now living, viz., Ellen, Emma and 
Frank. He is a member of Summit Lodge, 
No. 50, I. 0. 0. F. He is also connected with 
the Episcopal Church. 

FREDERICK BISHOP, Superintendent Ak- 
ron Iron Company, Akron ; son of Thomas and 
Ann (Warner) Bishop ; was born in the county 
of Warwickshire, England, October 30, 1843. 
When a child, his parents removed to the iron 
region of South Staffoi'dshire, England. When 12 
years old, he entered a rolling mill at Wednes- 
bury, Eng., in the heart of the iron coun- 



tr}'. He worked in almost ever}^ department 
of the business there, and came to the United 
States in 1868, stopping at Pittsburgh, Penn., 
from August to November, when he came to 
Akron, and entered the employ of this company, 
as puddler's helper for some six months, when 
he was assigned the management of the finish- 
ing mills, a position he held some six years, 
after which he was employed in the mills of the 
Mahoning Valley as superintendent of mills 
(at different points) for four years. He then 
entered the employ of the Akron Iron Company, 
in September, 1878, as superintendent, which 
position he has held ever since. He has been 
in the iron business for twentj'-six years, and 
is thoroughly acquainted with all the processes 
known as to its manufacture. May 31, 1869, 
he married Miss Ann Baldwin, of Wednesbury, 
England. He has two children living, and three 
dead. His father was a farmer, and is living 
with his wife in England. They were once in 
the United States. 

JOHN BROWN, deceased. The champion 
of universal liberty, the zealous friend of the 
colored race, and the hero of Harper's Ferry, 
was born at Torrington, Conn., on the 9th of 
May, in the year 1800, and was the son of Owen 
and Ruth (Mills) Brown. His ancestry is 
traced back in an unbroken line to Peter 
Brown, one of the fugitive pilgrims, who landed 
from the Mayflower on Plymouth Rock in De- 
cember, 1620. Without tracing the family 
back to this renowned ancestor, suffice it to say 
that Capt. John Brown (the grandfather of 
subject), was an officer in the Revolutionary 
army, and died of disease during his term of 
service. He was of the fourth generation from 
Peter Brown in regular descent. Capt. John 
Brown's youngest son was named Owen, and 
was the father of our subject. He came to 
Ohio in 1805, when the latter was but five 
years old, and settled in Hudson Township 
(now in Summit County), where he became one 
of the principal pioneer settler's of that section. 
He was commonly called Squire Brown, and 
was one of the Board of Trustees of Oberlin 
College; was spoken of as being endowed with 
energy and enterprise, and of going down to his 
grave honoi-ed and respected, about 1852, at 
the age of 87 years. Subject's mother died 
when he was but 8 years old, a loss he mourned 
long and sincerely. When the war broke out 
with England (1812), his father engaged in fur- 



\ 



672 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



nishing the troops with beef (sattle. During 
this war lie had some chance to form his own 
bo3'ish judgment of men and measures, and to 
become somewhat familiarly acquainted with 
many who figured before the country in after 
3'ears. A circumstance occurred during this 
war that made him a most determined Aboli- 
tionist, and led him to declare eternal war on 
slavery. He was staying for a short time with 
a man who owned a slave boy about his own 
age. This man made a great pet of him (sub- 
ject), brought him to table with his first com- 
pany and friends, and called their attention to 
every little smart thing he said and did, while 
the negro boy was badly clothed, poorly fed 
and lodged in cold weather, and beaten before 
his eyes with anything that came first to hand. 
At the age of 10 an old friend induced him to 
read a little history, by which he acquired some 
taste for reading ; formed the principal part of 
his early education and diverted him, in a great 
manner, from bad company. By reading the 
lives of great and good men, and their writings, 
he grew to dislike vain and frivolous conversa- 
tion and persons. In early life he became am- 
bitious to excel in an3'thing he undertook to 
perform, and especially in the full labor of a 
man in any hard work. At an early age he 
became, to some extent, a convert to Chris- 
tianity, and was ever after a firm believer in 
the divine authenticity of the Bible. With this 
book he became very familiar, and possessed 
an unusual memory of its entire contents. He 
was married June 21, 1820, at Hudson, to Miss 
Dianthe Lusk, an industrious and economical 
girl of excellent character, earnest piet^^, and of 
good practical common sense. By this marriage 
he had seven children, viz., John, Jason, Owen, 
Frederick. Ruth, Frederick (2d), and an infant 
son, buried with its mother, Aug. 10, 1832. 
three days after its birth. By his second wife, 
Mary A. Da^-, to whom he was married at 
Meadville, Penn., he had thirteen children, viz., 
Sarah, Watson, Salmon, Charles, Oliver, Peter, 
Austin, Anne, Amelia, Sarah (2d), Ellen, infant 
son, Ellen (2d). From his 21st to his 26th 
3-ear, he was engaged in the tanning business 
and as a farmer in Ohio. At 26, he went to 
Crawford Co., Penn., where he carried on his 
old business until 1835, characterized as a 
thoroughly honest man. In 1835, he moved 
to Franklin Mills, Portage Co., Ohio, where he 
remained until 1840, when he went to Hudson 



and engaged in the wool business with Mr. 
Oviatt, of Richfield. In 1814, he moved to 
Akron, and in 1846, to Springfield, Mass., where 
he lived until 1849, and then removed to Essex 
Co., N. Y. In 1851, he returned, with his 
family to Akron, Ohio, where he managed Mr. 
Perkins' farm and carried on the wool business. 
It was in 1839 that he first conceived the idea 
of liberating the Southern slaves. He had seen 
the blasting and blighting manhood of the 
nation, and had listened to the "voice of the 
poor that cried." This sentiment was cherished 
b}' him, and his efforts in that direction pushed 
forward, until he expiated with his life the zeal 
he felt for the down-trodden African. In 1855, 
on starting for Kansas, he again moved his 
household to Essex Co., N. Y., where now his 
"bod}' lies moldering in the dust." But from 
the period of his going to Kansas, until an 
ignominious death closed his eventful career, 
his acts and his deeds are a part of the nation's 
history, and require no repetition in this 
sketch. 

JAMES N. BALDWIN, merchant miller, 
Akron. Benson C. Baldwin was born in 1797, 
in Granville, Mass., and his wife, Louisa A. 
Neal, in Tallmadge, Ohio, in 1812. He was 
a minister in the Presbyterian Church, and 
preached up to the time of his death, which 
occurred at Medina in 1844. He was the 
father of three sons, and James, the second 
child, was born Feb. 22, 1839, in Medina, Ohio. 
He lived in Middlebury from 1844 to 1851, 
when his mother moved to Hudson. Here he 
attended school until he was 19, when he came 
to Akron and clerked for the Hall Bros, until 
1862, when he was emplo^'ed as book-keeper 
and Secretary of the Chamberlain Company, 
continuing until 1878, in which year he formed 
a partnership with George AV. McNeil, and 
leased the ^Etna Mills, which they have con- 
ducted with ftiir success since. In March, 
1864, he was married to Miss Augusta Eldred, 
of Akron, who bore him two children ; she 
died in January, 1875. In July, 1879, he mar- 
ried Miss Harriet L. Andrus, of Akron. 

DENNISON BABCOCK, butcher, Akron, is 
a son of George, he of Samuel Babcock, who 
were natives of Groton, Conn. George, with 
two brothers and one sister, came to Ohio at 
an early date, he settling in Middlebury, and 
engaging in mercantile pursuits, which he aft- 
erward pursued in Akron Cit}' proper. He 



IV 



CITY OF AKRON. 



673 



was married, June 14, 1829, to Clarissa Will- 
iams as a second marriage, by whom he had 
five children — ^Martha Calista, born July 1, 
1830; Sarah Susannah, May 18, 1833; Will- 
iams Pierpont, Oct. 27, 1835 ; Clarissa E., 
Jul}' 31, 1840 (now deceased), and the subject 
of 'this sketch, born Feb. 12, 1844. Paul 
Williams, born in 1767, and Sarah Williams, 
born in 1763, the grandparents of our subject, 
came to Akron and erected the first log-house 
in the cit}' proper, the location of which was 
on Broad street, near the knife works. The 
family nearly all died during the building of 
the canal, none being left except the grand- 
mother and the mother of the subject of this 
sketch, who lived until 1868. The grand- 
mother died in 1832, from the effects of sick- 
ness in 1827. Dennison attended school in 
Akron until 17 years of age, when he learned 
butchering, and worked for a time at the car- 
penter's trade. At 18 j-ears of age, he enlist- 
ed in Co. H, 104th 0. V. I., in which he served 
until July, 1865, receiving in the meantime a 
wound at the battle of Knoxville which sent 
him to the hospital for a considerable time, 
which he occupied in filling the position of 
Hospital Steward. In the spring of 1867, he 
engaged with his brother in the feed-store bus- 
iness, but disposed of the same the following 
fall. Then engaged in butchering for about 
two years, after which time he traveled four 
years for Alfred Pitkin & Co., steam-heating 
apparatus, subsequent!}' engaging in the bus- 
iness of carpentering and pattern-making for 

D. W. Thomas, continuing for about three 
years. In March, 1879, he began the butcher- 
ing business with a meat market at No. 322 
East Mill street, where he is now engaged with 

E. W. Russell, doing an average business. He 
was married, Nov. 12, 1873, to Lucy Maria 
Upson, daughter of Julius Upson, a resident 
of Cuyahoga Falls. He is prominently identi- 
fied with the Republican party. 

JOHN H. BELLOWS, retired farmer ; P. O. 
Akron ; is the eldest son of Itharaar Bellows, 
who was born Feb. 11, 1794, in Groton, Conn., 
and died in 1868, he being a son of Ephraim, 
who came, among the earh' settlers, to Coventry 
and Springfield Townships. The wife of Itha- 
mar was Lanah Haynes, born June 28, 1796 ; 
died Jan. 17, 1867. Her parents were Daniel 
and Jane (Ha3'nes) Haynes, who were the first 
white settlers in Coventry Township. The father 



of our subject drove an ox -team from Groton, 
Conn., to Coventry, in the fall of 1811, for 
Capt. Amos Spicer, with whom he lived until 
his marriage to Lanah Haynes. b}^ whom he 
had seven children — Laura, born March 30, 
1816 ; John H., April 24, 1818 ; Samantha J., 
Oct. 20, 1823; Ephraim G., Dec. 15, 1825; 
Harriet D., March 11, 1830 ; Henry J., Dec. 18, 
1833, and Mary E., Dec. 22, 1837. He was 
alwa^'s a ver}' hard-working man, honest and 
upright in all his dealing, by which he amassed 
a considerable fortune, although very liberal, 
and meeting with many reverses. John H., 
being the oldest son, received a very limited 
education, he being employed in assisting his 
father in clearing up the old homestead until 
about 25 years of age. He was married, Oct. 
9, 1857, to Lydia Ann Myers, daughter of 
Simeon Mj^ers, an old settler in Norton. They 
have two sons — Francis Leroy, born Dec. 25, 
1859, now engaged as Assistant Superintendent 
at Akron Rubber Works — and Charles Orlando, 
born Oct. 25, 1861, now engaged in the manu- 
facturing of brooms, with Bechtel & Pontius. 

JAMES H. BURT, book-keeper at Brewster 
Coal Chutes, Akron ; was born Aug. 19, 1843 ; 
the son of William Burt, whose father was also 
named William ; they were natives of England. 
Our subject is a native of Glamorganshire, 
South Wales ; and, in the fall of 1853, came 
from Liverpool to New York with his parents 
and four sisters. They resided at Wampum, 
Penn., for one 3ear ; then came to the cit}' of 
Youngstown, Ohio, where the father now lives, 
and is engaged as an horticulturist. His mother 
was a sister to John Beese, whose histor}' ap- 
pears in Coventr}' Township. James attended 
school until 13 years of age, when he engaged 
as a mule driver in the Mahoning Valley until 
the breaking-out of the war, when he enlisted 
as drummer in an independent band called 
" Dixon's Band ;" but was subsequentl}^ con- 
nected with the 155th Penns3'lvania Regiment, 
the band being discharged some time after en- 
listment, he returned home, and re-enlisted in 
the 84th 0. V. I. three montlis' men ; but were 
kept several months overtime, when they were 
discharged. He then, immediately, Jan. 2, 1864, 
enlisted in the 15th Ohio Battery, in which he 
served until June, 1865, when he returned home, 
and worked on a farm and attended school un- 
til April, 1866. when he was engaged as book- 
keeper l)y the Crawford, Davis & Co. Coal Mining 



:|^ 



074 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES; 



Companj', near Youngstown, until 1874, at which 
time he accepted the position which he now 
occupies. He was married, Nov. 28, 1867, to 
Harriette E. Beatty, daughter of John and Lu- 
cretia (Darrow) Beatty, natives, he of Ii'eland, 
she of New England. B_y this marriage, there 
were five children — Harrison J., Franklin P., 
Clara May, Alfred and Martha J. 

ARTHUR F. BARTGES, Akron ; son of Dr. 
Samuel W. Bartges ; was born in North George- 
town, Ohio, April 2, 1838, and came with his 
parents to Akron in 1842, where he attended 
the public schools until he was 16, entering 
Western Reserve College of Hudson in 1856, 
where he spent two j-ears. In 1857, he entered 
the law office of Ranney, Backus & Noble, of 
Cleveland, being admitted to the bar at the 
session of the Supreme Court at Columbus, 
April 4, 1859. Returning at once to Akron, 
he formed a partnership with Gen. A. C. Voris, 
which lasted until 1864. In 1865, he opened a 
coal mine in Norton, and engaged in the coal 
business, going to Cleveland in 1869, vvhere he 
had his principal office, and did a large busi- 
ness in the sale of coal until 1877, when he 
again came to Akron, and resumed the practice 
of law, being in active practice ever since. 

CAPT. A. P. BxiLDWIN, Agent Akron 
Iron Company, Akron, oldest son of James 
and Mary (Robertson) Baldwin, was born Jan. 
28, 1838, near 110 North Howard street, 
Akron ; at 14, he entered the employ of P. D. 
Hall & Co., as clerk, where he remained until 
1859, when his father opened a hardware store 
on Howard street, under the firm name of 
James Baldwin & Son ; this they conducted 
until the war broke out, and, in October, 1861, 
he enlisted in the 6th Ohio Light Batter}^ or- 
ganized at Mansfield, Ohio, b}' John Sherman, 
by whom he was commissioned 2d Lieutenant. 
After the battle of Mission Ridge he was pro- 
moted to 1st Lieutenant, and during the Hood 
campaign he was made Captain of the 6th 
Battery ; he was mustered out at New Orleans 
September 1, 1865, having served nobly in the 
Pittsburg, Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River, Chat- 
tanooga, Lookout Mountain, Atlanta Cam- 
paign, Resaca, Atlanta (Jonesboro), Spring 
Hill and Nashville battles. For his gallant 
services at Spring Hill, of Franklin, Tennessee, 
he was offered a commission in the regular army, 
by Corps Commander Gen. D. Stanley, but de- 
clined it. On his return to Akron he went into 



the hardware business with H. W. Wetmore, 
under the firm name of Wetmore & Baldwin, and 
in 1 867, it became Wetmore, Baldwin & Paige, so 
continuing until 1869, when he retired, and in 
March became General Agent for the Akron 
Iron Compan}', a position he still retains, repre- 
senting the company throughout the East, West 
and South. November 10, 1863, he married 
Miss Celia F. Ayres, of Akron ; he has four 
children — James A., John Sherman, Susie and 
Mary E 

JAMES BALDWIN, Akron, was born at 
Amsterdam, N. Y.,in 1S05, and came to Akron 
in 1831, having but little means ; he was a car- 
penter and builder. The firm of Kilbour & 
Baldwin was presented with lots on corner of 
Howard & Market streets, for the purpose of 
erecting a hotel, which they did, and named it 
the "Pavilion Hotel;" they rented it to Charles 
B. Cobb, who kept it for several years. Mr. 
Baldwin put up the present block, comprising 
Nos. 102,104 and 108 North Howard st. He 
went into the hardware business in 1859, con- 
tinuing until 1864, when he retired, and died 
Sept. 19, 1865. His wife, Mary (Robertson) 
was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1805, came to 
Ohio, with her parents, in 1831, and was mar- 
ried. She died in 1872, leaving a family of six 
children, viz., Miranda P., resident of Aki'oii ; 
Isabella R., wife of William C. Sullivan, of Oak- 
land, California ; Aaron P. (of whom see 
sketch) ; James W., died in 1875, near Cincin- 
nati ; Mar}' J., who was the wife of B. D. A. 
Melvin, of Akron, and died in 1877 ; and Olive 
J., wife of C. L. Benjamin, of Dennison, Tex. 
James Baldwin was a civil engineer on the 
railroad from Schenectady to Albany, N. Y., in 
1830, the first railroad in the United States, 
with Hon. Horatio Allen and James Mills ; he 
was a man of great industry, and possessed a 
character without a flaw. 

JAMES F. BRUOT, Notary Public, general 
insurance and real estate agent, Akron ; was 
born Jan. 29, 1827 ; is the son of John Nicho- 
las Bruot and Catharine Bruot, nee Guyot, of 
Valentigney, near Montbeliard, Department of 
Doubs, France, and the descendant of an an- 
cient Huguenot family. He was educated in 
the normal school of his native town, and in 
1843 came out best of his class and drew the 
first prize of honor ; in May, 1848, he came to 
the United States, stopping at Buffalo, N. Y., 
where he engaged to work for an attorney in 



w 



CITY OF AKRON. 



675 



order to learn the English hmguage ; he went 
back to France in 1851 on a visit, and while 
tliere received a power of attorney from Mr. 
Peter Gressard, of Coventry Township, Summit 
Co. On his return to the United States, and at 
the solicitation of Mr. Gressard, he came to this 
count}' and visited the latter, when he first became 
acquainted with his wife ; he did not remain 
long, however ; he, being an only child was 
again called to France by his parents for the 
third time. AVhile there his father died acci- 
dentally, and, after arranging matters relating 
to the estate, he returned to Buffalo, and, Dec. 
2, 1854, was married in Akron to Miss Kosalie 
Gressard. He took his wife to Buffalo, and re- 
mained there in the grocery and provision bus- 
iness until November, 1857, when he sold out 
his house, lot and business, at a good margin, 
and took his wife and first child on a visit to 
Europe. In 1860, he returned with his lamily 
to Akron, where, a few months later, after the 
death of his father-in-law, he purchased the 
latter's farm. In 1864, he erected a large build- 
ing on South Main street, where he opened a 
wholesale and retail grocery store, and, a few 
years later, erected the Harmonic Block, at a 
cost of $23,000 ; in November, 1871, he en- 
gaged in the general insurance and real estate 
business, and is at present Notary Public, insur- 
ance and real estate agent. He has five chil- 
dren, all of whom are living. Mr. B. has made 
eight trips to Europe, which, with his original 
trip to the United States, makes seventeen times 
crossing of the Atlantic. 

G. C. BERRY, merchant, Akron, of the well- 
known firm of G. C. Berry & Co. — of which so 
much is said in the sketch of Mr. Henry of this 
firm — is a native of Medina Co., Ohio, though he 
became aresidentof Summit County when he was 
3 years old ; in 1863, he became a partner in the 
firm of which he now stands at the head, which 
change was made in 1874. His has been a life 
without remarkable incident, yet crowned with 
success. During his early life he had the ad- 
vantage of the public schools of Akron ; his 
opportunities were not left unimproved, the re- 
sult of which was the acquirement by himself 
of a good education. In social as well as in 
business affairs, he is not given to ostentation. 
He was a member of Co. F of the 164th 0. V. I., 
100 days service during the war of the rebell- 
ion ; he has been a member of the Board of 
Education of Akron, which fact is pretty good 



evidence of his ability and the confidence of the 
people ; he is a member of Summit Lodge, No. 
50, I. 0. 0. F., and a Republican in politics. 
He has been almost wholly dependent upon 
his own resources, and, however prominent 
his position may be in connection with the 
mercantile industries of Akron, that position 
has been attained by his own energy, ambition 
and honesty. 

GEORGE BURKHARDT, retired, Akron, 
who is a representative of the industrious and 
enterprising German element of Akron popu- 
lation, was born in Baden, Germany. When he 
was 11 years old, his father died, and, at the 
age of 13, he was doubly orphaned by the 
death of his mother. He, however, had the 
advantage of attending school until he was 14 
years of age. When 15 years of age, he was 
apprenticed for three years to a toolmaker to 
learn that trade, in addition to serving which 
time, he paid $32. At the closing of his term 
of apprenticeship, he began life among stran- 
gers on his own account, by beginning a tour of 
five years' travel through the States of Germany, 
and by special pass into France and Switzer- 
land. This period of travel was for the pur- 
pose of working in the different States of Ger- 
many, and was what was known as his term of 
journey-man workmanship, at the end of which 
time he was termed a master workman. In 
1848, he emigrated to America and came direct 
to Akron, where he has since resided. He first 
began work for a Mr. James Hale, at Lock No. 
7, of Akron. His work has been principally 
in iron and brass. He has received good 
wages on account of his being a fine workman. 
By saving his mone}' and investmg it in real 
estate he has become the owner of valuable 
residence and business propert}' in Akron. To 
aid him in succeeding better in his business, he 
for a time, shortly after his arrival in Akron, 
attended a night school for the special instruc- 
tion of Germans in the American or English 
language. Mr. Burkhardt has not been a 
political office seeker, though he has held the 
office of Chief Engineer of the Akron Fire 
Department, and has been a member of the 
Akron City Council from the Fourth Ward. 
He is a member of the order of A., F. & A. M., 
and of a number of secret societies that are 
strictly German. He is also a member of the 
Reformed Church. In 1870, he paid his Father- 
land a visit, where he remained for about three 



"TH 



v 



A^ 






676 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



months. He is now one of that class of the 
residents of Akron who are reaping the reward 
of their early industry and economy in the 
possession of a comfortable home and a com- 
petency for old age. 

ALMON BROWN, County Coroner and 
Justice of the Peace, Middlebury (Sixth Ward, 
Akron), was born in Tompkins Co., N. Y., 
Nov. 26, 1801, on his father's farm, and is the 
third child of a family of eight children, born 
to Holland and Sarah (Mix) Brown. They 
were natives of Brimfield, Mass., and Litchfield, 
Conn., and were married in Tompkins Co., 
whither they had removed with their parents. 
In January, 1814, Mr. Brown and family, then 
consisting of seven children, came to Ohio. 
His means of transportation was a sled, drawn 
by two yoke of oxen, the stronger members of 
the family, of whom was Almon, our subject, 
walking the entire distance. The trip required 
twenty-six days. Upon his arrival he bought 
160 acres of timber land, and, while building a 
cabin, lived with a friend. The cabin put up 
b}^ Mr. Brown was twenty feet square, and of 
round logs ; there was one room, " cut down " 
inside, oiled paper window, board door, made 
from the sled box, and a stick chimney. He 
lived here two years, then sold his improve- 
ments and bought 135 acres adjoining, on 
which he erected another log cabin, and com- 
menced clearing his land. He lived in the 
vicinity some ten j^ears, making in the mean- 
time several improvements. He then removed 
to what is now Wadsworth Township, Medina 
Co., where he bought land, upon which he lived 
until his death, which occurred in April, 1844. 
His wife died in Medina in. 1861, where she had 
lived with a daughter most of the time after 
her husband's death. Almon Brown, our sub- 
ject, made his home with his parents until he 
was 21 years of age. He received but a limited 
education — his schooling amounting to about 
four months' attendance, one month each at 
four different terms of district schools. He 
was married, Jan. 1, 1828, to Miss Rosalind 
Hinman, a native of Allegany Co., N. Y., who 
came to this county (Coventry Township) with 
her parents about the year 1818. She died 
May 13, 1847, leaving five children. He was a 
second time married, on Sept. 9, 1847, to Miss 
Evan Shively, a native of Columbiana Co., 
Ohio. She died June 17, 1857. Two children 
were born of this marriage. May 13, 1858, he 



was again married, to Mrs. Read, formerly Miss 
Catharine Paulus, a native of Huntingdon Co., 
Penn. She was born June 13, 1811, and was 
the third of five children born to Daniel and 
Hannah (Miller) Paulus. They were natives 
of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and were mar- 
ried in Pennsylvania, removing to Ohio in the 
year 1815. The}' settled in Jackson Township, 
Stark County, where Mr. Paulus died the next 
year after settlement. His widow, two years 
later, married Mr. Jacob Jubb, and bore him 
five children. They lived in Stark Co. until 
his death, when she went to Indiana, and 
passed the remainder of her life with her 
children. Catharine, the wife of our subject, 
lived at home until her first marriage to John 
Read, a wagon-maker in Middlebury. He died 
Aug. 18, 1856 ; they had no children. She has 
since resided here, with the exception of about 
eight 3'ears passed in the western part of the 
county. x\fter the first marriage of our sub- 
ject, he followed carpentering for about twenty 
years, and then worked at wood-turning in 
Norton Township, and, in 1866, came to Mid- 
dlebury, where he has since resided. He has 
served most of the time as Justice of the 
Peace ; also served as Ward and Township 
Assessor some eight or nine years. He was 
mail agent for several years, and is now serv- 
ing his fifth term as County Coroner. He was 
Mayor of Middlebury- two terras — the last dur- 
ing the vote to annex it to Akron. He has 
been a member of the Disciples' Church since 
1834,. and an J]lder of the same a number of 
years. Mrs. Brown was a Methodist about 
thirty years, but since 1860, has been a mem- 
ber of the Disciples' Church. Mr. Brown's 
first vote for a Presidential candidate was for 
John Quinc}- Adams. He was a Whig until 
1840 ; then anti-slavery until the organization 
of the Republican party, since which time he 
has been a zealous member of it. 

JUDGE CONSTANT BRYAN, lawyer, Ak- 
ron. A son of Elijah and Content (Fowler) 
Bryan ; was born Sept. 6, 1809, in Delaware 
Co., N. Y., where he was brought up on a farm 
until he was 16 years old. He then com- 
menced teaching, continuing it for three years, 
when he entered upon the stud}' of the law at 
Bainbridge, Chenango Co., N. Y., in the office 
of John C. Clark, remaining with him about 
two years. In the fall of 1831, he went to 
Milford, Conn., and afterward to New Haven, 



<a »^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



677 



where he continued his studies in the Law De- 
partment of Yale College, teaching in the pub- 
lic schools during the summer vacation. In 
the fall of 1833, he came to Ohio and located 
in Akron, and, in 1834, was admitted to the 
bar at Columbus, he walking to Wooster, and 
going by stage from that place. He opened an 
office for practice at once ; was the partner of 
George Bliss for two or three years. In 1852, 
he was elected Probate Judge of Summit Co. 
Judge BrN'an's practice has been chiefly in 
civil cases and in the chancery courts. He 
was the first Recorder of the incorported vil- 
lage of Akron, and long a member of the 
School Board. He was one of the early Free- 
Soilers, and was elected Probate Judge by that 
party and the Democrats. He was married in 
May, 1839, to Miss Sophia Dennison, a native 
of Rutland, Vt. Two children were born of 
this marriage, one of whom is living — Henry 
E., City Clerk of Columbus, Ohio. His wife 
died, and in September, 1854, he was again 
married, to Miss Susan L. Barnum, of Flor- 
ence, Huron Co., Ohio. Of this marriage, 
there are two children living — Fred C, in the 
Cincinnati Law School, and Isaac J., at home. 
Judge B. is a member of the Congregational 
Church. 

REV. JOHN B. BROUN, Pastor of St. 
Bernard's (German Catholic) Church, Akron, 
was born in Rennes, France, March 2, 1834. 
When he was 13, his family emigrated to the 
United States and settled in Monroe, Mich., in 
1847. He entered Assumption College at 
Sandwich, Ontario, at the age of 20, remaining 
there three years, then entered St. Thomas 
College, near Bardstown, Ky., where he gradu- 
ated in June, 1859 ; was in St. Mary's Semi- 
nary one year in Cleveland ; studied theology 
three years in Assumption College, and, Aug. 28, 
1863, was ordained priest, in the Cathedral St. 
Mary, by Bishop Baraga. He was located at Eagle 
Harbor, on Lake Superior, Mich., having a ter- 
ritory of fifty miles in length, containing three 
churches and sixteen missions, comprising over 
one thousand families. He visited each mis- 
sion every month and church every two weeks, 
for three years, often traveling on foot. In 
1866, he came to Cleveland, and was sent to 
St. Bernard's Church at this place, where he 
has since remained, with the exception of a 
short visit to Europe in 1873. The church 
had but sixty families when he came, and now 



it has three hundred with about nine hundred 
communicants, full particulars of which are 
given in the history of St. Bernard's Church in 
another chapter. 

J. W. BAKER, of Baker, Merriman & Co., 
Akron, was born in Auburn, Cayuga Co., N. 
Y., Jan. 27, 1827, and was the youngest of ten 
children born to Edward and MoUie (Sherman) 
Baker, who were natives of Massachusetts. 
He was an edge-tool maker. In 1843, he came 
to Ohio and settled in Akron. The subject of 
these lines lived at home about one year after 
coming to Akron, and then went to Columbus, 
Ohio, where he learned the cabinet-maker's 
trade, serving until he became of age, and 
then returning to Akron, working at his trade 
until 1850. In company with others, he then 
went to California overland, where he remained 
two years, engaged in mining. He returned 
via Panama and New York, and engaged in the 
manufacture of musical instruments, continu- 
ing until the spring of 1857. He then became 
a member of the Akron Melodeon Company, 
manufacturers of musical instruments, contin- 
uing in that business ten j^ears, when he en- 
gaged in the manufacture of cigar boxes, and 
gradually added wood-turning and -japanning. 
In about 1870, he and Mr. J. C. McWilliam 
established the present business, which they 
have since continued. In May, 1853, he mar- 
ried Miss Caroline Tha3er, a native of New 
York, who bore him three children, two of 
whom are living, viz., Frank and Alice. Politi- 
cally, he is a Democrat. 

CHARLES BAIRD, Prosecuting Attorney, 
Akron. Is a son of Robert and Helen Knox 
(Moir) Baird ; was born in Akron March 25, 
1853. His father was the son of William and 
Susan (Smith) Baird, and was born in Kineff, 
Kincardineshire, Scotland, March 8, 1818. His 
father and grandfather were blacksmiths, and 
while quite a boy he learned the trade, which he 
has followed all his life. In 1842, he and his 
brother came to the United States, and he 
worked at his trade at Buffalo until Ma}-, 1843, 
when he came to Akron, engaging his services 
at his trade until 1846, when he established a 
shop of his own on Main street, at which place 
and in which business he still continues. On 
Sept. 21, 1846, he married Miss Helen Knox 
Moir, a native of Buchan, Forfarshire, Scot- 
land. She bore him five children, viz., Will- 
iam (of Akron), Isabel, Charles and Mary (of 



^" 



ll'-Y 



678 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Akron), and Helen, who died at the age of 21. 
Charles, the subject of this sketch, attended 
the public schools of Akron, from which he 
graduated in 1872. In August, 1873, he en- 
tered the office of Upson & Ford, where he 
studied law, being admitted to the bar at the 
session of the Supreme Court at Columbus 
Nov. 2, 1875, immediatel}' afterward forming a 
partnership with William H. Upson, under the 
firm name of Upson & Baird, which continued 
until the return of Mr. Ford from Mexico Jan. 
10, 1877, when the firm became Upson, Ford & 
Baird. Oct. 20, 1875, he was appointed Clerk 
of Portage Township, which office he retained 
until April, 1878, being twice elected. On 
Feb. 15, 1879, he was appointed Canal Col- 
lector for the port of Akron, which he contin- 
ued to be until, on Jan. 15, 1881, he resigned 
the office to take charge of the Prosecutor's 
office, having been elected Prosecuting Attor- 
ney of Summit Co. in October, 1880,*at which 
election he ran largely ahead of his ticket. 
With the exception of one year, he has been a 
member of the Republican Central Committee 
since 1875. 

ALFRED BALDWIN, undertaker, Akron. 
William and Lucinda (Ladd) Baldwin were 
natives of Vermont, and were the parents of 
three sons and three daughters, their second 
son Alfred, the subject of these lines, being 
born to them on March 18. 1823, near Sackett's 
Harbor, in Northern New York. In 1836, they 
moved to Ohio, and settled on a farm in Port- 
age County, where the}" lived until 1870, except 
a period of seven years. The subject of this 
sketch lived there on a farm until 1853, when 
he went to Ravenna, Ohio, there to assume the 
duties of Deput}^ Auditor, remaining such until 
185G, when he was elected Auditor of Portage 
County on the Republican ticket, which posi- 
tion he held for two years, at the end of which 
time he again served as Deputy- for two years. 
(At that time, the County Auditor was given 
but one term.) In 1 863, he became Deputy Clerk 
in the Probate Judge's office, which he continued 
two years. During these years, he retained 
the farm which he owned at Rootstown, on 
which he lived until 1865, when he came to 
Akron and purchased the furniture estab- 
lishment of E. D. Dodge, and, with E. A. 
Reed, continued the business one year, when 
Reed retired. In February-, 1880, Mr. George 
W. Weeks became a partner, and the busi- 



ness since then has been conducted under 
the firm name of Baldwin & Weeks. They 
cany a full line of undertakers' goods, bur- 
ial robes, caskets, and the elegant appoint- 
ments of the business. On Sept. 29, 1850. he 
married Miss Anjanette E. Reed, of Roots- 
town, Portage Co., daughter of Horace Reed, 
who was born in 1806. in Rootstown, and who 
is said to be the first white male child born in 
Rootstown. One daughter — Lois E., was born 
of that marriage. Subject is a member of the 
Congregational Church. His father died in 
1870, aged 90 years, and his mother, nine years 
later, followed him, aged 91. Both were con- 
sistent members of the M. E. Church. His 
brothers and sisters are Wm. L., Methodist 
minister, now located at Clilmore, Ohio ; Rev. 
Chance}', of Centralia. 111., and Eucebia, wife 
of Thomas Kingsbury, of Berwick, 111. His 
sister Sarah A., who was the wife of Harvey 
Laughlin, died at Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, 
in her 25th 3'ear. One sister, Armelia, died at 
16 years of age. 

TALMON BEARDSLEY, retired, Akron. 
On Dec. 15, 1799, to Daniel and Hannah 
(Bailey) Beardsley, was born a son, whom they 
named Talmon, and who, over eighty years 
later, becomes the subject of our sketch, and 
we would pen a few incidents in a life well 
spent. The place of his birth was Delhi Town- 
ship. Delaware Co., N. Y., where he lived on a 
farm until 1810, when his parents moved to 
Licking Co., Ohio, settling on wild land, whore 
Talmon aided at clearing and farming, making 
out of chaos a clean spot for a home; here also, 
he went to school about three months peryenr. 
The schoolhouse was one of those primitive 
kind, having slab-seats, paper windows, and a 
fire-place the full length of the building, with a 
"cat-and-clay " chimne}'. In the summer of 
1818, he started for Middlebury with only his 
walking stick as a companion, intent upon find- 
ing something to do as a means of earning a 
livelihood, and further schooling. When he 
reached this place, he found the old Cuyahoga 
furnace in operation, and secured work there 
for a few months, going to school a part of the 
time. He was employed in 1819 by Henry 
Chittenden, and for fourteen years, he made his 
home with iiiin. working by the year at farm- 
ing and teaming, doing a considerable amount 
of the latter, as his employer had contracted 
to furnish 1 6.000 bushels of lime for the locks 



'JLI 



J^^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



G79 



of the Ohio Canal then in progress. In haul- 
ing the lime, he drove a six-horse team. On 
the memorable occasion of the first breaking of 
the ground on the Licking Summit for the Ohio 
Canal, he was present, and a witness to the 
formal and ceremonious reception of De Witt 
Clinton, two Van llensselaers and other dis- 
tinguished personages who, on their arrival, 
accompanied b}- their colored waiters, and a 
fine display of baggage, were met near Newark 
and greeted with cannonading and martial 
music. On that day, 3Ir. Beardsley drove the 
team which bore the waiters and baggage. 
Clinton, who threw out the first shovelfuls, did 
so with great ceremony. Under the contract of 
Chittenden & Crosby, Mr. Beardsley superin- 
tended the construction of the deep cut on the 
canal of a half-mile between Bolivar and Zoar, 
having charge of about fifty hands, and he 
built the locks near Zoar for a man named 
Rhodes. The first boat was sent on July 4, 
1827, to Cleveland. In the years 1824 and 
1825, he was employed in a hotel. On Oct. 27, 
1831, he married Miss Temperance Spicer, who 
was the fourth daughter of Maj. Minor Spicer. 
The five children are, viz., Ann, wife of George 
Hart, a farmer of Stow Township ; Mills H., 
hotel keeper at Ogden, U. T.; Avery S.. farmer 
in Portage Township ; Harriet, wife of A. Gr. 
Babcock. of Akron, and Louisa D., wife of 
George Stover, Canal Fulton, Stark Co. A 
daughter, Emily, died at the age of 19. After 
marriage, he settled near Middlebury on a farm 
of 75 acres, which he purchased for .$6 per 
acre. This land was where the shaft of Pa3aie 
& Cross, of Cleveland, mines are now. At that 
time, the existent coal in that locality was un- 
suspected b}' any one, else he would not have 
sold the land as he did two or three years after 
for the small sum of $20 per acre. After sell- 
ing that, he moved to Coventry Township where 
he bought 100 acres of land and farmed it. 
The date of his going to Coventry was 1833 ; 
a year previous to tlys, he was made Captain 
of the canal boat " Western Reserve," carrying 
iron ore from Zoar to this place, and provis- 
ions to Cleveland, Ohio, from 1832 to 1835, 
from which date up to 1858 he followed farm- 
ing in Coven tr}', when he left that place and 
moved to Akron, where he has since retired 
from business, except attending to affairs con- 
nected with his estate. He was a Whig, cast 
his fii'st vote for Henr3' Clay, and has been a 



Republican ever since the organization of the 
part}-. He was Justice of the Peace at Cov- 
entry, and filled man}' other township offices. 
He has been Assessor of the ward in which he 
lives a number of times. He is a Universalist, 
and a member of the church. 

CHARLES W. BROWN, Akron, whose por- 
trait appears in this work, son of Jonas 
and Mary (Williams) Brown, was born Oct. 
2, 1796, in North Stonington, Conn. His 
father died when he was 5 ^eai's old, at New 
London, Conn., of yellow fever. After the 
death of his father, he went to district 
school until he was 18 j-ears of age, attending 
about two months per year. When he was 
16 years jold, he commenced learning the car- 
penter and joiner trade, serving as an appren- 
tice two years, at the end of which time he 
commenced working at Lyme, Conn., where 
he remained a year. On Feb. 3, 1817, with 
one 3'ear's wages as his onl}- capital, he. in 
company with two other 3'oung men, shoul- 
•dered their knapsacks and started, on foot, 
for Ohio — for the purpose of making places for 
themselves in the great, bustling world — reach- 
ing Middlebury, on the evening of the 28th of 
February, after a journe}- of about 700 miles. 
On his arrival he found about sixteen buildings, 
the majorit}' of which were log. there being but 
a very few frame houses then at this place. 
(Previous to his coming here, he was married 
in Connecticut, to Miss Henrietta Halsey, 
which marriage occurred on June 9, 1816 ; his 
wife came here in August, 1817, with Capt. 
Gear, who drove through with an ox team.) 
At Middlebur}' he kept house some fifteen 
years, engaged at his trade, and putting up 
many of the first frame houses there, and in 
that vicinity. In 1825, he purchased 45 acres 
of woodland, where his present place is situ- 
ated, moving there in 1832, and adding to it 
various lots, until he owned 115 acres. Several 
of the earl}' bridges were built by him, and 
quite a number of buildings in Akron are of 
his handiwork, among which is the Baptist 
Church. He helped to cut the way for Market 
street, and, in after years, graded the same 
road for five miles, reaching from Akron to 
Copley. After 1840, he devoted himself to 
other pursuits. For five years he held a Lieu- 
tenant's commission. He raised five daughters 
and one son, viz., Mary, wife of Kdward F. 
Pulsifer. of Chicago, and Prudence, wife of 



^ 



680 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



J. W. Sabin, of Akron, both of whom are dead. 
Antoinette, wife of Benjamin McNaughton, of 
Akron ; Luc}', who died in 1850, and was tlie 
wife of Robert Henry ; Alice, wife of William 
H. Mills, of Akron, and Henry H. Brown, of 
Akron. His wife, Henrietta, died on Sept. 
23, 1859. On May 14, 1864, he married Mrs. 
Lydia Williams, of Connecticut, who died on 
Sept. 6, 1865. For some years he has en- 
joyed the rest which his toiling has so richly 
deserved. At the present time, in the same 
house, are four generations of the Brown fam- 
ily, each of which is represented by a male 
member. 

PHILO BENNETT, retired, Akron. This 
gentleman was born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., Feb. 
16, 1810, and is the oldest of three children born 
to Ephraim and Lucinda (Hutchins) Bennett. 
Shortly after his birth, the family moved to 
Brownville, where he lived until he was 22 years 
of age. At the age of 16, he was apprenticed 
to the harness and saddle trade, and served un- 
til he became of age. A year later, he moved 
to Cleveland, Ohio, and worked at his trade and 
at carriage trimming until 1837, when he moved 
to Tallmadge, and worked at his trade. The 
following year he visited St. Louis, returning 
in 1839. In 1842, he came to Akron, engaged 
in the harness business, and was identified with 
the same until 1862, since which time he has 
retired. In September, 1852, he married Miss 
Emma Francis, a native of England, who came 
to Akron about the year 1843, where she lived 
with her sister until her marriage. By their 
marriage there was one child, now deceased. 

ANTON BERG, lock and gunsmith, Akron ; 
is a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. He 
was born Feb. 14, 1820. His father. Christian, 
was a farmer, and Anton assisted in work on 
the farm until he reached his 16th year, when 
he was apprenticed in the city of Worms, on 
the Rhine, to the locksmith business. After 
serving three years, he worked as a journeyman 
for a 3'ear, when he was drafted into the array. 
He served twent3^-one months in active military 
service, but during the remainder of his six 
3'ears' term of service, he worked at his ti'ade. 
A part of the tiine he was empioj-ed at the ar- 
senal, manufacturing friction cannon caps, the 
inventor of which was his commanding officer, 
Capt. Hartman. After serving his full term of 
service, and being discharged, he began prepar- 
ations for emigrating to America. He manu- 



factured the tools he needed for his trade, and 
on June 9, 1847, he started for the new coun- 
try, landing in New York in the following Au- 
gust. He left immediately for Buffalo, where 
he met friends and got work at his trade, being 
employed by Mr. Ketchum, an inventor of a 
reaping aud mowing machine. Mr. Berg made 
the first knife bar for machines, a business that 
has since grown to large proportions. In the 
spring of 1848. he came to Cleveland, Ohio, 
where he had relatives, and worked at his trade 
until 1849. On June 16 of that year, he 
walked to Akron, and found work on stove 
mounting, which he followed five years. Sept. 
6, 1854, he returned to his old business, manu- 
facturing and repairingguns, etc., which he still 
continues. Mr. Berg is a Republican in politics, 
beginning as a strong anti-slavery man. He was 
a personal friend of John Brown, and when the 
latter went to Kansas, Mr. Berg repaired his 
arms free, working nights in order to escape the 
detection of hostile parties. Dec. 17, 1849, he 
married Miss Augusta Cappella, a native of 
Germany, who had that year come from her na- 
tive land, and came to Akron the same day he 
did, though not formerly acquainted. Four 
children have resulted from this marriage, three 
of whom are living : Sarah, now Mrs. William 
Durand ; Edward, grain dealer in McPherson, 
Kan.; and Libbie, a teacher in the South School, 
in Akron, Ohio ; Hermann died in infancv. 

CAPT. EDWARD BUCKINGHAM^ ex- 
County Auditor, Akron ; was born in Water- 
town, Conn., July 15, 1835, and is the eldest of 
three children of George and Betsy (Merriman) 
Buckingham, who were natives of Connecticut. 
In 1844, they came to Middlebury, Ohio, where 
he engaged in the manufacture of woolen ma- 
chinery, and followed the same until his death 
in 1861. Mrs. Buckingham is still living on 
the old homestead. At about the age of 18, 
Edwai'd engaged as clerk in a wholesale house 
in Cleveland. A few years later, he became a 
clerk in the post office at Indianapolis, a posi- 
tion he obtained through his acquaintance with 
Judge Weeks, the Postmaster, and served there 
some three years. In August, 1862, he enlisted 
in the 115th 0. V. I., and served until the close 
of the war ; he entered the service as First 
Lieutenant, and in three months was promoted 
to Captain of his company. During this term, 
he served as Provost Marshal of Cincinnati for 
awhile, also of Murfreesboro ; of Cincinnati 



k,. 



CITY OF AKRON. 



681 



during the Morgan raid. After the close of the 
war, he returned to Akron, and became Collector 
of Internal Revenue, which office he held until 
1871, when he entered the office of County 
Auditor — serving continuously for nine years, 
being elected to the office on the Republican 
ticket. He was married March 10, 1863, to 
Miss Frances Johnston, a daughter of John and 
Elizabetli (Newton) Johnston, old residents of 
the county. By this marriage there have been 
born six children, of whom four are living, viz. : 
George E., John S., William J. and Hulda ; all 
of them are living at home. 

G. S. BEATTY, dentist, Akron ; is an old 
member of the dental profession, though lo- 
cated in Akron but for a few months. He be- 
gan the stud}' of dentistry in Meadville, Penn., 
and after finishing his studies, he went to Mer- 
cer, ^Mercer Co., Penn., and practiced there for 
one and a half 3'ears. In 1844, he removed to 
Canton, Ohio, where he practiced until the fall 
of I860, and then he went to Silver Creek, 
Chautauqua Co., N. Y. From there he removed 
to the cit}' of Toledo, Ohio, and for thirteen 
years he was engaged in the practice of his 
profession in that city. He was married in 
Silver Creek, and while a resident of Toledo, 
his wife died. From Toledo he went to Penn- 
sylvania, and in the fall of 1880, he returned to 
Ohio and located at Akron. During all these 
travels, he has been an earnest student of the 
profession, and now, after so many years of 
practice, he is able to do the very finest of op- 
erating ; the fitting of celluloid plates, or of the 
artificial palate, known as the Kingsley patent. 
In his short term of practice in Akron, he has 
already become well and favorably known, and 
bids fair, in a short time, to stand as an equal 
in reputation to an^- of the dentists of the 
city. He is a member of the Order of A.. F. 
& A. M., and has made frequent contributions 
to scientific journals. 

DR. WILLIAM BOWEN (deceased) , was 
born in Genesee Co., N. Y., July 30, 1805 ; 
his father was a soldier of the war of 1812, and, 
having served out his term of enlistment, was 
returning to his home across Lake Erie on the 
ice, and, losing his way, perished from cold. 
His widow was left with six small children, 
and in ver}' limited circumstances. Our subject 
was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade when 
very young, and, completing his terra of service, 
he came West, stopping in Stark Co., Ohio, 



where he obtained employment with John 
Brown, at that time building a grist-mill near 
Canton, for William Reynolds. The subject 
was what was termed a " book- worm," and had 
but little taste for the pleasures and sports in 
which young men usually indulge, but pre- 
ferred spending his leisure hours with some fa- 
voi'ite book. These facts coming to the knowl- 
edge of Mr. Reynolds, who being pleased with 
the young man, he kindly proffered to lend him 
assistance. Mr. Reynolds also assisted him to 
attend the select school of Barak Michener, at 
that time a popular teacher in the higher 
branches of education. Upon the completion 
of a term at school, he commenced teaching in 
the village of Paris, Stark Co.; while thus en- 
gaged, he made the acquaintance of Dr. Robert 
Estep, then living in Paris, and a warm friend- 
ship at once sprang up between them. Through 
the influence of Dr. Estep, our subject was in- 
duced to undertake the study of medicine ; but 
as this part of Dr. Bowen's life is given in the 
chapter devoted to the medical profession, it 
will be omitted here. In 1853, he purchased a 
tract of land near New Portage, in Summit Co., 
and, without giving up his practice, he devoted 
considerable attention to farming. He moved 
to Akron in 1857, where he remained until his 
death, which took place Jan. 14, 1880, in the 
75th year of his age. He married Miss Huldah 
Chittenden while engaged m the study of his 
profession ; there were born of this marriage 
nine children, seven girls and two boy, only 
three of whom, with their mother, still survive 
him. Dr. Bowen was emphatically a self-made 
man ; his success was the result of his own in- 
dividual eflTorts, improving the circumstances 
and advantages as they presented themselves. 
S. M. BURNHAM, Secretary Webster, Camp 
& Lane Machine Compan}-, Akron ; was born in 
Genesee Co., N. Y., Jan. 23, 1824, and is the 
second of ten children of Simeon and Anna 
(St. John) Burnham, natives of Massachusetts 
and New York. He moved to New York with 
his parents about the j-ear 18U9, and lived at 
home with them until his marriage, about the 
3'ear 1821 ; his wife moved to New York with 
her parents a few years after he did, and 
after their marriage, IMr. B. followed farming, 
and also was in the insurance business as an 
agent — a business followed during the latter 
years of his life ; he died May 10, 1862 ; his 
death resulted from an accident with a run- 



^F 



*i^ 



682 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



1 



away team ; she continued on the old home- 
stead, and died a few days later. S. M. (the 
subject) lived at home until 1844, and received 
an academic education in a neighboring village, 
finishing off at the Wyoming Academy. In 
1844, he came to Ohio and taught school in 
Madison, Lake Co., and the following summer 
he returned to New York and attended school 
at Wyoming Academy ; after this he took a 
commercial course in Buffalo, where he after- 
ward taught penmanship. In April, 1848, he 
settled in Akron, and engaged as a clerk in the 
Rattle & Tappan warehouse on the Ohio Canal ; 
two years after, Mr. Tappan retired and opened 
an iron store, where Mr. B. went with him as 
clerk and with his successor until 1855 ; he 
then engaged with the Austin Powder Co., and 
was with them two years, and. after being 
book-keeper in Franklin Mills for a time, he, in 
January, 1858, engaged as Deput}- Auditor for 
Gr. W. Crouse, and also as Deputy for S. S. 
Wilson, County Treasurer, serving in both 
nearly four yeai's, and serving as Auditor for 
an unexpired term b}^ appointment. In March, 
1862, he became Count}^ Auditor by election, 
and was re-elected for the three succeeding 
terms. In the fall of 1872, he was elected to 
the Legislature from the Summit County Dis- 
trict in the Sixtieth Assembl}', in which he 
took an active part. Upon his return in vaca- 
tion, he was made Secretary and one of the 
Board of Trustees building Buchtel College. 
In 1873, he engaged in his present business, 
and was made Secretar}-. He was married, Nov. 
5, 1848, to Miss Anne M. Row, a native of 
Connecticut ; she came to Medina Co., Ohio, 
with her parents when quite 3'oung ; they had 
six children, three of whom are living, viz., 
Lillie M., Charles S. and Clifford D. 

A. A. BARTLP:TT, Recorder, Akron ; is a 
native of Chautauqua Co., N. Y., and was born 
June 22, 1840. Until the age of 17, he lived 
upon the farm ; he then went to work in a saw- 
mill for a year or two, subsequentl}' conducting 
the mill on the shares. He was thus engaged 
at the breaking-out of the war. In July, 1861, 
he enlisted in Co. A, 49th N. Y. V. I., for three 
3'ears or during the war. He served with the 
regiment in the Potomac army, and was in all 
the engagements of the command up to the 
battle of Antietam, where he was wounded, 
which occasioned the loss of his left arm. 
April 6, 1863, he was discharged, and returned 



to his home in New York, and gave his atten- 
tion to a small place he owned. Some two 
years later, he went to Corry, Penn., where he 
engaged in a steam saw-mill as engineer, and, 
one year later, took charge of the business. In 
the spring of 1867, he came to Akron, and soon 
engaged in the planing-mill of George Thomas 
& Son, and was connected with the business 
until 1870. During the latter eight years of 
that time, he served as foreman of the estab- 
lishment, though conducted under sevei'al 
different firm names. In the fall of 1878, he was 
elected on the Republican ticket as County Re- 
corder, and entered upon the duties of his office 
in January following. In 1860, he married 
Miss Imogene Travers, a native of Chautauqua 
County, N. Y.; by the marriage, there has been 
three children, two of whom are living — Mary 
and Jennie. 

ALEXANDER BREWSTER, President 
Brewster Coal Co., Akron ; was born in Augusta 
Township, Oneida Co., N. Y.,Sept. 10, 1808, on 
his father's farm, and is the youngest of six 
children, born to Stephen and Lydia (Bellows) 
Brewster, who were natives of Connecticut. 
Mr. Brewster traces his ancestors back to Rev. 
William Brewster, one of the Pilgrims who 
came over in the Mayflower. Stephen Brew- 
ster, the father of our subject, was born May 4, 
1770 ; in 1797 he moved to New York, with his 
wife and onechild, and, in 1811, he came to Ohio. 
He bought 160 acres of land in what is now 
Coventry Township, and then returned to New 
York, and the next year brought out his fam- 
ily. They started in June, and came by ox 
team, and were thirty-three days on the way, 
landing in Coventry July 4, 1812. His cabin 
was the fourth built in the township, and was 
the proverbial log cabin. They lived here until 
1815, when the}- were enabled to build a better 
one. He was a carpenter, and worked at his 
trade, building many of the houses of the early 
settlers. He died July 4, 1858, at the advanced 
age of 88 years ; his wife died in the fall of 
1842, aged 71. Our subject lived at home un- 
til of age, receiving a limited education at the 
district schools. He learned the carpenter's 
ti'ade with his father. He was married Jan. 9, 
1830, to Miss Margaret Ann Kinney, a native 
of Ontario Co., N. Y., and who came to Spring- 
field, Ohio, about the year 1813. She was the 
youngest of three children, born to Ephraim 
and Mary (Danes) Kinney, natives of New 



-l£ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



083 



York. They settled in Springfield Township in 
1813, where the}' lived until their death; he 
died about 1820, and she in 1861. IMr. Brew- 
ster now owns the place on which they settled. 
Mrs. Brewster, the wife of subject, died in Novem- 
ber, 1854, leaving five children, four of whom are 
living, viz., Alfred A., General Agent of the 
Brewster Coal Co. ; Austin K., Secretary and 
Treasurer of the Brewster Coal Co.; Louisa, 
now Mrs. J. F. Meeham, of Akron ; Mar^^ M., 
now Mrs. Russell Kent, of Akron. Mr. Brew- 
ster married a second time in December, 1857, 
to Mrs. Brown, formerly Minerva Dyer, a native 
of Cuyahoga Co., Ohio ; she died June 27, 
1873. In September, 1877, he married Mrs. 
Chamberlain, formerh' Luc\' Jane Gale, a na- 
tive of Massachusetts, who came to Ohio with 
her parents in the year 1825. ]\Ir. B., after 
marriage, followed farming in Coventry until 
1 848. Coal having, in the meantime, been dis- 
covered on his farm, he turned his attention to 
mining, and, in 1849, shipped over 1,000 tons 
to Cleveland via canal. In 1850, he left his 
mines in competent hands, and went to Cali- 
fornia overland, his object being mining. He 
remained in the land of gold but a short time, 
and returned home via Panama and New Or- 
leans, arriving home in 1851. He prosecuted 
his coal mining, and, about the year 1865, 
formed a stock company, of which he is the 
President, the capital being $100,000. He and 
his sons subscribed the stock. They built a 
railroad from the mines to the basin of the 
Ohio Canal, a distance of five miles, which cost 
about $120,000, the rolling stock making it 
about $150,000. They mine from 30,000 to 
60,000 tons of coal per year, and own docks in 
Cleveland for the purpose of handling coal, and 
sell as high as 200.000 tons per annum. In 
July, 1872, Mr. B. moved to Akron, where he 
has since resided. In 1871, he visited Califor- 
nia, in company with his eldest daughter. 

GEORGE G. BAKER, physician, Akron ; is 
a native of Ohio ; he was born at Norwalk, Hu- 
ron Co., Dec. 3, 1849, and is the third of four 
children born to Daniel A. and Harriet (Van- 
dercook) Baker. They were natives of Con- 
necticut and New York. Daniel A. Baker came 
to Ohio when about 17 j'ears of age. or about 
the year 1831, and located in Huron Co., where 
he began as a clerk in a mercantile business, 
and, after a number of years, he became a part- 
ner, and was identified with the mercantile in- 



terests of Norwalk most of the time until the 
year 1858 or 1859, when he became interested 
ui the banking business of that place, and has 
continued in the same to the present time. Our 
subject entered the Western Reserve College at 
Hudson, Ohio, at the age of 17. and graduated 
in 1869 ; he began reading medicine in 1868, 
with Drs. Read & Ford, of Norwalk, Ohio, and, 
having in the mean time taken two courses 
of lectures at Ann Arbor and Brooklyn, N. Y., 
he began practice in 1872 with Dr. George P. 
Ashmun, of Akron ; in 1875, he graduated at 
Ann Arbor, Mich. The Doctor is a member of 
the Summit Count}' Medical Society, and also 
a member of the Union Medical Association of 
Northeastern Ohio, of which he has been Record- 
ing Secretar}' a number of years. In June, 1 873, 
he married 3Iiss Celia, a daughter of Dr. George 
P. Ashmun, of Akron ; by this marriage there 
has been four children, of whom three are liv- 
ing, viz., Fred A., Harry and an infant. 

B. F. BATTELS, photographic art gallery, 
Aki'on, was born in Wadswortb, Medina Co.. Ohio, 
April 21, 1832, and is the second child in a family 
of seven children born to Caleb and Juliana 
(Hard) Battels ; they were natives of IMassa- 
chusetts and Vermont ; he came to Middlebur}^, 
Ohio, when he was young ; arriving before the 
canal was built, he overseeing the building of 
locks on same. Mrs. Battels came to Ohio with 
her parents, who settled in River Styx, Medina 
Co., Ohio, at an earl}' day, they being pioneers 
in that locality. After the marriage, Caleb, 
who is a natural mechanic, worked as a carpen- 
ter and builder ; about the year 1852, he came 
to Summit Co., Ohio, and bought and occupied 
his present place where he now lives. Our 
subject lived with his parents until he was 20 
years of age ; he was brought up on the farm, 
and I'eceived a common school course of study ; 
also taught a number of terms during the win- 
ters. In 1852, the family moved to Mount Ver- 
non ; B. F.. tiring of farm life, began looking 
around for a suitable change, and was favorably 
impressed with daguerreotyping, then quite a 
new business ; he soon obtained an opportunity, 
and learned the new business, and such was the 
ability he displayed that within a few weeks he 
had a set of tools and was on his way to Wads- 
worth, where he opened an office ; the business 
those days was of a transient character, and lie 
moved from i)lace to place. In 1 852, he located 
at Bucyrus, Ohio, and in the winter of 1855 he 



W 



^ 



684 



BI0GRA.PH1CAL SKETCHES: 



came to Akron, and opened his present place 
in the spring following, and lias remained in 
the same location since. In his chosen field he 
has found ample room for his genius, and his 
popularity as an artist attests the appreciation 
of his patrons for his genius. He married 
Miss Sarah M. Edgerly, a natiA'e of Hudson, 
Ohio. 

A. M. BARBER, buyer and shipper of grain 
and produce, Akron. The subject of this sketch 
was born in Bath Township, Summit Co., Ohio, 
Oct. 2, 1830, and is the fourth of five children born 
to Isaac W. I. and Mary (Brown) Barber ; they 
were natives of Connecticut and New York. 
Isaac W. I. Barber was raised on a farm ; about 
the year 1820, he left Connecticut for the West, 
coming with a wagon load of boots, shoes, etc.; 
arriving in Bath Township he bought 110 acres 
of wild land, which he cleared and improved. 
March 1, 1824, he married Miss MarjJ^, a daugh- 
ter of Samuel and Lucinda (Coy) Brown. 
Samuel Brown was a Revolutionary soldier and 
a pensioner during latter years ; he was a na- 
tive of New York, and came to Ohio about the 
year 1810, settling in Boston Township, and 
later moving to Springfield Township, where 
he died in 1845 ; he was twice married ; his first 
wife died in Boston Township soon after they 
came there; in 1817, he married Miss Lucinda 
Bishop. I. W. I. Barber settled on his land in 
Bath Township after his marriage, and lived 
there until his death, in 1833 ; he was a mem- 
ber of the Presbj'terian Church, in the affairs 
of which he took an active interest ; foremost 
in improvements, he was well known, and his 
death was lamented by a wide circle of friends. 
Some years after his death, Mrs. Barber married 
Capt. Fanning, who died in 1845, she continuing 
on the old homestead until 1856, when she sold 
her interest to A. M. Barber and moved to 
Kansas, where she lived with her children until 
her death, about the year 1874. A. M. Barber 
was raised on the farm ; the country being new, 
and he losing his father during his infancy, 
afforded him limited opportunities for obtaining 
an education. Oct. 6, 1857, he married Miss 
Sarah, a daughter of Henr}^ and Mary (Em- 
mons) Vansickle ; after the marriage, he re- 
mained on the farm one year, and in January, 
1859, came to Akron and bought the Pearl 
Mills, which business he was identified with for 
four years ; he then engaged in the grain and 
produce business, in which he has done an ex- 



tensive trade ; the volume of his transactions 
have amounted to $1,500,000 per annum ; he 
was a director upon the formation of the Bank 
of Akron, and is also identified with several of 
the leading manufacturing interests in the city. 
In 1880, he had finished his elegant and com- 
modious brick block, Nos. 150 and 152 South 
Howard street, known as Barber's Block, which 
ranks among the leading business blocks of the 
city. Though starting out in life in the most 
adverse circumstances, he has by his energy 
and perseverance been successful, and, while 
remembering that he has been the architect of 
his own fortune, he has also lived so as to not 
only win, but also to deserve the respect and 
confidence of all who know him. 

JUDGE JAMES S. CARPENTER, attor- 
ney, Akron ; is the son of William and Lucina 
(Sumner) Carpenter ; he was born at Swanzey, 
Cheshire Co., N. H., on Aug. 17, 1805, from 
which place his father moved eighteen months 
later to the woods of St. Lawrence Co., at Pots- 
dam, N. Y. ; here he labored hard on the farm 
and at clearing. He does not know when or 
where he first learned the beauties and myste- 
ries of the alphabet, but it was probably at 
home, for his earliest recollections of school 
experience was spelling in his a-b, abs, in one 
of the primitive log cabin schoolhouses, where 
subscription teachers applied the kibricating 
oil to the complicated machiner3' of the human 
mind ; his first lessons in reading he well re- 
members were at the side of his mother's foot- 
wheel, which was fast flying, when, after some 
assistance on her part, and utter unbelief of 
his ability to read " in readings," he astonished 
himself by finding that with a little help from 
her he could and did read " The history of a 
little boy found under a haycock." He spent 
the greater part of his youth on the farm, and 
at the age of 17 attended the St. Lawrence 
Academy, in Potsdam ; he taught in the State 
of New York a part of each year until he at- 
tained his twentieth 3'ear, by which time he had 
acquired a fair knowledge of the English 
branches. In the winter of 1825-26, he taught in 
New York, and in tlie spring of 1826 he went 
to Lower Canada, where he taught until the 
fall of 1828, a part of the time in Montreal ; 
from there he went to Amherst, Mass., and be- 
came assistant teacher in the Amherst Academy, 
and later teacher of the Ladies' Seminary at 
Springfield, Mass.,duringthesummerof 1829 ; in 






k^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



685 



the fall of that year he entered the freshman class 
of Amherst College, where he remained until 
his health failed from overwork, being engaged 
simultaneously in the capacity of both pupil 
and teacher. He then returned to his home in 
New York, where he resumed teaching, and 
kept up his studies in the branches of the 
college course. In June, 1832, he came to 
Cleveland, Ohio, where he taught languages in 
the Cleveland Academy, but the school was 
shortly' after broken up by the sudden appear- 
ance of cholera, which was brought to Cleve- 
land by the steamboat " Henry Clay." Mr. 
Carpenter next removed to Ravenna, Ohio, 
where he organized a class in French, but de- 
parted soon after for Massillon, where he taught 
that winter ; in the spring of 1833, he returned 
to Ravenna, and became Principal of the 
Ravenna Academy, which position he held for 
two years. He retii'ed then, being still in a 
poor state of health, and rented a portion of 
a farm near there, which he farmed one season. 
On May 1, 1835, he was married to Miss Fran- 
ces C Saltonstall. of Geneva, N. Y. In Novem- 
ber of the same 3' ear, he went to Medina, Ohio, 
and there started the Medina Constitutionalist, 
a Whig and anti-slaveiy paper, of which he 
was the editor, at the same time studying law 
under the direction of Camp & Canfield ; he 
continued with the paper until the winter of 
1838-39. On May 29, 1838, he was admitted 
to the bar, at Springfield, Ohio, reaching there 
on horseback, after a journey of four days. 
He practiced at Medina, with Judge McClure, 
from 1840 to 1850. In the fall of 1839, he 
was elected a member of the Ohio Legislature, 
and of the Ohio Senate in 1840, serving with 
distinction in both houses ; in the Legislature 
he was the onl}- avowed Abolitionist. While 
he was a member of the House. Mr. Fisher, of 
Shelby, introduced a set of resolutions denounc- 
ing the Abolitionists with barbaric vituperation. 
It was in a speech upon these resolutions that 
Mr. Carpenter declared that slaver}' and freedom 
could not co-exist in this (xovernment, a doc- 
trine which, ten years later, blazed from a higher 
standard, when Mr. Seward proclaimed the " ir- 
repressible contiiet," in the United States Sen- 
ate. While in the Senate, Mr. Carpenter had 
frequent occasion to defend his Abolition prin- 
ciples, on bills introduced by him to charter 
institutions for the education of the colored 
people ; they being then wholh' excluded from 



the common schools and from the common 
school fund, and yet taxed to support that fund, 
and in numei'ous other ways, when the course 
of legislation brought before the Senate the 
injustice and cruelty they were suffering in 
Ohio, both under and against its laws. About 
the last of these conflicts was on a bill to re- 
peal the charter of Oberlin College. It was de- 
feated. Our subject never joined the Liberty 
party ; he said he was for the abolition of 
slavery everywhere. The Liberty part}' was 
organized not for the abolition of slaverj', but 
to stop its advance. The abolition move- 
ment was by the diffusion of moral truth, 
while the Liberty party was political. What- 
ever moral truth it disseminated was outside of 
its platform, and but auxiliary to its political 
end. He was Secretary, in 1834, of the first Coun- 
ty Anti-Slavery Society, at Ravenna, and has 
held various prominent positions of trust. He 
came to Akron in 1846, and has practiced law 
here ever since. In 1856, he was elected Judge 
of Court of Common Pleas, and served a term 
of five years. He is the father of three chil- 
dren, viz., Gilbert S., Captain in regular army 
at Camp Douglas, near Salt Lake Cit}', Utah ; 
Dr. William T. Carpenter, of Ishpeming, Mich., 
and Abbie L., still at home. He is a mem- 
ber of the Congregational Church. 

N. A. CARTER, contractor and builder, 
Akron, Ohio ; was born in Twinsburg, Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio, and is the second of nine chil- 
dren born to Thaddeus A. and Esther A. 
(Marshall) Carter ; they were natives of Con- 
necticut ; he was brought up on a farm and 
early went to peddling clocks, operating prin- 
cipally in the Western Reserve ; about the yeav 
1826, he settled in Twinsburg Township, Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio, where he cleared a farm upon 
which he lived until his death in 1870. He 
was twice married; his first wife died Sept. 1, 
1845. In December of that year, he married 
Miss Margaret McKisson, a native of Marj-- 
land ; she died about the year 1846. He was 
a member of the Metliodist Episcopal Church, 
and took an active interest in its affairs ; he 
was well-known and respected b}' all. Our 
subject lived at home seventeen years : he then 
apprenticed to the carpenter and joiners trade 
at Hudson, serving three years, after which he 
worked as a journeyman in that vicinity until 
1871, when he came to Akron, where he has 
continued in the business as contractor and 



:r^ 



686 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES; 



builder. la all he has followed the trade for 
a third of a century, during which time he has 
built many buildings, principal among which 
are the Buchtel College, the Bttckeije office and 
many other leading structures. He served on 
the Board of Education of Hudson, and also 
as a Councilman. In 1879, he was elected a 
member of the Akron Council for Second Ward 
and was re-elected in 1881. June 24, 1852, he 
married Miss Jane R. Herrick, a native of 
Twinsburg; they had live children, four of 
whom are living — Ella J., Frank N., Walter T. 
and Emor}' J. Mr. Carter is a u:ember of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church, in which he has 
held man}- of the offices usual to that denomina- 
tion, and has otherwise taken an active interest 
in its affairs. 

DR. MASON CHAPMAN, dentist, Akron ; 
was born on his father's farm in Copley Town- 
ship, Summit Co., Ohio, June 28, 1838. His 
parents, Lucius and Sally B. (Mason) Chap- 
man were natives of New York ; he was a 
farmer ; was born Nov. 20, 1807, on a farm 
called Cone Hill, in Onondaga Co.; were mar- 
ried in Sennet, N. Y., June 2, 1829; they 
came to Ohio in June, 1833, and settled in 
Copley Township, where they lived until 1857. 
Mrs. Chapman died in 1852. In 1857, he 
moved to Wisconsin, and later, to Anamosa, 
Jones Co., Iowa, where he now resides. His 
father, Ashbel Chapman, was born in Massa- 
chusetts May 20, 1775 ; he came to Ohio about 
the year 1836, and settled near Copley Center, 
where he died Jan. 25, 1865 ; his wife also died 
there March 9, 1862; they were married in 
Massachusetts Aug. 8, 1800. Our subject lived 
with his father until December, 1 864 ; his early 
life was spent on the farm. In Wisconsin he 
clerked in a grocery and boot and shoe store, 
after which he joined his father in Iowa, and 
assisted on the farm. The following winter, he 
attended Cornell College at Mt. Vernon, Iowa, 
alternating on the farm and at college for two 
3'ears. He then taught school for two terms, 
and, in the fall of 1862, he began the study of 
dentistry- with Dr. Matson, of Anamosa, with 
whom he studied for two years ; he then visited 
in New York State, and, in the spring of 1865, 
he came to Akron and practiced one year with 
Dr. Bolles, after which he bought the business, 
and has continued the practice since. Nov. 3, 
1867, he married Miss Alice L. Randall, a na- 
tive of Copley Township, Summit Co., Ohio. 



They have one child — Clo3'd M. Chapman. 
During the term 1878 to 1880, the doctor 
served the cit}' of Akron as Councilman. 

DR. JOSEPH COLE, deceased ; was born in 
Winfield, N. Y., in September, 1795 ; he was 
raised on the farm and began reading medicine 
in 1820, with Dr. Clark, graduating from the 
Fairfield, N. Y., Medical College. In 1824, he 
came to Summit County, Ohio, and practiced 
for three years at Old Portage ; he then came to 
Akron, where he jn-acticed until his death in 
1861 ; he was married in November, 1826, to 
Miss Charlotte Dewe\', a native of Westtield, 
Hampden Co., Mass. ; she came West with her 
parents in 1822 ; there were ten in the family ; 
all came in one wagon, the male members often 
walking ; they settled at Old Portage and with- 
in three years, father, mother, three brothers 
and one sister died from the fever then preva- 
lent in that localit}'. Charlotte lived with her 
brothers, who were farming in that vicinity, un- 
til her marriage ; by the marriage were seven 
children, all of wliom have since died. Mrs. 
Cole is living in the old homestead, where she 
has lived since 1832, and by her family has 
thi-ee grandchildren — Helen L. Agard, of Sara- 
toga, N. Y., and H. D. and Fannie F. Cole, living 
with her. Their father, H. D., was the young- 
est son of Dr. Joseph and Charlotte (Dewe}') 
Cole ; he was born in Akron in 1840 ; he re- 
ceived a high school education, and in his latter 
years was engaged in the livery and undertak- 
ing business ; he died in April, 1876. In 1864, 
he was married to Miss Hattie Farnam, a na- 
tive of Akron, daughter of Daniel Farnam ; they 
had two children, viz. : H. D. and Fannie F. 
Mrs. Hattie Cole is also living in the old home- 
stead with her mother-in-law. 

CHARLES A. COLLINS, carriage manu- 
facturer, Akron ; is a native of Richmond, 
Berkshire Co., Mass. He was born July 26, 
1816, and is the 3'oungest of six children born 
to Ralph and Hannah (Hickox) Collins ; the}' 
were natives of Connecticut ; he died in Mas- 
sachusetts Aug. 4. 1817. Our subject lived 
with his mother until 1827, when they moved 
to Berkshire, Tioga Co., N. Y., where she lived 
for three years with her married daughter. 
Charles A., while in Massachusetts, worked 
about at farm work, and attended district 
school. In New York he lived with an uncle, 
working on the farm in summers, and attend- 
ing select school winters. In the fall of 1830, 



^ 2) 



K 



CITY OF AKRON 



687 



he and mother came to Ohio and settled at 
Talhnadge, where his brother-in-law, Mr. Amos 
Aveiy, was engaged in the manufacture of wag- 
ons. Charles A. apprenticed with his uncle, 
and remained until he became of age. His 
mother lived there with a 'laughter until her 
death in November, 1849. In 1838, the firm 
of Collins & Hale established a carriage manu- 
factory in Middlebury, now Sixth Ward, Akron. 
The}' continued until 1841, though Mr. Collins 
was identified with the business until it was 
burned in 1860. During this year, the business 
was established b}' Collins & Bell in South 
Akron, where the business was conducted until 
1869. In February, 1870, the present firm of 
C. A. Collins & Son erected a shop corner of 
Main and Church streets, Akron, where they 
have done business since. While residing in 
the Sixth Ward, Mr. Collins served as a mem- 
ber of the Board of Education for several 
terms, a member of the Village Council, and 
Mayor of Akron for the years 1 862 and 1863, also 
member of City Council, 1876 to 1878. Jan. 
16, 1839, he married Miss Louisa Hine, a na- 
tive of Milford, Conn., and youngest child of 
Abraham and Abigail (Elton) Hine, who came 
to Summit Co., Ohio, about tlie year 1820. By 
the marriage there have been seven children, of 
whom four are living, viz.: George A., with 
father ; Mrs. Josephine A. Kent, of Kent, 
Ohio ; Charles E., formerly cashier Second Na- 
tional Bank of Akron, now with the Colwell & 
Collins Manufacturing Co. of Cleveland, and 
Nettie E., at home. 

A. L. COTTER, retired, Akron City; was 
born in Cornwall, Conn., Dec. 28, 1795, and is 
the second of five children born to Andrew and 
Rhoda (Rogers) Cotter, natives of Connecticut, 
and who died in their native State. Our sub- 
ject lived at home until he was 22 years of age. 
He assisted his father at farming, and in his 
blacksmith-shop. His education was limited, 
and confined to the district schools. At the 
age of 22 years, he opened a blacksmith-shop 
of his own some three miles from his father's, 
where he continued in business for about two 
years, when he went to Bristol, and worked 
there for one 3'^ear, engaged in ironing wagons. 
He returned to his native place, where he was 
identified with the blacksmith business until 
1824, when he came to Ohio, with a cousin who 
lived in Middlebury. Satisfied with the coun- 
try, he returned home, made himself a wagon, 



and removed to Ohio with his family, consisting 
then of a wife and one child. He located in 
Middlebury, where he followed blacksmithing 
until about the 3'ear 1868, when he retired to 
his present place, where he has since resided. 
His residence was destroyed by fire on Feb. 12, 
1875, and the following year he built his pres- 
ent dwelling. He served a number of years as 
Trustee of Tallmadge Township while a resident 
of Middlebury. He was married, Nov. 21, 1821, 
to Miss Mary Ann Pratt, a native of Killing- 
worth, Conn. ; she died July 28, 1836. The 
result of this marriage was seven children, of 
whom five are living. Samuel A. and James 
P. live in Connecticut ; Charles S. lives in Ra- 
venna, Ohio ; Mary E., now Mrs. Myers, lives 
near the old home ; Henry C. lives in Toledo ; 
Edward died in 1831 and Emily in 1868. Mr. 
Cotter was married on Nov. 1, 1837, to Miss 
Mary Talcott, a daughter of Alvin and Philo- 
melia (Root) Talcott. Mr. Talcott traces his 
ancestry back to the family of Warwickshire, 
England. The original emigrant, the Worshipful 
John Talcott, came to Boston, Mass., Sept. 16, 
1632, in the ship Lyon. He soon after went to 
Hartford, Conn., where he was married, and 
afterward lived. Mr. Cotter is a Presbyterian, 
and has been a member of that church for over 
fifty 3'ears ; Mrs. Cotter has been a member for 
over fort}^ years. Mr. C. has been a Republican 
in politics ever since the organization of that 
party. 

JAMES H. CASE, druggist, Middlebury 
(Sixth Ward), Akron ; was born Dec. 23, 1844, 
and is a native of Middlebury, Ohio. He is the 
eldest of two children, born to S. S. and Jane 
(McDowell) Case, who were natives of New York. 
S. S. Case came to Ohio in an eai-l}^ day, and lo- 
cated in the vicinity of Painesville, where he fol- 
lowed harness-making ; and, a})out 1842, came to 
Middlebury. Here he followed the harness busi- 
ness, and later, became an extensive dealer in 
stoneware. He also took some contracts on 
the Mount Vernon Railroad. In 1864, he en- 
listed in the army, and was transferred to the 
Government shops at Chattanooga for the manu- 
facturing of harness, etc. He served until the 
close of the war, and then located in Cincinnati, 
thence to Xenia, where he died June 9, 1879, 
at the age of 67 years. James H. (the subject), 
has always made his home in Middlebury. At 
the age of 17 A'ears, he apprenticed himself to 
the carriage-ironing trade, at Greenville, Penn.; 



\ 



688 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



be did not complete his apprenticeship, but 
retired to Middlebury, and worked one and a 
half 3-ears in the machine shops of Kent & Bald- 
win. In ISUa, he enlisted in the Second Ohio 
Cavahy, and served until the close of the war. 
He was in the battles of the Wilderness, Peters- 
burg, Shenandoah, Cedar Creek, Winchester, 
Five Forks and at the surrender of Lee. He 
was at the grand review at Washington, and 
then moved West, remaining at Springfield, 
Mo., until the September following, when he, 
with regiment, was mustered out at St. Louis, 
and returned home. He then completed his 
trade as a machinist, and followed it some four 
years. He then worked in the Buckeye Reaper 
W^orks until the spring of 1876, when he opened 
his present business. He was married, Jan. 1, 
1872, to Wiss Ella S. Farrar, a native of Massa- 
chusetts, and a daughter of C. S. Farrar, of 
Akron, whither they came about the year 1870. 
By the marriage, there is one child, viz., Charles 
F."^ Case. 

DR. W. E. CHAMBERLIN, physician, Ak- 
ron, was born in Allegheny City, Penn., Nov. 
29, 1840, and was raised in Maryland and Vir- 
ginia, where his parents lived during his 
infancy, moving to Peninsula, Summit Co., 
Ohio, in 1858. His father, C. W. Chamberlin, 
was a physician and druggist. Our subject 
began at the age of 12 years to assist in his 
father's store and to read medical works, which 
he continued in connection with his schooling, 
which consisted of a high-school course and a 
course by a special instructor, which included 
French and German. At the age of 18, he be- 
gan practice under his father, and Sept. 9, 1861, 
he enlisted in Co. D, 1st Ohio Light Artiller3% 
and was detailed by Gen. Nelson as physician 
and surgeon, in which position he served until 
October, 1862, when, owing to ill health, he 
was discharged and returned home. During 
the winter, he attended lectures at the Univer- 
sity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, resuming his 
profession in the spring at Brimfield, Portage 
Co., Ohio. Tn September, 1865, he removed to 
Clinton, Summit Co., where he practiced until 
Januar}^, 1875, during which time he became 
well known as a newspaper correspondent, cor- 
responding for the Akron Beacon, City Times, 
Cleveland Hemhl, the Plaindealer and numer- 
ous others. From Clinton he came to Akron 
and located at 1 04 North Howard street, where 
he has remained since. In 1869, he graduated 



at the Charity Hospital Medical College of 
Cleveland. A member of the Union Medical 
Societ}' of Northeastern Ohio, he has served 
the same as delegate to the State and 
National Medical Conventions. March 31, 

1862, he married Miss Mary E. Pritchard, 
of Medina Co., Ohio, Of their two children, 
one is living, viz., M^-rtle. June 22, 1875, 
he married Mrs. McCoy, formerly Miss Wilhel- 
mina Kohler. While in Franklin Township, 
the Doctor served as Justice of the Peace and 
Notar}'. He also conducted a drug business, 
which was destroyed by fire in 1874. 

B. S. CHASE, M. D. (deceased), was born 
Jan. 9, 1834. He was a native of Vermont, 
and lived on a farm until he came of age, gain- 
ing an education in the meanwhile at the pub- 
lic schools and an academic course at the 
Chester Academy. On reaching his majority, 
he came West and engaged in the sale of some 
maps for which he had secured territory in 
Michigan. After several years spent in this 
way, he came to Akron and began reading 
medicine with his uncle, Dr. E. W. Howard, of 
Akron, and afterward graduating at Ann Ar- 
bor, Mich. He began his practice in partner- 
ship with his uncle and preceptor, continuing 
in this way until 1862, when the war opened 
up a new avenue for his services. He entered 
the army as Assistant Surgeon of the 16th 0. 
V. I., remaining with the regiment until June, 

1863, when he was transferred to the 53d Mis- 
sissippi (colored) Regiment as Surgeon. He 
continued with this regiment to the close of 
the war, acting on the Operating Board at the 
battle of Chickasaw Bayou and during the 
siege of Vicksburg. Subsequently he returned 
to Akron, where he continued his practice until 
his death Feb. 23, 1878. Jan. 26, 1863, he 
married Miss Henrietta Sabin, a native of 
Akron, and a daughter of Joseph W. Sabin, a 
long-time and prominent merchant of Akron. 
Mrs. Chase's mother was Prudence, a daughter 
of C. W. Brown (who is mentioned elsewhere), 
a native of New York and an earl}' pioneer of 
the Sixth Ward of Akron. Mr. Sabin died 
March 5, 1876 ; his wife died Dec. 27, 1880. 
Mrs. Chase's family consists of five children — - 
William S., Charles H., Martha, Byron S. and 
Sabin Ford, the latter a nephew whom she has 
adopted into her family. 

J. G. CASKEY, of Diehl & Caskey, Akron ; 
is a native of Lancaster Co., Penn.; was born 



'k* 



CITY OF AKRON. 



689 



in Strasburg Township, Sept. 3. 1832. His 
parents, Samuel and Mary (Brown) Caske}', 
were natives of York and Lancaster Cos., Penn. 
His father was a miller by trade, and was born 
July 1, 1798. In 1835, his parents, with four 
children, came in wagons to Norton Township 
in this county. Here his father bought wild 
land, cleared a farm, and, in the meanwhile, 
worked at milling on shares. The latter busi- 
ness occupied the principal part of his time 
until 1869, when he gave up a calling in which 
he had engaged for nearly tifty years. Feb. 1, 
1875, his wife died at the age of 75. Both 
were members of the M. E. Church, in which 
he still takes an active interest. In politics, he 
followed the fortunes of the Democratic party 
until the rise of the Republican part}', to which 
he has since given his suffrage. He still lives 
at the old homestead in Norton, and lacks but 
a few days of being the oldest man in the 
township. J. Gr. Caskey lived at home until he 
reached his majority, working on the farm and 
in the mill, gaining a practical knowledge of 
both occupations. On becoming of age, he 
entered the Baldwin University at Berea, where 
he studied for two years. At the expiration of 
this term, he returned to the farm, spending 
his winters in teaching school for some two 3'ears. 
He then turned his attention exclusively^ to 
milling, which he followed until 1871, save 
two years while in the army. Aug. 30, 1862, 
he enlisted in Co. D, 29th 0. V. V. I., and 
served two years, taking part in the battles of 
Chancellorsville, Gett3'sburg, Lookout Moun- 
tain and jMission Ridge. Mr. Caskey- was sub- 
sequenth' taken ill and confined in the hospital 
at Murfreesboro, and later received a furlough 
and discharge. He returned home, and, after 
regaining his health, he resumed his milling 
business. In 1871, he moved to Akron and 
conducted a restaurant for some nine years. 
In 1880, he became a partner in the present 
business. Feb. 15, 1860, he married Miss Har- 
riet B. Burget, a native of Wayne Co., Ohio. 
They have two children, S3'bil A. and Charlie E. 
JOHN S. CLEMENS, foreman gearing de- 
partment of Aultman, Miller & Co., Akron ; 
a native of Stark Co., Ohio, was born Aug. 30, 
1832, and is the oldest son in a family of three 
children born to Daniel and Leah (Cameron) 
Clemens, natives of Stark Co. His (subject's) 
grandfather, Nicholas Clemens, was a soldier in 
the war of 1812, and came from Pennsylvania 



to Stark Co. previous to that war. At the 
age of 19, subject was apprenticed to learn 
blacksmithing at Paris, in Stark Co., where he 
worked until 1857, when he entered the employ 
of Aultman, Miller & Co., at Canton, as a 
blacksmith. He remained here until 1864, 
when, at the opening of the company's shops 
at Akron, he came here to take charge of the 
blacksmithing department, and was foreman of 
that department until 1869, when he was made 
foreman of the gearing department, which he 
has made very efficient. He was married in 
November, 1854, to Miss Elizabeth Flickmyer, 
of Paris, Ohio. They have two sons ; a daugh- 
ter died in childhood. 

JOEL R. CARTER, of Carter & Steward, 
millers, Akron, a son of Joel R. and Mary 
(D^er) Carter, was born in Devonshire, En- 
gland, March 13, 1841. His father was a miller, 
and when but a boy he began to learn the mill- 
ing business. He worked in the City Mills of 
London, England, about five jears, and in 1865, 
he came to the United States and to Akron. 
He entered the present mill, where he worked 
for Robert Turner one 3^ear, and, in 1868, 
bought a fourth intei'est in the firm. He be- 
came half-owner in 1873, with Mr. Steward, 
firm Carter & Steward. In February, 1869, he 
was married to Miss Jane Rhodes, daughter of 
John Rhodes, of Cuyahoga Falls. There has 
been born of this marriage one son and one 
daughter. Mr. C. came here without capital, 
and by his own exertions has become one of 
Akron's stanch business men. His parents 
still reside in P]ngland, where his father has 
followed milling all his life, at Dotten, twelve 
miles from Exeter. 

JOHN COOK, deceased, was born April 18, 
1818, in Bavaria, Germany. On leaving school 
in his native country, he learned the trade of 
stone-mason, at which he worked until he came 
with his parents to the United States in 1839. 
He came at once to Akron, and found employ- 
ment in the JEtna Mills, where he soon became 
foreman in the packing department. He went 
overland to California in 1850. encountering 
many perils and hardships. He remained there 
two years in the provision business, and re- 
turned home via Panama route. In 1855, he 
started a giocery on Market street, and b}' 
close application to business built up a large 
and lucrative trade — was one of the largest 
dealers in Akron, and for several years the 






690 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



business partner of Jacob Dussell. When his 
sons John J. and William H. Cook o^rew up, he 
took them into partnership, which lasted until 
his death, Dec. 1, 1880. He was raised a Cath- 
olic, and at the organization of the German 
Catholic; Church became a member, and was 
for many years a trustee and liberal supporter 
of it ; later in life was a member of the St. Vin- 
cent's Church. He was Councilman two 3'ears, 
and took an active interest in public affairs. 
He was married October 17, 1843, to Miss 
Mary Bilz, of Akron. She was born in Ger- 
many, Dec. 5, 1821, and came with her parents 
to the United States in 183G, and were among 
the earl}^ residents of Akron. Subject has two 
sons living — William H. and John J.; oldest 
son, Francis, died when he was but two 3'ears 
old. 

DR. ISRAEL E. CARTER, retired, Akron, 
was born in Concord, N. H, April 8, 1810, 
where he lived in the vicinity until 1836. 
He began the stud}' of medicine in 1831, 
and at the same time supported himself 
by teaching school during the winters. He 
graduated in June, 1835, from the Ver- 
mont Medical College at Woodstock, and 
came to Ravenna, Ohio, in May, 1836 ; being 
in poor health, he found he could not stand 
regular practice, so took up the study of den- 
tistry with Dr. M. T. Willard, of Concord, N. H., 
in 1835, and after coming to Ravenna began 
its practice. He did a successful business then 
from 1836 to 1843, when he came to Akron 
and located here permanently. He remained in 
active practice here until his election as Count}' 
Treasurer in 1862, holding the office until 
1867, being elected each time by the Repub- 
lican party. He was Mayor of the incorporated 
village of Akron in 1848 and 1849, and mem- 
ber of the School Board two terms. Owing to 
failing health, he has retired from active busi- 
ness. He was married July 4, 1840, to Miss 
Mary L. Williamson, of Ravenna. Three chil- 
dren by this marriage are living — Frances L. 
(Mrs. t. D. McGillicuddy); William H., book- 
keeper ; and Charles E. His wife died June 
19, 1862, in her 43d year. He is a charter 
member of Summit Lodge, No. 50, I. 0. 0. F., 
organized in 1845, and has always been an 
active and zealous member of it ; was Deputy 
Grand Master one term. 

HENRY J. CHURCH, merchant, Akron. 
Calvin Church was born in East Haddam, 



Conn., in 1794, where the Church family set- 
tled on their arrival from England, in the lat- 
ter part of the seventeenth century. The early 
members of the family were in the war of the 
Revolution, and he was in the war of 1812, and 
Adjutant in the Ohio militia. He settled in 
Rome, x\shtabula Co., Ohio, in about 1804. 
Miss Susan Crowell, whom he married, was a 
sister of Judge Crowell, of Cleveland, Ohio. 
The Crowell family came from Connecticut 
about the same time that the Church family 
did, and were among the first pioneers of Rome, 
Ohio. Both families were strong churchmen of 
the Episcopal faith, and Bishop Chase preached 
in his grandfather William Crowell's kitchen, 
as early as 1819. The descendants have been 
Episcopalians ever since. To Calvin Church 
were born seven children, of whom the subject 
of this sketch is the youngest. His wife died 
in her 73d year, in 1876, and he in his 63d 
year, in 1856. Henry J. Church was born at 
Thompson, Geauga Co., Ohio, on April 16, 
1845. In December, 1858, two years after his 
father's death, he came to Akron, where he en- 
tered the employ of Henry & Oberholser, as 
clerk, attending school during the winters for 
six years, at the end of which time he became 
salesman, with Oberholser, Keller & Co., con- 
tinuing for five years, when he received an in- 
terest. Avhich, at the end of one year, he sold 
out. April 20, 1870, the copartnership of 
Wolf Church & Beck was formed, and they 
did a large wholesale and retail business in dry 
goods. In 1878, Mr. Beck retired, and the 
firm dropped his name, being Wolf & Church. 
Their business rooms are at Nos. 200 and 202 
East Market street, being 100x37 feet dimen- 
sions, with basement and second story. They 
employ eleven men and two ladies as clerks, 
salesmen and book-keepers. On May 6, 1868, 
he married Miss Mary H. Sanford, daughter of 
D. G. Sanford, of Akron ; she bore him six chil- 
dren, five living. He was confirmed in the 
Episcopal Church in 1869, as was also his wife. 
For ten years he has been Superintendent of 
the Sabbath school. He is a member of Sum- 
mit Lodge, No. 50, I. 0. 0. F., and has been its 
presiding officer, and was one of the charter 
members of Akron Lodge, No. 547, whose or- 
ganization he was among the first to suggest. 
THOMAS W. CORNELL, Akron ; was born 
in Dutchess Co., N. Y., Jan. 8, 1820, raised on 
a farm, and, at 22, with but little capital, com- 



^; 



CITY OF AKRON. 



691 



menced in life for liimself. He was for some ! 
time in a brewery in Auburn, N. Y. He came j 
to Cuyahoga Falls in December, 1855, where 
he bought a distillery, which he conducted 
seven or eight years. In 1863, he came to 
Akron, Ohio, and became one of the original 
stockholders of the First National Bank at their 
first meeting, being elected President, which 
position he has since retained. The original 
capital stock was $100,000, and the deposits 
have reached to $250,000. Since 1865, he has 
been President of the Akron Gas Works. 

REV. W. W. CASE, Pastor of First M. E. 
Church, Akron ; is a son of William and Polly 
(Hempsted) Case, natives of Rensselaer County, 
N. Y., and was born Dec. 13, 1838. His father 
was a farmer, and he was brought up on a farm 
until 17 years of age, when he commenced 
teaching, and at 19 became Superintendent of 
Schools of Dunkirk, N. Y. During the year 
1858, he was converted, and soon after entered 
tiie ministry under the auspices of the M. E. 
Church, laboring for the first five years in 
Western New York. In 1864, he was trans- 
ferred to the Wisconsin Conference, and filled 
successively the pulpits at Edgerton, Beloit, 
Milwaukee (latter place three years), and then 
at Fond du Lac. He was transferred to the 
Cincinnati Conference in 1875, and stationed at 
Mt. Auburn Church, Cincinnati, for three years, 
and was then transferred to First M. E. Church 
of Akron. He is a member of the Examining 
Committee of Mt. Union College ; has been a 
member of the Board of Management of Law- 
rence University, and of Phoenix Literary So- 
ciety of that institution. 

CHARLES CRANZ, Secretary of Wads- 
worth Coal Co., Akron ; is a son of Daniel and 
Wilhemina (Renz) Cranz, and was born Feb. 
13, 1817, in Wiesenbach Village, Wurtemberg, 
German}'. He was educated in his native 
country, and spent two years as an*apprentice 
in a drug store. At the age of 17 he came to 
the United States with his parents, arriving in 
Baltimore in July, 1834. The}', journeyed by 
team to Wheeling, Va., when the river proved 
too low for navigation, and they continued on 
their journey by land to Holmes Co., Ohio, 
where the father, who was a Lutheran minister, 
had letters of introduction to parties. He 
resided there until his death in 1876, in his 
87th year, having continued preaching until 
the age of 82. Subject worked on a farm in 



Holmes County two years, when he started out 
for himself, securing a clerkship in Nashville, 
Holmes Co., for a short time, when he went to 
Canton and became a clerk in a hardware store 
for six years. In 1842, he came to Akron, and 
together with F. A. Schneider (firm of C. Cranz 
& Co.), opened the first hardware store in the 
cit}' ; while in business, donated arms to •' Old 
John Brown." Continued for about ten j'^ears, 
when Mr. C. Ijought out his partner, and in 
1865, L. B. Schneider became a partner, re- 
maining as such until 1875, when subject sold 
out to him. Mr. C. was one of the original 
stockholders and incorporators of J. F. Seiber- 
ling & Co., and was consecutively Director, 
General Agent, Secretary and Treasurer, and 
upon the failure of the company became one of 
the assignees by request of the creditors and 
stockholders. He is at present Secretary of the 
Wadsworth Coal Co. In September, 1845, he 
was married to Miss Mai'garet D. Schneider, 
daughter of F. A. Schneider, of Akron. The}' 
have four sons and one daughter, viz., Charles, 
Jr., and Frank are in the mines of Arizona ; 
Harry, clerk in a hardware stoi'e in Omaha, 
Neb.; William S., a student in Lehigh Univer- 
sity, and Emma R., is the wife of Thomas K. 
Pei'kins, of Akron. 

FRANK D. CASSIDY, lawyer, Akron ; is a 
son of William P. and Caroline M. (Kohler) 
Cassidy, and was born Jan. 29, 1849, at Penin- 
sula, Summit Co. His father was a carpenter 
and joiner, and moved to Akron about the year 
1853 ; was a native of Blair Co., Penn., and 
was born in October, 1811. He was of Irish 
descent, his great-grandfather coming to Penn- 
sylvania from Ireland, and the larger portion 
of the family still living in Blair County, where 
the elder Cassidy laid out the town of Newry, 
named for their native town in Ireland. The 
father of subject was for fifteen years foreman 
in the factory of W. B. Doyle & Co., of Akron, 
and died in June, 1878. leaving two sons and 
one daughter— Frank D. (subject); James H., 
physician at Sharon Centre, Medina Co., and 
Mary E., wife of D. G. Steese, of Akron. In 
1869, he (subject) became assistant bookkeeper 
in the Akron Iron ('o., remaining one year, and 
then went to Cleveland and accepted the posi- 
tion of assistant book-keeper in a wholesale 
coal concern, which he held for three years, 
when he became a partner in the firm of Steese 
& Co., coal dealers and shippers, continuing until 



-^ » 



693 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



1875, when he returned to Akron, and for some 
time assisted his father in the management of his 
real estate business, In 1877, he began the 
study of the law with Edgerton & Kohler, and 
was admitted to the bar in March, 1879, and 
has been in practice here ever since. He was 
married Dec. 30, 1878, to Miss Sarah J. Francis, 
a daughter of Joseph Francis, Sr. They have 
one cliild — Carrie M. 

JOHN H. CAMPBELL, lawyer, Akron ; is 
a son of John and Matilda (Ervine) Camp- 
bell ; was born Nov. 9, 1848, in Wayne Co., and 
when an infant, the family moved to Hancock 
Co. He lived there on a farm until 1861, when 
the family moved back to Wayne (.o. He be- 
gan teaching in 1868, and in 1870 graduated in 
Mt. Union Commercial School ; in the fall of 
1871, he entered the Law Department of the 
Michigan University, from which he graduated 
March 26, 1873, and was admitted to the bar 
at Wooster in June, 1872. In April, 1873, he 
came to Akron, and began practice, and Janu- 
ary, 1875, became a member of the firm of 
Edgerton, Kohler & Campbell, until August, 

1876, when the firm was dissolved, and he has 
been alone since. He is now located in Math- 
ews' block, over No. 127 South Howard street. 
In October, 1870, he was married to Carrie E. 
Oswald, of Wayne Co. They have three sons. 
His father (John Campbell) was born in Greene 
Co., Penn., Oct. 29, 1810, and came there with his 
father, George Campbell, in 1822 ; his father 
dying three years thereafter, John virtually be- 
came the head of the family, and worked on 
the farm until the youngest child was 21 years 
old. January 21, 1842, he married Matilda 
Ervine, of Baughman Township, of that county. 
John H. is his only son. 

NEWTON CHALKER, lawyer, Akron. 
James Chalker was born in Soutliington, Ohio, 
his parents being natives of Connecticut, as 
were also those of Miss P]liza Hyde, whom he 
married, and whose birthplace was Farmington, 
Trumbull Co.. Ohio. His ancestors settled in 
Saybrook, Conn., in about 1640, and his parents 
moved to Ohio in about the year 1805, as also 
did hers. To James and Eliza (Hyde) Chalker, 
at Southington, Ohio, on Sept. 12, 1842, was 
born the subject of this sketch, Newton 
Chalker, who spent his early youth at his native 
home, on a farm, until he was 15 years of age, 
a year previous to which time he entered the 
Western Reserve Seminary of Farmington, 



continuing with his studies there until he was 

20, teaching in the district schools, in the 
meantime, from the age of 16, In June, 1862, 
he enlisted in Co. B, 87th 0. V. I., his term 
expiring in October of the same year. In the 
spring of 1863, his 21st year, he entered Alle- 
ghan}' College, at Meadville, being assigned to 
the freshman class ; taking a classical course, 
he graduated in June, 1866. In the fall of the 
same year, he was elected by the Trustees of 
Dixon Seminary, at Dixon, 111., Principal, 
which position he filled for one year, when he 
was elected Superintendent of the Darlington 
Union Schools, Wisconsin, filling that position 
for the same length of time. In August, 1868, 
he entered the Law Department of the University 
of Albany, N. Y., graduating there in June, 
1869. Shortly after his graduation, he opened 
an oflflce for the practice of law in Cameron, 
Mo., where he remained five years. On Aug. 
14, 1874, he came to Akron, where he has 
practiced law ever since. 

CHARLES S. COBBS, City Solicitor, Akron, 
was born near Alliance, Columbiana Co., Ohio, 
Julv 7, 1853, and lived on a farm until 18 ; he 
entered Mt. Union College in the fall of 1872, 
and graduated in July, 1877. He then became 
Superintendent of the Malvern Union Schools, 
continuing two years, studying law in the mean- 
time. May, 1879, he came to Akron and entered 
the law^ office of J. J. Hall, stud3'ing until his 
admission to the bar in May, 1880, at the session 
of the Supreme Court at Columbus, Ohio, after 
which he located in Akron, and has been in 
active practice since. In April, 1881, he was 
elected City Solicitor, on the Republican ticket. 

JAMES CRISTY, tanner, Akron. James, 
oldest son of Patrick and Eliza (McMoran) 
Cristy, was born Feb. 4, 1820, in Spring- 
field Township, this count3', where he lived 
on a farm until he attained his majority, 
attending clistrict school in his earliest school 
days, and select school at Middlebur}- from the 
time he was 16 until he reached his 19th jear. 
At the age of 20, he began teaching, in which 
he engaged for two terms. Soon after he was 

21, he came to Akron, where he soon estab- 
lished a tannery on North Howard sti'eet, in 
company' with one James Sawyer, who was his 
partner, running it under the firm name of 
Cristy & Sawyer, until 1851, when the part- 
nership dissolved. The year following, he and 
his brother, John H. Cristy, fitted up a small 



^1 



'i^ 



i^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



693 



tannery on the same street, which they ran un- 
til 1856. when they built the present one, con- 
tinuing as partners until 1879. when the firm 
dissolved, leaving subject proprietor, who then 
took in, as partners, his sons James, Jr., and 
William, under the firm name of James Cristy 
& Sons. They are doing a good business at 
the present time, manufacturing leather, buying 
and selling leather, hides, furs and leather find- 
ings, and making a specialty of harness leather. 
In 18-11, he started in business at this place 
with but $500, and whatever of success he has 
attained is the result of his own labor, energy 
and perseverance. In politics he is a Republi- 
can, having been such since the organization of 
the part}'. A member of no church, he attends 
the Congregational, and gives it his support. 
For several years he has been a member of the 
City Council. His father, a native of New Jer- 
sey, was of Irish descent, and his mother, a 
Scotch lady, was born in Scotland. In 1812, 
they came to Stark County from Northumber- 
land Co., Penn., settling in Springfield Town- 
ship, this county, two years later, purchasing 
30 acres of land of Judge Hinckley, for whom 
the father of our subject was land agent. Our 
subject was one of nine children, of whom but 
three are living — himself, a brother and Mrs. 
Saw3'er, widow of his former partner. His 
father died in 1864, being in his 74th year, and 
his mother's death occurred in 1872, in her 
83d year. Subject was married October, 1849, 
to Miss Jennie Warner, of Akron, Ohio, and of 
this union five children were the issue, all of 
whom are living. 

ALEXANDER H. COMMINS (deceased). 
His father, Jedediah D. Commins. was born in 
the town of Charlotte, Yt., on the 9th day of 
July, 1790 ; in 1814, he was united in marriage 
with Sophia Field, of Wethersfield, Windsor 
Co., Vt. They soon after removed to Western 
New York, where the}' resided until 1832. At 
that date he came to Akron ; here he found 
but few improvements, but being a keen lover 
of nature, <he selected for his home the most 
desirable site adjacent to the village, and 
erected a residence on Fir street, ever since re- 
tained by the family. Mr. Commins opened 
the first drug store in the village, and for many 
years was the leading druggist of the town ; 
he was a very careful and precise merchant, 
sustaining his credit through the panic of 
1837, which wrecked all the other merchants of 



that period except his friend P. D. Hall. He 
espoused the principles of Democracy, and at 
once became a leader of his party in this sec- 
tion. Among the first he saw the advantages 
which would arise from the organization of a 
new county with Akron as its center, and, with 
unceasing efforts, he gave time and influence to 
that end ; he was sent as a lobby member to the 
Legislature, and to his labors with that body 
we are indebted largely for the organization of 
Summit County. But this was not his only 
measure of beneficence ; he originated the 
idea of a rural cemeter}^, and secured the 
passage of a bill authorizing corporations to 
purchase lands for such purposes, and put his 
beautiful theory into operation in the purchase 
of 40 acres for the Akron Rural Cemeter}', 
probably the first of its kind in the State. 
That he was denied the discipline of school 
training did not discourage a mind which could 
draw a lesson from every object of nature. He 
gathered, studied and classified a fine collec- 
tion of insects, minerals and flowers. He was 
an excellent botanist and a thorough student of 
nature ; he was familiar with the best works of 
French and English literature ; he greatly ad- 
mired Shakspeare, and could repeat many pas- 
sages from memory, and could read the French 
language with ease. He was a highly esteemed 
and influential citizen, who labored earnestly 
for the public weal as foremost champion of 
every good work. He died in 1867, respected 
by all. Alexander H. Commins, oldest son of 
Jedediah D. Commins, was born at Lima, Liv- 
ingston Co., N. Y., June 21, 1815 ; at 17. he 
came with his father to this locality, and ere- 
long entered the Western Reserve College, at 
Hudson, where he spent some time in laying 
the foundation for his future usefulness. On 
leaving college, Mr. Commins entered the drug 
store of his father, and for several 3'ears de- 
voted his talents to that business. In 1845, 
with Col. Simon Perkins, he became interested 
in the woolen mills of Akron ; he continued in 
the manufacture of woolen goods for a period 
of ten years, and, in 1856, converted it into a 
flouring-mill ; he at this time formed a partner- 
ship with Jacob and Jesse Allen, which lasted 
until I860. In company with Albert Allen, in 
1867, he purchased the old stone mills, which 
have since been known as the Commins & Allen 
Mills, on account of the large and important 
additions made to the original structure by 



^ 



\ 



094 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



them. During the period of copartnership of 
Mr. Corainins with Mr. Albert Allen, mutual 
friendshii) and confidence became so strong that 
Mr. Commins so fashioned his will that his es 
teemed partner was given entire control of his 
large business and estate until the heirs should 
reach their majority, and, in case of the death 
of their mother, he should become the guar- 
dian of his children and executor of his will, 
and all without bonds {dr hoiu's noit). This 
partnership continued with the most cordial re- 
lations, until his death, Aug. 17, 1880. Mr. 
Commins was raised in the l^resbyterian 
Church, but later in life gave his support to the 
Episcopal Church. He inherited man}' of 
the admirable traits of his father, having ex- 
cellent business capacity ; an extensive reader, 
he was well informed on all current topics. 
He, like his father, was a stanch Democrat, and 
although he never sought office, had those qual- 
ities which stamped him as a leader of his 
party in this county and district, hence he was 
nominated for many positions of honor and 
trust. Oct. 8, 1860, he was united in marriage 
to Miss Addie H. Starks, of Buffalo, N. Y.; of 
this marriage nine children were born, seven of 
whom are yet living Mr. Commins was a pub- 
lic-spirited citizen, whose loss was deeply felt. 
GEORGE W. CROrSE, manufacturer, 
Akron. George W. Crouse, manufacturer of 
reapers and mowers, at Akron, Summit Co., 
Ohio, was born November 23, 1832, at Tall- 
madge, same county. He is the son of George 
Crouse, a native of Pennsylvania, and Margaret 
H. (Robinson) Crouse, of Irish descent. His 
boyhood was passed on a farm, during which 
period he acquired such knowledge of the En- 
glish branches as, at the age of 17, enabled him 
to teach school in a creditable manner, which 
occupation he engaged in for a period of five 
years. Ambition, which country school-teach- 
ing and farming could not satisfy, having en- 
tered " the chamber of the gifted boy," he com- 
menced looking about him for more congenial 
employment, and so it happened that, in 1855, 
he came to Akron with no other capital than 
energy, integrity, common sense and detei'mi- 
nation to aid him in securing such a position as 
he desired. Arriving here, he very soon found 
employment under the County Auditor and 
Treasurer, as accountant and penman, in both 
of which he excelled. He held these positions 
for three jears, during which time he became 



so familiar with the work of each, and had also 
extended his acquaintance so favorably, that, 
in the fall of 1 858, he was elected County Aud- 
itor, being only 25 years of age, and, at that 
time, the youngest officer ever elected in the 
county. He held this office during the follow- 
ing two 3'ears, and was tluni re-elected, but. be- 
fore the expiration of his second term, a vacan- 
cy occurred in the office of County Treasurer, 
which the County Commissioners appointed 
him to fill. This led to the resignation of his 
office as Auditor. His conduct in these offices 
had become so favorably known throughout the 
county that he was solicited to accept a respon- 
sible agency for the Atlantic & Great Western 
Railroad Co., the road having been completed 
as far as Akron. The agency being local, he 
accepted, and conducted both the business of 
his county office and that of his new engage- 
ment with great care and efficienc}'. About 
the 20th of August, 1863, he connected him- 
self with the firm of C. Aultman & Co., being 
financial manager of their branch concern at 
Akron. In co-operation with J. R. Buchtel, 
he superintended the erection of the new build- 
ings of the same, at the same time attending 
wholly to the financial managementof the branch 
house. In the summer of 1865, it was re-or- 
ganized as a stock company, under the firm 
name of Aultman, Miller & Co., of which, as a 
stockholder, Mr. Crouse was elected Secretary 
and Treasurer, his duties being to manage the 
finances and dispose of the goods. The first 
year of its existence, the company manufact- 
ured 2,900 machines. Under the able manage- 
ment of its executive officers, the business so 
rapidly increased that, in 1880, the machines 
manufactured were 12,000, the gross sales 
amounting to $1,800,000. The capital invested 
is $1,000,000. the business giving employment 
to over 400 men. Decidedly successful, this 
company has returned a dividend each year to 
its stockholders. Mr. Crouse has done his full 
share in achieving a well-merited success for 
the " Buckeye Mower and Reaper." His qual- 
ities of industry and rare ability have caused 
him to be much sought by his townsmen for 
local offices. A member of the City Council, 
he has served as its President ; mem!)er and 
President of the Board of Education, he has 
been three years a Count}' Commissioner, and 
Chairman of the County Central Republican 
Committee. He is a member of the Protestant 



<3 



CITT OF AKRON. 



695 



Episcopal Church, and, for some years, has 
been a Vestryman of the same. In addition to 
the business in which he is principally en- 
gaged, he has encouraged and aided other busi- 
ness enterprises in Akron, among which were 
the Whitman & Barnes Manufacturing Co., the 
Akron Rubber Works, doing business as B. F. 
Goodrich & Co., a joint stock company in 
which he is a Director ; the Akron Manilla 
Paper Co., doing business as Thomas Phillips 
& Co., a copartnership in which he is a one- 
third owner. In 1870, he assisted to organize 
the Bank of Akron, in which he is a stock- 
holder, and of which he is President. In poli- 
tics, he is a Republican, carrying the same ear- 
nestness into the partisanship of his political 
convictions that characterizes him elsewhere. 
He married Miss Martha K. Parsons, of Port- 
age County, on Oct. 18, 1859, of which union 
there are five children, four daughters and one 
son, viz., Martha P., Julia M., Mary R., Nellie 
J. and George W., Jr. 

ARTHUR L. CONGER, manufacturer, Ak- 
ron, was born to John and Hannah (Beales) 
Conger Feb. 19, 1838, in Boston, this county, 
Ohio. He spent his early days working on his 
father's farm and in his brick-yard, until he 
was 20 years old, when he spent two summers 
boating on the Ohio Canal, attending school in 
winter, b^' his own efforts gaining such knowl- 
edge of the English branches as enabled him 
to teach, which vocation he followed from 1860 
to July, 1802, when he enlisted in the 115th 0. 
V. I. as a private soldier, having recruited a 
large number of men before entering the serv- 
ice. Of this company he was successively 
made 1st Lieutenant and Captain, serving with 
it nearly three years in the Army of the Cum- 
berland under Gen. Thomas, being mustered 
out in Jul}^ 1864, having been for much of the 
time on detached duty. Assigned to the staff 
of Gen. Ammon, as Acting Assistant Adjutant 
General, at Covington, Ky.; there he acted al- 
so as Provost ^larshal, and served as a member 
of the court martial under Judge Advocate R. 
M. Corwin, serving on this court 100 days, 
during which time a large number of impor- 
tant cases were disposed of B}' Mr. Corwin's 
special request, he then became a member of 
a new court martial subsequentl3' organized, 
but his regiment being ordered to the front, he 
went with it, and was detailed in the Engineer 
Corps as an Assistant Inspector of railroad 



defenses in the Department of the Cumberland. 
His experience in this branch becoming known 
to Gen. Thomas, that officer recommended his 
appointment as a Captain and Commissary of 
Subsistence, with the view of having him is.sue 
rations by special train to the garrisons of tiie 
block-houses and railroad defences throughout 
the Department of the Cumbei'land, in addition 
to his duties as Inspector, but the war came to 
a close before this appointment could be made, 
and Mr. Conger returned to Boston, and for a 
year after worked on a farm, when, in 1866. he 
was elected Treasurer of his native county, 
serving one term, when he was re-elected and 
served the second term, in all four years. His 
wife, formerly Miss Emily V. Bronson, of Pe- 
ninsula (second daughter of H. V. Bronson, 
one of the pioneers of Boston Township, of 
whom see sketch), whom he married Nov. 1, 
1864, proved herself truly worthy by assist- 
ing him at that time, doing whatever of writ- 
ing he could place in her hands, which saved 
for him no small amount of the salary which 
otherwise had been placed in the pocketbook 
of a deputy. It cannot be estimated how 
much of men's success, financially and other- 
wise, is due to their wives' helpful, loving 
hearts and hands. In 1867, Mr. Conger moved 
to Akron, and, in 1870, he became a stock- 
holder and director in the Whitman & Miles 
Manufacturing Co., and at the close of his 
official duties as Treasurer of Summit Co.. he 
became the traveling salesman for this com- 
pany, and much of its western business was 
built up by his sagacity and personal efforts. 
The business of the company was manufactur- 
ing mower and reaper knives, sickles, sections, 
etc. In 1876, he was made Vice President of 
this company. In 1877, the Whitman & Miles 
Manufacturing Co. was consolidated with 
George Barnes & Co., of Syracuse, N. Y., under 
the name of The Whitman & Barnes Manufact- 
uring Co., with works at Akron, Ohio, and Syra- 
cuse, N. Y. Of this new compan}' he was made 
Vice President, with increased responsibilities. 
Later the corapan}- established works at Can- 
ton, Ohio, and St. Catharines, Ontario, and Mr. 
Conger was given the management of the 
western business. The new company make a 
specialty of manufacturing mower and reaper 
knives, sickles, sections, guard-plates, spring 
keys and cutlery, and complete cutting appa- 
ratus for mowers and reapers. It is the larg- 






^1 



696 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



est establishment of the kind in the United 
States or in the world, employing in all over 
five hundred men, and its business aggre- 
gating over $1,000,000. In 1879, Mr. Conger, 
in company with G. W. Grouse, Col. George 
T. Perkins and John McGregor re-organized 
the old Akron Steam Forge Company. Of 
this new organization, Mr. Conger was elected 
President. The company have done a prosper- 
ous business in the manufacture of car-axles 
and heavy bridge works, with an annual prod- 
uct of $150,000. He has been a member of 
the Board of Education of Akron, and Secre- 
tary of the same. Has served several j-ears as 
Treasurer of Portage Township and the city of 
Akron. He is a prominent Republican, and 
an active and sagacious worker in its organi- 
zation. Has been for man}' years a member 
of the Republican Count}^ Central and State 
Committees, and, in 1880, served as Chairman 
of the Republican State Central Committee. 
He is a member and vestr3'man of St. Paul's 
Episcopal Church, Akron. He has four chil- 
dren, viz.; Kenyon Bronson, Erastus Irving 
(deceased), Arthur Whitman and Latham Hub- 
bard. 

WILSON M. DAY, associate editor of the 
Daily Beacon, Akron, is of New England par- 
entage. His father, Rev. William F. Da^', D. D., 
now of Titusville. Penn., was born in West 
Springfield, Mass., Nov. 11, 1821, and his mother, 
whose maiden name was Ann Delia Grover, was 
born in Tolland, Conn., March 19, 1822. Both 
came to the West early in life. Mr. Day, their 
second son, was born in Clarion, Clarion Co., 
Penn., Nov. 5, 1850. Following the fortunes of a 
Methodist minister's famil}', he lived success- 
ively in Clarion, Penn., in 1850 ; Franklin, 
Penn., in 1851-52; Northeast, Penn., in 1853-5-1; 
Akron, Ohio, in 1855-56 ; Poland, Ohio, in 
1857-58; Cleveland, Ohio, in 1859-60; Ravenna, 
Ohio, in 1861-62; Meadville. Penn., in 1803- 
65; Jamestown, N. Y., in 1866-67; removing 
to Akron for the second time in August, 1868. 
Completing his preparatory- studies in the 
Jamestown, N. Y., Union School and Collegiate 
Institute, from which he graduated June 17, 
1868, he entered the Sophomore Class of Ohio 
Wesleyan Univei'sit}', Delaware, Ohio, in the 
fall of 1868, graduating from the classical 
course June 29, 1871, one of a class of 46 mem- 
bers. In 1874, he received from his Alma 
Mater the degree of M. A., in cursu. He ac- 



cepted the position of city editor of the Akron 
Daily Beacon, under Mr. S. A. Lane, in August, 
1871, and upon the accession of Mr. T. C. Rej'- 
nolds to the editorship, in December of that 
year, became associate editor, which position he 
has suice held, with the exception of an interval 
of about six months — from November, 1874, 
to Ma}', 1875 — when he served as night editor 
of the Cleveland Leader. In March, 1876, he 
sailed for Europe, spending six months abroad, 
and visiting England, Scotland, Ireland, Hol- 
land, Belgium, France, Ital}', Bavaria, German^' 
and Switzerland. He was married, May 15, 
1878, to Mattie A., eldest daughter of Judge N. 
D. Ti))bals, and has had two children, one of 
whom died June 7, 1880. 

WILLIAM F. DRESSLER, grocer, Akron, 
eldest son and second child of Reuben and 
Matilda Dressier, was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, 
May 4, 1841, and lived on a farm until he was 
25, when he came to Akron. His father and 
mother were of German descent, and natives of 
Berks Co., Penn.; they both came to Ohio when 
young and were married in Wayne Co. His 
father still lives in Wadsworth ; he was a plas- 
terer, and our subject learned the trade of him 
when a boy and engaged at it at Akron until 
1 877, controlling from fifteen to thirt}' hands and 
executing plain and ornamental work on the 
principal buildings of Akron. October, 1877, 
he opened a grocery and provision store at 624 
East Mill street, which since he has conducted 
with good success. March 9, 1871, he married 
Miss Sue F. Zwisler, of Canfield, Mahoning 
Co., Ohio. They have one child. His sisters 
and brothers are : Miss Flora, of Akron ; Sam- 
uel, of Akron ; Mary M., wife of J. H. Arm- 
strong, Wayne Co., Ohio ; Miss Laura, of Akron, 
and Miss Adelia, a student at Oberlin. 

REV. JACOB DAHLMAN, minister, Ak- 
ron ; was born at Barmen, Rhenish-Prussia, 
to John Jacob W. and Helena (Hahn) Dahl- 
man, on the 11th day of April, 1831. He was 
baptized on the 27th, and confirmed at the 
adjoining town of Elberfeld April 7, 1846, by 
the Rev. F. W. Krummacher, D. D., afterward 
court preacher of William IV. After his con- 
firmation he entered as apprentice in a count- 
ing-house at Elberfeld, where he remained two 
years. In the spring of 1848. with the family 
of his father, he sailed for the United States, 
and landed at New York City in June. They 
journeyed westward to Wooster, Ohio, where 



IV. 



^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



697 



our subject, not being able to speak English, 
found employment in a tannery, and served a 
thorough apprenticeship at the tanner and cur- 
rier's trade for three years with one Harvey 
Robinson. He then worked at his trade as 
journe3'man throughout the cities of Ohio, 
Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan, and 
while soj aiming at Detroit in 1854, from his 
convictions of dut}' for some time impressed 
upon his mind, he determined to study for the 
ministr3^ From this time he so shaped his 
affairs that in September, 1855, he entered 
Franklin and Marshall College at Lancaster, 
Penn., from which he graduated in 1860. He 
then entered for two 3'ears the theological sem- 
inary at Mercersburg, Penn., graduating in 
1862. He became a member of the Philadel- 
phia Classis of the Reformed Church, and was 
by it ordained to the work of the ministry 
June 15, 1862, and simultaneously began his 
ministerial labors in the organization of a Ger- 
man congregation in West Philadelphia, which 
was effected in 1862, and was known as the 
(lerman Evangelical Reformed Emanuel's 
Church. On Sept. 23, 1862, he married Miss 
Catherine M. Kopp, of Lancaster, Penn. His 
first pastorate extended over a period of over 
eighteen years, during which he built a large 
church and commodious i^arsonage, and raised 
the membership to 245 communicants. But 
Mr. Dahlman's labors were not confined to 
simpl}' his own congregation. He was Stated 
Clerk of the Philadelphia Classis from 1863 to 
1873, and while in that body labored, and also 
in the General Synod of which he was Assistant 
Clerk, for the interests of the German portion 
of the church, and to his efforts are largely due 
the organization of the German Classis, which 
leaves that element in the Church unfettered to 
advance the interests of their people without 
the restraint of geographical limits. He also 
labored for the organization of the German 
Synod, of which he is Stated Clerk. Mr. Dahl- 
man received the degree of Doctor of Divinity 
from Ursinus College, of Collegeville, Penn., in 
1880. In November, 1880, Dr. Dahlman re- 
ceived a call to the pastorate of the First Ger- 
man Reformed Church of Akron, and severing 
the valued and cordial relations with his first 
charge, he assumed the new duties in 1880. 

R. N. DOWNEY, proprietor Cascade House, 
Akron ; was born in Yates Count}-, N. Y., Aug. 
1, 1831, where he spent his youth on a farm, re- 



ceiving common school advantages. He en- 
tered a hotel when 21 at Watkins, N. Y., serv- 
ing as clerk some four years. In 1858, he re- 
moved to Elmira, N. Y., and clerked in a hotel 
until 1862, when he went to Penn Yan, N. Y., re- 
maining two years in a like position. July 13, 
1864, he came to Akron and clerked for Brown 
& Folger, in the Empire House, until April 1, 
1866, when he bought the entire stock and fur- 
niture and leased the building, conducting the 
house with fair success until 1876, a year later 
leasing the Cascade House, which hotel he still 
conducts. The house is convenient to the 
depot, and has thirty-six light, airy, comforta- 
ble rooms for guests, and the proprietor fur- 
nishes his table with the substantial and luxu- 
ries of the season. He was married July 4, 
1864, to Julia A. Kitchen, of Wayne County, 
N. Y. They have one daughter. 

WILLIAM A. DURAND, Chief Clerk and 
Cashier N. Y., P. &. 0. R. R., Akron Depot, is a 
native of Pennsylvania. He was born in Provi- 
dence Township, Luzerne Co., of that State, 
April 30, 1848, and is the second of five chil- 
dren born to Silas and Phoebe (Drake) Durand, 
a sketch of whom will be found elsewhere in 
this work. William lived at home until he was 
26 years of age. At the age of 16 he was ap- 
prenticed to a brass molder and served about 
three years ; he then came to Akron and took 
the position of laborer in the freight house of 
the N. Y., P. &. 0. R. R., and has been in the 
employ of the company ever since, save about 
eighteen months. By strict attention to busi- 
ness, he has been advanced through the differ- 
ent positions up the important one he now 
holds. During some ten years of his time with 
this company, he had charge of the ticket de- 
partment of the road at this station. In No- 
vember, 1877, he accepted the position of book- 
keeper for Barber & Gi'ant, grain dealers, but 
returned to the emplo}' of the railroad in the 
spring of 1879. He has held his present posi- 
tion upward of eleven years, save the time 
stated. Feb. 25, 1874, he was married to Miss 
Sarah Berg, a native of Akron, and daughter of 
Anton and Augusta (Capella) Berg. By this 
marriage there are two children — Lottie A. and 
Edward J. 

DtEHL & CASKEY, house furnishing, dec- 
oration and floor covering, Akron. This firm was 
established in 1875 by Diehl & Oviatt. In 1878, 
the business was moved to Nos. 219 and 221 East 



(^ 



698 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Market street, where the business occcupies 
the entire three floors, 90x40 feet. In 1880, 
the present partnership succeeded the old firm, 
Mr. Caskey bu^'ing the interest of Mr. Oviatt. 
This is the only house in the city dealing ex- 
clusively in this line of goods. W. H. Diehl of 
this firm is a native of Summit County, being 
born in Manchester July 5, 1843. His father, 
Daniel Diehl, came here from York County, 
Penn., and settled in Franklin Township, this 
county, in 1827 ; he married Miss Hannah Har- 
ter. W. H. Diehl was the second of four chil- 
dren born of this marriage. His younger days 
were spent in Manchester, but at the age of 
11 years his parents moved on a farm, where 
he remained until 1861. In August of this 
year he enlisted in the 2d 0. V. C, and served 
three j'ears, taking part in the engagements 
and raids led by Gen. Sanders to Knoxville ; 
at Bull's Gap. Richmond, Ky., where he was 
slightly wounded, but remained with his com- 
pany ; at Lebanon, Ky., HuflT's Ferry, Tenn., 
Campbell's Station, at the siege of Knoxville, 
and in the march to Atlanta. In September, 
1864, he returned home and attended school at 
Akron. In the following spring, he entered a 
dry goods store of Akron as clerk, where he 
was engaged for eight years. In 1871, he en- 
gaged with Oliver Baker as clerk in the carpet 
business, and some four years later, opened up 
a business of his own. Mr. Diehl, on Sept. 26, 
1867, married Miss Mary A. Sisler, a daughter 
of Dr. William Sisler, of Akron. This marriage 
has been blessed with three children — John, 
Jennie and Fred. 

SILAS DURAND, General Station Agent 
New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad, 
Akron ; was born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., 
March 7, 1822, and is the third child of a fam- 
ily of five children born to Samuel and Phoebe 
(Earner) Durand ; his father was a farmer, and 
Silas assisted on the farm, gaining his rudiment- 
ary education at the district schools until the 
age of 19 ; at this time, he began attending an 
academy, and, after studying a 3'ear, he began 
teaching, following this occupation for a number 
of years in York State and Pennsylvania, in 
Providence and Scranton. In 1848, he engaged 
with a mercantile establishment in Dunmore, 
near Scranton, as book-keeper, where he re- 
remained until 1850. Moving then to Monroe- 
ville, Ohio, he engaged with the firm of D. 
Squires & Co., merchants of that place, and 



continued with them for about two years, when 
the business was destroyed by fire, and the fix'ra 
dissolving by mutual consent, the business was 
not revived. Mr. Durand then went to Crest- 
line and took charge of the books of a ware- 
house and lumbering establishment, continuing 
here some four or five years, during which 
time he served one term as Mayor of the vil- 
lage. From this point he went to Delaware, 
and became Auditor and Treasurer of the 
S., Mt. V. & P. Railway, holding the position 
until the sale of the road some three years 
later ; he then moved to Gallon, Ohio, where he 
was appointed Ticket Agent of the C, C, C. & 
I. Railway ; subsequently he engaged with the 
A. & G. W. R. R. Co., and was assigned to the 
office at Urbana, which he opened ; being versed 
in the business and the first agent here, he 
instructed the agents along the line toward 
Gallon; November, 1 864, he was sent by H. 
F. Sweetzer, General Superintendent, as agent at 
Akron, Ohio ; in the following spring, he moved 
his family to Akron, and has since been a resi- 
dent of the city. While teaching at Providence, 
Penn., he married Miss Nancy Drake, a native 
of that city ; five children have blessed this 
union — Mary H., now Mrs. Parrott, of Bryan. 
Ohio ; William A.; Norman N.; Frank S., bag- 
gage master and car clerk at Akron ; and Eu- 
gene, deceased November, 1864, at Gallon. 
Mr. Durand is an old member of the Methodist 
Church, dating his connection with the church 
some thirty-eight years back. In politics, he 
affiliates with the Democratic party, but is 
more infiuenced by the fitness of the candi- 
date than by his party connections. 

JOHN H. DIX, Superintendent of W. B. 
Doyle & Co., Akron ; was born in Portage Co., 
Ohio, Oct. 25, 182:^, and is the eighth of ten 
children of John and Polly (Bigelow) Dix, who 
were natives of Vermont and came to Portage 
Co. in 1813 ; he was a stone-cutter b^' trade, 
and also followed farming ; he cleared up a farm 
in Portage Co., on which he died July 4, 1839. 
Mrs. Dix is still living in the vicinity of the old 
homestead at the advanced age of 91 years. The 
subject lived at home until 1846 ; in the fall of 
that year, he married Miss Rosette Durham, 
who died in 1857 ; they had three children, two 
of whom are living — Ella R. and Edwin H. 
Mr. Dix came to Akron in 1847, and worked as 
a carpenter until 1852; in company with Na- 
thaniel Finch the firm of J. H. Dix & Co. was 



^ 



,> 



CITY OF AKRON. 



G99 



formed and leased a water-power near the 
^■^]tna Mill, and fitted up a planing-mill and 
flouring-mill — the first in the eit}' — and con- 
tinued until 1856, when the mill was burned ; 
after burning out, the firm erected the brick 
mill now occupied b}^ W. B. Doyle & Co.; in 
1857, the firm of J. H. Dix & Co. sold out, and 
Mr. Dix worked as foreman seven years in the 
same mill with different firms ; he in Septem- 
ber, 18G5, became a partner in W. B. Doyle & 
Co., which has since continued. April 10, 18G3, 
he was married a second time to Miss Celia 
Stowell, a native of Connecticut, who came to 
Summit Co. with her parents about the year 
1853 ; three children are the result of this mar- 
riage, viz., Harry N. G., Marian J. B. and Ber- 
tie C. W. Mr. D. has aflSliated with three 
political parties — was raised a Democrat, then 
was a Eepublican, and of late years has been a 
Green backer. 

W. B. DOYLE, of the firm of W. B. Doyle 
& Co., lumber dealers and manufacturers, 
Akron, Ohio, was born in Franklin Co., Penn., 
March 5, 1825, and is the youngest of three 
children born to Thomas J. S. and Ann (Ta}-- 
lor) Doyle. His mother was a native of Carlisle, 
Cumberland Co., Penn. His father, Thomas 
J. S., was a native of Franklin Co., Penn., and 
was the son of Barnabas, the son of Felix 
Doyle, who came from Ireland to this country, 
and, as near as can be learned, first settled in 
Eastern Pennsylvania, and afterward joined a 
party of pioneers who attempted to make a set- 
tlement at Burnt Cabins, in Southwestern Penn- 
sylvania, which was then Indian territor}'. These 
settlers were driven out by the soldiers under 
orders of the Governor, and their cabins burned. 
This was before the French and Indian wars. 
Afterward he purchased 1,000 acres of land in 
Franklin Co., then a wilderness, and settled 
there, where four generations have since lived. 
Thomas J. S. Do^ie was raised a farmer ; during 
the latter part of his life he engaged in mer- 
cantile business at Concord, in his native county. 
W. B. Doyle was also raised on the farm, and 
received a limited common-school education. 
At the age of 13, he went to Shippensburg, 
Penn., where he apprenticed to the cabinet trade, 
and served for three 3'ears ; he then returned 
home, and soon after visited his brother, a man- 
ufacturer of fanning-mills at Williamsport, Md. 
While here, he determined to go to Tiffin, Ohio, 
taking a boat on the canal, which met with an 



'accident at Johnstown, I'enn., and he walked 
from there to Pittsburgh (ninet}' miles), where 
he worked a few months and then resumed his 
journej', stopping at Akron, where he got a job 
at his trade, and concluded not to go to Tiffin. 
He worked at his trade, and in the fall bought 
the business of his employers. Being short of 
funds, he fell back with the rent, and in the 
spring he made a trip to Pennsylvania, where 
he made some collections, and returned and 
paid his rent, continuing in the business several 
3ears, when he sold out and engaged in the 
meat business, which he followed for fifteen 
years. He then occupied a farm near Akron 
he had previously bought, and lived on same 
for four years, when he sold the place and stock 
for $16,000. Going back to his old home in 
Pennsylvania, he decided to go to Tennessee, 
but having some business in Akron, he visited 
the city, and while there bought the lumber 
manufacturing business of S. G. Wilson, the 
consideration being $35,000, and associated J. 
H. Dix and Daniel Farnam with himself, staling 
the firm W. B. Doyle & Co.; they have contin- 
ued to the present. Mr. Doyle has been four 
times married ; first in 1845 to Miss Phebe 
Budd, a native of Ithaca, N. Y.; she died about 
the year 1 850. The second wife was Miss Har- 
riet Sage, a native of Monroe Co., N. Y.; she 
died in 1862 ; of their tAvo childreii one is liv- 
ing. The third wife was Miss Mary Ann Lantz, 
a native of Akron, Ohio ; she died in her native 
city ; they had three children, viz. : Willie, 
Delia and Dean, all at home. His present wife 
was Mrs. Louisa Baird, a native of Springfield 
Township, Summit Co., Ohio. They have one 
child, viz., Anna. 

WILLIAM EMMITT, retired, Akron, whose 
portrait appears in this history as a representa- 
tive pioneer of Springfield Township, was born 
Sept. 20, 1805. His people are of Scotch ori- 
gin, though his grandfather was a native of 
Ireland. He emigrated to the United States 
in an early day and settled in Lancaster Co., 
Penn. During the war of 1812, when the 
Indians were giving the settlers in Montour 
Co. (whither they had removed) so much 
trouble, he returned to liancaster Co. When 
the Indian troubles had subsided, he removed 
to what is now Columbia Co., Penn. There 
John Emmitt, the father of William, was mar- 
ried to Jane Aikman, whose people were for- 
merly of New Jersey. William was the young- 



-^^ 



700 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



est of eight children, and when he was about 6 
months old his father died. His mother, with a 
large family of small children, was left to manage 
the farm and bring her family to honorable 
manhood and womanhood. William attended 
school until he was 12 years old, and then had 
no more opportunities for doing so until he 
was 18, except a few weeks in his 17th year. 
When 18, he spent three months only in 
school, but he had a natural aptitude for learn- 
ing, and with the poor opportunities afforded 
him he succeeded in getting a good education, 
and in becoming a good civil engineer, a busi- 
ness that he has spent more or less time at 
since his becoming a resident of Summit Co. 
In September, 1829, he married Miss Mary 
McBride, an old schoolmate, and, in the follow- 
ing April, they began a twelve days' joui'ne}' 
westward by team, which brought them to 
their new home in Springfield Township. Two 
children were born to them — Franklin and 
John, both of whom are well-to-do farmers of 
Tallmadge Township. They were given a lib- 
eral start b}^ their father, and have profited by 
his kindness. Mr. Emmitt first bought 125 
acres of land upon his arrival in Springfield, 
and though he has bought, sold and given 
awa}^ other tracts since that time, he still owns 
his original purchase. During his residence 
in the township of Springfield, he held the 
different offices of Township Trustee, Clerk 
and Justice, besides, in 1870, he took the cen- 
sus of several townships of Summit Co. The 
1st of April, 1875, he bought a neat little home 
in Akron, whither he and his wife removed. 
Mrs. Emmitt, however, lived but a short time 
to enjoy the rest she had so richly earned. On 
April 27, the same month of their arrival, she 
died, leaving Mr. Emmitt but little hope of 
happiness in the new home that had been 
looked forward to with so much of gladness. 
Mr. Emmitt is a member of the Disciples' 
Church, and during his life he has always 
taken an active interest in the building-up of 
churches and schools and in the cause of tem- 
perance. 

G. L. W. EDAM, of Edam & Johnston, 
manufacturers of white lime, etc., Akron, is a 
native of Baden, Germany, and was born April 
21, 1849, and came to the United States with 
his parents when but 3 or 4 years old. They 
settled in Cleveland, where they now live. In 
1869, subject went to Marblehead, near San- 



dusky, where he conducted a limestone quarry 
for five 3'ears ; he then engaged in the lime 
business in partnership with his brother J. A. 
(firm of Edam Bros.), in Cleveland, and in 1875 
he came to Akron and built the present manu- 
factor}'. The}' continued business here and in 
Cleveland until January, 1879, when subject 
became the sole proprietor, and the following 
January- he took Mr. C. N. Johnston in as a 
partner, and the firm still continues. At first 
the business was nothing more than a lime 
manufactory, and has since added commercial 
fertilizers, employing in the business ten men. 
He was married May 5, 1874, to Miss Mary 
Groh, a native of Cleveland. They had three 
children, two living — Mary Annie and George 
Adam ; Anna Clara is dead. 

TIMOTHY ERASMUS, retired, Akron, is a 
native of Northampton Co., Penn., where he 
was born Oct. 6, 1810. His father, John Eras- 
mus, was a tailor b}' trade, though he taught 
school a considex'able portion of the time, hav- 
ing qualified himself at Bethlehem College. He 
died in Philadelphia about 1817 ; he was a 
native of Lehigh Co., Penn., and was a soldier 
in the Revolutionary war. At the age of 10 
years, Timotly was put to work on a farm in 
his native county, where he worked until he 
was 18 years of age, when he was apprenticed 
to the cabinet trade, serving three years in Beth- 
lehem. He then went to Philadelphia, where he 
worked several years, participating, while there, 
in the celebration of Washington's birthda}'. 
From here he went to Easton, where he worked 
two years at the carpenter's trade ; thence to 
New York City, and in 1836, he went to Mas- 
sillon by wagon with a friend. Here he re- 
mained one year, working at the carpenter's 
trade, when he went to Chiy Co., Ind., and 
entered some land. He made his wa^- west on 
foot and returned in the same way to Massillon 
in the following spring. In the summer of 
1839, he came to Akron, where he has lived 
since. He engaged at his ti-ade of carpenter 
and builder until the past ten 3'ears, during 
which he has lived a retired life. October 19, 
1841, he married Miss Clarissa K. Smith, a 
native of Connecticut ; she came West with her 
parents when young. She died in 1850, leav- 
ing three children, all of whom have since died. 
January 3, 1854, he married Mrs. Anson, for- 
merly- Mar}' J. Barriball, a native of Baltimore, 
and came west with her people when young. 



«/ 

^ 



:1^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



701 



In 1 880, he served as Real Estate Assessor for 
the First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth 
Wards of Akron City. 

JOHN GEORGE EBERHARD, Eberliard 
Manufacturing Co., Akron, Ohio, was born in 
Baden, Germany, March 21, 1829, where he went 
to school until he was 1-1 years old, and in addi- 
tion to public schools, he for three years had 
instruction in mechanical ai'ts. He also worked 
in his father's shop (his father was a tool-maker), 
and at 16 could fashion almost any edged tool. 
At 19, he went to Berne, Switzerland, and 
worked for a short time in a carriage-shop ; 
also worked a short time in a manufactory of 
agricultural implements, when he returned 
home. Soon after, he was drafted into the 
German army, when he left without pass, and 
went to France ; sailing from Havre, he arrived 
in New York Aug. 31, 1850. From there he 
went to Newark, N. J., where he worked for 
a time in edge tools, carriage-shop, and at 
ship-building, and afterward in a harness 
and trimming shop and forging wrought-iron 
hames. In the fall of 1859, he came to Sharon, 
Medina Co., Ohio, where he bought a farm, 
when for six 3'ears he engaged in farming and 
in the manufacture of wooden and wrought-iron 
hames. In December, 1866, he came to Ak- 
ron, and built a shop for the manufacture of 
hames and machinery. Shop was in Akron 
until November, 1880, when he moved it to 
Cleveland, where it is now in successful opera- 
tion under the name of Eberhard Manufactur- 
ing Co. He was married May 22, 1852, to 
Miss Louisa Clauser, of Newai'k, N. J. She 
was born in Wurtemberg, German}-, and 
came to the United States in October, 1850. 
Three sons and four daughters were born of 
this marriage — George F., Louisa, John J., 
Anna C, Fredei'ick, Bertha and Katie. Mr. E., 
in 1875, invented the ''hollow hame," now 
largely used. He is a member of the German 
Reformed Church, in which, for fourteen years, 
he has been an Elder, and long the Superintend- 
ent of the Sundav school. 

WILLIAM EBERHARD, Akron; son of 
George F. and Mary Catharine (Miller) Eber- 
hard ; was born in Baden, Germany, June 17, 
1837. His father was a manufacturer of edged 
tools, near Millheim, Baden, and with him our 
subject worked at odd times from his 10th to 
his 16th year. When 10 years old, he made a 
pocket knife. When 16, the family came to the 



United States, reaching Akron in December, 
1852. William worked for Lorenzo Chamber- 
lain, in Copley Township, during the first year, 
at agricultural implements, and on the farm. 
Afterward, for two 3'ears, he worked with his 
brother at Sharon in the blacksmith-shop. In 
1857, he went to Keokuk Co., Iowa, and worked 
there a 3'ear in his brother's shop ; thence to 
Washington, same State, where he engaged in 
the forging department of the engine machine- 
shop, working his wa}' up until he was given a 
partnership in the business for his services. In 
the summer of 1861, he enlisted in the 5th Iowa 
V. I. He passed through the Missouri cam- 
paigns with Gens. Fremont and Halleck ; was 
at New Madrid, and Island No. 10, and was in 
the battle of luka. Miss. September, 1862, he 
was wounded by a musket ball, while his regi- 
ment was making a desperate attack on the 
rebel ranks of Gen. Price. Only twelve men of 
his company (F) came out of the battle alive. 
Twentv' of these brave men were buried in one 
grave, and twelve were badl}- wounded. The 
shot fractured the bone, one and a half inches 
below his left shoulder, and fourteen pieces of 
bone were taken out ; the ball split and tore 
away a large portion of the muscles of the up- 
per arm. He la}^ twenty -four hours, weak from 
loss of blood, on the field, and then walked some 
miles to luka. By constant application of water 
he saved his arm from amputation ; but it is 
still badly disabled. While at Corinth, Miss., 
in the camp hospital, weak and covered with 
vermin, from which, in his helplessness, he could 
not protect himself, the surgeons decided to 
amputate his arm ; but a woman, named Mrs. 
A. M. Penfield, dressed and bound it, setting 
the bone, and attended him for a week, thus 
saving it for him. He was discharged at Keo- 
kuk, Iowa, Feb. 27, 1863. He was foreman and 
partner in the machine-shops at Washington, 
Iowa, for two years ; and, in 1865, he came to 
Akron, Ohio, where, on July 2, 1867, he mar- 
ried Mrs. Matilda Allgayer, of Sigourney, Iowa. 
He established a machine-shop here in 1865, 
and has been engaged in that business ever 
since. He is now a member of the firm of W. 
& J. G. Eberhard, and manufactures oat-meal 
machinery, engines and boilers. He has taken 
out several patents, the principal ones being 
for the improvement of oat-meal machinery and 
steam boilers. He has suffered b}' fire several 
times ; but is doing a good business, with fair 



1^ 



703 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



prospects for future success. He has two chil- 
dren. 

HON. SIDNEY EDGf]RTON, lawyer, Akron, 
Ohio, is a son of Amos and Zervia (Cxraham) 
Edgerton, and was born Aug. 17, 1819, in 
Cazenovia, Madison Co., N. Y. His father died 
when he was but two years oltl, and, having 
been blind for some tiraci, left his ftxmih' in 
actual proverty. His widow moved with her 
family to Ontario Co., N. Y., where he (sub- 
ject) lived until he was 8 A^ears old, when he 
started iu life for himself, and by his own in- 
domitable energy managed to educate himself 
out of his wages, and at the age of 16 set 
in to learn the trade of carpenter and joiner 
with his brother. At 17 he began teaching, 
and, at 18, entered Wesleyan Seminary at 
Lima, N. Y.; after remaining two terms, he 
was emplo3'ed as teacher. In April, 18-14, he 
came to Akron a stranger, and with but $3 
in money ; after being here a few days, he be- 
gan the study of law with Judge Rufus P. 
Spaulding, and, in 1846, graduated from the 
Cincinnati Law School, and was admitted to 
the bar in that cit}'. He opened an office here 
in 1846, and was elected Prosecuting Attorney 
in 1852, serving four years; in 1858, he was 
elected to Congress, and re-elected in 1860, the 
second Republican elected from this district ; 
assisted in organizing the Republican party at 
Pittsburgh, in 1856. His term expired in Con- 
gress in 1863, when he was appointed Chief Jus- 
tice of Idaho by President Lincoln, and took his 
family from Omaha to Bannock Cit}^ in wagons ; 
in January, 1864, he came on horseback from 
there to Salt Lake City, sleeping on the ground 
during the trip, and via coach to IMississippi 
River ; proceeding to Washington, he succeeded 
in having Montana organized, the bill for which 
he prepared himself After its passage, he set 
out to return home, and upon his arrival at 
Salt Lake City, he found that he had been ap- 
pointed Governor of Montana by President 
Lincoln ; this position he held until Feb. 23, 
1865, when he resigned, his resignation being 
accepted in July, 1865. He returned to Akron 
in Januar}', 1866, overland, and has been in 
active practice here since. In April, 1849, he 
married Miss Mar}' Wright, of Tallmadge. 

NEWTON FORD, City Clerk, Akron, son of 
Marvin and Lydia (Cornwell) Ford ; was born 
on jNIarch 24, 1852, in Northfield Township, 
this county, where he resided on a farm until 



1863 ; he resided in Hudson from 1863 to 1868, 
assisting father in post office and store at Mace- 
donia ; in the spring of 1870, he entered the 
Western Reserve College, remaining until 1873, 
when he began teaching in the public schools 
of this county. The following 3'ear, he began 
the study of law under H. B. Foster, of Hud- 
son ; two 3'ears later, he came to Akron to con- 
tinue his studies with Foster, Marvin & Grant ; 
being admitted to the bar at this place on Aug. 
28, 1876, and in April, 1877, located here for 
the practice of his profession, up to which time 
he had continued at intervals in the vocation of 
teaching. In February, 1878, he associated him- 
self with H. C. Sanford, having since continued 
under the firm name of Sanford & Ford. He 
was elected Clerk by the City Council in April, 
1879, and re-elected in 1880. In November, 
1879, he married Miss Rosine McKinley, of 
Hudson. 

GEORGE TOD FORD, lawyer, Akron, son 
of James R. and Julia A. (Tod) Ford ; was born 
May 21, 1841, in Akron, where he attended 
the public schools until he was 16 years of 
age. In 1865, he graduated from Yale College, 
and, two years later, entered upon the studv of 
law under the direction of W. H. Upson ; he 
was admitted to the bar in 1869, and entered 
upon the practice of his profession at Akron. 
In 1873, he formed a partnership with W. H. 
Upson, which continues. 

SAMUEL FINDLEY, Superintendent of 
Schools, Akron, is a son of Abel Findley, a 
native of Pennsylvania, of Scotch-Irish descent. 
Our subject was born in New Concord, Ohio, 
Dec. 1, 1831, whei'c his grandfather, David 
Findlc}', settled in about 1806. His grand- 
father was Judge of the court in early times, 
and gave each of his six sons a one-fourth sec- 
tion of land near New Concord. Samuel is the 
second son living of his father. He lived on 
the farm, entering the Preparator}' Department 
of the Muskingum College when quite young, 
and continuing there until about 17 when 
his father moved to a farm in Greene Co., 
Ohio, where he assisted in farm labor two years, 
and then taught country schools in the same 
county some four years, in the meantime teach- 
ing one 3'ear in the Xenia Public Schools. In 
1855, he went to Cincinnati, and for two years 
was publisher and manager of the Freshi/terian 
Witness, carrying a religious book concern with 
it. In the spring of 1857, he removed to Mon- 



li.; 



■k. 



CITY or AKRON. 



703 



mouth, 111., where he engaged in the book busi- 
ness for a short time, selling his interest to his 
partner, and again resuming school-teaching 
near Monmouth, continuing two j-ears with 
good success. In the fall and winter of 1859, 
he was the agent of Monmouth College, work- 
ing in Ohio. In 1860, he began teaching in 
Greene Co., and in the fall of 1861, became 
teacher in the Xenia Union Schools, leaving 
that position after a few months to accept a 
call to the principalship of a ward school of 
Columbus, Ohio. Here he taught two years. 
In June, 1864, he was called to the principal- 
ship of the old Brownell Street School of 
Cleveland. In 1865, a new building was sub- 
stituted, and he organized the new school, with 
eighteen teachers, remaining until the fall of 
1868, when he was called to the superintend- 
ency of the Akron Schools, which position he 
accepted and retains. Then the schools had 
but twenty-three teachers in all, there being 
but eleven little frame buildings of one room 
each, in addition to the central building. There 
are now fiftj^-seven teachers. Since 1869. he 
he has been County Examiner here ; most of 
that time. Clerk of the Board, and member of 
the City Board of Examiners since 1870. For 
twenty years he has been a member of the State 
Teachers' Association. In 1873, he was Presi- 
dent of the Superintendents' Section, and Presi- 
dent of the Association in 1877. He received a 
State certificate ; was given the degree of A. 
M. by Buchtel College in 1876, and, in 1880, 
that of Ph. D. from Wooster University. In 
March, 1853, he married Miss Mary A. Hardie, 
of Xenia, Ohio. She bore him four sons and 
two daughters ; all are living. 

PROF. ELIAS FRAUNFELTER, Professor 
of Mathematics in Buchtel College, Akron ; is 
a son of John and Elizabeth (Reaser) Fraun- 
felter, natives of Pennsylvania, who came to 
Ohio in 1846, settling near Ashland, where 
they resided until their death, she in 1871 and 
he in 1879, leaving three sons and six daugh- 
ters. Of this family, the subject is the second 
son, and was born near P]aston, Northampton 
Co., Penn., April 3, 1840, and came here when 
but 6 years of age. He lived on a farm until 
17, when he began teaching in the public 
schools of Ashland, and about the same time 
entered Vermilion Institute, and was made 
Tutor of Mathematics in 1859, continuing as 
such until 1862, when he enlisted in the 120th 



0. V. I., organized at Mansfield. He entered 
as a private, and was soon after made Sergeant, 
then Orderly Sergeant, and after the battle of 
Chickasaw Bluffs and Arkansas Post was com- 
missioned First Lieutenant. He was detailed 
as aide-de-camp to Gen. Osterhaus, command- 
ing Ninth Division of Thirteenth Army Corps. 
In May, 1863, he was commissioned Captain of 
Co. F in his regiment, and commanded it in all 
the engagements during the seige of Vicksburg. 
He was made Adjutant of the 120th 0. V. I., 
and was with Gen. Banks in the invasion of 
Louisana after the fall of Vicksburg. His reg- 
iment was with Gen. Banks on the Red River 
Expedition, and on the 4th of May, 1864, he 
and a large portion of the regiment were cap- 
tured at Snaggy Point, on Red River, and were 
taken to different points, until finally landed at 
rebel prison in Texas called Camp Ford, where 
they were confined for thirteen months, and 
were badly treated and ill-fed on chopped corn. 
He and Capt. Miller were the only ones ex- 
changed at New Orleans in July, 1865, were 
furloughed home and mustered out at Colum- 
bus in August. He then returned to Vermil- 
ion Institute as teacher of mathematics, remain- 
ing until spring of 1866, when he with Rev. S. 
T. Boyd organized Savannah Academy, at Sa- 
vannah, Ohio, a private school, where he con- 
tinued until 1873, successfully put up large 
buildings, and in the fourth year (1870) cata- 
logued 385 students. In 1873, he came to 
Akron, and accepted the Chair of Mathematics 
in Buchtel College, which he still fills. He was 
married April 2, 1867, to Miss Laura J. Cald- 
well, a daughter of Rev. J. P. Caldwell, of 
Barnesville, Ohio. They have one son and one 
daughter. Prof F. received the degree of 
Master of Arts in Bethany College in 1873, 
and the degree of Ph. D. in Lombard University 
at Galesburg, 111., in July, 1879. 

CHARLES WHITTLESEY FOOTE, lawyer, 
Akron ; is a son of Horace and Rosanna 
(Whittlesey) Foote, a sister of Col. Charles 
Whittlese}', and was born in Tripoli, Syria, near 
Beyrout, Jan. 21, 1853 ; his parents were mis- 
sionaries. When he was about 2 years old, 
they returned to America ; his mother died 
Dec. 24, 1854, off" Sand}' Hook; his father came 
on with his child to Tallmadge, where he lived 
with his uncle. Dr. L. C. Walton. In the fall 
of 1870, the subject entered Western Reserve 
College, and graduated as valedictorian of class 



:i^ 



704 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



of 1874. lie spent the next three years in 
Cornell Universit}' in post-graduate studies, 
received the degree of A. M. in 1876, Ph. D. in 
1877 ; the next year was spent in Tallmadge 
with his father, and during the summer and 
fall of 1878 was assistant historian on Cuya- 
hoga Count}' Histor}-, published by Lippin- 
cott & Co. In the fall of 1878, he began read- 
ing law with Marvin & Grant, and was admitted 
to the bar in June, 1879, at Wooster. He at 
once became a member of the firm, with whom 
he had studied. He was married July 30, 1879, 
to Miss Harriet M., daughter of Prof. Hosford, 
of Hudson. 

REV. JOSEPH F. FAHS, minister, Akron ; 
was born at York, Penn., Jan. 18, 1825. At 
14 he entered a store as clei'k at Litiz, Penn., 
remaining four years, in the meantime, through 
his own endeavors, obtaining a fair knowledge 
of the English branches. At 18, he returned 
to York, where he again clerked in a store and 
recited, in his leisure moments, to a Moravian 
minister. In two 3'ears he began teaching in a 
private school, continuing about two years, at 
the same time carrying on his studies, when he 
was appointed a teacher in the York Co. Acad- 
emy, and there pursued the languages. At the 
expiration of one j'ear, he taught vocal music, 
and engaged in the study of theology and 
languages. At this time, through his own ef- 
forts, he was proficient in Latin and Greek. In 
1851, he placed himself under the instruction 
of the Rev. Dr. Seiss, of Cumberland, Md., for 
about one and one-half years. In 1852, he 
was licensed to preach by the Maryland Synod 
of the Lutheran Church, and began his minis- 
terial labors at Hancock, Md., where he re- 
mained three years, at the end of which time 
his health failed. After recovering, he took 
charge of a Lutheran Church in Newtown, Va., 
for foui'teen months, when his health again 
failed. His next field of labor was at Williams- 
port, Penn.; here he continued five years, and 
was then called to Allentown, Penn., where he 
labored for about ten years with good success, 
part of the time teaching in Nuremburg Col- 
lege. In October, 1872, he came to Akron, 
where he became Pastor of the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church of the Holy Trinity, which 
position he still retains, having more than 
trebled the membership of the church in less 
than a decade. May, 1854, he married Miss 
Emma Miller, of Norristown. Penn. There 



whom are living. 

CHARLES S. FARRAR, Akron, oldest son 
of Sumner and Sophia (Bruce) Farrar ; was 
born in Old Concord, Mass., Feb. 22, 1825. 
Here he lived until he was 14, when he lived 
at Millbury, same State, for four years, after 
which he went to Fitchburg, Mass., where he 
learned the carpenter's trade, at which he 
worked until he was 29, when he entered the 
employ of Page, Whitman & Co., first as wood- 
worker for a 3'ear, and he subsequently worked 
on the knives, sickles and edged tools, working 
as journeyman and foreman there until 1869, 
in April of which year he came to Akron, 
Ohio, and took charge of the manufacturing 
department of the Akron Knife Works, having 
charge, also, of the erection of the buildings, 
which at that time were not commenced. He 
has since been Superintendent of the works. 
Aug. 21, 1847, he married Miss Emma Bruce, 
of Fitchburg, Mass. She bore him three chil- 
dren, viz., Mary T., Freddie S. and Ella S. 
The}' adopted two children, viz., Willie, who 
died when ten months old, and George Francis, 
who died at Akron Sept. 18, 1880, in his 30th 
year. Sumner B'arrar died ten years after the 
birth of our subject, leaving him to battle for 
himself 

NAHUM FAY, manufacturer, etc., vVkron ; 
is a son of Hannaniah and Rebecca (Mansfield) 
Fay, and was born July 26, 1811, in Reading, 
Windsor Co., Vt. His youth was spent there 
on a farm until he was 20 years old. He re- 
ceived a common-school and academic educa- 
tion, and began teaching at the age of 18, con- 
tinuing for six winters. He then traveled for 
three years for a map publishing company, 
during the time learned the art of printing them 
from copper-plates. In July, 1836, he came to 
Akron in the interest of his company. Their 
maps were of the United States, also of Ohio 
and other States. He worked in the establish- 
ment (except winters) for six years. In 1837, 
he went back to Vermont and was married to 
Miss Lucia Cumings, of Windsor Co., Vt, and 
at once returned to Ohio by canal and lake. 
They have two children — Henry C. M., and 
Emma V., wife of James W. Chamberlain, of 
Akron. Mr. F. taught five winters in North 
Akron, the first two winters in the old post 
oflSce building. In the fall of 1843, he was 
elected by the Whig party County Recorder 



'k^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



705 



and re-elected in 184G, serving in all six years; 
he had also been City Clerk and Marshal and 
Township Clerk. He was appointed Deputy 
Treasurer in 1849 under Wm. H. Uewey for 
two years, and under Frederick Wadsworth two 
years, and under Dr. Rice two years, afterward 
bought grain for several j'ears. About the 
year 18G0, he began the manufacture of cord- 
age, which he has continued ever since. His 
machines are run by hand, and the articles of 
cordage thus made are of the best qualit3^ 
Mr. Fay is the third son in a family of three 
sons and four daughters, two of whom are 
living. 

DR. W. K. FOLTZ, physician, Akron ; is a 
native of Mifflin Co., Penn. He was born Nov. 
15, 1829. His father was a carpenter and 
joiner, and he was raised to the same business. 
At the age of 18, he began teaching, which he 
continued till 1850, when he began reading 
medicine with Dr. C. F. Stauber, of Wooster, 
Ohio, and read with him for two years. He 
then attended the Heidelberg College, at Tif- 
fin, Ohio, and alternated teaching for two 
3'ears. In the summer of 1855, he began prac- 
tice in La Fa^^ette Center, Medina Co., and, the 
following year, he moved to Sharon Center, 
where he remained until 1867. He graduated 
from the Eclectic Medical College of Cincin- 
nati. In 1867, he engaged in a drug business, 
and practiced his profession at Ashland, Ohio. 
April 14, 1877, his business was consumed by 
fire, and, the following August, he came to 
Akron, where he has practiced since. He is 
a member of the American Pharmaceutical 
Association. He was married. May 12, 1856, 
to Miss Carrie L. Lehman, a native of Wayne 
Co., Ohio ; they have one child — Kent 0. 

DR. A. E. FOLTZ, physician, Akron ; is a 
native of Wayne Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, 
and was born Jan. 29, 1840. His father, Moses 
Foltz, was a carpenter by trade, and taught 
school during winters. A. E., the subject, 
learned his father's trade. At the age of 17, 
he began teaching, and lived at home until 
1862. In July, of that 3'ear, he enlisted in the 
102d 0. V. I., Co. I, in which compan}' and in 
one tent wei'e his four brothers. He served 
until the close of the war. The five brothers 
were in the various engagements of the regi- 
ment, among which were the siege of Decatur, 
and the battle of Athens. They returned home 
at the close of the war. Our subject began 



reading medicine in October, 1865, at Sharon 
Center, Medina Co., with Dr. W. K. Foltz, and 
graduated in the spring of 1869 at Charity 
Hospital Medical College of Cleveland, which 
is now known as the Medical Department Uni- 
versity of Wooster. In the summer of 1869, 
he began practice at Ashland, Ohio, and, after 
one year, came to Akron, where he has since 
practiced. He is a member of the Summit Co. 
Medical Society, and also the Union Medical 
Society of Northeastern Ohio. Oct. 6, 1870, 
he married Miss Frances, a daughter of Dr. 
William Bowen. She is a native of Stark Co., 
Ohio. 

L. H. FARRAND, groceries, Akron ; is a 
somewhat recent addition to the list of grocery 
merchants of Akron, yet one who has, by good 
financiering and a close attention to his busi- 
ness, placed himself among the rank of success- 
ful merchants, and, as such, is entitled to more 
than a passing mention. His name is of En- 
glish origin, and he is a native of Wyoming 
Co., N. Y., whei'e, at the age of 18 years, he 
began work at the carpenter's trade, and fol- 
lowed it as a business until he engaged in the 
grocer}' trade, except the time spent in the 
army during the war of the rebellion. In Au- 
gust, 1862, he enlisted in Co. C, of the 140th 
N. Y. V. I., but was transferred to the 1st N. 
Y. Dragoons, with which force he served for a 
time, and was then detailed as Sei'geant of a 
corps of engineers, which was stationed near 
Fortress Monroe. In due time he received an 
honorable discharge from the proper authori- 
ties, after which he returned to his old home in 
New Yoi'k. Seven years ago, he came to 
Akron, when his first introduction into the 
business in which he has been so successful 
was in the capacit}^ of a salesman for Messrs. 
Heaston & Smith, with whom he remained for 
about four months. He then, in company- with 
Mr. N. B. Allen, engaged in the business on his 
own account, and located in South Akron. The 
firm was known as N. B. Allen & Co., Mr. Far- 
rand having almost exclusive charge of the 
business. His next step was to bu}- Mr. 
Allen's interest in the business, and, a few 
years thereafter, he moved to his present place 
of business, corner Main and Exchange streets, 
which is a well-finished business room. 20x65 
feet. His success in the future can hardl}' be 
questioned, if the past may be taken as a cri- 
terion, as he began business on a capital of 



'K 



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9 i^ 



706 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



$150, and has now a business of an aggregate 
annual sale of $3,200. He employs two clerks, 
and runs a delivery wagon. Lest he may 
think we design this as an advertisement, in- 
stead of a brief sketch of his business career, 
as well as other historical facts, we will only 
add that, in 1 854, he was married to Miss Try- 
phena H. Lancaster, who is the mother of their 
only child. Master Alfred, aged 4 years. 

DANIEL FARNAM, of W. B. Doyle & Co., 
Akron, was born in Essex Co., N. Y., April 8, 
1816, and is a son of Amasa and Polly 
(Thompson) Farnam, natives of the Eastern 
States, who were married in New Hampshire, 
and moved to Northern New York at an early 
day, and to Vermont in 1817, where they re- 
sided until 1831, when they came to Ohio, their 
mode of traveling being by team and canal to 
Buffalo, thence by lake to Sandusky, Ohio, and 
by team to Marion County ; thence a few years 
later to Hardin County. Here they died, and their 
son, the subject of this sketch, came to Akron 
on a visit to relatives and concluded to remain. 
He worked awhile in a saw-mill, and then in 
the powder factorj-, where he remained for six 
years. He then bought an interest in the lin- 
seed oil works, and three years later, the oil 
and powder business were consolidated. Mr. 
F. was identified with the business some three 
years, when he sold out and bought a farm in 
Hardin County. Two years later, he rented 
his farm and went to Xenia, where he became 
superintendent of the powder works, continuing 
for two and a half years, during the time buj-ing 
an interest in the powder works of Akron, and 
finally returning to that place. He continued 
in the business until 1865, when he sold out 
and became a partner in the present business. 
He was married Dec. 23, 1843, to Miss Lydia 
Todd, a native of Seneca Co., N. Y. She was 
living in Akron with her sister, Mrs. Andrews. 
Seven children were born of this marriage, of 
whom six are living, viz., Harriet A., now Mrs. 
Cole, of Akron ; George D., who lives in Akron ; 
Abbie T., now Mrs. Reed, of Iowa ; Francis J., 
Carrie;, and Mary E., at home. Mr. F. voted 
first for Gen. Harrison, and has voted with the 
Whig and Republican parties ever since. He 
is a Baptist, and has been a member of that 
church for over fifty years. 

DR. H. M. FISHER, physician, Akron, is a 
native of Warren, Penn., where he was born 
Sept. 1, 1848, and is the eldest of six children 



and one of two surviving, born to Andrew and 
Elizabeth (Shafer) Fisher. He is a native of 
Alsace, France, and came to the United States 
when but 13 ^ears of age, with his parents, who 
settled at Warren, Penn. He is a dentist b}' 
profession, and has followed it for the past 
thirt}' years. His wife is a native of Pennsyl- 
vania. They now live at Warren. H. M. (the 
subject), lived at Warren until 1872, except six 
years spent with his parents in Illinois and 
Wisconsin. He received an academic education 
in the Fi'anklin and Warren Academies, and en- 
tered and pursued a collegiate course at the Alle- 
gheny College, at Meadville, Penn., for two and 
a half years, when, owing to ill health, he was 
compelled to discontinue his studies. He began 
reading medicine in 1867, with Dr. Daniel 
Shanahan, of Warren, and in March, 1872, he 
graduated at the Jefferson Medical College of 
Philadelphia. In June following, he began 
practice in Warren, remaining a few months, 
when he came to Akron. In December, 1872, 
he removed to Allegheny- City, Penn., where he 
practiced in partnership with Dr. Thomas El- 
liott until March, 1876, when he again came to 
Akron, and has since practiced here. He was 
appointed surgeon for the N. Y., P. & 0. R. R. 
at Akron Jan. 26, 1881. He is a member of 
Union Medical Society of Northeastern Ohio, 
and of the Summit County" Medical Society, of 
which he has been Recording Secretary. He 
was married Ma}- 21, 1873, to Miss Mary Tal- 
bott, a native of Warren, Penn. They have two 
children, viz., Frank T. and Clara E. 

NATHAN L. GLOVER, teacher of music, 
Akron. The subject of these lines is a son of 
Joel and Elizabeth (Shannon) Glover. He was 
born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, Dec. 1, 1842. 
Here he grew to manhood, emplo3-ed b}^ the 
multifarious duties of farm life, until he 
reached the age of 28. When but a bo}^, how- 
ever, he began the study of music, and, at 10 
years old, could read it quite readily. Im- 
pelled solely by his love for the art, he strug- 
gled on with only the meager advantages 
aftbrded at home and at the singing school 
until, in 1865, he gained such a mastery of 
vocal music that he began teaching and form- 
ing classes, first in Indiana and subsequently 
at various points in his native State. In 1868, 
he became a pupil of the Normal Music School 
held that year at Painesville. Ohio, under the 
management of N. Coe Stewart and S. B. 



"©IV 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



707 



Hamlin, and, in 1869-70, he resumed the work 
of teaching, with increased success. During 
the summer of 1870, he entered the school 
again at Painesville, Ohio, as pupil. In 1871, 
the Normal Music School, which for several 
years has been under the direction of Prof. 
N. Coe Stewart, of Cleveland, Ohio, who has 
associated with him some of the finest musi- 
cians and prominent teachers in the West, was 
held in Akron, Ohio. This school, held each 
year (except 1876) in some town or city of 
Ohio, has educated a large number of pupils 
throughout Oliio and adjoining States, who 
have done more, perhaps, to popularize music 
than any other agenc}' in the State. Mr. 
Cxlover became assistant teacher in the Normal 
of 1871, and, in the spring of 1872, he went to 
Cleveland, Ohio, and placed himself under the 
personal instruction of Prof. Stewart, remain- 
ing until the summer session opened in Akron, 
where he was again emploj^ed as instructor. 
In September, 1872, he was employed as 
teacher of music in the public schools of Ak- 
ron. Up to this time, no systematic attempt 
had been made to introduce music in the 
Akron schools. A few lessons had been given 
by Mr. N. C. Stewart at long intervals. While 
a vast number desired musical instruction for 
their children, many believed that only the 
•' favored few " could be taught to sing and 
read music, and among the last-named were 
some of the members of the board, who looked 
upon the introduction of music as a doubtful 
experiment. It was during this crucial period 
that our subject began his labors in the Akron 
schools, and nine years of persistent, earnest 
work have removed this branch of stud}^ from 
the realm of uncertainty. It has demonstrated 
that every child not deformed can be taught to 
sing. The course, which begins with the ele- 
ments in lowest primaries, carries the pupil 
step by step over a twelve j'ears' course to the 
high school, where classical music is sung. 
The results which follow the systematic study 
of music arc second to none in importance, 
and offer discipline of mind and culture of the 
heart that can be obtained in no other way. 
In addition to Mr. Grlover's continuous nine 
years' work in the Akron schools since 1872, 
he has simultaneously taught six years in the 
Wooster schools, seven years in Kent, seven 
years in Ravenna, two years in Wads worth 
and one year in the Cuyahoga Falls public 



schools, and has at present over five thousand 
pupils under his immediate instruction. Since 
1871, he has been associate teacher during the 
summer sessions of the Normal Music School, 
held successively at Akron, Zanesville, Woos- 
ter, Sandusky, Delaware, Warren, Youngstown 
and Shelby. Mr. Glover was chorister of the 
Congregational Church of Akron from 1872 to 
1877, when he was called to a like position in 
the First M. E. Church, where he still remains. 
He has also been leader of the Choral Society 
of Akron for several years. He was married, 
Aug. 21, 1873, to Miss Kate Morledge, of 
Waynesburg, Ohio. Of this mai'riage there 
are two daughters — Mary M. and Nellie L. 

CHARLES R. GRANT, attorney at law, Ak- 
ron ; son of William T. and Esther (Treat) 
Grant ; was born Oct. 23, 1846, in Orange, New 
Haven Co., Conn., where he lived until the war 
of the rebellion broke out, when he enlisted in 
the 12th Conn. V. I., under Gen. Butler, and held 
the position of dispatch bearer (which was often- 
times a very perilous one, as at times he was 
obliged to journey from 400 to 500 miles), on 
Gen. Butler's staff in the Department of the 
Gulf, and continued in that position on Gen. 
Banks' staff until October, 1863, when he was 
discharged. In April of the following year, he 
located at Cuyahoga Falls, where he engaged 
in farming until 1868, in the meantime employ- 
ing his spare moments in study. In September 
of the same 3'ear, he entered the freshman class 
of the Western Reserve College, from which he 
graduated in 1872, as valedictorian of his class, 
which was composed of eighteen students. He 
then went to Denver, Colo., where he remained 
until the fall of 1873, recruiting his health. In 
October of that year, he returned to Ohio, and 
married Miss Frances J. Wadhams, of Boston 
Township, after which he entered the office of 
Judge Tibbals, of Akron, as student, and was 
admitted to the bar in September, 1874, at 
this place. His wife died Sept. 14, 1874. His 
health failing him, he again engaged in farming, 
until January, 1876, when he formed a partner- 
ship with H. B. Foster, and began the practice 
of law at Hudson, continuing until Nov. 9, 1876, 
when he married Miss Luc}' J. Alexander, of 
Akron, and at once located here, where he has 
since continued practice, under the firm name 
of Foster, Marvin & Grant. He has contributed 
several articles to the Central Law Journal, of 
St. Louis, and the Southern Law Review, which 






708 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



have attracted considerable attention from the 
legal magnates, some of his subjects being as 
follows, viz., " Statutor}' Liability of Guardians," 
" Constitutionality of Local Option Laws," and 
" A Monograph on the Monroe Doctrine." His 
second wife died on June 8, 1880, leaving one 
daughter. His father is a native of Virginia, 
of Scotch descent. His grandfather, William 
Grant, was shot by a Tor}'^, on his return from 
the Revolutionary war. His mother was a de- 
scendant of Gov. Robert Treat, one of the early 
Colonial Governors of Connecticut. The father 
of our subject moved to Connecticut when a 
young man, and married, in about the year 
1830. He was a shoemaker by ti'ade, and an 
intelligent, well-read man, being a member of 
the Connecticut Legislature in 1844-45, and 
Justice of the Peace for twenty-five 3^ears. He 
was the father of three sons and four daughters, 
of which family our subject is the 3^oungest 
son. One of the children is now deceased. 
Charles R. Grant is a verj' able attorney, and 
possesses rare intellectual endowments. 

EDWIN P. GREENE, lawyer, Akron, a son 
of Charles and Mary T. I. (Bowen) Greene, and 
was born March 10, 1828, at Gaysville, Windsor 
Co., Vt. He lived in the village until about 15 
years of age, receiving his education at com- 
mon schools, and at Bradford Academy. After- 
ward, he commenced the study of law at Little- 
ton, N. H., and, in 1852, came to Akron, where 
he finished his studies with Upson & Edgerton, 
and was admitted to the bar in Akron in Sep- 
tember, 1853. In the fall of 1854, he was 
elected Clerk of the Court, which office he held 
for six years, when he resumed his practice of 
the lay , and has continued it ever since. 

BENJAMIN F. GOODRICH, President of 
rubber goods manufactory, Akron, is a native 
of Ripley, N. Y., and a son of Anson and 
Susan (Dinsmore) Goodrich, and was born Nov. 
4, 1841. He was brought up on a farm until 
12 years of age, when his parents died. About 
four years were spent in schools at Fredonia, 
N. Y., and Austinburg. Ohio. In 1858, he 
commenced the study of medicine at Westfield, 
N. Y., and graduated at the Western Medical 
College at Cleveland in February, 1861. He 
went into the 9th N. Y. V. C. as Hospital 
Steward, and, the following spring, was made 
Assistant Surgeon, and assigned to the Bat- 
talion of U. S. Engineers, serving in that 
capacity until November, 1862, when he entered 



the University of Pennsylvania to attend a 
course of lectures, returning to his old post in 
the army in the spring of 1863, and serving 
until September, 1864 ; a short time in charge 
of a hospital at Aquia Creek. In 1865, he 
went to New York City and engaged in real 
estate business until 1870, when he came to 
Akron, and, in the following fall, built a factory 
and commenced the manufacture of rubber 
goods, and, in partnership with H. W. Tew, 
conducted the business until 1875. The first 
year, $60,000 worth of goods was manufact- 
ured, which was increased under his manage- 
ment to $300,000. The business was con- 
ducted until June, 1880, under the partnership 
of B. F. Goodrich & Co., when a stock com- 
pany was formed, with subject as President ; 
A. Work, Vice President, and Geo. T. Perkins, 
Secretary and Treasurer. This was the first 
factory of the kind west of the Alleghany Mount- 
ains. It employs from eighty to a hundred 
hands in the busy season. Mr. G. is President 
(1880) of City Council. He was married, in 
1869, to Miss Mary Marvin, a daughter of 
Judge R. P. Marvin, of Jamestown, N. Y. 
Three children are the fruit of this marriage. 
HON. NATHANIEL W. GOODHUE, law- 
yer, Akron, is a native of Lincoln Co, Me.; 
was born Dec. 20, 1818, and is a son of James 
and Elizabeth (Pei'kins) Goodhue, also natives 
of Maine. They were married in Grafton Co., 
N. H. Father died at village of St. Christo- 
pher in 1866, in his 83d 3'ear, and mother died 
in 1867, in her 80th 3'ear. The3' had seven 
children ; five living — Julia, second daughter, 
is Mrs. Aai'on Morrill, of Danville, Quebec ; 
James, a merchant at St. Cristopher ; (subject); 
Jacob P. died in 1852 on his wa3' to California 
and is buried in the Pacific Ocean ; Joseph L. 
is merchant and manufacturer at Danville, and 
Elizabeth P. is teacher in Summit Co. The 
grandfather of subject, Stephen Goodhue, was a 
soldier in the Revolutionary war, and, but 17 
years of age, was in the battle of Bunker Hill, 
where he was wounded ; he was within a few 
feet of Gen. Warren when he fell in that battle. 
When subject was 3 3'ears old, the famil3^ 
moved to the Province of Lower Canada, now 
Quebec, where they lived on a farm in the 
woods for a number of years, the nearest house 
to them being thirteen miles distant ; followed 
lumbering and farming. In May. 1837, he 
removed to Canaan Township, Wayne Co., 



•^ Q 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



709 



Ohio, where subject employed himself teaching 
during winter and peddling in summer. Most 
of his education, except two terms at Danville, 
Canada, was obtained around the fireside. He 
commenced teaching at 1 8, and, in April, 1840, he 
came to Greensburg in this county, where he 
taught during the summer, and in the winter in 
Greentown village (Lewis Miller, C. Aultman, 
Jacob Miller, Geo. Cook were pupils). Early 
in the summer of 1841, he became a clerk for 
Johnston & Irving, of Middlebury, Ohio ; after- 
ward, Kent & Co. He taught the Middlebury 
school in the winter of 1845-46. In February, 
1845, he began the study of law with Hand & 
Nash, and, in the winter of 1846-47, was 
Engrossing Clerk of the House of Representa- 
tiA'es at Columbus, and was admitted to the 
bar at the September term of the Supreme 
Court, at Akron, in 1847. In October, 1848, 
he was elected County Auditor, and re-elected 
in 1850, both times on the Whig ticket. On 
the expiration of his last term as Auditor, he 
opened a law office in Akron, where he has 
been in practice ever since. He was, by ap- 
pointment of Gov. Chase, Canal Collector 
from 1856 to 1858, and, from September, 1862, 
to September, 1866, was Deputy Collector of 
Internal Revenue, haAdng entire charge in Sum- 
mit County. In 1873, he was elected on the 
Republican ticket to the State Senate from the 
district composed of Summit and Portage Cos. 
He declined a renomination to the position. 
He was chosen Republican P]lector for the 
Eighteenth Ohio District in 1880, and was 
President of the Electoral College of Ohio. 
His first vote was cast for Harrison in 1840, 
and has been Whig and Republican ever since. 
He was married, Dec. 20, 1841, to Miss Nancy 
Johnston, of Green Township, in this county. 
They have four children — James P., died at 8 
months old in January, 1844 ; Allan J., manu- 
facturer at Rochester, N. Y., and served three 
years in the 104th O. V. I.; Mary H., wife of 
Rev. Samuel Maxwell, Rector of St. Paul's 
Church of Youngstown, Ohio, and Nathaniel 
P., law student and assistant in his father's 
office. Mr. G. is a member of the Episcopal 
Church. 

JOHN T. GOOD, retired, Akron ; was born 
Oct. 25, 1818, and is a son of John and Mar- 
garet (Richert) Good, natives of Alsace, France, 
lived within twenty miles of Strasbourg. He 
attended common schools until 14 yeai's of age. 



and one year at a private school. His father 
was a farmer and grain dealer, and took con- 
tracts to convey emigrants from Bavaria and 
Baden to Havre, a distance of 500 miles, in 
wagons ; in 1838, he came to the United States, 
arriving in New York on the 5th of May, where 
he took canal to Buffalo, and lake to Cleveland, 
Ohio, thence to Chicago, and from thereto Cin- 
cinnati by stage, and on foot thence to St. 
Louis ; thence to New Orleans, where he had 
intended staying, but fearing yellow fever, 
went to Pittsburgh, remaining there and work- 
ing in brewery until the next year, when he 
came to Canton, Ohio ; he secured work with 
a wealthy farmer in the neighborhood of Can- 
ton, where he remained until December, when 
he became a clerk in the store of John Robin- 
son, at Canal Fulton, the largest establishment 
outside of the cities. For eighteen months he 
continued in the store, and in May, 1842, came 
to Akron, where he obtained emploj'ment in 
the store of P. D. Hall, then the largest in the 
city ; he remained in this store about three 
years, and went into the grocery business. In 
1845, he built the first brewery in Summit 
County, which he operated until 1855, and kept 
a grocery until 1865, with good success. In 
March, 1850, in company with about forty 
others, he went to California, under Capt. Howe, 
reaching Placerville in August ; he worked in 
the mines for awhile, but his health failing, he 
went into a grocery and provision store, and in 
December returned to Akron, via Panama. 
In 1865, he bought the oil refinery on Furnace 
street, which he enlarged until it had a capacity 
of 250 barrels per da}'. His son, Charles W., 
was his partner in this business, and, as J. T. 
Good & Co., conducted it successfully until 
1872, when he retired from active life. He was 
married, April 16, 1844, to Miss Barbara C. 
Yost, of Stark, Co., Ohio ; four children living — 
Charles W., hardware merchant, of Cleveland ; 
Charlotte, wife of Edward Schweyer, of New 
York City ; George P., wholesale merchant, of 
Joplin, Mo. ; J. Edward, student in Kenyon 
College. Mr. G. is a member of the English 
Lutheran Church, and is Republican in politics. 
OMAR N. GARDNER, Akron, son of James 
and Elvira C. (Chamberlain) Gardner ; was born 
in Akron on Dec. 2. 1854 ; his parents were 
natives of New York State, and came here from 
Genesee Valley in about 1850 ; here his father 
followed the trade of brick- mason, and died in 



yr. 






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710 



BIOGllAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



the spring of 1873 ; his mother died in 1876. 
He is the only son, and has one sister in James- 
town, Lottie S., now Mrs. K P. Robertson. 
Until the age of 16 he attended the public 
schools ; in 1872-73, he was engaged as engi- 
neer on the Valley Railroad, and in the fall of 
1873, he entered Buchtel College, remaining 
one year. In 1875, he entered the City En- 
gineer's Office, as assistant, and remained nearl}^ 
a year ; from that time to 1878, he was engaged 
in engineering and surveying. In the spring of 
1878, he was elected to the office of City En- 
gineer, and has been re-elected every ^^ear 
since. In 1880, he got up a system of sewer- 
age for the entire city, and superintended the 
sewering, grading, curbing and guttering of 
Carroll street. In September, 1877, he married 
Miss Ella J. Bush, of Jamestown, N. Y. 

THEODORE GORNER, Akron, senior mem- 
ber of the firm of Gorner & Planz, file manu- 
facturers. He purchased the establishment of a 
Mr. Harter, the founder, in 1873. and carried on 
the business one and a half years, when he sold 
to H. Pohle, he taking in Mr. Planz, and being 
unable to pay for the business, it reverted to 
the former owner. He was born Dec. 15, 1845, 
in Saxon}', near Waldenberg, to Gotlieb and 
Catharine (Magenhammer) Gorner, she a native 
of Bavaria, the father a native of Saxony, a 
shoemaker by trade, and came to his son in 
this country about five years ago. The subject 
of this sketch learned the trade of file-cutting 
in 1859, at which he worked in Germany, Den- 
mark, France and Austria, until his departure 
for this country in 1867. After his arrival in 
this country, he worked in the principal Eastern 
cities and traveled throughout the Western 
country, returning in 1868, and began working 
for Mr. Harter, who had, in that year, started 
the works. He was married in 1873 to Eliza- 
beth Miller, a native of Akron and daughter of 
Jacob and Christine Seidle. They have no 
children. He is a member of the Knights of 
Pythias. 

ALDEN GAGE, deceased ; son of Elijah B. 
and Margaret (Hoffman) Gage, was born in Her- 
kimer, Herkimer County, N. Y., July 27, 1836. 
The family moved to Norfolk, N. Y., where his 
mother died when he was but 4 years old, 
and he lived on a farm adjacent to Norfolk, at- 
tending a school taught by one E. P. Greene. 
When a young man, he entered the Academy 
at Potsdam, N. Y., to prepare for college, and 



spent two years in Amherst College, when his 
father died, after which he came to Akron in 
1856, and secured the position of Deputy Clerk 
of the Court under Edwin P. Greene, whose 
pupil he had been in Norfolk. In the fall of 
1861, he became Assistant Quartermaster un- 
der Capt. Myers, and followed the fortunes of 
the Union array until the fall of 1864. In No- 
vember, 1865, he secured a clerkship under 
Capt. Nash in the Provost Marshal's office at 
Cleveland, Ohio, remaining in that position a 
year, during which time, on Sept. 20, 1865, he 
married Miss Belle Webster, second daughter 
of Charles Webster, of Akron, Ohio. Mr. Gage 
returned to Akron in 1865, and became Cashier 
of the Second National Bank, continuing five 
years. In Julv, 1870, at the opening of the 
bank of Akron, he became First Cashier and 
held that position until his death, November 
12, 1875, at Santa Barbara, Cal., where he had 
gone to find relief from consumption. He was 
highly esteemed, public spirited and well in- 
formed. He was an ardent Republican, but 
never sought office. His only child, Martha, 
died when but 8 months old. 

H. G. GRIFFIN, groceries, notions, etc., Mid- 
dlebury, is a native of Ohio ; he was born on his 
father's farm in Geauga County, Oct. 8, 1840, his 
parents, S. B. and Huldah (King) Griffin, were 
natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio. He came 
West and settled in Geauga Co., Ohio, in the 
year 1829, and farmed there until his death. 
He was well known and respected ; he was a 
member of the Baptist Church, and took an 
active interest in its affairs. Mrs. Griffin lives 
on the old homestead ; our subject lived at 
home until 1861. On Sept. 10 of that year, he 
enlisted in Company G, 41st 0. V. I., and served 
two and a half years ; he was in the battles of 
Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, Mission 
Ridge and the other engagements of the Army 
of the Cumberland to which he belonged, up to 
the time of his dischai'ge, by reason of ill 
health. After recuperating on the farm about 
a year he began the manufacture of cheese for 
Budlong & Stokes, of New York, the factory be- 
ing located in Geauga Co., Ohio. He con- 
tinued some three 3'ears ; then started a cream- 
ery for L. J. Randall, being the first in this 
State ; about a year later, he went to Kentucky 
and managed a cheese factory in Woodford 
County for two 3'ears, when he moved to Paines- 
ville, Ohio, and, in company with L. F. Miller, 



-^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



711 



opened a groceiy and crockery establishment, 
and about one and a half years later, he came 
to Middlebury, where he became connected 
with the grading of the Valley Railroad. In 
1875, he engaged in the general merchandise 
business with George Viall & Co., and, in Sep- 
tember, 1880, he began his present business. 
On Dec. 22, 1865, he married Miss Hattie Tay- 
lor, a native of Ohio. The}' have two children, 
viz. : Lizzie T. and Lucy H. He is a member 
of the School Board of Akron, a Republican 
in politics, and has taken an active interest in 
the party. 

NOAH HODGE, lawyer, Akron, Ohio ; was 
born in Springfield, 111., Feb. 6, 1842, to Richard 
and Catharine E. (Divelbiss), and lived there 
until 1868. His father started to California 
with his family in 1852, and died of cholei-a 
about seventy miles west of Ft. Kearney, where 
he is buried, near the Platte River. After the 
father's death, the family returned to Spring- 
field, where the subject of these lines attended 
the Illinois State University, now St. Paul's 
College. From this he graduated in June, 
1 862, and the following month he enlisted in 
the 124th 111. V. I., and fought in the Vicks- 
burg campaign. In September, 1864, he was 
commissioned 1st Lieutenant ; he held the 
regimental position of Adjutant in the 52d U. 
S. Colored Regiment until his resignation in 
1865, the war being over, immediately after 
which he became a tutor in the college from 
which he graduated, continuing one year, when 
he was made Professor of English and Latin, 
and Principal of the Preparatory Department, in 
which capacity he acted until 1868, when he 
received the degree of A. M. from the college ; 
and the same year became Superintendent of 
the public schools of Mt. Carmel, 111., continu- 
ing a year. In September, 1868, he married 
Miss D. L. 0. Johnston, of Clinton, Miss., whom 
he had met while in the army. In June, 1869, 
he went to Clinton on a visit, and in the fall 
he removed with his family to Jackson, Miss. 
He was appointed by the military commander, 
Gen. Ames, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Hines 
County, Miss., and subsequently, b}' Gov. Al- 
corn, in November, 1871 ; he was re-elected to 
the same position, retaining it until 1876. He 
began the study of law in 1865, continuing it 
at intervals, and was admitted to the bar by 
the Supreme Court of Mississippi in January, 
1875. His wife died Aug. 10, 1874, at Jack- 



son, Miss., of typhoid fever, and is buried there. 
She left a son, Edgar 0., and a daughter, D. L. 
0. In February, 1876, he came to Columbus, 
Ohio, was examined by the Supreme Court, on 
the 2d, and admitted to the bar ; in March fol- 
lowing, he opened an office in Akron, and has 
since been in active practice here. May 16, 
1876, he married Miss Sarah W. Ashmun, 
daughter of the late Dr. George P. Ashmun, of 
Akron ; she bore him a daughter, Fanny A., 
who died in her third year. 

MILTON W. HENRY, merchant, Akron, 
Ohio, is a son of William and Rachel (Frary) 
Henry, and was born Oct. 13, 1816, in Blan- 
ford, Hampden Co., Mass., where he lived on a 
farm until 13 years of age, engaged, as he says, 
in useful emploj'ment. In May, 1830, the 
family came to Westfield Township, Medina 
Co., by teams, and settled in the woods, where 
a home was carved out of the great wilderness. 
In the fall of 1835, subject entered McGregor 
Academy, at Wadsworth, remaining one year, 
and during the time aiding Roswell, H. B. Kent 
& Spelman in their ^store of mornings and even- 
ings and of Saturdays. At the expiration of 
his year, he was employed by them at $100 per 
year. He remained with them until they sold 
out in the latter part of 1837, and was employed 
by the new firm, G. & J. Miller, until 1841. 
In the meantime, Mr. Spelman located in Akron, 
and with Mr. Clapp, opened a store under firm 
name of Clapp & Spelman. An urgent letter 
from Mr. Spelman to subject brought him to 
Akron in October, 1841, and as a clerk he re- 
mained with them until the spring of 1843, 
when, having saved up $1,000, he bought a 
third interest in the store, Mr. Spelman owning 
the balance, and Clapp having retired. The 
firm was now H. B. Spelman & Co., and so 
continued until 1848. when Mr. Henry bought 
out Spelman, and subsequently sold an interest 
to Jas. Zwisler, and firm name, M. W. Henry 
& Co., lasted three years. Dec. 27, 1849, a fire 
destroyed a large portion of building and goods, 
on which was a small insurance. At 10 o'clock 
he had rented another building, and with the 
few goods left began business, continuing three 
years, when the owner rebuilt on the present 
site and Mr. H. bought an interest in the build- 
ing and entered it in 1854, and has remained in 
it ever since. He remodeled it in 1857, and re- 
built it in 1877. The firm of G. C. Berry & Co. 
was formed in 1875. The first floor of this 



;r^ 



712 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



elegant store is 40x65 feet ; the second is same 
size, and comprises tlie wall paper, shawl and 
underwear departments ; the third floor, car- 
pets, oil cloths, matting, etc. The upper floors 
are utilized by the aid of an elevator ; there 
are fourteen persons emploj'ed, three of whom 
are ladies. The cash principle was adopted in 
1876. Mr. H. has been a member of the City 
Council for a number of years, and a member 
of School Board for nine years. He is a stock- 
holder and director in Taplin, Rice & Cos'. 
foundry, and in Austin Powder Co., of Cleve- 
land. In 1863, he became one of the original 
stockholders of the First National Bank of 
Akron, and has since been its Vice President 
and Director. He was married Dec. 5, 1843, to 
Miss Abigail Weeks, a daughter of Moody 
Weeks, of Copley Township. Of this marriage 
there ai'e six daughters and one son, viz. : Olive 
C, Ella C, Julia A., Hattie A., Charles M., Grace 
P. and Mattie W., all of whom are living. 

PHILANDER D. HALL, prominent and old- 
est merchant of the city of x\kron, Ohio, repre- 
sents the seventh generation of the Hall family, 
who came from Lancashire, England, with the 
New Haven colony in 1639. They soon after- 
ward took possession of a grant of land given 
tliem by Charles I, extending from Long Island 
Sound northerly, twelve miles long and three- 
fourths of a mile wide, and near the city of 
Bridgeport, Conn., a part of which city it now 
includes, and where the subject of this sketch 
was born Oct. 10, 1808. He was educated at 
Weston Academy, where his family held a free 
scholarship, the academ}' being endowed by land 
given to it by his famil3\ At the age of 20. he left 
the school at Weston, and taught in the acad- 
em}' at Saugatuck, Conn., afterward entering a 
dry goods store at that place, wiiere he remained 
one and one-half years. Returning to Bridge- 
port, he engaged in the grocery shipping busi- 
ness, and importing West India products. In 
July, 1834, he made his first visit to Akron, 
and in May, 1835, opened his goods in his pres- 
ent location, then called Cascade Store ; he 
rentedofDr. Crosby, the assignee of Howard, Ire- 
dell & Fenn, who had recently failed ; the crash of 
1837 destroyed the credit of all the merchants, 
fourteen in number, except his own, J. D. Com- 
mins and Kent's. Feb. 17, 1851, his store build- 
ing was destro3'ed by fire, and the present build- 
ing was rebuilt and occupied in December of 
the same year. From 1835 to 1857, Mr. Hall 



gave his entire attention to the business, remov- 
ing in the fall of 1857 to New York City, where, 
as buyer for Hall Bros., he still resides; 1858, 
Mr. Hall spent most of the year in traveling in 
Europe, visiting the principal countries on the 
continent and the British Islands, and has since 
made two journeys to the Pacific Coast. Mr. 
J. D. Commins, Mr. R. P. Spalding and Mr. Hall 
were among the original subscribers to the 
Akron Rural Cemetery, and he, with Dr. Ackly, 
originated, and helped support the P]piscopai 
Cluirch. Orlando Hall, deceased, the younger 
brother of P. D. Hall, was born on the family 
place near Bridgeport, Conn., in 1820. He 
joined his brother in business at Akron in 1842. 
He was married to Sophia R. Towne Dec. 12, 
1854, and died March 10, 1855. He was a pop- 
ular business man, greatly- esteemed by a large 
circle of acquaintances for his many virtues, 
and sincerely lamented. 

CALVIN P. HUMPHREY, lawyer, Akron, 
Ohio ; is a son of Van Rensselaer & Laura 
(Pease) Humphre}-, and was born in Hudson, 
Ohio, June 21, 1840. His father was a native 
of Litchfield Co., Conn., and his mother of 
Trumbull Co., Ohio. She was a daughter of 
Judge Calvin Pease, and married first G. W. 
Tallmadge, who died in Tallmadge Township, 
where she afterward married Mr. Humphrey. 
Subject graduated at Western Reserve College 
in 1863, and began the study of law with his 
father. Judge Humphre}^, who died in 1864. In 
the fall of 1865, he (subject) entered Cleveland 
Law College, from which he graduated in 1866. 
After graduating, he located at Cuyahoga Falls, 
and lived there until 1 874, when he came to 
Akron. He was elected City Solicitor in the 
spring of 1879. On the 20th of September, 
1864, he was married to Miss Delia Whedon, 
of Hudson. 

WILBUR F. HAWXHURST, insurance 
agent, Akron ; second son of Isaac and Clarissa 
(Miller) Hawxhurst ; was born in El^ria, Lo- 
rain Co., Ohio, June 19, 1844. He was 14 when 
his father died. Shortly after, in 1860, he en- 
tered Baldwin Universit}-, at Berea, where he 
studied two years, and was then employed 
by the Western Union Telegraph Co. about two 
years as operator at the stations at Elyria and 
Youngstown. March 20, 1864, he enlisted in 
the 65th 0. V. I. as private soldier. In the 
summer of the same year, he was detached as 
clerk for the Assistant Inspector General of 



J^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



713 



the District of Etowah, and located at Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn., for Capt. Mills and his successor, 
Capt. George M. Bray ton, until June, 1865, 
when he was ordered to his regiment, then in 
Nashville, and again detailed as clerk to the 
Assistant (James I. Wilson) Commissary of 
Musters for the Second Division of the Fourth 
Army Corps, and served in that position until 
March 4, 1866, when he was discharged at In- 
dianola, Texas. On his return, he was in the 
commercial school at Oberlin for some time. 
He again entered Baldwin University in the 
fall term of 1866, remaining two years. In 
1868, he became book-keeper for Charles W. 
Stearns & Co., of Cleveland, and continued un- 
til 1870, when he entered the insurance office 
of W. F. Fox, of Cleveland, State agent for the 
old Putnam Insurance Co., and, in the fall of 
the same year, he opened a local agency fire 
insurance office at Lebanon, Ohio, which he 
conducted one year. In November, 1871, he 
was given the Ohio and Indiana State agency 
for the Watertown Fire Insurance Co., and con- 
tinued in that field until January, 1874, when 
he accepted a like agency for the Royal Insur- 
ance Co., of Liverpool, England, serving one 
year. In 1875, he was employed for a year as 
rating agent at Cincinnati, Ohio, by the Na- 
tional Board of Fire Underwriters, and served 
also another year as rating agent throughout 
the Western States. In 1877, he was special 
agent in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan for the 
Connecticut Fire Insurance Co., of Hartford, 
and, in December of the same 3'ear, he located 
at Akron, and associated with M. Mattison in 
local insurance, representing several of the 
leading fire and life companies. Sept. 22, 1868, 
he married Miss Clara L. Mattison, of Hinckley, 
Medina Co., Ohio. They have one son living, 
and one son deceased. 

JOSEPH HAYS, foreman molders' depart- 
ment Aultman, Miller & Co., Akron ; a son of 
Hugh and Mary (Pollock) Ha3-s ; was born 
Oct. 17, 1843, in Stark Co., Ohio, and is the 
youngest son in a famil}' of ten children, five 
of whom are living ; parents are both deceased 
and were both natives of Ireland. In 1858, he 
began to learn the trade of molder with E. 
Ball, at Canton, Ohio, where he worked at 
molding until June 5, 1861, when he enlisted 
in Co. F, 4th 0. V. I., for three years. He was 
with McClellan in the Army of West Virginia, 
and the Shenandoah Valley, with Gen. Shields, 



and joined the Army of the Potomac after the 
seven days' fighting before Richmond, and re- 
mained with it until the battle of Chancellors- 
ville, March 3, 1863, where he was wounded by 
a musket-ball, which shattered his elbow-joint. 
He was disabled eighteen months, and in Wash- 
ington Hospital about eight months, when, in 
Febi-uary, 1864, he was discharged. He draws 
a pension. He came to Akron soon after, and 
began work as a molder for Aultman, Miller 
& Co.. in March following. He woi'ked as a 
journeyman until Feb. 21, 1880, when he was 
made foreman in the molding department, 
which, when full, employs 110 men, and melts 
about twenty-eight tons of iron per da}-. He 
was married Aug. 10, 1865, to Miss Cora Dun- 
bar, of Canton, Ohio ; they have one son. 

JOHN W. HOLLOWAY, master of ma- 
chinery on C, Mt. V. & C. R. R., Akron, a son 
of Joseph T. and Susan (Hawk) Holloway, 
was born in Stark Co., Ohio, May 26, 1831. 
In 1848, he apprenticed himself to the trade 
of machinist, first at Cleveland, but in 1849 
came to Akron and entered the machine shops 
of G. D. Bates & Co., serving with them 
two years. He went to Cumberland, Md., and 
took a place in the shops for a time, and dur- 
ing one year run a locomotive from Cumber- 
land to the mines. He next became an engineer 
on a steamboat on the Ohio River, plying 
between Shawneetown, 111., and Paducah, Ky., 
and was so employed for about one year. In 
the fall of 1854, he went to La Fayette, Ind., 
and was employed in the shops of the La Fay- 
ette & Indianapolis Railroad Company for one 
and one-half years, and, in 1856, became mas- 
ter of machinery on the Cleveland, Zanesville 
& Cincinnati Railroad, now the Cleveland, Mt. 
Vernon & Columbus, a position he has held 
ever since. In November, 1854, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Caroline E. Tifft,of Cuyahoga Falls. 
Of this marriage there are five children. His 
(subject's) father was a native of New Jersej', 
and came to Stark Co., Ohio, about 1820, 
where he lived until 1831, when he removed to 
Cuyahoga Falls, and resided there until his 
death in 1878. He was a cabinet-maker, and 
in later years was an insurance agent, Justice 
of the Peace, etc.j served also as Coronor of 
the count}'. 

REV. JOSEPH D. HOLLINGER, deceased 
(widow resides at No. 1203 South Broad wa}-, 
Akron), died Oct. 4, 1871, and was buried at 



if^r 



714 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Manchester, Franklin Township, witli other of 
his rehitives. His birth occurred near the 
place of his burial Jan. 22, 1839. His educa- 
tion was obtained in the district schools, with 
the additional advantages of the seminary at 
Greensburg, Summit Co., Ohio. He was the 
oldest son of Jacob and Barbara (Dail}') Hol- 
linger, she a daughter of Jacob Daily, one of 
the old pioneers of Franklin Township. The 
father of our subject was a twin brother to 
Michael Hollinger, who has resided in Franklin 
Township the longest of any person now liv- 
ing. Our subject connected himself with the 
Evangelical Association and began preaching 
in his 23d 3'ear, first serving at North Lima, 
Ohio, for one year ; then at New Salem, Penn., 
one year ; near New Hamburg, Mercer Co., Ohio, 
one year ; thence back to North Lima, where he 
served two years ; thence to Osnaburg, Stark 
Co., Ohio, where he served two years, subse- 
quently returning to the State of Pennsylvania, 
where he filled the pulpit at Fulton Street Mis- 
sion, Pittsburgh. While there, he was elected 
as Presiding Elder of Franklin District by the 
Church Conference then in session. While 
serving in this office, his lamentable death oc- 
curred as stated above. The supposition is 
that his fatal sickness was caused by overwork, 
as the ministers of that church are required to 
go through a four years' course of study be- 
fore becoming regular members of Conference, 
their examinations occurring every year, the 
successful termination of their second exami- 
nation being the occasion of their ordination 
as Deacons, and the fourth entitling them to 
the highest honors of the church, that of 
Elders, receiving license in full. The spring 
following the death of her husband, Mrs. Hol- 
linger moved to the city of Akron, where she 
now resides. He was married, Dec. 13, 1858, 
to Mary E. Leuszler, born May 5, 1836, of 
Holland Dutch extraction, to John and Catha- 
rine (Long) Leuszler, he of Hesse-Darmstadt, 
Germany. Came early with his parents from 
the land of his nativity and settled in Doyles- 
town, Penn., and, in 1853, settled near Wads- 
worth, Medina Co. Their children are Anna 
M., born Aug. 23, 1859, teacher at No. 7, south 
building public school ; Harvey M., Aug. 28, 
1861, engaged in the Buckeye works ; Clara 
E., May 7, 1863 ; Royal E., April 10, 1866. 

LEVI S. HERROLD, ex-Mayor, 958 South 
Main street, Akron ; was born on the 17th day 



of November, 1820. Is a son of Col. John 
George, the son of Frederick Herrold, who 
came from Germany to that part of Northum- 
berland Co., Penn., now known as Snyder 
County, deriving its name from a distinguished 
gentleman of that name. The Herrolds were 
the first settlers in a township of the above- 
named county, where they took up several 
hundred acres of land and have always resided. 
The family having grown numerous, occup}- 
the principal part of one or two townships in 
that section of country. His mother was Mary 
Steese, daughter of Frederick Steese, a verj' 
prominent man and mill-owner in Union and 
other counties in Pennsjdvania. The subject of 
this sketch, on account of the indigent circum- 
stances of his parents, was compelled to labor 
in various employments to support himself and 
secure the meager educational advantages 
which he received, amounting to three terms of 
district school. He at one time was employed 
as driver on the canal from McKees' Half-Falls 
to Havre de Grace on the tide-water ; then 
steadily advancing, as his own energy and nat- 
ural tact in business have shown in following 
him briefl}' through his subsequent business 
life of about ten years in general merchandising. 
Immediately after marriage, his official career 
began by being elected for a term of five years 
as Justice of the Peace in Snyder County, at 
the expiration of which he was re-elected for a 
second term, but after having served two years, 
he was called upon by the people of his county 
to serve a term of three years as second Sheriff 
of the county after its organization. In the 
spring of 1865, he came with his family to 
Akron, having purchased, the preceding sum- 
mer, the grist and saw mill now owned by 
Brewster & Sons, which he run successfully for 
ten years ; he served as Assessor of the Fifth 
Ward, a term of three years as Infirmary 
Director, and, in the year 1875, was elected 
Mayor of the city of Akron ; after having filled 
successfully the last-named office until the 
expiration of his terra, he retired to a quiet life 
and the superintendenc}' of his farm in Spring- 
field Township. He was married Aug. 2, 1842, 
to Lydia Motz, daughter of John and Barbara 
(Moyer) Motz, who were Union County people. 
They had eight children — four sons and four 
daughters — Mary M., born Sept. 9, 1843 ; 
George I., April 26, 1845 ; Alfred, Jan. 21, 
1847 ; John S., Sept. 6, 1850; Henry S., Dec. 



l^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



715 



12, 1853 ; Ada B., April 24, 1856 ; Martha A., 
Aug. 4, 1858 ; Ida, Oct. 3, 1865. Mary M. 
married Capt. H. Harrison in the fall of 1863, 
and died Oct. 18, 1867, of hemorrhage of the 
lungs, in the depot at Cleveland, on her return 
home with her husband, having gone there for 
medical aid. She left one child, Mai'v Ida, born 
Aug. 23, 1865. George died Feb." 26, 1859; 
Alfred, April 9, 1847 f Henry, Dec. 20, 1853 ; 
Ada B., Feb. 9, 1859 ; Ida, May 9, 1867. John 
was married to Mar}^ Cook, daughter of Louis 
Cook, of Akron ; she d3ing in the spring of 
1875, leaving one child, Lilly May, born Sept. 
26, 1872. Both grandchildren are living with 
the subject of this sketch. 

J. H. HOWER, of Hower & Co., manufactur- 
ers of oat meal, Akron, is a native of Stark Co., 
Ohio, and was born Feb. 22, 1822. His father, 
Jesse Hower, was a native of Center Co., Penn., 
and came to Ohio with his parents about the 
year 1815. His father, Jacob Hower, was a 
native of Penns3dvania, and a shoemaker by 
trade. He moved to Stark County, whei*e he 
settled and improved a farm. Jesse moved to 
Clinton about the year 1823, and bought a farm 
of his father, upon which he built a saw-mill, 
but died soon after completing same. Mrs. 
Hower then moved to her folks', near New 
Berlin, where she lived some five or six years, 
when she married Mr. John Snyder, and located 
near Doylestown, where she died about the 
year 1855 or 1856. J. H. (the subject) lived 
at home until he was 30 years old, receiving a 
common-school education, working on the farm 
and teaching school during the winters from 
the time he was 18 years of age. At the age 
of 28, he bought an interest in a general store 
at Doylestown (firm Graham & Hower), and con- 
tinued for five years, when he sold out and 
bought a pottery, which he operated for two 
years, and then sold out and organized the 
Excelsior Reaper and Mower Works of Doyles- 
town, now conducted by Seiberling, Miller & 
Co. Mr. H. was connected with the works 
until 1875, though he came to Akron in 1866, 
and was one of the organizers of the Excelsior 
Reaper Works, as above, of which he was Vice 
President, and continued for some ten years. 
In 1879, he bought an intei'est in the Turner 
Mills of Akron, and, in 1881, his sons, Harvey 
Y. and M. Otis, bought out the interest of Mr. 
Turner, and formed the present firm of Hower 
& Co. He was married in 1852, to Miss Susan 



Youngker, daughter of J. Youngker, of Doyles- 
town. By this marriage there have been three 
children — Harve}^ Y., M. Otis and Charles H. 
Mr. H. and his wife are members of the En- 
glish Lutheran Church, in which he has always 
taken an active interest, being one of its organ- 
izers, and a Trustee since. He was originally a 
Democrat, but a Republican since the organi- 
zation of that party. 

JACOB D. HOLLINGER, druggist, Akron, 
junior member of the wholesale and retail drug 
firm of Warner & Hollinger ; was born in 1844, 
and is a native of Summit Co. His people 
were among the earl}' pioneers of Franklin 
Township. The early life of J. D. was spent 
on a farm. He was educated at the Evangel- 
ical College of Greensburg, and is a graduate of 
the Pittsburgh Commercial College. This latter 
attainment led to his accepting the situation of 
book-keeper for Mr. George Weimer, who, for 
many years, was one of the leading druggists 
of Akron. During Mr. HoUinger's connection 
with the firm as book-keeper, Mr. Warner was 
employed as prescription clerk. Though both 
3'oung men, they now compose a firm that 
ranks among the leading druggists of the cit3^ 
Their house was established in 1852, and the 
dimensions of their present house. No. 213 and 
215 East Market street, is 33 feet frontage by 
80 feet in depth, two floors and double basement 
cellar. Polilicall}', Mr. Hollinger has taken no 
active part, he choosing rather to devote his 
time and energies to the building up of a good 
business. He is a member of Akron Lodge, 
No. 547, I. 0. 0. F. During the war of the 
rebellion, he served as a volunteer in Co. G, 
19th 0. V. I., three months' service, and also in 
the 104th 0. V. I., three years' service. 

H. B. HOUSEL, millwright, Akron ; was born 
April 9, 1821, in Stark Co., Ohio. When he 
was about 1 year old, his parents moved to 
Brewster's Corners, Summit Co. He was the 
oldest of a fiimily of sixteen children, ten of 
whom are still living, and, at that earh^ day in 
the settlement of Summit Co., but little oppor- 
tunity was afforded him for getting an etluca- 
tion. At the age of 19, he began learning the 
trade of a millwright with one John Gilcrist, 
with whom he served an apprenticeship of two 
3'ears, which included six months of schooling 
given him by Mr. Gilcrist. The first summer 
after completing his trade, he worked at the 
carpenter's trade ; and, in the following winter, 



'f 



^ 



(16 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



he came to Akron, and helped to build the city 
mills. He followed "jour" work for about 
eight 3'ears, and since that time he has been 
contracting and building mills in Ohio and ad- 
joining States. In 1847, he bought the old 
homestead farm, which was the home of his 
family until 1865, when he removed to Akron. 
In 1877, when the co-operative store was organ- 
ized, he became interested in it ; and, in 1880, 
he was made one of the directors ; and, at 
present, when not otherwise engaged, he spends 
his time at the store. Jan. 24, 1844, he was 
married to Miss Eunice Meach, a native of 
Connecticut, but who came to Wayne Co., 
Ohio, with her people, when she was a child. 
Six children have been born to them, of whom 
but one son and two daughters are living. 
George, the son, has a decided talent for music, 
and, at present, he is connected with the schools 
of Muscatine, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Housel are 
both members of the First M. E. Church of 
Akron. He is well known throughout the count}', 
and is a man whose name and reputation stand 
above reproach. 

D. W. HOLLOWAY, merchant, Akron ; is a 
native of Center Co., Penn., and is the son of 
Daniel C. and Sarah M. (Speaker) Hollowaj^ both 
of whom lie buried at Aaronsburg, Penn., the 
former home of the subject of this sketch, and 
the place where most of his early life was 
spent ; there he also received a fair education, 
and, though he was left an orphan at the early 
age of 14 years (he is now 24), and principall} 
dependent upon his own resources, he has suc- 
ceeded not only in establishing himself in a good 
business, but has, by carefuU}' associating witli 
that class of people who are possessed of a self- 
respect, built for himself a worthy name and 
reputation. His mercantile life began in 
Aaronsburg when he was 14 years old, and, 
though a part of his boyhood days were spent 
on a farm, he soon became partial to the life of 
a merchant, and how great his talent in that di- 
rection lay is evidenced by his present position 
and success. Nov. 1, 1879, he and Mr. Harri- 
son became the successors of Mr. E. P. Hollo- 
way, under the firm name of Harrison & Hol- 
loway ; their place of business is located on the 
corner of Main and Exchange streets, South 
Akron ; it is a large storeroom, 27 feet front- 
age by 78 feet in depth, stocked with every- 
thing pertaining to the dry goods business. 
Mr. Holloway began first as a salesman for E. 



P. Holloway, and, the better to enable him to 
do business successfully and accui'atelj', he at- 
tended the night school of the Commercial 
College of Akron, from which he graduated ; 
he now keeps the firm's books, and, though still 
a young man, he stands upon an equal footing 
with many of his competitors who are double 
his age. 

H. HARRISON, merchant, Akron ; senior 
member of the dry goods firm of Harrison & 
Holloway ; has been a resident of Summit Co. 
since 18(35 ; he is a man now 42 years of age, 
and a native of Snyder (formerly Union) Co., 
Penn. His boyhood was spent on a farm, and 
the most of his early life in his native State. 
Sept. IG, 1861, he entered the Federal army, 
and gave his services to his country to aid in 
the suppression of the war of the rebellion ; he 
was made Captain of Co. F, of the 172d Penn. 
V. M., and remained in the service until Aug. 
1, 1862. In 1865, he came to Summit Co., and 
for about one and a half years he was in the 
employ of E. P. Holloway ; subsequently he 
engaged in milling ; he and ex-Mayor Herrold, 
under the firm name of Herrold & Harrison, 
were proprietors of the South Akron Mills. 
For about one year he resided in the country 
and was interested in farming ; again he be- 
came a resident of Akron, and, after having 
spent some time as a clerk for Mr. E. P. Hol- 
loway, he and W. H. Holloway bought the es- 
tablishment on Nov. 1, 1879. He is a member 
of Aetolia Lodge, No. 24, K. of P., and a man 
in ever}' way worthy to be identified with the 
business and social interests of Akron. 

DR. ELIZUR HITCHCOCK, physician, 
Akron ; is a native of Summit County. He 
was born on his father's farm in Tallmadge, 
Aug. 15, 1832, and is the fourth of seven chil- 
dren born to Lucius W. and Eleanor (Wolcott) 
Hitchcock. His parents were natives of Con- 
necticut, his father coming on foot in 1822, to 
Tallmadge, where he bought a farm, married 
and raised his famil}'. In 1873, he lost his 
wife, and left the farm, coming lo Akron, where 
he now resides. Dr. Hitchcock remained at 
home until the spring of 1850, working on the 
farm and gaining such education as the schools 
of the neighborhood aftbrded. At 18, he en- 
tered the Western Reserve College at Hudson, 
where he studied two 3'ears, and then entered 
the Junior Class in Yale College, graduating 
there in 1854. During the next four years, he 



ik 



CITY OF AKRON. 



m 



taught select schools in Tallmadge and Grus- 
tavus, dividing the time between them. In 
1857, he began reading medicine with Dr. 
Dudley Allen, at Kinsman, Ohio, and in 1860, 
graduated at the Medical Department of the 
Western Reserve College, at Cleveland, having 
taken a course previously at Ann Arbor, Mich. 
He began his practice at Mecca, but in the fol- 
lowing spring located at Orwell, where he re- 
mained two years. He then went into the 
armv as Sui'geon of the 7th 0. V. I., and resigned 
after serving about six months. In the fall of 
1868, he located in West Williamsfield, Ohio, 
where he remained until 1869, when he sold 
out his business and attended the Bellevue 
Hospital. In 1870, he came to Akron and has 
since practiced his profession here. He is a 
member and President of the Summit County 
Medical Societ}', and also a member of the 
Union Medical Association of Northeastern 
Ohio. On Nov. 24, 1861, he married Miss 
Hattie Reed, a native of Mecca, Trumbull Co., 
Ohio, by whom he had one child, Gertrude R. 
His wife died in May, 186-1. In November, 
186-t, he married Miss Lucretia Kellogg, a na- 
tive of West Andover, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, by 
whom he has two children — Halbert K. and 
Lucius W. 

H. P. HITCHCOCK, general insurancic and 
local and special adjusting agent, Akron ; is 
a native of Summit Co., Ohio. He was born 
on his father's farm in this county, July 18, 
1841, and lived there until he was 16 years of 
age. He then engaged as clerk in the general 
merchandising business of Starr Bros. & Co., 
in Elyria, Ohio, where he remained one 3'ear, 
when he returned to his parents' home and re- 
mained until, at the age of 20, he entered the 
emplo}' of the A. & G. W. R. R., now known as 
the N. Y., P. & 0. Railway Company. He con- 
tinued in this employ some seven and a half 
years, serving in all the suboi'dinate positions up 
to that of conductor. During the construction 
of the road from Marion to Dayton, he had 
charge of the construction train with from fifty 
to sevent3'-five men, for about a year. Upon 
leaving the railroad compan}', he began work- 
ing for the Continental Life Insurance Com- 
pany of New York, as solicitor. During the 
year he was engaged with this compau}*, he 
took $360,000 worth of lisks. At the expira- 
tion of this time, he engaged with the Enter- 
prise Fire Insurance Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio. 



This was about 1870, since which time he has 
been constantl}' engaged in the insurance busi- 
ness, adding to his agency various companies 
until now the combined assets of the compa- 
nies which he represents reaches the immense 
sum of $100,000,000. His list of companies 
includes some of the oldest and most reliable 
in this and the old countries. In 1876, he took 
the field as an adjuster, and has served with 
distinguished ability in this department since. 
For the past three ^-ears, Mr. Hitchcock has 
served as a special agent and adjuster for the 
Meridian, Fanieul Hall and Fairfield Companies, 
and is now acting in the same capacity for the 
Niagara of New York. He married Miss 
Elizabeth C. Upson, a native of Summit Co., 
Ohio. By this marriage there have been two 
children — one. Eva, living. 

JOSEPH HUGILL, contractor and builder 
in stone and brick, Akron ; was born in York- 
shire, England, September 1, 1834. His father, 
George Hugill, was a railroad contractor. Jo- 
seph was apprenticed at the age of 14 to the 
stone mason's trade and served three years, 
when he came to the United States and settled 
in Cleveland, where he lived with a married 
sister. Remaining in that vicinity several 
years, he went to Canada, where he worked at 
his trade on the Grand Trunk R. R., for two 
3'ears, after which he contracted stone work on 
the Bufl^alo & Lake Huron R. R. He went to 
California via New York and Panama during 
the Frazer River excitement in 1858. He 
went to El Dorado Co., and worked at his trade 
in Placerville one year ; the next 3'ear, he fol- 
lowed mining, and, in 1860. imbued with tlie 
excitement which then prevailed, he went to 
Nevada, working at his trade in Carson Cit3-, 
where he built the county buildings. He next 
went to Virginia Cit3', where he did the stone 
work on the Gould & Curr3- Quartz Mills. He 
returned to Cleveland in 1864 cia Panama and 
New York, and thence to Canada, where, on 
September 28 of the same 3'ear, he married 
Miss Sarah Wells, at Hamilton. She was a 
native of South Dumfries, Brant Co., Canada. 
In the spring of 1866, the3' came to Akron 
where he has since conducted the business of 
contractor and builder in stone and brick. In 
1872. he purchased some land upon which he 
has developed a stone quarry* which furnishes 
an inexhaustible supply of building material. 
B3' their marriage there have been four chil- 



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zfku 



718 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



dren, of whom three are still living, viz , Willie 
E., Franklin W. and Daisy. 

A. J. HUSE, cabinet-maker, is a native of 
Vermont ; he was born in Windsor County, 
June 7, 1804. His father, Robert Huse, was a 
shoemaker b}' trade, but followed farming ; he 
was a native of Massachusetts. His father was 
a sea captain, and lost his life in a storm 
at sea. Robert moved to Rochester, A^t., about 
the year 1797, of which place he was one of 
the pioneers. Our subject was born and raised 
on the farm. At the age of 22 he was ap- 
prenticed to the cabinet trade, and on Sept. 
6, 1829, he married Miss Louisa W. Austin, 
a native of Vermont. The following year the}" 
moved to Cayuga County, New York, where 
he worked at his trade until 183(3, when he 
took the water route to Ohio and settled in 
Middlebury, where he worked at his trade until 
1844 ; he then worked in a woolen machinery 
manufactory until 1872, since which time he 
has done general business pertaining to his 
trade. By his marriage there were five chil- 
dren, of whom but one lives, viz., Charles W., 
of Akron, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Huse have been 
connected with the Universalist Church for the 
past forty years. September 6, 1879, thej^ 
celebrated their golden wedding, on which occa- 
sion friends to the number of 300 joined in the 
ceremonies. 

WILLIAM FOSTER HOPE, manager of 
Aki'on Malleable Iron Works, Middlebury (Sixth 
Ward of Akron), is a native of Pittsburgh, Penn.; 
was born Aug. 4, 1838 ; his father, Richard 
Hope, was a contractor and builder, in which 
capacity he is well known in Pittsburgh, where 
he built man}^ of the leading buildings of that 
city. William F. (subject) lived in his native 
city until September, 1880, receiving his educa- 
tion in the city schools, and also a course 
at Jefferson College. At the age of 18, he 
engaged as a book-keeper with Holmes & Co., 
edge tool manufacturers, where he remained 
two years ; he then engaged in the grain com- 
mission business for himself, continuing for 
four years, when he took a position as general 
ticket agent for the Allegheny Valle}' R. R. for 
seven years. Next, he engaged as book-keeper 
for a wholesale grocery house for two years, 
after which he became book-keeper in the 
Second National Bank of Pittsburgh, remaining 
two years, and then went into the Auditor's 
Department of the Allegheny Valley R. R., and 



remained there until July, 1880, when he came 
to Akron, Ohio, in September following, having 
formed a partnership, in August previous, with 
John F. Greer, under style of Akron Malleable 
Iron works, which is spoken of elsewhere in 
this Work. He was married in February, 1864, 
to Miss Lizzie E. Greer, a native of Pittsburgh. 
They have three children, viz. : Mary E., Annie 
W. and Nellie M. 

A. M. HEATHMAN, groceries, provisions, 
flour and feed, 432 Centre street, Akron, is a na- 
tive of Coventry Township, Summit Co., and 
was born July 28, 1832 ; is the eldest of seven 
children born to Elijah and Melintha (West- 
phall) Heatliman, natives of Springfield and 
Coventr}' Townships. Elijah was the third son 
of Bennett Heathraan, a native of Maryland, 
who came to Coventry in the early pioneer 
days, and followed farming there until his death. 
He was brought up on a farm, and worked 
also at carpenter's trade ; also woi-ked on Ohio 
Canal. Mrs. Heathman died at the residence 
of her daughter, in Copley Township, in the 
summer of 1880. A. M. (subject) lived at 
home until twenty years of age, brought up on 
the farm ; also worked at carpentering, and 
visited Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin 
and Iowa. He was married Nov. 28, 1861. to 
Miss Agnes R. Kidder, a native of Akron, a 
daughter of John and Phoebe (Savage) Kidder, 
who were old residents of the place. In 1872, 
he engaged in the grocery business, the firm, 
Breniger & Heathman, continuing seven years; 
he then sold out and engaged in his present 
place. Five children have been born to him, 
four of whom are living, viz. : Melintha, George, 
Etha and Alexander — Ida, deceased. 

DAVID E. HILL, President of the Hill Sew- 
er Pipe Co., Akron , was born in Cattaraugus 
Co., N. Y., May 25, 1825, and is the youngest 
of four children born to David and Avis (Mc- 
Millan) Hill, natives of Rhode Island, and who 
removed to New York in an earl}'^ day. He 
was a carpenter b}' trade, and died in Cattarau- 
gus Co. at the age of 77 years ; she died at the 
age of 79 j-ears. David E. (the subject) lived 
at home eighteen years ; his brother was a cab- 
inet-maker, and he learned the same trade with 
him. His education was received at the dis- 
trict schools. In 1843, he came to Middlebury, 
Akron, and worked for his uncle, Reuben Mc- 
Millan, manufacturer of woolen machinerv, un- 
til 1849, when the firm of Hill, Foster & Co., for 



■^ 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



719 



the manufacture of stoneware, was formed. The}' 
occupied the old " Black Mills," and continued 
in business until about 1851, when Mr. McMillan 
sold his interest to Hill & Foster. Mr. Hill 
was identified with the business until 1855, and 
retired for one year, at the end of which time 
he came back, and the firm became Hill & Pow- 
ers, and later, Hill & Adams, which continued 
until 1868, when it was merged into a stock 
company, known as the " Hill & Adams Sewer 
Pipe Co.," Mr. Hill being President. He retired 
from the business in 1871. The old firm of 
Hill, Merrill & Co. made the first machine for 
the manufacture of sewer pipe in America. 
About the year 1866, Mr. Hill became one of a 
company of five men, who bought the present 
building, and engaged in the manufacture of 
woolen goods — known as the " Middlebury 
Woolen Mills." The business finally passed 
into the hands of Mr. Hill and John Townsend, 
and in the spring of 1873, the machinei-y was 
sold, the building was fitted for the manufact- 
ure of sewer pipe, and the Hill Sewer Pipe Co. 
was formed and incorporated, with Mr. Hill as 
President ; his son, George R., being Secretary 
and Treasurer, with James Viall as Superin- 
tendent. Mr. Hill has always been a public- 
spirited man, favoring all improvements for the 
benefit of town or county. He served several 
years as a member of Middlebury School 
Board ; also as a member of Cit}' Council of 
Akron, and as a County Commissioner for six 
years. He was an Abolitionist until formation 
of Republican party ; since then he has voted 
with that party. He was married in June, 
1848. to Miss Harriet L. McMillan, a daughter 
of Reuben McMillan. They have had three 
children, but one of whom is living — George R. 
DENNIS A. HINE, deceased ; was born in 
Milford, Conn., in the year 1808. His parents 
moved West and settled in Tallmadge Town- 
ship, Summit Co., Ohio, at an early day. Our 
subject lived on the farm until 1829, when he 
came to Middlebury, and engaged as clerk in a 
general merchandise business of John Mc- 
Millan's, and some years later, in company with 
Mr. M. L. Sherman, he engaged in the general 
merchandise business in Middlebury, they con- 
tinuing a number of years, after which he 
clerked in Middlebury- and at Tallmadge, and 
later conducted a butchering business in Mid- 
dlebury, and next engaged in the fishing busi- 
ness on Lake Huron, after which, in company 



with Drs. Jewett and Wright, conducted a wa- 
ter-cure establishment for a number of years 
in Middlebury ; he then engaged in the nursery 
business, which he followed many years. He 
died July 27, 1878. Dec. 29, 1831, he married 
Miss Lucy A. Smith, a native of Groton, Conn. 
Of their eleven children, but five are living, viz.: 
Henry and Lewis C, both married and live in 
Akron ; Addie, now Mrs. I. L. Bevis, of St. 
Louis, Mo.; Augusta, now Mrs. B. M. Allison, 
of Middlebury ; and Jennie, now Mrs. Jacob 
Replogle, of Middlebury. Mrs. Hine is living 
on the old homestead. 

DR. E. W. HOWARD, physician, Akron ; is a 
native of Andover, Windsor Co., Vt., and comes 
of a family noted for its longevity' ; his father 
reached the age of 89 ; his father's mother 
reached 95 ; a great-aunt reached 115, and his 
great-grandmother the age of 97. Dr. Howard's 
parents, David and Cynthia (Crossman) Howard, 
were natives of Massachusetts. His father's 
family was one of those that contributed all 
their available male force to the Revolutionary 
war ; his grandfather David, with his brothers 
James, Solomon, Joseph and Elias, went as 
soldiers, the latter being killed in the service 
of his country. Dr. Howard, the seventh child 
of a family of ten children, was born April 14, 
1816 ; his youth was spent upon the farm, ac- 
quiring the rudiments of an education in the 
schools of the neighborhood, and more liberal 
advantages in a course at the Chester Academ}^ 
At the age of 19, he made a visit to the West, 
calling on his cousin. Prof R. L. Howard, a 
physician in Elyria ; was by him persuaded to 
study medicine, and accordingly began reading 
with him ; this was in 1835. He subsequently 
attended lectures at Pittsfield, Mass., going later 
to Windsor Co., Vt., to read with L. G. Whiting, 
with whom he read for two years. In 1838, he 
graduated at the Berkshire Medical College, at 
Pittsfield, Mass., when he formed a partnership 
with Prof R. L. Howard, in Elyria, Ohio. He 
practiced at Elyria only a year when he came to 
Akron, where he has remained in the practice of 
his profession up to the present. During the late 
war, he was sent by Gov. Tod to assist in car- 
ing for the wounded after the battle of Antie- 
tam. He was assigned to the hospital at 
Frederick City, Md., where he served about a 
month. In the following winter, the Governor 
again sent him to assist in caring for the troops, 
this time spending several months in hospital 



>1^ 



IX" 



rso 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



work at Nashville, Tenn. Dr. Howard has 
been a member of the Summit Countj Medical 
Society since its organization, of which be has 
also been President. He is also a member of 
the Union Medical Association of Northeastern 
Ohio, which he has served two terms as Presi- 
dent ; of the Ohio State Medical Association, 
and of the American Medical Association. In 
1876, he was a delegate to the International 
Medical Congress, held at Philadelphia. June 
16, 1840, he married Miss Elizabeth Chittenden, 
a daughter of Henry and Elizabeth (Sprague) 
Chittenden, who were natives of Connecticut, 
and pioneers in Springfield Township. There are 
two children — Henry C, for the past seven years 
practicing in partnership with his father ; and 
Frank D., engaged in the foundry business. 

B. C. HERRICK, of Herrick & Cannon, 
wholesale and retail china, ci'ocker}" and glass 
goods, Akron ; is a native of Twinsburg Town- 
ship, in this county, and is the eldest of five 
children, born to J. E. and Philo (Clark) Her- 
rick ; his parents were natives of New England ; 
his father came when a 3'oung man from Massa- 
chusetts to Ohio, settling, in 1825, in Twins- 
burg, where he met and married his wife, a 
native of Connecticut ; she came there with 
her parents in 1826. The older members of 
the famil}'. including herself, walked a greater 
part of the way, while an ox team transported 
the household effects. After marriage they 
settled on a piece of land, cleared it, and are 
still living there, at the advanced age of over 
75. In 1878, they celebrated their golden 
wedding. B. C. Herrick was born Oct. 25, 1829, 
and lived at home on the farm until 25 j-ears 
of age, gaining the foundation of his education 
at the district schools, and later graduated at 
the Twinsburg Institute ; at the age of 18 he 
began teaching winter school, continuing 
through ten seasons. In 1854, he went to New- 
bury, Gi-eauga Co., Ohio, and, with his brother 
Earle, bought the business of E. Stone, Esq., 
and continued dealing in general merchandise, 
butter and cheese, for some two years, under 
the firm name of Herrick & Bros. He then 
sold his interest and bought a farm in Twins- 
burg, where he resided until 1867, traveling, 
however in the meanwhile, as a commercial 
ti-aveler for four years. At this time he came 
to Akron, and in compan}- with his brother-in- 
law, W. B. Cannon, formed the present business 
partnership. Mr. Herrick is a Trustee and 



Steward of the Methodist Church, and takes 
an active interest in church matters. Feb. 4, 
1858, he married Miss H. C. Cannon, a native 
of Aurora. B3' this marriage he has three 
children, Oakle}' C, Winnie C. and Victor M. 
DAVID HANSCOM (deceased) ; was born 
Oct. 18, 1814, on his father's farm, near Port- 
land, Maine ; at the age of 6 years, his parents re- 
moved to Monroe Co., N. Y.; at the age of 18, he 
began learning the cooper's trade, and, when of 
age, he came to Ohio, stopping at Middlebury, 
where he remained one year, working at his 
trade ; he then went to Lake Co., and pursued 
the same business there for three years. In 
1840, his father's family* came to Summit Co. 
and settled on a farm in Portage Township 
which the bo3's bought, the parents living with 
them. Our subject worked at Cuyahoga Falls 
some two years, then went to Ravenna, where 
he kept a hotel ; also kept a hotel (half-way 
house) between Bedford and Twinsburg ; he 
afterward came to Akron, where he con- 
ducted a cooper shop for two years : he then 
kept grocery until 1850, when he sold out to 
James Gardner, his partner ; he then became 
one of a party of about one hundred and fifty 
going to California ; he went to Pittsburgh and 
chartered a steamboat for the party, the}- em- 
barking at Wellsville ; they went direct to St. 
Joseph and thence overland to California, being 
three months on the way. Our subject en- 
gaged in the grocer}' business, and, after aj'ear's 
stay in the land of gold, returned home b}' way 
of Panama and New York. Soon after his re- 
turn, he and his brother Charles (the firm D. & 
C. Hanscom) engaged in the grocery business, 
and, some five or six years later, built on the 
northeast corner of Howard and Market streets, 
also taking their brother George in as a partner, 
under the firm name of Hanscom Brothers ; 
they continued until about 1862, when they 
sold out, and, about a year later, engaged in 
the business again and continued about three 
years, when he again sold out ; one year later, 
one of his rooms ])ecoming vacant, he put in a 
stock of groceries and once more engaged in 
the business, continuing about seven years, 
since which time he lived retired until his 
death, March 26, 1881. The deceased was 
twice married — first, to Miss Sarah Pemberton, 
of Lake Co., Ohio; she died Oct. 21, 1844; 
they had three children, viz., Mrs. Thayer, of 
Westville, Ohio, and John and Coi'nelia. 



ik^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



721 



March 17, 1845, he married Miss Sarah Stim- 
son, a native of New York, and came with her 
parents to Ohio about 1840 ; there are two 
children — Mrs. Jennings, of Al^ron, and Frank. 
COL. JOHN C. HART, deceased, was born 
in Cornwall, Litchfield Co., Conn., April 17, 
1798. In 1802, his father, Rufus Hart, moved 
to Genesee Co., N. Y., where he lived until 
1815, when he moved to Ohio. In the war of 
1812, his father was a Lieutenant in a company 
commanded by Capt. Mallison, and was in the 
battles of Chippewa and Lundy's Lane and 
the burning of Buffalo. Between the age of 
14 and 15, John C. enlisted in a company of 
cavahy at Rocnester, N. Y., under Capt. Stone, 
and was with his father at Newark, Fort George 
and other contested points. He was at Black 
Rock as a bearer of dispatches when the Brit- 
ish attacked Fort Erie in 1814. After the war, 
he and his father returned to Genesee Co., and, 
in 1815, they removed to Ohio, and settled at 
IMiddlebur}-, now the Sixth Ward of Akron. 
At the Jige of 21, John C. started south, going 
on foot to Steubenville, thence by raft down the 
Ohio. His raft lodging, he went on foot to 
Cincinnati, thence by canoe or skiff to Shaw- 
neetown. 111., thence on foot to St. Louis, where, 
for a time, he worked in a mill, and. later, made 
bricks at Milton. The June following, he re- 
turned home and bought 50 acres of land just 
south of Middleburv, which he improved. He 
was married, Feb. 24, 1831, to Miss Margaret 
A. Sterling, by which marriage he had six 
children — four sons and two daughters. She 
died March 7, 1869, and, Dec. 22, 1870, he 
married IMrs. Mary A. Sterling, formerl}' Miss 
Todd, a daughter of Stephen Todd, of Beaver 
Co., Penn. She was born May 1. 1828, 
and, when 16 3'ears of age, her parents removed 
to Wooster, Ohio, and, two years later, to Canal 
Dover, where she married John Sterling, a mer- 
chant of that place. He was born June 16, 1818, 
and died Dec. 14, 1854. By this marriage 
there were two children — John S., of Cleveland, 
and Flora E., now Mrs. Beardsle\', of Cleveland. 
After her husband's death, she moved to New 
Lisbon, thence to Cleveland, where she lived 
until her marriage with Col. Hart, Dec. 22, 
1870. Col. Hart obtained his military title by 
raising a regiment of cavalry at Middlebur3' 
under the old militia law of the State, and of 
which he was commander at the time it was 
disbanded. 



HIRAM HART, retired, Akron ; was born 
in Batavia, Genesee Co., N. Y., June 19, 1804, 
and is the fourth child in a family of seven 
children born to Rufus and Esther (Cotter) 
Hart, who were natives of Goshen, Conn. 
They were married in that State, and moved to 
New York about the 3ear 1798, where they 
farmed until 1815, when he moved to Ohio. 
Two of his sons had come out the preceding 
spring. He settled on 100 acres of land in 
what is now Coventry Township, which he had 
bought before coming to the State, and which 
had been partly improved by a man named 
John Collins. Mr. Hart lived in this vicinit}' 
until his death, which occuiTed in 1840, his 
wife's death also occurring about that time. 
Hiram Hart (our subject) lived at home until 
he was 25 years of age. His educational ad- 
vantages were limited, and confined to the dis- 
trict schools in New York, and a short period 
in Ohio. He was married, Jul\' 18, 1830, to 
^liss Sarah Smith, daughter of Moses and 
Sarah (Haley) Smith, who were natives of 
Massachusetts, and came to Ohio about the 
year 1825. After his marriage, he occupied a 
piece of land containing 50 acres, and continued 
upon it until 1844, when he bought the old 
homestead. In October, 1863, his wife died, 
leaving seven children, three of whom are liv- 
ing — Delos, a farmer in Springfield Township ; 
Milton, cigar manufacturer, Akron, and Louisa, 
now Mrs. Thos. F. Cleveland, of Akron. Soon 
after the death of his wife, Mr. Hart moved to 
Akron, where he has since resided. He was 
married to Mrs. Pratt, formerly Miss Sophia 
M. Packer, a native of New York, who came 
to Ohio with her parents about 1832. They 
settled in Portage C!o., where he died ; she died 
in Akron, where she was living with her daugh- 
ter. He was a prosperous farmer, and was 
widely known as a leading dairjnnan. 

0. W. HALE, Deputy County Clerk; 
Akron ; was born in Bath Township, Summit 
Co., Ohio, April 1, 1841, and is the third of 
five children born to William and Harriet 
(Carlton) Hale. They were natives of Connecti- 
cut and Ohio. She was the daughter of John 
Carlton, who died from wounds receiA-ed in the 
war of 1812. William Hale came to Ohio with 
his parents in the year 1810, they being among 
the first permanent settlers in Bath Township. 
He was raised on the farm where he lived until 
1857, when he located in Hudson, and in 1861 






722 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



he moved on his farm, where he died the year 
following. He was three times married. His 
first wife, Miss Sallie C. Upson, of Tallmadge, 
died about six months after marriage. His 
second wife, who was Miss Harriet Carlton, 
died in 1853. His third wife, Miss Adaline 
Thompson, survives him, and is now the 
Matron of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, at 
Fairbault, Minn. Our subject lived at home 
on the farm until 1861, when he enlisted 
in the 29th 0. V. I., but, owing to his father's 
illness, received his discharge and returned 
home. Sept. 23, 1862, he married Miss Eliza- 
beth Hanson, a native of England, who came 
with her parents to Summit Co. at the age 
of 13. By the marriage there were two chil- 
dren, one, H. C. now living. In 1868, Mr. 
Hale moved to Portage Co.. where he lived 
two years. He then went to Corry, Penn., 
and engaged in the lumber business, and 
two years later he removed to Huntingdon, 
W. Va. where he also engaged in the lum- 
ber business. While at the latter place, he 
lost his wife, in 1874. He next moved to 
Akron and engaged as book-keeper in an 
agricultural implement store. In 1879, he took 
the position of Deputy County Clerk in the 
office under Sumner Nash, and has filled the 
position since. Nov. 26, 1876, he married 
at East Cleveland, Mrs. Cozad, formerly Miss 
L. E. Hine. She has one child by her former 
marriage, viz., Henry Irving Cozad. 

LEVERETT JOSEPH IVES was born 
in Westfield, Mass., on the 19th day of Sep- 
tember, 1806. He was a son of Joseph 
Ives and Sarah Bishop, both natives of New 
Haven, Conn. His paternal ancestor, William 
Ives, likewise recorded " Eves," came, it is 
supposed, from England, previous to 1639. 
He settled in New Haven, and was one of the 
sixty-three original free planters, who, upon 
the 4th day of June, 1639, signed the "Funda- 
mental Agreement of Quinnipiack " in, as tra- 
dition states, the barn of Mr. Robert Newman. 
Joseph Ives, son of William, married Jan. 2, 
1672 or 1673, Mary Yale, born April 16, 1650, 
daughter of Thomas Yale, Esq., and Mary 
Turner, of New Haven. Mary Turner was a 
daughter of Capt. Nathaniel Turner ; he, with 
Mr. Thomas Gregson, of New Haven, were of 
that " Godly company " who perished in the 
Phantom Ship, and both were direct ancestors 
of Leverett Joseph Ives. Gov. Elihu Yale, 



in honor of whom, through his munificent 
donations, Yale College received its name, was 
likewise a son of Thomas Yale, Esq., and 
brother to Mary (Yale) Ives. Ensign and Dea- 
con Samuel Ives, son of Joseph Ives and Mary 
Yale, was born in New Haven, Nov. 6, 1677 ; 
he died there Nov. 24, 1726, aged 49 years ; he 
was one of the first two Deacons of the First 
Society Church of New Haven. He married 
Jan. 3, 1706, Ruth Atwater, born Dec. 31, 1688, 
daughter of Jonathan Atwater and Ruth Peck, 
of New Haven. Ruth Peck was a grand 
daughter of the Rev. Jeremiah Peck, who, " in 
1660, was established, according to an act of 
court, in the Hopkins Collegiate Grammar 
School, of New Haven, and there taught the 
languages and sciences." Capt. Jonathan Ives, 
son of Deacon Samuel Ives and Ruth Atwater, 
was born March 14, 1716, ''which perhaps is 
1716-17." He married Feb. 19, 1737-38, 
Thankful Cooper, daughter of Joseph Cooper, 
of New Haven ; she was born, probably, April 
11, 1721. Capt. Jonathan Ives had four sons, 
all of whom served faithfully in the Revolu- 
tionary war. Jeremiah Ives, son of Capt. 
Jonathan Ives and Thankful Cooper, was born 
in New Haven, Nov. 19, 1738 ; he married June 
7, 1768, Hannah Bassett, born Dec. 26, 1739, 
daughter of Abraham Bassett, of New Haven, 
and Mehitable Street, of Wallingford. Joseph 
Ives, son of Jeremiah Ives and Hannah Bas- 
sett, was born in New Haven, Feb. 2, 1771 ; he 
married Sarah Bishop, born Feb. 3, 1777 ; she 
was a daughter of Isaac Bishop and Sarah 
Macomber, of New Haven. Joseph Ives and 
Sarah Bishop, as already stated, were the 
parents of Leverett Joseph Ives. On the 25th 
of April, 1832, he married in Perry sburg, Cat- 
taraugus Co., N. Y., Fidelia Elvira Field, born 
April 31, 1805, at Grass Hill, Gill, Mass. ; they 
settled in the adjoining town of Lodi. About 
1833, Mr. Ives removed to Hamilton, Canada, 
West. In the spring of 1837, owing to the 
occurrence of the Canada rebellion, being un- 
willing to swear allegiance to the British Crown, 
he removed to Cleveland, Ohio, and in the 
following autumn, became a resident of Akron, 
Ohio, where he lived twenty-three years, ac- 
quiring there prominence as a druggist ; he 
identified himself largely in the interests of the 
town ; was energetic in promoting its early 
growth, and may be truly styled one of its 
pioneers. In 1860, he removed to Chicago, 



*^ 



K. 



CITY OF AKRON. 



723 



111. After remaining in the "West a number of 
years, he returned East, and died at his resi- 
dence, in East Orange, N. J., on the 20th of Sep- 
tember, 1876, aged 70 years and 1 da}-. He was 
honest and upright in his dealings with men, a 
good citizen, a kindl}' friend and neighbor ; his 
manners were pleasing, and full of hospitality ; 
in politics, he originally belonged to the school 
of Whigs ; in 1848, he voted the Republican 
ticket, and adhered thereafter firmly to the 
Anti-Slavery party. He gave to "Old John 
Brown, the martNT," the rifle he took to Kan- 
sas. Prominent in the early histor}' of Akron, 
was the wife of the subject of this sketch. 
Fidelia Elvira Ives, daughter of Rodolphus 
Wright Field and Hannah Dwight Hollister, of 
Grass Hill, Grill, Mass. She traces her lineage 
through a number of the original settlers of 
New England, among whom may be mentioned 
Samuel Wright, of Springfield, Mass. ; Elder 
John Strong, of Northampton, Mass. ; Thomas 
Ford, of Dorchester, Mass. ; Lieut. John Hollis- 
ter and Richard Treat, both of Wethersfield, 
Conn. ; and Zachariah Field, of Northampton, 
Mass., grandson of John Field, of England, the 
astronomer, who, in 1556, wrote the first astro- 
nomical work ever published, based upon the 
tables of the Copernican system ; through it 
he has become known to history as the " Proto 
Copernican " of England. Like her ancestors, 
Fidelia E. Ives possesses energ}^, activity and 
strength of character ; through all the years 
of her residence in Akron, her gentleness of 
spirit and large benevolence secured her many 
friends. 

HENRY WARD INGERSOLL, Akron, 
Ohio. Lemi IngersoU was born in Lee, Berk- 
shire Co., Mass., and was raised on a 
farm. Theodosia S. Humphrey, whom he mar- 
ried, was born at Goshen, Conn. They 
both came, when young, with their re- 
spective families, to this county. Six sons and 
two daughters were the fruit of their marriage. 
The subject of this sketch was born to them 
Oct. 23, 1833, in Richfield Township, Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio. When he was 2 years old, 
his family moved to Hudson. In 1857, he 
graduated from the Western Reserve College, 
and at once entered upon the study of law 
with Van R. Humphrey, of Hudson, then with 
Wolcott and Upson, of Akron, being admitted 
to the bar at the Supreme Court of Columbus, 
on March 29, 1859, after which he located in 



Akron, where he has practiced ever since, ex- 
cept during the period passed in the army. He 
enlisted in September, 1861, in the 2d 0. V. C, 
as a member of the regimental band, serv- 
ing in the Western campaign in the division of 
Gen. Blount. During that and the follow- 
ing years the regiment made an excellent rec- 
ord. After the band was discharged by order 
from the War Department, he enlisted at the 
call of Gov. Brough, in 1864, in 164th Regiment, 
Company A., 0. N. G., and served on the Po- 
tomac, where they were garrisoned in six forts. 
In 1862, he was commissioned by Gov. Tod, 
Captain in the 124th 0. V. I., but owing to the 
consolidation of the companies, he was mustered 
out. He came again to Akron in the fall of 
1864, and has been in continuous practice since. 
For several years he has been a member of the 
Council, and Recorder and Attorney for the 
corporation. In 1863, he was a member of the 
Council and took the census and prepared the 
necessary papers and obtained from the Secre- 
tary- of State, the present charter as a city 
of the second class. For many years he has 
been chorister of the Congregational Church. 
June 6, 1866, he married Miss Sarah H. Board- 
man, of Newton Falls ; there are two children 
living. 

JAMES IRVIN, deceased ; was born in 
Center Co., Penn., May 29, 1806. His father was 
a farmer, and he was raised to the same busi- 
ness. He came to Ohio about the year 1 838, and 
located in Middlebury, at that time one of the 
most energetic business places on the Reserve. 
He here formed a partnership with Mr. John 
Johnson, and did a general merchandise busi- 
ness for a number of years, when Mr. Irvin re- 
tired, and so lived until his death, Sept. 4, 1863. 
He married Nov. 2, 1842, to Miss Martha Clark, 
a native of Springfield Township, Summit Co., 
and a daughter of Wm. L. and Sarah (De 
Haven) Clark. Mrs. Irvin is living still on the 
old homestead, in Middlebury, where so many 
years of her life have been passed ; she has no 
children. Her father, William L. Clark, was a 
native of Union Co., Penn. 

DANIEL A. JAMES, Akron ; youngest 
son of Daniel and Mary (Pells) James, was born 
in Paris Township, Portage Co., Ohio, Oct. 13, 
1846. His father was a native of Wales, and 
died in Portage Co., Ohio, in 1846 ; his mother 
was a native of New York State. He learned 
cabinet-making in Ravenna, Ohio ; in 1866, he 



:r^ 



Mi 



734 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



came to Akron, and worked for Miller, Thomas 
& Co., until 1875, when he started a manufact- 
ory of office and churcli furniture and interior 
decorations, which business he has carried on 
since with fair success ; in 1876, he located at 
218 West Market street, employing five skilled 
workmen constantl}' ; he experiences a stead}' 
growth of business. He is the youngest of 
sixteen children, of whom but five are living. 
In February, 1879, he married Louisa Thomas, 
daughter of George Thomas, of Akron. 

M. JP]WETT, physician, Middlebury ; is a 
native of Massachusetts ; he was born in Grreen- 
wich, Sept. 4, 1815. He came to Ohio in the 
year 1836, and located at Hudson, where he 
read medicine with Drs. Noble and Town ; in 
1839, he began practice at Mogadore, and the 
years 1850 and 1851 he spent in California, 
after which he returned to Ohio, and during the 
winters of 1855-56 and 1856-57, he represented 
Summit County in the State Legislature. In 
1858, he removed to Middlebury, where he has 
since practiced his profession. The Doctor 
attended lectures at Willoughby, Ohio, and 
graduated from that college after its re- 
moval to Cleveland. Now 66 years of age, 
he is one of the oldest practitioners in the 
county ; he has been associated in practice 
with Dr. Ferguson (a former student), of Moga- 
dore, Drs. L. S. Esbright and S. T. OdelCof 
Akron, and at the present time with Drs. C. C. 
Davison and F. W. Reed. Having a great love 
for horticultural matters, he has given his leis- 
ure moments to the management of a small 
farm, and has now in bearing the largest peach 
orchard in the count}-, besides a great variety 
of other fruits, the care of which afford an ap- 
preciated recreation. 

DR. W. C. JACOBS, 605 High street, 
Akron, is a native of Lima, Ohio, where he 
was born Feb. 26, 1840. His parents, T. K. 
and Ann (Elder) Jacobs, were natives of Juni- 
ata Co., Penn., whence they came, in 1836, 
to Ashland, moving two years later to Ijima, 
where they have since lived. His father was 
a tailor by trade, though turning his atten- 
tion to farming in the « new country, and was 
one of the early pioneers of the latter place. 
Dr. Jacobs, the fourth in a family of nine chil- 
dren, spent his early years on the farm and in 
the village until the age of 16. when he received 
an appointment to the National Naval School 
at Annapolis, Md. He resigned in 1859, and 



began the study of medicine in Cincinnati with 
Dr. William Carson, graduating in 1862, at the 
Ohio Medical College in that city. In April, 
1862, he was appointed Assistant Surgeon in 
the 4th 0. V. C, and served with the regiment 
until December, 1862, when he was promoted 
to the position of Surgeon and assigned to the 
81st 0. V. I., with which he served until the end 
of the war. During the Atlanta campaign, he 
served on the Operating Board of the Second 
Division, Sixteenth Army Corps. October, 
1865, he came to Akron, where he has since 
practiced his profession. He is a member of 
the Summit County Medical Societv, of the 
Union Medical Society of Northeastern Ohio, 
of the State Medical Society, and of the Ameri- 
can Medical Association. Of the second named 
societ}' Dr. Jacobs was the first Secretary, and 
has held offices in other of the societies. Sep- 
tember 10, 1863, he married Miss Huldah M. 
Hill, a native of Knox Co., Ohio. Her father, 
Luther Hill, was a native of New York, and 
settled with his parents in Richland Co., Ohio, 
in 1811. Dr. Jacobs has one child — Herald L. 

TIMOTHY S. JONES, of the firm of Jones, 
Wait & Co.. potters, Middlebury, was born in 
Venango Co., Penn., April 22, 1829. His father, 
Alpheus Jones, was a blacksmith. At the age 
of 16, our subject began the potter's trade, and 
worked at same for five years. He then went 
to Tionesta, Penn.. where he was lumbering 
until 1855. In this year he came to Ohio and 
settled in Middlebury', working for three 3'ears 
in the Sewer Pipe Company. He then worked 
as a potter one year, when, in company with 
Harvey Baldwin, he opened a pottery, which 
they coiiducted a number of years, when he sold 
his interest and worked at his trade as a hand. 
In November, 1880, the present company of 
Jones, Wait & Co. was formed. They have 
liberal facilities for making all kinds of stone- 
ware, and will add double their present capacity 
during Uie summer. April 25, 1842, he mar- 
ried Miss Martha H. Watson, a native of Ve- 
nango Co., Penn. Of their seven children, four 
are living, viz., Sarah, now Mrs. D. C. Allen, of 
Middlebury ; Onna, now Mrs. C. M. Wait ; Ada 
H., now Mrs. H. Akers ; and Wilburn L., the 
latter and Mr. Wait Akers and T. S. Jones 
forming the company. 

PARK B. JOHNSTON, Akron, is a native 
of Middlebury (now Sixth Ward of Akron). He 
was born Sept. 23, 1846, and is fifth in a family 



:^" 



iL. 



CITT OF AKROX. 



725 



of ten children born to John and Elizabeth R. 
(Newton) Johnston. Our subject lived at home 
until the year 18G5, when he took a position as 
clerk in the Post Office Department at Wash- 
ington, D. C, where he remained until 1871. 
He then returned to Akron and took the posi-. 
tion of Deputy Auditor, which office he held 
until November, 1880. Oct. 16, 1878, he mar- 
ried Miss Lois Caruthers, a daughter of Perry 
C and Cj'nthia Clark Caruthers, of Tallmadge 
Township. By the marriage there is one child, 
viz., Ethel Lois Johnston. 

MRS. ELIZA KENT, Middleoury (Sixth 
Ward), is the widow of Roswell Kent. He was 
born in Leyden, Mass., May 18, 1798, and was 
a son of Zenas and Ann (Plumb) Kent, who 
were natives of Massachusetts. They removed 
to Ohio about the year 1812, and settled in 
Hudson, where he followed his trade of carpenter 
and joiner. He soon after settled on a farm in 
Portage Co., and lived in that vicinity until his 
death, which occurred in 1824. Mrs. Kent 
lived with her son Roswell until her death, 
which occurred in Middlebury about the 3'ear 
1838. Roswell Kent lived at home until some 
time after attaining his majority. His educa- 
tional advantages were limited. When he be- 
came of age, he went to Ravenna, where he 
clerked in his brother's store. About 1820, he 
came to Middlebury to establish a business for 
his brother and 3Ir. Oviatt, and about the j-ear 
1826 he bought the establishment, continuing 
in the business for a number of years. He then 
engaged in the manufacture of woolen machin- 
ery and later in the manufacture of sewer-pipe, 
which he followed until his death, which occurred 
July 19, 1871. He was married to Miss Eliza 
Hart, who was born August 6, 1808, in Middle- 
bury, and was the first white child born there, 
and the third in Tallmadge Township. She was 
the seventh child in a family of eight children 
of Joseph and Annie (Hotchkiss) Hart. He 
was a native of Nova Scotia, and at the age of 
12 years went to sea, being a sailor for a num- 
ber of years, and finally became captain of a 
vessel. His wife was a native of New Haven, 
Conn. In 1804-5, they came to Ohio and 
stopped at Deerfield, and in April, 1808, came 
to Tallmadge Township, where the same year 
they erected a saw and griet mill. He died 
about the year 1830. Mrs. Hart lived in this 
vicinit}' with her son William until her death. 
Mr. and Mrs. Kent had seven children, of whom 



but three are living — Ella K., now Mrs. Finley 
McNaughton, of Akron ; Russell H., of the Ak- 
ron Stone Ware Company, of Middlebur}', and 
Flora K., now Mrs. T. S. Paige. 

DAVID L. KING, manufacturer, Akron ; 
was born in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, Dec. 
24, 1825. He was the third son of a family of 
eight children born to Leicester and Julia Ann 
(Huntington) King, both natives of New En 
gland. Mr. King's father commenced business 
as a merchant in Westfield, Mass., but, in 1817, 
desiring to establish himself in business at 
Natchez, Miss., he came West, spending some 
weeks in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio. He pro- 
ceeded to his destination, where, although the 
prospect of success was ver}" bright, he could 
not reconcile himself to the thought of rearing 
his famil}' under the degrading influences of 
slaver}'. He finall}^ abandoned his scheme, and 
returned to New York b}- vessel, narrowly 
escaping death from the 3'ellow fever on the 
voyage. The same year, he removed to War- 
ren, Ohio, and engaged in a successful mercan- 
tile business until 1833, when he became inter- 
ested in the land upon which Akron is built. 
He served one term as Associate Judge, and 
subsequent!}' represented the Trumbull County 
District in the State Senate for two terms, from 
1835 to 1839. He became an ardent opponent 
of the institution of slaverj, and afterward 
allied himself with the Liberty party, refusing 
the most flattering offers of advancement from 
the Whigs, in obedience to his convictions upon 
the question of slavery. He was the nominee 
of this party for Governor in 1844, and of the 
Free-Soil party for Vice President in 1847. 
though he subsequently declined, and gave his 
support to Mai'tin Van Buren. He died Sept. 
19, 1856, just as the principles for which he 
had labored were made the foundation of that 
great political party which has carried them on 
to such glorious fruition. The subject of this 
sketch, David L. King, graduated at an early 
age at Harvard College, and removed to Akron 
in 1846, where he at once entered upon the 
study of law in the office of King & Taylor. 
He was admitted to the bar in Cleveland in 
1848, and, in 1851, established his residence 
there, practicing his profession with success 
until 1856, when he returned to Akron. 
Here, in 1867, he abandoned his profession and 
accepting the offices of Secretary and Treas- 
urer in the Akron Sewer Pipe Co., the largest 



\ 



^'. 



726 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



institution of the kind in the world, he engaged 
in the manufacture of " vitrified sewer pipe." 
Since that time, this constantl}' increasing busi- 
ness has absorbed his wliole attention, liapid 
success followed his management of this com- 
pany, the product of which in the past year 
reached the amount of $400,000. The com- 
pletion of the Atlantic & Great Western Rail- 
way, in 1864, gave a great impetus to the 
manufacturing interests of Akron, and to Mr. 
King's intelligent activity and financial ability 
is largely due the advanced position as a manu- 
facturing point of which Akron is justly proud. 
All enterprises for the promotion of the city's 
growth have found in Mr. King a liberal sup- 
porter and a capable worker. He was promi- 
nent in securing the extension of the Baltimore 
& Ohio Railroad, and, in 1871, was elected Pres- 
ident of the Valley Railroad, the establishing 
of which he did so much to secure. At 
the death of his father, Mr. King assumed 
the management of the large landed estate 
which his father owned in company with Gen. 
Simon Perkins, pursuing a policy in the dis- 
posal of these lands which materially aided the 
interests of the growing city. A member of 
St. Paul's Episcopal Church, and for fourteen 
years an active Superintendent of its Sunday 
school, he has ever been found a prominent 
worker in all charitable and benevolent enter- 
prises. He is known throughout the com- 
munity as an indefatigable worker, and is highly 
esteemed. He was married, May 1, 1849, to 
Miss Bettie Washington Steele, of Charleston, 
Va., a grand-neice of Gen. Washington. Of this 
union were born Ellen Lewis, Bettie Steele, 
Howell Steele, Susan Huntington and Martha 
Perkins King, all of whom are living except 
Ellen Lewis, who was married, Jan. 19, 1870, to 
David R. Paige, of Akron, and died Dec. 20, 
1878, leaving two sons, Charles Cutler, born 
Nov. 25, 1870, and David King, born May 20, 
1872. The second daughter, Bettie Steele, was 
married, Dec. 10, 1873, to John Gilbert Ray- 
mond, of Akron, and has one child, Harrv 
King, born April 29, 1877. 

FRANK J. KNAPP, manufacturer of stone- 
ware, Akron, is a native of Baden, Germany. 
His parents, John and Barbara (Schneider) 
Knapp, came to Amei'ica in 1847 and settled at 
Pittsburgh, going thence to Minnesota, and, in 
1850, to Akron. His father was a stone-mason 
and followed the trade in this country ; he died 



about 1867 ; his wife died three years previous. 
Frank J. was born in Germany June 4, 1840 ; 
he came to this country with his parents, with 
whom he lived until he was about 22 3'ears of 
age. At the age of 13, he was apprenticed to 
the potter's trade, and six jears later, he was 
conducting his own shop ; entering his wares 
at an agricultural fair, he secured the first 
premium over five competitors. He has been 
conducting the business here ever since, save 
for eight years, during three of which he was 
engaged at the business in Stark County, and 
later, worked five years with Johnson & Bald- 
win, in the Sixth Ward. He started his pres- 
ent business in 1868 or 1869, which has grown 
until he now employs about thirty hands and 
from four to six teams, turning out from 12,000 
to 15,000 gallons per week. His business is 
done entirely upon orders, although he employs 
no agents. In 1862, he married Miss Louisa 
Hines, of Coventry, Summit Co., Ohio, and by 
her had three children, two of whom are now 
living — Mary and Emma. In the fall of 1878, 
he married Miss Katie Strumk, of Wadsworth, 
Medina Co., Ohio. 

REUBEN N. KRATZ, book-keeper, Akron ; 
was born in Milton Township, Wayne Co.. Ohio, 
July 2, 1845 ; at 18 he began teaching, having 
received a good high-school education at Smith- 
ville. Until 1870, he taught in Medina, Sum- 
mit and Wayne Counties. In 1871, he went to 
Pentwater. Mich., where, for two years, he had 
charge of the Union schools. In 1873, he 
came to Akron, and, in August of the same 
year, was married to Miss Amanda Miller, 
daughter of Charles Miller, of Akron ; she 
bore him two sons ; one is deceased. He en- 
tered the employ of Mr. Miller, having charge 
of the shops and lumber yards ; finally, the 
firm was changed to Miller & Kratz. In 1877, 
he became a partner with Harvey F. Miller, 
continuing one year, followed by a year of 
teaching in the public school, since which time 
he has been book-keeper for D. W. Thomas. 
His mother was a native of Bucks Co., Penn., 
and his father, Jacob Kratz, was of German 
descent, also a native of Bucks Co., Penn., 
where he engaged in farming ; he came to 
Wajaie Co., Ohio, in 1838, and resided on a 
farm there until his death in 1872, leaving a 
family of five sons and one daughter, all now 
living, viz. : Samuel, a farmer in Wayne Count}' ; 
Maria, wife of J. C. Stiner, of same count}^ ; 



^ 



vS) 



CITY OF AKRON. 



727 



Reuben N. (subject) ; Henry E., of Bucyrus, 
Ohio ; Jacob L., farmer at Salt River, Mich., 
and Lee Gr., a student in the Cincinnati Con- 
servatory of Music. Reuben N. Kratz is a 
member of the English Lutheran Church, and 
Superintendent of the Sabbath school. 

J. A. KOHLER, lawyer, Akron, Ohio ; is a 
son of Henry Kohler, and was born Aug. 15, 
1835, in Franklin Township, in this county. He 
received his education at the public schools of 
the neighborhood, and at 18, went to the Lodi 
Academy. In 1853, he came to Akron, where 
he apprenticed himself to one Sanford for four 
years, and then began the study of law with N. 
W. Groodhue, and was admitted to the bar in 
1859 ; elected Prosecuting Attorney two terms, 
beginning in 1868 and continuing to 1872 ; 
practiced with Hon. Sidney Edgerton for a num- 
ber of years, and since 1881, in firm of Kohler 
& Saddler. He was married in May, 186U, to 
Miss Frances Coburn, daughter of Dr. Coburn, 
of Akron. The}' have two children — Burt and 
George. Subject's grandfather came from Hol- 
land, and settled in Berks Co., Penn., at begin- 
ning of 19th century. He was born about 1788, 
and was a soldier in the war of 1812 ; he came 
to Franklin Township, this county, about 1836, 
where he lived until his death in 1843. 

RICHARD H. KNIGHT, publisher of Akron 
City Times, Akron, Ohio ; is the second son in 
a family of seven children born to Jonathan 
and Deborah (Barber) Knight, Connecticut. 
The father was of English descent, but was 
born in Norwich, Conn., where he followed 
farming until 1832, when he came to Ohio and 
settled at Ridgeville, and resided there until his 
death. He had three sons and four daughters ; 
five children still living. Richard H. (subject) 
was born Nov. 11, 1813, in Litchfield Co., Conn., 
and came with his father's family to Ridgeville 
as above (in 1832) and followed farming and 
stone-cutting in Lorain Co. for fourteen years, 
and then moved to Dover, Cuyahoga Co., where 
he lived until 1873. He owned a farm there, 
on which was a stone quariy, and he worked in 
the various departments of stone-work at Ely- 
ria, and on the Cleveland, Columbus & Cin- 
cinnati R. R. In 1873, he removed to Akron, 
and purchased the Akron Cif>/ Times, and has 
devoted himself to the business management of 
it since. He was married Dec. 31, 1837, to ]Miss 
Emma Beebe, of Ridgeville, Ohio. They have 
three children, viz.: Eber H., carpenter, at 



Grand Rapids, Mich. ; Ellen, a teacher at Cu}-- 
ahoga Falls, Ohio, and Clarence R., editor of 
the x\kron Citi/ Times, who was born at Dover, 
Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, Aug. 9, 1850. He (Clar- 
ence R.) entered Lombard University, at Gales- 
burg, 111., at the age of 17 years, for four years, 
and in 1871-72 was in the Ohio Wesleyan 
University, at Delaware, Ohio. Came to Akron 
in 1872, and at the opening of Buchtel College, 
matriculated and finished the course in 1873; 
when in the December following he took charge 
of the editorial department of the Times, which 
position he has since retained. 

ARZA KELLOGG, retired, Akron. The 
birthplace of our subject was in Addison Co., 
N. Y. His parents were David and Christiana 
(Traver) Kellogg. From the date of his birth, 
which was Feb. 11, 1799. he lived there for 
thirty-five years, attending school in his boy- 
hood, and acquiring a thorough common-school 
education. When he attained his majority, he 
began to fight his own life-battles, and farmed 
at that place until 1834, when he discontinued 
the vocation, and, with a good team, started for 
Akron, which place he reached in September. 
For several years he engaged in teaming, but 
when, in 1848, the "gold fever " reached Akron, 
he grew discontented, and, in the spring of the 
following year, he, in company with fifteen oth- 
ers, driving thi'ee six-horse teams, traversed 
the overland route, arriving at Sacramento in 
August, which was five months from the time 
of his leaving Akron. There he engaged in the 
dairy and gardening business, within two miles 
of Sacramento, on the river, all the products 
selling for high prices ; this he followed with 
good success for four years, at the end of which 
time he returned to Akron. It was in the spring 
of 1854 that he bought his present place, on 
Maple street, the lot consisting of 5:^ acres. In 
1856, he was employed as Sexton of the Akron 
Rural Cemeter3% which place he held for twelve 
years, since which time he has farmed land 
which he owned here. In 1874, he was ap- 
pointed Superintendent of the Akron Cold 
Spring Co., and is one of its principal stock- 
holders. In March, 1825, he married Miss 
Polly Marshall, of Starksboro, Vt., from which 
union one child was the issue, whom the}' 
named Julia 0., and who died at Akron in her 
19th year. His wife, Polly, is a granddaughter 
of Rev. Joseph Marshall, a noted and eccentric 
clergyman of Starksboro, Vt. 



-"^ — ©pv ^ 



^ 



728 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



SAMUEL A. LANE, Mayor of Akron, and 
whose portrait appears in this work, was born 
in Suffleld, Hartford Co., Conn., June 29, 1815. 
His father, Mr. Comfort Lane, commonly called 
b}' his townsmen " Judge Lane," beside culti- 
vating a small farm, carried on quite an exten- 
sive carriage building establishment, his spe- 
cialty being the old fashioned, ante-railroad, 
thorough-brace stage coach ; " Judge " Lane 
was also something of an inventor, and beside 
fabricating a number of labor-saving devices 
for facilitating his own business, was the 
inventor of a cotton-picking machine called the 
" Suffield cotton gin," that, when perfected, he 
expected, would rival if not entirely super- 
sede the celebrated Whitne}' cotton gin, then 
and ever since mainly used by the cotton 
planters of the United States. The letters 
patent, on parchment, for this machine, bearing 
the autograph signatures of John Quincy Ad- 
ams, Pi-esident, Henry Cla}', Secretary of State, 
and William Wirt. Attorne}- General, and the 
great seal of the United States, under date of 
March 24, 1825, are still in the possession of 
the subject of this sketch. Mr Lane, the father, 
d3'ing before successfull}' introducing his ma- 
chine to the public, it was never utilized, and 
the expenses incurred in its invention, construc- 
tion, patenting, etc., were of course a dead loss. 
The boyhood of "Lant," as he was familiarly 
called, was about equally divided between the 
district school, the farm, and the painting room 
of the, carriage-shop, it being the intention of 
his father to bring him up to the trade of a 
carriage painter — his next elder brother, Henry 
Leander, being designed by the provident 
father to be a wood- workman in the same line 
of business. The death of the father, however, 
Sept. 20, 1828, when Alanson was but 13 years 
old, thwarted this plan so far as he was con- 
cerned, though the brother, who had already 
been at work a year or so as an apprentice to 
the trade, was enabled to secure a situation in 
the then celebrated establishment of George & 
Henry Francis, in Hartford, and complete his 
trade. The condition of the deceased father's 
affairs was such, on settlement of the estate, 
that it became necessar}^ for the sons old 
enough to do so to win their own bi-ead. B}- 
working for the neighboring farmers in summer 
and doing chores for his board while attending 
school winters, Alanson was not only able to 
provide for himself but also to contribute 



something toward the replenishment of the 
famil}^ larder until the spring of 1831, when, by 
an arrangement made for him by his eldest 
brother. Comfort U. Lane, who had been for sev- 
eral years a clerk in the store of Owen & Hurl- 
but, extensive paper manufacturers in the village 
of South Lee, Berkshire Co., Mass., he entered 
the adjoining store of Mr. Billings Brown, 
quite an extensive mill owner in the same vil- 
lage — the distance from Suffield to South Lee 
being about fifty miles. Commencing with Mr. 
Brown May 1, 1831, being then not quite 16 
years old, the relations of the merchant and his 
clerk were of the most friendly and confiden- 
tial character for a year and a half, when Mr. 
Brown, b}- reason of his other more important 
interests, substantially abandoned his mercan- 
tile business, and, in the fall of 1832, 3'oung 
Lane's clerkship was transferred to the store of 
Mr. Austin Ha3'den, in the more important vil- 
lage of Pittsfield, in the same county. Here 
he remained until the spring of 1833, when, on 
visiting home (after an absence of just two 
years, during which time he had outgrown the 
knowledge of his-most intimate acquaintances), 
he entered into an arrangement with a Hart- 
ford book publisher to canvass Merrimack Co., 
in the State of New Hampshire, for Goodrich's 
History of the United States. Simultaneously 
with his arrival at Concord, the count}- seat of 
Merrimack Co. and the capital of the State, was 
the arrival of Gen. Andrew" Jackson, President 
of the LTnited States, who, with his Cabinet, was 
at that time making a grand triumphal tour 
through New England. The military and civic 
display on that occasion was probably greater 
than was ever witnessed in that State, either be- 
fore or since, and though the embryo book agent 
was obliged to sleep for two consecutive nights 
in a stage coach in the stable yard of the hotel 
where he had intended to stop, he laughingly 
remarks that he has always felt gratified at the 
honors then and there paid to //«'?» and "Old 
Hickor}-." Though his father had been a stanch 
Democrat before him, the sight of the old hero 
and the "pomp and circumstance" of that oc- 
casion, probably had a tendency to confirm 
young Lane in his Democratic proclivities, and 
in making him, for many 3'ears after attaining 
his majority, an active member of the Demo- 
cratic partj'. The display' over, the canvassing 
business was vigorously proceeded with, every 
family and business establishment in the cit}' 



liL 



CITY OF AKRON. 



729 



and county being visited, and the work so sat- 
isfactorily done, that on his return to Hartford, 
thougli then but a little over 17 years old, he 
was detailed to do similar work in Georgia and 
South Carolina, with his headquarters at Au- 
gusta. Arriving at his destination in January, 
1834, the principal towns in the river counties 
above that point, in both States, were canvassed 
during the winter, spring and early summer, 
and a good portion of the books delivered. A 
hitch in the receipt of books from the North 
occurring, in the latter part of the summer, 
young Lane entered the office of the South- 
ern Spy, an anti-nullification or radical Union 
paper, as assistant editor and general helper, in 
the village of Washington, Wilkes Co., Ga., 
then and for many years afterward the home of 
the since notorious Southern politician and 
rebel General, " Bob " Toombs. At the close 
of the election campaign, in October, 18.34, in 
which the Unionists of Wilkes Co. were tri- 
umphant over the Nullifiers for the first time in 
several years, and having closed his canvassing 
matters, young Lane, with a view of resuming 
mercantile operations somewhere in the South, 
visited Mobile and New Orleans, in both of 
which cities, in January, 1835, he made a dili- 
gent effort to obtain a clerkship, but being a 
stranger, and there being at least twenty appli- 
cants to each vacancy, he was unsuccessful, and 
concluded to return North. Leaving New Or- 
leans by steamer, and making short stops — 
at Louisville, Cincinnati and Columbus — he 
reached Cleveland about the 1st of March, 
whence he proceeded directly to Aurora, in 
Portage Co., where an aunt and other ac- 
quaintances from Connecticut resided. After a 
somewhat prolonged visit among his Aurora 
friends, and a short time spent at Ravenna, the 
county seat of Portage Co., he wended his way 
to the then new village of " Cascade," now the 
busiest portion of the city of Akron, taking 
up his abode at the "Pavillion House," kept b}' 
Mr. Charles B. Cobb, now residing on his mag- 
nificent farm just west of the city limits. This 
hotel stood on the northwest corner of Howard 
and Market streets, where the fine brick block 
of Dr. E. W. Howard and Edward Oviatt, Esq., 
now stands. Being now rather short in funds — 
in fact, substantially "dead broke " — our young 
adventurer was glad to avail himself of Mr. 
Cobb's offer to let him work for his board — 
clerking, tending bar, waiting on guests, etc. — 



until something more favorable should " turn 
up." This was on the 10th day of June, 1835, 
and nineteen days before he had attained his 
20th birthday. Mercantile clerkships being 
less plenty than aspirants therefor, and no eli- 
gible situation presenting itself, our impecunious 
young friend continued to mix whisk}' toddies 
and perform the multifarious duties of a village 
hotel tapster for about two months, when he 
was offered and accepted a temporary situation 
in the shop of a house and sign painter by the 
name of Burt, as a sort of half-apprentice, half- 
journeyman, at ver}' low wages, and to board 
in the family of his employer — the very first 
jobs assigned to him being some ornamental 
work be3'ond the skill and capacity of his em- 
ployer and so-called instructor. Applying him- 
self diligentl}' to the business in hand, with his 
natural taste for designing, lettering, etc., and 
his youthful experience in and about his 
father's carriage-shop, he was in three months 
the peer of his employer in all branches of the 
business carried on, and, in some, his superior. 
This arrangement continued until about the 1st 
of December, 1835, when work substantial!}^ 
closing down for the winter, our young " artist " 
returned to his old quarters at the Pavilion. 
Shortly afterward, however, he was offered and 
accepted the position of " pedagogue," in 
School District No. 7, Portage Township, about 
a mile and a half west of Akron, on the Medina 
road. Though not liberally educated, having 
graduated from the district school of his native 
town at the age of 15 years, and though several 
of his scholars were older than himself, and 
one or two in some branches greatly his supe- 
riors, he managed to get creditably through 
his term of three months, or at all events to 
draw, if not earn, the munificent salar}' which 
the Trustees had stipulated to pay him, to wit : 
%11 a month and hoard 'round. In tlie spring 
of 1836, yielding to his natural tastes in that 
direction, his dire necessities, and the encour- 
agement of his friends, Mr. Lane, then not 
quite of age, rented a shop and started in busi- 
ness on his "own hook," as a full-fledged 
" house, sign and ornamental painter," soon at- 
taining, and for many years maintaining, a fair 
standing in that profession. 

In Septembei-, 1837, while successfully pursu- 
ing his chosen avocation as a painter, availing 
himself of the slight knowledge of the printing 
business and journalism acquired in the office 



^ 



730 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



of the Southern Spy, and taking an active interest 
in the reformatory measures then being inau- 
gurated for ridding the village of certain profes- 
sional gamblers and other disreputable charac- 
ters, Mr. Lane commenced, and for a year and 
half maintained, the publication of a small 
semi-monthly paper, under the unique title of 
the Akron Buzzard, a more extended history 
of which will be found under the head of the 
" Press of Summit County," Mr. L., however, 
continuing his painting business without inter- 
ruption. November, 11, 1838, Mr. Lane then 
23 years old, was married to Miss Paulina Pot- 
ter, of Castleton, Ontario Co., N. Y., the foster- 
sister of Mr. Paris Tallman, now living in 
happy retirement from active business, at No. 
803 East Market street. A few days later, Mr. 
Henry L. Lane, the carriage builder heretofore 
spoken of, arrived in Akron from Connecticut, 
with the view of establishing himself in busi- 
ness here, and at the earnest solicitation of the 
brother, and to alla}^ the fears of his young 
wife for his personal safet}^, by reason of his 
fearlessly exposing the disreputable charac- 
ters and practices of the village, combined 
with other causes, in March, 1839, the Buz- 
zard was discontinued, and a copartnership 
was formed between the two brothers, under 
the firm name of H. L. & S. A. Lane, for the 
purpose of carrying on a general carriage mak- 
ing and painting business. Shops were erected 
on the site now occupied by the brick black- 
smith-shop of James A. Moody, on South Main 
street. Though quite limited in means, every- 
thing in those days having to be done on the 
" truck and dicker " principle, a fair business 
was being done, when, on the 20th day of July, 
1841, the elder brother, Henry L. Lane, sud- 
denly died, about two months, only, after his 
marriage to Miss Sarah Hovey, of Granville, 
Ohio. The surviving junior partner continued 
the business, though to great disadvantage, by 
reason of his non-acquaintance with the main 
branches thereof, until the close of that year, 
when he associated with himself an old gradu- 
ate of his father's establishment, lately arrived 
from Connecticut, Mr. Jonathan Remington, 
the father of Mr. 0. H. Remington, the jeweler 
now doing business on Howard street. The 
new firm of Lane & Remington continued in 
operation about two years, when the concern 
was sold to other parties. Too close applica- 
tion to his own branch of the business (paint- 



ing) having by this time very materially im- 
paired Mr. Lane's health, and having meantime 
also become deeply interested in the success of 
the Washingtonian Temperance Reform, then 
agitating the country, in the spring of 1844, 
Mr. Lane again embarked in the newspaper 
business, in connection with Mr. William T. 
Coggeshall, as detailed elsewhere, reviving the 
Buzzard as a temperance organ, but soon 
changing its name to the Cascade Roarer, which 
was continued with a fair degree of success for 
something over two years, Mr. Lane leaving 
to his partner the general conduct of the office, 
and devoting most of his own time to lecturing, 
canvassing for subscribers to the paper, corres- 
pondence, etc. One novel feature adopted by 
Mr. Lane, as a lecturer, was to take the other 
side, i. e., traveling in connection with another 
lecturer, and discussing the question pro and 
con, Mr. Lane using the same arguments in favor 
of drinking, selling, etc., usually urged by 
drinkers and venders, and by carrying them out 
to their legitimate results, with the introduction 
of ludicrous illustrations to show that the use 
of intoxicating liquors, instead of shortening, 
prolongs life ; instead of poverty, brings riches ; 
instead of sorrow, happiness, etc., often produ- 
cing a greater impression upon the minds of 
those addicted to their cups, and those engaged 
in the traffic, than the most eloquent straight- 
forward lecturing could possibly do, the " dis- 
cussions," unlike the regulation temperance lect- 
ure, calling out the very classes sought to be 
reformed and benefited. On the discontinuance 
of the Cascade Roarer, in the fall of 1846. Mr 
Lane continued to occupy the lecture field, for 
the most part, until the fall of 1847, when, with 
improved health, he again embarked in the 
painting business, assiduously devoting himself 
thereto until the spring of 1850, so closely, in 
fact, that during the previous j-ear a serious re- 
lapse of his old malady — a sort of paralysis of 
the stomach, or an aggravated form of dyspepsia 
— had substantially unfitted him for that or any 
other active business. With the view of bet- 
tering his physical as well as his financial con- 
dition, with some 200 other Summit Co. men, 
he started overland for California on the 14th 
day of March, 1850, and though many of his 
friends believed that, in the pi'ecarious condi- 
tion of his health, he would never live to reach 
the Pacific Coast ; and though the journey was 
very hazardous and fatiguing, he not only got 






•k* 



CITY OF AKRON. 



731 



safely through, but heavier by thirt3'-two 
pounds than when he left Akron, and six pounds 
heavier than ever before in his life ; a condition 
of things — thanks to the pure air, vigorous ex- 
ercise and coarse food of the plains and mount- 
ains, and the salubrious climate of California — 
more than maintained during his entii-e two 
years sojourn upon the Pacific Coast. Arriving 
at Placerville, the first town entered in Califor- 
nia, August 4, ] 850, after a day or two spent 
among the mines, and a stop of one day at Sac- 
ramento, Mr. Lane proceeded immediately to San 
Francisco, where he remained during his stay in 
California, making his rooms the general head- 
quarters of Summit Co. gold-seekers visiting 
the city, whether en route for home or on their 
wa}' to the mines via the Isthmus route ; also 
acting as the regular semi-monthly correspond- 
ent of both the Beacon and the Democratic 
Standard, in keeping the " loved ones at home " 
posted as to the movements of their friends in 
the mines and other portions of California — a 
service very greatly appreciated by the people 
of Akron and Summit Co. 

On reaching San Francisco, a few days were 
spent in " prospecting," and finding nothing bet- 
ter suited to his tastes or his finances, Mr. Lane, 
having thoroughly regained his health and 
3'outhful vigor, then being 35 j-ears of age, 
again embarked in the painting business, rent- 
ing a small second floor room for a shop, and 
earning with his own hand over and above his 
board and expenses, about $200 per month. At 
that time, Mr. James G. Dow, a former Akron 
merchant, one of the " Forty-niners," was en- 
gaged in the retail auction business, which was 
netting him about $3,000 per month. In Octo- 
ber, Mr. Dow disposed of his stock of goods, 
with the view of spending the winter with his 
family in Massachusetts. Before leaving, Mr. 
Dow advised Mr. Lane and Mr. Charles G. Cald- 
well, also a " Forty-niner," and an Akron boy, 
then operating a small " ranch " — growing milk, 
butter, eggs, etc. — at Sacramento, to embark in 
the auction business, in which he had done so 
well, offering to lease to them for six months a 
building owned b}- him, on the corner of Jack- 
son and Montgomery streets, for which he was 
then receiving $800 per month in rents, for 
$600 per month, $350 of which was to be paid 
monthly in advance to the land-owner, the re- 
maining $250 to remain in their hands until 
his return in the spring. The plan appearing 



perfectly feasible, Mr. Lane added his little 
" pile " of about $600 to the Mr. Caldwell's cash 
surplus of about $1,400. the firm of Lane & 
Caldwell borrowing $1,000 from a mutual 
friend, and with a cash capital of a little over 
$3,000, " sailed in," Mr. Dow aiding them in 
the purchase of their goods and in getting 
started. The " grand opening " took place Dec. 
1 , 1 850, and for a time gave promise of abundant 
success. Within three weeks, however, and al- 
most before Mr. Dow had got outside the har- 
bor, one of those sudden and disastrous com- 
mercial revulsions then peculiar to the Pacific 
Coast — a regular panic and stagnation in al- 
most every branch of trade — occurred, in con- 
sequence of which not only was it almost im- 
possible to sell anything, at any price, but 
affecting the wholesale trade to such an extent 
that they could go into the market and dupli- 
cate the ver}' goods the}' had in stock at less 
than one-half the prices they had paid for them. 
This condition of things continued for several 
months, the result being, that though thev 
struggled hard, and held on in hopes of better 
times, they sunk every dollar invested (though 
managing finally to refund their borrowed mon- 
ey), besides coming out, at the end of the six 
months, nearly $1,500 in debt to their generous- 
hearted landlord ; the building, however, having 
been destroyed in the big fire of Ma}- 4, 1851, 
about one month before the expiration of the 
lease. Before this, however, Mr. Lane had re- 
turned to his paint-pots and brushes, and Mr. 
Caldwell to his cows and chickens, which, in 
the mean time, had been in chai-ge of Mr. Will- 
iam H. White, also an Akronian, and now the 
head miller in the Allen Mills of Akron. On 
his return, about the 1st of June, 1851, Mr. 
Dow, after listening to the lugubi'ious story of 
the broken-down merchants, philosophically re- 
marked : " Well, boys, you've had a pretty 
rough time of it, but it's all in a life-time ; and 
there's one consolation about it, the more you 
have of it the shorter'll be the life-time. But," 
he continued, " I'll not be hard on you, boys, 
for I know how it feels to be a ' busted- up com- 
munity' myself and if you'll make me up 50 
cents on the dollar. 111 call it square." This offer 
was of course gladly accepted, each contributing 
his equal share, Mr. Lane at this time earning 
at his trade about $300 per month, net. Soon 
after this, Mr. Dow and IMr. Charles W. Tap- 
pan, a lately-arrived Akronian, embarked in the 



732 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



same business which had proved so disastrous 
to Messrs. Lane & Caldwell, in which, the panic 
being over, they made money very rapidly, 
their net pi-ofits averaging over $150 per day 
for a year or more thereafter. Mr. Lane con- 
tinued to wield the brush with varied success 
all the time, however, earning good wages, un- 
til about the middle of September, 1851, when 
he entered the service of Messrs. Dow & Tap- 
pan, as an auctioneer, on a salary of $275 per 
month. About the 1st of November, the firm 
established a branch store on the same street, 
with Mr. Lane and a young Massachusetts 
Yankee by the name of Humphre}' Sawyer, as 
salesman. Dec. 1, Messrs. Lane and Sawyer, 
and Hallett Kilbourn, another Akron boy, 
(now a well-known operator in Washington 
City), each bought a one-fourth interest in the 
" branch," Messrs. Dow & Tappan retaining the 
other one-fourth, Mr. Dow doing the purchas- 
ing, and the junior partners running the " che- 
bang." Feb. 1, 1852, Mr. Kilbourne withdrew, 
Messrs. Lane & Sawyer, then, with the old firm 
of Dow & Tappan, becoming each one-third 
owners. March 1, Messrs. Lane & Sawyer 
bought of Dow & Tappan the remaining one- 
third interest, thus becoming the sole owners of 
the concern, Mr. Dow still doing their purchas- 
ing on a small commission. The plan was to 
buy at auction from wholesale houses, by cata- 
logue, goods that would I'etail readily, such as 
clothing, boots and shoes, hats, blankets, 
watches, jewelry, revolvers, notions, etc., and 
sell them either at auction or private sale, al- 
ways, of course, aiming to obtain a good liberal 
margin over and above the original cost of the 
goods, but very often selling them at less than 
one-half the original cost of production. Busi- 
ness slowing up somewhat during the months 
of March and April, Mr. Sawyer became dis- 
heartened, and insisted on closing the concern 
out, which was accordingly done on the 1st day 
of June, 1852, Mr. Lane not having sufficient 
capital to purchase his partner's interest and 
run it alone. Dividing their goods, Mr. Saw- 
yer immediately disposed of his share at a 
loss, through a wholesale auction house, while 
Mr. Lane packed and stored his share to await 
the " logic of events." While " waiting and 
watching" for something else to "turn up," 
Mr. Lane something more than paid his current 
expenses by doing occasional jobs of lettering 
for an established house and sign painting firm, 



until the latter part of August, when, yielding 
to a strong desire to see his wife and children, 
from whom he had then been absent about two 
years and a half, and the rather urgent so- 
licitations of several Akron boys just in from 
the mines, en route for home, he sold his goods 
at a slight margin above cost, closed up 
his affairs, and on the 1st day of September, 
1852, on the new and stanch steamer "Win- 
field Scott," set sail for Panama, by no means 
rich, but still with quite a fair showing for his 
thirty months' time and labor, considering the 
utter failure of the first half thereof; and with 
what was far better than gold, good health. 

In the spring of 1853, Mr. Lane invested his 
California savings in a clothing and merchant 
tailoring establishment in Akron, which busi- 
ness he conducted with reasonable success until 
the spring of 1855, when ever}' dollar was swept 
away by fire. In the fall of 1853, the Temper- 
ance Reform party of Summit Co. put Mr. 
Lane forward as an Independent candidate for 
Representative to the State Legislature, in com- 
petition with the regular nominees of the Whig 
Democratic and Free-Soil parties. Afterward, 
an arrangement was made between the friends 
of Mr. Lane and the Whig and Free-Soil leaders, 
by which all three candidates should submit 
their claims to a union mass convention, which 
was accordingly done, the contest being between 
Mr. Lane and Dr. Porter G. Somers, of Cuya- 
hoga Falls. Union Hall was completely packed, 
and the vote was taken by passing around the 
hat, with no check whatever as to the number of 
ballots cast, or the right of any person to vote. 
The count resulted in a small majority' for the 
Doctor, who was triumphantly elected over the 
pro-slavery, pro-whisky. Democratic candidate; 
though it was more than suspected at the time 
that the honest sentiment of that mass conven- 
tion was defeated by partisan " strategy'," and 
that Mr. Lane should have been, by right, de- 
clared its nominee. In January, 1854, Mr. 
Lane was appointed by the Town Council of 
Akron to fill the vacancy in the Board of Edu- 
cation of the incorporated village, occasioned 
by the death of Mr. Horace Canfield. On the 
re-organization of the board in the following 
April, Mr. Lane was elected Treasurer of the 
Board, holding the position until the expiration 
of his term in 1856. In the fall of 1855, Mr. 
Lane having been thrown out of business by the 
fire above spoken of, and having naturally allied 



■7- 



i?v 



CITY OF AKRON. 



733 



himself with the newly organized Republican 
party, presented himself before the Republican 
County Nominating Convention as a candidate 
for State Representative ; but the honors were 
fairl}' won by that then stanch Republican, Dr. 
Mendall Jewett, of Mogadore, now an equally 
stanch Prohibitionist of the Sixth Ward in Ak- 
ron. On the accession of Salmon P. Chase to 
the Grubernatorial Chair of Ohio, in January, 
1856, Mr. Lane, backed by a majority of the 
business men of Akron, both Republicans and 
Democrats, applied for the position of Canal 
Collector for the port of Akron ; but his genial 
and rotund friend, Nathaniel W. Goodhue, Esq., 
carried too many political guns for him, and 
won the prize for himself Thus far, though 
doing his best to establish and maintain Re- 
formatory and Republican principles, Mr. Lane's 
political aspirations had proved such utter fail- 
ures that, though still working both on the 
rostrum and with the pen and the paint-brush, 
in the fabrication of pai'ty banners and mottoes, 
he had concluded to make no further efforts in 
the office line, when, in the fall of 1856, during 
the celebrated Fremont-Buchanan campaign, 
the Republicans in different parts of Summit 
Co. spontaneousl}' fixed upon him as their can- 
didate for Sheriff, and in their Nominating Con- 
vention nominated him for that position on the 
first ballot, by the ver}' handsome majority of 
17 over all competitors, some six or seven in 
number. Though bitterly opposed, on account 
of his radical temperance proclivities, he was 
triumphantly elected, and in 1858, was renomi- 
nated by acclamation, and re-elected by a 
greatly increased majorit}'. On the expiration 
of his second term, Januarj^ 1, 1861, Mr. Lane 
became the editor-in-chief of the Summit County 
Beacon, then, as now, the sole Republican organ 
of Summit Co. Some three months after as- 
suming his editorial duties, he was appointed 
by Gov. William Dennison, without solicitation 
on his part, or on the part of his friends. Pro- 
bate Judge of Summit Co., to fill the vacancy 
occasioned by the death of Judge William M. 
Dodge. The honor, however, was respectfully' 
declined, his editorial duties not permitting him 
to fill both positions, and as the appointment 
was only until the ensuing October election, 
about three months, and as he had but just re- 
tired from the office of Sheriff, he did not feel 
like asking the people for another county office 
so soon. Mr. Lane continued to devote the 



best energies of his mind and body to the 
building-up of the Weekly Beacon^ and its later 
adjunct, the Akron Daily Beacon, as detailed 
elsewhere in this volume, for nearly fifteen 
years, meantime becoming the one-third owner 
thereof, when, from causes entirely beyond his 
control, he was obliged to retire therefrom in 
the fall of 1875, without a dollar. At this 
crisis in his affairs, he again, in the fall of 1876, 
asked the people of Summit Count}- for his old 
position of Sheriff, which, notwithstanding the 
objections urged against him that he was too 
old (being then 61 years of age); that he had 
already held the office two terms, and that he 
was too radical in his temperance and other 
reform notions, was generously given to him b}' 
a handsome majority of the voters of the 
count}' ; as was also another term, by a still 
larger majority at the October elections in 1878. 
Notwithstanding his " advanced " age, his ad- 
ministration of the office was so successful and 
satisfactory to the people, that still another 
term would undoubtedly have been tendered to 
him, but for the constitutional provision that no 
incumbent of that office shall serve more than 
four years in any consecutive six years. Trans- 
ferring his office to his successor, William Mc- 
Kinney, Esq., on the 3d day of January, 1881, 
Mr. Lane continued to make himself generally 
useful about the court house, as Mr. McKin- 
ney's Chief Deputy, some three months, when, 
on the 1st day of April, 1881, the Republican 
Convention of the City of Akron placed him in 
nomination for Mayor, by the very decisive 
vote of 36 to 12. At the election, April 5, 
almost superhuman efforts were made to com- 
pass his defeat, not only by his old-time bitter 
enemy. Democracy, but by the entire " bummer " 
and '' hoodlum " element of the city, and though 
in no way seeking or working for the office 
himself. Republicanism and Law and Order 
prin«3iples so far prevailed as to secure the 
election of Mr. Lane by a small majority, to be 
the Mayor of the city of Akron for the period 
of two years. 

In thus presenting the merest outlines of the 
varied and somewhat eventful history of Mr. 
Lane, compiled mainly from data furnished by 
himself, we have, at his request, omitted a large 
number of interesting, thrilling, as well as ludi- 
crous reminiscences of his life — his youthful 
exploits as a " Gay Lothario " among the girls, 
and otherwise ; his rich experiences as clerk 



M^ 



734 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and book agent ; his getting lost in tlie woods 
and spending a night among the untamed Creels: 
Indians in Alabama ; his frequent personal ren- 
contres with blacklegs and other desperate 
characters, while publishing the Buzzard and 
Cascade Roarer; the numberless egg-peltings 
and other indignities received while preaching 
the gospel of temperance ; the hazards and 
hardships of his overland journey to Califor- 
nia ; scenes, tragical and comical, including the 
excitements of the vigilance committee period, 
in San Francisco ; his " hair breadth 'scapes by 
land and sea," from shipwreck and pestilence 
upon the journey home ; the successful system 
of criminal detection pursued by himself and 
others, while filling the office of Sheriff from 
1856 to 1861 ; his man}- encounters with both 
male and female desperadoes in and about the 
jail during his eight years of official service ; 
his experiences with the fire-fiend by which he 
was twice reduced from compai'ative affluence 
to substantial beggary ; his struggles with pov- 
erty, with disease and with domestic afflictions ; 
all possess an interest of no ordinary type, but 
which Mr. Lane thinks would occup}' more 
space in this volume than their importance 
to the public would justify. But a few words 
more regarding the family matters of Mr. Lane 
should not be omitted. With the wife of his 
youth, Mr. Lane lived harmoniousl}' and hap- 
pil}- for almost a third of a century, her death 
occurring on the 2d day of July, 1871. To them 
were born eight children, four of whom, three 
sons and one daughter, were taken from them 
by death, in infanc}' and early childhood. Of 
the survivors, the eldest, Julius Sherman Lane, 
now in the 40th year of his age, is an honored 
citizen of Akron, a machinist by trade, and is 
one of the proprietors and the superintendent 
of one of Akron's most successful manufactur- 
ing establishments — The Webster, Camp & 
Lane Machine Company. The next son, Fred- 
erick Alanson Lane, now in his 32d year, is an 
engineer and pressman ; at present, after about 
ten years' acceptable service in the extensive 
newspaper and job press rooms of the Beacon 
Publishing Company, in Akron, is in charge of 
the presses and machiner}' of the Ohio Farmer 
in the city of Cleveland. The third son, Arthur 
Malcolm Lane, now 25 years old, is under the 
training of his elder brother, both a practical 
machinist and an experienced draughtsman, 
and, after about three years' service in the 



draughting room of the celebrated Baldwin 
Locomotive Works, in Philadelphia, is now fill- 
ing a similar position in the Rhode Island Lo- 
comotive Works, in the city of Providence. 
The youngest, a daughter, Carrie Maria Lane, 
now 23 years of age, was married, Sept. 11. 
1878, to Mr. Albert J. Pitkin, also a graduate 
from the works of the Webster, Camp & Lane 
Machine Company, in Akron, who, after four 
3'ears experience in the draughting rooms of 
the Baldwin Locomotive Works, at Philadel- 
phia, is now the superintendent of the draught- 
ing department of the Rhode Island Locomotive 
Works, above alluded to, at Providence. And 
now, in summing up this brief sketch of his 
famil}', Mr. Lane bids us say that each and all 
of his living children are in every respect the 
superior of their paternal ancestor, a circum- 
stance which he attributes entirely to the care- 
ful early training bestowed upon them by their 
sainted mother. Nov. 11, 1872, Mr. Lane mar- 
ried, for his second wife, Mrs. Emeline Manning, 
a sister of the former Mrs. Lane, with whom he 
has since lived in perfect harmony and happi- 
ness. Thus, in the 66th year of his life, though 
not rich in this world's goods, Mr. Lane is com- 
fortably situated, and, in the companionship of 
his most excellent wife, the society of his chil- 
dren and grandchildren, and surrounded by 
kind friends and neighbors, he is happy in the 
thought that during his nearly half a century's 
residence among them, he has so largely attained 
and retained the respect and confidence of his 
fellow-citizens of the city of Akron and of Sum- 
mit Co. 

CARSON LAKE was born March 17, 1852, 
at Fredonia, N. Y., being descended on his fath- 
ers side from stock of Gen. Warren, of Bunker 
Hill fame, and on his mother's side from the 
family which numbered among its branches the 
noted scout Kit Carson, and the Hills of South- 
ern fame. He was the sole survivor of a family 
of six children. His father died when he was 
quite young, and in 1861, his mother going 
into the hospitals of Alexandria, Va., he spent 
some two years amid the thrilling surroundings 
of Washington and Alexandria at that period, 
a portion of the time serving as a Government 
messenger. Returning North, after some time 
in the Akron schools, he was sent for a year to 
the well-known Academy at Madison, Ohio, and 
then entered the office of the Weekly Beacon as 
an apprentice. His first newspaper work was 



-4* 



CITY OF AKRON. 



735 



done about this time as local correspondent for 
the Cleveland Herald. He was finally promot- 
ed to the position of reporter, after the start- 
ing of the Daily Beacon. For some months, 
although not yet 18 years of age, during an 
unsettled condition of the office affairs, he had 
entire editorial charge of the paper. Resign- 
ing to enter college, he was for a year a student 
at Dennison University, Granville, Ohio, and a 
year at Buchtel College, leaving the latter just 
before graduating, to accept a position on the 
Tri- Weekly and Weekly Times, which was re- 
signed a year later, the Tri- Weekly having sus- 
pended, and the Times changed hands, to accept 
the position of managing editor of the Toledo 
Democrat and Herald, the organ of northwestern 
Ohio Democracy. He occupied this position 
for a year and a half, when he was for a year 
business manager of the Toledo Daily Commer- 
cial. In December, 1876, he purchased the Akron 
Daily and Semi- Weekly Argus, which he sold in 
Jul}', 1879, to Messrs. Weiner & Nelson, in 
order to accept the position of corresponding 
secretary of the Democratic State Executive 
Committee. This position kept him in Colum- 
bus for a year, during which time he was man- 
aging editor of the Times and Statesman, and 
State correspondent of the Cleveland Plain 
Dealer. In September, 1878, he became editor 
and manager for the Gazette Co. of the Sunday 
Gazette. In 1878, he was appointed an aide on 
the staff of Gov. Bishop, with rank of Colonel, 
but resigned the following year. He has a wide 
acquaintance throughout the State, and has 
several times been prominently mentioned in 
connection with State offices. He has, how- 
ever, never desired such mention. Being 
warmly attached to Gen. Ewing's cause, it is 
probable he would have been given a promi- 
nent position, had that gentleman been elected 
Governor. He was married in 1873 to Olie E. 
Heifer, by whom he has four children. 

DENNIS J. LONG, Agent Union Express 
Company, Akron ; was born in Alban}', N. Y., 
Nov. 28, 1844, where he lived until he was 15 
years of age, when he came to Akron with his 
brother, J. A. Long. In 1859, he became an 
apprentice in the Beacon office, where he served 
about four years. In August, 1862, he enlisted 
in Company H, 104th 0. V. I., serving the 
first two years as private soldier. In February, 
1864, he was appointed to a clerkship in the 
office of Gen. Schofield, where he remained in 



the Department of Ohio until the close of the 
war. June 28, 1865, he was mustered out at 
Greensboro, N. C. On his return, with A. L. 
Paine, he started a new weekly paper entitled, 
the Summit County Journal, in 1865, with 
Judge Carpenter as editor ; this they conducted 
with good success two years, when Mr. Long 
sold out his interest and bought a one-third in- 
terest in the Beacon, being connected with that 
paper as stockholder and proprietor until 1875, 
when he became book-keeper in the office of 
the Akron Iron Company-, continuing for two 
years. March 1, 1877, he was appointed agent 
of the Union Express Company ; he is now 
agent of the Union, American and Adams Ex- 
press Companies. In May, 1870, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Eliza A. Potter, of Akron. 

CHARLES LIEBMAN, Akron; was born 
at Dayton, Ohio, June 30, 1854 ; when very 
young, his family removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, 
that he might have better opportunities for 
studying music. His father, Rev. L. Liebman, 
was a Rabbi at Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus 
and Cleveland ; also twelve years at Youngs- 
town, Ohio. At each of these places the sub- 
ject of this sketch studied music, for which he 
had early formed a great love. From 1874 to 
1876, he attended the New England Conserva- 
tory of Music, at Boston, Mass., studying the 
piano and violin. In 1876, he went to New 
York Cit}' where he was under Prof Mills and 
other noted teachers. In 1877, he became 
director of the Youngstown Maennerchor, where 
he remained two years ; in June, 1879, he came 
to Akron, and, at the solicitation of the Akron 
Harmonic Society, he became the leader, also 
engaged in teaching piano, organ, violin and 
theory ; he is a director of the society. Oct. 
26, 1877, he married Miss Emma Ritter, of 
Youngstown, Ohio. 

REV. W. LOTHMAN, Akron; oldest son 
of Ernest Lothman, was born in the village of 
Buer, situated in the southreu part of the King- 
dom of Hanover, Jan. 31, 1845. He was but 
2\ years old when his parents came to Cleve- 
land, Ohio, where his mother still lives, and 
where his father was in the employ of Morgan, 
Root & Co., having charge of their grocery un- 
til his death in 1861. The subject of this 
sketch attended the Cleveland Public Schools 
until he was confirmed in 1858, when he en- 
tered Concordia College at Fort Wayne, Ind., 
and graduated from the gymnasium of that 






736 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



school iu 1862. He then entered the Concordia 
University at St. Louis, Mo., from which he 
graduated in June, 1866, when he entered the 
ministry, serving the German Lutheran Church 
at Elyria and the St. Paul's Church at Liver- 
pool, Medina Co., on alternate Sabbaths for six 
years, during which period, the membership of 
the Elyria Church largely increased, a new 
building was erected and a school established. 
In 1872. he received a call from Zion's Lu- 
theran Church of Akron, and became its Pastor 
in August, having since continued. On June 
20, 1867, he married Miss Betty Hu.smann, 
daughter of Rev. F. W. Husmann, Pastor of 
the German Lutheran Church of Euclid, Ohio. 
She bore him five children, and all are living. 

J. A. LONG, Secretary and Treasurer 
of Akron Iron Co., Akron ; is a son of John 
and Margaret (Reilley) Long, and was born 
April 10^ 1837, at Albany, N. Y., where he 
lived until 18 years of age, when he left school 
and took the position of clerk in a lumber yard. 
In 1855, he came to Akron, Ohio, and became 
teacher in the public schools of Summit Co. for 
eleven terms, and working during vacation at 
various eraplo3'ments. In 1864, he became 
book-keeper for Aultman, Miller & Co., remain- 
ing with them for five years, when he was ap- 
pointed Secretary and Treasurer of the Akron 
Iron Co., which position he still holds. Since 
his connection with the establishment, its busi- 
ness has inci'eased threefold. He was married, 
Nov. 10, 1859, to Miss Mary A. Falor, daugh- 
ter of Geo. A. Falor, one of the pioneers of 
Coventry Township. Twelve children have 
been born of this marriage, seven of whom are 
living — Ludie B., Celia R., Bennie A., John H., 
George A., Mary A. and Lloyd G. Mr. L. is 
Republican in politics ; is a member of the 
Central Committee. Was first City Clerk, and 
held the office from 1865 to 1867, and Council- 
man from 1867 to 1869. 

FRANK F. LOOMIS, an engineer in fire 
department, Akron ; is a son of Joseph and 
Elizabeth (Taylor) Loomis ; was born in Akron 
April 2, 1854, where he attended public schools 
until his father died, when he lived with an 
uncle at Wadsworth for some time. In 1869, 
he went into a potterj', working in it for one 
year; then learned the blacksmith's trade, and, in 
1870, he became a minute man in Steamer No. 
1, and served as fireman and blacksmith in the 
city fire department. At the death of James 



H. Stanford, he was made engineer of steamer 
in January, 1881. He was married, July 10, 
1879, to Miss Barbara Grad, of Akron. His 
father was born in Medina Co., and lived there 
till he was 14, and then went to Lake Co. 
When grown, he came to Akron, and became 
captain of a canal-boat for the Navigation Co. 
He followed this business until the war broke 
out, when he enlisted in the 29th 0. V. I., and 
after a hard campaign with the Army 
of the Cumberland, he caught cold from 
fording a river, and died at Cumberland, Md., 
in January, 1862. Subject is the oldest son ; 
one brother, Charles H., is a farmer, near Sears, 
Mich. Mother still lives in Akron. 

DR. THOMAS M. LEIGHT, physician, Ak- 
ron ; was born on his father's farm in Perr}' 
Township, Snyder Co., Penn. (then included in 
Union Co.), on the 8th of August, 1827, and 
resided in the vicinity until 1857. He was 
married, Feb. 8, 1853, to Miss Bella R. Bobst, 
of Milton, Penn. They have no children. He 
commenced the study of medicine in the office 
of Drs. Wilson & Bibighouse, of Selin's Grove, 
then Union Co., Penn. (now Snyder Co.) He 
read with them some four or five years, and 
then began practice at McKee's Falls, in Snyder 
Co., where he remained about nine years, dur- 
ing which time he attended lectures at Phila- 
delphia (Jefferson Medical College); also the 
University of Pennsylvania, attending a month 
or two each year, graduating at the Jefferson 
Medical College in July, 1857. From McKee's 
Half-Falls, he removed to Mifflin, Juniata Co., 
Penn., where he practiced in partnership with Dr. 
E. D. Crawford about seven years, during which 
time they served as surgeons of the Pennsyl- 
vania R. R. Co. He then came to Akron, Ohio, 
where he has since practiced. He is a member 
of the Summit County Medical Society, of 
which he is now (1881) Vice President, and is 
also a member of the Union Medical Society of 
Northeastern Ohio. 

HON. SAMUEL W. McCLURE, son of 
Jairus McClure and Amma Hobbs, was born 
Nov. 8, 1812, at Alstead, Cheshire Co., N. H. 
His parents, when he was about 3 years old, 
returned to the place of their nativit}^ Brook- 
field, Worcester Co., Mass., with their children, 
two in number, consisting of the subject of this 
sketch and an elder sister. There they remained 
until he was about 7 years old, when they emi- 
grated to Western New York, ultimately 



^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



737 



^ 



settling in Monroe County, near what is now 
the city of Rochester. There they remained 
until the spring of 1828, when they removed to 
Medina, Medina Co., Ohio, where both died — 
the father in 1865, in the 89th year of his age, 
and the mother several years earlier, at the age 
of 71. His parents were of Scotch ancestrj-, 
though, on the paternal side, the}' had lived in 
the North of Ireland for two generations or 
more before emigrating to the United States, or 
rather to the British colonies of America, for 
such the}' then were. The mother, inheriting the 
fervent religious sentiments of her Scotch an- 
cestry, intended to devote her son to the Chris- 
tian ministr}^ and molded his youthful efforts 
and education in that direction ; and, she was 
so far gratified that she saw him enter into 
full membership with the Congregational 
Church at the age of 15. With the ministry in 
view, he pursued his academical studies while 
he lived in New York, and until he was near 
16 years old. At the age of 18, he commenced 
teaching in the public schools of Medina 
County during two or three years ensuing, 
when he entered Allegheny College, Meadville, 
Penn., and where he prosecuted his colle- 
giate studies with great zeal, embracing in 
them other branches as well as the prescribed 
course. At about the expiration of three 
3'ears, he retired from the institution and took 
private instruction for nearly one year of Rev. 
Lee, who was then Pastor of the church to 
which he belonged. He was in advance of his 
class when he left college. In 1837, he opened 
a select school in Medina, taught the same two 
terms, and at the same time entered the law 
office of Canfield & Camp as a student, with 
the view of entering the legal profession. In 
1838, he went to Ashland, then in Richland 
County, and organized a select school there, 
which was afterward called the Ashland Acad- 
emy when transferred to a new building erected 
b}' the citizens expi'essly for its accommoda- 
tion. In this school he was employed less than 
two years, successfully managing the same, and 
also prosecuting his legal studies, a portion of 
the time in the office of Silas Robbins, Esq., 
and the residue in the office of the late North- 
ern District Judge, Hon. Charles S. Sherman. 
During a part of the above time, he also edited 
the Ashland Phoenix, a non-partisan paper, and 
made of it a first-class literary and racy paper for 
his readers. In 1840, he returned to Medina, and 



took charge of the editorial department of the 
Medina Constitutionalist, its former editor, then 
James S. Carpenter, Esq., having been elected 
to the State Senate for the Medina district. All 
through the exciting campaign which resulted 
in the election of William H. Harrison to the 
Presidency, both through the columns of his 
paper and upon the stump, he advocated, with 
much success, the cause of the Whig party, 
whose candidate Harrison was. Soon after his 
return to Medina County, he formed a law 
partnership with Senator Carpenter, and in the 
organization of the new county of Summit, 
Grant B. Turner, of Cuyahoga Falls, was added 
to the firm — Carpenter and McClure residing 
in Medina County, and Turner in Summit. In 
January, 1842, he married Miss Matilda E. 
Deming, of Ashland, and, in the spring of the 
same 3'ear, settled in Cuyahoga Falls, where 
he continued to live until 1865, when he re- 
moved to Akron, where he now resides. Grant 
B. Turner did not remain long in the practice 
of the law, and, retiring from the firm, it was 
left as originally formed, until 1850, when it 
was dissolved. He was elected Prosecuting 
Attorne}' of his county in 1847, but the next 
year, and before his term as Prosecutor had 
expired, he was nominated and elected to a 
seat in the Ohio Legislature, which office he 
held for one term only. From 1850 to 1864, 
he had associated with him, as law partner, the 
Hon. Henry McKinney, late State Senator 
from Summit and Portage District, and now 
Common Pleas Judge of the Cleveland sub- 
division. 

In 1865, he associated with himself as law 
partner, Edward Oviatt, Esq., and that firm 
continued until the spring of 1871, when he was 
elected to the Common Pleas Bench, for the 
subdivision composed of Summit, Medina and 
Lorain Counties, serving in that capacitj' five 
3'ears ; and, not desiring a re-election, he re- 
tired to private life, and measurably fx'om the 
practice of his profession. Possessed of an 
ample fortune, it was not necessary for him to 
endure the drudgery and fatigue of active 
practice. Still he is largely called upon for 
counsel in important business matters and suits, 
and occasionally engages in the trial of causes, 
especially in the District Court. In the mean 
time, he has visited Europe with his younger 
daughter ; and with his wife and same daughter 
he visited California, making thorough tours 






738 



BIOGKAPPirCAL SKETCHES: 



in each of those great sight-seeing portions of 
the globe. 

He had by his marriage two daughters : Julia 
E., who became the wife of Mr. Henry G. 
Mathews, with whom she lived fourteen years, 
and died in Februar}', 1881 ; and Ida M., who 
continues to live in her father's family. Judge 
McClure possessed elements of strength which 
gave him extraordinary power as a lawyer. 
He was an incessant and tireless worker, in- 
tensely enthusiastic in whatever he undertook 
to accomplish ; had great courage, and was 
wonderfully quick in his perceptions. These 
qualities, combined as they were with a remark- 
able grasp for business atfairs, rendered him n 
most dangerous adversary, and, for many years, 
made him one of the very foremost lawyers of 
the State. Probably no law3'er in Ohio tried 
more causes during the twenty-five years of 
his life between 1846 and 1871, than he, or was 
more successful. He more than made the 
cause of his client his own. With all his zeal, 
however, he never forgot the courtesy due from 
one gentleman to another ; and while dealing 
the hardest kind of blows, in an\^ given pro- 
fessional contest, he always left opposing 
counsel feeling kindly toward him personally, 
and to young men especially he was considerate 
and encouraging. Naturally he possessed a very 
quick, fiery temper, which required for its con- 
trol constant watchfulness and a strong will, and 
this, as a general rule, he succeederl well in ac- 
complishing, under all the varjang changes of 
practice at the bar. For ready wit, vigorous 
thought and thrilling eloquence, he had no 
superior among his associates at the bar. He 
was always systematic, logical and ready in his 
public addresses ; a fact somewhat surprising, 
since, at the commencement of his career, he 
dared not venture an attempt at speaking ex- 
temporaneously, and until he was 30 years old 
he had always carefully to write and commit to 
memory all his public addresses, being too timid 
and nervous to trust himself before an audience 
without such preparation. 

He never was a politician, in the popular ac- 
ceptation of the term, though he always took 
an earnest interest in public aflfairs, and occa- 
sionally took an ctive part in political contests ; 
not so much from a partisan standpoint as from 
his thorough convictions of what, in the given 
contest, was the better public policy ; that is, 
what was right. From his first appearance be- 



fore the public until the close of the war of the 
rebellion, he was a most earnest anti-slavery 
man, and took a resolute and pronounced posi- 
tion against the system of slavery and its ag- 
gressions ; and on all proper occasions sought 
to educate public sentiment in harmony with 
his own convictions. He was, as already stated, 
elected to represent Summit County in the 
General Assembly, in 1848, and as a Whig, and 
was a candidate for re-election in the fall of 
1849, but was beaten by the united votes of the 
Democrats and Free-Soilers, by a majority of 
less than one hundred, while the balance of the 
ticket was beaten by about four hundred votes. 
He occupied a more flattering position in the 
Legislature, being universally recognized as 
one of its ablest and most useful members. 
His nomination for legislative position both 
times was much against his wishes, and he only 
consented to accept as a matter of public duty, 
on account of the peculiar attitude of the two 
leading political parties upon the slavery ques- 
tion, that then being the all absorbing question 
with the electors of Northern Ohio. 

Judge McClure's industry and painstaking 
preparation of his cases when a practitioner, 
made him exceedingly restive when he was on 
the bench, at the heedless and dilatory modes 
of lawyers who came into court unprepared to 
tr}' their causes ; and, occasionally, provoked 
him into sharp reminders, that the public inter- 
ests before him should not be sacrificed to the 
indolence of attorneys, and occasionally caused 
the summar}' disposition of their cases. But, 
as his modes and motives became understood 
and appreciated, the lawyers ascertained that 
their true interests were best subserved by will- 
ing co-operation with the court. He disposed 
of his judicial business with great dispatch, and 
to the general satisfaction of the bar. His 
sense of justice and fair pla}', always acute, led 
him first to find where justice lay, and then, he 
was almost sure to find some rule of law by 
which justice could be upheld. His great ex- 
perience as a lawyer made him a ver}' able tryer 
of causes, and his general knowledge of the law 
and the practice of the courts, made him a very 
first-class Judge, when exercising the jurisdic- 
tion of an appellate court, sitting as he did, 
during his entire term, mainly in Cleveland and 
Toledo. 

In the early years of his practice, he was 
appointed United States Commissioner because 



-4v 



CITY OF AKRON. 



739 



of his strict stand-up to his convictions, es- 
pecially to cope with a band of counterfeiters, 
who, for years, had been preying upon the coin 
and currency of the country, headed by the no- 
torious Jim Brown. While acting as such Com- 
missioner, a singular incident occurred, in which 
he was a prominent actor, and it illustrates a 
peculiar social condition in the community 
where it occurred. Brown, for years, had de- 
fied the State authorities in his raids upon the 
currency, and thus far had been singularly suc- 
cessful in eluding the vigilance of the General 
Government. Though notoriously recognized as 
the leader of these law-breakers, he was elected 
and served term after term as Justice of the 
Peace of Northampton Township ; and, to his 
credit it may be said, that he performed the 
duties of the office well. Complaint had been 
made before Commissioner McClure, and he 
had issued his warrant for the apprehension of 
Brown upon a charge of counterfeiting, and, 
while this warrant was out, standing in the 
hands of the Sheriff and unexecuted, Judge 
McClure appeared before Brown for one of two 
parties litigant. The trial being concluded, the 
Justice took the case under advisement, but 
was arrested and lodged in jail before he de- 
cided the case. He then rendered his judgment 
in favor of McClure's client, remarking, as he 
did so, that he hoped the Commissioner would 
take a similar favorable view of his case, and 
in his favor, whenever the same came up for 
hearing. Judge McClui-e did so, by holding 
Brown under $20,000 bond for his appearance 
before the United States Court at Columbus, 
which, however, was afterward reduced to $5,000 
by the Federal Judge. 

There is no telling how much the pulpit lost 
by the making of so able a lawyer. There is 
no question, however, that he would have won 
distinction as a divine. But his logical and 
independent cast of mind, on reaching full 
maturity, led him to distrust, and, in fact, to 
despise dogmatism, and to demand demonstra- 
tion ; or, at least, that every pi'oposition and 
doctrine should challenge the approval of right, 
reason and common sense before his continued 
assent could be secured for the toleration of 
any given tenet, theory or system, whether in 
ethics, philosophy or religion. Consequently, 
at an early period of his life he abandoned, or, 
rather, never fully fell into the ways that had 
been with the very best motives marked out 



for him. He may be classed with those who 
are popularl}' known as Free-thinkers or Lib- 
eralists : who believe in being good, and doing 
good for goodness' sake, irrespective of relig- 
ious creeds, beliefs or sanctions, for they are 
legion ; who advocate a greater degree of 
religious influence in the world than even sec- 
tarians, but it is the religion of humanity — the 
only genuine human ideal. It consists in lov- 
ing human beings and other deserving objects, 
such as we know and can benefit, and not in 
loving a God or gods about whom we know 
nothing, and who, if they exist at all, are infi- 
nitely beyond the reach of the adoration of 
mortals. 

LEWIS MILLER, manufacturer and inven- 
tor, Akron, the youngest of three sons of John 
and Elizabeth (York) Miller, was born in 
Greentown, Lake Township, Stark Co., Ohio, 
Aug. 24, 1829. His parents were respectable 
and industrious people. His father, a cabinet- 
maker, house-builder and farmer, originally 
came from Marj^land, removing to the West in 
1812. He was a man of sterling integrity, and 
universally esteemed, holding a prominent po- 
sition in his community. Lewis, the subject of 
this article, spent his boyhood on a farm, until 
about 17, attending school in one of the old- 
time schoolhouses built of logs, having slab 
benches, etc. In 1846, he learned the plastering 
trade, serving two years with a man named 
Wm. Essig ; he worked at this trade for five 
years, also attending acadamies in Illinois dur- 
ing winter seasons and teaching in Stark Co., 
Ohio, two terms, in that time having moved to 
Plainfield, 111, near Chicago, in the meanwhile. 
In 1851, he returned to Greentown, where he 
connected himself as a partner with the manu- 
facturing firm of Ball, Aultman & Co. (after- 
ward of Canton) and by patience, determina- 
tion and energ}', soon mastered the machinist's 
trade, serving for but 50 cents per day at first 
while learning. In the fall of 1851, the company 
with $6,000 capital in all, removed to Canton. 
The partners were six in number, viz : E. Ball, 
C. Aultman, David Fouser, Lewis Miller, Geo. 
Cook and Jacob Miller. They first manufact- 
ured threshing machines, stoves and plows, 
and old Obed Ilussey reapers, and did repair- 
ing. They had no competition in reapers ex- 
cept one shop on the Ohio River. During 1849, 
our subject worked on the old "Hussey" reaper, 
and ever since that time he has been experi- 



740 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



meriting on reapers, every season, in harvest 
field. His remarkable aptitude for the ma- 
chinist's trade, manifested itself so plainh', that, 
in a short time after his apprenticeship he was 
advanced to the superintendency of the works, 
and while in this position he invented the 
world-renowned "Buckeye Mower and Reaper" 
— known in the market as the double-hinged 
floating-bar — a distinctive feature from which 
all two-wheeled floating-bar machines are pat- 
terned. To this great and valuable invention 
he afterward added others of scarcely less 
utility, chief among which is his table rake 
(a self-rake), which he invented in 1865, and 
which attained a wonderful popularity, within 
a few years. With the manufacture of the 
"Buckeye" the business of the Canton house 
became so largely increased that, in 1863, it 
was found necessary to establish a branch con- 
cern at Akron, under the incorporated name of 
Aultraan, Miller & Co., and in the following 
year he removed to Akron to take charge of 
the works here, since which time he has been 
superintendent and had full charge of the same. 
In this position he has lived to see the once 
insignificant shop expanded into wider halls, 
wherein is executed a business which, of its 
kind, is one of the most extensive in the coun- 
try, which grand success is due, no doubt, to 
each partner giving all his time and attention 
to active work, wearing, so to speak, when the 
business was first commenced at Canton, the 
work apron himself, instead of hiring other 
men to do it. No dividends were declared un- 
til 1 866. They attained success thi'ough hard 
labor, and some disappointments. On May 5, 
1855, while they were all filled with machines 
ready for market, their entire establishment 
burned to the ground, with a loss of $50,000, 
there being only $7,000 insurance. It was in 
June, 1856, that the first patents were granted 
for the "Buckeye," and at various times over 
one hundred patents were granted to the firm, 
one of which was for "Miller's Binder," which 
machine is the result of Mr. Miller's study. 
The business has increased from six threshers 
and ten or twelve reapers per year, to twelve 
hundred threshers and about twenty thousand 
reapers and mowers per year, or one complete 
machine to every four and one-half minutes 
during working hours. They began building 
the traction engine in 1877, the capacity now 
being five hundred engines per year. At the 



present time, he is President of the Canton 
manufactory, and of the Akron Iron Co.; also 
Superintendent of the Akron manufactory, and 
member of Board of Directors of the Weary, 
Snyder Manufacturing Co., of Akron. He is a 
Director of the Bank of Akron, and a stockholder 
in the First National Bank of Canton. He is a 
member of the Board of Education and was 
twice President of the same. He has taken a 
deep interest in politics, and worked in the Re- 
publican party, being an anti-slavery man, he is 
now connected with the National party. He 
became a member of theM. E. Church in 1843, 
has held all positions in the church, and been 
Sunday School Superintendent for twenty -eight 
3'ears. He was three times a lay delegate to the 
General Conference of the church, and has been 
honored from time to time with other promi- 
nent positions of trust. He was President of 
the Ohio Sundaj^ School Association ; and of 
the Chautauqua Association, having been the 
originator of the Chautauqua scheme, and, as co- 
worker with Dr. J. H. Vincent, has infused new 
life into the methods of Sabbath school work, 
always the President. In educational matters he 
has taken a great interest, especially so in the 
case of Mt. Union College. He is President of 
Mt. Union College Board of Trustees, and is a 
Trustee of the Ohio Wesleyan University, and 
of Allegheny College. On Sept. 16, 1853, he 
married Mary D. Alexander, of Plainfield, 111., 
who bore him eleven children, ten of whom are 
living, and are viz., Jennie, Ira M., Edward B., 
Robert A., Lewis A., Mina, Mamie, Grace, John 
V. and Theodore W. Eva died when 16. 

JOHN McGregor, Secretary and Treas- 
urer of the Akron Steam Forge Company ; he 
was born in Columbiana County, near Wells- 
ville, June 14, 1836 ; his parents, John and 
Margaret (McBean) McGregor, are natives of 
Scotland ; they emigrated to America in 1828, 
and settled in Columbiana County, where they 
now reside. The subject of this sketch was 
raised on his father's farm, and, in 1861, en- 
tered Jefferson College at Cannonsburg. Penn., 
from which institution he graduated in 1863, 
standing sixth in a class of thirt3'-nine ; he 
then entered Ohio Law College, at Cleveland, 
Ohio, where he remained one year. In 1864, 
he entered upon the practice of his profession 
at Akron, continuing at this for seven years, 
during which time he was elected City Solic- 
itor, filling this position two years, from 1869 



t 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



741 



to 1871 ; he then purchased an interest in the 
Akron Steam Forge Works, and when the es- 
tablishment was re-organized in 1872, under 
the control of a joint-stock company, he was 
elected Secretary and Treasurer of the associa- 
tion, which position he has faithfully filled ever 
since. Mr. McGrregor is, at the present time, 
Treasurer of Portage Township ; he was first 
chosen for this office in 1877, and has been re- 
elected each succeeding spring since then. He 
was married Nov. 11, 1868, to Miss Hattie E. 
Folger, daughter of William M. and Julia A. 
(Hayden) Folger ; they are the parents of three 
children — Julia F., John and Mary. 

CHARLES MERRIMAN, Akron ; youngest 
child of Jesse and Rhoda (Fox) Merriman ; 
was born July 1, 1800, in Berkshire Co., Mass., 
where he lived on a farm. When he was 10 
years of age his mother died, leaving two sons 
besides our subject, and one daughter, viz.: 
Andrews, a physician, who settled in Madison, 
Lake Co., Ohio, in 1816, and practiced in that 
place forty-nine years and ten months ; Clarissa, 
oldest of the children, who married Justin 
Cole, now one of the pioneers of Lake Co., and 
Alvin, who was a tanner by trade, going to 
Parkersburg, W. Va., in about 1840, where he 
lived a few years, then went to Centralia, 
Southern Illinois, and lastly to Bloomington, 
111., where he died. Mr. Merriman received, in 
his boyhood, a good common school education. 
Soon after his mother's death the other children 
married, and left home, but he remained and 
farmed there until 1835, taking care of his 
father, who was quite aged, and who afterward 
came here, and died in his 89th year. In 1834, 
accompanied by his father, he came, by canal 
and lakes, to visit friends in Lake Co., and in 
March, 1835, bought 272 acres of wild land in 
Portage Township, on the canal, two and a half 
miles from Akron, for which he paid $1,200. 
On May 5 they started, with a team, to Madison, 
Ohio, completing the trip in fifteen days ; they 
remained, improving some property there, until 
August, when they came on to their wild land. 
There they lived in a small cooper-shop with 
Charles Webster and famil}' for two weeks. 
They could only with great difficult}' obtain 
lumber ; he built a house of round logs hewn 
down inside, and having unplaned boards for 
the floor, living there for seven years, when he 
built a large frame house, in which he lived 
until 1869, when he moved to Akron. He 



owned 125 acres in Lorain County, which he 
exchanged for 95 acres near New Portage. He 
was a successful stock farmer, and a natural 
mechanic, putting up his own buildings. On 
Dec. 1, 1824, he married Miss Harriet Allis, of 
Dalton, Mass., who bore him four children, 
viz., Rhoda F. (who died in her seventh ^ear, 
and was buried at Dalton), Charles Rector 
(now a physician of Akron, Ohio), Wells E. (a 
machinist of Akron, being a pattern-maker), 
and Louisa E. (who died in her second year). 
In politics he is a Republican, and has held 
several offices of trust in that party ; he was 
formerly a Whig. He and his wife are mem- 
bers of the Congregational Church, he having 
joined it at the age of 17. 

ANDREWS MAY, retired, Akron. The par- 
ents of the subject of this article were Dexter 
and Sarah (Andrews) May. He was born at 
Royalston, Hampshire, Co., Mass., on Aug. 6, 
1792. When 6 years old his parents moved to 
Concord, Vt., where the}' lived about six years, 
then moved to Montpelier ; when he was 12 
years old, he went to district school, and con- 
tinued to attend about three months per year, 
until 16 years of age, when he learned painting, 
and helped to paint the first State House ever 
constructed in Vermont. Finding that the 
poisonous preparation of lead used in paint was 
not conducive to his health, he abandoned the 
trade, and commenced the carpentering, mill- 
wrighting and joiner trades, which he followed 
in Vermont until 1816. On July 1, 1818, he 
came to Ohio, sending his tools by wagon, hav- 
ing been employed for four years previous at 
Champlain, N. Y., by William H. Price in build- 
ing mills. In the spring of 1812, he volun- 
teered in the service, and three companies were 
drilled three months, and assigned to the com- 
mand of Gren. Dearborn. The regiment to 
which our subject belonged, all volunteered to 
the expedition against Montreal, but were or- 
dered back to Swanton Falls, in winter quarters 
to guard the frontier against the encroachments 
of Gen. Mayo with 1,000 hostile Indians. These 
three companies remained until spring, when 
they were mustered out. Subject again par- 
ticipated in the battle of Plattsburg ; he rode 
on horseback through the neighborhood, rally- 
ing the men, who marched in good spirits to 
the battle. His employer, William H. Price, 
bought a tract of land at Kent, of 700 acres 
(Kent was called- Franklin Mills post office). 






742 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Subject then built a large flouring-mill at Kent, 
supposed to be, at that time (1818), the largest 
in the State. Remaining in that vicinity, he 
built a large house for Judge Whitmore, in 
Stow, in 1820 and 1821. This place is now 
called Cuj-ahoga Falls. In 1821, he went to 
Thornd^'ke, and there went into partnership 
with Israel Thornd3'ke ; started a nail factor}^, 
bringing good machiner}' from Massachusetts, 
grind stone from Nova Scotia, and nail plate 
from Albany, N. Y., the freightage on all of 
which being over $6 per hundred. Although 
they made excellent nails, they failed to collect 
their pay for goods, and were, therefore, obliged 
to abandon the business. In 1823, he went in- 
to the plow business, employing Dr. L. Croby, 
of Middlebur}', to mold over two hundred cast 
plows. The}' were called " Jethro Woods, No. 
4." This was befoi-e the canal was put through, 
and he had five counties to work in, viz. : Port- 
age, Medina, Cuyahoga, Wayne and Stark, and 
being obliged to travel on horseback to collect 
bills, he could not make it successful, even fail- 
ing to collect enough to pay traveling expenses. 
At Franklin, he established a cupola furnace, 
using charcoal to cast plows. This he con- 
tinued some four years, when he let it drop be- 
cause of some infringements on the patent, 
which Wood did not litigate. In Dec. 31, 1824, 
he married Miss Ann L. Uttey, of Hartford, 
Conn., which marriage was blessed with five 
children, two of whom, Horace U. and Horace 
IT. second, died, the former at Akron in his 
sixth year, and the latter (his namesake), at 
Akron in his 22d year. Those living are 
Albert D., of Yosemite Valley, Cal. ; Helen M., 
at home, and Frank H., fruit dealer at Chicago, 
111. After leaving the plow business, he farmed 
in Franklin about one year, sending sixtj- bar- 
rels of flour to New York, this was in 1833. 
In about 1834, he built a house for Ithiel Mills, 
of Akron, which is still standing. In 1835, he 
moved to Akron, and in that year built the 
" Summit House," which is also standing. This 
place becoming then so unhealthy, he moved to 
Wadsworth, Ohio, where he lived five years 
employed in building. He returned in 1840 to 
Akron, and, having a carriage then, he drove 
in that year to all the meetings with the Dem- 
ocrats. After moving here he engaged in team- 
ing and building until about 1875, when he was 
atliicted with paralysis. In belief, he is a Uni- 
versalist, but belongs to no society, and is 



thoroughl}^ a cosmopolitan. He is a Republi- 
can and a Whig, and voted his first Presiden- 
tial ticket for James Madison. 

GEN. GKORGE W. McNEIL, miller, Akron, 
son of Samuel and Martha (Coakley) McNeil ; 
was born Sept. 16, 1813. in Montgomery Co., 
N. Y. At the age of 1 0, with his father's fam- 
ily, he moved to a spot near Syracuse, N. Y. 
His father was a boat-builder, and George be- 
gan to assist him when a boy, continuing to do 
so until 1837, when he came to Massillon, 
Ohio, where, in the fall and winter of the same 
year, he worked at carpentering and boat- 
building. In the spring of 1838, he entered 
the employ of Beach & Co., in the stone mills 
at Akron, acting as clerk, which position he 
retained until 1840, in the fall of which year he 
was made captain of the canal-boat " Cornelia," 
of Akron, which he ran to Cleveland, Buffalo 
and Albany, a distance of 900 miles, it being 
the longest run of an}- boat previous to that 
time. In the spring of 1841, he and Nicholas 
Rector put a run of stone in the old Center 
Mills, conducting it about one 3'ear, when they 
sold out, purchased the site for and built the 
City Mills, of which they sold a part interest 
to Philo Chamberlain, in 1843. Subject re- 
mained in that mill until 1874, when he took 
charge of the manufacturing department of the 
firm of Chamberlain & Co., which firm pur- 
chased the ^Etna Mills, in 1862, both mills 
continuing under the control of Chamberlain, 
up to 1880. In July, 1874, Mr. McNeil with- 
drew from the company, and engaged in the 
manufacture of grain-cleaning machinery, which 
occupation he followed until 1878, five years 
previous to which date he invented the " Mc- 
Neil Grain Scourer," which is still manufact- 
ured by G. W. McNeil & Sons, of this place. 
In December, 1877, the firm of McNeil & Bald- 
win was formed, and they rented the ^Etna 
Mills of Chamberlain & Co! In 1879-80, they 
repaired it, and arranged for the new process 
of making flour. He was elected Brigadier 
General of the Eighteenth Division Ohio Mi- 
litia in 1858-59. In 1858, he was elected on 
the People's Ticket Mayor of Akron. He was 
raised in the Whig school, and became a Pro- 
hibitionist in 1872. For twelve years, he has 
been connected with the Sons of Temperance 
as a prominent worker. Nov. 4, 1842, he mar- 
ried Miss Eleanor C. Martin, of Akron, who 
bore him one daughter and two sons, viz., Em- 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



r43 



ma (wife of A. E. Angier, of Columbus, Ohio), 
Charles A., of Akron, and George W., Jr., of 
New York. 

REV. THOMAS E. MOxNROE, minister, Ak- 
ron. Rev. Thomas E. Monroe, the able Pastor 
of the First Congregational Church of Akron, 
Ohio, is of Scotch descent, and one of four 
children of Job and Phebe (Collins) Monroe, 
being born at Plainfield, Conn., on April 28, 
1829. His father was born in Massachusetts, 
and, in his early manhood, studied law ; but, 
his health failing, he engaged in farming. In 
the war of 1812, he was Captain. He died in 
Oberlin, Ohio, in 1872, being in his 87th year. 
His three sons and one daughter, excepting the 
subject of these lines, are Abel, a banker of 
Woonsocket, R. I. ; Prof. James Monroe, of 
Oberlin College, and Mary, who is deceased. 
The subject spent his youth on a farm, attend- 
ing to farm duties, and receiving such an edu- 
cation as the New England schools afforded, in- 
cluding Latin. At 17, he began teaching in 
the public schools of Rhode Island, continuing 
for three years, when he entered a preparatory 
school at Providence, R. I. The year following, 
he entered Oberlin College, taking a classical 
course, in which he graduated in 1856 ; and, in 
two years after, graduated in a theological 
course. In the summer of 1859, he was or- 
dained by the Cleveland Conference a minister 
of the Gospel. For one year, he was located 
at Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, becoming Pastor 
of the First Congregational Church of Mt. Ver- 
non, Ohio, in 1860, which place he filled until 
1873, in the meantime having increased the 
membership from 150 to 437. During his stay 
with that people, they built a church costing 
$38,000. On April 1, 1873, he came to Akron, 
and became Pastor of its First Congregational 
Church, which position he holds, having now 
650 members, exclusive of 122 absent ones, 
being an increase of 504 over the membership 
when he took charge of it. In June, 1859, he 
married IMiss Mary Bernard, of Philadelphia, 
who bore him one child. 

JAMES MATHEWS, insurance, Akron, is 
a son of James and Jane (Archer) Mathews, 
and was born April 23, 1803, in Washington 
Co., N. Y. When he was 8 years of age, his 
parents moved to Crown Point, and, a few 3'ears 
later, to Vermont. He was brought up on a 
farm, and, at the age of 22 years, commenced 
learning the cabinet-making business and paint- 



ing, giving special attention to ornamental paint- 
ing. His health failing, he discontinued the 
business, and was appointed Constable of Orange 
Co., Vt., and was thus employed until 1839, 
when he came to Akron, Ohio. He first com- 
menced the manufacturing of grain shovels, and 
then engaged in building ; and, in 1840, in 
working on Perkins & Co.'s Woolen Factor}', 
now used as a mill. He next embarked in the 
grocery business, which he continued until 1845, 
when he built the Mathews residence, corner of 
East Market and Broadway, which was the 
second brick building in that part of the city. 
In the spring of 1849, he went into the insur- 
ance business, as agent of five of the leading 
companies, viz., ^Etna, Phoenix, Springfield, 
Home of New York, and Hartfoi'd, continuing 
fii'e insurance, until, in 1873, when he gave it 
over to his son, Henry G. In January, 1857, 
he became agent of the Mutual Life of New 
York, and has retained it ever since, a period 
of twenty-four years. He is now the oldest 
agent of that company in the State, and has 
the best ratio of business, and has insured to the 
amount of over $12,000,000. He was married 
in Januaiy, 1833, at Wells River, Vt, to Miss 
Agnes Grant, of that place. Three children 
were born of that marriage— George H. (died 
in December, 1872, in his 33d year) ; Henry, of 
Akron, and Charles H., book-keeper of Booth's 
Theater, New York. His wife died in April, 

1870. Mr. Mathews was a Jackson Democrat ; 
but, after the campaign of Gen. Cass, in 1848, 
he became a Whig ; and, upon the organization 
of the Republican party, adopted its principles. 
In 1865, he was elected Mayor of the city of 
Akron for two years by a unanimous vote, and 
during his term of ofiSce made man}' needed im- 
pi'ovements in streets, etc. He was a member 
of the first Board of Education of Akron, which 
was elected in 1847. He was a second time 
married, on the 23d of November, 1871, to Mrs. 
Isabella Tayler, widow of the late James D. 
Tayler, and a daughter of Alonzo Howard, one 
of the pioneer merchants of Middlebury, where 
she was born. Mr. M. built the Mathews Block 
on Howard street, in 1850, and rebuilt it in 

1871. He is a writer of considerable merit ; 
is of Scotch descent, and has a warm admira- 
tion for the ballads and verses of Scotia's im- 
mortal bard. During the residence in Vermont, 
he was thrown among the Scotch people of 
Caledonia Co., where he acquired a taste and 



^ 



744 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



aptness for the Scotch dialect, which he speaks 
" Hke a native " — if occasion requires it. He 
was a member of the Town Council in 1842-43, 
and is now the only survivor of those bodies. 

CHARLES MILLER, manufacturer, Akron; 
was born in Upper Nazareth Township, North- 
ampton Co., Penn., Nov. 29, 1815 (a more com- 
plete history of whose family appears under 
the head of Norton Township). The first nine- 
teen years of his life were spent on the farm 
and in receiving a verj^ meager education ; the 
following spring, he went to learn the car- 
penter and joiner's trade with one Charles 
Glass, hiring for two years, which he served 
with the exception of about three months ; his 
salary was board, washing and mending, with a 
few tools at the expiration of his apprentice- 
ship ; the cause of his not serving the full time 
was on account of a hard master, and being 
compelled to do a great deal of work after 
night. During the time of his apprenticeship, 
he was engaged on the Beaver Meadow & Haz- 
leton Branch Railroad, from Beaver Meadow 
to Mauch Chunk, which was at that time one 
the first railroads in the State. In the spring 
of 1838, he came to Guilford Township, Medina 
Co., where he followed his trade until late in the 
fall, when he returned to Pennsylvania, and 
worked at White Haven, which was at the head 
of the Lehigh Canal; later he returned to North- 
ampton Co., remaining there until in 1843, 
when he again came to Ohio, stopping for a 
time in Wayne Co. He worked at his trade 
and engaged in farming until in 1857, when he 
entered into a partnership with Abraham Krotz 
in the sale of farming implements for C. M. 
Russell & Co., of Massillon, in which they con- 
tinued two years; the partner appropriating the 
money obtained from sales and dying on his 
way home from Illinois where they had been 
operating, left Mr. Miller in almost destitute 
circumstances when the indebtedness was paid 
up. In 1861, after John F. Seiberling began the 
manufacture of the Excelsior, at Doylestown, 
Mr. Miller acted as general agent, operating in 
a large territory and selling, himself, nearly 
half of the machines manufactured by that 
company. In 1863, he purchased a quarter 
interest in the Seiberling patents, and subse- 
quently was compelled to expend hundreds of 
dollars in the purchase of other prior inven- 
tions to make their patents valid. In 1865, he 
having prior to that time formed a partnership 



of several of Akron's prominent business men 
and purchased the ground for the manufacture 
of the Excelsior Mower and Reaper, they built 
the works of that company on Broad street in 
the city of Akron. John F. Seiberling after- 
ward became connected with the firm which 
stood until in 1875, when they made an assign- 
ment, at which time Mr. Miller was the owner 
of $65,500 in stock, besides having loaned the 
firm several thousand dollars, which has been 
almost a total loss. In 1879, he, in connec- 
tion with his sons, purchased the chain works 
of a Mr. Matherson, at Cuyahoga Falls, and 
moved the same to Akron, having purchased 
the Schevere works where they are now exten- 
sively engaged in the manufacture of all kinds 
of chains and running from sixty to eighty men. 
He was married in February, 1843, to Hannah 
Bechtel, daughter of Abraham Bechtel ; b}- this 
marriage there have been four sons and three 
daughters — Emma Elizabeth, Henry D., Aman- 
da Ann, Harvey F., Levin J., S. Samuel, Cora 
0.; four are married and residents of Akron — 
Emma E., now Mrs. Frank Reifsnider, he a 
traveling salesman for the rubber works in 
Cleveland ; Henry, married to Miss Minnie 
Sigley ; Amanda, now wife of Mr. Kratz, su- 
perintendent at the Thomas Planing Mill ; 
Harvey, married to Miss Mary Hayes. Levin 
J. is engaged in business in the West. Mr. 
Miller has been a man of great energ}^ and 
business ability, and the manner in which he 
has adjusted the great losses which he has suf- 
fered has made him many warm friends in his 
declining age. 

JUDGE ULYSSES L. MARVIN, lawyer, 
Akron ; is a son of Ulysses and Elizabeth 
(Bradley) Marvin, and was born March 14, 
1839, in Stow Township, this count}^, where his 
youth was spent until the age of 15, when he 
began painting with his father during the sum- 
mer. His education was received, in addition 
to the public schools, in Twinsburg Institute, 
and Franklin Institute, at Kent, teaching in the 
meantime from the time he was 16 years of 
age. In 1858, he entered the law office of H. 
R. Foster, at Hudson, and the next spring came 
to Akron and completed his studies with Hon. 
Sidney Edgerton, and was admitted to the bar 
May 2, 1860. In 1861, he became Principal of 
the Union School of Kent, where he married 
Miss Dorena, only daughter of Hon. David 
Rockwell, of that place, Nov. 27, 1861. In 



^ (3 W 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



745 



August, 1862, he enlisted as a private in the 
the 115th 0. V. I., and served as a clerk 
in the office of Judge Advocate, at Cincin- 
nati, until August, 1863, when he was com- 
missioned as 1st Lieutenant in the 5th U. S. 
Colored Infantry, and as a part of the 18th 
Army Corps pai'ticipated in the Peninsular 
campaign of 1864. In the attack on Peters- 
burg and that campaign, he commanded the 
skirmish line at the Burnside mine explosion. 
During the siege of Richmond, he was pro- 
moted to Captain, and was wounded while 
leading his company at New Market Heights, 
Sept. 29, 1864, which disabled him for two 
months, when he returned to his command and 
was assigned to duty as Adjutant General on 
Gren. Shurtliff's staff, was sent to Ft. Fisher, 
then to Raleigh, N. C, and was at the sur- 
render. He was brevetted Major at the close 
of the war for gallant and meritorious serv- 
ice, and made Judge Advocate on the staff 
of Gen. Paine, serving as such until mustered 
out of the service in October, 1865. He then 
returned to Kent and opened a law office, and 
two years later removed to Akron, forming a 
partnership with J. J. Hall for eighteen months. 
In the fall of 1869, he was elected Probate 
Judge, serving until February, 1876 ; since 
then he has been in practice of law first as the 
firm of Foster, Marvin & Grant, now the firm of 
Marvin, Grant & Foote. 

EDWIN H. MERRILL, of E. H. Merrill & 
Co., manufacturers of stoneware, Akron, is a 
son of Abijah and Abigail (Scott) Merrill, and 
was born Feb. 9, 1808, in Painesville, Ohio, 
where he went to school in winter, and began 
his trade of potter with his father when but a 
boy, growing up with the business. In 1830, 
when he was 22 years old, he came to Spring- 
field Township, working successively for Fisk 
and for Purdy, when he bought out Fisk. (The 
pottery and sewer-pipe business is one of the 
most extensive of Akron and Summit County, 
and receives full notice in the chapter devoted 
to the industries of the city.) After he bought 
out Fisk, his father's family came on (about 
1835), and they began the manufacture of beer 
bottles, b}' machinery invented by subject, and 
upon which he had secured a patent. They 
remained in Springfield until 1847, and had in 
the meantime began the manufactory of to- 
bacco pipes b}- machinery. They then moved 
to Middlebury, and made priucipall}' beer 



bottles, tobacco and water pipes — making 
300,000 bottles per year. They also invented 
a machine for making stone pumps, which they 
manufactured for a time. In 1854, they (Mer- 
rill Brothers), invented a machine for making 
sewer-pipe, and began their manufacture, under 
firm of Merrill, Powers & Co., the brothers 
owning one-half interest. They did well until 
1857, when the panic came, and their principal 
buj-ers of Chicago could not sell, and having 
a large amount on hand, were forced to sell at 
reduced prices. About the same time, subject 
bought his brother's interest in the bottle fac- 
tory, which he continued until 1860, when it 
was destroyed by fire, with total loss. He 
then came to his present place, 404 South 
Main street, and purchased the building now 
in use, where he has done a good business. 
The firm was Merrill & Sons, and they em- 
ployed a force of some thirty men and boys. 
He was married, in 1838, to Miss Emily Glea- 
son, of Bedford, Ohio. They have two sous 
and one daughter living. Henry E. is a mem- 
ber of the firm ; William G. is in the pottery 
business in Virginia ; Grace, now Mrs. F. W. 
Butler, who is a member of the present 
firm. In Februar}', 1880, William G. re- 
retired from the firm of Merrill & Sons, and F. 
W. Butler became a partner, and the firm was 
changed to E. H. Merrill & Co. 

CYRUS MILLER, merchant, Akron, Ohio ; 
was born in 1831, in Allegheny Co., Penn. At 
an eai'ly age he was left an orphan, and that 
portion of his life was spent in the homes of 
different families, as chance might offer and 
as his services were counted as compensa- 
tion. He had no opportunities of gaining an 
education, and at the age of 14 he began as a 
driver in the coal mines at Chippewa, Ohio, 
he having for some years previous to this been 
a resident of the State. He continued at driv- 
ing in the mines for about five ^'ears, and then 
he spent three years in mining. He then ac- 
cepted the position of shipper for ]Mr. David 
Morris, who was engaged in the shipment of 
coal from Girard, Trumbull Co., to Cleveland. 
For about nine years he was engaged in ship- 
ping, when he purchased a hotel in Girard, of 
which he spent the following eight years as 
landlord and proprietor. His last change, little 
ovev ten years ago, was to come to Akron, and 
with a capital of $500, engage in the grocery 
trade. With this small amount as a beginning, 



V 



746 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



lie has built up a business that ranks among 
the leading mercantile houses of the city, as, in 
the year 1880, the aggregate sum of his sales 
was $80,000. His place of business is located 
at No. 142 South Howard street. Mr. Miller is 
a quiet, unassuming man, who has given his 
whole attention to his business, and though he 
began a poor boy, and was left dependent upon 
his own resources, he holds a position among 
the business men of Alcron of which he may 
justly be proud. In 1849, he was married to 
Miss Delilah, daughter of John Wilson, of 
Starli Co., Ohio. 

GEORGE S. MAY, lawyer, Akron, Ohio ; 
was born Jan. 31, 1851, and is a son of Horace 
and Eleanor (Stow) May, the latter of the same 
family of Mr. Stow, the founder of Stow Town- 
ship. His (subject's) father was born in Caz- 
enovia, N. Y., July 6, 1811, and came to Akron 
in 1837, where he engaged in general mercantile 
business ; having stores at Lock 1, one in 
North Akron, and a branch at " Slankertown." 
By prudence, economy, and a general adapta- 
tion to the business, he was successful, and 
retired on account of failing health in 1856, 
having accumulated a competency, which he 
managed with care until his death, in August, 
1867. Mr. M. was alwaj^s at the front in all 
enterprises of a public nature, and did much to 
establish the commercial and political impor- 
tance of the town. A man of sterling worth, 
and with the reputation of being an excellent 
business man, he had the respect and confidence 
of all who knew him. Those who have listened 
with interest to his stories of business experi- 
ences of Akron in the early times, will remem- 
ber with what pride he would boast of never 
having paid a debt a day after it was due in 
his life. His social qualities drew about him a 
host of friends and intimate acquaintances, and 
his home was always filled with company. 
Among others, Hon. B. F. Wade, R. P. Ranuey, 
Judge V. R. Humphrey, were life-long friends, 
and always found a welcome with Mr. May. 
Subject was but 16 years old when his father 
died, and at the solicitation of Mr. Wade, took 
up the study of the law in the office of Edger- 
ton & Kohler, where he remained until his ad- 
mission to the bar, Sept. 2, 1872. In October 
following, he made a trip to the Old World, 
visiting the larger portions of Continental 
Europe and Great Britain, spending one year in 
the Law Department of the University of 



Heidelberg, Germany. He returned home in 
1874, and began the practice of law in Akron, 
where he has since remained. He was mar- 
ried Sept. 30, 1875, to Miss Elizabeth S. Rogers, 
of Boston, Mass. She died June 10, 1877, 
leaving two daughters. 

REV. HENRY F. MILLER, Akron ; a son 
of John S. and Ann (Forer) Miller ; was born 
in Athens Co., Ohio, Aug. 22, 1829. His youth 
was spent on a farm, and, at the age of 18, he 
entered the Ohio University at Athens, and 
graduated in the class of 1853. He then be- 
came Principal of Transylvania University at 
Lexington, Ky., remaining one year. He taught 
in Meigs Co., Ohio, two years, and in Pome- 
roy two years. In 1859, he entered the minis- 
tr}' of the Universalist Church, and removed 
the next year to Madison, Ind., where he became 
Pastor of a church until 1863. He was then 
sent as general army agent to look after the 
sick and wounded soldiers in the Southwest, 
and distribute sanitary stores and attend to 
other charitable work, under the auspices of 
his church, with headquarters at Louisville, 
Ky. In July, 1865, he returned to Madison 
and was appointed b}^ the Northwestern Con- 
ference of the Universalist Church General 
Financial Secretary to raise an endowment 
fund for Lombard University at Galesburg, 111., 
and succeeded in raising $100,000 in two years, 
He was appointed to a like work for the build- 
ing and equipment of Smithson College at 
Logansport, Ind. He resigned the position in 
1869, and was elected general agent of the Ohio 
State Convention, Universalists, for the found- 
ing of an institution of learning in Ohio, and 
in pursuance of this object, during same year, 
he made the acquaintance of John R. Buchtel, 
of Akron, and enlisted him in behalf of the 
enterprise. The result was the founding of 
Buchtel College, a history of which is given 
elsewhere. He continued in management of its 
finances until the building was erected and 
opened for the admission of students. He con- 
ceived and carried to success the idea of hav- 
ing Hon. Horace Greeley deliver an address at 
the laying of the corner-stone, which gave 
the college considerable prestige. Since 1871, 
with somewhat broken health, Mr. M. has 
divided his time between the work of the min- 
istr}' and business pursuits. He was married, 
in 1853, to Miss Apphia Brown Cable, of Athens, 
Ohio. Of this marriage thex-e were seven chil- 






l^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



747 



dren, five of whom are living — Henry E. was edu- 
cated in the Akron schools, and is now farming 
in Medina Co.; Clinton D. is proprietor of the 
"99-cent" store of Akron ; Paul R., a student 
of the Class of 1881, in Buchtel College ; Mattie 
C. and Ernest still reside at home. Subject's 
parents were born in New Jerse3\ and settled 
in the woods of Athens Co., Ohio, in the early 
part of 1829. 

C. H. MYERS, boots and shoes, Akron ; is 
a good representative of the boot and shoe 
trade of South Akron, and, in fact, one of the 
leading dealers in the city. In speaking per- 
sonally of some of the promoters of Akron's 
business industries, his name is worthy of more 
than a passing mention. He was born Dec. 6, 
1 852, in Middlebur}', or what is now known as 
East Akron, and is the son of Charles F. and 
Elizabeth (Swope) Myers, the former a native 
of France, and a carpenter and architect by 
trade. When C. H. was about 10 years old, his 
father moved to the country and engaged in 
farming. About seven years of the life of C. 
H. wa5 spent at hard work on the farm, when 
his people removed to Akron again, which 
move gave him a better opportunit}' of getting 
an education, both of a commercial and literary 
nature. After leaving school he spent about 
one year in the gearing department of the 
Buckeye Reaper Works. With the money 
earned by himself in this way he took a thor- 
ough course and graduated at the commercial 
college of Akron. After leaving college, he 
spent one 3-ear on the road as traveling sales- 
man for a hardware house. He then began 
clerking for Mr. E. P. Holloway, with whom he 
remained till the spring of 1876, when he and 
C. A. Holloway, also an employe of E. P., 
engaged in the boot and shoe trade under the 
firm name of Holloway & Myers, and so con- 
tinued to do a very prosperous business until 
the spring of 1881, when he purchased the 
interest of Mr. Holloway, and is now conduct 
ing the business alone in the old successful 
way. In the spring of 1877, he was married 
to Miss Catharine, daughter of Albert and 
Mary (Braenton) Corne}'. She was born May 
11, 1854, in Bridgeport, Conn., and, when a 
child, came to Cu^-ahoga Falls with her parents. 
She lived there about twelve years, when her 
people removed to Akron. They were married 
b}' the Rev. Henry Baker. They are both 
members of the First M. E. Church of Akron ; 



he has been a member for the past fourteen 
years. One child has been born to them — 
Gracie, who was born on March 30, 1878, and 
died on March 4, 1880. 

J. A. MYERS, foreman of the shipping de- 
partment at Aultman, Miller & Co.'s, Akron ; 
is a son of David B. and Elizabeth (Moller) 
Myers — she a native of Wayne Co., Ohio, he of 
Germany, but he came to Ohio with his wid- 
owed mother when about 6 months old ; she 
married, in Cleveland, a Mr. Green, and moved 
to Independence, where she still lives, at the 
advanced age of 83 years. David, the father 
of our subject, moved from Wayne Co. to La- 
Porte Co., Ind., where he lived thirteen 3'ears, 
when he returned to Ohio in 1864, and resided 
at Canal Fulton and Clinton until 1868, when 
he came to Akron, where he now resides. He 
had three children — J. A., the eldest, born Jan. 
15, 1847 ; Nancy, a Mrs. Henninger, and Etta, 
a maiden. The subject of this sketch received 
a ver}^ limited education, and, at twelve years 
of age, went into a drug store, in which busi- 
ness he continued until 1866, making rapid ad- 
vancement in the knowledge of the business. 
He then worked with his father, who was a car- 
penter by trade, until Oct. 27, 1867, when he 
accepted the second position in the shipping 
department, where he is now employed, serving 
nine 3ears in that capacity, after which he ac- 
cepted his present position. He was married;, 
Sept. 12, 1869, to Emma Clark, born Dec. 29, 
1848, in Sheffield, England, but came when 1 
3-ear old to this countr3' with her parents, Sam- 
uel and Sarah Clark, who were farmers in 
Springfield Township, both of whom are now 
deceased. B3' this marriage there are five 
children — Clarence Arthur, born Jul3- 1, 1870 ; 
Edna May, July 9, 1872 ; Daisy Emma, April 
3, 1875 ; Myrtle Grace, Oct. 27, 1877 ; Ches- 
ter Albert, April 6, 1881. 31 r. Myers is a 
stanch Republican, greatly interested in educa- 
tion, a liberal supporter of churches, and he, 
with his family, are members of the Evangel- 
ical Association. 

FATHER THOMAS F. MAHAR, Akron ; 
was born in Scranton, Penn., Sept. 28, 1851. In 
1866, he entered St. Louis College at Louisville, 
Stark Co., Ohio, and remained three years, 
having been for four years previous a student 
in St. Mary's College. In 1869, he went 
to Rome, Italy, where he began his eccle- 
siastical studies in the American College, con- 



^1®" 
I 




748 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



tinuing until 1875, when he came to Cleveland, 
Ohio, and was made Assistant Pastor in St. 
John's Cathedral, serving until Aug. 1, 1880, 
when he was sent to the pastorate of St. Vin- 
cent's Church of Akron. He received the 
degrees of Ph. D. and D. D. at Rome, Italy. 
He is the oldest son living born to Thomas and 
Ann (Hart) Mahar, both of whom were born in 
the United States and are now residents of 
Cleveland, where the husband superintends a 
rolling-mill. 

RUDOLPH A. MAY, of the firm of May & 
Fiebeger, Akron, dealers in stoves and tinware, 
also galvanized iron cornices, etc. Mr. May, of 
this firm, was born in Bohemia, Austria, April 3, 
1847, and is the fourth of six children born to 
Anthon}- and Rosialia (Drey thaler) May, natives 
of Bohemia, Austria. Anthon}- May came to 
the United States m 1848. and in 1850, his wife 
and one child, (the three other children having 
died), came also to Akron, where he had been 
working. Mr. Ma}' first worked in the woolen fac- 
tory, and in 1851, he engaged in the grocery busi- 
ness, which he followed until his death in 1855. 
Mrs. Ma}^ soon after married Mr. Joseph Fiebe- 
ger, who was also a native of Austria. They 
live now in Akron. Rudolph A., the subject. 
lived at home until he was 14 j-ears old, when 
he went to Columbus, where he worked at 
silver-plating. Some months after he appren- 
ticed to the tinning trade, receiving wages after 
the first year ; he lived in Columbus two years, 
and then returned to Akron, and a year after- 
ward formed a partnership with J. B. Cramer 
(firm Cramer & May), continuing until 1880, 
when the firm dissolved and was succeeded by 
the present one of May & Fiebeger. He was 
married Sept. 9, 1874, to Miss Susan R. Rhodes, 
a native of Portage Co., Ohio. They have three 
children — Mary M., Lewis R. and Nellie L. 

DR. THOMAS McEBRIGHT, physician, 
Akron ; was born April 14, 1824, at Carlisle, 
Penn. He is the youngest of eight cliildren 
born to George and Barbara (Brunner) Mc- 
Ebright. His parents were natives of Penns}'!- 
vania ; moved in 1833 to Wayne Co., Ohio, 
where his father, though a tanner b}' trade, de- 
voted his attention to farming. Here both lived 
until their death, living to an advanced age. 
Dr. McEbright lived on the farm until the age 
of 16 3-ears, when he entered the Ohio Wesle}'- 
an University, continuing his studies at inter- 
vals until 1848, teachino; district and select 



schools in the meantime to support him in col- 
lege. He finall}' abandoned his college course, 
before completion, on account of his health. 
He at one began reading medicine at Wooster, 
Ohio, with Dr. T. H. Baker, and graduated at 
the Starling Medical College, of Columbus, 
Ohio. He began practice at Nashville, Ohio, 
where he remained seven 3'ears, going from 
there to Millersburg. In 1861, he went from 
the latter place to the army as Surgeon of the 
8th 0. V. I., remaining with the regiment two 
years. Resigning, he returned to Millersburg, 
and soon after raised the 59th Battalion, con- 
sisting of five companies, which, upon the call 
for 100 days' men, was attached to the 166th 
Regiment. Dr. McEbright was made Colonel, 
but preferring to act as Surgeon, at his request. 
Gov. Tod appointed Col. Blake to succeed him, 
and commissioned Dr. McEbright as Surgeon. 
He soon after rose to the position of Brigade 
Surgeon, and in this position was detailed as 
Chief of the Operative Board at the battles of 
Antietam, Winchester, Wilderness seven days' 
fight, Rich Mountain, and the other engagements 
up to Gettysburg. In the fall of 1864, he was 
mustered out with his regiment and returned, 
coming to .\kron to resume his practice, where 
he has since been engaged. Dr. McEbright is 
an active societ}^ man ; a member of the Sum- 
mit County Medical Society ; was one of its 
founders, and among its earliest Presidents. 
He is a member also of the Union Medical So- 
ciety of Northeastern Ohio, the State Medical 
Society, and the American Medical Association, 
serving in different official capacities in the two 
former. In June, 1853, he married Miss Nancy, 
daughter of Judge Thomas Liggett, of Millei's- 
burg, Ohio. The}^ have had five children, only 
two of whom are now living : " Kit," who re- 
ceived the degree of Bachelor of Arts, at the 
Cornell University, at the age of 19 ; she has 
also received the same degree at the Buchtel, 
and is now completing a French coui'se at St. 
Marie De Monoir, Canada. Carrie, the younger 
daughter, is attending school in her native cit}', 
Akron. 

WILLIAM McKINNEY, Sheriff, Akron; 
was born in Franklin County, Ohio, Dec. 39, 
1833, and is the youngest of five children born 
to Cineum and Abigail (Patterson) McKinney ; 
he was butcher by trade, and dealt largely in 
stock ; he died in 1834. Mrs. McKinney after- 
ward married Mr. Luther R. Prentiss, a farmer 



-?[< 



CITY OF AKRON. 



749 



of Cuyahoga County, where she lived until her 
death, about the year 1855. Mr. Prentiss is 
yet living in Cuyahoga County, aged 78 years. 
Our subject lived with his mother until he was 
16 years of age, when he was apprenticed to 
shoemaking and served three vears, after which 
he followed his trade in Twinsburg, and in 
Iowa and Kansas for three or four years. In j 
1860, he returned to Twinsburg and opened a 
shop ; in 1862, he left his shop in his broiher- 
in-law's care, and enlisted in Co. G, 115th O.V. I., 
serving until the close of the war ; he was first 
appointed Corporal and afterward promoted to 
2d Sergeant; in 1863, he was detailed with 
Lieut. Nash to take charge of a block-house at 
Luverne, near Nashville, and, upon the transfer 
of Lieut. Nash^ the Sergeant was left in com- 
mand, and so remained until Dec. 5, 1864, 
when the place was captured by Forest ; they 
were held prisoners, and, in March following, 
were moved to Black River, near Vicksburg ; 
here the Sergeant escaped the guard and went 
to Vicksburg, where he took a hospital boat to 
St. Louis, and, from there, returned home, his 
weight being eighty pounds ; after remaining 
home about a month, he went to Camp Chase, 
where he received his discharge, and returned 
to Twinsburg, where he resumed shoemaking, 
which he continued there until 1871, when he 
was appointed Postmaster by President Grant, 
and held the office until Jan. 1, 1881. In the 
fall of 1880, he was elected Sheriff on the 
Republican ticket, and entered upon the duties 
of his office in January following. Feb. 8, 
1853, he married Miss Sarah A. Carver, a na- 
tive of Twinsburg, and a daughter of George 
W. Carver, whose father was one of the pioneers 
of that Township ; by the marriage, there has 
been born six children, of whom three are liv- 
ing, viz. : Clara, Perry and Paul. 

JAMES C. McNEIL, proprietor of Akron 
Boiler Works, Akron, Ohio ; was born in Onon- 
daga County, N. Y., May 8, 1836, and is a 
son of Samuel and Nancy (Cokely) McNeil, 
who were natives of New York, and emigrated 
to Ohio about the year 1838, and settled in 
Coshocton County ; they carried on farming 
there until his death in 1847, when his widow 
continued same until 1859, when she came to 
Akron, to live with James C, and died in 1867. 
The subject came to Akron in the year 1847, 
to live with his brother, and attended the pub- 
lic schools; at the age of 18, he apprenticed 



to the machinist trade, with Webster & Taplin, 
of Akron, and served until he became of age ; 
he followed the trade about six years in Cleve- 
land, with the Cleveland & Mahoning R. R. 
Co. — three and a half 3'ears foreman of shops 
and two and a half years engineer on railroad — 
and then returned to Akron, and took charge 
of the machinery in the Akron Barrel Factor}', 
where he continued for two and a half years. 
In 1866, the firm of Moffatt & McNeil was 
formed, and engaged in the manufacture of 
boilers and boiler plate-work ; they continued 
four years, when Mr. McNeil became sole pro- 
prietor and has continued ever since. In 1880, 
Mr. McNeil built the present brick shop, 64x96 
feet ; he does a large business, and is a practi- 
cal man ; employs from twenty-five to thirty 
hands. He was married, in 1859, to Miss Mary 
Gale, a daughter and youngest child of Justus 
and Sarah (Hyde) Gale, a prominent famil}', 
and a native of Akron ; they have two children, 
viz. : Grant C. and Sarah G. He has been a 
Republican since organization of the part}-, 
and from 1866 to 1869. was Chief of the City 
Fire Department. 

J. C. McMILLEN, of Baker, Merriman & Co., 
Akron ; was born in Clarion County, Penn., 
March 8, 1827, and is the second of a famil}- 
of four children born to John and Sallie (Max- 
well) McMillen. Mr. McMillen's parents were 
natives of Westmoreland County, Penn. ; his 
father was a farmer, and subsequently, in 1862, 
moved with his family to Iowa, where the 
mother died, July 4, 1876. The family then 
moved to Michigan, where he is now living 
with a son. J. C. McMillen lived with his 
parents, assisting on the farm, until he was 18 
years of age, when he was apprenticed to a 
cabinet manufacturer, with whom he remained 
until he attained his majority ; he continued 
about three years longer as a journeyman, 
when he came to Akron and engaged in his trade. 
Some four years later, he united with others in 
establishing the Melodeon Company, and has 
been in company with Baker ever since. Nov. 
29, 1853, he married Miss Evaline Reed, a na- 
tive of Sharon Township, Medina Co., Ohio ; 
she died Feb. 21, 1858, leaving one child, 
Laura, now Mrs. Brush, of Michigan. Sept. 
19, 1861, Mr. McMillen married Mrs. Fulton, 
formerly Miss Catharine Schley, a native of 
Chambersburg, Penn. ; three children have 
blessed this union — Guy, Mar}- and Emma. 



:^ 



M' 



750 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



A. J. McNEIL, boots and shoes, Akron ; is 
the 3'oungest son of William and Sarah (Pur- 
sell) McNeil, of Peninsula, and was born Dec. 
23, 1850. He lived at Peninsula until 18G4, 
when he came to Akron as clerk in the employ 
of David Snyder, in the grain and produce busi- 
ness, continuing for two years. In May, 1866, 
he became a clerk for Cutter & Howe, of Akron, 
where he remained until January, 1870. He 
then went to Indianapolis and clerked in a 
shoe store, but returned to Akron the next 
year and entered the emplo}' of his old firm, 
Cutter & Howe. In company with A. L. Bow- 
man, he, in 1873, bought the shoe establish- 
ment of C. R. Howe, and, under the firm of 
Bowman & McNeil, did business four years. 
In 1878, was engaged as traveling salesman for 
Childs, Groff & Co., wholesale boot and shoe 
dealers, of Cleveland, and continued with them 
two years. In 1880, was employed by M. T. 
Cutter as salesman for one year, and in March, 
1881, associated himself with his brother, S. C. 
McNeil, at 121 S. Howard street. He was 
married, in Jul}', 1873, to Miss Emma E. Ladd, 
of Akron. They have one daughter. 

S. C. McNEIL, boots and shoes, Akron ; is 
a son of William and Sarah (Pursell) McNeil, 
and was born at Sharon, June 28, 1843. He 
was ten j-ears old when the family moved to 
Peninsula, Summit Co., where he grew up. He 
clerked here for some time, and, in 1862, be- 
came the partner of Frederick Wood in general 
store, continuing until about the year 1865, 
under the firm name of Wood &• McNeil. In 
1865, he went to Denver, Colo., remaining six 
months ; then returned to Peninsula, and, in 
the fall of 1866, purchased a canal-i)oat, and 
ran from Peninsula to Cleveland, with stone, 
lumber, etc., until the fall of 1870, when, in 
company with Thomas Wood, he engaged in 
the lumber business under the firm of Wood & 
McNeil. In March, 1881, he opened a shoe 
store at 121 South Howard street, with a large 
stock of new goods, embracing every variety of 
boots and shoes, and a shop for custom-work. 
The entire stock was bought at the most favor- 
able season, direct from the manufacturers for 
cash, also including the largest stock of trunks 
and valises in the city. Mr. McNeil has se- 
cured the services of his brother, A. J. McNeil, 
who has had fifteen years' experience in the 
shoe business. He was married, April 24, 
1872, to Miss Jennie Beers, daughter of L. 



Beers, a pioneer of Boston Township. The}^ 
have one son and one daughter. 

CAPT. THOMAS W. NASH, Recording 
Clerk, Akron ; is a native of Williamsburg, 
Hampshire Co., Mass. ; he was born Dec. 7, 
1832, and is the fourth of five children born to 
Hophni and Lovisa (King) Nash. They were 
natives of Massachusetts ; he was born Jan. 
10, 1797 ; his father was a farmer, and he was 
raised to the same pursuit ; in the fall of 1817, 
he came to Ohio in compan}' with his cousin, 
John A. Nash ; he settled in Richfield Town- 
ship, where he was burned out, after which he 
moved to Bath Township, of which locality he 
was one of the pioneers ; he lived in Bath 
Township, except a few years in his native 
State, until the fall of 1880, when he retired to 
Akron, where he now lives. Our subject lived 
at home on the farm until the year 1861 ; he 
received a common school course of study, and 
taught at home and in Indiana, where he was 
visiting. Oct. 3, 1861, he enlisted in Co. H, 
29th 0. V. I., and served throughout the war, 
during which time he was several times pro- 
moted, ranging from Orderly Sergeant to (Jap- 
tain (see record of regiment in this work) ; he 
was taken prisoner at the battle of Port Repub- 
lic, and held three months in Libby and Sauls- 
bury Prisons, after which he was paroled. He 
returned home in July, 1865, and soon after 
visited in Livingston Co., 111., where he pur- 
chased a farm. Feb. 14, 1866, he married Miss 
Nettie Culver, a native of Richfield Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio, and the following month 
occupied his farm in Illinois, and farmed until 
the spring of 1873 ; he then moved to Chats- 
worth, 111., and became agent for Howe's sew- 
ing machines, and also taught school. In 1879, 
he returned to Akron, and has resided there 
since, and has followed his present business. 
By the marriage there has been two children, 
viz., EflSe M. and Clyde C. 

SUMNER NASH, County Clerk, Akron ; 
was born in Bath Township, Summit Co., Ohio, 
May 10, 1836, and is the youngest of five chil- 
dren born to Hophni and Lovisa (King) Nash, 
who are spoken of elsewhere in this work. Our 
subject remained on the farm until he was 20 
years of age, receiving a common school and 
academic course of study ; he then went to 
Wisconsin, where he took a contract to clear 
a way through the forest near Pl3'mouth for the 
Sheboj'gan & Fond du Lac Railroad, making 






k. 



CITY OF AKRON. 



751 



ties and cording the timber. He next drove 
stage between Oshkosh and New London. In 
the Spring of 1857, he took charge of a hard- 
ware store in Oshkosh, for E. H. Barber, and 
the following summer he returned home and 
took charge of the farm which he managed and 
taught school during the winters until 1862. 
Aug. 6, of that year, he enlisted in the serv- 
ice, and was assigned to the 115th 0. V. I., 
and served three years ; he enlisted as a pri- 
vate and was successivel}' promoted to the ra nk 
of 1st Lieutenant. In 1863, he was detailed to 
relieve Lieut. John Eadie, in command of the 
military forces at Dayton during the election. 
In 1864, he was placed under Maj. Willet, and 
served as Assistant Inspector of Railroad De- 
fenses, which position he held until the close of 
the war. In July, 1865, he returned home, and 
in September following bought a farm in Liv- 
ingston Co., 111. March 8, 1866, he married 
Miss Rebecca M., daughter of John A. Means, 
of Summit Co., Ohio ; after the marriage, he 
occupied his farm in Illinois, and lived there 
until 1868, when he returned to Summit Co., 
where his wife died July 18, 1869. They had 
one child, M. Maud. He managed his father- 
in-law's farm for two years ; in the spring of 
1872, he engaged as agent for G. G. Baker & 
Co., manufacturers of lightning rods, etc., and 
traveled for them in Illinois until the following 
winter, when he returned to Summit Co., and 
was appointed Deputy County Clerk by John 
A. Means, which office he held until the term ex- 
pired ; he then served as Deputy for George 
W. Weeks, and in the fall of 1878 he was elected 
County Clerk on the Republican ticket, and 
entered the duties of the office Feb. 10 follow- 
ing. June 23, 1874, he married Miss Linnie 
A. Cross, of Columbus, Ohio. 

THOMAS NORTON, retired, Middlebury ; 
was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., April 16, 1806, 
and is a son of Peter and Elethina (Thompson) 
Norton, natives of Farmington, Conn. There 
is a record of the Norton family running back 
through nineteen generations, and the Ameri- 
can branch of the family trace their ancestry 
through the same line. The earliest of the 
name— Lord Norville, of France — was an officer 
under William the Conqueror, and went into 
England in 1066. A genealogical chart of the 
family is kept at Cambridge, Mass.: " Norville 
is a corruption of the French term Nordville, 
North-ville, or North town, and Nor-ton or 



Norton was subsequently adopted." Peter 
Norton, the father of our subject, was a farmer, 
and, in 1806, moved to Smithfield, Trumbull 
Co., Ohio, where he worked for his uncle, 
Luther Thompson, who settled there four years 
previous. In 1809, Mr. Norton moved to Tall- 
madge. Summit Co., and purchased fifty acres 
of timber land, on which he settled and lived 
for several years. In 1812, he was drafted, 
but, owing to family affairs, his son Almeron 
went in his place, serving a short term. In 
1813, the family settled on the place where 
Thomas (subject) now lives, Mr. N. having 
bought 200 acres of wild land, upon which he 
lived until his death, Aug. 23, 1822. He was 
Treasurer of Tallmadge Township for many 
years. Mrs. Norton afterward married Elisha 
Farnam, and died Nov. 24, 1844. The subject 
lived with his mother until her death, and 
remained on the place, which now belonged to 
his brother Almeron. In 1851, his brother 
died, and subject bought out his brother's 
heirs, thus becoming the owner of the old 
homestead. He has always followed farming. 
He was married, Jan. 10, 1847, to Miss Hannah 
M. Coney, a native of Stark Co., Ohio, who was 
born April 13, 1812, and is a daughter of 
James and Nancy (Hamlin) Coney, he a native 
of Pennsylvania, who came to Stark Co. a 
young man, and she a native of Virginia, who 
came to the same county with her parents. 
Subject has one child — Martha M. (now Mrs. 
Theodore Johns, boot and shoe dealer, Des 
Moines, Iowa). Theodore Johns was born in 
Middlebury, Summit Co., Ohio, March 23, 1845, 
and is a son of John and Nancy (Grant) Johns, 
he having been born on the line between Dela- 
ware and Maryland, and she in New Jersey. 
They were married in Philadelphia, and lived 
in New Jersey until about the 3'ear 1832, when 
they came to Middleburj', where he carried on 
shoemaking. About the year 1852 he moved to 
Akron, and, in 1855, to Des Moines, Iowa. He 
there opened the shoe business, which he con- 
ducted until 1874, when he retired, and his son 
Theodore took his place, continuing with the 
old firm name. He (Theodore) was married to 
Martha M. Norton (daughter of Thomas Nor- 
ton) June 2, 1873. They have had two chil- 
dren, one of whom is living, viz., Nettie. 

WILLIAM ACER NOBLE, foreman C.-B. 
Dep't, Akron ; a son of Theron and Lydia Dow 
(Acer) Noble ; was born Dec. 1, 1851, and is a 






^t 



753 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



native of Pittsburgh, Peiin. Wlien a j-ear old, 
famih' removed to Aliron, wliere his father had 
lived before. Subject was educated in Akron 
in the public schools, and, at 16, was appren- 
ticed to the trade of machinist, in Taplin, 
Rice & Co.'s foundry, where he remained three 
years. He then went to Florida, where he re- 
mained two 3'ears, and, in 1873, returned and 
entered the employ of Taplin, Rice & Co., un- 
til the spring of 1876, and, in December of that 
3'ear, engaged with Aultman, Miller & Co. as a 
mechanic, and, Sept. 1, 1877, was made fore- 
man in cutter-bar department, which embraces 
three rooms and employs fifty men. He was 
married, in October, 1877, to Miss Kate Big- 
elow, of Mansfield, Ohio ; one daughter living. 
Mr. N. and wife are members of the Episcopal 
Church ; is Republican in politics. His father 
was born in New York, and came to Akron 
about 1835, and was one of the first Auditors 
of this count}'. He was a tanner, but followed 
milling, and ran the old Black Mill in Middle- 
bury several years. Afterward, he owned the 
Cascade Mills ; died Sept. 20, 1877, aged 73 

EDWARD OVIATT, Akron. Edward Ovi- 
att, son of Marvin and Mary (Foot) Oviatt ; 
was born on May 19, 1822, at Hudson, Summit 
Co., Ohio. He spent a part of his time on a 
farm during his 3'outh, and attended school at 
the Richfield Academy at Granville, and 
Western Reserve College, during a portion of 
his minority. In Ma}', 1842, he came to Akron, 
entering the Hon. D. K. Cartter, now the Pres- 
ident Judge of the District of Columbia, for 
purpose of studying law, where he remained 
four 3-ears, and until Cartter removed to Mas- 
sillon. In September, 1844, he was admitted 
at Medina as a practitioner at the bar in the 
State Courts, and, in November, 1856, at Cleve- 
land, as a practitioner in the courts of the 
United States. He practiced law alone until 
Jul}', 1865, when he formed a partnership with 
Hon. S. W. McClure, which lasted until May, 
1870, the latter having been elected as one of 
the Judges of the Coui't of Common Pleas. He 
continued the practice alone till September, 
1876, when he formed a partnership with 
George G. Allen, who had, a short time before 
that, been admitted to the bar, and with whom 
he still continues, under the firm name of 
Oviatt & Allen. He was one of the members 
of the Briard of Education of the cit3' for sev- 



eral 3'ears ; was City Attorney from 1854 to 
1862, and Prosecuting Attorney for this county 
from 1865 to 1869 inclusive, having been 
almost unanimously nominated b3' the Repub- 
lican part3' earl3' in September, 1864, and, on 
the da3' of his return from the 100 days' serv- 
ice, leaving Akron as a member of Co. A, 54th 
Battalion 0. N. G., but, on arriving in camp at 
Cleveland, in the organization of the 164th 
Regiment 0. V. I., Col. John C. Lee command- 
ing, he was appointed and served as Color 
Bearer of the regiment until his return home, 
the regiment having been located on Arlington 
Heights, Va., during the entire summer. He 
started in life without capital, and, for whatever 
of success in business he ma3' have acquired, it 
was gained b}' industr}- and econom3'. On 
Sept. 8, 1847, he married Anna M. Wads- 
worth, daughter of Frederick Wadsworth, 
who bore him one daughter — Emma, now the 
wife of Calvin Edgerton, a lawyer residing in 
San Francisco, Cal. His wife died Aug. 9, 
1854. Dec. 5, 1855, he mai'ded Frances A. 
Lansing, of Saratoga Co., N. Y., who bore him 
two children — Olivia F., wife of George G. 
Allen, and Edward Ailing, the three above 
named being his onl}' children. An ardent 
Republican, but not ambitious for oflflce or po- 
litical preferment, he has devoted his time and 
energies to his profession, seeking a reputation 
for fidelit3' and trustworthiness in business, 
rather than political honors. He adopted the 
rule early in life to owe no man anything pecu- 
niarily, and if a debt was contracted in the 
purchase of real estate or otherwise, he lost no 
time or opportunity in meeting the obligation, 
and to this principle he gives the credit for 
much of his success in business. 

HERBERT A. PRUNER, Palmer & Pruner, 
artificial stone, Akron ; is a native of Dundas 
Co., Ontario, and was born July 5, 1849, receiv- 
ing a common-school education. At the age 
of 16 years, he came to Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., 
where he worked on a farm for two years, when 
he returned to Canada, remaining there one 
year, and then went back to New York. For 
two 3'ears he was employed in a cheese factor}' 
in Chautauqua Co., and then returned to his 
old employment in Cattaraugus Co., where he 
remained two years. About the year 1873, he 
went into the shops of the N. Y., P. & 0. R. R. 
at Randolph, in the blacksmithing department, 
but again returned to the farm. In April, 



^ S" 



CITY OF AKRON^. 



753 



1878, he came to Akron, and was employed by 
S. Matherson, in chain works at Cuyahoga 
Falls for one 3'ear, when he returned to New 
York. In October, 1879, he came back to 
Akron, and, in January, 1880, became a mem- 
ber of the firm of Palmer & Pruner, manufact- 
urers of artificial stone. (See Mr. Palmer's 
sketch.) He was married, March 24, 1880, to 
Miss Belle Le Vere, of Akron. He started 
without capital, and, until the age of 21 years, 
gave his earnings into the hands of the family. 
HARRY A. PALMER, Palmer & Pruner, 
artificial stone, Akron, Ohio, is a son of William 
and Sophia (Brock) Palmer, and was born July 
16, 1851, in Somersetshire, England. The fam- 
ily came to the United States in 1852, when he 
was but 8 months old, and settled in Tallmadge 
Township on a farm, where he was brought up 
until he was 15, when he went to work in a 
paper mill at Cu3-ahoga Falls, remaining about 
one year, and then became engineer for his 
brother-in-law at Mansfield, in Richland Flour- 
ing Mills. Two years later, mills were burned 
down and firm removed to Ashland, and he 
was again emplo^'ed as engineer. In 1870, he 
went to Shelb}' and ran an engine about one 
year and then returned to Tallmadge in 1872, 
and took charge of a farm. In the fall of 1873, 
he went to Onarga, 111., and Jan. 1, 1873, was 
married to Miss Mary C. Risser, of Ashland, 
Ohio. He bought a fruit farm near Onarga, 111., 
and did well for two years, and in 1876, bought 
a farm in Edinburg Township, Portage Count}', 
where he farmed two years. In 1878, he went 
to Ashland, as engineer in the mills, until Sep- 
tember 1 879, when he came to Akron and bought 
the right of manufacture and sale of artificial 
stone in Summit Count}'. Jan. 10, 1880, he formed 
a partnership with Herbert A. Pruner, and 
opened a manufactory at 203 North Howard 
street. The following is given as a matter of 
scientific interest: Artificial stone has been in 
use probably as long as any other building ma- 
terial, and is unquestionably one of the lost 
arts. In conformation of this, history informs 
us that the Moors long ago manufactured a 
durable artificial stone, specimens of which 
may yet be found at Gibralter, which have with- 
stood successfull}' the storms of ten centuries. 
The Coliseum at Rome is a sample of artificial 
work by the ancients. The Cisterns of Solo- 
mon, near the city of Tyre, are of still more 
ancient origin, yet these immense stuctures are 



almost complete in their preservation. The 
noted Small Cob, together with a large number 
of scientific men, is of the opinion that the 
Pyramids were built of artificial blocks, manu- 
IVictured upon the ground from the sands of 
the surrounding plains, by some cunning proc- 
ess that perished with the builders. Some of 
the largest and most permanent harbors and 
government works in the European countries, 
the great aqueducts of Central Europe, together 
with the Seagirt railroad station, and piers of 
the great bridge at New York, are instances 
where artificial stone is used almost entirely 
and with the best of success. Business blocks 
that are not surpassed in beauty and grandeur 
in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and many 
of the principal cities of the United States, are 
constructed entirely of this material. The 
great advocates of this building material are 
the eminent chemists and engineers of English 
fame, together with Maj. Gen. Gilmore, corps of 
engineers United States Army, whose engineer- 
ing skill has given him a world-wide fame. 
Many different processes have been invented, 
^•et all have met with more or less difficulty in 
trying to obtain a solid, durable stone. Under 
the patent process which Messrs. Palmer & 
Pruner now control in this county, these diffi- 
culties have been overcome, and the}^ are now 
manufacturing a quality of artificial stone, per- 
fect in appearance and adapted to all classes of 
work where natural stone or any other building 
material is used. Being of a hydraulic natui'e, 
it will harden and improve in solidit}' under 
water, it resists the action of steam, acids, and 
other disintegrating influences as well as our 
best building stone. The Boston Journal of 
Chemistry says that artificial stone is as safe 
and durable as natural stone, that its chemical 
nature is such that it becomes almost as hard 
as granite, and that there cannot be a doubt 
that it will subsei-ve all the desirable purposes 
for which that material is employed. In some 
of our larger cities this stone is fast supersed- 
ing the use of other building material, and is 
being extensiveh' used for walks, trimming 
brick buildings, lawn vases, fountains and or- 
namental work of all descriptions. The sand in 
this location is particularly adapted to making 
this stone, it being coarse, sharp and siliceous. 
Ornamental work can be furnished at about 
one-half the cost of natural stone and will 
stand fire much better. 



:Rr 



^t. 



754 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



GEORGE K. PARDEE, lawyer, Akron: is 
a son of Hon. Aaron and Evaline (Eyles) Par- 
dee, and was born March 1, 1839, in Wads- 
worth, Ohio, where he was brought up, and 
where he lived until 1862, when he enlisted as 
a private in Co. K, 42d 0. V. I., Gen. Gar- 
field's regiment. He took part in the battle of 
Chickasaw Bluffs, where he was wounded by a 
musket ball. He was Second Lieutenant, and 
for gallant services was promoted to Adjutant 
of the regiment. He was also at Young's 
Point, Grand Gulf, Thompson's Hill, Champion 
Hill, Black River Bridge, siege of Vicksburg, 
Jackson, Miss., and in the Red River cam- 
paign and other engagements of his regiment ; 
finally promoted to Captain of Co. D. He re- 
turned to Wadsworth, and kept a dry goods 
store for three years, during which time he com- 
pleted his study of the law under his father, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1866. He 
commenced practice in the courts of Medina 
until 1875, when he removed to Akron, where 
he has been in active practice since. He was 
admitted to practice in the United States Court 
in 1878. He was married, in December, 1860, 
to Miss Caroline C. Hard, daughter of Cyrus 
Hard, of Wadsworth. Four children have been 
born to them, viz., Karl A., Lionel S., Julia and 
William E. His father's family consisted of 
five sons and three daughters — William E. was 
an attorney, and died April 6, 1866 ; Henr}' C, 
attorney, at Medina ; Almira S., wife of John G. 
Houston, of New Orleans ; Judge Don A., attor- 
ney and United States Circuit Court Judge at 
New Orleans ; George K. (subject); Fanny, de- 
ceased, was wife of P. B. Wilkins ; Ella N., 
wife of Dr. Wallace A. Briggs, of Sacramento, 
Cal., and Sutliff E., attorney at Wadsworth, 
Ohio. 

CHARLES E. PERKINS, Akron ; sixth son 
of Col. Simon Perkins ; was born in Akron, 
May 7, 1 850 ; attended public school, and made 
further preparations at Hudson College ; and, 
in about 1868, he entered the Tro}' Polytechnic 
Institute, where he pursued the engineer's course 
for three years, taking both a civil and mining 
course. On his return to Akron, he was elected 
City Engineer of Akron, continuing six years, 
the first year acting as assistant, and the last 
five being in the West. In the spring of 1878, 
he opened an agricultural warehouse on Canal 
street, where he has since conducted business 
with good success. He handles all kinds of 



agricultural implements, carriages, wagons, 
scales and feed. In January, 1880, he married 
Miss May Adams, daughter of Frank Adams, 
of Akron. 

COL. GEORGE T. PERKINS, banker, Ak- 
ron, son of Col. Simon Perkins, was born in 
Akron May 5, 1836. His education was ac- 
quired in the schools of Akron and at Marietta 
College. In April, 1861, he enlisted as private 
soldier in the 19th 0. V. I., and at the organi- 
zation of Co. B was elected its Second Lieut- 
enant, and participated in the West Virginia 
campaign. In August, 1862, he rc-enlisted in 
the 105th 0. V. I., and was promoted to the 
rank of Major. He was with the army of Gen. 
Sherman and Gen. Thomas in the Atlanta cam- 
paign. In 1864, he was made Colonel of the 
gallant 105th Regiment, and was its com- 
mander until the close of the war, being mus- 
tered out at Washington in June, 1865. On 
his return to Akron, he became Secretary of 
Taplin, Rice & Co., and held that position until 
July, 1870, when, at the organization of the 
Bank of Akron, he became its President, con- 
tinuing in that office until 1876, when, at the 
demise of Mr. Alden Gage, Mr. Perkins became 
Cashier. He is also Seci'ctary of B. F. Good- 
rich & Co., of the Akron Rubber Works. 

COL. SIMON PERKINS, of Akron, son of 
the late Gen. Simon Perkins, of Warren, Ohio, 
was born at the latter place Feb. 6, 1805, where 
he remained until 1834, when he came to Akron 
and settled upon a tract of wild land contain- 
ing some 5,000 or 6,000 acres, which he pur- 
chased in 1827. For a number of years prior 
to his removal to Akron, he assisted his father 
in the management of various land agencies, 
and in earlier years had experience in clearing 
up the wild lands of his native town. His ed- 
ucation was at the common schools of Warren. 
In September, 1832, he married Miss Grace I. 
Tod, daughter of Judge Tod, and sister of the 
late Gov. David Tod, of Youngstown, by whom 
he had eleven children ; eight of them are still 
living. Col. Perkins came of good Pui'itan and 
Revolutionary ancestry, being the descendant 
of John Perkins, who came to America with 
Roger Williams in 1661. His grandfather was 
Captain in the war of the Revolution, and his 
father commanded the forces raised in North- 
ern Ohio for the defence of the frontier in 
the war of 1812. His mother was a Doug- 
lass, descendant of William Douglass, one of a 



^\ 



:l^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



755 



Boston coloii}^ which founded New London, 
Conn. After settling in Akron, Col. Perkins 
devoted himself to the improvement of his 
property, selling farms to settlers as they were 
wanted ; raising improved breeds of stock and 
sheep, employing for a series of years, as Su- 
perintendent of these farming and stock opera- 
tions, John Brown, afterward famous in the 
anti -slaver}' annals of the country. An event- 
ful period, financially, in the life of Col. Per- 
kins was that in which the Cleveland, Zanes- 
ville & Cincinnati Railroad was constructed to 
Millersburg. He was President of the road 
from the first organization of the company un- 
til it passed into other hands, and in the con- 
struction and equipment of the same, embarked 
his private fortune as well as all his energy and 
weight of character, and ultimately sank in the 
enterprise his own accumulations and what he 
had inherited from the estate of his father. In 
the later years of Col. Perkins' life, he has 
found congenial employment in superintending 
the improvement of the grounds of the " Akron 
Cemetery Association," and whatever of beauty 
and attraction those grounds now possess be- 
j-ond their natural wildness and suitableness are 
due mainly to the Colonel's good judgment and 
love of the picturesque. Col. Perkins was 
never an office-seeker, always feeling probabl}- 
that the man was more than any office, and that 
office should seek the man to fill it. Grace 
Park will always witness to his magnificent lib- 
erality. It was a gift to Akron before Akron 
had thought of being a cit}', and bears the name 
of his wife. There is no flaw in Col. Perkins' 
character. It is sterling throughout, and sound 
to the very core. His business integrity and 
the purity of his private life have always been 
above suspicion. 

JUDGE STEPHEN H. PITKIN, lawyer, 
Akron ; is a son of Rev. Caleb and Anna (Hen- 
derson) Pitkin, and was born Oct. 5, 1810, in 
Old Milford, Conn. When he was 7 years old, 
his father removed to Ohio, and settled in 
Charleston Township, Portage Co., where he 
preached to the church at Charleston Center 
until 1827, when he went to Hudson, and was 
one of the founders of Western Reserve Col- 
lege, its Vice President and financial manager — 
was its Vice President until his death, which 
occurred about 1864. Subject worked on a 
farm in Charleston Township until he was 17 
years of age, when he entered Western Reserve 



College, from which he graduated in June, 
1834. In the following October, he went to 
Fulton Co., 111., where he engaged in teaching, 
and at the same time entered upon the study 
of the law, and was admitted to the bar in the 
spring of 1836. He entered upon the practice 
of his profession at Lewiston, the count}' seat 
of Fulton Co., 111., and practiced under Stephen 
A. Douglas, who was his personal friend. He 
was elected County Surveyor of Fulton Co., 
and Probate Judge of that county in 1838 ; 
served two terms — four years. He remained 
there until 1852, in active practice, when he re- 
turned to Hudson and took charge of the home- 
stead, and assumed the care of his aged parents ; 
his mother is still living, aged 97 years. In 
1862, he was elected Probate Judge of Summit 
Co., to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death 
of Judge Dodge ; was re-elected, serving until 
February, 1870. About the year 1872, he 
resumed his profession, and has been in ac- 
tive practice ever since. In January, 1871, 
he was elected Secretary of the Summit Co. 
Agricultural Society, holding same nine years, 
and was President of the society for 1880. He 
was married in October, 1854, to Miss Julia 
Lusk, of this county, who was sister of the 
wife of " Old John Brown." She died Oct. 7, 
1873. They had five children, two of whom 
are living — Julian H., Superintendent of C. 
Aultman & Co.'s Works, Canton ; Mary, wife 
of Abner Caldwell, of this township. He was 
married a second time, Sept. 24, 1879, to Miss 
Helen B. Bell, of Cuyahoga Falls. 

S. E. PHINNEY, merchant, Akron ; is a son 
of Calvin and Emeline (Martin) Phinney ; his 
father was born in Massachusetts, and his 
mother in Vermont. His father came, when a 
boy, to Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, where he lived 
until his death in about 1870. He was for 
many years a merchant at Dover, meeting with 
fair success. S. E. is the oldest of five chil- 
dren, and was born at Dover, Ohio, Oct. 25, 
1838. He employed his time until 20 in ac- 
quiring a good common school education and 
assisting in his father's store. He was for two 
years clerk in the store of Edwin Phinney, of 
Bath, this county. In September, 1860, he 
came to Akron and was employed as clerk with 
F. McNaughton & Co., in the dry goods busi- 
ness, four years. In 1865, he was employed by 
the Government as clerk for the Superintendent 
of Railroad Repairs, and traveled throughout 






© Jk>- 



.i2£: 



756 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



the South and West. He returned to Akron in 
1867, and became the partner of S. G. Bardorf 
in the shoe business, continuing in that house 
until a year after the death of his partner, 
when he sold out, and was in the employ of 
Cutter & Howe for three and a half 3'ears. In 
1870, he opened a shoe store in Hanscom's 
Block, and has been in that business ever since 
in the corner room, No. 101 Howard and Mar- 
ket streets. His store includes a full stock of 
all goods in his line, and a repair shop. Oct. 
30, 1868, he married Miss Nellie G. Abbey, of 
Akron, daughter of H. S. Abbe3^ They have 
two children. 

HENRY PERKINS, Akron ; son of Simon 
Perkins, was born in Akron, on the old home- 
stead, April 8, 1842. He attended the public 
schools until he attained his 20th year, when 
he became clerk in the Quartermaster's Depart- 
ment, under his brother, Simon, Jr., who ranked 
as Captain and Assistant Quartermaster for the 
Army of the Cumberland, and followed the 
fortunes of the army until the close of the war. 
On his return, he accepted a clerkship with the 
Cleveland Rolling Mill Co., having charge of 
the Lake Shore mill office for a period of five 
years. In 1870, he became Secretary for Tap- 
lin. Rice & Co., and has had charge of the 
business department of the office ever since. 
Oct. 20, 1868, he married Miss Emma White, 
of Cleveland, Ohio ; one daughter is the result 
of the union. He is Superintendent of the 
Congregational Sabbath School, and Deacon in 
the church. 

AUGUSTUS D. POWER, foreman black- 
smith department in Aultman, Miller & Co , 
Akron ; a son of Hiram and Hester (Parker) 
Power; was born at Augusta, Ky., April 14, 
1831. When about 2 years old, the fam- 
ily removed to Cincinnati, Ohio, where his 
father died in 1834, and the mother, with fam- 
ily, removed to Norwalk, Ohio. Here subject 
grew up, and, at the age of 20, entered upon 
the blacksmith's trade at Norwalk, at which he 
worked, except two years, until 1864. He then 
went to Meadville, Penn., and, in the employ 
of the A. & G. W. R. R., was made foreman 
of the blacksmith department in 1865 in the 
company's shops at Kent, Ohio. In 1870, he 
came to Akron, and at once entered the employ 
of Aultman, Miller & Co. as foreman of the 
blacksmith department, consisting of three shops 
employing sixty men. He was married, March 



21, 1855, to Miss Jane L. Rule, of Norwalk, 
Ohio. The}' have two daughters. He is a 
member of the M. E. Church, of which he was 
chorister until 1877. He studied vocal music, 
and was leader of the choir at the several 
places where he has lived. 

J. H. PETERSON, dentist, Akron, Ohio; 
who began the practice of dentistry in Akron 
in 1854, and who now ranks as a pioneer mem- 
ber of the profession of Summit County, was 
born July 9, 1830, in St. Johns, New Bruns- 
wick. He is the second son and fourth child of 
a family of eight children born to John and 
Elizabeth (Laidley) Peterson, the latter of 
Scotch ancestry, and the daughter of Robert 
Laidley, a Captain in the British service in 1784. 
John Peterson was a native of Bath, Me., and, 
during the war of 1812, he entered the service 
of the United States, sailing from Boston in his 
own ship. He subsequently became a resident 
of St. Johns, N. B., where he was obliged to 
take an oath to become a loyal citizen, so long 
as he might remain a resident of the place. He 
afterward removed to Buffalo, N. Y., where he 
engaged in land speculations, by which means he 
lost his fortune. He then removed to Portage 
County, Ohio, where his family grew to their 
majority, and chose for themselves a business 
or profession. The Doctor first tried the study 
of medicine, but gave it up, and completed a 
course in the study of dentistry with Dr. B. T. 
Spellman, of Ravenna, Ohio, after which he 
spent one year in Cleveland in practice, and 
then at the date above stated removed to Ak- 
ron. In his residence of almost thirty years, 
the Doctor has progressed step by step as the 
science of dentistry has advanced to an impor- 
tant place among the sciences. While he has 
held a position among the first professional 
men of Akron, he has also devoted much of his 
time to other duties and social affairs. Polit- 
ically he was first a Democrat,then a Free-Soiler, 
and finally a Republican ; with the latter party 
he has been identified for man}' years. During 
the war of the rebellion, he was Secretary of 
the Republican Central Committee of Summit 
County. He is a member of Akron Lodge, No. 
83, and of Washington Chapter, No. 25, of the 
order of A., F. & A. M. He is also a member 
of the Masonic Relief Association. Nov. 29, 
1856, he married Miss Caroline Van Evera, a 
native of Cherry Valley, N. Y., but a resident of 
Akron at the time of their marriage. Three 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



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children have been born to them, two girls and 
one boy. Of the Doctor's three brothers, the 
youngest, William, entered the service of his 
countr}' during the war of the rebellion. He 
was wounded at the battle of Gettysburg, from 
the effects of which he died, and his body now 
lies in the National Cemetery, with a Govern- 
ment tombstone marking his last resting-place. 
George K., the brother next older than the 
Doctor, was a civil engineer of some note, and 
was with John C. Fremont on his exploring 
trip to California. The eldest brother, Daniel 
C., went in an early day to the gold regions of 
California, and was one of the first company of 
miners that ever located at Sutler's Fork. 

ROBERT S. PAUL, surveyor, Akron ; is a 
native of Summit Co., Ohio ; was born in Cuy- 
ahoga Falls Oct. 3, 1842, and is the fourth of 
seven children born to Hosea and -Ellen (Gam- 
ble) Paul. His parents were natives of North- 
field, Vt., and County Down, Ireland. His 
mother came to this country when a child with 
her parents to Colebrook, N. H., subsequently 
moving to Canaan, Vt., where she married Mr. 
Paul, who was then Postmaster there. In 1834, 
they came to Wadsworth, Medina Co. Mr. 
Paul had earl}' studied and worked at survey- 
ing, and at Wadsworth taught school. In 1835, 
he moved to Cuyahoga Falls, where he lived 
until his death, May 29, 1870. Mrs. Paul is 
still living on the old homestead in Cuyahoga 
Falls. Robert lived at home until he was 20 
years old, completing in the meanwhile a course 
in the high schools of Cuyahoga Falls, and 
teaching in Stow and New Portage. He worked 
at times with his father at civil and mining 
engineering. In 1862, he surveyed the narrow 
guage road for the Brewster Coal Company. 
In August, 18C2, he was assigned for d\ity 
with the Topographical Engineer Corps under 
Col. J. H. Simpson, in the Army of the Cum- 
berland, where he served until 1865. Upon 
his retui'n from the arm}-, he attended the col- 
lege at Lebanon, Ohio, for a year. He then 
went to the oil regions and followed his pro- 
fession there about eighteen months. He also 
followed his profession in Cleveland for two 
years, where he spent a year in the Pennsyl- 
vania Pol3'technic College. He then came to 
Akron, and soon after was appointed County 
Surve3'or, to fill out the unexpired term of his 
father. He has since filled the position save 
one term, during which time he was emplo^'ed 



as Chief Engineer of the Ohio & Toledo Rail- 
road. July 25, 1872, he married Miss Sarah 
M. Romig, a native of Indiana. By this mar- 
riage, there have been six children, five of whom 
are living, Ellen, Ada, Laura, Martha (deceased). 
Mar}' and Edward. Mr. Paul is President of 
the Count}' Surveyors' Association, and is serv- 
ing his second term. He was elected in 1881, 
as Secretary and Treasurer of the Ohio Insti- 
tute of Mining Engineers, making him a recog- 
nized authority on these matters. 

W. H. PAYNE, boat-builder, Lock No. 2, 
Ohio Canal, Akron ; was born in Columbia, 
Lorain Co., Ohio, Aug. 10, 1822, and is the 
youngest of three children born to Willis and 
Rhoda (Bronson) Payne. He was a native of 
Connecticut, and emigrated to Lorain County 
when a young man, about the year 1816 ; while 
there he married Rhoda Bronson, a daughter 
of Herman Bronson, one of the pioneers of 
Boston Township. After his marriage, he came 
to Akron, where he died in 1836 ; she died in 
Boston Township in 1879. W. H., the subject, 
lived with his grandfather, Herman Bronson, 
from childhood until he was 20 years old, and 
received a common-school education. He was 
married Feb. 22, 1845, to Miss Julia Jaynes, a 
native of Vermont, who came here with her 
parents when young. After his marriage, he 
worked with his step-father, Jacob Barnhart, 
in his boat-yard in Boston Township, and in 
other similar establishments until 1864, when 
he came to Akron and bought out W. B. 
Storer's boat-yard, located at Lock No. 3, and 
continued the business for six years. He then 
sold out, and in 1873 established his present 
yard and has followed the business of boat- 
building ever since. During the six years he 
was in Akron, he built forty-two boats, and 
since beginning the business, he has built about 
one hundred and twenty-five boats. By his 
marriage, four children were boi'n to him, of 
whom three are living, viz., Martha E., now 
Mrs. George Scott, of Akron ; Anna L., at home; 
Charles H., who married Miss Martha Storm, 
of Knox Co., Ohio. He lives at home and 
conducts the business originally established by 
his father. 

J. H. PENDLETON, Vice President, Second 
National Bank, Akron City ; was born in Litch- 
field Co., Conn.. Feb. 1, 1810, and was the eldest 
of eleven children born to Ward and Sallie (Cook) 
Pendleton, who were natives of Connecticut, and 



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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



came to Ohio in 1819, in a covered wagon. They 
settled in Stow Township, Portage Co., now Sum- 
mit Co., where they bought wild land, upon which 
they built a cabin, and proceeded otherwise to 
improve their purchase. His death occurred here 
March 5, 1865 ; his wife died a few years pre- 
vious, June 6. 1860. J. H. lived at home until 
he was about 20 years of age, with limited op- 
portunities for receiving an education. At the 
age of 20, he engaged as a clerk in a general 
store owned bj' Stowe & Wetmore at Cuyahoga 
Falls. He continued with them until about 
1835, and traveled for them through Northern 
Ohio selling goods. He then, in company' with 
his brother, opened a general store at Bruns- 
wick, Medina Co., and, after one season, re- 
moved the business to Franklin Mills, in this 
count}', where he remained until about 1840, 
when the business was sold, and he engaged in 
business with B. F. Hopkins, conducting flour 
and saw mill, also woolen factor}- (as Center 
Manufacturing Company) and general merchan- 
dise store. About 1847, the business was dis- 
solved ; and, in 1850, Mr. P. went to Cincinnati, 
where he was engaged in the construction of 
railroads until 1860, with headquarters at Cin- 
cinnati and Dayton. He then returned to Ak- 
ron, and, in 1863, upon the organization of the 
Second National Bank, he became Vice Presi- 
dent of it, a position he has held ever since. 
He has served as Trustee of Buchtel College 
several terms. He is a member of the Episco- 
pal Church, in the aflfairs of which he has taken 
an active interest. Mr. P. has been three times 
married — first in 1832, to Miss Julia Corp ; 
she died July 5, 1833 ; second, in November, 
1834, to Miss Sybil Fletcher ; she died May 29, 
1841 ; third, Sept. 13, 1842, to Miss Eunice M. 
Post, a native of Summit Co. They have one 
child, viz., Nellie A. 

LOUIS J. PROEHL, physician, Akron, Ohio ; 
is a native of Akron, Ohio ; he was born Jul}' 
18, 1850, and is the eldest of seven children, 
born to George and Mary Louisa (Loose) Proehl ; 
they were natives of Saxon-Altenburg, Ger- 
many, and were born near Leipsic, the famous 
battle-ground of Napoleon. He came to the 
United States in the fall of 1848, and settled in 
Akron the same year. In the spring of 1849, 
Miss Loose came to Akron (she was acquainted 
with Mr. Proehl in the old country). They 
were married July 1, 1849. He first employed 
himself at chopping wood, and then became a 



helper at the Empire House. In the spring of 
1849, he began work at his trade (stonemason), 
and continued at the same until 1858, when he 
bought a farm in Coventry Township, and occu- 
pied the same the following spring, where he 
has lived since, working at his trade in the 
summer. B}^ the marriage there have been 
seven children, viz., Louis J., George A., William 
F., Tillie M., John F., Emma and Ida. Our 
subject lived at home until the spring of 1864. 
He then apprenticed with his father, working 
during summers and attending school during the 
winters, until he was 20 years of age, when he 
began teaching during the winters, and contin- 
ued until the spring of 1873. He then entered the 
National Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, 
graduating from the same in August, 1876, 
after which, he entered the Ohio Medical Col- 
lege at Cincinnati, attending.one course of lect- 
ures, and read with Dr. W. C. Jacobs, of Ak- 
ron, until the fall of 1878, when he returned to 
the college, and graduated from the same in the 
spring of 1879. He then came to Akron, and 
has practiced his profession there since, occu- 
pying an office with Dr. W. J. Underwood. He 
is a member of the Summit County Medical 
Society, and the Union Medical Association of 
Northeastern Ohio. 

C. H. PALMER, Superintendent of the Bar 
ber Match Company, Akron ; began to work 
for this company in 1864, at printing labels on 
a hand press and making the boxes, the Com- 
pany being at that time located at Middlebury. 
In 1866, he took charge of the shipping depart- 
ment — printing the labels, making the boxes, 
covering the cases and doing the billing ; and 
now on account of his faithfulness and gen- 
eral knowledge of all the different departments, 
he has been called upon to fill the high and re- 
sponsible position which he now occupies. His 
father was Albert Palmer, son of Stephen M., 
who were natives of Lyons, Wa3'ne Co., N. Y. 
They came to Middlebury in 1836, at which 
time the father of our subject was but 11 3'ears 
of age. His grandfather started the first fan- 
ning-mill manufactory in this part of the coun- 
try, under the firm name of Palmer & Stafford, 
the latter a brother-in-law ; the}' did an exten- 
sive business for a few years when they dis- 
solved partnership, the latter subsequently be- 
coming extensively engaged in a stencil manu- 
factory in the city of New York. The father 
of our subject after the death of Stephen M., in 






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CITY OF AKKOK 



759 



1849, in connection with his brothers Charles 
and Henry, carried on the business for several 
3'ears, when they moved to Groodlettsville, Tenn., 
where the}- remained until near the outbreak 
of the Rebellion, when they dissolved partner- 
ship and returned to the North. The mother 
was Ann Hoy, daughter of James and Shedrick 
(Furgeson) Hoy, who is still living. The sub- 
ject of this sketch was married, Oct. 4. 1876, to 
Mary Ann Peckham, daughter of Thomas Peck- 
ham, a former partner in the firm of Barber & 
Co.; he is now one of the traveling agents. 
Mr. Palmer by his marriage has one child, 
Thomas Albert, born July 4, 1877. He is a 
stanch Republican politically ; a member of 
the K. of P., Ro^'al Arcanum and of the K. of 
H. He and wife are members of the Disciples' 
Church, greatly respected and loved by all 
who know them. 

CHARLES PARISETTE, merchant, Akron. 
There are probably few, if any, of the business 
men of Akron whose life has been so full of ad- 
venture as that of the subject of this sketch. 
He was born November 19, 1836, in Wesel 
on the Rhine, Rhine Province, Prussia. Until 
he was 14 years of age his life was spent most 
of the time in school. He was then appren- 
ticed by his father to learn the grocery busi- 
ness, the terms being that he must serve three 
years' time and pay $100. The old gentleman 
was for 49 years in the civil and militarj' service 
of his countr3^ Is at present living in New 
York City, though he and his wife, who was a 
Miss Mary Banhaus, and a native of Prussia, 
were at one time for about three years, resi- 
dents of Akron. When our subject had finished 
his term of apprenticeship, he entered the em- 
ploy of the firm whom he had served, at a 
salary of $50 for his first year's service. He 
remained there until he was 21 years old, and 
then emigrated to America. He remained in 
New York for about 13 months, engaged as a 
groceiy clerk, and then sailed for California. 
Once landed there, however, it was not long un- 
til he thought of the mines, and the wealth 
that possibl}' awaited him. Joining a company 
he was soon in what has since proved the 
richest mining district in the world, as he was 
one of the first seventy-six men who pitched 
their camp and began prospecting on the site of 
Virginia City. The cabin built and occupied 
by himself and partners was erected only al)out 
200 yards from the mouth of the great Corn- 



stock lode. He remained in Virginia City 
about three months, when the Indian war broke 
out between the miners and Piute Indians. 
The organization of miners was under the com- 
mand of Maj. Orsbr3\ The Piutes soon made 
it so warm for them that mining was out of the 
question. July 3, 1860, the terrible and deci- 
sive battle was fought at Pyramier Lake. Maj. 
Orsbry and his son were killed, with man}' 
others. Probably none would have escaped, 
had not the Indians been anxious to capture the 
horses, and therefore were careful not to shoot 
them. This desire on their part was the means 
of Mr. Parisette's escape. He had a splendid 
horse, and though surrounded by the yelling 
painted demons, he watched his opportunity, 
and broke through them and gained the Carson 
River, across which he swam his horse and rode 
for the mountains. He did not escape, how- 
ever, without some severe arrow wounds, one 
of which was in the right hand and proved to 
be very painful. His only course now was to 
work his wa}^ to San Francisco, which he did, 
via the Hanes pass. Arriving at San Francisco 
he remained quiet until the recovery of his 
hand, when he again started for the mines. 
This time, however, he took good care to keep 
as far away from the Piutes as possible. He 
spent some time in the gold mines of what was 
known as Dry Town, where he made some 
money. Winter coming on, he and his partners 
went to San Francisco, and not caring to lie 
idle, they enlisted in the First Cal. V. I. 
for three years, thinking about three months 
would wind up the war of the rebellion. In- 
stead of this, he found himself booked for three 
years of hardships and privations. Their regi- 
ment numbered 1 ,600 men, and was known as 
the First Column of California. It was placed 
on dut}^ most of the time in the West, and 
served its country in that mode of warfare 
known as bush-whacking, or fighting the Indi- 
ans. At one time Mr. Parisette's bunk-mate 
was so careless as to fall somewhat in the rear 
of the command, and when found, he was com- 
pletely skinned, a deed that had been done by 
the Apaches. Mr. Parisette was an excellent 
shot and at one time wore the company badge 
for two 3"ears in succession. At last he was 
discharged at Las Cruces, New Mexico, on 
August 31, 1864. He was one of a compan}' 
made up to cross the plains on their wa}- to 
New York Cit}^, which thev did, making the 



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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



journey in two months and fourteen days, 
though this included a few days' time spent at 
Ft. Larned, Kansas, to join in a buffalo hunt. 
In this hunt he used a Springfield rifle, and 
killed a number of buffalo. Arriving in New 
York, he stopped for a time with his brother, 
and then came to Akron in the fall of 1864. On 
December 25, of 1864, he began as salesman for 
N. Wagnor, groceryman, with whom he re- 
mained for about one year and three months, 
when he entered the employ of the old grocery- 
man, John Cook, with whom he remained until 
1870. He then bought the property where he 
now does business corner Main and Exchange 
streets. South Akron, and engaged in the 
grocery business on his own account. His 
business has been growing 3'ear by year, till now 
his aggregate sales per annum are about 
$40,000. He is a live, energetic business man 
and has established this extensive business by 
his own energy and good financiering. He is a 
member of Granite Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., No. 522. 
In 1867, he was married to Miss Susan Selzer, 
a native of Bavaria. Five children have been 
born to them, all of whom are girls. 

MARTIN QUIGLEY, late of Middlebury, in 
this county, was a member of the ancient and no- 
ble family of O'Coigley, now written Quigley, or- 
iginally from the neighborhood of the Giant's 
Causewa}', in Ireland, later of Queen's Count}', 
near Dublin. The Rev. Dr. Quigley, who was 
honored with a state prosecution by the British 
Government in the memorable rebellion of '98, 
and whose intimac}' with Lord Cloncurry 
caused the imprisonment of the latter in the 
Tower of London the same 3'ear. was a member 
of this famil}'. Dr. Quigle}^ was one of the 
first victims of '98, having been executed at 
Penendeu Heath on the 7th of May of that 
year. The ancient arms of the family, on 
which is cantoned the celebrated '-Red Hand 
of Ulster," still borne by the members here, 
attest their illustrious station in Irish history. 
In early times, individual names were indica- 
tive of personal qualities. Quigley^ in Irish, 
signifies tall hero, and the four young men of 
the family here, all of whom are over six feet 
in heighth, and each of whom has fought his way 
to honorable distinction, show that they are in 
every sense worth}' of their ancient name. 

Martin Quigley, the subject of this article, 
was born in Timahoe, Queen's County, Ireland, 
Nov. 11, 1805. His father was a prosperous 



gentleman farmer, with fourteen children — 
seven sons and seven daughters, Martin being 
the thirteenth child. The children were edu- 
cated partly in the parochial school, partly by 
private tutors. The eldest son, Cornelius, was 
a distinguished graduate of Dublin University. 
His brother Patrick was a Magistrate of 
Queen's County, and died there a few years 
ago at the age of 84. He founded the Leinster 
Independent, the leading paper of the county ; 
owned more than a hundred houses in Mary- 
boro, the county seat of the county ; farmed 
over five hundred acres of land, and was one 
of the most popular men in the country, not 
only for his dignity and ability as a magis- 
trate, his enterprise and public spirit as a citi- 
zen, but for his unfailing fund of wit and 
humor which delighted all with whom he came 
' in contact. The writer of this notice had the 
pleasure of being entertained by him at his 
hospitable mansion near Maryboro, during quite 
a little visit there some years ago, and thus 
had personal knowledge of these facts. 

Martin Quigley, subject of this notice, mar- 
ried there, in 1839, Miss Mary Ann Moore, of 
the old famil}' of the O'Moore's, once Princes 
of Leix and Offaly, and formerly Kings of 
Leinster. Her brother, the Hon. James Moore, 
who had, in part, represented the city of Boston 
for four terms in the Legislature of the State 
of Massachusetts, prevailed on Mr. Quigley to 
come to this country, which he did with his 
family in 1848. It was expected that Mr. 
Quigley would settle in Boston, but he had his 
eye on the broader fields of the West. Mr. 
John Dunne, well known forty years ago in 
Summit County, was a cousin of Mrs. Quigley, 
and his reports of the prospects of Summit 
County induced them to locate here. They 
came in July, 1848, and, in illustration of the 
rapidity with which Mr. Quigley acted in busi- 
ness matters, it may be mentioned that in 
three days' time from his arrival in x\kron, he 
had purchased a tract of land in Springfield 
Township, and had his family settled on it. He 
afterward bought the Landis farm, within half 
a mile of ^liddlebury ; later, another farm in 
Copley Township, and, finally, a residence 
property on High street in Middlebury, which 
is still the family homestead. 

One of the chief industries of this county 
now is the manufacture of stoneware, but when 
jNh-. Quigley came here thirty-three years ago. 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



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this industry was almost unknown. Witli rare 
sagacity Mr. Quigley saw from the start that 
something could be done in this matter. He 
had bought land immediately on his arrival 
with the intention of engaging in farming, but 
he soon began studying the stoneware business. 
There were then but two small potteries in 
Middlebury doing a trifling business. Mr. 
Quigley prospected around, found a bed of good 
cla}', bought it and began to push things. He 
soon furnished the Middlebury potteries better 
clay and at lower rates than the}' had been able 
to get before. They could not take an3^thing 
like all his output, so he looked abroad for a 
market, and was the first man to ship this clay 
out of the State. He sent it first by canal, and 
later, by rail to Cleveland, and thence by boats 
to Michigan, Wisconsin and other neighboring 
States. He became an enthusiast on the sub- 
ject. Unable to persuade the timid owners in 
Middlebury to enlarge their works, he bought 
into the business himself and began to spread 
it. Clay, until his time, had been ground here 
in the old horse-power mill. This was too 
slow for his quick, Celtic blood. He went to 
Cleveland, bought a twenty horse-power engine 
and began grinding clay by steam. His part- 
ners got frightened ; he bought them out and 
ran the business alone until 1862, when his two 
eldest sons, Thomas and William (twins, b}' 
the way), came on the scene. Having now 
reared and educated men to run the business 
according to his own ideas, he turned the manu- 
factory over to them. Thomas and William 
were soon re-enforced b}' Hugh, and they, un- 
der the name of the Quigley Brothers, have 
pushed the business until the}' have warehouses 
now of a storage capacity of nearly three 
million gallons of ware. They send their goods 
by rail and water all over the United States, 
doing a business of over a $150,000 a 3'ear. 
Though Ml'. Quigley turned the business over 
to " the boys," he still watched over it fondly 
to the day of his death, and much of its suc- 
cess is, doubtless, due to his continued super- 
vision. He found the business in Middlebury' 
a small affair, employing only a few men. He 
lived to see it grow to be one of the leading 
enterprises of the State, with millions of dollars 
invested, and thousands of men employed in it. 
He was always proud of his connection with it. 
He loved to sit on the broad, shady porch of 
his house on High street and look out on the 



blaze everywhere rising from the stoneware 
kilns ; on the volumes of white smoke caused 
by " salting off" the ware ; to hear the, to him, 
sweet music of the factory whistles while the 
smoke rose in clouds from the stacks of the 
steam cla^^-raills he had been the first to intro- 
duce, all telling of triumphs of industry, skill, 
patience and intelligence — triumphs which to 
him, probabl}', more than to any other man, the 
country was indebted. These triumphs would, 
doubtless, have come in time without him, but, 
how long the claj^ lay there, comparatively un- 
touched until his arrival ! How quick the 
whole countr}' heard of it when he put his 
hand to the work ! His sons still carr}' on the 
business, but they exert themselves in the 
larger field of handling the manufectured ware. 

William married in November, 1864, Miss 
Theresa Smith, eldest daughter of Mi\ John 
Smith, of Cleveland, one of the " solid " men of 
that city. Hugh married, May 2, 1876, Miss 
Helena Daly, eldest daughter of Mr. Peter 
Daly, likewise a prominent citizen of Cleveland. 
" Tom," being still a Benedict, does the travel- 
ing for the concern. William, on his marriage, 
withdrew from the firm, but carries on the same 
business on his own account. 

Patrick, the youngest son, now known as Dr. 
Quigley, showed from his youth an inclination 
for the church. He made his college course in 
Cleveland, and, later, also his theological course, 
and was ordained a priest in the Catholic Church 
in 1869. Having shown unusual talents, the 
Bishop encouraged his going to Rome to profit 
by the higher instruction there. He spent four 
years in the Eternal City, attending the cele- 
brated CoUegio Romano^ and came back with 
the proud distinction of being the only Ameri- 
can student who ever won the title of Doctor 
from that institution. He has acquired con- 
siderable celebrity in this countr}' as an author- 
ity on Canon law, having given to the public 
the result of some of his studies on some 
recondite branches of that subject, and being at 
this present writing attending Court in Pitts- 
burgh as an expert in a case there in which a 
question of Canon law is involved. He has 
been for eight or nine years a professor in tiie 
Diocesan Seminary at Cleveland, in this State. 
He has the fine personal appearance character- 
istic of his family and, rare thing for a thorough 
student, is possessed of fine oratorical powers. 
His services arc in sreat demand for addresses 



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BIOGRxVPHICAL SKETCHES: 



on special occasions, and he has taken a ver}' 
prominent part lately in the public discussion 
of the land league question, attracting now so 
much attention in this country as well as in 
Ireland. He learned German while a youth in 
this country, and French and Italian in Rome, 
so that he preaches in English, German, French 
or Italian, as occasion requires. 

To return to the subject of this memoir. Mr. 
Quigley died in Akron, Oct. 8, 1878, being then 
73 years of age. 

The Akron Daily Beacon, the oldest news- 
paper, we believe, published in Summit County, 
had the following notice of his death, from which, 
as furnishing a cotemporaneous account from a 
public print, we copy the concluding portion, 
as follows : 

" Mr. Quigley's earnest religious convictions 
and his uniform readiness to discuss, amicably, 
and defend the tenets of his church — the Ro- 
man Catholic — have, for years, been greatly 
respected by the whole community. His regu- 
larity and vigor in attending the services of 
his church ' in season and out of season ' have 
for long years been praised and admired b}' 
members of all denominations. And more — 
his religion gave him a rule of conscience in 
all his business transactions. Mr. Quigley's 
wonderful devotion to his most estimable wife, 
as well as to all his sons' interests, have often 
been commented upon as a beautiful example 
of a most affectionate and large-hearted hus- 
band and father. His obsequies were held yes- 
terday, the 10th inst. The procession from 
the family home in the Sixth Ward, to St. Vin- 
cent de Paul's Church was one of the largest 
our prosperous city ever witnessed. The serv- 
ices at the church were solemn and impressive 
and the spacious and magnificent edifice was 
filled with the friends of the deceased. The 
remains were met in the vestibule of the church 
by clergy in cope or surplice and with solemn 
chant escorted to the altar railing. The Rev. 
Dr. Quigley, of Cleveland, youngest son of the 
deceased, celebrated a Solemn Requiem Mass, 
assisted by Revs. John Brown, of this city, and 
A. R. Sidley, Pastor of the Immaculate Con- 
ception Church, Cleveland, as deacon and sub- 
deacon. The pall-bearers were Messrs. P. Smith, 
of Cleveland ; E. Rowley, H. Baldwin, T. 
Johnston, John Cooke, Sr., and James McCal- 
ister, Sr., of this cit3^ Amongst the clergy in 
the sanctuary, besides those above mentioned, 



were Rev. N. A. Moes, Rector of the Catholic 
Seminary, Cleveland ; Rev. William McMahon, 
Pastor of St. Bridget's Church, Cleveland ; 
Rev. Dr. Maliar, of the Cathedral, Cleveland ; 
Rev. M. Murphy, of Warren ; Rev. P. O'Mara, 
of Hudson ; Rev. William Finucan, of Massil- 
lon ; Rev. P. O'Neil, of Kent, and Rev. Father 
Mahony, Pastor of the deceased. After the 
Solemn Mass, Rev. Father Mahony delivered 
an able funeral oration in which he paid a high 
tribute of respect to the deceased as a most 
devoted husband, a good father, and a prac- 
tical, fervent Catholic, and stated that he had 
a golden record on the parish books, and was 
equal, if not superior, to any other member of 
the congregation in supporting the interests of 
religion, and in contributing to the erection of 
St. Vincent de Paul's splendid church. The 
preacher even described the generosity of the 
deceased as ' princely ' and applied to him 
the words of the Apostle Paul : ' I have 
fought the good fight, I have finished my course, 
I have kept the faith.' After the funeral ser- 
mon, some excellent chanting was done by the 
clergy in the Sanctuary, and Rev. Dr. Quigley 
pronounced the last absolutions. The funeral 
procession was formed again and proceeded to 
the vault of the Soldiers' Monument, accom- 
panied by all the above mentioned clergy, where 
the remains, were deposited temporarilj'. Later 
they are to be interred in the family burial lot 
in the Catholic Cemetery on West Hill." 

Mr. Quigley was a most agreeable companion, 
always overflowing with wit and humor, and 
had the full measure of characteristic Celtic 
vivacity. A small book could easily be filled 
with most interesting accounts of his humorous 
and numerous controversial contests, political 
and religious, with various celebrities of the 
county, but lack of space forbids further mention 
of them here. 

His beloved wife, a lady of well-known in- 
tellectual powers and womanly virtues, now 
past her 80th year, sorrowing, survives him. 
She is of a long-lived family, her great-grand- 
father having attained the patriarchal age of 
132 years. She resides with her son, Hugh, in 
Akron, and will long be most affectionately re- 
membered by all who have enjoyed the pleas- 
ure of her acquaintance. 

Mr. Quigley was one of the few of whom it 
may be truly said, not only that he was with- 
out fear and without reproach, but that, by 



A 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



763 



reason of his skill in opening up new avenues 
of trade, his energy in developing new sources 
of wealth and his success in furnishing new 
fields for emplo^-ment, he ranks as a public 
benefactor, one who has deserved well of his 
country. He is a man whose memory this 
communit}' will always delight to honor. 

THOMAS CRAIGHP]AD REYNOLDS, A. 
M., editor of the Akron Beacon, was born Sun- 
day, June 18, 1848, at Reynolds' Mill, just 
south of Canton, Ohio. He was the foui'th 
child of his father, Mr. George Rej-nolds, old- 
est son of Mr. William Re3'nolds, first Clerk 
of Stark Co., Ohio. He was the oldest son 
of Mr. R.'s second wife, Jane (Lamb) Rey- 
nolds, oldest daughter of Thomas Craighead, 
of Cumberland Co., Penn., where men of that 
name were the earliest settlers of the Scotch- 
Irish, and the first Presb3'terian preachers west 
of the Susquehanna River. Mr. George Rey- 
nolds' paternal ancestors were Virginians, his 
mother being a daughter of a Newport (R. I.) 
sea captain, and both of English stock. T. C. 
Reynolds spent his boyhood with his maternal 
grandparents in Canton, attending private 
school, and in Akron with his parents, who 
owned and kept the Empire House, attending 
the public schools. Thence, in April, 1863, he 
went to the Western Reserve College Prepara- 
tory School, and remained there through his 
freshman j-ear. His college studies were com- 
pleted at the University of Michigan, graduat- 
ing from the classical course June 24, 1868, at 
20, the youngest of his class, except Mark W. 
Harrington, since Professor of Astronomy at 
the University. His long vacations were spent 
upon the United States Survey of the Northern 
and Northwestern Lakes, that work being then 
under the superintendence of his uncle. Gen. W. 
F. Reynolds, of the LTnited States Engineers, 
to whom Mr. R. also owes the liberal advances 
of money that secured his education and his 
interest in the Beacon Publishing Co. After 
graduating, and while upon duty with a longi- 
tude part}' of the Lake Surve}- at Oswego, N. 
Y., Mr. Reynolds was offered a reporter's place 
upon the Detroit Fast, and began journalistic 
work July 14, 1868. Six months later, he 
went home to Akron as the Beacon's first re- 
portei", soon being offered and declining a recall 
to Detroit with a better position and salary, 
and in January, 1869, he began work upon the 
Beacon, and on Dec. 6, 1869, the daily edition 



was begun. Six months later, he left the paper 
because of an attempt to divide his pay with 
another, and, July 14, 1870, began work upon 
the Pittsburgh Commercial, next under C. D. 
Brigham, as paragraph writer and associate, 
succeeding Bartley Campbell, the dramatist, 
and being succeeded by Col. Richard Realf, the 
brilliant poet. In March, 1871, he visited St. 
Louis, Mo., with a view to starting an evening 
paper there with H. H. Byram, relinquishing 
his Pittsburgh situation. This was not practica- 
ble, and finally he got a place in Cincinnati upon 
an insurance and manufacturing journal, owned 
by one Tillinghast, Mr. R. being associated with 
Levi E. Thorne, since editor of the Daily Amer- 
ican Exchange, at New York. Thanksgiving Day, 
1871, he returned to Akron as editor of the 
Beacon, the internal trouble being terminated 
by the purchase of the interest of the trouble- 
makers by a number of business men as a 
stock company, with Mr. S. A. Lane, as busi- 
ness manager. Nov. 1, 1873, Mr. Reynolds 
left Akron, ]Mr. W. Scott Robison having offered 
him nearly a double salary to edit the Cleve- 
land Sunday Voice 2iwA the Trade Revieic. Dur- 
ing this time, he also wrote upon the Leader s 
editorial page. In June, 1874, Mr. R. went to 
Toledo as Clark Waggoner's associate editor of 
the Morning Commercied, remaining until Jan- 
uar}', 1875, when a re-organization of the Beacon 
Company brought him back to Akron to sta}'. 
This had been Mr. R.'s fixed purpose in all his 
changes, and he was joined in accomplishing it 
by Mr. Frank J. Staral and John H. Auble. 
Two years later, Mr. Auble's interest was 
bought by Re3-nolds & Staral, the latter since 
being business manager. When Mr. Rej^nolds 
first went to the Beacon in January', 1869, Mr. 
Staral, then a Bohemian boy, had just entered 
the office as the onl}' bindery workman. He 
began then to board with Mr. R.'s parents, 
making that his home until his marriage in 
Jul}', 1877, the two being associated as broth- 
ers since. In June, 1873, Mr. Reynolds united 
with the Congregational Church of Akron, and 
Jan. 3, 1878. he married Lillian Alice, 
only daughter of John H. and Laura A. Wag- 
goner, of Akron. In December, 1878, a son 
was born to them — William Waggoner Rey- 
nolds. Mr. R. has held no office, and seeks 
none. 

GEORGE T. RANKIN, carpenter, Akron 
City ; born in the City of Hudson, N. Y., Feb. 



r 



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764 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



21, 1843 ; he was the son of Matthew and 
Mary (Linn) Rankin, who were the parents of 
nine children, as follows : Ellen, now Mrs. 
Amos Mac}' ; Charles, died in 1880 ; Matthew, 
now of Cleveland ; Mary, now Mrs. Peter 
Decker ; Esther, now Mrs. B. F. Harris ; George 
T., of Akron ; Joseph, of Hudson, N. Y. ; 
Elizabeth, now Mrs. Cornelius Shaw ; John, of 
Cleveland. Mrs. Rankin was a lad}' of fine 
mental attainments, but died in 1849, while 
most of her children were quite small. Her 
husband died Jan. 15, 1871, in the 61st year of 
his age. The subject of this sketch, when 12 
years of age, moved to Waterloo Township, 
Jefferson Co., Wis., where he remained about 
four years. In the fall of 1859, he returned to 
Hudson, N. Y., where he learned the carpenter 
and joiner's trade, serving an apprenticeship of 
three years ; he then removed to New York 
City and worked at ship joinering, pattern 
making and general carpenter work, from the 
year 1862 to 1871. He was married, Sept. 8, 
1870, to Mrs. Mary C. Weimer, who was born 
Jan. 21, 1847 ; in May, 1871, they settled in 
Akron, and since then have resided in the city. 
Mr. Rankin has frequently been employed 
at fine designs, which required much skill, and 
his workmanship on these tasks is a lasting 
proof that he is a master mechanic at his trade ; 
he was employed for several years at mill- 
wright work since settling in Akron, and was 
agent, for some five years, for the Cleveland 
Electric Supply Company. At the present 
time, Mr. Rankin is a general carpenter and 
builder, employing, at times, six and eight 
hands. Mr. and Mrs. Rankin are members of 
Methodist Episcopal Church, of Akron ; they 
are the parents of two childi^en — Irving Cor- 
nelius and George Thomas. By her former 
husband, Mrs. Rankin had one daughter, Jennie 
T. Weimer. 

W. G. ROBINSON, stationer, Akron, was 
born in Middlebury, now included in the city 
of Akron, March 20, 1838, and is the eldest of 
six children born to John C. and Margaret 
(Kelly) Robinson. His parents were natives of 
Union County, Penn., and en me to Middlebui-y 
in the Spring of 1836. Mr. John C. Robinson 
was a farmer and followed this business in 
Ohio until his death in 1875. His wife's death 
preceded his some four years, occurring in 1871. 
Both were active members of the Presbyterian 
Church and were highly respected in the com- 



munity in which they lived. W. G. Robinson 
was brought up on the farm, gaining his educa- 
tion in the select schools in the neighborhood 
and in the High School of Akron. In 1857, he 
began as a clerk with Mr. A. Sawyer, in his 
book and stationery establishment, where he 
continued for four years. He then bought the 
business of Mr. Sawyer and has since conducted 
it with signal success. In August of 1879, he 
associated himself with other gentlemen in the 
formation of stock company, known as the 
Akron Telephone Company, for operating 
Bell's telephone in the cities of Akron, Canton, 
Massillon, Youngstown and Springfield, of 
which he was made President, a position he 
still occupies. He is also Manager of the 
Akron Academy of Music, which has been 
under his direction ever since its erection in 
1869. Mr. Robinson made his home with his 
parents until his marriage in 1861. On the 
1st of January in that year he was united in 
marriage with Miss Mary E. Buckingham, a 
native of Watertown, Conn. 

ENOCH ROWLEY, retired, Middlebury, is 
a native of Stafljordshire, England, and was born 
Dec. 22, 1814. His father, William Rowley, was 
a potter and Enoch was taught the trade. In 
February, 1849, he landed in New York, pre- 
pared to try his fortune in the new country. 
He came to Cuyahoga Falls, having heard of 
that place in England. He worked at farming 
and gardening for about eight months, and in the 
fall of the same year, he came to Middlebury 
and bought his present place, where he has 
since resided. In the Spring of 1850, he and 
his two brothers-in-law, Edwin and Herbert 
Baker, began the manufacture of yellow and 
rockingham ware ; it was the first made in 
the county, and was represented at the county 
fair in 1851. In 1853, he erected a stoneware 
manufactory and has been identified with the 
same ever since. He married Miss Eliza Baker 
April 21, 1834. She is a native of England. 
Of their eleven children but one is living, viz., 
William ; of the deceased but two were mar- 
ried, one of whom leaves a family, viz., Ann J., 
married Mr. F. Manton, a native of England, 
who came to America about the year 1 852, and 
is now a farmer located near Cuyahoga Falls, 
Ohio. By their marriage there were three 
children, viz., Charles F., Francis C. and Eva E. 
Mr. Rowley, though coming a stranger to a new 
country has by industry and econom} been 






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CITY OF AKRON. 



765 



successful in business, securing for himself and 
wife an ample competency for their old age. 
Both have spent over one-half a century as 
members of the Metliodist Episcopal Church, in 
which he has taken an active interest, and has 
served in its several offices, being a class, 
leader for the past twent3"-two 3'ears. In poli- 
tics, he has taken his stand in the ranks of the 
Republican party. 

WM. ROWLEY, stoneware manufacturer, 
Middlebury, Ohio ; is a native of England, and 
was born in Staffordshire, Dec. 17, 1837. At 
the age of 12, he came with his parents to 
America, and settled in Middlebury, now Sixth 
Ward of Akron, where he has since lived. He 
began to work in a pottery, and, at the age of 
18, established a business of his own, erecting a 
shop where his present establishment is. Since 
the destruction of his shop by fire, the building 
has been rebuilt of brick and he is now enlarg- 
ing it so as to double its present capacity, 
which will emplo}' from twent^'-five to thirty 
hands. Mr. Rowley was one of the incorpora- 
tors of the Middlebury Clay Company, and 
since the first year he has held the office of 
Secretary and Superintendent of the same. May 
10, 1864, he married Miss Mary Jane Wills, a 
native of England. She came to the United 
States with her parents, and was living with 
them at Cuyahoga Falls at the time of her mar- 
riage. Of their four children, three are living, 
viz.: Arthur J., Maud L., and an infant. 

WILLIAM H. RAGG, Marshal, Akron, 
Ohio. Wm. Ragg. Sr., was born in Aberdeen, 
Scotland, and came to the United States when 
18 3^ears of age, pursuing here the calling of 
baker and confectioner. He was prominently 
connected with the bakery of Queen Victoria, 
in England. He died in Cleveland, Ohio, in 
1854, in his 43d year. Jane (Farquer) Ragg, 
(his wife), died at Paterson, N. J., in 1840 ; 
she was of French parentage. The only son of 
their marriage is the subject of this sketch, who 
was born in Paterson, N. J., Dec. 6, 1840. 
When 8 yeai's old, he went with his father to 
Syracuse, N. Y., afterward living in Water- 
town, N. Y., until 1853, when they came to 
Cleveland, Ohio, where subject lived until 1871. 
At 16, he was apprenticed to H. P. Hopkins, 
where he served nine years at sign painting — 
the last six as journeyman. Then he opened a 
paint-shop in Cleveland, and carried on busi- 
ness until 1871, when he removed to Oil Cit}', 



Penn., and there engaged at his trade four 
3'ears. In April, 1875, he moved to Akron, 
Ohio, and entered the employ of Charles E. 
Kidney, as painter, continuing six months, 
when he again established a paint-shop and 
successfully carried on business until 1878, 
when he was elected on the Republican ticket 
to fill the unexpired term of Jacob Koplin, 
(Marshal), and was re-elected in the spring of 
1879 for two years, and in April, 1881, was 
again re-elected Marshal, on the Republican 
ticket by a large majorit}-. Sept. 10, 1861, he 
married Miss Mary Pauline, daughter of Prof 
Pierre A. Gollier, of Cleveland, Ohio. They 
have three sons living and one daughter de- 
ceased. 

REV. JOHN F. ROWE, minister and jour- 
nalist, Akron, son of Martin and Mary M. (Als- 
house) Rowe, was born at Greensburg, West- 
moreland Co., Penn., March 23, 1827. In his 
3'outh. he worked for several years at brick- 
laying, being master of the trade. In 1839, his 
father moved to Wooster, Ohio, where our 
subject prepared for college at Parrott's Acad- 
emy, Wooster ; and he entered Bethany College 
in 1850, graduating four years later, receiving 
B. A. degree. He was editor of the college 
paper. At 24, he entered the ministry, being 
ordained by Wooster Church in 1851. In 
1855, he went to Springfield, 111., where he 
became associate editor of the Christian Sen- 
tinel, continuing two years, preaching at the 
same time. In 1857, he went to Oskaloosa, 
Iowa, where he became associate editor of the 
Christian Evangelist, being at the same time 
solicitor for Oskaloosa College for two years, 
when he came to Wadsworth, Ohio, and was 
Pastor of the Church of Christ for several 
years. In 1865, he went to Corry, Penn., and 
organized a church ; under his administration 
a church and parsonage were built ; he labored 
there two years, and then came to Akron, 
where he has since remained. When his labors 
closed in Corry, he became associate editor of 
the American Christian Review, at Cincinnati, 
Ohio, for seven years. In April, 1874, the 
Akron Argus, a non-partisan and independent 
newspaper, was started in Akron, and he was 
editor-in-chief for a period of about two yeai'S ; 
severing that relation, he was elected editor-in- 
chief of the American Christian Review, a posi- 
tion he still retains. It is one of the oldest 
papers extant devoted to the interest of the 



f 



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706 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Church of Christ. In the last twenty 3'ears, he 
has visited the churches of about twenty 
States and of Canada, being engaged in an 
evangelical work ; he has been throughout the 
West as far as Salt Lake City, and South and 
East. He has brought many hundred persons 
into the Church. He has written several works 
on evangelical subjects, and is a public debater 
of ability. Sept. 28, 1852, he was married to 
Miss Editha 3L Pardee, daughter of Judge 
Allen Pardee, of Wadsworth, Ohio. He has 
five children, all at home, viz., Eugene P., local 
editor of the Beacon ; Kittle F. L., Ada .E., 
Frank E. and Louis F. 

THOMAS RHODES, retired, Akron ; is a 
son of Thomas and Miriam (Garside) Rhodes, 
and was bom April 18, 1826, in Lancashire, 
England, seven miles from Manchester. When 
7 years of age, his parents came to America, 
landing at New York on tlie 10th of April, 
1833. Soon after, they came to Massillon, Ohio, 
where they stopped for a short time, and then 
settled in Sharon Township, in Medina Co., 
where his youth was spent. His education was 
limited to the district schools, and to instruction 
received from an older brother. About the 
year 185-4, he and his brothers bought a tract 
of land on " Chuckery Plains," which they 
farmed until 1859, when they sold out and re- 
moved to Portage Township, and bought 546 
acres of land, which they cleared, improved 
and drained ; he still owns 280 acres. In 1867, 
he purchased his present place, consisting of 11 
acres, where he has since lived. He has been 
a careful student, and has gathered a valuable 
collection of books. In 1865, subject and 
his brother Samuel went to Panama, to exam- 
ine there specimens of natural history. Sam- 
uel was taken sick, and, three days after leaving, 
died on board the steamship, Jan. 4, 1866, on 
the way to New York. In 1862, his brother 
Samuel was drafted, when he took his place, 
serving about ten months in Co. A, 72d O. V. 
I., during which time he took part in the siege 
of Vicksburg. Subject was married Dec. 21, 
1876, to Miss Sarah B. Garside, of Wisconsin. 
He was a Republican from 1860 to 1872, when 
he joined the Prohibition party, and is now 
Financial Secretary of the Ohio Anti-Liquor 
Alliance, and a thorough temperance worker. 

N. B. STONE, Secretary and Treasurer of 
the Weary Snyder Wilcox Manufixcturing Com- 
pany, Akron ; is not only a pioneer of Akron, 



but he has for many years been prominently 
identified with the lumbering interests of Sum- 
mit Co., and, as a representative and promoter 
of this branch of the county's industries, his 
portrait appears in this work. Having for 
many ^-ears acted in concert with those citizens 
who are first looked to in the forwarding of any 
local enterprise resulting in the general welfare 
of the citizens of Akron, his name is worthy of 
more than a passing mention. A tracement of 
the genealogy of the fomily proves the name 
of that branch of the ancestry of which Mr. 
Stone is a descendant to be of English origin. 
He was born Sept. 18, 1816, in Mahoning Co.. 
Ohio, and was the third child of a family of 
four children born to Milo and Sarah (Beards- 
ley) Stone, both of whom were natives of Con- 
necticut, and who, in the year 1815, quitted 
their native State, and, with an ox team, made 
their way westward to the much-talked-of 
Western or Connecticut Reserve ; they settled 
in that part of Trumbull now known as 
Mahoning Co., and subsequently removed to 
Tallmadge Township, Summit Co. ; this, also, 
at that date, was a pai't of Portage Co. Their 
settlement in Tallmadge was in 1817, which at 
that date was a tract of almost unbroken for- 
est. By trade, Mr. Stone was a carpenter and 
joiner, but in that early day there was but little 
demand for mechanics of any kind ; he there- 
fore purchased and began the clearing up of a 
farm, though he devoted a portion of his time 
to working at his trade. The early settlers of 
Tallmadge Township being almost exclusively 
Connecticut people, it was not long before the^^ 
established educational facilities far surpassing 
those of the surrounding new settlements ; the 
result of their efforts in this direction, was the 
establishing at the Center of Tallmadge an 
academy of more than the ordinary standard. 
E. T. Sturtevant, a graduate of Yale College, 
was for many years their principal instructor, 
and to him many of the now prosperous and 
influential men of the Western Reserve owe 
the foundation of their success, N. B. Stone 
among the number. To Milo Stone is due 
a fair share of the credit of thus early paving 
a wa}' for the education of his children ; the 
church, however, received his greatest encour- 
agement and most liberal support ; by his early 
and persistent efforts, he succeeded in organiz- 
ing the first M. E. Church of Tallmadge. Such 
offices as he would accept were given him, and. 



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CITY OF AKEON. 



767 



upon the organization of Summit Co., he was 
appointed one of the Real Estate Appraisers. 
His death occurred in April, 1856, and that of 
his wife on Feb. 8, 1861. Nelson B. Stone, 
after having received a fair education at the 
Tallmadge Academy, began in earnest the bat- 
tle of life on his own account ; he spent sev- 
eral years in West Bloomfield, N. Y., Ravenna, 
Ohio, and Wheeling, W. Va. ; in the latter 
place he spent two and a half years at book- 
keeping ; in December of 1 840, he came to Ak- 
ron, and, a short time after his arrival, he ac- 
cepted the Deputy Clerkship of Summit Co.; 
he continued to discharge the duties of Deputy 
until 1851, when he was elected to the office of 
County Clerk for a term of three years ; he 
discharged the duties and increased responsi- 
bilities devolving upon him to the satisfaction 
of all interested, and, at the close of his term 
of office, he accepted the position of Deputy 
County Clerk of Cuyahoga Co., though he con- 
tinued his residence in Akron ; returning from 
Cleveland, or rather severing his connection 
with the official management of Cuyahoga's af- 
fairs, he became for a time connected with the 
firm of Aultman, Miller & Co. In 1865, he be- 
came a partner in the firm with which he is 
now connected, and in which he has since held 
the offices of Secretary and Treasurer. Mr. 
Stone has given liberally toward supplying 
Akron with the different railroads that are and 
have been so largely conducive to her success, 
and, in the building-up of churches and schools, 
he has been an earnest worker. Both he and 
Mrs. Stone are members of the First M. E. 
Church ; in 1843, when the present Sabbath 
school of the First M. E. Church was organized, 
with an attendance of thirty-three pupils, Mr. 
Stone was elected Librarian, and has been of- 
ficially connected with the school almost con- 
tinuousl}^ to the present date, quite a period of 
time as Superintendent. He is an earnest, 
zealous worker in the Sabbath school, and at 
present is Secretary of the organization. In 
May of 1852, he was married to Miss Mary H. 
Clark, a native of North Springfield, Summit 
Co.; her death occurred in April of 1853 ; the 
issue of this marriage was one son — Nelson C. 
— who is now book-keeper for the Weary Sny- 
der Wilcox Manufacturing Co. In August of 
1854, Mr. Stone married Miss Elizabeth H. 
Beardsley, who was born within the incorporate 
limits of Akron, and whose people were among 



Summit County's early and prominent pioneers. 
Two children have been born to them — Philo 
C, who died in 1872, and Dwight M., living at 
home. 

INCREASE SUMNER (deceased); was 
born in Townsend, Vt., Feb. 25, 1800, and was 
a son of Thomas and Elizabeth Sumner. He 
lived in Vermont about sixteen years, and then 
came to Ohio and settled in Middlebury, where 
his brother Charles was living, and where he 
lived until his death, Nov. 18, 1868. He was 
quite a prominent man, was connected with 
the milling business, was also one of the early 
merchants of Middlebury, and also a stone con- 
tractor, and built many of the bridges of the 
county, and dams in Akron, besides doing 
much stone work on the canal. * In 1849, he 
fitted up an ox-team, and with a party of six- 
teen or eighteen men, of whom he was Captain 
and Treasurer, went to California, arriving in 
safety. Throughout the trip, he disdained to 
carry firearms, feeling confident in his own 
natural powers. Arriving in California, he 
opened a store in a mining district and con- 
tinued it for nearly three years, when he re- 
turned to Middlebury. When he left, he said 
he would return in three years to prevent his 
wife getting a bill of divorce. On his return, 
the first question he asked his wife was, if the 
bill had been obtained, and was answered 
in the negative. This was one of the jokes 
peculiar to himself On his return, he devoted 
his attention to farming, but finally sold his 
farm and bought a piece of land upon which 
he opened a stone-quarry, and contracted stone 
work. He continued in this until his death. 
He was married March 29, 1837, to Mrs. Miller, 
formerly Miss Elizabeth Hammel, they have no 
children. The first marriage of Mrs. S. to 
Arthur Miller occurred Jan. 29, 1827 ; she 
was a native of Ithaca, N. Y., and was born 
Sept. 21, 1812. Mr. Miller died July 16, 1830, 
leaving two children, both of whom have since 
died. In September, 1836, Mrs. Miller came 
to Ohio and lived in Norton Township with 
friends of Mr. Miller until the February follow- 
ing, when she came to Middlebury, and in 
March was married to Mr. Sumner. 

COL. JULIUS A. SUMNER, retired, Akron, 
whose portrait appears in this histor}' as a 
representative of that class of the pioneers of 
Summit Count}' who have been identified with 
the progress of almost every improvement that 



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768 



B I OG R A PII IC AI. SKETCHES : 



has placed Akron and Summit Co. among the 
leading cities and counties of Ohio, is a de- 
scendant of one of the old and prominent 
families of the United States. The name of 
Sumner is familiar to the people from the fact 
of different members of the fiimil}- having from 
time to time held prominent positions in civil 
and military life. Theirs has been a remark- 
ablv robust, large of stature, and long-lived 
n.ce of people. An examination of the records 
traces the genealogy of the family back to 1634, 
when one George Sumner, who was of the third 
generation by the name, emigrated from Bices- 
ter, England, to the United States, and settled 
at Freeman, Mass. He removed from there to 
Milton, of the same State, where he was Deputy 
to the General Court in 1693, 1703, 1708-09. 
He was ordained Deacon, July 30, 1699, and 
died at Milton, in 1715. Edward Sumner, of 
the fourth generation, and son of George, was 
born at Milton, Mass., Aug. 29, 1676. He lived 
and died a resident of Massachusetts. John 
Sumner, of the fifth generation, son of Edwaixl 
and the grandfather of our subject, was born 
August 1. 1705. He graduated at Harvard 
College, in 1723. Nov. 20, 1729, he married 
Susanna, daughter of Samuel Stevens, of Rox- 
bury. She died Feb. 2, 1733. In 1737-38 he 
was Representative from Roxbury. He settled 
on Martha's Vine3'ard, where, on Sept. 22, 1738, 
he married Jedidah Smith. He was Judge of 
the Court of Common Pleas for Duke's Co., 
from 1761 to 1774, when he removed to Spen- 
cer, where he died in 1787. Thomas Sumner, 
of the sixth generation, and father of Julius A., 
was a son by the second marriage of John 
Sumner. He was born June 2, 1757, and was 
married at Brookfield, March 9, 1780, to Miss 
Elizabeth Holland, of the same place. They 
lived for a time at Spencer, and then went to 
Townshend, Vt., and in 1817 they removed from 
there to Middlebury, Ohio, where he died April 
19, 1825, and his wife Oct. 10, 1842. Col. 
Julius A. Sumner, the subject of this brief 
memoir, was born Jan. 2, 1802. at Townshend, 
Vt, and from the time of his 14th year he has 
been almost wholly dependent upon his own 
resources. At the age of 14 years he went to 
Boston, and from there across the country on 
foot to Tyrone, Huntingdon Co., Penn. He 
remained there for a time, and then started 
again on foot a distance of 130 miles, across 
the Alleghany Mountains to Pittsburgh. There 



he began work in a nail factory, in the manu- 
facture of hand-made nails. He remained there 
until 16 years of age, and then went to the 
country and engaged in teaching school, which 
he followed for one 3'ear. It may seem im- 
probable that a boy of this age, and with the 
meager opportunities for attaining an education 
that were afforded him, should be able to teach 
a common school, but it may be as well to state 
here, that Col. Sumner was a boy of more than 
ordinary ability, energy and determination, all 
of which traits of character have in later life 
placed him in a position far beyond the average 
pioneer of Summit Co. In the spring of 1818, 
he began his journey on foot and alone to 
Middlebury. He arrived there in February, 
and began in compau}' with his father and 
brothers the erection of the first rolling-mill 
in what was then Portage Co. This was for 
the purpose of rolling strap and bar iron from 
which to manufacture nails, and to them must 
be given the credit of making the first market 
nails ever made in Ohio. In 1824, he married 
Miss Margaret, daughter of Rev. Obadiah New- 
comb, of Wadsworth, Ohio. She was a native 
of Nova Scotia, and was the mother of his 
children. 

About the time of his marriage, the Colonel 
engaged in the mercantile trade, in which 
he has since been interested, and stands 
to-day as the oldest or pioneer merchant of 
Akron, as he is still interested in business as a 
member of the firm of Clark & Sumner, grocery- 
men. When he began business, freights from 
New York to Middlebury were $12 per 100 
pounds. He sometimes ran as many as three 
stores at a time, but when freights came down 
to $5 per 100, he found so much competition 
springing up, that he gave up a part of his 
mercantile business and opened a woolen-mill. 
In 1832, his health being somewhat impaired 
by confinement, he sold his mill and store and 
moved to the country. He purchased a tract 
of land, of which he cleared 175 acres the first 
year. He began farming as he did everything 
else, on a scale that surprised some of his 
neighbors. In a short time he owned 1,200 
acres, most of which he soon put in a state of 
cultivation. At this same time, he built a dis- 
tillery at Lock 17, on the canal, which (the 
latter) was finished Aug. 25, 1828. He also 
ran a pottery on his farm, and was engaged ex- 
tensively at merchandising. As an evidence 



1^ 



-^ — ^^ ^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



769 



of his executive ability-, he was at one time 
running a fixrm of 1,200 acres, a potter}', two 
distilleries and three stoi'es, and at the same 
time he was Colonel of one of the finest militia 
regiments in Ohio. He has built many costly 
buildings in Akron, among which is the Sum- 
ner House, erected in 1868 and burned in 1876, 
and immediately rebuilt and enlarged. This 
fire was a loss to him of !|50,000 ; this, with 
his previous losses of $75,000, was a fort- 
une of itself, especiall}' as it was accumulated 
from a start of $1, and yet to-day he is counted 
one of the wealthy men of Summit Co. During 
his earl}' career, the Colonel made eight differ- 
ent trips East with cattle, and crossed the Alle- 
ghany Mountains on horseback as many times. 
He and a brother also were the first shippers 
of cattle from the Western Reserve to Phila- 
delphia. Col. Sumner's first wife died in 1849. 
In 1853, he married the widow of H. Bradley, 
wlio was one of the early settlers of the County. 
They lived together for twenty-seven years, when 
her death occurred, Oct. 18, 1880. His children 
are, Charles A., now a prominent merchant of 
Baraboo, Wis. ; Mary, wife of C. Ferguson ; 
Nellie, wife of J. B. Haughton ; Eliza, wife of 
E. Stilwell, and Vick, wife of Geo. S. Clark, the 
Colonel's associate in business. He is still a 
hale, vigorous man, of commanding appearance, 
extensive knowledge, and in his matured age 
enjo3ang the rich possessions of the fruits of his 
varied efforts. 

EDAVARD SUMNER, Akron, a brother of 
Charles Sumner, was born at Townshend, Vt., 
June 27, 1796 ; came to Middlebury about 
1817, and in 1818, in connection Avith his broth- 
ers Julius and Joseph, built the first rolling 
mill and rail factory in the State, with which 
establishment he continued a number of 3'ears. 
He was married at 2 o'clock A. M., Jan. 1, 1822, 
to Miss Lucinda Hart, a sister to the wife of his 
brother Charles. He subsequently engaged in 
merchantile business until his departure, in 
1848, for Baraboo, Wis., where he built a 
large hotel ; also the court house for that 
county ; he served one term in the Wisconsin 
Legislature, and, about the close of the war, 
went to a place near San Francisco, Cal., where 
he engaged in the hotel business and mining. 
At an early date he was Colonel of the 5th 
Ohio Militia, at that time the finest in the State ; 
he has always taken an active part in Masonry, 
joining, as soon as age would permit, in the 



State of New York, and soon after his settle- 
ment in Middlebury he organized the lodge by 
that name, fitting up a hall in his own house, 
which was used for several 3'ears, subsequently', 
with Judge Spaulding, organized the Akron 
Lodge. 

MISS LOUISE SUMNER, stock-raiser and 
farmer, P. O. Akron ; the only child of Charles 
Sumner and Clarrissa Hart, daughter of Rufus 
and Esther (Cutter) Hart, who were natives of 
Cornwall, Conn., and migrated to Middlebury 
about 1815, after a residence of eleven years in 
the State of New York. She was born May 6, 1 796, 
and died March 30, 1877, after a long and useful 
life. The Sumners moved to Vei'mont about 
1800 from Roxbury, Mass., where the father of 
our subject was born, June 6, 1794 ; he resided 
in Vermont until the fall of 1816, when he 
came to Middlebury, arriving in the spring of 
1817, and was married the June following ; his 
parents, Thomas and Elizabeth (Holland) Sum- 
ner, arrived in the fall of 1817. During the 
early part of his life in Ohio he worked at the 
clothiers' trade and served the people as a minis- 
ter of the Gospel ; he built the first frame 
dwelling house in the village of Middlebury, 
hauling the lumber for the same from Wooster 
and Cleveland, and raising the frame on the day 
of his marriage ; he also, in connection with 
Pcleg Mason, kept the first store in the village, 
and about the same time he built the first card- 
ing mill, making subsequent extensive additions 
to the business ; his congregation, until the 
time of the building of the canal, had grown 
quite extensive, but was almost totally broken 
up on account of the ravages of disease at that 
time, there being only four of his flock left to 
tell the story which had been so fluently im- 
parted from the lips of their earnest and ener- 
getic leader, who rendered great assistance 
during that dark time to the widows and or- 
phans, in providing for them — raising and 
finding homes for the orphan children, and 
building houses upon his own farm for the 
shelter of the poor and sick. He was a very 
enterprising, energetic, successful and liberal 
man, having, a few years after his removal to 
this State, purchased a large tract of land in 
Springfield Township, upon which he kept a 
large amount of stock of all kinds, and engaged 
in the business of drover, in which he was very 
successful, although at many times meeting with 
several narrow escapes in crossing the mount- 



w 



t« — »- 



770 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



ains ; his stock consisted of liorses, cattle and 
mules. He moved to the farm, upon which his 
daughter now lives, in 1834. He was for nine 
years Associate Judge of Portage County, 
and was instrumental in the organization of 
Summit Co., in which he served as Associate 
Judge from its organization until his death. 
His death occurred June 22, 1845, his daughter 
acting as administratrix of the large estate, in 
connection with John Hart, and, being the onlj- 
child, became heir to the liirge amount of prop- 
erty-, which she has managed with great tact 
and skill since her 20th 3'ear. She is a lady of 
rare ability and business tact, which was un- 
doubtedly inherited from the father, and by her 
great love and superior knowledge of all kinds 
of stock, in which business she has been very 
successful ; having no little playmates she, in 
her attention to the pets of the farm and the 
care of the herds with her father, acquired that 
great love for the brute creation which she has. 
She has owned the finest flocks of Spanish 
Merino sheep in Northern Ohio, having imported 
some of the finest thoi'oughbred sheep in the 
country ; the stock of her horses can be de- 
termined from the prices sold at, ranging from 
$500 to $2,000 singly ; she is now dealing in 
cattle principall}'. Her coal interests have 
been very extensive for several years, she 
realizing from $3,000 to $5,000 annually in 
royalty from the Middlebury Shaft and the 
Sumner Bank. 

JAMES H. STANFORD (deceased), Akron, 
Ohio, is a son of William and Jane (Stevenson) 
Stanford, and was born at Rochester, N. Y., 
Aug. 29, 1843. When a boy he came with his 
parents to Akron, where he attended the pub- 
lic schools and learned the trade of machinist, 
beginning in a Cleveland shop and finishing in 
the shops of Taplin, Rice & Co., where he 
worked until 1868, when he became engineer of 
steamer in the Fire Department ; he had been a 
fireman for some time. He filled the position 
with ability until his death, which occurred 
Jan. 3, 1881, an event that was deeplj^ felt by 
the city. He had b}' close attention brought 
the appointments of the engine house to great 
perfection. He was a competent electrician, 
and was one of the oldest firemen of the serv- 
ice, having been a member since the organiza- 
tion of the department in 1866. He served in 
the late war in Shields' Battery for three years. 
He was a member of the Buckeye Post, G. A. 



R. The following is an eulogy by his old 
friend and teacher, J. Park Alexander: 

To the Past and Present Member.s of the Akron 
Fire Department, this eulogy of our dead friend 
and comrade is respectfully dedicated by his for- 
mer teacher and constant friend throughout a 
period of twenty-five years: 

On the 1st of April, A. D. 1856, upon promotion, 
there appeared in the Grammer Department of the 
Akron Higli School, a boy small of stature, rugged in 
appearance, fair in complexion with round visage 
and rounder head, covered with intensely curled 
auburn hair, which boy entered into all the labors 
and tasks of the schoolroom with the same vigor, 
courage and determination that marked him in after 
years, in our estimation, as a man. The writer se- 
lected for him as a declamation in our school exer- 
cises at that time, "Cutter's Ode," to the sentiment 
uttered b}' Henry Clay at the dedication of a monu- 
ment at Lexington, Ky., erected over the remains 
of those who had fallen in the battle of Buena Vista, 
among whom were those of his son: 

"And I would coverall its height 

And breiidth before that hour of shame, 

Till space should fail whereon to write, 
Even the initial of anarae. 

" Dissolve the Union, mar, remove 

The last iisylum that is known, 
Where patriots ijud a brother's love 

And truth may shelter from a throne. 

" Give up the hopes of high renown, 

The legacy our fathers willed, 
Tear our victorious eagles down. 

Before their mission is lulflUed. 

" Dissolve the Union, while the earth 

Has yet a tyrant to be slain. 
Destroy our freedom in its birth 

And give the world to bonds again. 

"Dissolve the Ui^ion, God of Heaven, 
We know too well how much it cost; 

A million bosoms shall be riven 
Before one golden link is lost." 

Many times during the years 1856 and 1857, our 
boy patriot was called out before school and visitors 
to recite this ode, a portion of which is here given 
— recite it because he did it so well he rejoiced in 
its grand national sentiments — his heart beat in 
unison with its expressed patriotism, the brightness 
of his eye and tlie color upon his boyhood cheek, 
told how enthusiastically he drank at these foun- 
tains of national existence. And now that his spirit 
has fled, who is there to doubt but that with this 
banner in his heart he was found in 1863, enrolled 
among tlie magnificent army of patriots who fought 
at Knoxville, Keuesaw, Resaca and in the siege of 
Atlanta. Three years of service in the 19th Ohio 
Batterjr in the great war of the Rebellion, christened 
the boy into manhood, unobtrusive of its merits, 
but nevertheless recognized. Before the war, in 
the year 1859, he entered the Mahoning Railroad 
shops as an apprentice macliinist, under his subse- 
quent Chief in the Fire Department, James McNeil, 
as foreman. He served in these shops until August 
1862, the date of his enlistment. After his discharge 
from the army, which occurred June 20, 1865, he 



l\±^ 



CITY or AKRON. 



771 



was engaged for a short time in the railroad shops 
here and with Taplin, Rice & Co. until in 1868, 
when he entered the employ of the city. He died 
with his armor on in the thirteenth year of his serv- 
ice for the cit}', faithful to the last, his life stands 
a shining example of his abilit3% his integrity, his 
worth. A silent captain among men — he led, they 
followed. An indefatigable student, he was at 
the same time an accomplished mechanic. Theory 
enticed him along her intricate path.s, yet he never 
lost sight of the real, the practicable, and to-day all 
over our city and all through this department, are 
to be seen examples of his handiwork. Like a great 
balance wheel in motion, he moved steadily forward, 
stopping not at trifles nor moving more rapidly 
from mere imagination and without cause. Thirty- 
seven year from the cradle to the grave. Thirty- 
seven years onward, upward ! Thirty-seven years 
and this star has risen to its zenith, blotted out in 
its pathway at midday, it hath fallen into the grave 
beneath oiu- feet, and now, as the shadows of life 
point toward the east, with joined hands around 
this open tomb, we pledge anew our faith, our love, 
our hope in all that makes man immortal, as found 
in the remembrances of the life and character of 
our dead brother. We bow our heads in sorrow at 
tlie taking-away of our friend, and as we turn our 
footsteps awa}' from this tomb, we exclaim in one 
voice, surely the ways of Providence are inscrutable 
and beyond finding out. James Stanford, as at the 
rising of the sun, we bid thee a glad welcome, as 
through the journey of life we stood near thee, 
loved and admired you, so now we, in our constan- 
cy of friendship, although with broken hearts, 
stand around thy grave at this final separation, and 
bid thee, noble hearted, grandly gifted, true hero, 
all hail and farewell. 

FERDINAND SCHUMACHER, manufact- 
urer, Akron. Ferdinand Schumacker was born 
in Celle, Hanover, on March 30, 1822, where 
he attended school until he was 15 years old, at 
which age he had completed the High School 
course ; he then went to Harburg, where he 
worked five yeai's as an apprentice in a whole- 
sale and retail grocer3^ receiving no remunera- 
tion during that time. In 1842. he commenced 
clerking with his lather, and continued for two 
3ears, when he went to Hanover, and clerked 
in the extensive sugar refinery of Egestorf & 
Hurtzig, for about six 3'ears, his salary at first 
being $150, and finally $200 per year. In 
1850, in company with his brother Otto, he emi- 
grated to the United States. He bought 46 
acres of land in Euclid, twelve miles from 
Cleveland, where he farmed for a year and a 
half, at the end of which time he left the farm 
in charge of his brother, and came to Akron, 
where he at once formed a partnership with 
Theodore Weibesahn, and, in company with 
him, kept a fancy goods, toy and notion store 



in the basement of P. D. Hall's store. After 
eight months he retired from this, and started 
for himself a small grocery store in the site of 
the First National Bank ; this was attended 
with success, and he continued with it until 
1863. In 1856, he rented water-power on the 
Ohio Canal, on North Howard St., and put in the 
necessary machinery for inaugurating a branch 
of manufacture, which steadily grew in value, 
and which was the manufacture of oat-meal ac- 
cording to ideas received by him as to the 
proper method of making palatable food out of 
the grain of the oat, while learning the grocer}^ 
business in his native country. Into this, his 
adopted country, he introduced excellent oat- 
meal, by substituting machinery, driven by 
power, for the hand-mill he had been accus- 
tomed to see used by his employer in Germany. 
His experiment was successful, and the next 
year apparatus for pearling barley was added 
to what were appropriately called " German " 
mills, and the year following that, greater ca- 
pacit}^ was given to the mill itself, by increasing 
the water power. In 1863 the Empire Barley 
Mills were built, which were enlarged in 1876. 
He built, in 1879, an elevator for the storage 
of grain. In 1872, the first mill burned, but 
within thirty days after the fire, a new struct- 
ure, known as the present German Mills was 
begun, and quite finished earl}^ in 1873. He 
bought the Cascade Flouring Mills in 1868, en- 
larged and supplied it with modern machiner}'. 
The capacity of the Barley Mills is 1,000 bush- 
els per day; of the Cascade Mills, 250 barrels of 
flour; of the German Mills, 250 barrels oat-meal, 
consuming about 3,000 bushels of oats, in ad- 
dition to which large quantities of pearl cracked 
wheat and feed are turned out. His three 
mills give employment to about 120 men and 
women, and the business amounts to $1,000,- 
000, or more, annually, extending to all 
parts of the country, all of it being under his 
personal direction, and with but one traveling 
solicitor. When he began, all the oat-meal in 
this country was imported from Canada and 
Europe, but at present the importations of this 
valuable food are trifling in amount. The 
secret of his success is perseverance, energ\', 
and his determination to excel in the quality of 
his goods, being quite dissatisfied with any- 
thing short of excellence in the way of machin- 
er}'. On Oct. 7, 1851, he was married, ' at 
Cleveland, Ohio, to his cousin. Miss Hermine 



"1^ 



^1 



772 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Schumacher, of Bevern, Brunswick, Grermany, 
by whom he had seven children, five of whom 
are deceased. Louis and Adolph are living. 
He has been a Prohibitionist since 1870, has 
given support to the various churches, and has 
been a member of the City Council. 

AVERY SPICER, Akron, Ohio. Avery, 
oldest son of Miner and Cynthia (Allen) Spicer, 
began life's voyage on Oct. 26, 1799, at Gro- 
ton, New London Co., Conn., since which time 
he has rowed steadily and carefully up-stream. 
He attended school but little in Connecticut, 
his family moving from there to this site when 
he was only 12 years old, at which time they 
were the only white settlers where Akron now 
stands, although there were three white families 
at Middlebury. Here he started to school, in 
company with six sisters, the schoolhouse 
being a frame building, at Middlebury. built by 
his father ; his first teacher there was named 
Skinner, whom Mr. Spicer remembered as a 
very severe man, priding himself more on being 
a "master" than a teacher. On arriving here, 
his father bought 260 acres on the present site, 
none of which, at that time, was cleared. The 
three white families then in Middlebury were 
Aaron Norton, Rial McArthur and Capt. Hart. 
Mr. Spicer's father lived in McArthur's house 
for about four days, when he moved into a 
cabin, built of round logs, with no chinking ; 
there was timber all around the house. Deer 
came in sight of the house frequently, and it 
was not an unusual occurrence to see bears. 
Mr. Spicer recalls one occasion when, on going 
to a neighbor's, he saw what he had at first 
supposed to be a hog standing on his hind 
feet, but which he soon discovered to be a 
bear; his dog, which accompanied him, ad- 
vanced and received the " hug," in which affec- 
tionate embrace he left him, while he soon 
lengthened the distance between them and 
himself It was about a month after this occur- 
rence, that a dog's prolonged barking attracted 
his attention, and on investigation he found 
the disturbance to be at a hog-pen. Securing 
a candle and a gun, he and his father followed 
the dog, and discovered a bear, at which he 
took aim and fired, but it escaped. He re- 
turned, and, on finding the hog dead, hastened 
to build a fire to protect it, but the bear suc- 
ceeded in stealing it away before he accom- 
plished his purpose. The next morning, he 
sought and found them, killing the bear with 



gun-shot. They had great diflflculty in obtain- 
ing salt here at that time, and, after being here 
two years, he, a boy of 14, led a horse to Cleve- 
land, and returned on foot with a bag of salt, 
having been gone four days. The year follow- 
ing he took a horse, loaded with three bags of 
flour, to the Liverpool Salt Works, at Rock}' 
River ; for about fifteen miles of the way he 
had no guide but blazed trees, and when in 
the woods night came on, he tied the horse 
and went to sleep on the bags. Before morn- 
ing the wolves began to howl, and he slept no 
more that night. One morning, as he was just 
about to start a fire in his father's house, blow- 
ing the embers, he saw a rattlesnake coiled up 
about one foot from his hand, and to escape he 
threw himself backward, and when the light 
shone up struck the snake with the shovel, and 
then sprang on the bed in the dark, the fire 
having gone out ; the snake was not killed, but 
badly hurt ; it was but one of the man}^ 
which were then existent. When they settled 
here, Indians were plenty. After Hull's sur- 
render, Mr. Spicer's father enlisted and went to 
Cleveland, from which place he was sent back 
as Captain, with about 100 men in his com- 
mand ; he established a guard line from old 
Portage to new Portage, and part way to Cleve- 
land. Subject was at Hudson when Perry won 
his memorable victor}', and he distinctly heard 
the guns. He reverences greatly his name. 
While his father was in Cleveland, during the 
war of ""12," his mother went each night, 
taking her family with her, to lodge in the 
home of Amos Spicer, who had settled in Cov- 
entry Township ; and one morning, on return- 
ing home with subject and his cousin, Pierpont 
Spicer, she discovered that the door had been 
opened, and supposing it had been done by 
Indians, they made cautious reconnaissance. 
Pierpont, on going to the loft, sprang down and 
said he saw Indians in bed. All three ran 
from the house, but Mrs. Spicer, being unable 
to go swiftly, found a treasure in her boy, who 
slacked his gait to accommodate hers. On 
reflection, they all returned, and subject cau- 
tiously and tremblingly started up the ladder 
leading to the loft, followed very closely by 
her whose mothei'-heart bade her now urge 
him on, and now restrain him, which she did by 
gentle pushing or pulling at his coat, according 
as she grew brave or fearful. On reaching the 
loft, however, they found no one, although 






^t^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



773 



there was evidence of some two or three per- 
sons having occupied their bed, who, no doubt, 
were some of Hull's men, and not the looked- 
for Indians. At the age of 21, he began earn- 
ing his own living, working for his father two 
years at " truck and dicker," which emplo3'ment 
brought him but $7 per month. Later, he be- 
came foreman of a large number of hands on 
the Ohio canal, furnishing stone for its locks. 
In this he engaged for one season, and, in 
1824 or 1825, he and his uncle rented a saw- 
mill and sawed lumber for the locks for a period 
of two years. He was boss of the hands who 
built the log bridge across the Cuyahoga, east 
of Mustle's, being paid the same amount they 
received, which was 31 cents per day. He 
married, on Sept. 3, 1826, Miss Harriet King, 
daughter of Joshua King, who settled on the 
Cuyahoga in 1810. Harriet was born on Sept. 
27, 1810, and is said to have been the first 
white child born on the Cuyahoga from Portage 
to Cleveland. After his marriage, he bought 
forty acres of land at $8 per acre, on the south- 
ern part of his father's farm, to which he made 
additions until he owned seventy-tive acres, 
which he farmed until 1837. The first wheat 
he raised sold for 30 cents per bushel. In 
1837, he bought 150 acres of land in Coventry 
Township, making additions thereto until he 
owned 366 acres, which he farmed with good 
success, keeping a dair}^ for several years. He 
was Trustee of Coventry Township for many 
years. In 1857, he moved to his present 
place, corner of Spicer and Carroll streets, 
Akron, where his father formerly lived. He 
was Infirmary Director of this count}- for fif- 
teen years, serving during the construction of 
the present building. He has five children 
living, viz., Cynthia, wife of Greorge Cogshall, 
of Akron ; Austin A. (see sketch in Coventry 
Township), of Coventry ; Harriet, wife of 
James T. Trowbridge, of Akron ; Harrison M., 
farmer in Coventr}^ ; and Ella C, wife of 
Charles Parmenter, of Waltham, Mass. Four 
children are deceased, viz., Isaac A., who died 
in California in his 23d year ; Sarah C, who 
was the wife of John Newton and died in Mich- 
igan, and Olive and Oliver, twins, who died 
when 5 months old. 

JOHN F. SEIBERLING, Akron ; oldest son 
of Nathan and Catharine (Peters) Seiberling, 
was born March 10, 1834, in Norton Township, 
this county, where he spent his youth, having 



common and high-school advantages. In 1856, 
he came to Akron, and for two years engaged 
in the drug business. He returned in 1858 to 
Norton Township, and there ran a saw-mill for 
some two years, and, while working in the mill, 
became interested in the improvements of mow- 
ing and reaping machines, and, lacking favora- 
ble opportunities, constructed a machine which 
he brought out in 1859. In 1860, he experi- 
mented with this machine and named it the 
"Excelsior." In 1861, he took out his first 
patent — the main feature being the " dropper," 
which was the first made or conceived. From 
1861, he gave his whole time and attention to 
the business, going to Doyleston, Ohio, where 
he established a manufactory which is still in 
operation. He experimented every season, and, 
in 1861, he invented the side-brace bar coupling, 
and, in 1862, the horizontal folding fingei'-beam. 
He was the first to discover the adjustable 
reel, which he did in 1870, or thereabouts. In 
1875, he brought out the empire table rake, 
and in 1880, the single- wheel reaper. * * * 
He worked at Doylestown, until 1864, when he 
went to Massillon, where he established a manu- 
factory, remaining one year. In October, 1865, 
he came to Akron and organized the firm of J. 
F. Seiberling & Co., for the manufacture of the 
" Excelsior," from which firm he withdrew in 
1869. In 1871, he organized the Akron Straw 
Board Company, located at Middlebur}-, of 
which he is still a member, now being the 
President and Treasurer of the same ; to this, 
by means of his own inventions, he has added 
several new improvements. In 1875, he com- 
menced the building of the "Empire," a new 
machine with new features, which was invented 
by him during the time not engaged in manu- 
facturing. The commendable features of the 
"Empire" are numerous, but it is especially 
valuable because of its strength and durability 
(the gears being inclosed, and all the parts 
made of iron), and the new principle making 
light draft and little noise. The present ca- 
pacity is 5,000 machines per year, which meet 
a ready sale. In 1880, he purchased the old 
"Excelsior" works, and the business is con- 
trolled by himself, he being President and gen- 
eral manager. In September, 1859, he married 
Miss Catharine L. Miller, of Norton Township, 
and of this union there were nine children, all 
of whom are living, their names being as fol- 
lows : Anna E., Frank A., Charles W., Cora D., 



f 



^ 



774 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Hattie M., Grace I., Kittle G., Mary B. and 
Ruth. The subject of this sketch has been a 
member of the School Board ; he is a member 
of the English Lutheran Church, and is now 
Trustee. 

ROLIN W. SADLER, lawyer, Akron ; was 
born to James J. Sadler, July 7, 1856, in Cen- 
terville, St. Joseph Co., Mich.; eleven years 
later, moving to Bryan, Ohio, where he re- 
mained two years, followed by a two 3'ears' 
stay in Wauseon, at both of which places he 
attended school. In 1871, he entered Baldwin 
University, and remained one year, when he 
entered Mt. Union College, from which he grad- 
uated in 1874, after which date he engaged in 
teaching for some time. In the summer of 
1876, he came to Akron, entering the law office 
of Edgerton & Kohler, as student, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1878, since which time he 
has been in active practice. Although 3'oung, 
he is a competent lawyer, and owes his success 
mainly to his own efforts, as, indeed, do nearly 
all truly successful men. On Sept. 15, 1880, 
he married Miss Cai'rie M. Comstock, of Bed- 
ford, at which place he was engaged a few 
years ago as Principal of the schools, previously 
having sei'ved in like capacity in the Reading, 
Mich., schools. The old firm name, Edgerton 
& Kohler, is changed to Kohler & Sadler. His 
father, James J. Sadler, was born in New York 
City, and moved thence to Pennsylvania, after 
which he came to Stow Township, where he 
grew to manhood, receiving his education in 
Twinsburg Institute. He began teaching at 
the age of 17, engaging in that vocation in dif- 
ferent parts of Summit Co., and at Middlebury. 
He is now Superintendent of the public schools 
of Stanton, Mich. He has six children, of 
whom Rolin is the second son. 

LOUIS B. SCHNEIDER, hardware mer- 
chant, Akron. Frederick A. Schneider was 
born in Altona, near Hamburg, Germany, and 
immigrated to Pennsylvania at an earl}' day, 
where, when quite a youth, he became engaged 
in mercantile pursuits. His ftither was a Cap- 
tain in the regular German army, and gave him 
a good education in German, French and En- 
glish. In Pennsylvania, he engaged in book- 
keeping for a large house in Philadelphia, and 
teaching school ; subsequently kept a liardware 
store at Chambersburg, where he met and mar- 
ried Miss Rebecca Faber, who bore him nine 
children, viz., Mrs. Chas. Cranz, and Mrs. 



Judge G. W. Raflt", of Canton, Ohio ; Anton G., 
of Akron ; F. A., of Omaha ; Louis B.; Edward 
F. (deceased), who was an Adjutant under 
Gov. Hayes ; Mrs. Henrietta R. Wallace, of 
Canton, Ohio; Mrs. W. .J. Broatch, of Omaha, 
and Emma S. (deceased). In 1828, the father of 
subject moved to Canton, Ohio, where he en- 
gaged in the hardware business, and was ver}' 
successful. Positions of trust were given him, 
among others, that of Mayor of Canton. He 
died in 1867. His fifth child and third son, 
Louis B., was born in Canton, Ohio, Nov. 
15, 1834, where he lived until he was 16 years 
of age, at which period he came to Akron, 
where he engaged his services as clerk in the 
hardware store of C. Cranz & Co., retaining 
his position seven years. In 1858, he went to 
Omaha, Neb., where, for two years, he con- 
ducted a hardware store for his father, and 
then returned to Summit County, where he 
established a store of his own at Mogadore, 
which he managed for three years, at the end 
of which time, he established and conducted 
another at New Portage, which continued in 
operation but two years, both adventures being- 
successful. In 1865, he came to Akron, and 
re-entered the store of Charles Cranz, this time 
as a partner, which for ten years he continued 
to be, and in 1875, he bought out the store, 
having since done a good business. In June, 
1859, he married Miss Emma L. Welch, of 
Mogadore, and they have two children — Flora 
M. and Faber E. 

JAMES B. STORER, Postmaster, Akron; 
son of W. B. Storer ; was born in Akron Jan. 
22, 1839, where, until he was 17 years of age. 
he attended the public schools, after which he 
learned the jeweler's trade, serving with W. H. 
Fallmon, and for a short time with H. S. Ab- 
bey. He was subsequently engaged in an iron 
store for a year, when the war broke out, and 
he enlisted as soon as the news reached Akron, 
being among the first on the x'oll of Co. G, 19th 
0. V. I., and was in service three months, rising, 
in the meanwhile, to the rank of Sergeant. He 
re-enlisted in Co. H, of the 29th O. V. I., en- 
gaging in the battles of Winchester, Port Re- 
public, Cedar Creek, South Mountain, Antietam, 
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Lookout Mount- 
ain and Mission Ridge. He was appointed Ad- 
jutant and recruiting officer, and recruited al- 
most ever}' man present with the regiment in 
December, 1863, as veterans. In May, 1864, 



"^ ^j; 



>> 



CITY OF AKRON. 



775 



on the Atlanta Campaign, in the first engage- 
ment at Rocky Race or Dug Gap, he was 
wounded by a minie ritle-ball, which struck his 
spinal column, which resulted in paralysis of 
his legs. He was carried from the field, and 
lay in the hospital at Nashville for three months. 
He was discharged in November, 1864, and aft- 
er almost a year he was able to walk with the 
aid of crutches. Then he purchased a jewelry 
store at 116 Howard street, in which he still 
retains an interest, the firm name being J. B. 
Storer & Co. In June, 1870, he was appointed, 
by President Grant, Postmaster of Akron, for 
a term of four years ; re-appointed in 1874, 
and again in 1878, by President Hayes. On 
Jan. 11, 1864, he married Miss Lucy M., daugh- 
ter of Gibbons J. Ackley, of Akron. She bore 
him one child, a daughter. He is a member of 
the G. A. K 

EDWARD W. STUART, lawyer, Akron; 
son of Sylvanus and Caroline M. (Whittlesey) 
Stuart, who were natives of Connecticut, was 
born in Washington Township, Litchfield Co., 
Conn., on May 9, 1840, and two years later 
came with his father's family to Erie Co., Ohio, 
where they still reside. He is the oldest of 
their two children, his sister being now Mrs. 
Helen M. Gibbs, of Salina, Kan. Until he was 
18 years of age, he farmed during vacations 
from school, and in 1858, he entered Western 
Reserve College, from which he graduated in 
October of 1862, the graduation of the class 
having been postponed because of their enlisting 
in the service. About seventy students formed 
Co. B, 85th 0. V. I., and served, doing guard 
duty, four months, after which, for a period of 
four years, he was engaged in teaching. He 
was two years the Principal of Shaw Academy, 
of Collamer, Ohio. In 1866, he was admitted 
to the bar at Cleveland, having made law a 
study for four years. He commenced practice 
at Kent, Ohio, with S. P. Wolcott, Esq.. con- 
tinuing there until May, 1870, when he came 
to Akron, there forming a partnership with C. 
P. Humphrey, which continues. In April, 1871, 
he was elected City Solicitor, which office he 
held until January, 1877. In October, 1876, 
he w.as elected Prosecuting Attorne}' of Summit 
Co., and acted in that capacity two terms. In 
Ma3% 1864, he married Miss Harriet Whedon, 
of Hudson. 

LOUIS SEYBOLD, editor Germania ; born 
on Sept. 22, 1854, in Hohenschwangan, Bavaria. 



Attended the Gymnasium at Ellwangen, Wur- 
temberg, Germany. Came to America in 
1873, and lives in Akron since 1875. Has 
been musical director of the Akron Harmonic, 
from 1876 to 1879, and accepted the editor- 
ship of the Akron Germania in 1878. Married 
in 1879, to Louisa Doppstatter, of Akron ; has 
wife and one child. 

FRANK J. STARAL, business manager of 
the Beacon, Akron. The subject of this sketch is 
a son of John and Julia (Podstatny) Staral. He 
was born Feb. 25, 1847, in the town of Beroun, 
Bohemia, where at the age of 12 he learned 
book-binding. He pursued this calling in his 
native town until 1865, when he came to the 
United States of America and erelong found 
employment in Cleveland, Ohio. Here he 
worked at book-binding about four 3'ears. He 
came to Akron Jan. 1, 1869, to assume the 
duties of foreman in the bindery of Lane, Can- 
field & Co. Mr. Staral held the same position 
in the Beacon Publishing Co., organized in 
1871, until 1875. By his thrift and energy he 
became a stockholder in 1871. When the 
stock passed into present hands in 1875, Mr. 
Staral, with a larger share of stock, became its 
book-keeper, and succeeded Mr. J. H. Auble as 
business manager in 1877 ; a position he has 
since ably filled. July 10, 1877, he married 
Miss Bertha Weisenberger, of Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Of this union there is one son. 

ALOIS STRAUB, musical instruments, Ak- 
ron, Ohio ; is a sou of Alois and Magdalena 
(Gudfried) Straub, and was born Sept. 11, 1826, 
in Baden, Germany. He learned cabinet-mak- 
ing at 14 years of age, and after working two 
3-ears, he began to work on musical instruments 
in Fernbach, which he continued for four years, 
when he entered the German Army. After 
leaving the army, became to the United States, 
arriving at New York in the latter part of the 
summer of 1849 ; he went to Philadelphia ; 
and remaining in different parts of Pennsyl- 
vania until October 1851, he came to Akron, 
Ohio, and worked a short time in a cabinet- 
shop. He commenced the manufacture of 
musical insti'uments for Horton & Rose, which 
he continued about five years, when his health 
failed, and, in the spring of 1857, he was em- 
ployed as a traveling salesman for the company. 
About the year 1861, he began dealing in in- 
struments on his own account, it being the first 
music store in the city, and about 1870-71, 






776 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



commenced this manufacture, which he con- 
tinued some five j-ears, at the same time keep- 
ing a music store, which he has continued ever 
since. He sells the celebrated Weber Pianos 
and the Mason & Hamlin organs, also the Bur- 
dette organs. He was married Jan. 5, 1857, to 
Miss Elizabeth Eisenhauer, of Akron. Mr. 
Straub is a member of St. Bernard's Catholic 
Church. 

H. C. SANFORD, lawyer, Akron; a na- 
tive of Portland, Me., was born Sept. 11. 
1833, and is a son of John Q. and 

(De Lano) Sanford, who were natives, 

the former of Brunswick, Me., and the latter of 
Plymouth, Mass. His father was an extensive 
lumber dealer, and suffered heavy losses from 
the embargo laid b}' the General Government, 
from the effects of which he never fully recov- 
ered. He died when subject was but 8 3^ears 
of age, and, being anxious to do something for 
himself, he left home at the age of 9, and 
went to Manchester, N. H., where an older 
brother resided. He worked in the locomotive 
shops there, and attended the public schools, 
and spent one year, also, in Kendall Academy, 
of that cit3^ At the age of 18, he came to 
Ohio, and was engaged successively' on the 
Sandusky, Mansfield & Newark, and the Cleve- 
land & Toledo R. R. He commenced as fire- 
man, but was soon promoted to Engineer, and 
ran a passenger train before he was 21 years 
old. He continued on the C. & T. R. R. until 
1855, when he went to Quincy, 111., and at once 
began running on the " Northern Cross Road," 
now the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and, 
when the road was completed, he took the first 
passenger train over it from Quincy to Gales- 
burg. He remained on this road about six 
3'ears, and then gave up his position for a train 
at Augusta, 111., that he might be at home, and 
also to have an opportunity for the stud}- of 
law, which he had resolved upon. He procured 
some law books, and read them on the foot- 
board of his locomotive, at the rate of thirty- 
miles an hour. While running on this road, 
he saved a passenger train of cars from run- 
ning into a river near Plymouth Station, whei'e 
a bridge had been washed away, by running 
his locomotive into the train. At the time, he 
was bringing out the construction train in the 
morning, and taking it back in the evening. 
The passenger trains transferred their passen- 
gers at the river, and, to facilitate matters, 



the locomotive was put behind the train at 
the last station, to push it to the river, and, 
coming down grade one day. at a rate of speed 
they were unable to stop before arriving at the 
broken bridge, where the water was about 
twenty feet deep, and to prevent the train go- 
ing into the river, Mr. S. started his engine un- 
der a full head of steam, and struck the bag- 
gage car, which was in front. When the trains 
stopped, his engine was within a few feet of the 
end of the rails over the 3'awning river, and he 
still standing' at his post. The train was 
crowded with pasengers, and, but for this act 
of heroism of his, doubtless many would have 
lost their lives. The engineer of the passenger 
train was at once discharged. Mr. S. left Illi- 
nois in 1861, and came to Amherst, Ohio, where 
he engaged in the dr}^ goods business, but soon 
after went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, 
but was unsuccessful in " striking ile," and he 
found employment on the A. & G. W. R. R. 
He did not sta3' long with this road, but went 
to FoT't Wa3'ne, Ind., and took an engine on the 
Wabash Railwa3' ; returned to Meadville, and 
ran between that place and Akron, until the 
shops were put in operation at Kent, when he 
took charge of the engineers and men at that 
place, and also of an eating-house for the rail- 
road compan3' at $175 per month. He left 
their emplo3- in the summer of 1867, and went 
to Ann Arbor, Mich., and attended the law 
school one college year, and was admitted to 
the bar at Ravenna, Ohio, April 24, 1868. He 
then formed a partnership with Hon. N. W. 
Goodhue, of Akron, for one 3'ear, at the end of 
which time he went to Kent, but returned to 
Akron in 1870, where he has since practiced. 
He was elected Prosecuting Attorne}' on the 
Republican ticket, and served one term ; was 
elected City Solicitor in 1877, served one term, 
when he declined further honor. He was mar- 
ried on the 19th of January, 1857, to Miss Em- 
ily J. Fairchild, of Amherst, Lorain Co., Ohio, 
a dauo'hter of Elam and Lydia Fairchild. 

ERHARD STEINBACHER, merchant and 
banker, Akron ; is a son of John and Catharine 
Steinbacher, and was born March 30, 1825, in 
Bavaria, German3'. He attended the common 
schools until 14 years of age, and spent two 
years at Heidelberg. In 1844, he came to the 
United States, remaining two 3'ears, a portion 
of the time as clerk in a hotel (Cobb's Ex- 
change, of Akron) at $8 per month ; then went 



^ © 



ly^ 



CITY OF x\KRON. 



777 



to Cleveland, Ohio, and, in the fall of 1846, 
went back to Europe. He stayed there five or 
six mouths, and then returned to the United 
States, and came to Akron in 1847. In 1849, 
in company with fifteen others, went to Califor- 
nia by the overland route, arriving in the land 
of gold in the latter part of July. He was suc- 
cessful, and returned to Akron, leaving Califor- 
nia in December, 1850, via Panama, reaching 
Akron in February, 1851. He now opened a 
drug and grocer}^ store (firm of Weimer & 
Steinbacher — Weimer retired in 1865), and has 
been an enterprising business man of Akron 
ever since. He has been President of " Citi- 
zens' Saving and Loan Association," ever since 
its organization in May, 1872 ; he has also been 
a stockholder in the First National Bank for 
fifteen years, and a stockholder and director in 
the Akron Iron Co., from its beginning. He 
was married, in April, 1853, to Miss Phoebe 
Potter, of Suffleld, Ohio ; they have three 
children, viz., Kate L., Edward E. and Georgia 
Belle. 

CHARLES E. SHELDON, Superintendent 
of Whitman and Miles Manufacturing Com- 
pany, Akron. Is a son of Samuel D. and 
Augusta (Smith) Sheldon, and was born July 
18, 1850, in Fitchburg, Mass., where he attend- 
ed school until 16 years of age. He then 
spent two years in the office of City Engineer 
of Fitchburg. In 1867, he became a clerk in 
the office of the Whitman & Miles Manufactur- 
ing Co., at Fitchburg, Mass., of which establish- 
ment his father was foreman previous to that 
time. He was made Superintendent at Fitch- 
burg, which position he held until 1876, and 
the next j-ear he came to Akron, and has since 
been Superintendent of the Whitman & Miles 
works here. He was married in November, 
1870, to Miss Ruth L. Gifford of Fitchburg, 
Mass. 

HARRY J. SHREFFLER, Akron, son of 
Frederick and Marj- A. (Auble) Shreffier was 
born in Center Co., Penn., March 26, 1847. At 
18, he worked on a farm near Wadsworth, 
Ohio, one summer. In 1866, he went into part- 
nership with his father at West Salem, engag- 
ing in the manufacture of carriages, and con- 
tinuing two years, when the}' removed to Bur- 
bank, Wayne Co., Ohio, where they continued in 
the same business. In July, 1871, became to 
Akron and clerked two years in the post office, 
he was made Assistant Postmaster in April, 



1874, and has held that position ever since. 
He is superintendent of carriers and registry, 
and has general charge in the absence of 
the Postmaster. Oct. 29, 1872, he married 
Miss Eva Cubbison, of Akron ; she died Oct. 
31, 1873. Aug. 6, 1878, he married Miss 
Fannie I. Fouser, of Akron, who bore him one 
daughter. 

LOREN N. SMITH, Akron. Moses Smith 
was born at Stonington, Conn., Nov. 30, 1783, 
and died at Akron in his 83d year, Feb. 4, 
1866. His wife, nee Miss Sarah Haley, was 
born Nov. 2, 1792, at Groton, Conn.; she was 
married to him on June 19, 1807, being only 
15 years of age. They moved to Akron in 
1826, and the following year he purchased a 
tract of land containing about 100 acres ; hei'e 
he farmed and engaged at the cooper's trade, 
having erected a shop for the purpose. He 
was an excellent marksman, and, as game was 
plentiful, he had many opportunities to display 
his skill. He regarded his word and was very 
exact in dealing. He was a stanch Democrat. 
Six children were born to him, viz., Sarah, wife 
of Hii'am Hart, of Coventry ; she died in 1862; 
Warren IL, who died in 1865, on the Atlantic 
Ocean, in which he was buried, while on his 
return from California, being in his 53d year ; 
Lucy A., wife of the late D. A. Hine, now living 
in the Sixth Ward ; Henry, who died in his 6th 
year ; Harriet H., who was the wife of J. B. 
Curtis, and died at Kent, in 1853, in her 35th 
3'ear ; Caroline S., widow of the late Alvin 
Austin, now residing in Akron ; William H., 
the onlj' one of the family born in Ohio, died 
in Chili, South America, in 1872, in his 45th 
3'ear ; and Loren N., the subject of these lines 
who was born in Dalton, August 16, 1823, 
being 3 v'ears old when his familj' moved 
to Akron ; he remembers seeing the first tree 
cut where his present residence stands. He 
went to school about six mouths per 3'ear until 
he was 17, learning the cooper's trade and to do 
farm work, from his father. In 1841, he be- 
came a clerk for the firm of James Sawyer & 
Co., remaining in their store until 1844, in the 
summer of which 3ear he became proprietor of 
a confectioner3' and grocer3' store, it being the 
first one established on North Howard street. 
He was afterward engaged in the same busi- 
ness on the site of the First National Bank ; 
from which place he removed to South How- 
ard street until 1851, thence to Xenia, where, 



K 



778 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



*7T; 



under the firm name of Austin & Smith, he 
did a large business in confectionery ; thence 
he removed to Cincinnati, in 1858, where he 
met with great success, I'emaining until 1878. 
While there he was President of the Phoenix 
Insurance Company ; and a member of ' the 
City Council for several years. On account of 
failing health he relinquished his business in 
Cincinnati and located in Akron, taking charge 
of the old homestead. Nov. 6, 1845, he mar- 
ried Miss Sarah J. Adams of Akron ; she 
was born in Cavendish, Vt., and came to 
Akron in 1837. They have three sons and one 
daughter, viz., Henry N., of Cleveland ; Fred. 
A., of Cincinnati ; Frank E., of Cincinnati ; 
and Ida M., wife of R. S. Kirtley, of Cincinnati. 

PROF. GUSTAV SIGEL, musician, Ak- 
ron ; was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Jan. 
30, 1848. He studied music in the conserva- 
tories of German}' until 1868, when he came to 
the United States, and for four years taught in 
Milwaukee, Wis. In 1872, he came to Akron, 
Ohio, at the call of the Liedertafel Society, and 
has since been its Director. From 1872 to 
1878, he was teacher of instrumental music in 
Buchtel College. He is now teacher of piano 
and stringed instruments. He was Director of 
the Saengerfest held in June, 1880, at Akron, 
and through his efforts it was a success. He 
owns some valuable stringed instruments. 

GEORGE G. SCHAFFER, Akron, son of 
John and Mar}'^ (Good) Schaffer, was born in 
Alsace (then a province of France), March 13, 
1846. He learned weaving from his father, and 
engaged in that until he was 18 years of age, 
when, alone and with but a few doUai's, he came 
to the United States, where he entered the em- 
ploy of John T. Good, in whose oil refinery he 
worked for three years, followed by one year's 
employ at Oil City, after which he clerked for 
some time for Jacob Good, and six years was 
with Cook & Sons In 1878, he opened a gro- 
cery on West Hill, where he did a good busi- 
ness. In 1880, he built the present two-story 
building, following out his own ideas and im- 
proving on the failures of others. As a matter 
of interest, we give the following from the 
Daily Beacon, descriptive of this establishment : 

The grocery room is 22x60 feet in the clear; it has 
counters on either side with a cross counter in the 
rear end of the room; the side counters contain one 
of the new features in the way of glass front cases 
12 inches high and 10 inches wide. These cases are 
about 14 inches long and are directly on the front 



margin of the counter, leaving about 23 inches of 
counter room in the rear. There are some 60 of 
these cases which will at once be seen serve to dis- 
play a large amount of goods, doing away with hav- 
ing boxes standing around witli the lids half off. 
Sugar, crackers, etc., are kept in barrels incased in 
separable apartments behind the counters, and di- 
rectly above them are all kinds of packages and 
canned goods on shelves, protected from dust by 
glass doors. The old style of drawers is superseded 
with permanent Ijoxes with glass door covers, show- 
ing tlie goods without exposure. Beneatli the coun- 
ters on three-inch-liigh platforms is large space for 
apples, potatoes, etc., in full sight but not under 
foot as is the case in so many places, and all this 
class of matter being on platforms is free from the 
dust tliat naturally accumulates on any floor in a 
public place. All classes of goods are classified and 
all articles of a greasy nature are separated entirely 
from other goods, occupying the space behind the 
j rear counter. The entrance to the cellar is from the 
I warehouse which is conveniently reached by a parti- 
i tion door. By this arrangement no odors from the 
cellar can reach the grocery proper and fm-nishes 
every precaution against anything objectionable in 
the grocer}' department. The warehouse is arranged 
just as sj'stematically as the grocery. In one depart- 
ment is a tier of shelves with the name of streets. 
When an order is filled, tlie goods are put in a bas- 
ket and placed on the proper shelf. A drive-way 
leading through the warehouse, the deliverying man 
can drive directly to his place, load his goods and be 
off, doing away with carrying loads of goods through 
the store. Tackling is provided so that all heav}' 
articles do not have to be lifted. Molasses, cider, 
oil, etc., are kept in a department in the wareroom; 
in fact, there will be nothing on which to tear or 
grease yoiu- clothes as you walk about in the store- 
room, and everything will be open to inspection, 
and yet protected against dust or soiling by evapora- 
tion. 

Jan. 29, 1874, he married Miss Caroline 
Buchman, of Wayne Co., Ohio, and have one 
daughter and two sons. 

HIRAM J. SPICER, Akron, son of Maj. 
Miner Spicer, was born in Akron, Oct. 24, 
1816, near the springs, about forty rods from 
his present residence, that being the spot where 
his father first built his cabin. He worked on 
the farm until he was 19 years old ; he went to 
school at Middlebur}^ his first teacher being 
one Squire Brown, a very severe man, who re- 
sorted to the " gad " upon the slightest misde- 
meanor, real or imaginary, of the pupils. These 
'gads" were first roasted and then twisted to 
make them tough in order that they might hurt 
more, and some were notched for the same pur- 
pose. Subject shared the same lot with other 
school children in those days for three months 
per year, until he was 19. When he was but 
9 years old, he carried the mail once a week 



i^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



779 



from Akron to Bolivar, a distance of forty 
miles, traveling on horseback, and continuing 
four years, except during tlie winter seasons. 
At the age of 19, he learned the carpenter's 
trade with one Gideon Gardner, serving for 
board and clothing two 3'ears ; he soon after 
began taking contracts, working with his brother 
Miner, who was a millwright, on several of the 
early mills of this vicinit}'. He worked for 
ten years on the Austin Powder Mills, and for 
several j'ears on residences. Feb. 31, 1839, he 
married Miss Marilla A. King, daughter of 
Joshua King, who was one of the pioneers of 
Northampton Township. Their children are 
Avery King, of Akron, and Alice M., wife of 
Sevillian Payne, of Davis Co., Mo. Three died 
when young. Our subject entered the employ 
of Aultman, Miller & Co., in 1865, and has 
since continued. He has worked in woodwork, 
and had charge of the repairs of the shop-ma- 
chinery for the last nine years. He was a 
Whig and cast his first Presidential vote for 
Gen. Harrison ; became a Free-Soiler in the days 
of Van Buren, and a Republican at the organi- 
zation of the party. He has been a member of 
the Methodist Episcopal Church since 1872. 
His wife died Jan. 19, 1861, and, in August of 
the same yea,Y, he married Mrs. Cerenia L. 
Barnett, of Akron. Ohio. 

JOSEPH S. SMITH, druggist, Akron ; son 
of Christian Smith, was born in Warren, Warren 
Co., Penn., Dec. 4, 1855 ; at 14, he entered a 
drug store in Warren, where he remained 
four and a half years as clerk, after which he 
entered the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, 
from which he graduated in the spring of 1877, 
being engaged as clerk in a Philadelphia house 
at the same time. In the fall of 1877, he and 
his brother bought a drug store at Wilkesbarre, 
Penn., continuing until 1878, when thej' sold 
out and bought the present store in September, 
1878, of Sisler & Sorrick, located the first door 
north of the post office ; the}' have a full stock 
of pure drugs, chemicals and sundries ; the}^ 
have a laboratory' for the manufacture of fluid 
and solid extracts, gelatine-coated pills, elixirs 
and pharmaceutical preparations in general ; 
they are doing a prosperous wholesale and re- 
tail business. 

SIMON C. SMITH, druggist, Akron ; was 
born in AVarren Co.. Penn., May 25, 1850 ; he 
attended the public schools of Warren until he 
was 1 5, when he clerked in the post office under 



his father for five years ; in 1868, he clerked 
for his father in a shoe store, and, the following 
year, became his partner, continuing as such 
until January, 1877, when he became a partner 
with his brother, Joseph S., at Wilkesbarre, 
Penn., in a drug store, remaining a year, when 
they sold out, and, under tlie firm name of 
Smith Bros., purchased their present drug store 
at 193 South Howard street; the business 
rooms are 80x22, with elegant modern appoint- 
ments. He was married at Indianapolis Sep- 
tember, 1873, to Miss Mary E. Cale, of that 
place ; they have one son and one daughter. 

EDWARD C. SIMPSON, Chief Engineer of 
Fire Department, Akron ; is a son of Thomas C. 
and Mary J. (Hildreth) Simpson, and was born 
in New Haven, Conn., Feb. 18, 1836 ; in his 
17th year, he came to Cincinnati, Ohio, with his 
father's family, and, in 1854, came to Cuyahoga 
Falls, where he served an apprenticeship with 
Bill Bros., at the machinist's trade, for about 
three and a half years ; he worked at different 
points in Ohio until 24, when he went to Hart- 
ford, Conn., where he worked two years at his 
trade ; in November, 1864, he came to Akron 
and entered the employ of the A. & G. W. R. R. 
Co. as mechanic until June, 1865, when he went 
to Kent in the employ of the same company 
until 1873, when he came back to Akron, and 
was employed in the C, Mt. V. & C. R. R. shops ; 
in 1875, he became foreman of the finishing de- 
partment of Aultman, Miller & Co.'s shops, 
emplo3'ing a force at present of ninety men ; 
he entered the fire department in 1876, and w^as 
appointed Assistant Engineer, which he held 
until June, 1878, when he was appointed Chief 
Engineer, a position he still holds. He was 
married June 3. 1862, to Miss Abbie Wilson, of 
Warrensville, Ohio ; the}' have three children. 

WILLIAM SHUTT, \-etired farmer; P. 0. 
Akron ; is a son of George, the son of Jacob 
Shutt, who came to America from Zweibrecben, 
Germany, before the war of the Revolution, 
and was sold by the ship's captain to pay his 
pa.?sage ; after his marriage, he took up a large 
tract of land at Pittsburgh, where lie resided at 
the time of Gen. Braddock's defeat, and, on ac- 
count of the troublesome Indians, thej' returned 
to Maryland, to a farm near Boonesboro, Wash- 
ington Co., two miles northeast of the battle- 
ground of Antietam. He had seven sons and 
one daughter^ Jacob, born Aug. 15, 1764; 
John, born Ma}' 20, 1766, died at the age of 96, 



»^ ! 



.^::-=- 



780 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



in Stark Co., Ohio ; Peter, born Jan. 18, 1768 ; 
Philip, born Dec. 1, 1770 ; George (the father 
of the subject of this sketch), and Henry, his 
twin bi'other, born Jan. 10, 1772 (George died 
Sept. 17, 1847) ; Adam, born March 15, 1774 ; 
Catharine, born Jan 16, 1776 ; all are dead. 
The father of our subject married Mary Mag- 
dalena Kreitzer, who was also a native of the 
State of Maryland ; they had seven sons and 
two daughters — Henr3', Elias, John, Susannah, 
Jacob, George, Abraham, William (our subject, 
born July 16, 1822), and Margaret; William 
and George are the only two living. The parents 
sold the old homestead formerly owned by the 
grandfather, and moved in 1836 to Paint Town- 
ship, Holmes Co., Ohio, where they resided until 
their death ; in 1852, William moved to Tus- 
carawas Township, Stark Co., where he resided 
fifteen years, and, in 1867, removed to Coventry 
Township, where he remained until in Decem- 
ber, 1877, when he came to the city of Akron, 
where he has since resided. He was married 
Nov. 7, 1844, to Catharine Moyer, who died 
about five years later, leaving one daughter, 
who died May 2, 1873 ; he was re- married Oct. 
24, 1850, to Amanda Cook, daughter of Adam 
and Regine (Harmon) Cook, natives of Frank- 
lin Co., Penn ; the}' had two children — Samau- 
tha, born May 6, 1852, now Mrs. W. M. Van- 
dersall, residing near East Liberty ; and Uriah, 
born Nov. 29, 1856, died May 9, 1873. He is 
a stanch Republican. He received a liberal 
education, and began teaching school in 1844, 
which he followed for several terms. He and 
family are members of the Evangelical Asso- 
ciation. 

COL. DUDLEY SEWARD, Justice of the 
Peace, Akron ; was born in Utica, N. Y., Jan. 
14, 1819. He is a son of T. G. and Elizabeth 
Seward, and the fifth of a family of nine chil- 
dren. His parents, in 1812, removed to Water- 
town, N. Y. In 1835, Dudley went to Man- 
chester (same State), where he clerked in a gen- 
eral store some four years, after which he taught 
school in winter, and worked on the farm in 
summer, until 1842, when he came to Ohio, and 
first located in Middlebury, but went to Wads- 
worth, then to Tallmadge, and finall}' to Akron. 
In the fall of 1847, he was appointed Deputy 
Sheriff, and served five years, when he was 
elected Sheriff, and served two terms. In April, 
1861, he enlisted in the 19th 0. V. I., Co. G, 
of which he was Sergeant. At the end of his 



term of three months' service, he, in company 
with George A. Purington (now Captain in the 
9th U. S. C), recruited Co. A, for the 2d 0. C, 
Purington being Captain, and Mr. Seward First 
Lieutenant. He remained in the service until 
October, 1865, and was promoted successively, 
by regular gradation, to Colonel of the legi- 
ment, which position he held when mustered 
out. He was in the battles of the Wilderness, 
Rich Mountain, etc., on the Morgan raid, the 
Wilson raid and in other hard service. Upon 
his return from the war, he remained two years 
in Akron, and was assistant clerk in Ohio Senate 
one term. He was then appointed Captain in 
8th U S. Cavalry, and served in California, 
Oregon and the Territories ; in the regular 
army four years. In 1871, he returned home, 
and in 1873, he was elected Justice of the Peace, 
which office he has held ever since. He was 
married, Nov. 2, 1848, to Miss Lois Clark, a na- 
tive of this count}'. Three children were the 
fruit of this marriage ; two living, Louis D. 
and Mary C. 

DAVID A. SCOTT, machine forger, Akron ; 
was born in Springfield Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio, Nov. 21, 1812, and is a son of Josiah and 
Mary J. (Ii'vin) Scott, who were natives of Penn- 
sylvania and Virginia, and were married in 
Pennsylvania. In 1811, they moved to Ohio, 
by team, and settled in Stark Co., in the fall of 
the same year moving to Springfield, now Sum- 
mit Co. He was a blacksmith, and followed 
his trade, in connection with a small farm, on 
which he located, near Mogadore, where he 
lived until his death in 1824 ; she died in 1820. 
David A. (the subject), lived at home until he 
was 9 years old, and was then apprenticed to 
the blacksmith trade, with Mr. Abraham De 
Haven, of Springfield, and served with him un- 
til he became of age. He then went to Mid- 
dlebury, where he worked at his trade until 
the fall of 1836. After some time spent at 
Madison, he went into business for himself, and 
in 1845 removed to Tallmadge, Summit Co. 
Four years later, he removed to x\kron, and 
has worked at his trade since, except a few 
years, when he served as Constable, later as 
Deputy Sheriff, and, during the war, as Deputy 
United States Marshal. He held the office of 
Deputy Sheriff eight years. He was married, 
Nov. 21, 1838, to Miss Mary Ann Burton, a 
native of Montgomery Co., N. Y., and a daughter 
of Smith and Elizabeth (Wilcox) Burton, who 



^c 



l^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



781 



came to Middlebury, Ohio, in 1831. He con- 
ducted a sash and blind factory there, it being 
the first of the kind in the county. Four chil- 
dren were born to him, two of whom are living, 
viz., George S., merchant in Akron ; Lois E., 
at home. Of the two deceased, William I. was 
telegraph operator, and died in 1866, and Walter 
B. was Captain of Co. H, 104th 0. V. I., and 
died in Cincinnati, April 23, 186 '•. Mr. Scott 
was an earl}' resident of the count}^, and often 
has shot deer and turkeys where Akron now 
stands. 

M. SEIBP]RLING, Secretary and Superin- 
tendent of the Akron Straw Board Company, 
Middlebury (Sixth Ward), Akron ; is a native 
of Norton Township, Summit Co., Ohio, and 
was born on his father's farm Jan. 16, 1839, 
and lived at home until he was 25 years of age. 
He is the fourth in a family of twelve children, 
born to Nathan and Catharine (Peters) Seiber- 
ling, and received a common-school education. 
In the spring of 1844, he took the management 
of a farm and saw-mill he and his l)rother J. F. 
had previousl}' purchased, and conducted the 
business for five years, when he sold to his 
brother and moved to Canton, where he en- 
gaged in the lumber business for three years. 
He then sold out and came to Akron, and pur- 
chased an interest in the Akron Straw Board 
Company, and was made the Superintendent, 
and the following year he also took the office 
of Secretary ; both offices he has held since. 
He was married in the fall of 1863 to Miss 
Sarah L. INIiller, a native of Pennsylvania, and 
a daughter of John Miller, who came to this 
county about 1843. B}- this marriage, there 
have been nine children, seven of whom are liv- 
ing, viz., Emma, Alton, Katie, Ella, Frederick, 
Laird and George. Mr. S. has always been a 
Republican in politics. He is a member of the 
English Lutheran Church, in the affairs of which 
he takes an active interest, and has been both 
Deacon and Elder. In the spring of 1880, he 
bought a farm of 100 acres, located in Norton 
Township, about eight miles southwest of the 
city, which joins the old homestead, and which 
he operates, hiring the labor. 

FRANKLIN G. STIPE, painter, Akron, 
eldest son of Harrison and Anna (Neutchen) 
Stipe, of Green Township. He was born at 
Greentown, Stark Co., April 23, 1846, and 
when quite small his parents removed to Green 
Township, Summit Co., where Franklin was 



raised and educated. He attended the common 
schools, and at the age of 14, entered the Semi- 
nary at Greensburg, in which institution he re- 
ceived instructions for three or four terms. 
During the next few years he taught school in 
various districts of Summit County, teaching 
during the winter and assisting his father on 
the farm in the summer. He was a member of 
the Ohio National Guards during the rebellion, 
and as such was called into active military 
duty in 1864, serving from May to September 
in Co. H, 164th 0. V. I. About the year 1866, 
he removed to Akron, and since that time has 
been engaged in that city at painting. He was 
married Sept. 7, 1865, to Soviah Koontz, who 
was born Nov. 17, 1843. She is the daughter 
of Jonas and Sarah (France) Koontz. Mr. and 
Mrs. Stipe ai'e members of the First Methodist 
Church of Akron. They have four children, 
— Nora Elnor, Harry Jonas, Mable Lonely and 
Mattie Maria. 

JACOB SNYDER, President of W. S. & Co., 
and architect, Akron ; was born in Columbia 
Co., Penn., March 12, 1823, and is a son of 
Jacob and Elizabeth (Miller) Sn^'der, natives of 
Eastern Penns3'lvania. He was a contractor 
and builder, and died in Columbia Countj-, in 
1849. She died there about 1854. Jacob, the 
subject, lived at home until 1845, during which 
time he learned the trade of carpenter and 
builder, and also received an academic educa- 
tion. In 1845, he entered Dickinson College, at 
Carlisle, Penn., and remained there three years, 
taking a genei'al college course, also a theoret- 
ical course in architecture. He returned home 
and for two years engaged in contracting and 
building and practical ai'chitecture. He was 
married May 21, 1849, to Miss Mary A. Rine- 
hart, a native of Cumberland Co., Penn. He 
came to Ohio in 1853, and settled in Akron, 
where he was for a time connected with the 
grocery trade. About 1855, he engaged in his 
business of contracting and building and archi- 
tecture, which he followed until 1870, since 
which time he has devoted most of his time to 
architecture. In 1863, he formed a partner- 
ship in the lumber manufacturing business, 
with Messrs. Weary, Wilcox & Jackson; and 
still continues his interest in the business, most 
of the time having been President. He has 
served as a member of Board of Education and 
as Trustee of Portage Township. Of his mar- 
riage there were four children, one of whom is 



-^ 



if^ 



13 i 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



living, Mrs. B. L. Dodge, of Akron. He was 
raisetl a Democrat and adhered to tliat party 
until tlie second election of President Lincoln, 
since which time he has been a Republican. He 
has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church since 1842, and taken an active part in 
its affairs. He was Superintendent of the Sab- 
bath school a number of years, and is now a 
teacher and historian of the same. Mr. S. 
stands among the first in having contributed 
to the modern and advanced idea of Sabbath 
scliool architecture, and at present his practice 
in this kind of design extends throughout the 
State. 

HUGO SCHUMACHER, book-keeper, etc., 
Akron, Ohio ; the oldest son of William Schu- 
macher, was born in Saxonj-, German}^ Jan. 14, 
1853 ; lie was 6 3'ears old when he came with 
his parents to the United States and to Akron ; 
from 1 865 to 1868, he attended a private school 
at Braunschweig, and returned to Akron in the 
latter \'ear, and entered the mills as packer, 
until 1871, when he became head book-keeper 
and cashier for F. Schumacher, a position he has 
ever since held. In May, 1875, he was married 
to Miss Amelia Mills, of Akron ; they have one 
son. 

DR. WILLIAM SISLER, Akron, is a native 
of Lycoming Co., Penn., and was born Sept. 12, 
1819. He is the sixth child in a family often 
children born to Lewis and IMargaret (Marsh) 
Sisler. They were natives of Pennsylvania, 
and moved to Erie Co., N. Y., in 1826, and en- 
gaged in farming, where he died. Mrs. Sisler 
continued her residence there until 1850, when 
she came to Manchester, Ohio, and lived with 
her children until her death, in 1872. At the 
age of 21 our subject came to Manchester, Ohio, 
where he followed teaching and fYirming. In 1843 
he began reading medicine with Dr. Fernando 
Dalwick, of Canal Fulton, and in 1846 or 1847, 
he moved to Manchester, Summit Co., Ohio, and 
began to practice, his graduation at the Med- 
ical Department of Western Reserve College 
having been delayed because of his limited 
means. Upon the graduation of his brother, in 
1852, they formed a partnership which con- 
tinued until 1873. During the war, he responded 
to the call of Gov. Tod, and served in the hos- 
pitals after the battles of South Mountain and 
Antietam. In the fall of 1867, he was elected 
on the Republican ticket Representative from 
this County, to the State Legislature, and served 



one year. Upon coming to Akron, he, in com- 
pany with his brother-in-law, John F. Hoy, 
opened a drug store, which was continued until 
the fall of 1879. During his residence in Akron, 
the Doctor has not practiced medicine, ex- 
cept to accommodate some of his friends. In 
the fall of 1875, he was elected Count}^ Com- 
missioner, and was re-elected in the fall of 1878. 
On July 23, 1846, he married Miss L. R. Hoy, 
a native of Manchester, Summit Co., Ohio, of 
which place her parents are pioneers. Six 
children were born, of whom three are living, 
viz., Mary I., now Mrs. Diehl ; Emma, now Mrs. 
Neiburg, and Henry. 

JUDGE NEWELL D. TIBBALS, Akron. 
Alfred M. Tibbals was born in Granville, Mass., 
Aug. 4, 1797 ; he came to Ohio with his father 
in 1804, and settled at Deerfield, Portage Co., 
on wild land ; here he followed farming until 
his death, in 1858, being 61 3'ears old ; he was 
a successful farmer, and one of the early and 
influential members of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church ; he never sought public office. 
He married, in 1821, Miss Martha Swein, a 
native of New Jerse}^, and one among the 
early settlers of Salem. She was born in 1800, 
and is still living ; she was the mother of 
five sons, one of whom died at the age of 
13 ; those living are J. Lincoln, a farmer near 
Kent ; Frederick D., a farmer on the old home- 
stead ; Curtice S., a farmer in Deerfield, and 
Newell D., the subject of this sketch, who was 
born in Deerfield, Portage Co., Ohio, on Sept. 18, 
1833, where he remained until he was 17, at 
which age he entered the IMcLain's Academy, at 
Salem, Ohio, from which he graduated in the 
spring of 1853. In September of that year he 
came to Akron and entered the law office of 
Otis & Walcott, where he studied until Sep- 
tember, 1855, when he was admitted to the bar 
at Akron, and at once opened an office, engag- 
ing in active practice until 1875, when he was 
elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas 
of the Second Subdivision of the Fourth Ju- 
dicial District — -Summit, Medina and Lorain 
Counties. To this position he was re-elected in 
1880, for five years, to date from Ma}-, 1881. 
In the spring of 1865, he was elected City 
Solicitor (first), and filled that office two terms, 
having been influential in securing the present 
charter for the city of Akron, being emplo3'ed 
by the Council to assist Mr. H. W. IngersoU, 
Recorder of the incorporated village of Akron 



If 



'>> 



CITY OF AKRON. 



783 



under old charter. la the fall of 1865, he was 
elected to the State Senate from Summit and 
Portage Counties ; in 1860, he was elected 
Prosecuting Attorney, and re-elected two years 
later ; in 1870, he participated in the prepara- 
tion of the charter and other papers for the 
organization of Buchtel College, and has been 
a member of its Board of Trustees ever since 
its organization. He was a member of the 
City Board of Education, and served as a mem- 
ber of the Ohio National Guards. Oct. 22, 
1856, he married Miss Lucy A. Morse, of 
Akron, Ohio ; she bore him three daughters 
and two sons. 

COL. DAVID W. THOMAS, lumber and 
planiug-mill, Akron ; a native of Millersburg, 
Ohio ; was born March 9, 1841, and is a son of 
George and Jane (Wilson) Thomas. His father 
was mostly brought up in Columbiana Co., Ohio, 
and at the age of 20 went to Holmes Co., where 
he was married in about 1840. His wife died 
in 1842, leaving an only child, David W., the 
subject, but an infant. In 1845, Mr. Thomas 
came to Akron, and about the year 1847, 
married. Miss Mary Caldwell, of Akron, who 
survives him, and had six children. He died 
in 1873. Only two of the last family of chil- 
dren are now living — Louisa J., wife of D. A. 
James, of Akron ; Eva, wife of William Picton, 
of Akron. For some years, Mr. T. did a large 
contracting business, and added lumber, finally 
establishing planing-mills on Market street. 
He built many of the public buildings of Akron ; 
was a member of the Council for several years, 
and prominently connected with the interests 
of the city. He was a Free-Soiler and one of 
the first Republicans ; was a member of the 
Baptist Church and a devoted Christian. David 
W., the subject, was 4 3'ears of age when his 
father came to Akron. He here attended 
school until he was 16 years old, when he went 
to Tallmadge to learn carriage-making with 
Oviatt & Sperry, serving an apprenticeship of 
four 3ears, returning to Akron in February, 
1861. In April following, he enlisted in Co. G, 
of the ''old 19th," 0. V. I., for three months, 
under Capt. Lewis P. Buckley, afterward Colonel 
of the 29th 0. V. I. The 19th served in 
West Virginia until its term expired, and was 
in the battle of Rich Mountain. In October, 
1861, Mr. T. enlisted in Co. H, of the 29th 0. 
V. I. Their first engagement was at Winchester 
in which they were commanded by Gen. Shields. 



He was also at Port Republic, in which his com- 
pany came out with but fifty men ; at Cedar 
Mountain ; Chancellersville, where he was 
slightly wounded by a fragment of shell, and at 
Gettysburg. They were next sent to New York 
to quell the riot there, consequent upon the 
draft. Upon their return the}' were sent to the 
department of the southwest, and were at Wau- 
hatchie and Lookout Mountain. Dec. 10, 1863, 
the almost entire regiment re-enlisted, and at 
the expiration of veteran furlough, joined Gen. 
Sherman in the Atlanta campaign. Mr. T. par- 
ticipated in all the engagements of that stirring 
period. He was made Sergeant Major, and for 
a time commanded Co. H, as Orderly Sergeant. 
At Atlanta he was commissioned First Lieu- 
tenant ; went with Sherman in his •' march to 
the sea," and, reaching Savanah, he was pro- 
moted to Captain, and assigned to Co. A, the 
post of honor. He was mustered out of the 
service at Louisville, Ky., June 22, 1865. On 
his return to Akron he engaged in the lumber 
and planing-mill business with his father, until 
1873, when, upon the death of his father, Charles 
Miller and son became partners with him, re- 
maining so until 1877, when subject sold out 
his interest to R. N. Kratz. The firm of Mil- 
ler & Kratz closed up in 1878, and subject 
leased the planing-mill and lumber-yard, and 
conducted the business two years, when he 
bought it and has since done well in it, employ- 
ing in the building season from sixty to one 
hundred men. In 1876, subject was elected 
Colonel of the 9th 0. N. G., which was after- 
ward consolidated with the 8th Regiment, and he 
was assigned ten full companies ; it is one of 
the best-drilled and appointed regiments in the 
State. He has been an active member of the G. 
A. R. since its organization, and at the annual 
Encampment in 1880, he was elected Depart- 
ment Commander. He was married Sept. 1 1, 
1868, to Miss Alice Hale, a daughter of J. M. 
Hale, of Akron. They had four children, viz.: 
George H., James A., Frank and Elizabeth. 
His wife died Jan. 11, 1880. 

ALBERT B. TINKER, Financial Secretary 
of Buchtel College, Akron ; was born Jan. 
28. 1852, and is a son of Horace and So- 
phronia (Skinner) Tinker. He is a native of 
Portage Co., and was brought up on a farm 
until 18, when he entered (in 1870) Hiram Col- 
lege, teaching during the winters. In the fall 
of 1873, he entered Buchtel College, and gradu- 



e'fV 



784 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



ated in June, 1876, when he retired to the farm, 
his health being impaired. He taught during the 
winter until 1878, when he came to Akron, and 
entered the law office of Green & Marvin, where 
he studied until 1879, when he was elected 
Financial Secretary of Buchtel College, a posi- 
tion he has since filled. He was married Dec. 
25, 187(i, to Miss Georgie Olin, of Windsor, 
Ashtabula Co., Ohio. 

JAMES B. TAPLIN, Akron. In Clermont, 
N. H., on Aug. 12, 1812, was born to John and 
Abigail (Sperry) Taplin. the subject of this 
sketch, whose poi'trait appears in this work. 
At the age of 5 years, his parents moved to 
New Haven, Vt, where he lived three years, at 
the end of which time, he was taken with them 
to Franklin Co., N. Y., in which region he lived 
until about 22 yeai's of age. His 3-outh-time 
was employed in farming and attending school; 
the last six months of his school life were 
passed in the Franklin Academy, at Malone, 
N. Y. When 20 years of age, he began to learn 
carpentering, but only worked at that a short 
time, when he began mill vvrigh ting, and followed 
that in New Yo\-k State until 1 834. In the 
fall of 1834, he came to Akron, Ohio, partly by 
canal, and partly on foot ; he then worked at 
carpentering for a short time, but followed mill- 
wrighting until 1848, during which time he 
worked on most of the earl}' mills. In October, 
1839, he married Miss Rachel Grandy, of Port 
Byron, N. Y., who had taught for some time in 
Akron. In 1840-41, he built a large mill in 
Constantine, Mich., returning to Akron in July, 
1841. In compan}'^ with G. D. Bates and Chas. 
Webster, under the firm of G. D. Bates & Co., 
he started the Globe Foundry at Akron, in 1848, 
in a small building, and on a small scale. In 
some two or three years, Bates retired, and the 
business was continued l\y the firm of Webster 
& Taplin, which continued with some changes 
until 1860, when fire destro3'ed a portion of the 
work, and the subject retired ; in 1861, the 
present foundry was built, the firm being Taplin, 
Rice & Ford, as partnership until 1867, when a 
stock company was formed, and the business 
incorporated under the name of Taplin, Rice & 
Co., which t;ontinues. Of his marriage, there 
are two sons and a daughter, viz., John L., 
superintendent of machinery department; Chas. 
G., book-keeper for Standard Oil Co., Cleve- 
land, Ohio, and Ella, who is still at home. In 
addition to these, there were three children, 



two of whom died in infanc}'. and one son, Jas. 
F., died at 7. The subject is a member of the 
Congregational Church, and was a member of 
the Council. 

WILLIAM H. UPSON, attorney, Akron, 
son of Daniel and Polly (Wright) Upson, was 
born Jan. 11, 1823, at Worthington, Franklin 
Co., Ohio, where he lived until his 10th 3'ear, 
when, with his father's family, he moved to 
Tallmadge Township, this county. At the age 
of 15, he entered Western Reserve College, 
Hudson, as a member of the Freshman Class, 
and graduated from that institution in July, 
1842, standing second in his class in scholar- 
ship, and delivering the salutatory at its com- 
mencement exercises. Directly on leaving col- 
lege, he began the study of law under the 
direction of Judge Reuben Hitchcock, of 
Painesville, Ohio, with whom he remained for 
the period of two years, when he entered the 
Law Department of Yale College, where he at- 
tended one year. In September, 1845, he was 
admitted to the bar at Cleveland, and, in Jan- 
uary of the following year, began his profession 
at Akron, where he has continued in successful 
practice ever since. As general attorney for 
the Atlantic & Great Western Railwa}' Com- 
pany (now the N. Y., P. & O. R. R. Co.), and, 
later, as counsel for its Receiver, his attention 
for years has been especially directed to rail- 
way matters, in the important litigations of 
which he has been called much into other 
States, and twice to Europe. In politics he is 
a Republican. He was elected Prosecuting 
Attorney of this county in 1848, and served in 
that capacity two 3'ears. He was elected to 
the State Senate in 1853 ; to the Forty-first 
Congress from the Eighteenth District, com- 
prising the counties of Cuyahoga, Summit and 
Lake (usualh' called the Cleveland District), in 
1868, by a majority of over 6,000, and was re- 
elected in 1870. He was a member of the 
Committee on Reconstruction in the Forty-first 
Congress ; Chairman of the Committee on Pri- 
vate Land Claims, in the Fortj'-second, and a 
member of the Committees on Elections and 
Manufactures, in both. He was one of the 
leaders of the opposition to the measure giving 
back-pay to members, from its inception. When 
under cover of a general appropriation bill it 
was brought before the House for adoption, his 
moral sense was keen enough to discover at 
once the wrong sought to be perpetrated, and 



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'k* 



CITY OF AKRON. 



785 



securing, by persistent effort, a recognition from 
the Cliair, be denounced it in no uncertain 
words, and made the motion to strike out the 
objectionable clause. This was the key-note of 
opposition to what is known as the " salary- 
grab ; " others, recognizing the justice of his 
position, joined him in that strenuous fight 
against the measure, that gained for him and 
them the hearty approval and thanks of an un- 
divided country. The old Eighteenth (Cleve- 
land) District was recognized as one of the 
most important and influential in the nation. 
Its wealth, its growing and diversified interests 
and industries, the character of its people, all 
combined to make the office of its representa- 
tive one of peculiar honor, responsibility and 
influence. The trust reposed in him was so 
well performed that when, upon the close of his 
second term, he withdrew from political life, 
its press and people, without regard to* party,' 
gave him the warmest and most gratifying ap- 
proval. He was a delegate to the National 
Convention, at Baltimore, which renominated 
Abraham Lincoln in 1864, and was a delegate 
at lai'ge from Ohio to the Convention at Cin- 
cinnati, which nominated Rutherford B. Hayes. 
He is a member of the Board of Trustees of 
Western Reserve and Oberlin Colleges, and also 
of Lake Erie Female Seminary, at Painesville, 
Ohio. He was first President of the Summit 
Co. Bar Association, and is now a member of 
the Executive Committee of the State Bar As- ' 
sociation. On May 20, 1856, he married Miss I 
Julia A. Ford, of Akron. The}' have two sons 
and two daughters. 

P. UPTNGTON, harness-maker, Akron ; the 
leading dealer in South Akron in harness, sad- 
dles, etc. Came to Akron in 1848, and began 
at "jour" work ; he followed his trade in this 
way for about one year, and then began business 
on his own account. He was born March 3, 1821 , 
in County Cork, Ireland ; he learned his trade 
with his father, and received a fair education in 
his native land. In 1847 — the 3'ear of the great 
famine in Ireland — he was one of a committee 
whose business it was to distribute the dona- 
tions. In 1848, as before stated, he came to 
Akron, where, after engaging in business on his 
own account, he continued it without interrup- 
tion, except during the war, when he spent a 
time in the trimming department of Mr. Col- 
lins' carriage factory. In 1876, he built the 
store he now occupies, which is 24 feet frontage 



b}- 55 feet deep, three stories and basement, 
and located near the corner of Main and Ex- 
change streets ; he also owns considerable real 
estate in diff^erent parts of the city. He is a 
member of the order of A., F. & A. M.. and of 
the following Lodges : Akron Lodge, No. 83 ; 
Washington Chapter. No. 25 ; Akron Council, 
Nq. 42 ; and Akron Commandery, No. 25. He 
was formerly a member of Massillon Command- 
ery No. 4, and, upon the organization of Akron 
Commandery, he became one of the charter 
members. 

W. R. UPHAM, boot and shoemaker. Middle- 
bury ; was born in Windsor Co., Vt., in 1810, and 
was brought up on the farm. At the age of 17, 
he was appi'enticed to his trade, and, after com- 
pleting same, went to Burlington, Yt., where he 
worked for one 3'ear, thence to Rochester, N.. 
Y.', remaining there one year, and, in the fall of 
1833, came to Akron. In the spring of 1844, 
he moved to Middlebury, where he has since 
resided. He worked at shoe-making until 
1850, when he went to keeping hotel in the 
Temperance House ; also conducted a livery 
and feed stable until 1856. He then sold 
matches for six or seven years, traveling in 
Ohio, Pennsjdvania and Virginia, after which 
he resumed his trade, and has worked at it ever 
since. He served as Constable in 1848 ; was 
elected Justice of the Peace in 1870, but did 
not qualif}' or serve. He was a Whig in poli- 
tics, and, upon the organization of the Repub- 
lican party, adopted its principles. He was 
married, in 1834, to Miss Susan E. Burns, a 
native of Albany, N. Y., and ten children have 
been born to them, seven of whom are living — 
William Potter (lives at Red Wing, Minn.), 
Almira (Mrs. Robert Yance, also lives at Red 
Wing), Elizabeth (now Mrs. George Capell, 
lives in Detroit, Mich.), Ella (Mrs. James Cur- 
rans, lives in Middlebury), George (Red Wing, 
Minn.), Charles (lives in Iowa), Walter Potter 
(lives at home) ; all are married except George 
and Walter. 

DR. W. J. UNDERWOOD, physician, Akron ; 
was born in Dillsburg, York Co., Penn., 3Iarch 
20, 1840, and is the fourth of five children born 
to Joseph and Hannah (Wells) Underwood. His 
parents were natives of Penns^dvania, his father 
being of Quaker descent and his mother of 
German. His father was a whip-maker, and 
followed his trade in Dillsburg until his death 
in 1842. Mrs. Underwood was subsequently 



1^ 



786 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



married again, but is now a widow and living 
at Wooster, Ohio. Dr. Underwood lived at 
home until 1860, acquiring such education as 
the schools of the neighborhood afforded, at 
the same time teaching during the winters up 
to the time of his beginning the study of medi- 
cine. In 1860, he began reading with Dr. Ira 
Day, of Mechanicsburg, Penn., and graduated 
from the Jefferson Medical College iu Philadel- 
phia in 1864. In 1862, he went out with the 
19th Penn. V. M. as medical officer, and after a 
short period, the regiment being disbanded, he 
was assigned to the hospital at Chambersburg 
as Assistant Surgeon. A month later he was 
transferred to the hospital at Camp Curtin, 
where he served about two months, being 
assigned at the expiration of that time to the 
J 51 St Penn. V. I., with which he served as Assist- 
ant Surgeon during the term of that regiment's 
enlistment. Returning from the army, he com- 
pleted his studies, graduating as noted above. 
In the spring of 1864, he came to Ohio and 
began practice in company with Dr. A. Houtz, 
in Canal Fulton. This partnership was contin- 
ued for two years, when it was dissolved. After 
practicing a year b}' himself, he came to Akron 
in August, 1867, where he has since been 
activel}' engaged in the practice of his profes- 
sion. Dr. Underwood is a member of the Sum- 
mit Count}^ Medical Society, of the Union 
Medical Association of Northeastern Ohio, of 
the Ohio State Medical Society, and of the 
American Medical Association. In the two 
first he has served in various official capacities. 
In December, 1864, he married Miss Harriet, 
daughter of John J. Shoemaker, Esq., of Har- 
risburg, Penn. ; she died Dec. 9, 1873 ; three 
children were born, of whom two only are liv- 
ing—Edward S. and Alfred C. Feb. 28, 1877, 
he married Mrs. Francis C. Pizzala, of Brook- 
l3^n, N. Y. In 1878, Dr. Underwood was 
appointed Examining Surgeon for Pensions, 
an office he now holds. He has also served 
the city of Akron as Councilman. 

ALVIN C. VORIS, Brevet Major General 
United States Volunteers, whose portrait ap- 
pears in this work, was born in Stark County, 
Ohio, on the 27th of April, 1827, the eldest of 
nine brothers and four sisters, children of Peter 
Voris and Julia (Coe) Voris, all of whom lived 
to attain manhood and womanhood ; the first 
death among them occurred in the summer of 
1864, from starvation, in the Andersonville 



rebel prison pen ; five of these brothers served 
in the Union Army in the war of the Great 
rebellion, three of whom lost their lives by 
reason of that service, and the other two were 
badly wounded and will carrj^ to their graves 
broken down and painful bodies in consequence 
of these wounds. His father was a Pennsyl- 
vanian by birth, and, at the age of 16, with his 
parents, settled in Stark Co., where he con- 
tinued to live till the spring of 1834, when he 
moved into what is now Summit Co., then Por- 
tage Co. Peter Voris represented Summit Co. 
in the General Assembly in 1847—18, was the 
\Vhig candidate for the State Senate for the 
Summit and Portage District in the fall of 
1848, but was defeated bj' a combination of 
Democrats and Free-Soilers ; in 1850, was ap- 
pointed one of the Associate Judges for his 
count}", and served in that capacity till the 
office was abolished by the present Constitu- 
tion. In 1857, he removed to Illinois, where 
he died in January, 1880, at the age ol 81 years. 
Judge Voris always had the confidence of all 
who knew him, possessed rare intelligence and 
purity of character, was public spirited, fearless 
and outspoken with his convictions, and a most 
sturdy hater of all kinds of meanness. Gen. 
Voris says of his fatlier that he never heard 
him utter an oath or obscene expression, that, 
not only in manners, but in essense, was he an 
every-day Christian gentleman. Julia (Coe) 
Voris was a Connecticut Yankee by birth and 
education, and possessed great force of charac- 
ter, intelligence and grace of manners, was 
richlj' endowed with those womanly qualities 
that eminently fitted her for society, and the 
nurture and moral development of her chil- 
dren; she was a most devoted Christian and was 
universally respected and beloved. The sub- 
ject of this sketch says of himself that there 
was nothing remarkable about his birth or 
early life, except that he was the first baby in 
the family, but supposes that he was as good and 
bothersome, as studious and frolicsome, and 
heedless and playful as boys in general ; that he 
was a good scholar and took his juvenile switch- 
ings as complacently as any other of the boys, 
is not denied. He lived with his parents till 
after he was 18 years old, when he went from 
home to school, one year at Twinsburg Insti- 
tute, and the two following years at Oberlin 
College, Ohio, taking an elective course, teach- 
public school, in the winter months, and working 



,\^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



787 



for a couple of hours each day at the shoe 
bench, iu the meantime, to pay for books, 
tuition and board, for all which he paid as he 
went along, without being a burden to any one 
for a cent. In February, 1850, he came to 
Akron, where he has since resided, and was 
employed by Auditor Goodhue, in his office, 
for a few weeks, when he went into the Clerk's 
(office, under L. S. Peck, Esq., where he serv^ed 
for two years as one of his deputies. On the 
new Constitution going into effect, in February, 
1852, Charles G. Ladd, an attorney of the Sum- 
mit Count}' bar, who had been elected Probate 
Judge, but b}' reason of sickness, of which he 
died in August following, was never able to get 
to his office personally, appointed young Voris 
his Deputy Clerk, which place he filled till the 
decease of Judge Ladd ; the entire business of 
the office was thus thrown upon him ; that he 
opened the office well, and devised proper 
modes for doing its business and keeping the 
records, is attested b}^ the fact that they have 
l)een since followed, and that he correctly and 
faithfull}' acted for some six mouths as de facto 
Probate Judge is also attested by the fact that 
his acts in that behalf have never been legalh- 
questioned. During all this time, since he 
came to x\kron, he was a close student of the 
law, with reference to entering upon its prac- 
tice, was admitted to the bar in June, 1853, 
and at once formed a partnership with the late 
Gen. L. V. Bierce, his law preceptor ; this ar- 
rangement continued till 1857. As a young 
lawyer, he was singularly successful, both in 
getting business to do and in his manner of 
handling it ; with the next term after his ad- 
mission till the outbreak of the rebellion, he 
was constantly pitted against the strongest law- 
yers of the Ohio bar ; his great energy, cease- 
less industry, courage and thorough preparation 
of his cases, gave him a recognized standing 
with the best of them. 

Sept. 25, 1853, he married Lydia All3-n, 
daughter of Israel Allyn, Esq., then residing 
near Akron, with whom he lived till March 1 6, 
1876, when Mrs. Voris died, after a most pain- 
ful illness of over four years. She was a most 
devoted wife and mother, and left three chil- 
dren, Edwin^ F., who is an attorney and prac- 
ticing with his father, and two daughters, Lucy 
A. and Bessie Coe. Edwin has settled down in 
life, married a wife, and like his father, is zeal- 
oush'^ engaged in raising a family of children. 



In 1859, A. C. Voris was elected to repre- 
sent his count}' iu the General Assembly, which 
office he held for two years. In which, as a 
member of the Judiciary Committee, Chair- 
man of Penitentiary Committee, and sev- 
eral important select committees, he was dis- 
tinguished for his great industry and practical 
knowledge, which was also true of every mat- 
ter iu which he engaged. Instead of being a 
society man, or employing his efforts in mere 
partisan contests, he directed his attention to 
the practical business matters before the Leg- 
islature, and in which he at once took rank as 
a leader. He was regarded as one of the ablest 
men on the floor of the House. He was apt 
and convincing as a debater, and always ready 
as a parliamentarian. He was selected Chair- 
man of the Committee of the Whole House 
when the general appropriation bills were 
under consideration, because of his sleight at 
dispatching business, and was complimented 
with having managed so as to get through in 
half the time expected to be consumed. Before 
his legislative term expired, the war of the 
rebellion broke out. All through the long 
session of 1861, he took a most decided stand 
against backing down to the demands of the 
South, and fearlessly urged resistance to and 
no compromising with treason or traitors, and 
fought with all his might, all efforts from what- 
ever source they came, aiming to prostitute 
the Legislature of the State in the interests of 
slavery, or the treasonable demands of State 
Rights as interpreted by the planter States. 

In September, 1861, the demand for men be- 
came so urgent for the army that he felt it his 
duty to go to the war himself, and enrolled 
himself as an enlisted man in the 29th O. V. I., 
but, without solicitation on his part, Gov. Den- 
nison appointed him a Second Lieutenant for 
the recruiting service, under which he was mus- 
tered into the United States volunteer service 
on the 2d of October ensuing, for the organiza- 
tion of a regiment, to which he applied himself 
with such zeal and effect that, in the organiza- 
tion of the 67th Ohio, to which his men were 
assigned, he was entitled to a Lieutenant 
Colonelcy of the regiment, and would have gone 
into the field as its Colonel, if he had said so ; 
but having had no previous military training, he 
chose to go as its Lieutenant Colonel. His 
regiment went into the field in Western Vir- 
ginia, Jan. 19, 1862. He was its chief instruct- 



:^ 



788 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



or from the date of its organization, Dec. 18, 
1861, drilling and teaching men and officers, at 
such intervals as active service in the field per- 
mitted. On the 16th of March following, he 
became its commanding officer. On the even- 
ing of the 22d of the same month, he took his 
regiment into its first fight, against a reconnais- 
sance of Stonewall Jackson, before Winchester, 
Va.. which was, in fact, the opening of the first 
battle of Winchester, one of the most obsti- 
natel}' fought infantry' battles of the war. the 
brigade to which the 67th Ohio was attached 
being ordered out to repel this attack, which 
was on our picket lines, to the south of Win- 
chester. Lieut. Col. Voris turned out his com- 
mand so rapidl}' that he took the lead of all our 
troops, and, in one hour from the time he got 
his orders, was four miles from camp, and 
pushing the enem}', his being the first Union 
troops in the fight. He, with his men, held the 
front the entire night, and kept the advanced 
position toward the enemy next morning till 
ordered to support a battery of artillery', which 
he did under a brisk fire from the enemy's bat- 
teries, till the infantr}' battle opened, when he 
was directed " to pitch in ; " not very definite 
orders, as the enemy were' then three-fourths of 
a mile off, and extended over a wide front, and 
mainly obscured by woodland and hills. He 
led his men at a double-quick, against a terrible 
fire of shot and shell directU' in his front, and 
right for the point where the infantry fighting 
appeared to be fiercest, and formed his men 
immediately to the left of Col. Tyler's brigade, 
which was lying on the gi'ound in front of a 
rebel brigade, within point-blank range, the 
latter being thoroughly protected by a stone- 
wall fence. Both sides kept up an incessant 
fusilade of small arms, neither daring to ad- 
vance on the other, with the advantage all on 
the side of the enemy. The 67th formed ob- 
liquel}' on the head and from of the wall, and 
not more than 150 feet from the right flank of 
the rebel brigade, from which it got a deadly 
fire, without being able to do much execution 
in return. He held this position but for a short 
time, and, not securing the desired results, un- 
dertook to place his men so as to deliver an en- 
filading fire from behind the stone wall. While 
making this movement, he was shot in the right 
thigh, getting a very painful though not dan- 
gerous wound. The Color Sergeant hesitating, 
Lieut. Col. Voris seized the colors, and, sup- 



ported by two men, under each shoulder, not- 
withstanding his wound, called on his men to 
follow him, and, placing them in such position 
that this wall afforded no protection to the en- 
emy, they opened a most destructive fire upon 
them. Two or three volleys caused the rebels 
to waver, when he ordered a charge upon them, 
which was executed with such impetuosit}' that 
the enemy broke in great disorder, and the 
67th dashed through their lines with a yell that 
was plainly heard above the din of the battle. 
Tyler's brigade soon followed suit, and the 
whole left wing of Jackson's army was thrown 
into a disordered retreat. Gen. Voris deserv- 
edly thinks this one of the very best public 
acts of his life. Seeing that the stone wall was 
as good as a fort for the enem}-, and that no 
decisive movement could be made against them 
till they were dislodged from it, he, of his own 
motion, pitched into them on their flank, a 
movement that was decisive of the onl}^ Union 
victor}^ ever gained over Stonewall Jackson. 
He was promoted to the colonelc}' of his regi- 
ment July 18, 1862, and served with it in the 
most arduous enterprises in Eastern and South- 
eastern Virginia, till the end of that year. 
Among the thrilling incidents of the year, he 
had the ill luck to be shipwrecked, with six 
companies of the 67th Regiment, off Fortress 
Monroe, Va.. en route to re-enforce Gen. McClel- 
lan on the Peninsula. This was described by 
an eye-witness as follows : " In the middle of 
the night, the waves tumbled the old barge at 
a fearful rate, and soon all hands were aroused 
by the startling cry that the line towing the 
barge had parted, and that she was going to 
the bottom. To us on the steamer this was 
terrible intelligence for half our regiment. Its 
Lieut. Colonel, Adjt. Girty and several line 
officers were on the wreck. As the barge 
broke from the steamer, its rudder was crushed 
to atoms, leaving the craz}' craft entirely at the 
mercy of the waves. We could see, through 
the darkness, that the upper deck had broken 
down, and every indication showed that the 
craft was really going to pieces. The steamer 
was swung round as rapidly as possible, to give 
help. As we passed round, we could see frag- 
ments of the wreck floating by. Xhe shrieks 
of the frightened ones on the barge were truly 
distressing to us. For a long time, we could 
get no intelligence that gave us any hope, it 
being impossible to get near the vessel. Fi- 



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CITY OF AKRON. 



789 



nail}', we heard the clear voice of Col. Voris, 
giving orders and urging the men to be quiet. 
He tried to soothe them by saying that ' all 
would end well, if they would let him boss the 
concern.' By the wa}', the Colonel says that 
bossing that ricket}' old barge in a storm is 
worse than fighting Stonewall Jackson. By 
great exertion, the boys were able to cast the 
anchor of the barge, and in a little, time a haw- 
ser was fastened to the wreck, and the steamer 
came to the rescue. Such a scramble to get 
otf never was seen on dry land. One poor boy, 
in his over haste, jumped overboard and was 
drowned, and five others were severely wound- 
ed. Col. V. was the last man to leave the 
wreck, directing the delivery of his men till all 
were safe, before he thought of himself. He 
came on board the steamer in rather an un-offi- 
cerlike plight, bare-headed, in shirt sleeves, 
with naught but shirt, pants, vest and shoes in 
the line of dress ; all his other fixens went with 
the barge ; " and in that undress he reported 
to Gen. J. A. Dix, the next morning, for new 
supplies for his men. 

In January, 1863, he was transferred with his 
command to the Department of the South, 
where he participated in the siege operations 
befoi'e Charleston, S. C, till the close of that 
3'ear. He commanded his regiment in the disas- 
trous assault on Ft. Wagner, the night of the 
18th of July, in which he was very severely 
wounded, and was sent north in a few days aft- 
er to nurse his wound. In less than sixty days 
after he got this wound, he reported back to his 
command for duty, and shortly after was in the 
trenches before Charleston. 

When the expedition was about to start from 
Hilton Head to attack Charleston, Col. Voris, 
with his regiment, was ordered to report for 
duty to Grov. Saxton, at Beaufort, S. C, to aid 
him in his civil administration. He did not 
relish Provost Marshal and other fancy work 
while a great enterprise was on foot, and went 
at once to Gen. Hunter, who had command of 
the department, and inquired of him if he 
really intended to capture Charleston. Being 
answered in the affirmative, he told Gen. Hun- 
ter that he was making a fatal mistake in leav- 
ing his (Voris') regiment out ; that there was 
not a man in tlie ranks of the 67th Regiment 
whose pockets were not full of locofoco matches 
with which to burn the cursed rebel city. Col. 
Voris carried back in his pockets an order to 



join the expedition. The 67th did not go to 
Beaufort. 

In the spring of 1864, he was assigned to 
duty with his regiment in the movement up 
James lliver, Va., against Richmond, under 
Gen. Butler, and thenceforth was identified with 
the Army of the James till the close of the 
war. On the 9th and 10th of May, 186-1, with 
less than 2,000 rifles and eight pieces of artil- 
lery, he successfully fought and repulsed con- 
federate Gen. Ransom with four times as large 
a force, some ten miles below Richmond. In 
this engagement, he was specially conspicuous 
for gallantry and ability, and gained a brilliant 
victory, the first success for Gen. Butler in his 
advance on the confederate capital. On the 
night of the 9th, when it became apparent that 
there would be a renewal of the fight the next 
morning, and (Col. Voris had sent for re-enforce- 
ments) Gen. Gilmore, to whom Col. Voris had 
sent for re-enforcements, directed his Adjutant 
General to send him assistance, but not to send 
them under command of an officer senior in 
rank to Col. Voris, that he wanted the way left 
clear for him to fight with the enemy without 
interference from a superior officer. Gen. A. 
H. Terry said of this engagement, that if he 
had 10,000 such men as Col. Voris and the 67th 
0. V. I., he could take Richmond with them. 
For this fight Col. Voris was recommended for 
promotion as Brigadier General of Volunteers ; 
but political reasons in his Congressional dis- 
trict prevented so well-earned ad\'ancement. He 
was then suffering from his Ft. Wagner wound, 
and was so prostrated by the fatigue and anxi- 
ety of the day, that he had to be helped to 
camp. Again, on the 20th of the same month, 
he fought the enemy at the V>^in Bottom Church, 
on the Bermuda Hundred front, re-taking our 
picket line, from which our troops had been 
forced ; at the same time taking confederate 
Gen. Walker prisoner. He still keeps Gen. 
Walker's sword as a trophy of that affair. The 
16th of June following, while in command of 
the picket line, as general officer of the day, he 
took the line of rebel works, by which Gen. 
Butler had been bottled up on the Bermuda 
Hundred, taking quite a number of prisoners, 
and several heavy guns in the enterprise. 

At Deep Run, on the left bank of the James, 
below Richmond, in August next, he led the 
skirmish line in an attack on the enemv's lines, 
protected by temporary field works, which 



nv 



^1 



r90 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



were carried with so much impetuosity that 
the rebels could fire but one volley, but so de- 
structive was it, that one-third of the attacking 
force was killed and wounded ; before they 
could re-load their pieces, our boys were club- 
bing them over their heads with the butts of 
their rifles. In an engagement on the 13th of 
October ensuing, he commanded a brigade of 
colored troops ; also below Richmond, where 
he urged his dusky soldiers to remember that 
now was their time to wipe out many an old 
score. If what the boys say is true, he told 
the contrabands to give their old oppressers 
h— 1. Again, on the 27th and 28th of October 
following, he commanded a brigade of white 
troops on the Charles City road, in an attack 
upon the outworks for the protection of Rich- 
mond ; and in the latter pai't of the next No- 
vember, he commanded a division against an 
attempt of the enem}- to turn our flauk on the 
north side of the James. On the 2d of April, 
1865, he led the charge on Fort Gregg, Peters- 
burg, Va., and after having been in the ditch of 
the fort up to his neck in mud and water for 
nearl}' half an hour, he climbed up on its walls 
by the aid of a ladder made by the boys with 
their guns with bayonets fixed, and thrust into 
the walls one above the other, being the first 
Union officer on the fort. This was the last 
fort taken by storm of the confederate works 
surrounding Richmond and Petersburg, after 
being most tenaciously defended, at a loss of 
full}' one-fourth of the garrison in killed. At 
Appomattox he was in the fight at the last 
ditch, and got a receipt for that day's work 
from a fragment of a shell on the left arm. He 
was breveted a Brigadier General in 1864, and 
a Major General of Volunteers in the year fol- 
lowing, " for distinguished services in the field," 
as the order appointing him recites. 

Upon the close of hostilities, he was assigned 
to command the politico-military district of 
South Anna, Va., embracing a territory of tri- 
angular form, one angle at Richmond, the other 
two in the crown of the Blue Ridge, extending 
each way more than a hundred miles ; the du- 
ties of which were both of a political and mili- 
tary sort, including the supervision of all that 
relates to civil and militarj' administration. 
He was for more than six months as absolute 
a satrap as ever governed, there being no other 
governing power except by and through the 
military, not a single civil, police or political 



officer being recognized except by and under 
the military authorities. The colored people 
just emancipated had to be especiall}- cai-ed 
for and protected, all the interests of societ}- 
looked after and conserved, the prejudices and 
cruelties of the sj'stem of slaver}- resisted and 
eradicated, a new system of labor organized, 
the mutual distrusts of the whites and negroes 
allayed, and confidence created between the 
late slave-owners and the freedmen. 

He called together both white and colored 
people at their county seats, and publicl}' and 
together kindly tried to instruct them as to 
their new relations, urging fair dealing, justice 
and humanit}' in their future intercourse, and 
upon terms of impartial equal rights. To pro- 
tect the late slaves, and especially the infirm, 
old and little ones from ill-treatment and want, 
he found it necessary to make and publish 
orders prohil)iting all sorts of personal violence, 
and turning off" such infirm and helpless ones 
without adequate provision for their present 
support ; and, in default of which provision, he 
directed adequate assessment to be made and 
collected by military power. He absolutely 
put a stop to the devilish practice of flogging 
colored people, and permitted no penalties to 
be inflicted on them that were not visited upon 
white people for like grade of offenses. So con- 
siderate was he in the administration of his 
public duties, that he never had a matter ap- 
pealed from his orders or decrees to depart 
ment headquarters during the whole time he 
was in command of this district, though every 
class of disputed right came before him, com- 
mon to community from murder down. His 
Department Commander said of him that his 
was the only district in the State that did not 
make him trouble. Gen. Robert E. Lee was a 
resident of his district, and under his command 
for several months after the surrender. The 
Charlottesville Datl>j Chronicle wrote concerning 
his administration, when he left the district, 
that " Gen. Voris has conducted himself in com- 
mand here in the kindest and most considerate 
manner, and has shown himself an energetic, 
faithful and just otlicer. He leaves with the 
best wishes of our people." The colored people 
found in him a most valued friend and pro- 
tector. 

As illustrative of his wa}' of putting things, 
we narrate the following incidents : When he 
went first to Charlottesville, Va., to organize for 



fc* 



CITY OF AKKON. 



791 



the civil administration of Albemarle Co., and 
parol and amnesty those who had been in open 
rebellion against the United States, he was in- 
terviewed b}' a delegation of citizens as to what 
relations the freedmen would thenceforth sus- 
tain. To whom he replied, that the freed men 
were citizens of the United States, and, as such, 
possessed equal rights with all other Virginians ; 
that the Greneral Government would protect 
them as such ; that he would do all in his power 
to reconcile and harmonize any antagonisms 
and distresses existing between the two races ; 
but that they would be required to adjust their 
intercourse with them on terms of reciprocal 
equality of rights. A fier}' planter, not relish- 
ing this equalit}^ doctrine, spoke up, " I tell ye 
what it is, if mj' niggers don't do as I say, I 
will flog them." Gen. Voris instantly replied, 
" In that case, if I was your nigger, I would 
take your life, Sir." The Episcopalian Rector 
of the same place, and afterward a high digni- 
tary in his church, came to him to get indul- 
gence from the military authorities to omit from 
the prayer of their church service, the President 
of the United States and all others in authority, 
etc., alleging, as a reason, that such prayer 
would be insincere, and that his congregation 
could not, with their present feeling, join hon- 
estly in it. " Let us see," said the General, 
" Is it because they look upon the President 
and those in authority as still being enemies ?" 
It being admitted that this was substantialh' 
their feeling, he replied, " I am not much of a 
Christian, and ma}' not appreciate the gravity 
of the situation, nor do I know how your church 
people regard the New Testament Scriptures ; 
but if you mean to set them a truly Christian 
example, I would advise you to do as Christ 
commanded, ' Love your enemies, and pray for 
them which despitefull}' use you and persecute 
you,' instead of coming to the military authori- 
ties to get excused from obeying the commands 
of Almighty God." 

As a soldier he never shirked dut}- or ex- 
posure. He always shared with his men their 
hardships, dangers and privations, and never 
asked of them what he would not do himself 
So prompt was he in the execution of what- 
ever he had to do that the boys called him 
'' Old Promptly," a name certainh' not inappro- 
priatel}' applied. All through the war, in case 
of sudden danger, he was always first in place 
for action with his men. His watchfulness 



and strict attention to business, caused him to 
be assigned to the command of his brigade 
when he was junior colonel in it. 

He was greatl}- beloved by his men, who, at 
the close of the war, gave him one of the finest 
presents given to any officer during the war, a 
magnificent sword, belt and sash, costing near- 
ly a thousand dollars ; evei'y man of his old 
regiment contributing toward its purchase. A 
leading Ohio daily paper in referring to this 
present, said : " A worthy gift from one of the 
best regiments ever mustered into the service 
to one of the best soldiers that has entered the 
field." He always saw to it that his men had 
every thiiig the commissariat and quartermas- 
ter's departments could furnish, and ever stood 
up for the just rights of every enlisted man ; 
was a strict disciplinarian, requiring exact and 
prompt performance of duty from men and 
officers alike. He looked most carefuU}' after 
the honorable character and standing of ever}' 
man and officer in his command, not onh' as 
soldiers, but as men and American citizens. 
Not a man under him but felt alwa5S free to 
approach him at all proper times, on terms of 
pleasant intimacy, nor ever felt that any griev- 
ance would be slighted by him, merel}' because 
he was a private soldier. He was proud of his 
men. We quote from his report for the War 
Department regarding the meritorious part the 
67th 0. V. I. had taken in the war. After 
having given the various campaigns and actions 
in which it had participated, he says : '■ The 
good order always observed b}' the 67th, the 
fidelity with which it discharged all its duties, 
and the fortitude with which it met all its vicis- 
situdes, amid shipwreck on the sea, heat, cold 
and storm by land, and hate in an enemy's 
country, are worthy of as high place in the 
archives of the country as its most glorious 
deeds on the battle-field, than which no regi- 
ment can claim more glorious. I cannot close 
without saying I am proud, proid, PROUD of 
the glorious, triumphant, bully 67th." 

We quote the following from the editorial 
columns of a leading Ohio paper, as showing 
in what estimation he was held by his superior 
officers as a soldier : " Every General under 
whom ^''oris has served has esteemed him 
highly as brave and discreet. Gen. Teny, one 
of his corps commanders. sa3-s Col. Voris, in 
every action in which he has been engaged, has 
exhibited fine (lualities as a soldier, and on sev- 



-J 9 

r 



793 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



eral occasions has been conspicuous for capacity 
and courage." The editorial notice of him b}' 
the leading Ohio papers are fairly represented 
by what George A. Benedict, editor of the 
Cleveland Herald, published concerning iiis 
record : " Among civilians appointed to the 
service, not a recipient has proved himself more 
worthy the trust than Gen. Voris. He has 
sliown industry, perseverance, discretion, talent, 
and an utter fearlessness of danger." His 
regiment won a great reputation in the war, 
much of which was due to the efforts and lead- 
ership of Gen. Voris. He is not onl3' a brave 
man in danger, but possesses tliat higher order 
of courage in an eminent degree — the courage 
of his convictions. He thoroughly believes in 
the policy of frank, honorable, fair dealing in 
all things. He was mustered out of the serv- 
ice in December, 18G5, after having served in 
the arm\' fifty and a half months, and then re- 
turned to Akron and engaged in the active la- 
bors of his profession, but under great diffi- 
culties, owing to the disability occasioned by 
his Fort Wagner wound. 

In November, 1873, he submitted to one of 
the most remarkable surgical operations in the 
annals of surgery. His wound had apparently 
healed. The bullet which caused it was cut in 
two parts on his sword-belt ring, the smaller 
part lodging in the circular abdominal muscle, 
and was removed by the surgeon at the time of 
the injury ; the other part passed downward 
and backward in the abdominal cavity, and 
lodged on the crown of his bladder and became 
impacted in the walls of that organ until the 
fall of 1872, when it penetrated them and be- 
came loose within. Up to this time it had been 
a source of great annoyance and bodily infirm- 
it}', the cause not being suspected even by Gen. 
Voris. Nov it became most torturing, giving 
constant and almost unendurable pain, so 
much so that his friends supposed he must 
speedily die. His physicians did not suspect 
the nature of his disorder till early in the sum- 
mer of 1873, too late in the season for a de- 
sirable operation. He waited, under the advice 
of liis surgeon, until the ensuing fall, when he 
underwent the lateral operation in lithotom}^, 
by which three-fourths of an Enfield rifle shot 
was extracted, weighing one and one-eighth 
ounces. The great wonder is that he ever sur- 
vived the first effects of this shot, and then 
that he siiould carry it over ten years and have 



his bladder perforated by it, endure the torture 
and systematic derangement it caused and not 
die, to say nothing of the surgical operation. 
Nothing but pluck and an extraordinary con- 
stitution saved him. His surgeons say that he 
was the coolest and most self-possessed subject 
they ever witnessed at the opei'ating table. All 
the years of his life since the 18th of July, 
1863, have been weighed down by this injury, 
the pangs of which are still borne in nerves 
which never cease to ache. 

In the spring of 1873, he was elected a dele- 
gate to the late Constitutional Convention, and, 
though suffering terrible agon}- from his army 
wound, much of the time of its session, he took 
a leading part in its deliberations and was one 
of its most efficient and influential members. 
He is an ardent Republican, politically, without 
being partisan, eitber in feeling or action, and a 
distinguished champion of protection to Ameri- 
can industry. His late campaign speeches on 
the protective policy were conceded to !je mas- 
terly efforts and were widely circulated. As a 
public speaker he is frank, candid, earnest, elo- 
quent, never abuses, and always addresses his 
hearers as if they were intelligent and self-re- 
specting. He is invariably listened to with in- 
terested attention. 

As a law3'er, though his education was not 
what is strictly denominated liberal, was ample 
for all the requirements of his chosen profes- 
sion, especially when it is considered that he 
was endowed by nature with a most vigorous 
and exceedingly wiry constitution, and a mind 
whose vigor, tenacity and comprehensiveness 
compared admirably with his phj'sical organi- 
zation. What he lacked of ancient classical eru- 
dition was more than compensated by the care- 
fulness and thoroughness with which he had 
mastered the special science that covered the 
field of his future professional eflforts. It was 
not long after he came to the bar till he took 
his position permanentl}- in the foremost rank, 
composed though it was, of the ablest competi- 
tors. Whatever he undertook to do, he did 
with all his might, mind and strength, utterly 
[ fearless, though by no means regardless of the 
I degree and character of the opposition to be 
encountered. In his arguments to the court 
upon questions of law, he was always clear, 
logical and concise. In his addresses to the 
jury, he was equally clear, S3'stematic, and 
! cogent in his statements of facts deduced from 



& 



-*rr^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



793 



the evidence, and his own inferences and con- 
clusions therefrom ; and in such efforts he 
often rose to the ver}^ highest plane of exalted 
and refined forensic eloquence. At the com- 
mencement of his professional career, he occa- 
sionally fell into a style of orator}- somewhat 
too verbose and ornate, and also into action 
and gesticulation too continuous and violent ; 
but increasing years and experience soon ena- 
bled him to excide such objectionable superflu- 
ities. In practice, and in his social intercourse 
with his brethren of the bar, he was alwaj^s 
courteous and considerate in regard to the feel- 
ings of others, however much heated in debate. 
He was truthful insomuch that arguments 
made with him orally could be relied upon as 
implicitly as if reduced to writing. In his de- 
meanor toward the court, he always recogaized 
its assumed dignity, and accorded correspond- 
ing treatment. As to deception, chicanery, and 
tricker}'' of all sorts, he simply despised them, 
and he equally despised and condemned every 
professional shyster who practiced or attempted 
to practice such arts, with a view to thwart the 
ends of justice. 

EDWIN F. VORIS, Akron, only son of Gen. 
A. C. Voris, was born in Akron, July 31, 1855. 
He graduated from the High School in 1872, 
and entered Buchtel College at its opening, 
graduating June 30, 1875. In the fall of the 
same year, he entered the Harvard Law School, 
and graduated in June, 1877, being admitted to 
the bar at Cleveland, Ohio, in Oct. 8, of that 
year. June 8, 1878, he went to St. Louis, and 
the following month was admitted to the bar 
in Missouri. He practiced and studied with J. 
M. & C. H. Krum, of St. Louis, until February 
1879, when he returned to Akron, and there 
associated himself with his ftither, since which 
time he has continued to practice under the 
firm name of Voris & Voris. October, 1879, 
he married Miss Lizzie U. Slade, of Columbus, 
Ohio. 

NICHOLAS EMMONS VANSICKLE, to- 
bacco merchant, Akron ; one of seven chil- 
dren, was born in Germantown, N. J., No- 
vember 10, 1816, to Hemy and Mary (Em- 
mons) Vansickle, both of whom were na- 
tives of New Jersey. In 1825, they moved 
to Ithaca, Tompkins Co., N. Y., where the sub- 
ject of this sketch engaged in farm labor and 
blacksmithing with his father, walking two 
miles to school three months per year. In May, 



Valley Railroad, 
present tobacco 
He has taken 



1837, by canal, they moved to Ohio, settling in 
Bath Township on a farm. After settling in 
this State, our subject learned to make cloth, 
and from 1838 to about 1845, with his brother- 
in-law, Jacob Allen, was engaged in the cloth 
business, during that period being one of the 
proprietors of the City Woolen Factory, now 
occupied as the City Mills. In September, 
1844, he married Miss Margaret Mathew, of 
Akron. Of this union there are two children, 
Ella (now Mrs. E. R. Grant, of Norton) and 
Dora (now Mrs. N. H. Bassett, of Cleveland). 
In 1848, he removed to Bedford, Ohio, where 
he kept a hotel on the old stage line from Cleve- 
land to Pittsburgh, for a short time, after which 
he engaged in the railroad business, at which 
he has been very successful, having built con- 
siderable portions of several roads. In 1861, 
he returned to Akron, and for some years fol- 
lowing, was emploj'ed in the public works 
of this place. In 1871, he built twenty 
miles of the Tuscarawas 
In 1875, he bought his 
store on Market street. 
an active part in the Agricultural Society of 
Summit Count}', having been a member of the 
Executive Committee and of the Board of Di- 
rectors of the same. He was formerl}^ a mem- 
ber of the City Council. He is a stanch 
Republican, because of which fact he was several 
times burnt out during the three j-ears he was 
in Hannibal, Mo. (from 1857 to 1860), the last 
time at a loss of $30,000, in railroad contracts 
and buildings. 

H. C. VIELE, County Treasurer, Akron ; 
was born in Washington Co., N. Y., Oct. 29, 
1841, and is the second in a family of five 
children born to Hiram and Abbie M. (McFar- 
land) Viele. He was a native of Pittstown, 
Renssalaer Co., N. Y., and was born Sept. 5, 1813. 
His father was a farmer and he was brought 
up on a farm until he was 20 years old, when 
he engaged as a clerk in the stove trade busi- 
ness at Rochester, Monroe Co., and two years 
later he became a partner in the business, in 
which he continued for five yeai's ; he then 
lived a year in Washington Co., when the family 
came to Akron (1842), he engaged as a clerk and 
book-keeper in the Stone Mills and continued 
there until 1868, when he opened a flour and 
feed store, in which business he remained un- 
til his death, July 25, 1874. He was married 
to Miss Abbie M. McFarland Oct. 17, 1838. 






794 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCIlES: 



She is a native of Salem, Washington Co., N. 
Y. Of their five children, three are living, viz., 
H. C, Mary I. and Fannie G. Mrs. Viele is 
living on the old homestead. Our subject re- 
ceived his education in the schools of Akron, 
and at the age of 16, began clerking in the Stone 
Mills with his ftither for eight or nine years. He 
then became the agent for the Merchants Union 
Express Co., and after one year he entered the 
office of the C, Z. & C, now C, Mt. V. & C. R. 
R., and served two or three years, when he be- 
came a pai'tner with his father in the flour and 
feed business, and after one year he was ap- 
pointed County Recorder to fill the vacancy of 
Granville Thorp, deceased. He next served as 
a clerk in the County Treasurer's office, and 
continued as such until 1878, when he was 
elected on the Republican ticket as County 
Clerk, and was re-elected to the office in 1880. 
Oct. 16, 1873, he married Miss Libbie F. Mack, 
a native of New York. They were married at 
her home, at Flat Bush, Long Island. By the 
marriage there is one child, viz., Fannie Mack. 
GEORGE VIALL, Treasurer Middlebury 
Clay Co., Akron (Sixth Ward); is a native of 
Middlebury (Sixth Ward of Akron), and was 
born March 12, 1834 ; is the only child of 
Thomas C. and Mahala (Atwood) Viall, who 
were natives of Vermont and Connecticut, and 
when young came to Ohio with their parents. 
He built a woolen and saw mill in Middlebury 
which he conducted until his death in 1834. 
She settled with her parents in Springfield 
Township, where her father owned 1,000 acres 
of land. They were married in 1832. After 
the death of her husband in 1834, she was again 
married in 1840, to Nathaniel Munson, and in 
1845, they moved to New York, but returned 
about 1850. He was a tanner by trade, and 
followed the business in Middlebury. He died 
in New York while on a visit to his relatives 
about the year 1865. She is still living, and 
makes h^r home with her son, Leroy Munson, 
in Tallmadge Township. George Viall lived 
at home with his mother until he was 1 9 years 
of age, receiving a common-school education. 
At the age of 19 he engaged in the grocery 
business at the old forge north of Middlebury. 
He followed the business some eighteen months, 
and then sold out and bought a canal-boat, 
following boating for three summers, when he 
again embarked in the grocery business in Mid- 
dlebury, which he continued for three years, 



then sold out and opened business in Akron, 
where he did business three years longer. He 
then sold out and commenced the manu- 
facture of stoneware in Middlebury, continuing 
for eight years. He sold out and went into 
general merchandise in Middlebury, and after 
nine years again sold out. He was one of the 
incorporators of the Middlebury Clay Co., of 
which he is Treasurer, and has also served as 
Secretary. He has served two terms in the 
Middlebury Council. He was married Aug. 
24, 1857, to Miss Maria Reepsomer, a native 
of Trumbull Co., Ohio. They have had three 
children, one of whom is living, viz., Nannie L., 
also an adopted child, Edward Carl. 

JOHN F. VIALL, undertaker, corner Water 
and River street, Akron ; is a native of Chau- 
tauqua Co., N. Y. ; was born April 30, 1825, 
and is the fourth of a family of nine children 
born to Bennett and Wealthy (Arnold) Viall. 
They were natives of Vermont and Connecticut, 
and were married in New York, whither he had 
gone when a young man, and she with her 
parents. He farmed there until 1832, when he 
came to Ohio, and settled in Springfield Town- 
ship, farming there some two years. He then 
came to Middlebury and took an active interest 
in a saw and woolen mill, built by himself and 
brother Thomas, continuing until the latter's 
death, after which he continued some three 
years longer. He then went to Wisconsin, 
where he remained for two 3'ears, and then 
returned to Middlebury, and soon after went to 
Granger Township, in Medina Co., where he 
followed farming until his death in 1877, aged 
84 years. She died in 1845. He married a 
second time to Mrs. S. Hinckley, who died 
about four years after her marriage. A third 
marriage was to Mrs. Rhoda Baker ; she sur- 
vived him about one month. John F. (the 
subject) lived at home until he was 22. He 
learned the cabinet-maker's trade with his 
brother in Middlebury. After three years his 
brother died, and himself and brother Eli en- 
gaged in the furniture business under the firm 
of Viall Brothei's, and continued about ten 
years. Subject then sold out and worked for 
G. W. Barber & Co. twelve years, then worked 
for Kent & Baldwin, woolen machinery manu- 
facturers, for two 3'ears. He then bought an 
interest in his brother's cabinet-making busi- 
ness, continuing three years, when the firm 
became Viall & Replogle, the latter succeeding 



-Ttl 



t^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



795 



Eli Viall, and three years later he sold to Mr. 
Dewe}', and about three years after John F. 
Viall became sole proprietor, and quit the fur- 
niture business and followed the undertaking 
business since. He was married, Nov. 4, 1847, 
to Miss Cornelia C. Wheeler, a native of Tall- 
madge Township. They had seven children, 
five of whom are living — Francis (now Mrs. 
Obendorf, of Middlebury), Edwin W. (married, 
and lives in Middlebury), Laura C. (now Mrs. 
Charles B. Macey, of Middlebury), Arthur G. 
and Otis live at home. 

C. VOGT, carriages, Akron. Though identi- 
fied with the manufacturing interests of Akron 
for but a few 3-ears, he has already established 
quite an extensive business. He is the son of 
John and Susan M. (Seltzer) Vogt, and was 
born in Rhine Province, Germany, in 1846. In 
1852, his people emigrated to the United States 
and settled in Springfield Township, Summit 
County. There he worked on his father's farm 
until he was 15 years old, and then he spent 
one 3'ear in the mines. He began to learn his 
trade in 1865, after which he spent three 3'ears 
with E. A. Collins as finisher for him. He then 
spent one year in Tallmadge. In 1874, he be- 
gan business in Akron on his own account ; his 
capital was small, and competition lively, but 
with a determination to succeed he pushed 
along, and in 1880 built this present manufact- 
uring establishment, which is located on the 
corner of Main and Middlebur}- streets. South 
Akron, and is of the following dimensions : 22 
feet front by 136 feet deep, three floors, and 
blacksmithing and trimming-shop in the rear. 
The ground floor is the wood-working room, 
the second is used as a repository and office, 
and the third is devoted to painting and finish- 
ing. Mi\ Vogt has taken quite an intei'est in 
political affairs, though he has been no office- 
seeker ; however, he was pressed into the service 
so far as to have served four years as a mem- 
ber of the City Council from the Fifth Ward. 
This was b}' the courtesy of his Democratic 
friends. He was married in 1869 to Miss Mar}' 
E. McDonald. 

JAMES VIALL, Superintendent Hill Sewer 
Pipe Co., Akron (Sixth Ward) ; is a native of 
Akron, Summit Co., Ohio. Was born Jan. 15, 
1828, and is the sixth of nine children born to 
James and Sarah (Hubbard) Viall, natives of 
Vermont, where the}' were married, after which 
they came to Ohio (about 1822) and settled in 



Summit Co. Here he followed for a time char- 
coal burning, and later he became a contractor 
on the canal. After its completion, he engaged 
as bridge-builder, and built many of the bridges 
in this county. He died in February, 1837 ; 
his wife lived in the vicinity until her death, 
in the summer of 1880, at the age of 84 years. 
James (the subject), lived at home until 22 
years of age, receiving but a limited education 
at the district schools. In 1841, he went on the 
canal, following the same until 1865, the first two 
years as driver, and in 1843 — then but 15 ^ears 
old — -began as steersman, continuing as such as 
long as he remained on the canal, running be- 
tween Pittsburgh and Cleveland. He embarked, 
in 1865, in the manufacturing of stoneware, 
buying the business of Wm. Owens, which was 
located in Springfield Township, and has con- 
ducted the same ever since. About the year 
1876, he sold a half-interest to George Markle, 
under the firm name of Viall & Markle. He 
also became interested, in 1865, with J. B. 
Woods, in the mining and manufacturing of 
clay, which he has since continued, and which 
has been incorporated into the Middlebury Clay 
Co. In March, 1873, lie, in company with Mr. 
Hill and others, incorporated the Hill Sewer 
Pipe Co., of which he is Superintendent. He 
was also engaged for several 3'ears, with Moses 
J. Huggins, in the grocery business in Middle- 
bury, and for a time were the only representa- 
tives in that line in the place. He was married, 
Jan. 29, 1850, to Miss Mary Davis, a native of 
Middlebur}', and daughter of Benjamin and 
Mary Davis — the former deceased, Mrs. Davis 
still living with her daughter, aged 86 years. 
Mr. Viall served as Councilman several terms 
in Middlebury before its incorporation. He 
has always been Republican in politics. 

W. W.^ WARNER, abstracter of titles, etc., 
Akron ; was born in Springfleld Township, in 
this count}-, Feb. 28, 1848, and is tlie eighth of 
nine children born to John and Mary (Ettie) 
Warner. His parents were natives of Connec- 
ticut, and came to Oliio about 1839 and settled 
in Portage Township, Summit Co., Ohio. His 
father was a worker in iron, and was principally 
engaged as forgeman after coming to Ohio. 
Aug. 6, 1863, he was drowned in the Cuyahoga 
River at Cuyahoga Falls. His mother died 
Dec. 3, 1859. Mr. Warner lived at home until 
the death of his father, when he went to live 
with Mr. Charles Curtiss, working on his farm 



Is 



796 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



for a 3'ear, when, Mr. Curtiss selling out, 3^oung 
Warner remained with the purchaser of the 
farm. After a year, he went East, finishing the 
education begun in the district schools and 
those at the " Falls," in the Quaker Citj^ Busi- 
ness College of Philadelphia. After an absence 
of two yeai'S, he returned to Cuyahoga Falls 
and engaged as book-keeper for Hanford & 
Yeamans, and Hanford Brothers, who succeeded 
the former. The following year, he came to 
Akron and served as Deputy Recorder for 
James A. Lantz, and later, for Mr. Thorp, con- 
tinuing some two years in all. In 1871, he be- 
gan the business of preparing abstracts of 
titles. In 1874, he added the feature of real 
estate and loan agency to his business, forming 
a partnership with E. C. Ruggles, under the 
firm name of Ruggles & Warner. Two years 
later, the partnership was dissolved, Mr. War- 
ner continuing the business alone to the pres- 
ent. April 15, 1869, he married Miss Annie 
M. Yeamans, a native of Philadelphia ; she 
died Oct. 27, 18 — , leaving two children — Ar- 
thur Lee and Harry Albert, who were twins. 
Oct. 25, 1877, he married Miss Alice G. Little- 
ton, a native of Cleveland. There is one child 
b}' this marriage — (xeorge Littleton. 

AARON WAdONBR, Auditor, Akron ; was 
born on his father's farm in Franklin Township, 
Sept. 19, 184:4. His early years were spent on 
the farm, and in the schools of the neighbor- 
hood, until the fall of 1862, when he enlisted in 
the army, joining Company B, 6th 0. V. C. 
Soon after his enlistment, he was appointed 
Corporal, and later, a Sergeant, finally reaching 
the rank of Second Lieutenant in command of 
the company. He was mustered out as Second 
Lieutenant in 1865. This regiment was with 
Sheridan in the Potomac Army, took part in 
the battle of the Wilderness, on the raid to 
Richmond, at Appomattox Court House, and 
all the engagements of the army. At Aldie he 
was wounded, and for several months was dis- 
abled for active service. Returning from the 
army, he came to Akron and engaged as sales- 
man in the dry goods establishment of Over- 
holser, Keller & Co. After serving in this ca- 
pacity for some eighteen months, he engaged as 
their book-keeper, continuing for four and a 
half years, when the firm dissolved. In 1872, 
he entered the City Bank as Teller, continuing 
there until 1880. In the fall of this year, he 
was elected on the Republican ticket as Auditor, 



entering upon his duties in the following No- 
vember. April 30, 1868, he married Miss 
Amanda Smith, a native of Summit County ; 
by the marriage there have been born two chil- 
dren, viz. : Mabel Blanche and George Edward. 

DR. JOHN WEIMER, physician, Akron ; is 
a native of Alsace, France, and was born Aug. 
23, 1813. His father was a farmer. Our sub- 
ject received an academic course of study, and 
at the age of 19 set out for America. On his 
arrival he felt the necessity of being able to 
speak the language of the new land. He en- 
gaged his services to a Yankee family, with 
whom he remained several months ; then en- 
tered a store in Buflfalo, N. Y., as clerk, and 
after about three months, while in Ohio on bus- 
iness, he met Dr. Underwood, of Baltimore, 
Stark Co., and arranged with him to read med- 
icine, under his instructions, which he began to 
do in the latter part of the year 1832 ; two 
years later, he read one year at Canton with Dr. 
Breisacher, and in April of 1836, he began to 
practice at Uniontown. In 1847, he removed 
to Akron, where he has practiced since. The 
Doctor is a member of the Summit Count}- Med- 
ical Society. In September, 1839, he married 
Miss Catharine Christy, a native of Springfield 
Township, Summit Co., Ohio. She died in Jan- 
uary, 1875. There were four children and but 
one is living, viz., Mrs Valentine Hay, of Som- 
erset Co., Penn. Dec. 25, 1879, he married 
Miss Mary C. Miller, a native of Stark Co., 
Ohio. 

CHARLES WEBSTER, President of the 
Webster, Camp & Lane Machine Company, 
Akron, was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, 
Sept. 3, 1810, and is a son of Samuel H. and 
Elizabeth (Knowles) Webster, natives of Hart- 
ford, Conn. When Charles was 3 years old 
his parents removed to Hartford, where they 
lived some twenty-three 3'ears. His education 
was confined to a limited attendance at the dis- 
trict schools. At the age of 16, he (subject) 
was bound to the carpenter's trade until of age. 
After this he worked one year in a manufactorj'^ 
of window blinds. He then followed his trade 
until 1835, having established his residence in 
Massachusetts. He was married, April 30, 
1833. to Miss Martha A. Atherton, a descend- 
ant of the Rev. Hope Atherton, who came 
over in the Mayflower. The fruit of this mar- 
riage was eight children, but one of whom is 
now living — Isabella, Mrs. Gage, of Akron. In 



"Tic 






CITY OF AKROK. 



797 



1835, Mr. W. came to Ohio with his family in 
a one-horse wagon, in company with Charles 
Merriman and famih'. The}' left Dalton, Mass., 
May 5, 1835. and were fifteen days on the 
journe}', arriving at Matteson on the 20th. He 
worked for a time on a hotel for Mr. Merriman, 
after which he visited Akron, settling on a 
tract of land belonging to Merriman. He built 
a cabin on it, but the following spring he moved 
to the then village of Akron, where he has ever 
since resided. He worked at his trade, and at 
millwrighting until 1848, when on the 15th of 
May, in company with Gr. D. Bates and James 
Taplin, he formed a partnership under the firm 
name of Gr. D. Bates & Co., which continued 
until 1869, when a stock company was formed, of 
which Mr. Webster is President. Their business 
is the building of stationary engines and boilers, 
and mining, milling and pottery machinery, 
also of general machine work. Mr. Webster 
has been identified with this business ever 
since its establishment in 1848. When he came 
to Ohio, he was in veiy limited circumstances, 
and has accumulated his means by his own in- 
dustry. 

T. a. WILLIAMS, of Williams & Ab- 
bott, stoves, tinware, etc., Middlebury (Sixth 
Ward) ; was born in Durham, England, May 2, 
1843. In 1846, his parents, Rev. Michael and 
Mary (Wilkinson) Williams, came to America, 
and resided successively in New York City, 
Paterson. N. J., Johnstown, Penn., Alexan- 
dria, Ind., Pittsburgh, Penn., New Castle, Penn., 
when they remained at the latter place several 
years. While there the subject went to Johns- 
town and learned the tinner's trade, and, at the 
beginning of the late war, enlisted in Co. K, 
(Johnstown Zouaves) 3d Penn.V. I. ; served three 
months, when the command re-enlisted for three 
years, and again, at the close of the term, as 
veterans. In the first enlistment for three 
years, his command became Co. A, 54th Penn. V. 
I. In the re-enlistment as veterans, Mr. Will- 
iams was commissioned as First Lieutenant of 
his company. He participated in the battles 
of the first Bull Run, Petersburg, New Mar- 
ket, Lynchburg, Winchester, Antietam, Cedar 
Creek, Fishei''s Hill, at Appomattox, and all 
other engagements of his command. He was 
in the army from the first battle of Bull Run 
to the surrender at Appomattox ; was wounded 
twice in the battle of Lynchburg, and was con- 
fined some two weeks in hospital, when he re- 



joined his regiment ; was again wounded at 
Winchester, but kept with his command leather 
than go into a hospital. His regiment was 
taken prisoners a few days before the surren- 
der, and were afterward paroled. They were 
in full view when the surrender took place. He 
was discharged at Harrisburg, and afterward 
came to Ohio, his father being on a circuit at 
the time in Twinsburg Township, Summit Co. 
T. Gr. (subject), lived in Twinsburg, and, about 
1866, went to Cleveland and worked at his 
trade, serving as foreman of Parrish & Knight's 
shop for four years. He then engaged in busi- 
ness for himself at Atwater, Portage Co., and 
one year later came to Middlebury, where he 
engaged in business and has since liA'ed. He 
was married, in 1878, to Miss Julia A. Koon, a 
native of Springfield Township. By this mar- 
riage they have three children, viz., Maud D., 
May and Archibald. His parents came to 
Ohio from Pennsylvania, and his father has 
preached in Ohio since, until recently. He and 
his wife now live at New Philadelphia, Ohio, 
retired. 

S. C. WILLIAMSON, Probate Judge, Ak- 
ron ; was born in Randolph, Portage Co., Ohio, 
Aug. 18, 1837, and resided there until 1854, 
when he entered the preparator}^ school at 
Hudson, Ohio, and, in 1860, graduated from 
the Western Reserve College. In the spring of 
1861, he enlisted in Co. G., 19th 0. V. I., and 
served three months, when he re- enlisted (Octo- 
ber, 1861) in the 18th U. S. I. He was ap- 
pointed Sergeant, and served in this capacity 
until the battle of Stone River, where he was 
wounded and was confined to the hospital for 
three months. After a leave of absence of 
several months, having been promoted to the 
rank of Second Lieutenant, he was assigned to 
duty at Detroit and Grrand Rapids as muster- 
ing and disbursing officer, and subsequently 
was promoted to the rank of First Lieutenant, 
and, in 1864, he was ordered before the Retir- 
ing Board at Wilmington, Del., and retired 
with the rank of First Lieutenant, and was next 
ordered to Missouri on duty in the Provost 
Marshal General's Department, serving as as- 
sistant until the closing of the office ; he was 
then assigned to duty as Post Adjutant and 
Inspecting Officer at Benton Barracks, and 
later, at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., as Assistant 
Commissioner of Musters, where he served 
until January, 1867, when he was commis- 



^F 



\1 



798 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



sioned Captain of the 42d U. S. I., and was 
stationed with the regiment at Hart's Ishmd 
and Madison Barracks, N. Y., until the consoli- 
dation of his regiment with the 6th at Fort 
Gibson, Indian Territory, where he was placed 
on waiting orders, and resumed the reading of 
law with Tibbals & McKinne\', completing a 
course interrupted by the war, and was ad- 
mitted to the bar in 1870, and began practice 
in company with F. S. Hanford, and after a year 
or two practiced alone. In the fall of 1875, he 
was elected Probate Judge on the Republican 
ticket, and was re-elected in 1878. 

J. H. WISE, deceased, was a native of 
Green Township, Summit Co., Ohio. Ho was 
born March 24, 1821. His father, George H. 
Wise, was a merchant of Greentown. Our sub- 
ject was raised in his native township Dec. 14, 
1853. He married Miss Catharine Middlekauff, 
a native of Hagerstown, Washington Co., Md. 
At the time of the marriage, and for five years 
thereafter, he was engaged in the mercantile 
business in Greentown, with his brother-in-law. 
In 1858, he sold out his interest in the busi- 
ness and came to Akron, superintending the 
farm he had bought just north of the city. In 
18G1, he engaged as agent for the United 
States Express Company at Akron, and con- 
tinued in that employ for four years, and next 
clerked in the Buckeye Works; he was in- 
terested in and became Secretary and Treas- 
urer of the Akron Straw Board Company, but 
sold his interest after one year, after which he 
served as assignee for a number of concerns. 
By the marriage, there were three children, all 
since deceased. Their son, W. W., was Quar- 
termaster of Co. L, 2d 0. V. I., and died in the 
service of his country at Ft. Scott, Kan. Mr. 
Wise died March 30, 1877. Mrs. Wise has con- 
continued her residence in the old homestead 
in Akron. 

ANDREW WILSON,* a descendant of a 
family of martyrs. The late Andrew Wilson, 
of Stow Corners, was a man of sterling worth 
and integrity, withal a just man in all his rela- 
tions. He was born Oct. 23, 1799, at Acworth, 
N. H., and as he was known to state, he lived 
during the life-time of Washington, Washington 
dying^the 14th of December, 1799. Mr. Wil- 
son, with his father's family, moved from Ac- 
worth, N. H., to Guernsey Co., Ohio, in 1815, in 
an ox-wagon, driving their stock before them. 

*Akron Beacon. 



Their nearest neighbor was three miles distant, 
and they were obliged, on one occasion, to car- 
ry a fire-brand the three miles to start a fire. 
He left his father's home in the wilderness, 
bought his time until he became of age, and 
came to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1819, and was em- 
ployed with Judge Kingsl)ury in the grading of 
the streets around the public square, and in 
clearing the forests in the county roads, when 
Cleveland was but a hamlet with but a score of 
houses. On two occasions he returned to New 
Hampshire, walking all the way there and back 
again to Cleveland in mid-winter. He consid- 
ered the soil of no consequence, which he could 
have purchased at $3 per acre, in the heart of 
the town, but instead purchased a large farm 
a few miles east, in Warrensville, paying more 
for it — believing it to be the best investment — 
where he resided for forty-two years, cleared 
olf the native forest, built buildings, and made 
a beautiful home. He held many offices of 
trust and honor. He married in 1829, Miss 
Lurancy Thomas, of Hudson, formerly from 
York State, and reared a family of eleven chil- 
dren, of whom eight survive him. In 1866, he 
sold his farm, and located at Stow Corners, Sum- 
mit Co., where he resided to the time of his 
death. His was a famih^ of noble lineage. As 
far back as 1606, the family of John Wilson 
and many others in Scotland were Presbyterians 
and come-outers from the Church of England, 
and were subjected to many mart3Tdoms and 
persecutions for religion's sake. It is related 
of the family that there was a grandmother and 
granddaughter, both by the name of Margaret 
Wilson, who were bound to stakes at low water 
tide in the sea, and were permitted to perish at 
high tide with others who would not recant, and 
thus died in their faith. The name Margaret 
has been perpetuated, in commemoration, in 
each generation down to the present. The fam- 
ilj' subsequently emigrated to Londonderry, 
Ireland, and from there to this country, in 1718, 
and located with others in New Hampshire, and 
named the town Londonderry, after the city of 
their adoption in Ireland. In William Cullen 
Bryant's recent history of the United States, 
page 138, Vol. Ill, we quote the narrative of 
their history. He sa^^s : 

"The emigration of some Scotch Presbyterians 
to New Hampshire, in 1718, while Shute was Gov- 
ernor, w^as of much importance. The people who 
undertook tobetter their condition in America, were 



-^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



799 



descendants of the colonists who had been trans- 
ferred by James the First to the North of Ireland, 
where their condition, from penal laws against Prot- 
estants and from local taxation, had become intol- 
erable. Arrived first in Boston, they dispersed in 
various directions; but sixteen of the families hold- 
ing together, settled upon lands a few miles north- 
east of Haverhill, in New Hampshire. The disputed 
title of the land gave them some trouble, but under 
the Governor'' s protection they remained upon the 
spot of their choice, and, being joined from time to 
time by other families, they called their place Lon- 
donderry in 1723. Their minister, MacGrregor, in- 
formed Gov. Shute how offensive it was to them to 
be confounded with the Irish, against whom they 
had fought always in the defense of Protestantism; 
but the New Hampshire people were jealous of the 
new-comers, who went into quiet possession of the 
soil at a time when their own lauds were threatened 
with litigation. The Presbyterians did the province 
the good service of introducing the manufacture of 
linen by the .spinning-wheel and the cultivation of 
the potato. The vegetable was first planted at And- 
over, whose inhabitants began by boiling the balls 
instead of the bulbs, wondering when the result was 
served up at their simple tables, that a potato was 
considered an esculent. The prosperity attending 
the new colonists led other people to petition for 
grants of land." 

Andrew Wilson's grandfathers, for six gen- 
erations in direct descent, were named John 
Wilson. His own grandfather, John Wilson, 
was an original settler at Londonderry, N. H., 
and his own father was a triplet, and was so 
small that he was placed in a quart cup at 
birth, but subsequently grew to be a very large 
man, and was known as "Big John Wilson," 
to distinguish him from another family, who 
were known as "Little Wilsons.'" "Big John 
Wilson's '' family consisted of twenty-one chil- 
dren, all living to grow up and meet together 
at one time. Andrew Wilson was one of the 
oldest sons. The family descendants are now 
numbered by the hundreds, and are scattered 
from New Hampshire to Oregon. He lived a 
serene and happy life, and died at the ripe old 
age of 81 years and 2 months, Dec. 23, 1880. 
He was a stanch Whig and Kepublican in pol- 
itics during life. In later ^^ears a member of 
the Disciples' Church where he resided. His 
wife passed on before him in 1856 to the re- 
ward of a faithful life. Some years later, Mr 
Wilson married for the second time, Mrs. Nan- 
cy Lindse}', a sister of his first wife, who sur- 
vives him." Andrew Wilson's children were : 
first, Harriet, who married Austin B. Burdick, 
and resides at Grand Rapids, Mich.; Nancy W., 
married Lansford W. Perry, of the lumber firm 



of Woods, Perry & Co., Cleveland, Ohio ; the 
first son, Emery, died in infancy ; Julie E., 
married William H. Hower, junior partner of 
the firm of Hower & Son, dry goods, Cleveland, 
Ohio ; died Aug. 25, 1871, aged 37 years, leav- 
ing one child, a daughter. Birdie E. Hower ; 
Andrew J., farmer and blacksmith, a soldier 
for three years, on the Union side in the great 
rebellion ; married Miss Laurie Lindsay, and re- 
sides on his farm in Stow. Hiram Y. resides in 
Cleveland, and is a member of the lumber firm 
of Fisher, Wilson & Co. ; married Miss Alma 
Fisher. Abbie A., married E. C. Simpson. Chief 
of the Akron Fire Department (see biography) ; 
also connected as foreman of the machine de- 
partment of the Buckeye Mower & Reaper 
Works, and resides in Akron. John W. was ac- 
cidentall}' killed by the fall of a tree at his 
home, then in Warrensville, Ohio, at the age of 
15 years ; Solon N., lumber dealer at Akron, 
where he resides (see biography) ; Mary Z., 
married Daniel Tuttle, and resides at Grass Val- 
ley, Cal.; Mattie L., married Harpin A. Bots- 
ford, a brother of Solon N. Wilson's first wife ; 
resides at Cleveland, Ohio. 

JOHN J. WAGONER, President Wadsworth, 
and Manager Franklin Coal Companj-, Akron ; 
was born in Franklin Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio, Dec. 17, 1832, and is the fifth child in a 
family of nine children, born to George and his 
second wife Rebecca (Sowers) Wagoner. They 
were natives of Cumberland and Lancaster 
Counties, Penn. George Wagoner was a farmer. 
He came to Ohio in 1812, and settled near Canal 
Fulton, in Stark Co.. where he lived about four 
years, during which time he lost his first wife. 
Her maiden name was Sarah Rhodes. By the 
marriage, there were four children. In 1816, 
he came to Franklin Township, where he bought 
some wild land, which he improved, and lived 
upon until his death, on April 23, 1873. The 
deceased was a member of the Lutheran Church, 
in the affairs of which he took an active interest. 
He served his township as Treasurer for sixteen 
consecutive 3'ears ; was well known and re- 
spected by all. Mrs. Wagoner, his second wife, 
survives him. She is living on the old home- 
stead, and is now (1881) past 77. She is a daugh- 
ter of Henry Sowers, Sr., who settled in Frank 
lin Township about the year 1814. He was a 
blacksmith, and followed his trade in Man- 
chester. John J. Wagoner received a common- 
school course of study. At the age of 19, he 



rp* 



800 



BIOGRAPHICAL .SKETCHES: 



began teaching in East Liberty, and tlie follow- 
ing spring he came to Akron, where be engaged 
as a clerk with J. D. & J. M. Edson, with whom 
he remained until 1855, when he formed a part- 
nership with John Sisler, and conducted a gen- 
eral merchandise business at Manchester, this 
county, until 1862, when he sold his interest 
and returned to Akron, where, in the following 
October, he engaged in the mercantile business 
with iMr. Jacob Wise, and later became first a 
partner, and, upon the formation of a stock 
company, the Secretary and Treasurer of the 
J. F. Seiberling Company, of Akron, manufact- 
urers of the Excelsior Reapers and Mowers, 
which position he held until 1874, when he 
withdrew, and purchased an interest in the 
Wadsworth Coal Company, of which he became 
President. In February, 1880, his son, C. F. 
Wagoner, purchased the Franklin Coal Mine, 
of which his father is General Manager. Nov. 
8, 1855, he married Miss Catharine Weaver, a 
native of Fi'anklin Township. By the marriage, 
there are two children, viz., Charles F. and 
Carrie May. 

S. N. WILSON, lumber dealer and contractor, 
Akron ; was born in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, Oct. 
19, 1843, and is the sixth of eight children born 
to Andrew and Lurancy (Thomas) Wilson. Our 
subject was brought up on the farm. He re- 
ceived an academic course of study ; also at- 
tended one year at Oberlin, which place he left 
to enlist in the 150th 0. V. I., in which com- 
mand he served about four months, and was at 
Washington, D. C, when attacked by the rebel 
Gen. Early. He returned home from the army, 
and took the management of the home farm, 
owning a place on becoming of age, when he 
went to Kent, and conducted the lumber busi- 
ness three years. He then came to Akron, 
where he has conducted the business since. 
Jan. 15, 1868, he married Miss Alice E. Bot- 
sord, a native of Middlebury, now Akron, Ohio. 
She died Jan. 14, 1870. June 20, 1872, he 
married Miss Nannie C. Albertson, a native of 
Millersburg, Ohio. They have three children, 
viz., Lena L., Ralph B. and Ross A. 

B. F. WHEELER, grain buyer, Akron; 
was born in Salem, Mass., June 9, 1808, and 
is a son of Oliver and Hannah (Ashby) Wheel- 
er, who were natives of New Hampshire and 
Massachusetts, and were married in Salem. He 
removed to Rochester, N. Y., about the year 
1817, and, some ten years later, to Cattaraugus 



Co., where he engaged in cabinet manufacture, in 
connection with his trade of millwright, and 
lived there until his death, in about 1856. Mrs. 
Wheeler then removed to Akron, Ohio, and 
lived with her son, B. F. Wheeler, until her 
death, in 1865. Our subject lived at home 
eleven years ; he then went into a drug store 
for two years, after which he went to Rochester 
and clerked in a dry goods store for six years. 
He then returned to Cattaraugus Co., and 
worked at the cabinet business for a time. He 
was married, July 11, 1829, to Miss Eliza Miles, 
a native of Vermont, and, in 1836, he 
moved with his family to Ohio, and settled at 
Franklin Mills, now Kent, Portage Co. In the 
spring of 1840, he moved to Akron, and 
worked at painting several years, and then en- 
gaged in the grocery business, being the second 
in that line in the place. He was located where 
the Empire House now stands, and followed 
the business some ten 3'ears. After clerking 
for his son-in-law a few years, he went into the 
grain trade. During the war, he bought and 
shipped grain, and, after its close, he engaged 
as buyer for Mr. F. Schumacher, and has con- 
tinued in that capacity ever since. Mr. 
Wheeler was formerl}' a Democrat, and. upon 
the enactment of the Fugitive Slave Law, he 
became a Free-Soiler, then a Whig, and finally 
a Republican, upon the organization of that 
party. His wife died in 1844 ; she was the 
mother of five children, three of whom are now 
living — Sarah, Mrs. John Starr, of Akron ; 
Julia, Mrs. M. Simpson, of Michigan, and Henry 
F. Mr. W. was again married, October 30, 
1845, to Miss Catharine F. Butts, a native of 
Columbiana Co., Ohio. Three children is the 
result of this marriage — OUie L., now Mrs. W. 
H. Thompson, of Meadville, Penn.; Minnie E., 
now Mrs. M. R. Hayne, of Akron, and Harry 
E., of Akron. In 1851, Mr. W. joined Summit 
Lodge, No. 50, I. 0. 0. F., and has been an 
active member ever since ; has been Perma- 
nent Secretary of his Lodge for the past fif- 
teen years. He is a Past Grand and a Past 
Patriarch, and was Representative to Grand 
Encampment three times. He has been an 
active worker in the temperance cause for over 
half a centur}' , and was the first man in " old 
Cattaraugus " to attempt to raise a house with- 
out the use of liquor. 

JOHN WILLSON, livery, feed and sale sta- 
ble, Middlebury; is a native of Staffordshire, En- 



^ 



'-^ 



CITY OF AKRON, 



801 



gland, and was born Nov. 15, 1834. He lived 
at home, engaged in different kinds of labor, 
until he was 23 years of age. His education 
was wholly' original, never having attended 
school a da}' in his life, except Sabbath school. 
At 23, he began, in a small way, trading in 
green grocei'ies at his house, and also using a 
wagon in same business, which he continued 
several years, when he went to work in a brick- 
yard, and, in 1862, he came to America, to ac- 
complish which he borrowed one-half of his 
passage money. He landed in Quebec, Can- 
ada, and soon located in Toronto, where, for a 
time, he worked as a hostler. He then went 
to Meadville, Penn.. and worked on the Broad 
Gauge Railroad, and, in the summer of 1863, 
came to Akron, where he has since lived. 
He first commenced work in the potteries by 
the day, and afterward began teaming ; next 
ran an omnibus for awhile, and finally engaged 
in his present business. In the summer of 
1880, his stable was burned, and, the following 
fall, he erected his present brick stable, 1125 
Market street, which is 35x100 feet, and two 
stories high. He keeps from nine to twelve 
horses in livery, and six at teaming and job- 
bing. In the summer of 1849, he was married 
to Miss Esther M. Cooper, a native of Stafford- 
shire, England. There have been nine chil- 
dren, six of whom are living — Henry, Eliza- 
beth (now Mrs. James White, of Akron,) 
Greorge, Albert Edward and Francis. Mr. 
Wilson has always been Republican in poli- 
tics. 

ALANSON WORK, Vice President of Ak- 
ron Rubber Works, Akron. Alanson Work, 
Sr., was a native of Connecticut, and moved to 
Illinois. He was one among the first of the 
Anti-slavery men. He was imprisoned, in 1841, 
for helping slaves to escape, the sentence being 
for twelve years, l)ut he was pardoned out after 
three years, and with one George Thompson, 
went as a missionary to Africa. Alanson Work, 
Jr., was born at Quincy, 111. on March 1, 1842, 
and when he was about 5 years old his par- 
ents moved to Middletown, Conn., thence to 
Hartford, where he attended public schools 
until he was 17, spending one year in Trinity 
College. When 19, he was employed in the 
Metropolitan Bank of New York, and continued 
seven years. In 1868, he moved to Cincin- 
nati, Ohio, and, as partner in the firm of Cham- 
berlain, Gibbs & Co., engaged in building rail- 



road bridges and railroads, for two years, and 
when he went to Rhode Island and took a con- 
tract to rebuild the bridges on the Providence 
& Wooster Railroad, putting up fourteen double 
track bridges in about one year. Next he took 
charge of a fire engine manufactory, at Provi- 
dence, R. I. He was Superintendent of the 
Allen Fire Department Supply Co. for five 
years, and during that time took out several 
patents on fire engine supplies, one now adopted 
by tiiC United States, being Work's Patent 
Coupling. Januaiy 1, 1879, he became Vice 
President and Superintendent of the Akron 
Rubber Works, where he has since been em- 
ployed. He was married, in 1865, to Miss 
Henrietta Lane, of Brooklyn, L. I. She bore 
him seven children. 

JOHN WOLF, merchant, Akron. Christo- 
pher Wolf, physician, a native of Bavaria, was 
the father of John Wolf, and died thi'ee 3-ears 
after the birth of our subject, leaving him with 
no means other than sucli as his own ingenuity 
might invent. John was born in Town Selb, 
Bavaria, Jan. 25, 1837. He attended German 
schools until he was 14 years of age. In 1851, 
he came to the United States, reaching Aurora, 
Ind., in December ; at this place he clerked in 
a store until 1853, in September of which 3'ear 
he came to Akron, and here clerked nine years, 
two of them with G. T. McCurdy, and seven for 
M. W. Henry. In 1862, he became a partner 
in the firm of M. W. Henrj' & Co., which part- 
nership continued seven years ; he sold out in 
1869. In the spring of 1 870, he became a mem- 
ber of the firm of Wolf, Church & Beck, in the 
Academy of Music building, remaining there 
five years, when they moved to their present 
place, and have since done a large wholesale 
and retail dry goods and notion business. Oct. 
25, 1864, he married Miss Anna Howe, of Ak- 
ron, daughter of Richard Howe, one of the pio- 
neers of Akron. He is a Director of the Sav- 
ings & Loan Association, and was one of the 
members of the firm of Taplin, Rice & Co., and 
a director and stock-holder in the same. 

WILLIAM WATERS, foreman puddling 
department Akron rolling-mill, Akron ; son of 
John and Ann (William) Waters ; was born in 
Monmouthshire, South Wales, Dec. 27, 1823. 
At 14, he entered a rolling-mill as helper in the 
British Iron Works of Monmouthshire, and 
worked at different places as puddler. In 
1846, he came to the United States, and located 






jvj: 



■A> 



802 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



at Troj-, N. Y., where he worked in a rolling- 
mill some three 3'ears, and then came to Porae- 
roy. Meigs Co., Ohio, and was employed in the 
same manner four years. He then moved to 
New Castle, Penn., remaining until 1860, and 
moved thence to Niles, Trumbull Co., Ohio, 
until 1864, returning to New Castle, remaining 
until 1867, in each of these places being em- 
ployed in rolling mills. In April, 1867, he 
came to Akron, and, at the opening of the 
mills here engaged as puddler, until December, 
1869, when he was made foreman of that 
department, a position he still retains, having 
now about ninety men in his department. Oct. 
3, 1843, he married Miss Ann Rodrick, of Mon- 
mouthshire, South Wales. He has eight chil- 
dren living, viz., Eliza, Thomas, Lewis, Ann, 
Mary, Kate, John and James. He has been a 
member of the M. E. Church for twenty years. 

LORENZO D. WATTERS, lawyer, Akron, 
son of Hiram and Elizabeth (Croninger) Wat- 
ters, was born Oct. 4, 1855, in Carroll, Fairfield 
Co., Ohio. When he was 14 3'ears old, his par- 
ents came to Akron, where he attended public 
schools until 1872, when he entered Buchtel 
College, at its opening, remaining until 1875, 
when he spent one year with his father in the 
construction of a mill. In the spring of 1877, 
he entered the law office of J. J. Hall, for the 
purpose of studying the profession, and was 
admitted to the bar March 17, 1879, when he 
at once formed a partnership with Mr. Hall, 
and has since been in active practice under the 
firm name of Hall & Watters. He is one of 
Akron's best lawyers. 

JAMES WILDES, Akron ; son of Patrick 
and Mar^' (Grough) Wildes was born in Kin- 
derhook, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1838. His parents 
were born near Dublin, Ireland ; when James 
was but a child they came to Portage Co., near 
Ravenna. Patrick was Superintendent of the 
Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal from Breakneck to 
the junction of the Ohio Canal at Lock 1, and 
for about four 3'ears James assisted him, after 
which he went to California by the Panama 
route, and remained about four 3'ears. He 
worked in the gold mines for some time, and 
afterward in the copper mines of Calaveras 
Co. He returned b3' water route in July, 1864, 
and located with his father on a fruit farm in 
Berrien Co., Mich., near St. Joseph, remaining 
a year, after which he came to Kent and entered 
the employ of the Atlantic & Great Western 



Railroad Compan3' as fireman and mechanic. 
In 1868, he left that position and came to 
Akron, where he laid the track of the Brewster 
Railroad, reaching from Main street to the 
mines of Coventr3' Township, a distance of 
some five miles. He remained in the employ of 
Brewster & Sons as manager and engineer for 
ten 3'ears. In 1878, he opened a coal office on 
Mill street, where he was located until 1879, 
when he became the agent for 0. S. Jacobs, 
dealer in coal, and has since continued, doing a 
large business. November, 1864, he married 
Miss Lizzie Callahan, of Tallmadge, Ohio, and 
there are two sons and two daughters of their 
mai'riage. He was elected Street Commis- 
sioner of Akron in April, 1881, b^^ a large 
majoritv. 

GEOKGE I. WRIGHT, lawyer, Akron, is a 
son of James Wright and was born Aug. 29, 1849 
in Suffield Township, Portage Co. His father 
was a native of England, and in 1821, when 9 
3^ears old, came with his parents to the United 
States, and in 1832 the3^ settled in Springfield 
Township ; he was a Justice of the Peace, and 
was successivel3^ farmer, saw-miller, etc., in Lucas 
Co., Ohio. He bought a place on North Hill 
in about 1865, where the famil3' now reside, on 
Tallmadge avenue. He died in November, 
1876 and was an enthusiastic Republican. In 
the winter of 1870, subject entered Alleghan3' 
College, at Meadville, Penn., from which he grad- 
uated in 1874, with the first honors of his class. 
He was three 3'ears Superintendent of Cliagrin 
Falls schools, when he removed to Meadville, 
1?enn., remaining there until the summer of 1880, 
when he returned and became the law student 
of N. Hodge. In August, 1875, he was mar- 
ried to Miss M. A. Williams, daughter of Prof. 
S. D. Williams, of Meadville, Penn. The3' have 
two sons. 

GEORGE W. WEEKS, of the firm of Bald- 
win & Weeks, Akron, a son of Leavitt and Celes- 
tia (Ta3ior) Weeks, was born Nov. 24, 1831, 
in Wadsworth Township, Medina Co., Ohio. 
In June, 1832, the family removed to a farm in 
Copley Township of this count3^, where his 
3'outh was spent, and where he attended the 
common and select schools of the time. His 
mother died when he was 17, and the famil3' 
was broken up. At 18, subject went to Iowa 
and worked on a farm near Burlington until 
1854, when he went to the "gold diggings" 
near Georgetown, Cal., by way of Panama. 



.1^- 



CITY or AKRON. 



803 



He returned the next year, by the same route, 
to Copley Township, and engaged in farming. 
In 1864, he moved to the village of Copley 
Center and taught school for a time. In 1866, 
he leased a farm in the vicinity, and operated it 
until 1873, when he came to Akron and as- 
sumed the office of County Clerk, to which he 
had been elected the 3-ear previous. He filled 
the office six \'ears. Feb. 4, 1880, he became a 
partner in the firm of Baldwin & Weeks, doing 
a large business in furniture, undertaking and 
upholstery. He was married in February, 1856, 
to Miss Mary A. Coon, of Copley Township. 
They have six children living — ViraE., G-eorge 
W., Jr., Leavitt A.. Olie M., Irving H. and 
John L. Mr. W.'s father, Leavitt Weeks, was 
born in 1792, and when a child, the family re- 
moved to Vermont, where they followed farm- 
ing until about 181i), when he came to Wads- 
worth Township. There were three brothers — 
Moody, Peter and Leavitt ; the two latter were 
carpenters. Leavitt married Celestia Taylor, a 
native of Connecticut, and died in Michigan in 
1866. They had ten children — Darius died at 
Middlebui'y in 1879 ; Cyrus, a farmer near 
Des Moines, Iowa ; Maudred F., is sheep-raiser 
in Sandwich Islands ; our subject ; Rossney 
M., oil producer at Bradford, Penn.; Martha, 
wife of late Mr. Ford, at Santa Barbara, Cal.; 
Mary, wife of M. L. Warner, of Cuyahoga Co.; 
Harrison, a farmer in Copley ; Peter, a grain 
merchant at Beason, 111.; Henry, at same 
place. 

HORTON WRIGHT, Akron. Hortou, son of 
Chester and Abigail (Davis) Wright, was born' 
at Elyria. Ohio, Sept. 22, 1825. The greater 
portion of his youth was passed in Cleveland, 
to which city the family removed in 1836, 
Peninsula, Summit Co. and Ft. Wayne, Ind., 
having in the meantime, been places of resi- 
dence. Remaining here for a period of thirteen 
3'ears, occupied for the most part in attending 
school, working at the printer's trade, and in 
the grocery business. He removed, in 1849, to 
Columbus, and in 1850, accepted a position at 
Cincinnati as tuner in a musical instrument 
factory. In this business he remained until 
1875, being emplo\'ed successively by H. B. 
Horton & Co, Akron; Child & Bishop, Cleve- 
land, and the successors of the firm of II. B. 
Horton & Co., of Akron, and as a general piano 
tuner. At the last-named date (1875), he be- 
came Librarian of the Akron Public Library, 



which position he now holds. With the excep- 
tion of two years' residence in the West he has 
lived in Akron continuously since 1862. In 
November 1856, he was married in Columbus to 
Miss Susan W. Baker, daughter of Edward Baker, 
of Akron, and has two sons, John B. and 
Chai'les B., both of whom reside at home. 

GEN. TH031AS F. WILDES, Lawyer, Ak- 
ron ; son of Patrick and Mary (Gough) Wildes, 
both of whom were natives of Balbriggan, 
near Dublin, Ireland, where they were mar- 
ried. They came to Montreal, Canada, in 
1832, where they lived until 1839, when they 
removed to Ohio and settled on a farm near 
Ravenna. Mr. Wildes died there in January 
1877, and his wife in November, 1875. Three 
sons were born to them, viz., Thomas F. (the sub- 
ject), John C, who enlisted in Co. A., 4th Michi- 
gan Cavalry, and died in Murfreesboro Hospital, 
April 2, 1863 from wounds and typhoid fever; 
and James, a coal dealer of Akron. Thomas F. 
Wildes, the subject of these notes, was born 
near Montreal, Canada West, June 1, 1834. He 
came with his father's famil}' to Portage Co., 
Ohio, in 1839, and remained there on a farm until 
he was 1 7 years of age, when he left home with 
an education limited to reading and writing, 
and for several years worked for farmers near 
RaA'enna during the summer, and went to 
school in the winter time. He attended the Twins- 
burg Academy, and also an Academy at Marl- 
boro, Stark Co., Ohio, and still later, 1857 and 
1858, spent two years at Wittenburg College, 
Springfield. He became Superintendent of the 
Wooster G^raded School during the years 1859 
and 1860. He purchased the Athens, Ohio, 
Messenger, of which he became editor and 
owner on the 1st of January, 1861, and re- 
mained in charge of it until August 1862, when 
he I'elinquished it to become Lieutenant Colonel 
of the 116th 0. V. I. He was almost constantly 
in command of this regiment or its brigade, 
until February, 1865, when he was promoted to 
Colonel of the 186th 0. V. I. The 116th was 
in twenty-eight l)attles, and according to the 
report of the War Department made in 1855, 
it stood fourth among Ohio regiments in point 
of number of men and officers killed in action, 
and sixth in these regards and number of men 
who died of disease. In all these engagements, 
Gen. Wildes was in command of the regiment 
or of the brigade to which it was attached. He 
was wounded several times during the war ; 






804 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



some of these wouuds were so serious, that he 
has not yet recovered from their effects. One 
of these wounds was received at the battle of 
Cedar Creek, when " Sheridan was twent}' miles 
awa}^" and in whicli Gen. Wildes commanded 
his brigade. He got off his horse, bound up 
the wound, which was in the thigh, with 
his handkerchief, and then i^eturned to 
his saddle and there remained until the 
battle ended. His brigade was the only 
one of Crook's corps which remained unbroken 
when the Confederate Gen. Gordon struck and 
flanked it that memorable morning. This bri- 
gade was composed of the 116th, 123d Ohio, 
34th Massachusetts and battalion of the 5tli 
New York heavy ai'tillery — the battalion being 
captured on the picket line. The three regi- 
ments stuck together through that awful flank- 
fire, made four separate charges during the day, 
and at night camped in their old quarters. 
This was the only brigade in the corps that 
saved its camp equipage and stores from the 
disaster of the early morning, and it was done 
by hai'd fighting. For his gallant conduct in 
this battle, Col. Wildes was commissioned Bre- 
vet Brigadier General. In February preceed- 
ing this promotion, he was made Colonel of the 
186th, as already stated, and was sent with it 
to Chattanooga, whei'e, in command of a brigade 
he served until the close of the war. Septem- 
ber 18, 1865, he was mustered out, having 
been in the service over three years, the larger 
portion of the time as Brigade Commander 
in the Army of West Virginia, the Army of the 
James and the Army of the Tennessee. Upon 
leaving the ai'my, he turned his attention to 
the law, and on the 2d of April, 1866, he grad- 
uated from the Law Department of the Cincin- 
nati University, and was simultaneously admit- 
ted to the bar. He entered upon the practice of 
his profession at Athens, Ohio, where he resid- 
ed until 1872, when he removed to Akron, and 
has been an active practitioner in the courts of 
Summit and surrounding counties ever since. 
In 1866, he was a candidate before the Republi- 
can State Convention, and lacked but three votes 
of a nomination for Seeretax\y of State. He was 
also prominently mentioned for the same office 
in 1880, but declined the candidacy. He is an 
able lawyer, a pleasing speaker, an enthusiastic 
advocate and an energetic worker in political 
campaigns. 

RICHARD B. WALKER, Akron. Aaron 



W^alker was born in Belchertown, Hampshire 
Co., Mass., as was also Miss Submit Clark, 
whom he married. They were the parents of 
ten children, of whom but one was a daughter. 
In 1850, they removed to Illinois, where they 
died. Richard B. was born to them in Belcher- 
town, Mass., Aug. 11, 1825 ; he was the seventh 
of their nine sons. In January, 1852, he mar- 
ried and came to Akron, previous to which 
time he had been engaged in mercantile pur- 
suits. After his arrival here he purchased a 
stock of agricultural implements which he sold 
at retail, it being the first store of the kind in 
Akron. Connecting this with hardware he did 
a thriving business until 1862, in which year 
he was employed by Aultman, Miller, & Co., as 
traveling salesman for Northern Ohio. As at 
that time there were but few of the now popu- 
lar " Buckeye " machines in his assigned terri- 
tory, he was successful in effecting great sales. 
Owing to their superiority over the mowers 
and reapers he had previously sold, he devoted 
his time exclusively to them from 1858. It re- 
quired a great deal of labor to introduce the 
first machines ; when set up ready for action, 
there was alwaj's a great crowd of spectators, 
anxiously awaiting its movements. In the 
winter of 1858-59 he purchased one hundi'ed of 
them, and, in spite of the frost, sold ninet}^- 
seven. From that time the business has been 
constantly and rapidly increasing. At one 
time there were many competitors, but the 
number is lessened now ; each year he has con- 
ducted numerous field trials and has done the 
active outside work. In 1859, the " Buckeye " 
won a $10-prize offered to the machine 
among the best then made that would most 
quickly mow a half-acre of land. In Januar}', 
1852, our subject married Miss Mary E. Jen- 
nie, of Ware, Mass. ; they have four sons, viz., 
William, a book-keeper at Cleveland, Ohio ; 
George R., a law3'er at Chicago ; Charles, also 
a book-keeper at Cleveland, and Arthur H., a 
student at Williams College. He is a member 
of the Congregational Church. 

ADAM E. WALKLTP, painter and grainer, 
Akron ; born in Van Buren Co., Iowa, June 28, 
1847, to David and Elizabeth (Brower) Walkup. 
The Browers are of old Holland Dutch extrac- 
tion and heirs of the famous Anneke-Jans-Bo- 
gardus estate now in litigation. The subject of 
this brief sketch is the 3'oungest of three sons ; 
four daughters younger composing the family. 



^ a 



L^ 



CITY OF AKRON. 



805 



At the death of his mother in 1856, he went to 
live with a man by the name of John Clark, 
who resided in Decatur Co., Iowa, with whom 
he lived until his 19th yeai", learning carding 
and spinning, which he subsequently followed 
in different parts of Iowa and Illinois, until in 
the year 1869. In the year 1868, while work- 
ing at the mills in Warsaw, 111., he was caught 
in a pair of steel cog-wheels, which tore the 
flesh from the bone of his right leg, from the 
knee to the ankle, making a ver}' painful wound, 
which laid him up for a considerable time ; also 
at Burlington, Iowa, he narrowly escaped death 
b}^ being accidently caught in machinery. 
His father, with the two oldest sons, fought 
nobly in the late war, and, after a second mar- 
riage, moved to Nebraska, where he is now liv- 
ing. In 1870, the subject of this sketch came 
to Millersburg, Ohio, where he engaged in his 
present occupation, and in the spring of 1871, 
came to Akron, where he was married the fol- 
lowing November to Susie Henry, daughter of 
William and Susan (Evans) Henry, residents of 
Green Township, this county. By this marriage 
there have been born three sons — William Ed- 
mond, born Jan. 2, 1874 ; Royal Andrew, Jan. 3, 
1876 ; Orvil Stephen, June 22, 1878. They are 
members of the Evangelical Association, and 
he is a stanch Republican. 

HENRY YOUNG, son of Daniel and Anna 
M. Young, was born in Wiltshire, England, Feb. 
22, 1831, and was but a babe when the family 
came to the United States, settling in Wayne 
Co., Ohio. There the father had preceded 
them, and had rented a mill three miles from 
Wooster. He operated several mills in Wayne 
and Richland Cos. until his death in 1845. 
The subject of this sketch worked on a farm 
until he was 18 years old, when he learned the 



cabinet trade at Millersburg, Ohio, with one 
Isaac Harpster, serving thi'ee years. He worked 
at La Grange, South Bend and Logansport, Ind., 
returning to Millersburg in 1854, where he 
opened a cabinet-shop, and carried on business 
until 1864. He then came to Akron, and at 
the opening of the Buckeye works entered as 
a wood machinist. In October, 1867, he was 
made foreman of the wood-work department, 
which position he still retains, having over a 
hundred men under his supervision. 31r. 
Young is a member of the Congregational 
Church, is a Democrat in politics, and has been 
in past years, and and is now, a member of the 
School Board for the Second Ward. On the 
30th of May, 1854, he married Miss Elizabeth 
C. Justice, of Millei'sburg, Ohio. Their only 
child is Robert J., of Akron. 

ROBERT J. YOUNG was born at Millers- 
burg, Ohio, on the 1st day of 1855, and came 
to Akron with his parents at the age of 10. He 
graduated from the Akron High School in the 
summer of 1871 ; entered Western Reserve Col- 
lege in the fall of 1872, where he remained two 
years, and completed his collegiate course at 
the University of Michigan, being a member 
of the class of 1876, of which he was class- 
day orator. Having studied law for a time in 
the office of Hon. Wm. H. Upson, he went to 
Toledo where he served as cit}^ editor of the 
Daily Commercial until the summer of 1878. 
Returning then to Akron, he resumed his law 
reading, and was admitted to the bar in June, 
1879. Since that date, he has practiced in the 
city, first as junior member of the firm of Hodge 
& Young, afterward alone. On the 2Sth of 
June, 1877, he was married to Miss Ida Mount, 
of Ann Arbor. Mich., who died at Akron on 
Jan. 30, 1881. 



;v 



'^. 



!" 



?> 



806 



BIOGRAPPIICAL SKETCHES: 



PORTAGE TOWf^SHIP. 



JOSEPH BABB, farmer ; P. O. Akron ; was 
born May 4, 1820, in Berks Co., Penn. His 
fatlier's name was David Babb ; bis mother's, 
Susan (Marks) Babb. The grandfather's name 
was Mathias; he was a native of Germany. He 
had thi-ee sons, David, Samuel and John ; he 
had also three daughters. The eldest son was 
the father of the subject of this sketch. The 
mother of Joseph Babb had eleven children. 
Joseph came to Osnaburg, Stark Co., Ohio, 
about 1825, and stayed two or three years, and 
then came to Springfield Township where he 
resided until 1859, when he moved to Portage 
Township where he still lives. The father of 
Joseph was a cabinet-maker. He had eleven 
children born, seven of whom reached matu- 
rity — Catharine, Sarah, Polly, Susan, David, 
Samuel, Joseph. The last mentioned started 
out in life at the age of 14, binding himself to 
H. G. Weaver (subsequently a Representative 
from Summit Co.) for three years. The terms 
of the bond were six months' schooling, boaixl 
and clothing, and 80 acres of Government 
land. At the expiration of the three years, 
Joseph took the value of the land in cash, pre- 
ferring it to the real estate. He continued in 
the employment of Mr. Weaver for two years 
at $180 a year, and one summer at $12 a month. 
He then went to Stark Co., and worked for his 
brother David three years, at an average of 
$128 a year. After this, he rented the farm of 
Mr. Weaver and purchased a threshing machine 
at the same time, the two he ran for three years. 
His was the first cleaning machine in Summit 
Co. Mr. Babb subsequently went into the pot- 
tery business in Springfield, in tlie Purdy Pot- 
tery, which he managed for two years. He 
then hired the Purd}' farm in Mogadore, work- 
ing it for four years. After the expiration of 
that time, he returned to Stark Co., Lake 
Township, and purchased a farm and saw-mill, 
which he owned for four years, when he dis- 
posed of it and came to Portage Township, this 
count}', where he finally settled down, having 
bought 260 acres in the extreme northeast cor- 
ner of the township upon which he continues 



to reside. The land cost him $28 an acre and 
is now worth $100. Mr. Babb was married 
March 25, 1847, to Elizabeth Wise. His wife 
was born July 80, 1822, in Stark Co. She was 
the eldest child of George H. Wise. The fam- 
ily of Mr. Babb consists of five sons and one 
daughter, their names are Jacob M., George 
W., Amelia M., the wife of Horace Camp ; Wra. 
W., Frank N. and Edwin. The father began in 
Portage comparatively poor, but by thrift and 
economy has acquired a competence. In pol- 
itics, he is a Republican ; in religion, he is 
skeptical. 

HARRISON BAUCHMAN, faft-mer and 
dairyman ; P. 0. Akron ; was born in Lehigli 
Co., Penn., Oct. 15, 1888 ; the son of Theobold 
and Mary Ann (Wilhelm) Bauchman, who 
moved to Norton Township during the spring 
of 1835 and settled upon a farm of 160 acres 
which they purchased from a Mr. Pardy ; the 
Bauchman family afterward removed to Spring- 
field Township, and finally into Coventry, 
where Theobold died in February, 1866 ; Mrs. 
Bauchman died in August, 1872. At the age 
of 14, Harrison was employed by his elder 
brother, who farmed their father's land in Nor- 
ton Township, and continued with him until he 
attained his majority ; he then worked for other 
parties some twelve months ; when about 22 
years of age, he purchased a threshing ma- 
chine, which he ran for several seasons ; for the 
next seven years, he was employed by John R. 
Buchtel on the farm now owned by Mr. Bauch- 
man, which he purchased from his emplo^-er 
some sixteen years ago ; he bought 75 acres of 
Buchtel and 15 of another man, sold 84 acres, 
and has at the present time 56 acres. Mr. 
Bauchman has been engaged in the dair}^ bus- 
iness for many years ; his establishment, which 
stands second to none of its kind in the county, 
is conducted upon a system adopted b}' the pro- 
prietor after years of experience ; at the pres- 
ent time, he keeps over forty cows, and these 
are mostly of the Jersey grade. June 6, 1867, 
he was married to Miss Amanda Richards, 
daughter of William Richards, of Akron ; their 



__J) 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



807 



present residence, built during the summer of 
1875, is one of'the largest farmliouses in Sum- 
mit Co., and so neat and tasty in appearance 
that it would be an ornament to the city if lo- 
cated in the finest quarter of Akron. 

CHARLES W. BAUER, farmer; P. O. 
Akron ; the subject of this sketch was born in 
Northampton Co., Penn., Nov. 22, 1836 ; he was 
the son of Charles and Saloma (Miller) Bauer, 
who moved to Summit Co. in 1842, and 
purchased in Norton Township 140 acres of 
land, which tract was occupied by the Bauer 
liimil}- for over twenty-five 3'ears, and owned 
by Mr. Bauer at the time of his death, in Oc- 
tober, 1876 ; his wife is still living in Norton 
Township. Charles W. Bauer was educated in 
the common schools of Norton, and, for two 
terms, he attended the Western Star Normal 
School ; he worked for his father until 23 years 
of age; was married May 26, 1860, to Miss 
Mary Serfass, daughter of Andrew and Sarah 
(Hawk) Serfass ; then worked for his father-in- 
law for two years. In 1862, he removed to 
Berrien Co., Mich., and resided there nine 
months ; then returned to Norton Center, and 
for about three years, worked at coopering ; 
the next five years he farmed in Norton Town- 
ship, first renting 100 acres of land belonging 
to Jacob Wise, and then 160 acres of David 
Baughman ; about the year 1873, he rented the 
Dodge farm in Portage Township, continuing 
on this land four years ; then purchased 73 
acres some three miles west of Akron, which he 
occupied three years. In the spring of 1880, 
he returned to the Dodge farm, upon which he 
is now located, managing at the present time 
this tract of 380 acres and his own farm. For 
the past six years he has been engaged in the 
dairy business, which he conducts very success- 
fully on an extensive scale. He has always 
been a Democrat and voted the ticket '" straight " 
at State elections ; at other times supports the 
best men. Mr. and Mrs. Bauer are members of 
the Lutheran Church, at Loyal Oak. They are 
the parents of five children, all living — Hiram 
Elmore, Albert Franklin, Erving Wellington, 
Artie Monroe and Viola Jane. 

EDWARD A. BARBER, farmer ; P. 0. Ak- 
ron ; was born in Genesee Co. (now Wyoming) 
N. Y., Dec. 30, 1826; son of JaredB..and 
Electia (Turner) Barber, who were both born in 
Connecticut, Jared B. on Feb. 1, 1793, and 
Electia June 29, 1799 ; they were married at 



Wales, Erie Co., N. Y., Dec. 25, 1815. Electia 
Turner was the daughter of Jacob and Phoebe 
(Spencei') Turner, early settlers of what is now 
Buffiilo, N. Y. ; Phffibe died Oct. 11, 1811, and 
was buried in the woods, and the site of her 
grave is now in the heart of Buflfalo ; Jacob 
died Nov. 3, 1820. Jared B. Barber was a sol- 
dier for a short time during the war of 1812, 
and his wife drew a pension from the Govern- 
ment for several years previous to her death. 
They removed to Ohio in July, 1831, and set- 
tled in Norton Township, then Medina County ; 
after two years, the Barber family removed to 
Copley and purchased GQ acres of land from 
Gad Bronson ; they remained here some fifteen 
years, then returned to Norton Township for a 
short time, and, finally, settled on a small piece 
of land in Portage Township, where Jared B. 
died April 17, 1854; Electia his wife died 
March 29, 1881. They were the parents of 
three children — Jane, now Mrs. Dennison Pet- 
tibone, a resident of Akron ; Spencer T. en- 
listed in the 13th Mich., V. I., during the 
rebellion and died in the service ; Edward A., 
the youngest child and subject of this sketch, 
was four years of age when his parents removed 
to Ohio ; he received a common-school educa- 
tion and worked on his father's farm until 22 
3'ears of age ; then removed to Indiana where 
he remained some six months. He returned to 
Ohio and purchased, with his brother Spencer, 
the 66 acres in Copley belonging to their father; 
this tract was too small for both to farm and 
Edward A. sold his interest to Spencer, and 
shortly afterwai'd bought a small piece of land 
in Portage, to which he has added since then 
other I'eal estate, and now owns about 40 acres. 
After returning from Indiana, Edward A. worked 
at the stonemason's trade for five years ; then 
learned the carpenter's trade and foUowetl this 
for over twenty years in Akron, working both 
in the city and in the country' ; he is at the 
present time engaged in farming; was married 
May 17, 1851, to Miss Caroline Derthick, daugh- 
ter of Corydon and Fannie (Judd) Derthick, of 
Copley Township ; she was born Oct. 6, 1831 ; 
they have one daughter, Florence, who was mar- 
ried Sept. 4, 1871, to Levi Monosmith. Mr. 
and Mrs. Barber and daughter are members of 
the Disciples' Church of Akron. Mr. Barber 
has served for two terms as Assessor of Port- 
age Township. 

SOLOMON BARE, retired farmer and gar- 



\-^» 
^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES; 



dener ; P. 0. Akron ; born in Berks Co., Penn., 
May 28, 1814; son of John Adam and Susan 
(Knoehr) Bare, who resided in Berks Countx-, 
some eighteen miles from Reading, until the 
year 1833, when they removed to Niagara 
Co., N. Y. John Adam was always a farmer ; 
he afterward returned to Pennsylvania, and 
died in Mercer County about the year 1863 ; 
his wife died many 3^ears previous. Solo- 
mon received a knowledge of the common 
branches in the schools of Berks County ; he 
worked at farming until about 32 3'ears of age, 
then learned the trade of a boat-builder, and 
was employed by Lyman A. Spaulding, of Lock- 
port, for several years, after which he followed 
this trade a short time in Erie, Penn., and 
Cleveland, Ohio. About the year 1853, he re- 
moved to Summit County, and for some three 
years worked at the carpenter's trade ; then 
worked at Wadsworth, Medina Co., for six 
months, then removed to Norton Township, 
where he continued in the hotel business many 
years ; was located first at Bates' Corners, then 
at Johnson's Corners and removing to Bates' 
Corners. While in Norton Township he pur- 
chased his present propert}' near Akron, pay- 
ing $100 per acre for 20 acres, and removed to 
this land in October, 1864, where he has since 
resided. He was engaged for many ^^ears rais- 
ing small vegetables for the Akron market, 
which proved a very lucrative business. In 
later years, he laid out upon his laud two addi- 
tions to the city of Akron, and a street between 
them has been named Bare street in his honor ; 
this land has been much improved by the pro- 
prietor, who has erected several houses upon 
various lots, but a portion has been sold b}" 
him at the rate of |1,200 an acre. Mr. Bare 
started out in life as a poor boy, but, by industr}' 
and good management, he has secured a com- 
petencj'. He was married first to Miss Eliza 
Lindsey, daughter of George W. Lindsey ; by 
her he had two children — Thomas J., the eldest 
enlisted in the 29th 0. V. L, during the rebell- 
ion, and was killed at Rocky Face ; the young- 
est, Frances Louisa, is now Mrs. Thomas Raw- 
lins, of Akron ; Mr. Bare's first wife died, and 
he was married to Mrs. Mar}' Baughman, daugh- 
ter of Abraham Burgey ; by her Mr. Bare had 
three children — Isabella and Ida, who now re- 
side with their father, and William Henry, who 
died aged 4. Some two 3'ears since, he was 
married a third time to Miss Caroline Hartman, 



daughter of Peter Hartman. Mr. and Mrs. 
Bare are members of Grace Reformed Church 
of Akron. Mr. Bare has always been a Demo- 
crat, but, during the war, gave his support to 
the Union party, voting for Brough in 1863, 
and Lincoln in 1864. 

SMITH BUNKER, farmer; P. O. Akron ; is 
a native of the Green Mountain State. His 
parents were Dodavah and Rebecca (Hall) Bun- 
ker. Dodavah was born in Barnstead Co., N. 
H., and Rebecca, at old Hartford, Conn. The}' 
were married at the latter place, and moved to 
Huntingdon, Chittenden Co., Vt., where Smith 
was born, Marcii 9, 1818. The Bunker family 
settled in Norton Township in 1834, where they 
remained one year ; then removed to the Dodge 
farm, in Portage Township, and after five years, 
to Bates' Corners, Norton Township, where Mrs. 
Bunker died. Her husband then moved to 
Berrien Co., Mich., and died there about 1845, 
at the age of 83. Smith was educated in the 
common schools of Vermont, receiving in- 
struction at a school three miles from his home. 
When about 18 years of age, he purchased a 
threshing-machine, in partnership with his 
brother Abraham. This was an old style ma- 
chine, being only a thresher, and it was neces- 
sary to separate the wheat from the straw with 
a rake. After one year, Abraham removed to 
Michigan, and Smith continued the business 
alone for nearly ten years. He then worked at 
Gale's furnace, in Akron, for twelve months, 
and was employed on the farm owned by Mr. 
Gale's heirs for two years ; then for several 
3'ears worked for various parties in Copley and 
Portage Townships. About the year 1856, he 
purchased from Horace May 26 acres of the 
farm he now occupies, trading for it 40 acres 
near Loudonville, Ohio. He afterwaz'd bought 
31 acres from James Lyon, and now owns 57 
acres. When the Bunker famil}' first settled on 
this land, in 1856, the country in the immediate 
vicinity was very wild, in consequence of the 
condition of Copley Swamp, whicli has since 
been drained ; at that time, Mr. Banker could 
from his door-step shoot wild turke3's, and he 
reports that once he killed four at one shot. 
The swamp was in those days a favorite " roost " 
for wild pigeons, and several settlers in the im- 
mediate vicinity state that occasional I3' the 
pigeons would fly so thickly to and from the 
swamp that they could not see the sun for an 
hour. Mr. Bunker was married, April 21, 



■Tfi 



Oi, 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



809 



1849, to Miss Mary Ann, daughter of John and 
Rpsannah (Ritchie) Sherboudy. She was born 
Jan. 23, 1832 ; they are the parents of ten chil- 
dren — Alfred T., now of Keokuk, Iowa, and 
married to Ella Tremble; Rosa, now Mrs. Jason 
Bunker ; Sarah, died, aged nearly 3 ; Lu- 
rinda, died, aged nearl}' 2 ; Ophelia, Ella, 
Oscar, Elmer, William and Homer. 

ROYAL BROCKWAY, farmer; P. 0. Akron. 
This gentleman is a native of Broome Co., N.Y., 
where he was born Feb. 1, 1815 ; when about 
4 3'ears of age, his parents moved to Tioga 
Co., remaining there some ten 3'ears. In the 
fall of 1830, they settled in Medina Co., Ohio, 
residing in Wadsworth Township for three 
years, and after 1833, in Norton Township. 
Royal's parents were William and Rhoda 
(Taylor) Brockway ; they had four sons, who 
removed to Medina Co. with them — Almeron, 
died while a resident of Sharon; Royal, of Port- 
age Township; William, now of Sharon; Lesley, 
died in 1855 ; the father died in 1860, aged 84, 
and Rhoda, his wife, 1867. Royal was educated 
in the schools of New York State and Medina 
Co. ; worked on his father's farm until he at- 
tained his majority ; removed to Indiana, where 
he was married, July 3, 1838, to Miss Susan E. 
Hall, who was born and raised in Perry Co., 
Ind. ; she was the daughter of Presley and 
Nancy (Anderson) Hall. Royal remained in 
Indiana some twelve months, working at the 
carpenter's trade ; then farmed his father's land 
in Norton Township one year ; he returned to 
Indiana, and remained three years. In 1845, 
he bought 80 acres of land in Copley Town- 
ship, which he occupied until 1853, when he 
left for California, remaining there three 3'ears, 
during which time he mined, kept boarding- 
house and worked as a carpenter and joiner ; 
his wife was with him in California. They re- 
turned to Ohio in 1856, and two years after- 
ward, on April 11, 1858, he left for Pike's Peak ; 
while crossing the plains to Denver, he had 
charge of the company to which he was at- 
tached. Mr. Brockway relates many interest- 
ing incidents which occurred during his life on 
the border, and of which he had a personal 
knowledge. After six months, he returned to 
Summit Co., where he has since resided. He 
farmed in Copley- Township until November, 
1864, when he removed to Portage, having sold 
his land in Cople}'. Mr. Brockway owns at the 
present time, 247 acres in Portage, which he 



purchased in 1860. For some years he has 
been engaged in the dair}^ business, and was for 
three years connected with a cheese factory, 
during which time he kept from 45 to 75 cows ; 
he afterward made cheese on his own farm for 
a short time. Royal has served as Trustee of 
Copley Township ; was chosen Captain of a 
" squirrel-hunter " company during the rebell- 
ion. Mr. and Mrs. Brockway are members of 
the Universalist Church, of Akron ; the\^ are 
the parents of two children — Rice W.,"^born 
Dec. 18, 1842, and Royal, born April 1, 1856. 
Rice was a member of the 104th Regiment 0. 
V. I., and served during the war ; he was mar- 
ried, March 30, 1865, to Adeline S. Thompson, 
and they have one child — Linus. Royal, Jr., is a 
boiler-maker, and resides in Akron ; he was 
married, Jan. 3, 1875, to Caroline P. Stoskopf, 
and they have one son — Lyle. 

ROYAL BAIRD, farmer ; P. 0. Akron ; is a 
native of New England, born at Grafton, 
Windham Co., Vt, Sept. 17, 1806, the son of 
Abijah and Abigail (Stickney) Baird. The 
Stickneyshavebeena prominent and influential 
family of New England and the United States 
for many years ; the following descent is taken 
from a printed genealogy, now in 3Ir. Baird's 
possession : William Stickney, of Frampton, 
England, was baptized Dec. 30, 1558 ; his son 
William was baptized Sept. 6, 1592 ; Samuel, 
his son, was born in England 1633, and shortly 
afterward they emigrated to America ; William, 
son of Samuel, was born Jan. 27, 1674 ; his 
son William, Oct. 14, 1704 or 1705 ; his son 
William, April 3, 1743, and his daughter Abi- 
gail, March 6, 1770 ; she was married, June 25, 
1793, to Abijah Baird, who was born, June 25, 
1767 ; they were the parents of ten children, 
as follows : Abijah, Franklin, Ebenezer, Abi- 
gail, Esther, Ira, Royal. Louisa, Celia Arvilla 
and Josiah Dana. Abijah died at Bridgewater 
in 1844 ; his wife, April 28, 1847. Royal, sub- 
ject of this sketch, came to Ohio in the fall of 
1833; a short time afterward, purchased 113 
acres in Copley Township ; he returned to 
Boston, where he engaged in business until 
1836, when he settled on his farm, but for some 
seven years he remained in Philadelphia the 
greater portion of each 3'ear, where he was em- 
ployed. In the spring of 1850, he left for 
California, and stayed in the gold regions two 
j-ears ; since then he has been a farmer and 
stock-dealer ; he owns at the present time 161 



r^ 



810 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



acres in Cople}' and 68 in Portage Township ; 
was married May 9, 1836 ; he is the father of 
one child, Gusta Minerva ; she was born Feb. 
8, 1837, and married Zachariah R. Prentice, of 
Portage Township ; they have two childi-en, 
Burton C, born Feb. 5, 1874, and Hubert 
Hayes, born Aug. 22, 1876. Mrs. Baird was 
born June 12, 1820 ; she is a grand-daughter 
of Mrs. Elizabeth Wiuslow, who married Joseph 
Hawkins, May 20, 1784 ; they settled in Ver- 
mont when that State was comparatively new, 
and suffered many hardships. Joseph was 
born in Providence, R. I., Nov. 3, 1760 ; 
was a soldier during the Revolutionary war, 
and a captive for three years in a British prison ; 
removed with his two sons and three daughters 
to Ohio, in 1833, and died Nov. 17, 1848 ; his 
wife died May 6, 1829 ; their daughter Susan 
married Caleb Casewell, who died in 1826 ; 
Susan died February, 1862 ; they were the 
parents of Mrs. Royal Baird. 

SIMON BONFIRE, farmer ; P. 0. Akron ; was 
born in Germany in 1842, the son of John Bon- 
fire, who came to this country when Simon was 6 
months old, and settled in Portage Township, in 
what is styled " Chuckery," where he engaged 
at his trade of shoemaker. August, 1861, Si- 
mon enlisted in Co. E, 115th 0. V. I., and served 
three years as a soldier, earning an honorable 
discharge. On Jan. 17, 1866, he married Maria 
Wise, who was born March 4, 1840. For six 
years he worked in the Buckej-e shops, but 
since has been engaged in farming ; he has 
good property in the township ; he had one 
child, Ermie E., who died at the age of 7, of 
diphtheria. Mr. Bonfire votes the Republican 
ticket. 

A. L. CALDWELL, farmer ; P. 0. Akron ; 
was born Jan. 13, 1838, near Logansport, Ind. 
His parents were Tarleton and Julia (Vrooman) 
Caldwell. Tarleton Caldwell was born in Vir- 
ginia, near Clarksburg, about the year 1816. 
His ancestors were natives of Ireland, who, 
coming to America, settled in Virginia. Tarle- 
ton came West with his parents when a mere 
youth, settling in Indiana, where he was mar- 
ried to Miss Vrooman, who was born in Scho- 
harie Co., N. Y. The Vroomans are of German 
stock. Our subject moved with his parents to 
Missouri ; stayed nine years, then went to Cali- 
fornia, in 1849, and engaged in mining, where 
the elder Caldwell still resides (Lower Califor- 
nia). Ten children were born them, who were 



Abner, William, Marion, George, Charles, John, 
Jerome, Hugh, Ida and Dora, five of whom are 
now living. Abner engaged in mining with his 
father. In 1860, he returned to the Buckeye 
State. April 2, married Mary Pitkin, who was 
born in 1843, in Fulton Co., 111., daughter of 
Judge Stephen Pitkin, who married Julia Lusk, 
daughter of Amos Lusk, one of the early pio- 
neers in the county. After his marriage, Mr. 
Caldwell returned to California, where he re- 
mained until 1865. He has since been a resi- 
dent of the township, and has been engaged in 
farming. He was for some time employed as 
clerk previous to the time he located on his 
farm, consisting of 70 acres, on Tract 3. 

JAMES COURTNEY (deceased) ; was born 
in 1816, in County Kerry, Ireland; son of Patrick 
and Mary McCarthy Gallee, who had eleven chil- 
dren born them — Daniel, John, James, Francis, 
Jerr}', Thomas, Patrick, Mary, Abigail, Margaret 
and James. James was married in Ireland to 
Mar}- Harrit}', and by her had one son — James, 
who was killed in the late war, having served 
all through the rebellion. He was a member 
of Co. A, 1st Regiment, and was in the artil- 
ler}' — a true and valiant soldier, and was killed 
while manning his gun, in 1864. Mr. Courtney 
emigrated to this country in 1840. He came 
to Akron, where he worked for several years 
as a common laborer. Having no means when 
he came to this country, was glad to get work 
for any price, 50 cents per day being the price 
paid at first, yet he succeeded in saving suf- 
ficient means to enable him to purchase 30 
acres of unimproved land, which he cleared up. 
In 1864, he moved to the north part of the 
township, purchasing 100 acres. His wife died 
in 1853. In September, 1861, he married Mrs. 
Julia Hogan, who was born Feb. 2, 1825, in 
Kilkenny, Ireland, daughter of Stephen and 
Mary (Welch) Bergen. Mr. Courtney died Feb. 
19, 1878. He was esteemed by all who knew 
him as a good neighbor and an upright citizen. 
He was a successful business man, having se- 
cured all his property by his own industry. 
Mrs. Courtney was first married to Patrick Ho- 
gan, in April, 1845, and came to America the 
same year of their marriage, landing in New 
York. Mr. Hogan died in 1857. She came West 
the following year. By Mr. Hogan she had six 
children, but three living — Nora, who married 
Frank Courtney, son of James Courtney, by his 
first wife. Mary, Mrs. James McGuire, and 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



811 






Stephen, now in Colorado. By last wife, Mr. 
C. had two children — Joseph and Julia. 

A. CURTISS, fanner ; P. 0. Akron ; was born 
in 1836, in Boston Township ; son of Giles and 
Fannie (Carter) Curtiss. Augustus left home be- 
fore his majority. He was raised to farming. 
In 1855, he went to California, where he re- 
mained four years, returning home after a suc- 
cessful experience, being engaged in mining, 
and at one time in the grocery trade. In Au- 
gust, 1861, he enlisted in Co. A.". 2d 0. V. C, and 
served until June the following year, when he 
was discharged on account of disability, caused 
from a heavy fall from his horse. He was 
then engaged in the dairy business in Stow 
Township with his brother. In 1864, he en- 
gaged in the lumber business. Nov. 25, 1865, 
he was married to Helen Barniiart, born July 
27, 1845, in Boston, daughter of William and 
Laura (Chaffee) Barnhai't, to whom were born 
Laura, William H., Mary and Helen. In the 
fall of 1868, Mr. Curtiss was elected Sheriflf of 
the county, and re-elected in 1870. He after- 
ward served as a Deputy four years, and dur- 
ing the whole time served the people in a man- 
ner creditable to himself and with satisfaction 
to the people. He has since been engaged in 
tarming, having 158 acres of land. He has no 
children. Mr. Curtiss' father was born in Con- 
necticut in January. 1808 ; son of Ethan ; his 
wife in 1807, in Ireland. They came to this 
country and settled in Boston Township in 1815. 
Ethan, the father of Giles Curtiss, had three sons 
— Lewis. Nelson and Giles, the latter the only 
surviving member of the famil}-. Ethan finally 
located in Trumbull Co., Ohio. Giles located 
in the southeast part of Northfield, about the 
year 1840, where he cleared up that farm, and 
is yet living with his worthy companion. They 
have had seven children, six of whom grevv 
up — William A., George S., Augustus, Mills, 
Lewis and Eliza, who married Sylvester Hone}', 
and lives on the homestead. 

HENRY FREDERICK, farmer ; P. 0. Ak- 
ron ; born in Wayne Co., March 20, 1834 ; 
his great-grandfather, Thomas Frederick, was 
born near Lancaster. Penn., about 1745, and, 
when some 7 years of age, his father, Noah, 
was killed by the Indians, and Thomas taken 
prisoner. He was adopted as one of the tribe, 
and remained with them seven years, but, after 
the treaty with the French and Indians, he, in 
connection with all other captives, was deliv- 



ered to the English at Fort Du Quesne. He 
afterward settled in Northumberland Co., 
Penn., from which section he removed to Ohio 
with his family in the year 1804, and died 
May 3, 1808, while a resident of Center Town- 
ship, Columbiana Co. His wife, Anna Marga- 
ret Frederick, died Feb. 28, 1826. Their son 
Thomas was born near Lancaster, Penn., Dec. 
1, 1778 ; emigrated to Columbiana Co., with his 
father, in 1804 ; was married. May 2. 1804, to 
Elizabeth Schock, who was born March 8, 
1785. He was a soldier during the war of 
1812 ; removed to Wayne Co., and settled in 
Chippewa Township during the year 1813. He 
died July, 1871 ; was the father of fourteen 
children. His eldest son, Jacob, was born in 
Columbiana Co., February, 1805, and removed 
to Wayne Co. in 1813 ; was married to Marga- 
ret Rasor, and removed with his wife and fam- 
ily to Copley Township about 1843, where he 
now resides. Jacob had seven chiklren. as fol- 
lows : Samuel, Thomas, Henr}-, Eli, Benjamin. 
William and Christopher. Henry, the subject 
of this sketch, was educated in the common 
schools of Do^'lestown and Coplej' Townships ; 
worked for his father until May 20, 1858, when 
he married Miss Ellen Viei's, daughter of 
James McClintock and Eliza (Allen) Tiers'. 
During the summer of 1858, he worked out b}' 
the day. In October, 1858, he rented John C. 
Stearns' farm of ninety-seven acres, and farmed 
this three years ; then the farm owned by the 
heirs of Jonathan Spafford ; after about eighteen 
months, he purchased this land, which he after- 
ward sold. In the fall of 1 865, he removed to 
Norton Township, and, after eiglit months, re- 
turned to Coplev and rented 240 acres of Peter 
Wicks, which land he farmed for one year. In 
1867, he purchased 546 acres, in connection 
with Royal Brockway, from the Rhodes l)roth- 
ers. This land was divided between Messrs. 
Frederick and Brockway. The former sold a 
portion of his, and bought other tracts, and now 
has 233 acres. Mr. Frederick is, at the pres- 
ent time, engaged in raising stock and farming. 
He is a member of the Disciples' Cluirch of 
Akron. His wife is connected with the same 
congregation. The}' are the parents of three 
children — Charlotte Eliza, now ^Irs. Harry N. 
Sherbondy ; James McHenry. and Grant. Mr. 
Frederick was elected Trustee of Portage Town- 
ship in 1874, and served for three years ; was 
chosen Infirmar}- Director of Summit Co. in the 






fK 



812 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



fall of 1876, and re-elected in 1879. At both 
elections, he ran ahead of his ticket. 

FREDERICK FOUSE, farmer ; P. 0. Akron ; 
was born March 17, 1825, in Lake Township, 
Stark Co. ; son of John and Christina (Miller) 
Fouse. John Fouse was born in 1794, in Blair 
Co., Penn. ; his wife in 1801. John Fouse was 
a son of Nicodemus. The father of Christina 
was Abram Miller, whose family came to Ohio 
shortly after the war of 1812, locating in Stark 
Co. Tlie Fouse famil}' were among the early 
settlers in the county. Abram Miller settled 
in Plain Township ; John Fouse in Lake Town- 
ship, where he died, when his son Frederick 
was a babe. Four children were born them — 
Savilla, Nicholas, Priscilla, and Frederick, who 
is the youngest and only surviving member of 
the family. Frederick stayed at home until 22 
years of age. May 4, 1848, married Elizabeth 
Gaite, who was born Nov. 25, 1827, in Cumber- 
land Co., Penn., daughter of Jacob and Mary 
(Keiper) Gaite. Jacob was a native of Ger- 
many. The Gaite family came West about the 
year 1829, locating in Stark Co., and raised a 
family of nine children ; of the number living 
are Jacob, Levi, Joseph and Elizabeth. After 
Mr. Fouse was married he lived on the home- 
stead twenty-seven years. In January, 1873, 
purchased 107^i^2_^ acres, where he now resides, 
adjoining Akron on the northeast, costing $118 
per acre. Of eleven children born, nine are 
living, viz., Melinda, John, Reuben, Jacob, 
Edwin, Menodes, Fernando, William and Ira. 
He and wile are members of the Reformed 
Church. 

BENJAMIN G ARM AN, farmer ; P. 0. Ak- 
ron ; was boi'n June 20, 1819, in Lehigh Co., 
Penn. ; son of Abram and Elizabeth (Naffe) 
Garman, to whom were born Phillip, Conrad, 
David, John, Adam, Jacob, Henry, Abram and 
three daughters. Abram Garman's father was 
a native of German}", and came to Pennsylva- 
nia, settling in Lehigh Co. when the country- 
was new. Elizabeth Naffe was a daughter of 
Barnhart, who had three sons and one daughter. 
Benjamin, whose name heads this page, was but 
12 years of age when his father died. In 
1836, he came to Ohio with his mother and 
brother Eli, who located in Homer Township, 
Medina Co. Eli purchased eighty acres of 
land, and was for several years the head of the 
family, who, besides himself, were Josiah, Re- 
becca, Jai'ed, Benjamin, Abram, Levi, Eliza- 



beth and Mary. Benjamin worked three years 
for his brother, then worked one summer in 
Norton Township, and chopped the following 
winter. Returning to Lehigh Co., Penn., the 
spring of 1840, he married Esther Clouse, who 
was born in same county Dec. 19, 1823, daugh- 
ter of Phillip Clouse, whose wife's maiden 
name was Elizabeth Evart. both natives of 
Lehigh. Their offspring were Eliza, Sophia, 
Esther, Hannah, Nathan, David and Uriah. 
After Mr. Garman's marriage he returned to 
Homer Township, where he purchased forty 
acres of unimproved land for $250, and subse- 
quently added to the same until he had 120 
acres, when he came to this county, which was 
in March, 1863, when he purchased 151 acres 
at $34 per acre ; has since been a constant resi- 
dent of Portage Township, and among its val- 
ued citizens. Seven children have been born 
to him — Alfred, Rosa A. (who married Louis 
Esselburn, a resident of Homer), Elizabeth 
(married Frank Weygandt, and resides in Ma- 
con Co., 111.), Sarah (the wife of Leuis Andrews, 
and reside in Harrisville, Medina Co.), Irene 
(the wife of Mandus Baughman, of Wadsworth, 
Medina Co.), Uriah, and Alfred are residents of 
this township. Mary married Charles Starks, 
of Akron, Ohio. 

JOHN GLENNAN, farmer ; P. 0. Akron ; 
was born 1828, in Kilkenny, Ireland; son of 
James and Bridget (Killfoil) Glennan, the 
grandfather of John was Darby Glennan. John 
left the land of Eiin at the age of 22, to trj' 
his fortunes in America, lauding in New York, 
where he remained about one 3'ear and a half, 
and in 1852 came to Ohio, and began work in 
Akron and vicinity, working much o f the time 
in the stone quarries. Afterward purchased 
land, where he now lives, which was unimproved, 
costing him $40 per acre ; working in the 
quarries in the da}' time, and, upon his return- 
ing home, spent a portion of the night in clear- 
ing up his land. Oct. 19, 1852. married x\nn 
Bergen, born June 24, 1824, in Kilkenny, Ire- 
land. Her pai'ent3 were Stephen and Mar}- 
( Welch) Bergen, to whom were born thirteen 
children. jNIarch 11, 1878, after a short and 
sevei'e illness, Mrs. Glennan died, leaving a 
husband and five children to mourn her demise. 
She was a faithful wife, a loving mother, and a 
valuable helpmeet to her husband. The chil- 
dren are Katie, Bridget, James, Anna and 
Julia ; two deceased — Mary, aged 10, and 



71 



^k^ 



PORTAGE T0W:NSIIIP. 



813 



Stephen, a babe of 4 months. Mr. Glennan 
has a snug farm of thirty-six acres, upon which 
he has excellent buildings, all which have been 
the outgrowth of his own hard labor, assisted 
b}' his deceased worthy companion. With the 
exception of his brother James, in Tallmadge, 
he is the only representative of the family in 
the count}' or State. 

GEORGE W. GLINES (deceased), for many 
years Superintendent of the Summit County 
Infirmary, was born in Vermont Oct. 10, 1832, 
and died March 4, 1878 ; he was the son of Asa 
and Roxana (Sinclair) Glines. who removed to 
Lake Co. and settled near Painesville when their 
son was quite small ; Asa afterward settled in 
Cleveland ; his wife died in 1849, and, shortly 
afterward, while keeping a store on the West 
Side, he suddenly disappeared, and his relatives 
never heard from him. George W. was married 
June 4, 1856, to Miss Julia Ferguson, who was 
born in Willoughby, Lake Co., Dec. 24, 1832 ; 
she was the daughter of Finley and Julia 
(Judd) Ferguson ; Finley was born in August, 
1801 ; was the son of John and Mary Fergu- 
son, who were born in Scotland ; he died Dec. 
8, 1878 ; his wife died nearly fifty years since. 
The Judds were Yankees, and removed to Ohio 
from Boston, Mass.; shortly after, Mr. and Mrs. 
Glines were married the}' removed to Mayfield, 
Cuyahoga Co., where they farmed for nearly ten 
years. In 1864, Mr. Glines enlisted in an artil- 
lery regiment, and served until the civil war 
closed. He held several minor offices in Cuya- 
hoga Co., and, in 1868, received the appoint- 
ment of Superintendent of the Summit County 
Infirmary, and was employed by the Infirmary 
Directors to fill this responsible position from 
April 1, 1868, until he died. His widow, Mrs. 
Julia Glines, having demonstrated, during the 
ten years her husband was Superintendent, that 
she was eminently qualified for the position 
made vacant by his death, was appointed to 
succeed him, and the best evidence that she has 
successfully managed the institution is the fact 
that she has been continued in the same posi- 
tion ever since, and was, in January, 1881, re- 
appointed for the term commencing April 1, 
1881. Mr. Glines was during his life a member 
of the M. E. Church, and his widow is connected 
with the same denomination. Two children 
were the result of their marriage — Julia and 
Charles ; the latter died in infancy ; Julia was 
born Dec. 14, 1858, was married Nov. 27, 1877, 



to Worth Davis, and they have two children — 
Worth, born July 5, 1879, and James Finlev 
Davis, born Aug.' 12, 1880. 

JUSTUS GALE (deceased), was an enter- 
prising and successful business man in Akron 
during the early history of the place ; he was 
the son of Ephraim and Mollie Gale, who were 
residents of Guilford, Windham Co., Vt., at the 
time of his birth, Jan. 14. 1798 ; was educated 
in the schools of his native State, and married, 
June 8, 1823, Sarah Hyde, who was born at 
Guilford, April 26, 1802 ; she was the daughter 
of Dr. Dana Hyde, a prominent physician in 
Guilford for many years, and died July 18, 
1827 ; her mother's maiden name was Lucy 
Fitch. For some ten years after their marriage, 
Mr. and Mrs. Justus Gale remained in Ver- 
mont ; for five years, he was in the mercantile 
business at Dover ; then kept a hotel at Wells 
River for about the same length of time. In 
1833, they moved to Ohio and settled at Akron 
in July, embarking in the mercantile business 
with Edward Pulsipher and Alvin Austin, who 
were also natives of Vermont ; the firm was 
styled Pulsipher, Gale & Austin, and their es- 
tablishment was at what is now South Akron. 
At this time there were very few houses at Ak- 
ron, and the country between the village and 
Middlebury was a wilderness. After continuing 
in the mercantile business for some five years 
with Messrs. Pulsipher and Austin, they dis- 
solved business relations, and then Mr. Gale for 
some ten years ran a tin store ; for a short time 
he was a partner with Lyman Cobb ; in con- 
nection with Paris Tallman, they engaged in 
the raanuf!\cture of stoves, kettles and castings ; 
their furnace was situated on the site now oc- 
cupied by C. A. Collins' carriage establish- 
ment. Mr. Gale died June 28, 1847 ; previous 
to his death, he sold his interest in the furnace, 
and also purchased the 40 acres now occupied 
by his widow and her son ; in 1849. the Gale 
family removed to this land. Mr. and Mrs. 
were the parents of six children — Lucy Jane, 
now Mrs. Alexander Brewster, of Akron ; 
Sarah, married Frank Adams, now a resident 
of Middlebury — she died Jan. 11, 1863, leav- 
ing two daughters — May, now Mrs. Charles Per- 
kins, and Julia, now IMrs. Arthur Latham ; 
Francis Gale, died in 1845, aged 16 ; Ann, now 
Mrs. Theodrick Balch, of Akron ; Henry, was 
married Dec. 3, 1857, to Miss Mary Pettibone, 
daughter of Norman and Susan (Whitmore) 



J^ 



814 



B rOGPt APHIC AI . SKETCHES : 



Pettibone — they have two children, Jennie 
Adams and Susie Hjde ; Maiy, the 3'oungest 
daughter, married James C. McNeal, of Akron ; 
tliey have two children. Grant and Sarah. 
Mr. Gale served for several years as a Justice 
of the Peace in Vermont. His wife is now a 
member of the Episcopal Church of Akron. 

ENOS HAWKINS, farmer ; P. 0. Akron. 
Among the early settlers of Portage Township 
were the Hawkins family, who were natives of 
New JEngland. Enos was the son of John Em- 
erson and Jemima (Pratt) Hawkins ; the former 
was the son of John and Sarah Hawkins, and 
was born Aug. 18, 1780, in Woodstock, Wind- 
sor Co., Vt. ; Jemima, who was the daughter 
of Asa and Betsy Pratt, was born Oct. 20, 1785. j 
They were married in 1803, and nine children [ 
were the result of their union : Enos, subject 
of this sketch ; Ira, who died man3-3'ears since, 
while a resident of Portage Township ; Lucy, 
married Ansil Miller, and died at Akron ; Mary, 
married Luman Mills, and died while a resident 
of Wadsworth Township ; John Wesley died I 
at the age of 16 ; Asenath married Wm. Ellis, 
a resident of Boston Towhship, and died about 
1843 ; Horace, and Nelson, the 3'oungest child, j 
are now residents of Portage Township ; Al- I 
raira, the youngest daughter, married Zachariah 
Prentice, of Portage Township, and died man3' 
3'ears since. Six of the above children moved 
from Veimont with their parents, in 1816. 
The3' reached Portage Township, October 28 of 
that year, and shortl3' afterward Mr. Hawkins 
purchased 100 acres of land. At that time no 
other families were residing in the southwestern 
portion of Portage Township, but Josh King 
lived near where Simon Perkins does now. 
Enos Hawkins, subject of this sketch, was born 
near the Green Mountains, Bridgewater Town- 
ship, Windsor Co., Vt, Dec. 5, 1803, and was 
nearl3' 13 3'ears of age when his parents moved 
to Ohio. He received a knowledge of the com- 
mon branches in the schools of Vermont and 
Ohio. In 1825, he was a member of the locating 
party employed to survey the route of the Ohio 
Canal, and continued at this business for two 
3'ears. When the canal was opened, he was ap- 
pointed Superintendent of Repairs, and had 
charge of the section from Cleveland to Short 
Pinery Level ; this division was some eighteen 
miles in length, and he continued at this for 
man3^ years, until removed by the Democratic 
Administration at Columbus, Mr. Hawkins be- 



ing too much of a Whig to suit the ruling 
part3'. He then farmed in Independence Town- 
ship Cuyahoga Count3', until about the 3-ear 
1872, when he removed to his present farm. 
In 1830, he purchased nearl3' 100 acres of land 
in Portage Township ; since then he has sold a 
portion of this, and now has 49 acres. He was 
married in 1836 to Miss Mar3' Parker, daughter 
of Cardy and Mary x\nn (Lee) Parker. They 
were the parents of four children : Emil3', died 
in infanc3' ; Emma, died aged 16 ; Minerva, 
now Mrs. A. W. Gillett, of Portage Township ; 
J]lla, now Mrs. Charles Green, of Independence, 
Cu3'ahoga Co. Mrs. Enos Hawkins died Jan. 
11, 1854. 

JOSEPH HILL, farmer, Akron ; was born 
Nov. 30, 1825, in Guilford, Windham Co., Vt. 
His parents were T3'Ier and Sallie (Fish) Hill. 
Tyler was born in New Hampshire in 1793, 
son of Fisher Hill, whose wife's maiden name 
was Chase. T3'ler Hill emigrated West with 
his family in 1836, coming by canal from Troy 
to Buffalo, thence b3' water to Cleveland. At 
Brookl3'n, he secured an ox team, conve3'ing 
his family to this count3', making his settle- 
ment in the northeast part of Twinsburg, 
where he purchased 144 acres of land. Having 
at the time of his arrival $1,300 in money, 
which was expended for land and such neces- 
saries as circumstances required ; here he re- 
mained until his death ; he was a good citizen 
and a Christian, who adhered to the tenets of 
of the Baptist Church. Six children were 
born them, whose names were Delight, Han- 
nah, Ambrose, Jane, Joseph and Sarah. 
Joseph was married March 14, 1854, to Mehita- 
ble Drake, born Feb. 29, 1836, in Boston Town- 
ship, daughter of Nathan and Lizzie (Bowker) 
Drake. He was born in New Hampshire, Dec. 
1, 1786 ; she, in same State, Ma3' 30, 1792. 
To this couple were born the numerous family 
of fifteen, whose names were, David, Silas, 

Mary, Amy, A , Jasper B., James N., 

Emily, John D., Elizabeth, Joseph, Benjamin, 
Nathan, Mehitable and Mariamne. After Mr. 
Hill was married he moved to Solon Township, 
where he lived five years, then moved to Twins- 
burg and stayed two 3'ears, returning to Solon 
and lived three 3'ears. Located on the farm he 
now owns, in 1864 ; since remained. Has now 
over 300 acres of land situated in the extreme 
north part of the township. Of eleven chil- 
dren born him, Charles G., Jessie, Ira M., Joit- 






:l^ 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



815 



ajuba, Aquilla, Schuyler J. and George M. 
are living ; Lillie L. died at 7, Leander at 5, 
Lizzie and Viva when young. Farming is the 
business in which he has been engaged. Not 
a member of an}' orthodox church. Father 
was Democratic ; Joseph, llepublican. The 
parents of Mr. Hill were Baptists. Her father 
died in 1852, mother about seven years later. 
Were early settlers. 

CHAUNCEY HART, deceased. This pio- 
neer was born in Oneida Co., N. Y., Sept. 10, 
1797 ; son of Reuben Hart, who was a native 
of Connecticut. Chauncey moved to Tallmadge 
in 1816. Oct. 10, 1819, he married Rosella 
Hard, who was born in 1798. in Berkshire, in 
North Vermont. She was a daughter of Abram 
and Rebecca (Flagg) Hard, whose children 
were Cyrus, xlbram, Nelson, Moses K., Orilla, 
Sophia, Rosella, Laura and Julia A. In 1821, 
Mr. Hart moved to Wads worth, Medina Co., 
where he purchased some unimproved land, 
which he improved. Li 1853, he located in 
Akron, where he lived several years ; then he 
located on his farm, where he died, March 20, 
1877. His wife died the year following, March 
26. To them were born four children ; but two 
are now living, Mrs. Cunningham and Mrs. 
Beardsley. For more than one-half a century, 
he was a member of the M. E. Church. From 
that time forward he never wavered from his 
course, but attested the genuineness of his pro- 
fession by an upright and blameless life. For 
the last seven years, he was an invalid, and 
suffered greatl}', yet through all his affliction he 
waited with Christian resignation for his Mas- 
ter's call, and was ready to pass over to the 
shining shore. His remains now rest in the 
cemetery, near by his last home. Amanda, his 
j-oungest daughter, was born in October, 1840, 
in Wadsworth. Oct. 17, 1861, she married 
Avery S. Beardsley, who was born in Coventry, 
this county, Oct. 26, 1838, son of T. and Tem- 
perance (Spicer) Beardsley. Mr. and Mrs. 
Beardsley have one son, Chauncey Hart ; they 
reside on the homestead farm. 

WILLIAM H. JONES, farmer ; P. 0. Ak- 
ron ; was born July 17, 1833, in Oneida Co., 
N. Y. Son of John H. and Sarah (Simpson) 
Jones. The former was born August, 1806, in 
Albany, N. Y., son of Samuel and Betsey (Ham- 
ilton) Jones. Samuel was boi'n at Schenec- 
tady, N. Y., in the " Mohawk Dutch " settlement. 
Betsey Hamilton was born in Dublin, Ireland, 



where she lived until 11 years of age. Sarah 
Simpson was a daughter of John. John H. 
Jones came west in 1834 to Ohio, remained 
some time, and then moved to Indiana. They 
had six children who grew up to maturity — - 
Louisa, William, James, Mary E., Charlotte 
and Sebra. William H., was raised to farming. 
On Aug. 25, 1862, he enlisted in Battery B, 
and served one year, when he was discharged 
on account of (lisability. He returned home, 
remaining until February, 1864, when he re-en- 
listed in Co. B, 188th 0. V. I., and remained 
until the close of the war. March 14, 1855, he 
married Susannah Best, a daughter of John 
Best, who was born in Mercer Co., Penn., in 
1796 ; son of John Best, who came from Ger- 
many and settled in Mei'cer Co., when the coun- 
try was new. John Best married Rebecca 
Watson, a daughter of Galiriel Watson, who 
had fourteen children born to him. John Best 
came to Northampton in 1832, where he pur- 
chased unimproved land at the center of the 
township, which he cleared up, and lived on 
the same as long as he lived. His death oc- 
curred March 18, 1861 ; his wife is yet living. 
They wei'e members of the Methodist Episco- 
pal Church. They had ten children. Mrs. Jones 
being the eldest of the family. To Mr. and 
Mrs. Jones haA^e been born ten children, eight 
of whom are living. They have 100 acres of 
land. Mr. Jones' father was killed in August, 
1868. His wife died Jan. 14, 1877. 

GEORGE MILLER, retired farmer, Akron, 
whose portrait will be found in this work, has been 
a resident of the State since 1810 ; was born Dec. 
14, 1807, in Perry Co., Penn., eldest child of Ja- 
cob and Sarah (Lutman) Miller. The Millers 
are of German stock, and were among the better 
class of that nationality who left the " Fader- 
land " to cast their lots with America and its 
varied interests. At the age of 3, our subject 
" came West " with his parents, who made their 
first settlement in Can field Township, Trum- 
bull Co. He was a carpenter b}- trade, but his 
worldly possessions were very limited indeed. 
His first purchase of land was 60 acres, which 
he partially cleared. The country at this time 
was a dreary wilderness, the inhabitants were 
very few and much scattered. He immediately 
began the arduous task of clearing a spot for 
cultivation, and soon had a cabin erected in 
which he resided until 1816, when he moved to 
what is now Wadsworth Township, Medina Co. 



^1 



816 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



(then Portage), where he purchased 120 acres 
of Gen. Wadsworth at $3 per acre. Here he 
found as uninhabitable a place of settlement 
as in Trumbull Co. The nearest settlement on 
the east was that of Joseph Harris, of Harris- 
ville Township, sixteen miles distant. Upon 
this place he spent the remainder of his life, 
dying in 1859 ; his wife preceded him nearl}' a 
score of years. Of the family born to this 
couple were George and his twin, who died 
young ; Samuel, who died aged 1 year, Petsey, 
who died at 14 ; David was killed at Akron 
while in the discharge of his duties as fireman 
at a fire ; John ; Aaron died while on his wa^- to 
California in 1851 ; Catharine married Reuben 
Baughman ; Mary now Mrs. Alexander Beck ; 
Harriet, now Mrs. Shaflfer ; and Susan married 
Henry Parmelee. George was raised to hard 
labor ; what schooling he obtained was the plain- 
est rudiments of the cabin schools, but was in- 
ci'eased by careful study at his father's fireside. 
His father being a carpenter and cabinet-maker, 
George soon learned the use of tools and as- 
sisted his father in his labors as a house-builder, 
and manufacturing such articles as were re- 
quired by the early settlers who came to their 
western homes without tables, (chairs, or scarce- 
ly any furniture. Coffins were manufactured 
for the unfortunate ones, which were split out 
of logs, then hewn out to encase the mortal 
remains of the lone pioneer. Mr. Miller left 
home at the age of 23, made his first purchase 
of land in Sharon of 60 acres of unimproved 
land, which cost him $4 per acre ; he afterward 
added 1 5 acres, and then 27. After a residence 
of three years, he returned to Wadsworth, where 
he purchased 100 acres, which he cleared up, 
remaining on the same until 1853, when he 
moved to his present place on Tract 4, which 
has ever since been his place of living. In 
1831, he married Rebecca Baughman, daugh- 
ter of Paul Baughman. Upon Mr. Miller's ar- 
rival here he purchased of Gov. Tod 240 acres 
at $25 per acre. He has now 231 here, and 120 
in Wadsworth. His faithful wife was taken 
from him in the j'ear 1868, leaving him four 
children — Paul, now in California ; Sarah, who 
married S. Coplin, and has five children — 
Charles, George, RoUin, Homer and Oscar ; 
Martha married Frank Springer, now of Medina, 
having one child, Fred, by her first husband ; 
John F., at home, he married Charity Brouse, 
daughter of William Brouse, of Wadsworth ; 



John F. has one child, Elton. Paul married 
Matilda Horn, and b}' her has two sons. Mr. 
Miller has already passed the limit allotted to 
mankind and is now spending the eve of his 
life in the sweet quiet of his home. He is held 
in high esteem by all who know him. Polit- 
ically he has been Democratic, and always true 
to the principles embraced by his part}-. Re- 
ligiously, he was reai'ed a Lutheran, but later in 
life he has become impressed with the doctrine 
of universal salvation. He has been a man of 
industrious habits, and been prospered in all 
of his business undertakings ; he has taken an 
active part in whatever was calculated to ad- 
vance the interests of the people at large ; has 
been a substantial member of the comniunit}', 
and liberal in his contributions to charitable 
and educational purposes. He has devoted his 
life to agricultural pursuits, never seeking the 
publicit}- of office, yet, at the solicitations of 
friends, has filled several offices of trust in the 
community. While in Medina Co., he served as 
Justice of the Peace, Township Trustee, Treas- 
urer and Assessor. Acting independently of 
sect or denomination, yet has favored every- 
thing known to be right and opposed to wrong ; 
honestly and openh* laboring to promote good 
morals and advance the common interests 
of all good citizens. By his frugality and in- 
dustry he has acquired a handsome property', 
and is one of the self-made men of the county. 
JOHN McCAUSLAND, farmer and brick 
manufacturer ; P. 0. Akron; was born June 
26, 1824, in County Antrim, Ireland, and is a 
son of James and Jane (Drain) McCausland. 
James was born in Februar}', 1799, the 
only son of James, his father, who bore the 
same name. Jane was a daughter of Hugh 
Drain. John emigrated to Ohio in 1849, hav- 
ing sei'ved his father several years after his 
majorit}-, and came here poor. He began work 
in this county as a common laborer, receiving 
at first $8.50 per month ; afterward, by the year, 
receiving $120, then $150 annually. In 1853, 
he married Mary McQuillan, who was born in 
Count}' Antrim, Ireland, in April, 1827 ; 
daughter of Charles and Mary (Mulheren) Mc- 
Quillan. After Mr. McCausland acquired suffi- 
cient means, he bought a team and the neces- 
sary implements, and engaged in farming, rent- 
ing land about six years on the Phelps farm. 
In 1859, he purchased where he now lives, first 
bu3'ing 76 acres, for which he paid $28 per 



•^ ( 



lI^ 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



817 



acre. He has since added to the same, having 
now 112^ acres. In 1871, he engaged in the 
manufacture of brick, and has been every year 
increasing his facilities until he has now pro- 
ductive capacity of 2,000,000 per 3'ear, there 
ha\ing been such a demand that he has not 
been able to fill the orders that have been given 
liira. He has four children living — James, 
John, Margaret and Mary. Mr. McCausland 
is one of the substantial men of the township. 
Coming here a poor man, he has, by diligence 
and economy, acquired for himself a honie and 
a sufficient competence, and built up a manu- 
facturing establishment in his line which is the 
largest in the township ; a man of intelligence 
and a liberal patron of the public journals. 

AARON OYIATT, retired farmer; P. 0. 
Akron ; a member of a numerous, important 
and. influential family of Summit County. He 
is a grandson of Benjamin Oviatt. who was 
born Feb. 27, 1755 ; Benjamin was a soldier 
during the Revolutionary war ; was married 
Dec. 8, 1774, and died Sept. 24, 1832 ; Eliz- 
abeth, his wife, was born Aug. 29, 1754, and 
died Dec. 5, 1832 ; they had eleven children — 
Heman, Luman, Benjamin, Olive, Salmon, 
Betsy, Clarissa, Nathaniel, Huldah, Mary 
and Anna. Many of these settled in 
what is now Summit County, at an early 
day, and became active and energetic citi- 
zens in their respective communities. Ben- 
jamin, and his sons Luman and Heman, 
bought the northwest quarter of the township 
of Richfield, paying $4,000 for 4,000 acres. 
Luman never lived in Summit County, but 
Heman settled at Hudson and was one of the 
founders of Hudson College ; Benjamin, his 
brother, also settled in Hudson ; Salmon and 
Nathaniel settled in Richfield ; Betsy man'ied 
Elisha Ellsworth, of Hudson ; Clarissa married 
Elijah Ellsworth, of Richfield ; Huldah mar- 
ried a Mrs. Thompson, of Hudson ; Mary mar- 
ried the gentleman after whom Hudson Village 
was named, and when he died, Darius Lyman, 
of Ravenna. Luman Oviatt, father of Aaron, 
was born Sept. 6, 1777 ; married May 10, 1796, 
to Rhoda Norton, born Oct. 9, 1777. They re- 
sided in Goshen Township, Litchfield Co., 
Conn.; were the parents of ten children, many 
of whom moved to Summit County, as follows : 
Birdsey, at Hudson ; Nelson, at Richfield ; Ke- 
siah died at Groshen ; Rhoda, formerl}' Mrs. 
Julia Humphrey, of Richfield ; Heman, at 



Richfield ; Marcus died in Connecticut ; Aaron, 
subject of this sketch ; Moses, of Cuyahoga 
County ; Harriet, formerl}' Mrs. Washington 
B. Bigelow, of Richfield ; Laura, formerly Mrs. 
Jonathan Spafford, of Copley. These are all 
dead except Aaron and Moses ; their mother 
died Jan. 10, 1821 ; Luman married a second 
time and had three children — Sarah Lucretia, 
Lyman B. and Samuel — but they never re- 
moved to Summit County ; their father died 
Dec. 7, 1838. Aaron was born August 4, 1810, 
in Goshen Township, Conn., where he was 
raised and educated. He was married Jan. 9, 
1833, to Electa, daughter of Reuben Brown, of 
Noi'folk, Conn.; they had three children — 
Orestus died aged 9, Heman died in California, 
Huldah married More Briggs and removed to 
Iowa. Aaron's wife died and he came to Sum- 
mit County, where he was married Oct. 11, 
1846, to Miss Marion B., daughter of Salmon 
and Mary B. (Hawkins) Hoisington. He then 
returned to Connecticut, resided there two 
years, and removed to Copley and purchased 
123 acres, which land he farmed until about 
seven years since, when he removed to Akron 
City. Mr. and Mrs. Oviatt are the parents of 
eight children, as follows : Orestus Aaron, de- 
ceased ; Quincy G., deceased ; Ella, now Mrs. 
Hugh Mussleman ; Truman, deceased ; Clara 
E., now living in Cu3^ahoga County ; Jennie 
M., now Mrs. Fred. Tarble, of Akron ; Phila D. 
and Edward. 

FRIEDRICH PFEIFFER, farmer; P. 0. 
Akron ; was born Jan. 17, 1829, in Hagenstein 
Kirchenfeld, Oldenburg, in Northwest Bavaria ; 
son of George and Catherina (Bank) Pfeiffer. 
George was the only son of his father, who 
was a manufacturer of woolen cloth, and who 
was accidentally killed in his mill. Catherina 
was a daughter of John Bank, whose wife was 
Caroline Haas. John Bank had eight children 
born him, of whom John, Charles, Catherina, 
Derothe and Caroline grew to maturity. John 
Bank was a man of wealth and influence ; was 
largely interested in the manufacturing inter- 
ests of the place, ran a distillery, an oil mill, a 
blacksmith-shop, and owned several farms be- 
sides. He had sons whose names were John, 
Charles and John, two of whom are prominent 
ministers — Charles, in New York, John in Buf- 
falo. To George and Catherina were born 
Frederick, George (who died in California after 
a residence of twenty-two years), Catherina 



nv 



u- 



818 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



(married Rev. George Rettig, of Iowa), Jacob 
(now in Wadsworth), Louisa (now Mrs. Mono 
Smith). Charles (in Akron). Frederick came to 
Ohio in 1848 ; he came to Akron poor, but was 
not afraid to labor ; worked at farming, ran an 
engine two years, and worked in a store and 
mill. March 19, 1854, he married Catherina 
Grohe, who was born April 23, 1829, in Baden ; 
eldest daughter of xldam and Catherina (Ret- 
tig) Grrohe. Adam Grohe was a son of John 
and Eva (Shaeffer) Grohe, whose children were 
Adam, Michael, Eva, Jacob, John, Phillip and 
George. Mrs. Pfeiffer came to this State in 
1852. After Mr. Pfeiffer was married he lived 
six months in Defiance Co., then one year in 
Madison Co., Ind., and then came to Akron, 
where he worked a farm on shares. He worked 
three 3'ears in Wadsworth on George IMiller's 
farm, rented a farm in Clinton one year, then 
bought a farm in Sharon Township, Medina 
Co., which he sold eight years afterward. After 
making several changes, purchased where he 
now owns, having eighty-five acres at a cost of 
$7,000. Has one child — George Frederick, 
born Nov. 3, 1860. 

WEBSTER B. STORER, horticulturist ; P. 0. 
Akron. The subject of this sketch was for thirty 
years an enterprising and energetic business 
man of Akron ; born in Portland, Me., Jan. 24, 
1809 ; son of Joseph and Charlotte (Knight) 
Storer. Joseph was a ship-carpenter and joiner 
in Maine until 1818, when he moved to Zanes- 
ville, Ohio, with his family ; assisted b}- John 
Wilson, his partner, he built the first forked 
bridge over the Muskingum River at Zanes- 
ville ; in 1828, he removed to Cleveland, where 
he was engaged for many 3 ears building ves- 
sels, steamboats, canal boats, and other water 
craft. Joseph died in the spring of 1868 at 
the advanced age of 92 ; he was the father of 
six children ; all are living, the youngest being 
70, the eldest 80, and the aggregate of their 
ages is 450 years ; they are Eliza (now Mrs. 
Joel Chapman, of Erie Co.), George K. and 
Joseph (of Brooklyn, Cuyahoga Co.), Samuel 
(of Clyde, Ohio), Webster B., and Hester (now 
Mrs. Harris Brainard, of Parma, Cuyahoga 
Co.). Webster was educated in the schools of 
Portland and Zanesville. He served an appren- 
ticeship with his father, and at the age of 21 
commenced business for himself in Cleveland ; 
for four 3'ears he was employed at ship-joiner- 
ing ; he then farmed in Cuyahoga Co. for one 



3^ear ; in 1836, he removed to Akron, and, for 
three years, was engaged building houses ; dur- 
ing this time he erected the first house ever 
built on Mill street, upon the lot now occupied 
b}' the Universalist Church ; during the next 
quarter of a centurj^ he followed canal-boat 
building for some eighteen years, employing at 
times over twent}^ hands to assist him, con- 
structing one year twelve boats ; he built the 
first boat which had a capacity of 2,600 bushels 
of wheat ; he was in partnership at this busi- 
ness for two years with Jacob Barnhart, and for 
ten years with Ansel Miller. About the year 
1856, he was engaged in the wholesale and 
retail grocer}' trade, continuing at this some 
two years. In 1863, he sold his interest at 
canal-boat building to William H. Payne, and 
then ran an iron store for five years in partner- 
ship with his son-in-law, J. L. Noble. In 1868, 
having traded his city property for 208 acres of 
land, he removed to this tract, where he has 
resided ever since with his son-in-law. For 
some twelve years he has been raising small 
fruit, and is a member of the State Horticult- 
ural Society', and an honorary' member in a 
similar association of Franklin Co. He served 
as Trustee of Portage Township several terms ; 
was Infirmary Director of Summit Co. for three 
3'ears ; was a member of the Board of Educa 
tion in 1850, when the Central High School 
building was erected. Mr. Storer was originally 
a Democrat casting his first Presidential vote 
for Gen. Jackson. He supported Van Buren 
in 1836 and 1840 ; then being an ardent sym- 
pathizer of the anti-slavery movement, he 
united with the old " Liberty " party ; since 
the formation of the Republican party he has 
voted that ticket ; was connected with the 
underground railroad and the men who con- 
ducted its passengers through Summit Co. ; 
was chosen President of the meeting at Akron 
called to express the indignation of the citizens 
when John Brown was hung. July 24, 1832, 
he was married to Miss Mary A. Bangs, daugh- 
ter of James and Martha (Nash) Bangs. Mr. 
and Mrs. Storer are members of the Disciples' 
Church of Akron ; they wei'e among those 
who organized the congregation in 1840; he 
has served as Deacon and Overseer in the 
church for man}' years. They are the parents 
of five children, one died in infanc}' ; the 
others are Daniel W. (now of Shelby) ; Hatt}' 
I. (now Mrs. J. L. Noble ; she was married 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



819 



Dec. 3, 1855, and is the mother of two daugh- 
ters—Mary and Lucj- M. Noble), James B. 
(now Postmaster of Akron), George S. (now of 
New York City). 

JACOB SHAKE, farmer; P. 0. Akron; 
was born Jan. 19, 1827, in Wurteraberg, Ger- 
many. His parents were Jolin and Kate (Rip- 
le}') Shake ; he was a son of Jacob. Our sub- 
ject was the 3'oungest of a family of eight chil- 
dren. In March, 1854, he married Frederica 
Richards, who was born Aug. 27, 1882, in Wur- 
temberg; daughter of Davis and Catharine 
(Kutz) Richards. Davis Richards' father was 
John Richards ; Catharine Richards was a daugh- 
ter of George Kutz. In the same year in which 
he was married, Mr. Shake came to this country ; 
coming west to Ohio, he stopped in Liverpool 
Township, Medina Co., where he worked by the 
month. After saving some mone}', went to 
Northampton, where he bought 25 acres of land 
unimproved, costing $2 per acre. This place 
he cleared up ; he then moved to this township, 
where he purchased and has since resided. He 
has now 100 acres of land, which he has cleared 
up, and erected suitable buildings thereon. He 
has been a hard-working man, a careful man- 
ager, and has been successful and secured a 
good home. He has ten children — Christian, 
who resides on her father's farm ; Catharina, 
now the wife of Henry Schumacher ; Mary, the 
wife of Martin Dice ; Helen, Rosa, Charles, 
Eliza, Willie, John and Ida. Mr. and Mrs. 
Shake are members of the German Reformed 
Church. 

C. M. SMITH, farmer; P. O. Akron; was 
born in Lake Township, Stark Co., Ohio, Nov. 
14, 1818, of a family of seven children born 
to James and Sarah (Houser) Smith. James 
was born in Pennsylvania Jan. 16, 1790 ; son 
of John, who was a native of New Jersey, and 
had born to him five sons and three daughters. 
James Smith married Sarah Houser, who was 
born in Lancaster Co., Penn., Jan. 11, 1792. 
She was a daughter of Peter, who was a son of 
John Houser, a native of Germany ; his wife 
was Marj' Fisher, by whom he had thirteen 
children. Of those who grew up were Mar}^ 
Catharine, Margaret, Amelia, Julia, Margaret, 
2d, Peter, Tunis and William. The parents of 
our subject were married in Pennsylvania, and 
emigrated to Stark Co. about the year 1813. 
The^' entered 160 acres in Lake Township ; in 
1823, he moved to Springfield, remaining there 



until his death, Nov. 15, 1858. To this couple 
were born Peter, now in Michigan ; John, in 
Elkhart, Ind.; C. M., Catharine, now Mrs. M. 
Hagenbaugh, in Tallmadge ; James, died at the 
age of 50, in this county ; Housel, in Bath 
Township ; Amelia, Mrs. Hiram Allen, in Ne- 
braska. C. M. left home at 20, learned the 
cabinet-maker's trade, and worked at the same 
thirteen 3'ears. He was first married to Re- 
becca Monroe, who died one year afterward, 
leaving one child, since deceased. His second 
wife was Catharine Fulkerson, who died two 
3'ears afterward, leaving one child, Sylvester. 
On Jan. 28, 1849, he married Grazella Ruckel, 
who was born in Pennsylvania, April 18, 1826 ; 
daughter of Peter and Mary (Hagenbaugh) 
Ruckel. Mr. Ruckel came to this country 
about 1832, and settled in Sharon Township, 
Medina Co. His wife died when Mrs. Smith 
was 1 year old. Mr. Smith moved to his farm 
April, 1858, bought 111 acres of unimproved 
land, and cleared it up ; he is a self-made man. 
He has had four children, three living — Eliza- 
beth, Mrs. Joseph M. Byerley ; Allen J. and 
Sarah. Mr. Smith has the best of farm build- 
ings, and is a successful farmer. 

EPHRAIM SHERBONDY, farmer; P. 0. 
Akron ; one of the earliest settlers of Portage 
Township, born in East Huntington Township, 
Westmoreland Co., Penn., Jan. 25, 1612 ; the 
eldest son of John and Rosannah (Ritchey) 
Sherbondy, who settled in Portage Township, 
with their family, in the spring of 1817. George, 
a brother of John, came at the same time with 
his family, and they traveled from Pennsylvania 
with only one large wagon for the two house- 
holds. At that time, there were only nine 
other families living in the township these 
were Avery Spicer, Paul Williams, Samuel 

Newton, Phelps, John Hawkins, 

Ayi-es, Samuel Nash, King and George 

Sholls. Of these nine families only three per- 
sons are now living, Avery Spicer, his wife and 
Enos, son of John Hawkins. Several years 
afterward, Melkiah Sherbondy, father of John 
and George, moved to Portage and his son 
Peter also settled in Summit Co., with his 
family at an early day. From these families 
were descended numerous offspring, who are at 
the present time occupying most of the land 
originally purchased by their ancestors. John 
Sherbondy was elected Trustee of Portage 
Township fifteen years in succession ; he was 



IW 



820 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



also Assessor for many years ; he died March 
22, 1866, at the age of 76 ; Rosannah his wife 
died Aug. 12, 1852; they were the parents of 
fourteen children, six died before raaturit}', 
eight raised ftimilies as follows : Ephraim, 
Uriah and Levi, now of Portage Township ; 
Sarah, now Mrs. Jacob Smith, of Copley ; Reu- 
ben and John, now of Portage Township ; 
Ann, now Mrs. Smith Bunker, of Portage ; 
Homer, now of Nebraska. Ephraim, subject 
of this sketch received a very meager educa- 
tion in his youth. He worked on his father's 
farm until 20 ; then at the carpenter's trade for 
fifteen years, during which time he was em- 
ployed repairing the canal for the State. He 
was married Aug. 10, 184-6, to Miss Elizabeth 
Edwards, who was born in Logan County, De- 
cember 29, 1824 ; she is the daughter of Justus 
and Margaret (Smith) Edwards ; Justus died 
in October, 1852. Mr. and Mrs. Sherbondy 
are the parents of nine children, as follows : 
Amanda, now Mrs. Thomas Farell, of Cleve- 
land ; Wallace, of Copley Townshij) and mar- 
ried to Maggie Porter; Justus died aged 10 
months ; Ada, now Mrs. Benjamin Frederick, of 
Copley ; Eunice, now at home ; Rosa, died aged 
13 in June, 1873 ; John, Giney and Lydia at 
home. Mr. Sherbond}- owns at the present 
time some 24 acres of land, and has been a 
farmer since he left the Ohio Canal. 

A. A. TINKHAM, former ; P. 0. Akron ; 
was born in Windsor Co., Vt., Jan. 24, 1824, 
the only son born to his parents, Allen and 
Mary Ann Tinkham. Mary x\nn was a daughter 
of Robert Cain, who came from England and 
settled in Dedham, Mass., where his children 
Esther, Harriet, Mary Ann and Robert were 
born. Amos was 4 years of age when his 
father died ; his motlier afterward married 
Mr. Washburn. The family came West in 
1832, first to Wayne Co., Canaan Township, 
where the}' lived until 1837, when they moved 
to Wooster, remaining one year ; then to Seville 
in Medina Co.. and remained there until 1839. 
Amos remained with his step-father until he 
was 13 3'ears of age, and, subsequently, hired 
out to Philo Chamberlain, in Akron, to drive 
team, and do general outside work until the 
spring of 1842, when he entered the mill and 
learned the miller's art, following the same un- 
til 1849 ; then engaged in the livery business 
at Franklin, now Kent, remaining nearly one 
year, then returned to Akron, and continued in 



the business until 1862, when he went into the 
army, and served two years in the Quarter- 
master's Department ; returning home, lived 
one 3'ear in the city ; then moved to the farm 
where he has since lived ; his farm consists of 
of 150 acres. May 1, 1853, he married Mar}' 
Bangs, born May 24, 1828, in Richfield Town- 
ship, daughter of E. N. Bangs, who was born 
April 10, 1800, in Stanstead, Lower Canada; 
his father was James, who moved some four 
months previous from HaiBpshire Co., Mass., 
to that place, in 1819, with his entire famih', 
which consisted of Hortensia, Theodore, Har- 
riet, Elisha, Martha, Samuel, Clarissa, Henry, 
Mary Ann and James. The family moved to 
Norwalk, Ohio, 1821, where he was married to 
Abigail Wallace, of Petersham, Mass., by 
whom he had two sons and four daughters — 
Henr}-, Adeline A. Barnard, of Chicago ; Mary 
Tinkham, of Akron ; Louise Simmons, of Chi- 
cago ; Celestia, Mrs. P. J. Moersch, of Akron. 
Li 1821, Mr. Bangs moved to Milan, Ohio ; in 
1825, removed to Richfield, Summit Co. ; in 
1836, to Akron, where he lived until his death, 
Nov. 17, 1878. Abigail Wallace was a daughter 
of Daniel, whose children were Abigail, Simeon, 
Lewis, Miranda, Harriet (deceased), Sarah L. 
(deceased), and Adeline. Mr. Tinkham has 
two children — Clara. Mrs. I. R. Miller, of this 
township, and Fred at home. 

A. TEEPLE, farmer; P. 0. Akron; was 
born in December, 1841, in Franklin Township ; 
son of John and Dorothe (Miller) Teeple. He 
was born Oct. 5, 1795, in New Jerse}- ; son of 
Andrew Teeple, who came from Holland. He 
had three sons — Andrew, George and John. 
The Teeple family came West to Ohio, settling 
first in Jefferson Co., at Steubenville, where An- 
drew died in 1810. To him were born Jacob, 
George, William, Pitney, John, Mary, Sophia 
and Ann. At the age of 18, John Teeple. the 
father of the above, came to Canton, where he 
hired out as a common laborer. Being indus- 
trious and economical, he succeeded in saving 
means to enable him to engage in business for 
himself He worked for some time at contract- 
ing. He made his first purchase of land in 
Franklin, where he cleared up a farm of 160 
acres, which cost at first $3 per acre. Upon 
this farm he died Sept. 13, 1864 ; wife Nov. 26, 
1806. She was a member of the Disciples' 
Church. He believed in Universal salvation. 
Their children were Catharine, George, Isaac 



^Is- 



Ul 



PORTAGE TOWNSHIP. 



831 



who was killed in the late war at Champion 
Hills, May 16, 1863 ; member of Co. A, 42d 
0. V. I. ; Simon, David, Aaron and John P. 
Aaron was raised to farming, receiving the ad- 
vantages of the common district schools, and 
finally attended two years at Hiram College, 
having James A. Garfield as preceptor. At the 
age of 19, enlisted in September, 1861, in Co. 
A, 42d 0. V. I., and served three years, partici- 
pating in the principal battles in which the regi- 
ment was engaged. In the fall of 1865, he was 
married to Rachel Hiser, born Dec. 16, 1843, in 
Sandusk}' Co., daughter of Daniel and Elisabeth 
(Richard) Hiser, who had the numerous family 
of sixteen children, twelve grew up. Mr. Teeple 
moved to this township in 1869, and has 100 
acres of good land. He has two children — 
John Frank and Nellie E. Mr. and Mrs. Teeple 
are members of the Disciples' Church. 

SAMUEL UNDERHILL, farmer; P. 0. 
Akron ; was born April 9, 1804, in Hyde Park, 
Dutchess Co., N. Y.; son of James and Clara 
(Quinby) Underbill, both of whom were born in 
Westchester Co., N. Y. ; he in 1870 ; his wife two 
3-ears later. The Underbills were of Quaker 
belief. James Underbill was a son of Nathan- 
iel, whose ancestors came from England. Clara 
Quinb}' was a daughter of Samuel, whose wife 
was a Powell. To them were born seven children 
— Moses, Obadiah, Edward, Mary, Jane Catha- 
rine, Ann and Clara. The children of Nathan- 
iel were James and Clara. Nathaniel was a 
lover of horses, and during the time of the 
Revolution purchased horses for the army. 
The children of James were Nathaniel, Samuel, 
Mary, Abram, Philo, Abel, James, Ann, Sarah 
and Catharine. In 1810, James Underbill 
moved to Coxsackie, N. Y., where he lived until 
1813, when he died of pneumonia. Our subject 
was early in life left without a home. At the 
age of 20, he began the stud}' of medicine, re- 
ceived his first diploma at Saratoga, N. Y.; 
afterward took lectures at New York Cit}', and 
then came west to Ohio, first locating in Stark 
Co., in 1830, and began the practice of medi- 
cine. Although educated an allopath, he after- 
ward changed to hydropathy. After becoming 
well-read in phrenology and studying scientific 
works, his views in regard to religion became 
changed, and has since been a Spiritualist. He 
has practiced medicine thirty years, also having 
two brothers, Abram and Abel, who have been 
engaged in the practice of medicine. He came 



to this township in 1863. In June, 1868, he 
married Electa Sanford, who was born in Hud- 
ton Township, daughter of Garry and Emily 
(Richardson) Sanford, who were early settlers. 
The former died in 1843 ; the latter in 1873 ; 
they had ten children. Since the Doctor's loca- 
tion here, he has been engaged mostly in farm- 
ing. He has one son. 

DANIEL B. WASHBURN, farmer; P.O. Ak- 
ron ; born at Kingston, Plymouth Co., Mass., 
Dec. 15, 1818 ; the son of Abiel and Rebecca 
(Adams) Washburn ; when about thirteen years 
of age his parents removed to Summit Co., 
after stopping one winter in New Yoi'k State ; 
and for some two years Abiel followed the 
shoemaker's trade until he died, Aug. 25, 1834. 
A short time previous he purchased from Sam- 
uel Nash, one of the early settlers of Summit 
County, 122 acres of land, and most of this is 
still owned by his decendants. When the 
Washburn family removed to this land, there 
were only two log houses and a frame building 
between their farm and Akron : what is now 
Wooster avenue was laid out but not fenced. 
Abiel and Rebecca Washburn were professors 
of the Swedenborgian faith ; she died Aug. 9, 
1865 ; they were the parents of six children — 
Cornelia G., now Mrs. Albert G. J^allison, of 
Akron ; Lorinda, a resident of Sacramento. 
Cal.; Leander, of Galesburg, 111.; Keziah, mar- 
ried Charles Mallison, and died about seven 
years since ; Rebecca, now Mrs. John Wilbur, 
of California ; Daniel B., of Portage Township, 
subject of this sketch, who has resided upon 
his present farm since 1834 ; he received a 
knowledge of the common branches in the 
schools of Massachusetts and "York" State, 
and finally "graduated" at a log cabin school- 
house in Portage Township. He was married 
December 10, 1849, to Mrs. Anna M. Adams, 
daughter of Robert and Betsey (Viers) Adams. 
She was born Sept. 15, 1818, in Richmond, 
Va.; her parents died when she was young and 
she removed to Massachusetts and was mar- 
ried to Daniel Adams, and by him had four 
children — Louisa Q., now Mrs. William T. 
Babcock, of Akron ; Delia J., now Mrs. 
Thomas Thomas, of Sonoma Co., Cal.; Helen 
F., now Mrs. George Bunker, of Portage 
Township ; Francis B., now of Akron, 
Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. Washburn 
are the parents of five children — Winslow, 
now at home ; Alice, now Mrs. Lycurgus 



822 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Force, of Middlebury ; Julia, now Mrs. Frank 
Sherbondy, of Portage Township ; Addie A. 
and Anna A., now at home. Mr. Washburn 
has always voted the Republican ticket since 
the formation of that part^', previous to that 
time he was a Whig, casting his vote for Will- 
iam Henry Harrison in 1840. 

GEORGE H. WISE (deceased); born Nov. 
10, 1800, in Longstown, Union Co., Penn., a 
son of Henry and Elizabeth (Seibald) Wise, 
whose children were John, Jacob, Henry, Will- 
iam, George, Christopher, Daniel, Mary and 
Abram. Henrj' Wise came West about the 
year 1812 ; John, his son, served in the war of 
1812 ; Henry Wise settled in Lake Township 
when the country was new, remaining upon the 
place of his settlement until his death, which 
took place in 1839. George H. was raised a 
farmer; about the year 1820, was married to 
Catharine Wise, who was born May 11, about 
the year 1803, daughter of David and Catharine 
(Denious) Wise ; he was a son of Frederick and 
Catharine, who came from Germany and were 
sold to pa}' their passage. The parents of 
3L-S. Wise came West when she was but 9 
years of age, settling in Stark Co., where they 
remained until their death. To them were 
born Betsy, Poll}-, Catharine, Barbara, John, 
Sarah, Nanc}' and David ; of those living are 
David, John and Mrs. Wise. For a time after 
the marriage of Mr. Wise, he located in Green- 
town, where he kept tavern and carried on the 
butchering business ; was a carpenter by trade 
at which he worked in the early part of his 
life. In 1860. came to the township and pur- 
chased 349 acres of land, upon which he lived 
until his death which occurred Aug. 22, 1880 ; 
was ftither of thirteen children who wei-e Jacob, 
Elizabeth, Sarah, Harriet. Lydia, Eliza, Wash- 
ington, Jefferson, Wesley, Emma J., Melissa J., 
Washington and Nettie D. Wesley was born 
Nov. 1, 1838, died Dec. 25, 1862; married Cla- 
rissa Pryor, born in October, 1843. in North- 
ampton, daughter of Samuel S., and Anra 
Everet. The Pryors were from Vermont, and 



the Everets from Germany. Mr. Wise has 
three children — Mary, Addie and Freddie ; 
there are 312 acres in the estate. 

WILLIAM ZELLER, larmer; P. O. Akron ; 
was born in Lake Township, Stark Co., Ohio, 
Nov. 4, 1824 ; son of Adam and Elizabeth 
(Hoover) Zeller ; Adam was born about the 
year 1789, in Union Co., Penn. The Zeller fam- 
ily' came West to Stark Co. about the j-ear 181"), 
and settled in Lake Township ; he first bought 
80 acres, upon which he settled ; he then 
moved to a place adjoining, and, finaljy. located 
in Greentown, where he died in 1853 ; he was 
highly esteemed in the community, a good 
Democrat and a quiet citizen ; his wife survived 
him but four days. Twelve children were born 
to them — Polly, Joseph, Daniel, Benjamin, 
Sarah, Anna, Betsey, Susan, William, Aaron, 
Robert and Jeremiah — ten of whom came to 
maturity ; those living are Daniel, in Brimfield 
Township, Portage Co.; William, in this town- 
ship ; Benjamin, in Cass Co., Mich ; Elizabeth, 
married Absalom Shubert ; Jeremiah, in same 
county and State. Our subject remained at 
home until 1842 ; he learned the harness- 
maker's trade, at which he worked about ten 
years. On Sept 2, 1847, he married Sarah 
Wise, who was born May 16. 1825, in Stark Co., 
daughter of George H. Wise, who was an early 
resident of Stark Co; after Mr. Zeller was mar- 
ried, he lived several years in Greentown, after- 
ward removing to Uniontown, where he carried 
on his trade and was engaged in butchering ; in 
1855, he moved to the country, where he farmed 
five years ; in 1860, he moved to Portage Town- 
ship and located where he now I'esides, pur- 
chasing 70 acres of land (but 6 acres improved), 
paying $50 per acre ; he has since cleared up 
his farm and has excellent buildings thereon ; 
his farm is situated in close proximity to the 
city of Akron. They have three children — Al- 
mira (Mrs. B. F. Huffman), Joseph H. and 
George. Mr. Zeller is a Republican in senti- 
ment. His brother Aaron served as a soldier 
in the late war, doing his duty manfully. 



:/L 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



823 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



JOHN BUSS (deceased) ; was born in Smar- 
den, Kent Co., England, Sept. 28, 1811. His 
father's family emigrated to the United States 
in 1825, and settled in Sherman, N. Y. Mr. 
Buss resided with his jDarents until his 18th 
3'ear, when he entered the Mayville Academ}^, 
afterward "attending school at Dunkirk, N. Y. 
In 1833, he came to Hudson, intending to take 
a full college course, with the object of prepar- 
ing himself for the ministry. He remained in 
the preparatory department for two years, and 
entered the Freshman class, but was finally 
compelled to abandon his studies on account of 
failing health. In July, 1836, he entered the 
store of Kent & Brewster as clerk, remaining 
with them until November, 1839, when he went 
to Columbia, Mo., and engaged as private tutor 
in the family of a Mr. Allen for about one year, 
thence to Lake Providence, La., where he taught 
school until May, 1841, when he returned to 
Hudson, Ohio. In September of that year, he 
formed a partnership with E. B. Ellsworth, in 
the dry goods business, in which he continued 
about three years, when he retired, and entered 
into partnership with T. M. Bond, in the store 
now occupied by his son. About three years 
afterward, Mr. Bond retired, the business being 
continued by Mr. Buss, until the stock was 
bought by Morrell & Ingersoll, in 1856. They 
were in business about two 3'ears, when Mr. 
Buss necessarily resumed control of the busi- 
ness again, and continued until 1867. Mr. Buss 
has served the people of Hudson in almost their 
every office. He held the office of Mayor two 
terms, being elected in 1858, and again in 1871. 
He was Corporation Treasurer four terms ; vvas 
member of the Council and Trustee for many 
years, and served as Justice of the Peace twelve 
years. He was married to Miss Eliza Goodman, 
Jan. 1, 1845. The}' had eight children, four of 
whom survive — Charles H. and Mary J., who 
reside here ; Mrs. C. R. Seymour, of Winchester, 
Mass., and Fred B., of Chicago, 111. Mr. Buss 
eujoyed the confidence and esteem of his fellow 
citizens, which was won b}' his strict honesty 
and unswerving integrity. His remains were 
laid in '• God's acre," on Dec. 1, 1880. On the 



I evening of his death, a meeting of citizens 
adopted resolutions expressive of the esteem in 
which Mr. Buss was held, and their sorrow at 
' his demise. All places of public business were 
closed as the funei'al procession passed through 
the village. Charles H. Buss became familiar 
with mercantile business bv assisting in his 
father's store. He attended school at Western 
Reserve College, not completing a full college 
course. In 1876, he and Sebastian Miller pur- 
chased, in partnership, the stock of his father 
(John Buss), and conducted the business under 
the firm name of Buss & Miller. Subsequently, 
Mr. Miller withdrew, and Mr. Buss has since 
been conducting the business alone. He was 
married to Miss Mary Squire, Jan. 1, 1872. 
They have two children, viz., Augusta M. and 
John C. Mr. Buss was elected Corporation 
Treasurer, which office he has held two years. 

HARVEY BALDWIN, deceased, son'of Ste- 
phen Baldwin, was born in Goshen, Conn., Sept. 
17, 1798. He came here from the old home 
when 16 years of age, in 1814, and accepted a 
clerkship in the store of his brother, where he 
remained about three years. On Oct. 6, 1817, 
he married Miss Anne IMar^'" Hudson, daughter 
of David Hudson, who is frequentl}- mentioned 
elsewhere in the history. Mrs. Baldwin was 
born Oct. 28, 1800, and was the first white child 
born within the limits of Summit Co. Mr. and 
Mrs. Baldwin turned their attention to farming 
and preparing for themselves a home, and to 
that end the}' moved to a farm some few miles 
from the site of Hudson, where the}' remained 
about three years. Mr. Hudson was desirous 
to have them reside near him, and therefore he 
made preparations to have them move, which 
the}' did, coming to the farm where Mrs. Bald- 
win now resides. Of their four children, the 
wife of Prof Edwin S. Gregory is the onl}' sur- 
vivor ; those deceased are Anna N., who died 
when about 7 years old ; Harriet M., and Lucj' 
S., the youngest, who died at 17. Mr. Baldwin 
vvas identified with the general improvement of 
the vicinity from the time he began to do busi- 
ness. He was one of the Trustees of the 
Western Reserve College for over forty years. 



K* 



824 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



He remained in full possession of his faculties 
to the last, and passed awa}' peacefully June 12, 
1880. Mrs. Baldwin resides on tlie old home- 
stead, in probably the oldest residence in the 
county ; it was built by her father in 1806. 
She is possessed of extraordinary vitality for 
one of her age, and, although she is in her 81st 
year, she is as attentive to the duties of house- 
keeping as ever. She is the onl}' survivor of a 
family of seven sons and two daughters. 

F. W. BUNNELL (deceased) ; was born in 
Waterbury, Conn., July 6, 1820. He learned 
the carpenter's trade in his native place, 
and when about 21 years of age, he came to 
Ohio, locating at Hudson, where he established 
himself in the business of contracting and 
building. Among the buildings erected under 
his direction may be mentioned the Pentagon, 
the M. E. Church, and some of the best resi- 
dences in this place, two churches in Twins- 
burg, and one church at Ravenna. These, in 
addition to many good residences throughout 
the countr}^ are monuments of his workman- 
ship. He married Marie Mansur Jan. 12, 1845. 
She was born in Hudson March 9, 1825, and 
the only daughter of Perley and Phylene 
(Bearss) Mansur. Mr. Bunnell died here April 
24, 1875, leaving a widow, but no children. 
Mrs. Bunnell's father, Perley Mansur, was born 
in New Hampshire, in 1800. He learned the 
blacksmith's trade in Boston, Mass., and, in 
1823, he came to Ohio and stopped with his 
brother who had located in Delaware, Ohio. 
On account of malarial affections, which were 
then prevalent in Delaware and vicinity, Mr. 
Mansur disliked the locality, and he and his 
wife started with a horse and wagon for the 
North, hoping to find a more desirable location. 
On their wa}^ they stopped overnight at Hud- 
son with David Hudson, who, on learning that 
Mr. Mansur was a mechanic, insisted upon his 
making this his future home, as there was much 
demand for the labor in which he was skilled in 
the then gi'owing town. The citizens, being in- 
terested, were anxious for him to remain here, 
and, to assure him of their zeal in the matter, 
they set to work and built him a shop on Main 
street, near where Mr. Wadsworth's present 
shop is located. He worked at his trade about 
nine years, when he moved to a farm which he 
had purchased in this township. He engaged 
extensively in buying and soiling cattle. This 
business he followed about twenty j'ears, when 



he retired from business, and moved to Hud- 
son, where he died, in 1858, in his 58th 3'ear. 
His widow survived him until 1880, when she 
died at this place in her 78th year. They had 
two sons—George, of Cumberland Co., 111., and 
James, in the real-estate business at Cleveland. 

THOMAS BLACKBURN, farmer; P. 0. 
Hudson ; was born in Lincolnshire, England, 
Oct. 9, 1833. When about 25 years of age, he 
emigrated to the United States, and came direct 
to Summit Co., Ohio ; he resided in Pennsyl- 
vania about three years. He enlisted in the 
1st Ohio Light Artillery Sept. 10, 1861, and 
served almost four years. At various engage- 
ments he had two horses shot on which he was 
riding, and three others wounded, but fortu- 
nately escaped witliout being injured in the 
least. With the exception of two weeks, he 
was never off of duty during almost four years 
of continuous service. The regiment in which 
he was, opened the fight and closed it in the 
battle of Murfreesboro, which lasted seven 
days, and participated two days in the contest 
at Chickamauga ; also at Shiloh, Franklin, 
second battle of Nashville and Perryville, 
Tenn. In the latter, their regiment lost heavily 
— 18 men killed, 42 wounded, 68 horses were 
killed, and 7 guns were taken by the rebels. 
He returned to Summit County after his dis- 
charge, and April 10, 1866, he married Han- 
nah Cowley, daughter of Joseph Cowley, of 
Tallmadge. They have three children, viz., 
Florence J., Henry J. and Lottie H. Mrs. 
Blackburn was born in England and came to 
the United States with her parents when she 
was 4 3'ears old. Mr. Blackburn's father died 
in England ; since tlien his mother emigrated 
to this country, and is now passing her declin- 
ing 3'ears under the filial care of her son's 
famil3\ She is in her 90th year and is very 
feeble. 

CHARLES BOUTON, hotel and livery, 
Hudson ; was born in Lake Co., Ohio, Jan. 3, 
1829. His father, Seth Bouton, came at an 
early date from New York, and settled in Lake 
County, Ohio. They moved to Peninsula in 
1836 ; they built a log cabin, a Mr. Beeres 
also building one at the same time ; these con- 
stituted all the buildings or settlements at that 
time between Peninsula and Hudson. Here 
the Bouton famil}' lived about twelve years, 
when they moved to Illinois, and where Seth 
Bouton now lives in his 82d year. When our 



*?t; 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



825 



subject (Charles) was about 14 years old, he 
went to learn the boat-building trade with one 
Waterman, in Peninsula, where many canal- 
boats were built. When he was 19 years of 
age, he took charge of the boat-building busi- 
ness for Waterman, and remained until 21 
3'ears of age, when he concluded to go to Cali- 
fornia during the rush to the gold mines of that 
State, where he worked at mining for about two 
years, and met with reasonable success during 
his sta^'. Returning to Ohio, he resumed his 
trade at Peninsula, and in the winter would 
build a boat and run it during the summer, 
then dispose of all in the fall of the year ; this 
he followed for about five years. In 1859, he, 
in companj^ with Henry Johnson, purchased a 
yard and dry-dock and conducted the boat-build- 
ing business until 1873, when he sold out. To 
Mr. Bouton belongs the credit of building the 
first round-stern propeller canal-boat ever in 
use, and, up to this date, he built the last boat 
that has been built in Peninsula in 1872. 
When he sold out in 1873, he came to Hudson, 
and purchased the Mansion House property in 
1874, and has been in the hotel and livery bus- 
iness since. He has been twice married, first 
in April, 1854, to Helen A. Johnson, daughter 
of Henr}^ Johnson, of Boston Township ; she 
died Ma}^ 29, 1872. leaving three children : Lillie 
B., now wife of R. K. Pelton, of Cleveland ; 
Lawson and Clarence. His second marriage 
was celebrated with Ada D. Crosley, of Cleve- 
land, in April. 1874. 

WILLIAM CHAMBERLAIN, deceased. 
With his wife and several children (viz., Joseph, 
William, Amos, Reuben, Samuel, Philemon, 
Asahel, Hiram, Lucy, Lydia and Mary) emi- 
grated from Connecticut to Ohio, and settled in 
Hudson Township, in 1809. One daughter, 
Ann, married a Mr. Case, and located at Gran- 
ville, Ohio. They were among the earl_y pio- 
neers of the county, and applied themselves to 
clearing the land and making general improve- 
ments ; bearing the many privations with a 
determined resolution to overcome every ob- 
stacle. Being industrious, the}' laid the foun- 
dation of material prosperity. All except 
Hiram have long since mingled their dust with 
that of mother earth. The representatives of 
the family still in this vicinity are the lineal 
descendants of Amos, the third son of William. 
He (Amos), was a youth of about IG 3'ears 
when his parents came here ; he took jobs of 



chopping by the acre, and chopped much of the 
timber in this vicinity, and thereby procured 
some means to buy a piece of land for himself. 
He married Jerusha Crane, who came to Ohio 
from Connecticut, at an early date, with her 
parents. They had ten children, nine of whom 
grew up to maturity, viz., Horace A., Harris B., 
Schuyler M., Laura M., Jerusha A., Catharine 
R., Orville W., Cordelia M. and Henry H. Both 
Amos and his wife died here, at an advanced 
age. 

HARRIS B. CHAMBERLAIN ; P. 0. Hud- 
son ; was born May 20, 1819, on the old home- 
stead, in this township. Having been reared 
to farm life, he began in the same pursuits, and 
has followed the same all his lifetime. His 
course of education was that received at the 
common schools. In October, 1850, he married 
Miss Maria Henry, daughter of James Henry, 
of Aurora, Ohio. The}' located on a farm in 
the vicinity of his early home, which was for- 
merly the home of John Brown, of Harper's 
Ferry fame, where they have resided ever since. 
Their union was blessed with three children, 
viz., Eliza, now Mrs. D. C. Bentley ; Ella, now 
widow of Henry Ellsworth, and Clara. Mrs. 
Chamberlain was born May 4, 1820, in Aurora; 
is the youngest of nine children born to James 
and Sarah (Cochrane) Henry. He was a native 
of Connecticut, but moved to Harpersfield, N. 
Y. ; thence with his wife and three children to 
Aurora, Ohio, in 1804. They were the third 
family to settle in that place ; there Mr. Henry 
officiated as Justice of the Peace for many 
years. At a very early date in the history of 
Ohio, his wife's father, John Cochrane, located 
about 1,400 acres, and when on his way out 
with his family, he took sick, and died at Buflalo, 
N. Y., and was said to be the first white man 
to die at that place. Of James Henry's family, 
those surviving are the widow of F. Booth, of 
Twinsburg ; Harvey H., of Iowa ; Gilbert H., of 
Emporia, Kan. ; Mrs. Blanchard, of Lyons, 
Mich., and Mrs. Chamberlin. 

SCHUYLER M. CHAMBERLIN, farmer; 
P. 0. Hudson ; was the third son born to Amos 
Chamberlin, which occurred Nov. 3, 1821. He 
received a fair education in the common schools 
and turned his attention to farming, and by 
care and industry has been quite successful. 
When about 22 years of age, he married ]\Iiss 
Jane E. Bliss. They began on a farm almost 
all in woods, which his father gave him, and 






826 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



which he improved, making a comfortable and 
pleasant home. They have three children, viz., 
R. R., in Hudson ; Geo. S., in Streetsboro Cor- 
ners, and Julia B., now Mrs. Robert White. 
Mrs. Chamberlin's parents were Josiah and 
Sarah (Cooley) Bliss, natives of Springfield, 
Mass. Mr. Bliss died in Massachussetts, leav- 
ing a widow and four children. (3ne of them — 
Sarah A. — remained in Massachussetts ; the 
three other children — William B., George J., 
and Jane P]., now Mrs. Chamberlin — with their 
mother, emigrated to Ohio in 1830. Mrs. 
Bliss died in x\urora. Portage Co. Her son, 
Geo. J., is a minister of the Gospel in the 
Methodist Church in Cleveland ; William B. 
enlisted during the war of the late rebellion, 
and was seriously wounded at the second battle 
of Bull Run, and after lying eight days on 
the field in a disabled condition, he was found 
alive ; he died soon afterward of exhaustion. 

CARROLL CUTLER, President of the West- 
ern Reserve College, Hudson ; was born Jan. 
3L 1829, in Windham, N. H. He was the 
third child born to Rev. Calvin and Rhoda 
(Little) Cutler. The Rev. Calvin Cutler was a 
native of Vermont, and a graduate of Dart- 
mouth College. In 1822, he entered the min- 
istry under the auspices of the Presbj^terian 
Church in New Hampshire. He was energetic 
in establishing schools, and liberal in their sup- 
port whenever dependent on private subscrip- 
tion, thereby providing the best possible 
school facilities for his large famil}-. President 
Cutler began to teach school when about 17 
years of age ; and at 18 years he entered the 
Phillips Academy, at Andover, Mass. In 1850, 
he entered Yale College, and graduated in 
1854. At the close of his collegiate course he 
taught in Bloomfield. N. J., one ^'ear ; then en- 
tered the Union Theological Seminary at New 
York. He was appointed tutor in Yale College 
in 1856, where he remained two years. Aug. 
10, 1858, he married Miss Francis E. Gallagher ; 
they went to Europe, where Mr. Cutler spent a 
year in study, and traveling, returning to New 
Jersey in 1859, and in April of the following 
year he was appointed Professor of Mental 
Philosophy and Rhetoric, in the Western Re- 
serve College. In 1871, he was elected Presi- 
dent of the College. They have one child, Su- 
san Rhoda. Mrs. Cutler was born at Sackett's 
Harbor, N. Y. in 1828. She was the daughter 
of Capt. J. H. Gallagher, of the U. S. A. He 



resigned his commission in the army, and en- 
tered the ministry in 1838, His religious views 
accorded with Presbyterianism and in that 
faith he was ordained, and preached thirteen 
years ; when on account of failing health he 
was obliged to withdraw from pastoral duties. 

SIDNEY COLLAR, farmer ; P. 0. Hudson ; 
was born in Warren Co., Vt., Aug. 2, 1808. His 
father (David Collar) was a carpenter and mill- 
wright by trade, and when our subject was 
about 5 years old, the family moved from Ver- 
mont to New York. In 1820, they moved to 
Ohio with a family of fourteen children, and in 
1826 they located in Hudson ; but his father 
removed to Lorain County, where he died 
many years ago. Sidney was the second child 
and eldest son of fifteen children (one died be- 
fore they came to Ohio) in all eight boys and 
seven girls ; he began on his own account when 
about 19 3'ears old. He married Carolina 
Stone Dec. 23, 1830 ; she was the daughter of 
Nathaniel Stone who came here in 1810. Mrs. 
Collar was a babe onl}^ 6 weeks old when her 
parents left Connecticut. Soon after his mar- 
riage, Mr. Collar bought 33^^ acres where he 
made a comfortable home, which he finally' 
sold and removed to the farm where he now 
lives in 1835 ; and on which he has lived ever 
since. It was all heavy timber at that time, 
through which the deer fearlessly ranged. Mr. 
and ^Irs. Collar had three children — Carolina 
L., who was married to Mr. Draper, and is de- 
ceased ; Emeline E. was wife of x\lph. Stone, 
and died in 3Iichigan ; and Sarah, who is Mrs. 
S. Griest, who resides with Mr. Collar and has 
charge of the farm. Mr. Griest was a volunteer 
in the late rebellion, serving in Co. E. 88th 
Ind. V. I.; at the close of the war he returned 
to Ft. Wa3'ne. Ind., from which place his 
regiment came. But soon after the close 
of the war he returned to his native place 
(Summit Co., Ohio) where he was married and 
resided ever since. 

M. CHAPMAN, farmer, P. 0. Hudson, was 
born in this township, west edge of Lot 84, 
Dec. 18, 1821, son of John and Eliza (Bassett) 
Chapman. Mathew was the eldest of a family 
of seven children, who were, Harriet, Mary, El- 
len. John, Henry and Rufus. Our subject was 
raised to farming pursuits. In April 1849, he 
was married to Sarah B. Waite, born Sept. 25, 
1828, in Boston Township, daughter of Benja- 
min and Sarah Chapman, whose maiden name 



*7t 



<S r- 



:i£ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



827 



was Kent. The above were earl}- settlers in 
Boston Township. With the exception of a 
few years of his early married life, which was 
spent in Boston Township, he has been a con- 
stant resident of this township, and engaged in 
farming and stock trading ; lias 280 acres of 
land, and is a neat and successful farmer ; has 
two children — Emily E., now Mrs. W. Morse, 
of Cleveland, and one son, William H., on home 
farm. John Chapman, the father of Mathew, 
was born in England, about the year 1788 ; .at 
age of 18 was pressed into the British Nav}-, 
and during the war of 1812, served on the Hag- 
ship Queen Charlotte. At the time of Perry's 
victoi-y he was captured by the Americans, 
taken to Chillocothe, where he spent one win- 
ter, then taken to Cleveland and exchanged. 
Shorth' after, he came to this locality and en- 
gaged as a farm laborer; saving some means, he 
made his first purchase into Wadsworth Town- 
ship, Medina County ; afterward, traded his 
farm for land in the northwest part of this 
township, locating there about the 3-ear 1829, 
where he died Jan. 15, 18G6, having at the time 
150 acres of land. He and wife were meml)ers 
of the Congregationalist Church ; was Demo- 
cratic in sentiment and a worthy citizen of the 
community. 

LORA CASE, retired farmer ; P. 0. Hudson ; 
was born in Grranby, Conn., Nov. 17, 1811. 
He is the fifth child and second son born to 
Chaunce}' and Cleopatra (Hayes) Case, who 
were natives of Connecticut. The\- emigrated 
to Ohio with their five children, viz., Laura, 
Chauncey. Clariuda, Parintha and Lora. They 
located on the farm, now owned by Henry, on 
July 4, 1814. In company with the Case fam- 
ily was Gideon Mills and wife (the latter was a 
sister of Mrs. Case), drove through, one with an 
ox team, and Mr. Case with a team of horses. 
For the nourishment of their children on the 
journey, the}- drove along a milch cow ; it took 
them six weeks to drive from Connecticut to 
Hudson. Mills and his wife died many years 
ago in Hudson. Suggestive of the inconven- 
ience and almost impossibility to procure some 
of the necessaries in pioneer days, we refer to 
a trip made by Mr. Chauncey Case and his ox 
team to Cleveland for a barrel of salt for him- 
self and Dr. Moses Thompson, and for which he 
paid in cash S22. and occupied four days to go 
and return. There were five other children 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Case after their removal 



to Ohio, viz., p]dward, Lucian, Henry, Amelia 
and Maria. The ten children all lived to ma- 
turitA'. Laura died when about 21 years of 
age. Chauncey and Lucian reside in Macomb, 
111.; Clarinda was the Avife of Alvin Loomis ; 
she died in Hudson : Parintha married Amos 
E. Wood, of Wood Co., Ohio, both deceased ; 
Edward moved to Troy, Kan., where he died ; 
Amelia is wife of Charles Hunt, of Cuyahoga ■ 
Falls ; Maria is widow of John Gross, of Hud- 
son. When Lora was about 25 years old, he 
began for himself. He married Sarah A., 
daughter of Thomas Wright, who came liere 
from Connecticut at an early date. May 10, 
1837. They located in Streetsboro. Port- 
age Co.. and in 1864, they removed to Hudson 
Township. They had five children, three lived 
to maturity — Chauncey, George (deceased), 
Mary E.. Julian W. (deceased) and Wilber L. 
Mary E. is now Mrs. S. E. Scott formerly of 
Mentor, Lake Co., and who has entire charge of 
the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Case reside with Mr. 
Scott in their ripening years. 

HENRY CASE, farmer ; P. 0. Hud.son , was 
the son of Chauncey and Cleopatra (Hayes) 
Case, and was born Oct. 30. 1817. He was 
brought up to farm life, and received a fair ed- 
ucation in the primitive schools of his time. 
Oct. 29, 1847, he married Mary L. Goodman. She 
was born in New Hartford, Conn.. Sept. 7. 1828. 
They have eight children living, viz.. Nelson, 
Eugene, Franklin (deceased), Eliza (deceased), 
John. Edmond, Hattie, Frederick, Mary and 
Clara. His father is mentioned in the sketch 
of Lora Case, and date of emigration to this 
State. They succeeded admirably, considering 
the man}- privations and wants of a numerous 
famil}' of helpless children in the primitive 
forest. They erected their commodious brick 
residence about 1832, and was one of the first 
if not the only brick residence in the county at 
that date. The old folks died here on the old 
homeste.^d ; he in 1864, in his 85th year, aud 
she in 1867. in her 87th year. 

DARROW FAMILIES, Hudson, of this 
vicinity are the lineal descendants of Joseph 
and Geoi-ge Darrow. who were natives of the 
State of ^e\Y York : had moved into Connecti- 
cut, and thence to the AVesterri Reserve, with 
the emigrating party under the direction of 
David Hudson, in 1800. They were .yoiuig 
men. respectively about 25 and 23 years of 

They located about 



^i' 



V 



M 



828 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



two miles south of Hudson Center, where they 
built and made general improvements, and 
soon their settlement showed signs of thrift 
and prosperity. And, as their tamilies multi- 
plied, they generally settled in the same vicinity, 
hence the name " Darrow street,'' was given to 
the road leading south from Hudson through 
their settlement. A younger brother, James, 
came here a few years subsequent to the first 
settlement, but remained only a short time, 
when he removed to the vicinity of Lebanon, 
and joined the sect known as the '' Shakers," 
where he died several years ago. Joseph, mar- 
ried Sarah, daughter of Simeon Prior, in 1803 ; 
they had thirteen children ; two died in child- 
hood, four in youth, and seven lived to maturity, 
viz.: Polly, Lyman, Abbey, Sophia, Julia, 
Sarah A. and Charles. Of these only three sur- 
vive — Lyman in Missouri ; Julia, at Lebanon, 
Ohio, and Mrs. Hial Danforth, of this place. 
Abbey married Ransom Miller ; they moved to 
Missouri, where she died ; Polly, was widow of 
John Walker and died here (Sarah A. is the 
deceased wife of Dr. H. Danforth). The wife 
of Joseph Darrow died May 30, 1847 ; he sur- 
vived until Nov. 13, 1856, when he died in his 
82d year, 

GrEORGE Darrow was married to Olive, 
daughter of Joel G-aylord — date indefinite — 
but not later than 1801 or 1802, and are said 
to be the first couple married in Hudson. They 
reared eight children to maturity — four boys 
and four girls ; several died in childhood. 
Eliza was married three times ; first to Seth 
Fifield, next to D. Bates and last to Orin Mc- 
Neal. They moved to Iowa where she died in 
1878. David was twice married, his fii'st wife 
being Sophia Hawkins, and after her death he 
married Chloe Hayden. While digging a well 
on his premises in 1850, he met with a sad fate ; 
he had begun to '' wall" it up when the banks 
caved in and killed him. Amanda was wife of 
David O'Brien ; they are both deceased. Char- 
lotte was wife of Homer Oviatt, and died in 
Hudson. George was a blacksmith by trade 
and worked on the old homestead for some 
time. He moved to Texas, thence to Iowa, 
where he enlisted and served as Drum Major. 
He died in hospital of disease contracted in 
the service. 

Daniel Darrow was born Oct. 15, 1816, on 
the old homestead where William resides. He 
got a fair education studying for a term in the 



Preparatory^ Department of Western Eeserve 
College, and one term at Tallmadge. When 18 
years of age, he began teaching school, and 
taught nine winter terms, working on the farm 
during the summer. He married Elizabeth A., 
daughter of William Norton, March 22, 1849. 
(She was born near Harrisburg, Penn., Feb. 22, 
1828, and came to Ohio with her parents when 
quite young.) They reared four children, three 
of whom are living, viz. : Celia, wife of J. A. 
Conaro ; Julia, wife of Luther B. Wetmore ; and 
Irwin D. ; he married Lottie Moore. 

William Darrow was born where he re- 
sides, Oct. 12, 1818 ; he was reared to farm 
life, and always followed the pursuits of a farmer. 
He married Harriet E. Deacon, Dec. 15, 1842. 
(She was born June 26, 1823, in Hudson. Her 
father, Henry Deacon, settled here in 1806.) 
They had eight children, four of whom are liv- 
ing — George H.. La Fayette, William M., and 
Mary, now wife of J. Morris ; Emma (deceased) 
was wife of H. D. Nickerson ; Olive went to 
Iowa and there married Thomas McNeal. Dur- 
ing the war of 1812, George Darrow volun- 
teered his services and rose to the rank of 
Colonel. In the early settlement of the coun- 
tr}', his residence was turned into a hotel, where 
he entertained the weary travelers and teams- 
ters who were ever passing and in need of I'e- 
freshments. His wife was called away Aug. 
9. 1845, but he survived until 1860, when he 
died at a good old age, being upward of 80 
years. 

DANFORTH FAMILY ; although this fam- 
ily cannot be considered among the pioneers 
of the count}', yet they were early settlers, and 
those who remained became influential and re- 
spected citizens in the community. The pro- 
genitor of those bearing the name in this 
vicinity was Enoch Danforth, a native of New 
Hampshire, who in due time married Hannah 
Haines. They moved from their native place 
to St. Albans, Vt., where they resided several 
years, when they resolved to emigrate to the 
west. In the autumn of 1821, Mr. and Mrs. 
Danforth, with their seven children, set out for 
Ohio, and in November of that year they 
arrived in this county, and located on what is 
now Darrow Street, in Hudson Township. The}' 
had been here less than two years, when Mr. 
Danforth concluded to remove to Illinois ; in 
the meantime their eldest daughter, Sabrina, 
had been married to Hiram Thompson, and 






HUDSOj!^ township. 



829 



^ 



located here. Mr. and Mrs. Danforth, with 
seven children, as their family was increased by 
one while residing here, started for Illinois, and 
got as far as Sandusky, where they were winter- 
bound ; there they made provision foe spending 
the winter, expecting to resume their journey 
as early as possible in the spring. But in this 
their hopes were blighted, as sickness assailed 
the family, and death removed their babe ; next 
the grim messenger summoned the devoted 
husband and father, leaving a widow and six 
helpless children, viz. : Hial, Mary, Lovina, 
Harrison, William and Judy, who were but 
meagerly provided for, as traveling and sick- 
ness had exhausted much of their means. Af- 
ter Mr. Danforth's death, his widow and 
children retraced their steps to Hudson. To 
procure the means of support, the three boys, 
though mere youths, began to work in this 
vicinit\ — Hial, with one John Sawyer ; Har- 
rison, with Capt. Oviatt ; William, with Horace 
Metcalf; and in these places they remained 
until they arrived at manhood and began to do 
for themselves. Mrs. Danforth and three daugh- 
ters returned to Vermont. With the expecta- 
tion of recuperating his failing health, William 
sailed from Boston on a whaling vessel when 
about 22 3'ears of age ; but died in the Sand- 
wich Islands, where the vessel called. Hial 
was the second child and eldest son of Enoch 
and Hannah Danforth ; he was born in New 
Hampshire, June 8, 1808 ; by the time he had 
arrived at manhood he had learned the art of 
boot and shoe making, with Mr. Sawyer, with 
whom he resided ; he opened a shop on Darrow 
street and began business on his own account 
when about 23 years of age, and was soon 
afterward joined by his brother : they conducted 
the business about ten years, when Hial pur- 
chased a small farm, to which he has added 
until he owns 120 acres of good land, which 
constitutes a good home, where his advanced 
years are passing in a quiet, retired manner. 
He married Sophia, daughter of Joseph Dar- 
row, May 4, 1831 ; they had five children — 
Mary, Milton C, Helen (who is wife of Virgil 
T. Miller), Charles and Edmond E. Milton C. 
and Helen are the only survivers of their 
children. Mrs. Hial Danforth was born March 
31, 1810; she was the fourth of thirteen chil- 
dren born to Joseph and Sarah (Prior) Darrow. 
DR. HARRISON DANFORTH, physician, 
Hudson ; was the fifth child and second son 



born to Enoch and Hannah (Haines) Danforth, 
in New Hampshire, April 15, 1814. As already 
stated in the sketch of the Danforth famil}', the 
Doctor was early left to do for himself, on ac- 
count of his father's death. When about 21 
years of age, after associating himself in busi- 
ness with his brother Hial, his ambition was 
unassuaged. Having a decided inclination for 
the study of materia medica, he entered upon 
the stud}' of medicine with a zeal worthy of the 
profession, and became an ardent student under 
Israel K. Town, M. D., of Hudson. After some 
years of study and experience, Dr. Danforth 
diverged to some extent from the allopathic 
system of practice. He adopted the views of 
the electic school, and has practised his pro- 
fession for a period of more than thirty years, 
in this vicinity, with more than ordinar}- suc- 
cess. The first ten 3'ears were divided between 
the duties of his business and profession. But 
about the date of the outbreak of the rebellion, 
he sold his farm and has since given his whole 
attention to the practice of medicine, and en- 
joys the confidence as well as much of the pat- 
ronage of the communit}' in which he has 
resided for the last sixty years. Space forbids 
us enlarging on the struggles and temptations 
intervening between the condition of the poor 
boy, without even parental advice and the de- 
sirable sphere which he now enjo3's. He married 
Sarah A., daughter of Joseph Darrow, Septem- 
ber, 1836 ; to them were born six children 
viz., Francisco L., Lovina A.. Mortimer W., 
Theodore C, Edwin H. and Clarence E. Mrs. 
Danforth died in September, 1869. The Doc- 
tor married a second wife, Martha Holton, 
Feb. 28, 1874. In 1861, Francisco and Mor- 
timer responded to the first call for soldiers, 
but were discharged, the requisite number 
being enrolled. Mortimer W. re-enlisted at 
the second call in Co. Gr, 115th 0. V. I., and 
served until the close of the war. He was 
taken prisoner at Nashville, Tenn., on Dec. 4, 
1864 ; stripped of all his valuable effects, in- 
cluding a pair of good boots, and marched 
barefoot to Meridian, 3Iiss., and suffered ter- 
ribly from exposure, his feet and legs, to the 
knees being seriously frozen. He was trans- 
ferred to Anderson vi He in March, where he was 
imprisoned when the war closed. Was dis- 
charged at Jacksonville. ^la., in June, 1865, and 
returned home, studied medicine with his father, 
and graduated at Philadelphia Medical College, 



3:,50 



BlOGRArillCAL SKETCHES: 



aud is now practicing in Kent Co., Midi. 
Clarence E. is a graduate of the Columbus 
Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, and also 
practicing his profession in Kent Co.. Mich. 

HENRY DEACON (deceased) ; was a na- 
tive of Lancaster, Penn., born about the year 
1795 ; son of Marmaduke and Mary (Car- 
ter) Deacon, whose offspring were Robert, Bet- 
sy, William, Henry and Jolin. Marmaduke 
was a native of Ireland, son of Robert Deacon. 
jMarmaduke settled in Pennsylvania, where he 
remained until his removal to Ohio, locating in 
Hudson Township in 1805, where he purchased 
about 210 acres, in the southwest part of the 
tov/nship, where he lived until his death, which 
occurred in 1832 — -that of his wife in 180G, one 
^•ear after their arrival in this county. Her 
death was occasioned from the effects of a 
scare. The Indians made a raid upon her, 
while her husband was gone to mill, threatening 
to scalp her if she did not reveal the supposed 
place of her husband's money. Henry, his 
son, succeeded him, and occupied the farm. He 
was maiTied to Elizabeth Carter, Feb. 14, 1821, 
and by her had seven children, whose names 
were: Mar}- A., born Dec. 25, 1821; Harriet 
E., born June 26, 1823; William C, born Jan. 
1(5, 1825 ; Fannie, born Dec. 5, 1828 ; Elizabeth, 
born Oct. 9, 1830 ; James, born June 14, 1833 ; 
Henry H., born June 17, 1839 ; the latter be- 
ing the sole surviving member of the family. 
Henrj- Deacon, the father of the above, died 
Feb. 12, 1877, his wife two days later, after a 
life companionship of fifty-six 3-ears. They 
were both buried in one grave. Mr. Deacon 
was an industrious and successful farmer, a 
man of quiet and unpretentious disposition, 
who always remained at home and attended to 
his own personal affairs ; was always vigorous 
and health}-, and, up to the time of his sickness, 
was never sick a day in his life. Although liv- 
ing man}- years near a railroad, never was in a 
coach or rode in one. His son, Henry H., now 
owns and runs the farm ; has never married. 

JOHN DEACON, retired farmer ; P. 0. Hud- 
son. One among the oldest living pioneers of 
this township is the above, who was born in 
Lancaster, Penn., Nov. 28, 1802, and came out 
with his father, Marmaduke, in 1805, and for 
three-quarters of a century has remained con- 
stantly on the farm his father located on. April 
5, 1832, was wedded to Julia Ann E. Law- 
rence, who was born May 23, 1813, in Cin- 



cinnati. Her parents were Martin C. and Sub- 
rait (GriflSn) Lawrence. He was born in Dutch- 
ess Co., N. Y., March 20, 1793. He was a son 
of Chauncey and Sallie H. (Clark) Lawrence, 
who were borh Sept. 25, 1767, and Sept. 19, 
1769, respectively, and were blessed with fifteen 
children. Chauncey's father was Uriah, who 
was born Dec. 25, 1720 ; married Aug. 13, 1743, 
to Mary Clark, who was born Jan. 15, 1725. 
The Lawrence family trace their ancestry to 
one Robert Lawrence, of Lancastershire. En- 
gland, born in Rome. 1150. He was an officer 
attending his sovereign, Richard I, and for 
meritorious conduct was knighted Sir Robert 
Lawrence. There is an estate now of over $100.- 
000,000, consisting of real estate and money 
in the Bank of England, now awaiting the proof 
of title to ownership, of which Mrs. Deacon is 
an heir. John Lawrence (the great-great- 
grandfather of Mrs. Deacon) married Mary 
Townly, daughter of Lord Richard, whose wife 
was Mary Widrington. Both of the above had 
estates which were willed to their heirs, of 
which heirs are those of Mary (Townly) Law- 
rence. Mrs. Deacon came West to Ohio with 
her parents in 1818, who located in this town- 
ship. To Mr. and Mrs. Deacon have been l)orn 
eleven childi'en, ten living : Horace, John W., 
David, Emily, Cyrus B., Edmond W., Lucinda 
E., Lewis, Frederick B., Louisa M., Caroline M., 
deceased. Mrs. Deacon has been a member of 
the church since 15 years of age. On account 
of the feeble health of Mr. Deacon, the care 
and management of the farm has fallen upon 
his wife, who conducts it successfully. 

EDWIN DEWEY, retired farmer; P. 0. 
Hudson; was the son of Stephen and Percy 
(Mosley) Dewey, of Westfield, Mass., where he 
was born Sept. 17, 1795 ; he moved into the 
State of New York, and, when about 22 years 
of age, he, with several others, moved to Ohio 
and settled in Portage Co., where he farmed 
for several years alone, then returned to Mas- 
sachusetts and brought his parents and several 
younger children along with him to Ohio. Hav- 
ing learned the shoemaker's trade in Massachu- 
chusetts, he applied himself to the same for 
several years in Portage Co., in connection with 
his- farming. He has been married three times 
— -first, to Eva Haymaker, May 7, 1820 ; she 
died in April, 1825, leaving three children — 
Charles, Electa (wife of John Beckwith) and 
Eva (widow- of A. Hackett) ; his second mar- 



-^ 



HUDSON TOAVNSHIP. 



831 



riage was celebrated Sept. 11, 1826, with Ann 
Spears ; she died Jan. 3, 1868, leaving one 
child — Isaac ; his present wife was Eliza, a 
daughter of Ehsha Perkins, foi-merl}- of New 
York, but moved to this county and settled in 
Northampton Township at an early date. Mr. 
Dewe}' removed from his farm in Portage Co. 
to Darrow Sti-eet in Hudson, in 1864, where 
he spends his advanced years in the enjoyment 
of a pleasant home. 

JAMES DITTY, tinner and hardware mer- 
chant, Hudson ; was born in Toronto, Canada, 
Feb. 2, 1849 ; his parents were Sanderson and 
Ann (Foster) Ditt}^ who emigrated from the 
north of Ireland to Canada in 1841 ; his father 
died when James was about 5 3-ears old, leav- 
ing a widow and a large family. When about 
15 years of age, he was apprenticed to the tin- 
ner's trade, in Toronto, continuing for five 
years ; he worked at journej'-work there for 
some time, and, in the spring of 1868, he came 
to Cleveland, where he worked two years ; in 
1870, he came to Hudson and worked for J. L. 
Chapman two years, and afterward eight years 
for John N. Farrar ; in January, 1881, he pur- 
chased the tin and hardware stock of J. L. 
Chapman, and, from a business point of view, is 
beginning a new era in his affairs. He married 
Sarah A. Hussey, of Toronto, Canada, January, 
1867 ; they have five children — Lillian, Walter, 
Annie M., Ralph and James S. Mr. Ditty is 
establishing a good trade, and carries an assort- 
ment of general hardware and stoves. 

PHILLIP FILLIUS (deceased); was born 
in Bavaria, Germany, April 6, 1806. He 
emigrated to the United States in 1833, and 
located at Cleveland, where he iv.mained 
four years. He married Anna Barbara Keis, 
in 1837, and soon after moved to a farm 
in Hudson Township. Summit Co. Here they 
resided, and reared a family of nine children, 
viz., Catharine, wife of James Corbett, of 
Missouri ; Lizzie, wife of John Thomas, of In- 
diana ; John, Phillip and Jacob are residing in 
Georgetown, Colo., the latter a member of the 
bar of that town, John, being interested in 
mines there. Josephine is wife of x\lexander 
Nesbitt, of Northfield Township ; Ella, wife of 
Perry Sherman, of Michigan ; (jharles, member 
of the bar at Cuyahoga Falls, and Ernest, who 
resides on the farm. Mrs. Fillius was born in 
Wurtemberg, German}', Aug. 15, 1817, and 
came here with her parents, who emigrated 



early in April, 1831, and arrived in Cleveland 
in August of the same year, after four months' 
traveling, almost weary of life itself. Her fa- 
ther's name was Frederick Keis. There were 
of them six children, five girls and one boy. 
Mr. Fillius died on his farm, where he first lo- 
cated in Hudson, June 14, 1878. Ernest was 
born May 20, 1856. He married Irene Carson, 
daughter of David Carson, formerly of Penn- 
sylvania, now of Michigan, Aug. 17, 1880. They 
reside with his widowed mother, and is the only 
one of the family now with her. 

PROF. E. S. GREGORY, retired, Hudson ; 
was bori? in Fleming, N. Y., April 20, 1828. 
His father, William Gregory', was a native of 
Connecticut, and was twice married. His first 
wife died, leaving four children, viz., William, 
Eben, Munson and Marie. In 1 829, Mr. William 
Gregory walked to this State on a prospecting 
tour, traveling to Cleveland, which was then a 
mere hamlet ; thence to Hudson ; thence west- 
ward about seventy-five miles, where he pur- 
chased, of a settler, 204 acres of land, having 
some trifling improvements and a log cabin, for 
the sum of $1,100. He returned to New York 
for his family, which consisted of his four eldest 
children, second wife and two babies, E. S. and 
Lydia. They came by canal to Buffalo, thence 
by lake to Huron, thence by wagon to their 
new home in the almost unbroken forest, in 1830. 
Harmon, the youngest of the family, was born 
after they came to this State. Mr. Gregory 
prospered in his new home, and, by dint of in- 
dustry, made the forest give place to the fields 
of grain. Both himself and wife are now de- 
ceased, he dying in 1868, and she in 1879. Prof 
E. S. Gregory was the eldest child of his father's 
second marriage, and was only about 2 years 
old when brought here by his parents. His 
early life was that customary to farmer boys, 
until he was about 16 years of age, when he 
began teaching school. A year later, he entered 
Baldwin University, near Cleveland, remaining 
for some time. He entered the Preparatory 
Department of the Western Reserve College in 
the spring and fall terms of 1847, and taught 
school during the winter months. He entered 
the Western Reserve College in 1848, remain- 
ing three years, when he entered Harvard Col- 
lege, where he graduated in 1852. He accepted 
the superintendency of the public schools of 
Monroeville for one year ; thence to the Western 
Reserve College at Hudson as Principal of 



"IV 



832 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Preparatory Department, which position he held 
seven years. He was appointed Assistant Pro- 
fessor of Latin, and served as such in the West- 
ern Reserve College from 1860 until he resigned 
six years later. He moved to Youngs town, 
and was appointed First Principal of the Payen 
High School, which position he retained for 
thirteen years. While there, he spent much 
labor and time in analytical chemistry, which 
has been his stud}- for some time. He married 
Clara M. Baldwin, July 28, 1852, she being the 
only surviving daughter of Harvey Baldwin. 
They have two children — Hattie M. and Anna. 

CHARLES a. CxUILFORD, editor and pro- 
prietor of the Hudson Enterprise, was born in 
Lanesboro, Berkshire Co., Mass., in October, 
1834. Served an apprenticeship to the print- 
ing business in the office of the Berkshire 
County Eagle^ in Pittsfield, Mass., from 1848 to 
1852. In the fall of the latter year came to 
Ohio, and entered the employ of the Cleveland 
Herald. In 1854, went to Waterbur}^, Conn., 
where for six months was one of the publishers 
of the Ncmgatuclx Valley Democrat (a semi- weekly 
paper.) Disposing of his interest in the Bemejcra't, 
Mr. Guilford returned to Ohio and again entered 
the employ of the Cleveland Herald, remaining 
therein various capacities until the breaking-out 
of the war, when he enlisted in Battery B, 1st 
0. V. L. A., Capt. Stondart, serving during the 
entire war, at the close of which he resumed 
his position on the Heredd. In April, 1875, he 
removed with his family to Hudson, and two 
years later, May 1, 1876, he purchased the 
Hudson Enterprise, at that time a little ama- 
teur sheet, unknown outside of the village 
where published. Entering with his whole 
heart into the work of building up the paper, 
Mr. Guilford has succeeded in making the En- 
terprise a journal suitable to Hudson and the 
county. He has a pleasant little farm of 20 
acres about a mile east of the village where he 
resides. It is located on a ridge, said to be the 
highest point of land in the county, and from 
which can be obtained a view of four of the 
surrounding villages. 

REV. HENRY B. HOSFORD, retired min- 
ister, Hudson ; was born in Williamstown, 
Mass., Dec. 17, 1817. He was the son of 
Stephen and Annie (Brown) Hosford, who were 
natives of Massachusetts. His father was a 
merchant and manufacturer in Williamstown. 
Our subject entered Williams College in 1839, 



and graduated in 1843. When his collegiate 
course was finished, he taught in the Hopkins 
Academy for one year, and then returned to 
Williams College, where he taught four years. 
During these four years, he studied theology 
privately, and, in 1839, he was ordained a minis- 
ter of the Congregational Church, at Jordan, 
New York. He returned to Massachusetts in 
1850, and had charge of the congregation at 
Sunderland until 1853 ; that summer he filled 
the place in Williams College left vacant by 
the Professor of Mathematics, who had taken a 
vacation. In January, 1854, he was appointed 
Professor of Intellectual Philosophy and Rhet- 
oric in the Western Reserve College at Hudson, 
which position he resigned six years afterward. 
He was engaged in the Sanitary Commission 
at Chattanooga and Nashville, Tenn., during the 
two last years of the war. On his return from 
the South, he resumed his ministerial labors in 
the neighboring churches which extended to 
Akron, Cuyahoga Falls, Hudson, Kent, Roots- 
town, Atwater, Twinsburg and Streetsboro ; 
and frequently preached at other places. He 
married Miss Mar}' E., daughter of Benjamin 
Plant, of New Hartford, N. Y., Sept. 3, 1850. 
Mrs. Hosford was born June 17, 1824. They 
have seven children viz., Sarah A., wife of Rev. 
John P. Jones, now a missionary in South 
India ; Frances J., ^lary E., Harriet M., wife 
of Chas. W. Foote, of Akron ; Henry H., Helen 
P. and Daniel M. Mr. Hosford conducted the 
Female Seminar}^ in Hudson during the school 
term of 1874-75. Since failing health has 
compelled his I'etirement from active life, he 
attends to insurance at his home, representing 
five substantial companies. 

S. E. JUDD, real estate and insurance, Hud- 
son ; was born in Watertown, Conn., June 13, 
1813. His ancestors were a people of remark- 
able longevity, and were early settlers of that 
State. His great-grandfather purchased from 
some Indians the title to some property in the 
early settlement of the colony, which is owned 
by representatives of the family to this day. 
His father's parents were the first settlers of 
Watertown, Conn., his grandmother being the 
first child baptized b}- the first resident minister, 
in 1739. She died at the advanced age of 100 
years. Mr. S. E. Judd was the son of Eleazer 
and Lj'dia (Brownsou) Judd. He was engaged 
extensively in the manufacture and sale of 
clocks for several years. He was married 



.3 



l2L 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



833 



April 6, 1830, to Mar}- L. Strong, who was born 
April 19, 1811, in Connecticut. In Jul}^, 1851, 
they emigrated to Hudson, Ohio, where he en- 
tei'ed into the real estate and insurance busi- 
ness, and, although not an earl}' pioneer of the 
place, he has been identified with some of its 
public improvements. He has been twice elect- 
ed Ma3or of Hudson. In 1871, they removed 
to St. Paul, Minn., but returned to Hudson in 
1873. Their only child. Jennie S., is the wife 
of Dr. F. Hodge. Mr. Judd visited his native 
town, and participated in the one hundredth an- 
niversary of its incorportion on June 17, 1880. 
The insurance companies represented by him are 
the ^Etna, North American, Manhattan of New 
York, Niagara of New York, Watertown of Wa- 
tertown, N. Y., Lancashire Insurance Co. of 
England, Ashland County Mutual, of Ashland, 
Ohio, and the ^I<]tna Life of Hartford, Conn. 

LTTTHER F. KILBOURNE, farmer ; P. 0. 
Hudson ; is the second son of Justin E. and 
Mar}' A. (Fitch) Kilbourne, and the only survi- 
vor of the family. He was born where he re- 
sides, March 20, 1842. His business has 
always been that of a farmer, except four years, 
when he was appointed Guard at the Ohio State 
Penitentiary, at Columbus. He returned to 
Hudson and took charge of the farm. He mar- 
ried Mary A. Briggaman July 2, 1873. They 
have two children living, Francis H. and Cor- 
nelia E. His grandfather, George Kilbourne, 
was born in Berlin, Conn., Nov. 19, 1769. 
When 26 years old. he married Almira "Wilcox, 
of Simsbury. After residing in Farmington 
and Goshen for about ten years, he joined the 
emigrant party which was induced to come 
hither by David Hudson. Mr. Kilbourne traded 
his property in Goshen to Birdsey Norton, and 
in part payment took land in Hudson Town- 
ship. The party left Goshen, Conn., Sept. 1, 
1801, their teams being all ox teams except 
one. Mr. Kilbourne was obliged to buy a horse 
by the way to assist his oxen, in consequence of 
the warm weather and hilly country. They 
proceeded nicely, their course being thi'ough 
Beading to Womelsdoi'f, thence via Lebanon, 
Harrisburg. Carlisle. Shippensburg and Stras- 
burg, where they came to the mountain called 
the " Three Brothers," a part of the Allghanies ; 
after three days hard work they got over ; but 
two days later they began climbing the hills 
again, when their horse tired out. and they sold 
him to a widow who lived there for one loaf of 



bread. They pushed on with a single yoke of 
oxen until they were almost exhausted, when a 
stranger passed with an ox team which he 
offered for sale. Mr. Kilbourne bought them, 
paying in part some boots and shoes which was 
part of his load. They came on through Bed- 
ford, Somerset, and so on to Pittsburgh. They 
crossed the Ohio about ten miles below Beaver ; 
from there they proceeded to Griersburg, and 
so on until they struck the southeast township 
of the Western Reserve, where they found many 
old acquaintances from Connecticut who lent 
them a helping hand as they passed through. 
When they came to Ravenna, Mr. Kilbourne sold 
his wagon for a cow^ and some grain to support 
him through the winter, and on the sixtieth 
day of their journey they an*ived in Hudson. 
Mr. Kilbourne stopped with Mr. Bishop until he 
got a cabin built. In the course of two years, 
Mr. Kilbourne had cleared about 25 or 30 acres 
of land, when, in the spring of 1803, unfortu- 
nately, he got his thigh broken by a piece of 
timber falling on him while assisting to raise a 
building. This together with ague disabled 
him from doing any farm work for two years. 
With the help of the oldest boy, who was 7 
years old, his wife was obliged to cultivate the 
land and attend to domestic affairs as well. By 
her untiring energy, she succeed in supporting 
the family until 1805. when he found it neces- 
sary to sell the farm and resume his trade, 
which was tanning and shoemaking. To this 
end he moved to Newburg, it being an old 
settlement. Remained there three and a half 
years, when, by the persuasion of Rev. David 
Beacon, he moved to Tallmadge, where he re- 
sided nine years, cleared a farm, and was pre- 
pared to live comfortable during the remainder 
of his life. His son-in-law, Capt. Oviatt, in- 
duced him to return to Hudson, where he died 
March 14, 1865, in his 97th year. His noble 
wife had preceded him in death Dec. 19, 1859, 
in her 8Sth year. They reared six children — 
Sophia, Asahel, George, Timothy E., Eliza and 
Justin E. Justin E. married 3Iary Amanda, 
daughter of Col. Fitch. They were the parents 
of Luther L. Mrs. Justin Kilbourne died 3Iarch 
20, 1876, and he in Nov. 16, 1880. 

M. A. LLTSK, retired farmer ; P. 0. Hudson ; 
born June 2, 1803, on Lot 77, in this township, 
having been a resident of the township well- 
nigh fourscore years, and is the oldest living 
resident. His father was Capt. Amos Lusk, 



^ 



834 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



who commanded a company during the war of 

1812, and died the year following, May 24, 

1813, aged 40 years. He came to this town- 
ship in 1801, when it was an unbroken wilder- 
ness. His wife was Mary Adams, who was 
born in Stockbridge, Conn., May 15, 1768, a 
daughter of John Adams, who was a cousin of 
John Quincy Adams, who graced the Presiden- 
tial chair. Mar}' (Adams) Lusk, the mother of 
our subject, died Jan. 20, 1843. She was the 
mother of nine children, among whom was Di- 
anthe, who was born June 12, 1801. June 21, 
1820, she married John Brown, of Osawato- 
mie, Kansas, and Harper's Ferry fame, and by 
him had live children, viz., John, Jason, Ruth, 
Owen and Frederic. Our subject was left 
fatherless at the age of 10. Learning the hat- 
ter's trade, he followed this vocation for several 
3'ears. At the age of 23. he married Dcnc}- 
Preston, born in Canton, Mass.; she died of con- 
sumption ; by her he had Henry, Loring, 
Charles, Lucy and Amos. Loring was killed 
b\" cars running over him — was a brakeman. 
March 31, 1843, married Mrs. Sallie Secoy, 
whose maiden name was Post. She was born 
Sept. 14, 1815, in Westbrook, Conn., daughter 
of Joshua and MoUie (Dee) Post, to whom 
were born thirteen children, Mrs. Lusk being 
the eleventh daughter. All of the children 
lived to be over CO years of age, with one ex- 
ception. Mr. and Mrs. Lusk have one daughter 
only, Dency, who married Henry Pettengill. 
Mr. Lusk has an adopted daughter, Eva, who 
has lived with them since 2 years of age. Mrs. 
Lusk's first husband was Chester Secoy ^ by 
whom she had four children — Lester, Julitte, 
Mary and Pickney. Charles served four years 
in the late war, member of 2d 0. V. C. He 
had two horses killed under him. Amos and 
Charles Lusk also wore the "blue." Mr. Lusk 
has not been a member of a church since 1835. 
Mr. Lusk has for several years been retired 
from farming. 

M. MESSFR (retired) Hudson ; was born in 
Orwell, Vt., June 25, 1803. He was taught in 
youth the advantages of farm life, and, with 
a view to locating on Western land, he set out 
on a prospecting tour through Ohio, in May, 
1828. He traveled over the territory now em- 
braced in Trumbull, Portage and Summit Cos.; 
thence to Cleveland, which he remembers as a 
then mere hamlet with onl}- about four two- 
story buildings in the place. He finally se- 



lected and purchased 225 acres on which there 
were some trifling improvements, a small por- 
tion being cleared, on which was built a log 
cabin. He returned to Vermont, thence to 
Nottingham, Mass., where he was married to 
Almira C. Bates, March 15, 1829, moving the 
same year to the farm, where they occupied the 
cabin, which was on the premises, for eight 
years, when they erected a comfortable resi- 
dence. Finding his health failini£ he sold his 
farm, and moved to Hudson in 1850. He was 
appointed Treasurer of the proposed Clinton 
Air-Line II. R., and having loaned the company 
about $16,000, he suffered a heavy pecuniary 
loss on account of the failure of the company. 
He was appointed Postmaster in 1861, and held 
the office for seventeen 3'ears. He has been 
identified in official capacity in the Presb^'terian 
Church as Deacon upward of fifty 3'ears, and 
fort3' 3'ears of that time he has officiated as 
Treasurer. Their two children are Orelia, who 
was the wife of Mr. Marvin, of Atwater, and 
who died leaving !bur children, two of whom 
survive, and Adelle, wife of G-eorge W. Stowe, 
who has one child, Charles M. Mrs. Messer 
was born in (Iranville, Mass., Sept. J23, 1805. 

EDWARD W. MORLEY, Professor in 
Western Reserve College ; P. 0. Hudson ; was 
born in Newark, N. J., Jan. 29, 1838. He is 
the son of Rev. S. B. and Anna ('. (Treat) 
Morley. The Rev. S. B. Morle3' was a native 
of Massachussetts ; he graduated at Williams 
College, and was a student of Yale Theological 
Seminar3'. Our subject, Prof Edward W. 
Morley, began the study of chemistr3' when 
about 11 years of age. At the age of 18, he 
entered Williams College, and graduated in 
1860. During the late war, he was appointed 
Agent for the Sanitar}- Committee at Ft. Mon- 
roe, in 1864 and 1865. At the close of the war, 
he returned and accepted a position as teacher 
in South Berkshire Institute, Massachusetts. 
In 1869, he was appointed Professor of Chem- 
istr3' in the Western Reserve College, at Hudson, 
and in 1873 he also accepted the Professorship 
of Toxicology in the Medical College of Cleve- 
land. He married Miss Isabella E. Birdsall, 
daughter of James Birdsall, Esq., of Hillsdale, 
Columbia Co., N. Y., on Dec. 24, 1868. 

B. F. MELOY, blacksmith ; Hudson ; was 
born in Juniata Co., Penn, x\pril 27, 1827. 
His father moved with his family to Portage 
Co., Ohio, in 1834 ; there the parents of Mr. 






d>L 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



835 



Melo^- died. In 1843, our subject went to Mid- 
dlebury to learn the blacksmith's trade with 
the Belden Bros., where he served a year. At 
the expiration of his apprenticeship, he came 
to Darrow Street, in 1846, where he woi'ked 
about a year, then purchased the business in- 
terest of William Darrow, Sr. — who had taken it 
from one Fitield — and here he has continued 
ever since. He marri-d A. E. Canfield, of 
Litchfield, Medina Co., Ohio, April 15, 1847. 
She was born in Connecticut, and came with 
her parents to Ohio when quite young. The}^ 
had no children, e.Kcept one adopted daughter — 
Julia, now wife of Wm. Hartel. 

S. E. OVIATT, manufacturer ; Hudson ; 
was born in Richland Township, this 
county, Aug. 2, 1832. He is the son of Russell 
and Julia (Curtis) Oviatt. Russell was the son 
of Salmon Oviatt, who was one of three 
brothers (viz., Salmon, Heman and Nathaniel) 
who emigrated from Connecticut, and were 
among the first pioneers of this count}'. Rus- 
sell Oviatt was a well-to-do farmer ; hence the 
first efforts of his son (S. E.) were also in that 
direction. Mr. S. E. Oviatt had charge of the 
farm when quite 3^oung, as his father sustained 
injuries from which he never recovered, caused 
by jumping from a buggy. Of their five chil- 
dren, three lived to maturity, viz., Mariam, S. 
E., and Russelline ; Chloe and Adrian died in 
childhood. Mr. Oviatt received a good com- 
mon-school education. He attended the Rich- 
field Academy two terms, but his assistance 
being required at home, he was not aflforded the 
opportunity of further advancement. He evi- 
dently conducted his agricultural pursuits with 
a thoroughness seldom attained by young men, 
as diplomas in his possession attest, which he 
received after entering in competition with 
quite a number of townships in Summit and 
adjoining counties, for the best acre of wheat, 
beans, oats and corn, in 1853 ; also, a diploma 
for the best three-year-old horse at the same 
time. Having a taste for mechanics, and being 
naturally an inventive genius, he has produced 
several valuable patents, viz.: " The Oviatt 
grain thresher " ; also, the farm wagon known as 
the " Common-sense Wagon," said to be more 
convenient and more durable than the ordinary 
ones ; and a sled, known as the " Independent 
runner," Oviatt patent ; this latter improve- 
ment has experienced a large demand. He 
moved into the village of Richfield, purchased 



and built a residence worth about $3,000, on 
part of what was his grandfather's old home- 
stead, reserving 7 acres, which he retains. He 
endeavored to build up manufacturing indus- 
tries at Riclifield, and for a time was actively 
engaged with the Richfield Agricultural Works, 
which were operated by a "stock" company. 
He established a spoke factory, which he con- 
ducted for two years, when he closed out. He 
moved to Akron in 1874, where he engaged in 
the agricultural implement trade for about three 
years, at the same time contemplating an es- 
tablishment for the manufacture of his special 
patents. He made an eflSort to organize a 
stock compan}^ in January, 1878, at Hudson, 
and, so for as the organization was concerned, 
his efforts were successful. It was on the co- 
operative plan, and the members were mechanics 
without means, but were men to whom Mr. 
Oviatt was willing to give an opportunity to 
progress with the enterprise ; four of the mem- 
bers became dissatisfied, and those remaining 
purchased the stock of the outgoing members. 
Although the business, for some time past, has 
not been in a thriving condition, the prospects 
of the institution at present are encouraging. 
It is known as the " Oviatt Manufticturing Co." 
Mr. Oviatt was married, Feb. 14, 1856, to Fan- 
nie E. Watkins, of Plainfield, Will Co., 111. She 
was born in Wyoming, N. Y., May 24, 1836 ; 
her parents, with their family, moved from New 
York to Illinois when she was small. Mr. and 
Mrs. Oviatt are parents of five children, viz., 
Julia A., Russell L., Edward P., Fannie E. and 
Maud. 

L. D. OSBORNE, M. D., physician, Hudson ; 
was born in Onondaga, N. Y., Aug. 16, 1820 ; 
he was the son of Levi Osborne, a cloth- 
dresser. While the subject of this sketch was 
yet in infancy his mother died, leaving three 
children, two of whom lived to maturity, but 
are now deceased ; his father married a second 
time, by which union there were three children, 
two of whom reside in Allegany Co., N. Y., 
and one in Cleveland, Ohio. The family came 
to Ohio in 1833, and located in Willoughby, 
Lake Co., where Mr. Osborne died several years 
ago. Our subject. Dr. Osborne, entered a pri- 
vate school conducted by Mr. A. D. Lord, of 
Lake Co., and was also a student of Senator 
Allen, thus obtaining the preliminary course of 
his education ; he entered the Lake Erie Medi- 
cal College, since merged into the Starling 






836 



BIOGEAPPIICAL SKETCHES: 



Medical College of Columbus, and graduated 
in 1845 ; during his collegiate course, he read 
medicine privately with Dr. John Delamater, 
who was a pi'ofessor in the college ; he began 
the practice of his profession with his pre- 
ceptor in Willoughb}-, in 1843, where he re- 
mained about five 3'ears, when he moved to 
Warsaw, Wyoming Co., N. Y., thei'e remaining 
about three years ; on account of failing health, 
he resolved to return to Ohio, and accordingl}' 
did so, locating in Portage Co.. where he prac- 
ticed about four years. In the fall of 1854, he 
established himself in Hudson, where he has 
practiced the healing art ever since. He mar- 
ried Miss Mary Elenora Johnson Aug. 22, 
1848. Mrs. Osborne was the daughter of Enoch 
Johnson, of Charlestown, Portage Co., where 
she was born, October. 1828. They have three 
children, viz. : Mary E., Hattie E. (wife of Rev. 
T. S. Scott, of Rocidbrd, 111.), and Lulu. 

NEWTON PECK (deceased) ; was born in 
Brockfield, Vt., July 25, 1808 ; he was the 
sixth of a family of ten children, two of 
whom survive — Reuben and a sister, Mrs. T. S. 
Paine, of Vermont. When quite young Prof. 
Peck evinced a strong desire for knowledge, 
and when the work of his father's farm pre- 
vented him from attending school he would 
eagerly improve every opportunity with his 
books ; when quite a small boy and driving his 
father's oxen at the plow, he would carry his 
Latin Reader. " Liber Primus," which he studied 
at intervals while the animals were resting, 
thereby getting some knowledge of Latin ; at 
17 years of age, he began teaching school in 
Vermont ; he spent one year a student in a 
university there, and, by ardent study, he soon 
mastered Latin and Greek ; he became a good 
Hebrew scholar, and was said to be one of the 
best readers of Sanscrit in the United States. 
He conversed in French, could read Grerman, 
Spanish and Italian. Considering his ability 
as scholar and teacher, he was one of the 
most unassuming of men ; he was thorough in 
the higher branches of mathematics, and ac- 
quired some knowledge of astronomy ; while 
teaching in West Virginia, he calculated ac- 
curatel}'^ the details of the solar eclipse of 
1837 ; he was a careful student in the natural 
sciences, and particularly fond of botany and 
geology. In 1837, he founded the Marshall 
Academ}' at Guyandotte, West Virginia, which 
has since developed into a college ; he came to 



Ohio in 1832, and spent the first year in study 
at Western Reserve College, Hudson ; but 
graduated from Augusta College, Kentucky, in 
1837. His limited means compelled him to 
teach at intervals to procure the necessaries of 
life during his collegiate course ; he was ap- 
pointed tutor in Kenyon College at Gambler, 
in 1834. He married Aurelia K. Brewster, of 
Ravenna, Oct. 16, 1834 ; she was a sister of 
Anson A. Brewster, one of the pioneer mer- 
chants of Hudson. After a few years residence 
at Ravenna, he went South, but returned to Ohio 
and located permanently at Hudson in 1858. 
He taught for a period about forty years in the 
States of Vermont, Ohio, West Virginia, Ken- 
tucky and Tennessee ; and among his pupils, 
who have gone into official public life, we men- 
tion the late Henry A. Smith, of Minnesota ; 
Gen. E. B, Tyler ; S. D. Harris, of the Ravenna 
Press ; and D. Lyman, Chief of the Division of 
Navigation at Washington, D. C. Mr. Peck 
was a member of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church, being confirmed in Vermont when 22 
years old. He passed away July 6, 1880, 
leaving a widow and two children, viz. : Thos. 
K. Peck, of Wa Keeney, Kan., and Eleanor A., 
who resides here with her aged mother. 

M. C. READ, attorney at law, Hudson, was 
born in Williamsfield, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, 
Aug. 21, 1825. His parents, Ira and Mary 
(Smith) Read, were natives of Massachusetts ; 
they moved to Ohio in 1813 ; Mrs. Read car- 
ried their onl}' child on horseback the entire 
distance from Massachusetts to Ohio. They 
here turned their attention to farming, and suc- 
ceeded in hewing out a comfortable home in the 
forest, where they reared their children, viz.: 
Albert N., Daniel W. (deceased,) Newton S., 
Matthew C. and Mar}' C. — twins — she the 
widow of Selby Bemen, and Emeline R., wife 
of J. J. Gray, of Ashtabula. Mr. and Mrs. Read 
finall}' removed to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where 
the}' passed their later yeai'S, being spared to 
see and know that their earl}- efforts to pro- 
cure a good home, and fit each member of their 
family for his separate place in society were 
not in vain. He died in 1861, in his 72d year, 
and she in 1869, in her 79th year. Mr. M. C. 
Read was engaged until 18 years of age, like 
most young men who are reared on the farm. 
About that time he entered the Western Re- 
serve Academy at Farmington ; later the Grand 
River Institute at Austinsburg, Ohio. In 1844 



^\ 



X 



■^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



837 



he entered the Western Reserve College at Hud- 
son, from which he graduated in 1848. He 
taught a select school in tbe city of Columbus, 
Ohio, which was well patronized by the best 
citizens of the place, but was broken up by 
cholera, which was then prevailing in the com- 
munity. Mr. Read was taken seriously ill 
with the disease, and returned to his home, 
placing himself under the care of his brother, 
a ph3'sician in Ashtabula, where he remained 
about one year. Having regained his health, 
he taught the Academy- at Gustavus, Trumbull 
Co., for one term. He read law in the office of 
Chaffee & Woodberry, of Jefferson. When his 
study of law was completed, he was called to 
Hudson to edit the FamiJij Visitor, a journal 
which was published here at that time. While 
connected with the Family Visitor he taught I 
the Grr^mmar School in Western Reserve Col- 
lege for one year. He then began the practice 
of law and continued until the outbreak of the 
war, when he was called with the Sanitary Com- 
mission, and was with the Army of the Cum- 
berland until they reached Chattanooga, Tenn., 
where he was stationed until the war closed. 
On his return he was appointed Deputy Rev- 
enue Collector, during President Johnson's ad- 
ministration. In 1869, he was appointed on 
the State Geological Sarve3ing Corps, and con- 
tinued a member in field work until the surve}^ 
was completed. He was appointed to lecture 
on zoology and practical geology in Western 
Reserve College. His time is now occupied in 
the practice of his profession and special 
geological surveys. He married Orissa E. 
Andrews, daughter of Wm. Andrews, an attor- 
ney of Homer, N. Y., Aug. 28, 1851. Their 
eldest son, William H., is a graduate of the 
Western Reserve College, and now a member 
of the Toledo bar. The other children are 
Chas. P., Mary O. and Susan J. 

N. P. SEYMOUR, LL. D., professor in the 
Western Reserve College, Hudson; born in Hart- 
ford, Conn., Dec. 24, 1813, was the fifth child and 
second son born to Charles and Catharina 
(Perkins) Seymour. In 1830. at the age of 16 
he entered Yale College, graduating four years 
later. After spending two years in the Hart- 
ford Grammar School, he was appointed Tutor 
in Yale College. In 1840, he accepted the 
professorship of Latin and Greek, in the West- 
ern Reserve College, a position he filled for 
thirty 3'ears. On the occasion of his resigna- 



tion in 1870, the committee of the Board of 
Trustees appointed to prepare a minute in rela- 
tion to his resignation reported the following, 
which was adopted by the board : " Prof N. P. 
Seymour having at a previous meeting ten- 
dered to the board his resignation of the pro- 
fessorship of Greek and Latin, and the same 
having been reluctantly accepted, the board 
cannot permit a connection so long continued, 
and which has been so highly advantageous to 
the college to terminate without recording their 
high sense of the great value of his services, 
and their conviction that by his wise counsel, 
his eminent attainments as a scholar, and his 
self-denying devotion to the best interests of 
the institution for thirty 3-ears, he has largely 
contributed to its usefulness and pi-osperity, 
and to the high standard of scolarship and thor- 
ough course of instruction for which it has been 
distinguished. And in the liope that the college 
may still to some extent enjoy the benefit of his 
counsel and labors, he has been appointed Eme- 
ritus Professor of Greek and Latin, and is invited 
to give lectures from time to time, as may be 
agreeable to him upon subjects connected with 
his late department of instruction." Prof 
Seymour has thus retained his connection with 
the college, and lectures at times upon the same 
subject in other institutions. In 1867, he re- 
ceived the degree of Doctor of Laws, conferred 
bj' Kenyon College. In 1841, he married Miss 
Elizabeth Day, daughter of Hon. Thomas Day, 
of Hartford. Conn. Of their union, three chil- 
dren was the issue, their eldest son Charles, is 
a member of the bar in Knoxville, Tenn., where 
he established himself soon after the late war ; 
Sarah is now the wife of Wm. C. Parsons, of 
Akron ; Thomas, the youngest, was appointed 
professor of Greek language in Yale College in 
Julv, 1880. 

CHARLES STONE, farmer; Streetsboro 
Township, Portage County ; P. 0. Hudson ; 
was born one mile east of Hudson, January 12, 
1812. His father, Nathaniel, and mother, 
Sally (Holenbeck) Stone, were natives of Con- 
necticut. They removed to Ohio in 1810. 
Mrs. Sidney Collar was their only child, at that 
time, a mere babe. Mr. Holenheck, the father 
of Mrs. Stone, came from Connecticut at the 
same time ; the}' drove through with two ox 
teams and a single horse, spending two months 
on the journey. They arrived at Hudson in 
November, 1810, and, purchasing some land, 



\ 



838 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



began to prepare a home thereon. They reared 
twelve children, ten of whom lived to maturity, 
viz., Carolina, Charles, Sidne}' J., Eroeline (de- 
ceased wife of R. Cobb), Randolph, Helen, Be- 
linda, Roswell, Orlando and Clelsey. The family- 
removed from their first location to their pur- 
chase in the east of Hudson Township and 
across the line into Portage County, where the 
old folks died, he in 1861, and his wife about 
four years later. Charles married Sabrina 
Draper, April 18, 1837. They began farming 
on about 60 acres which he got of his father, 
and built a log cabin. To this land he added 
by purchase, until he owned 200 acres. They 
had seven children, viz., Harriet E., Frederick, 
Salina, David, Moses, Mary L. (died when 
about 3 3'ears old), and Clarinda S. Frederick 
enlisted in the 9th Ohio Battery, September, 
1861, and served until March, 1862, when he 
died in hospital at Somerset, Ky., after a short 
illness. Salina is wife of Charles Cash, of Hud- 
son ; David married Annie, daughter of Wil- 
liam Wilson, of Medina County — he and his 
brother Moses have control of the farm ; Har- 
riet E. and Clarinda S. are also at home with 
their parents. Mrs. Charles Stone was the only 
child of Moses Draper by his first wife. She 
was born in Washington County, N. Y., June 
3, 1818. Her mother died when she was a 
mere infant, and her father married a second 
wife, by whom he reared several children ; the}' 
all emigrated to Ohio in 1831, and the following 
year Mrs. Stone came to her Other's with a 
family who were coming here at that time. 
They have been A^er}- successful, and look 
back on pioneer life with much satisfaction. 
On the night of the 5th of February, 1847, a 
sad calamity happened in the burning of his 
father's residence, in which Belinda, a young- 
lady about 21 years of age. pei'ished in the 
tlames ; the other members of the family barely 
escaped with their lives. It was one of the 
primitive log-cabins, and stood a little south of 
where Carles' residence is located. The acci- 
dent is supposed to have occurred by the re- 
newal of the fire when the last ones retired, for 
tlie purpose of keeping the house warm through 
the night. 

CHARLES J. SMITH, Professor in West- 
ern Reserve College, Hudson, was born in 
Clarendon, Ohio, Oct. 16, 1844. He is the 
second son born to Josiah and jMartha (Has- 
kell) Smith, w^ho were natives of Connecticut, 



but came to Ohio with their respective fami- 
lies in the earl}- settlement of the State, and 
located in Geauga County. At from 16 to 19 
years of age, Prof Smith began teaching a dis- 
trict school in the winter months, during the 
summer season his time being occupied on his 
father's farm. He then accepted a position as 
teacher in the Bloomfield Academy, where he 
remained one and a half years. He entei'ed the 
Western Reserve College in 1866, and gradu- 
ated therefrom in 1870, in the fall of the same 
year, being appointed Professor of Natural 
Philosoph}'. He married Miss Julia E. King 
Aug. 23, 1871. Their children are as follows : 
Esther K., Charles K. and Charlotte P. Mrs. 
Smith was born in Warren, Trumbull Co., Ohio, 
Aug. 20. 1845. She was the daughter of Lester 
King, who was the son of Judge King, of 
Warren. 

SYLVESTER H. THOMPSON, retired; 
Hudson, more familiarly known as Judge 
Thompson, was born in Hudson, Ohio. July 
28, 1808. He was the fifth child born to Dr. 
Moses Thompson (who is mentioned in the 
township histor}', as being the first physician 
of Summit County). Dr. Thompson was mar- 
ried to Elizabeth Mills in Connecticut, in 1795; 
they moved into the State of New York imme- 
diately after their marriage, where they lived 
until 1800, when he came to Ohio and selected 
land in the vicinity of Hudson ; then returned 
to New York for his famil}-, which con- 
sisted of wife and one child ; the}' arrived 
here and settled permanently in 1801. They 
were blessed with eleven children, viz., Eliza 
L. (deceased) was wife of Horace Metcalf; 
Susan, (deceased) was wife of Horace Hol- 
brook ; Mills, now deceased was a prominent 
farmer : Erailv (deceased) was wife of Samuel 
Woods ; Sylvester H.; Virgil M., of Stow 
Township ; Ruth, wife of Leander Starr, of 
Hudson ; Maiy, widow' of John Flazeltine, who 
with her daughter resides west of Hudson ; Sa- 
rah A. (deceased), w^ho was the wife of Chas. 
Aikin ; Martha, died in youth, and Elizabeth, 
who is unmarried. Over half a century of 
Mrs. Thompson's life and labors were well 
spent in this community. Besides the cai'e in- 
cident to rearing of her own numerous family, 
it would require a volume to do justice to her 
memory, as respecting her humane and benev- 
olent characteristics and acts toward the sick 
or needy, during the days of meager supplies. 



f.k^ 



HUDSON TOWNSHIP. 



839 



with the pioneei" settlers ; her life work closed 
on Nov. 20, 1851. Dr. Thompson survived his 
wife until Nov. 17, 1858. There was nothing 
remarkable in the earh^ life of Judge Thomp- 
son ; he attended school in boyhood, and got a 
fair education in the old primitive schools of 
his earl}- life. His brain was spared the con- 
fusion of college classics, but was possessed of 
an abundance of practical good, hard sense, 
which with strict integrity, eventuall}' placed 
him in the front rank of honored citizens. 
When he was about 22 years of age, he began 
farming, on his own account, on 80 acres for 
which his father paid $420. He was married 
to Carolina D. Peck, May 14, 1833. She was 
born in Connecticut, Dec. 6, 1808, and came 
here from Waterbury, Conn., on a visit to her 
brothers, who were contractors and builders, 
and who built the Congregational Church in 
Hudson. Seven children were born to Mr. and 
Mrs. Thompson, viz., Charles S. (deceased); 
Sherman P., Martha E. (now Mrs. P. Gr. Clark, 
of East Cleveland) ; Theodore F. and Albert 
S., and two who died in childhood. Mr. 
Thompson was the first xlssessor in Hud- 
son Township, and has held other offices 
which were the gift of the people of the town- 
ship. He was elected Justice of the Peace, and 
after serving one year he resigned, to accept 
the appointment of Associate Judge, in 1845, 
which office he held until the new State Consti- 
tution was adopted, with provisions which 
abolished the office of Associate Judge, in 
1851. In 1864, he was appointed . Commis- 
sioner for this county on the Cleveland & Pitts- 
burgh Railroad. He was connected with the 
City Bank of Akron, Ohio, of which he was 
President for thirteen years. The first apples 
which were grown in this vicinity, were prob- 
ably' those on Dr. Thompson's premises, trees 
produced from seeds taken from a piece of 
pomace, which the Doctor picked up where 
he stopped to feed his ox team when coming 
here through Pennsylvania, in 1801, formed 
nucleus of an orchard. Judge Thompson re- 
members distinctly the first apple which was 
borne thereon, in 1813. That was the /^?•.s•^ and 
only one produced on their trees that year, and 
as it increased in size and reddened with the 
sun, like the "apple" of old, it was the source 
of considerable temptation to the children to 
taste it and not " transgress." so they devised a 
means : two pulled the slender tree against the 



house, to which it stood close, a third one 
would climb, scrape a hole in the apple with 
his finger nail and carry the scrapings down to 
those doing service at the stem until all would 
have a taste. Although in advanced years, the 
Judge is in robust health and enjoys in a re- 
tired manner, the fruits of his early indu.Htry, 
as well as the high esteem of his fellow citi- 
zens. His wife, who was his great helper in 
his much varied life, died Nov. 23, 1876. 

STEPHEN THOMPSON, deceased : was 
born in Groshen, Conn.; he married Abigail 
Hutchinson. They, with three children, Will- 
iam, Hiram and Elijah, emigrated to this town- 
ship in the fall of 1801. They reared a family 
of eleven children in all — William. Hiram, Eli- 
jah, Serena, Lucretia, Alonzo, ITriah, Premila, 
Amos, Alonzo 2d, and Abigail. The old folks 
(Stephen and his wife), died many years since, 
in the east of Hudson Village. Hiram was 
born in Goshen, Conn., Aug. 30, 1797. When 
he was about 17 years of age, he began to work 
for himself, and paid for 50 acres of land where 
he now lives. He married Sabrina Danforth, 
Jan. 23, 1823. She was the eldest daughter of 
Enoch Danfoi'th ; she was born in New Hamp- 
shire, Jan. 26, 1806. They reared nine chil- 
dren, viz.: Lorenzo, now in Kent Co., Mich.; 
Amelia, wife of Dr. E. Me^^ers, of Uniontown ; 
Harriet, deceased, wife of Henry Sandford ; 
Jeremiah, now in Le Mai's, Iowa ; Laura L. 
is wife of William Bell ; Mar}', deceased, wife 
of Charles Case ; Louisa, wife of Orrin Rey- 
nolds, of Chicago, 111.; William was killed by 
the cars when thrown from the track, near Hud- 
son, in 1864 ; Emma, wife of E. Cartwright. 
Mr. Hiram Thompson added to his first pui'- 
chase until he owned 161 acres of good land. 
He never worked a team of horses on farm 
work, but used oxen instead all his time. Mr. 
and Mrs. Thompson have retired from the act- 
ive duties of the farm, and left the same to the 
care of their daughter and son-in-law, WMlliam 
C. Bell. He was born in Pennsylvania in 
March, 1841, and came here in 1859 ; he en- 
listed in the late rebellion, in August, 1861, Co. 
A, 0. V. C. lie got his discharge Dec. 31, 
1863, and re-enlisted as veteran in same com- 
pau}' and regiment, and served until the close 
of the war, and got liis final discharge Sept. 11, 
1865. He had two horses shot from under 
him, one of which fell on him and disabled 
him, in September, 1864, near Charlestown. On 



^1 



840 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



his return, he married Laura L. Thompson. 
The}' have three children, viz., Willie L., Emma 
A. and Frederick W. At the time Stephen 
Thompson and his family came, they brought 
several cows and about eighteen sheep, which 
the}' drove all the way from Connecticut. They 
had hard work in protecting their sheep from 
the ravages of wolves in those daN's, as lambs 
and pigs were frequentl}' carried off Wild tur- 
keys were plentiful, and Hiram has shot several 
at their barn, substituting corn for shot when 
the latter could not be procured. 

HARRY C. THOMPSON, deceased. He 
was born in Berkshire Co., Conn., Nov. 24, 
1801. He was the son of Isaac and Poll}' 
(Campbell) Thompson, who moved, with their 
ftimily of eight children, from Connecticut to 
Ohio, in 1814, locating at Ravenna. Their chil- 
dren were Eliza, now widow of Dr. Swift, living 
at Ravenna ; Harry C, deceased; Charles B., 
deceased ; Orrin C. T., now a Presbyterian 
Minister in Detroit, Mich.; Robert W., deceased ; 
he and Richard J., who resides on the old home- 
stead at Ravenna, were twins ; Mary, in Ra- 
venna ; Charlotte, deceased. When Harry C. 
was about 21 years of age, he discontinued 
farming, and apprenticed himself to a tailor in 
Ravenna. When his apprenticeship expired, 
he went to New York, and there worked at 
journeywork until he became perfectly ac- 
quainted with the business. In about two 
years, he returned to Ravenna, and opened a 
tailoring establishment — the only one of the 
kind in the place. His trade increased until 
he employed eight hands and conducted a very 
successful business. In 1836, his health failed, 
from too close application to his business, ne- 
cessitating a withdrawal therefrom. He was 
married to Harriet A. Ellsworth, Jan. 7, 1830. 
She was the daughter of Elisha and Elizabeth 
(Oviatt) Ellsworth, who came here from Con- 
necticut in 1811. Mrs. Thompson was then a 
child about 2 years of age. She was born in 
Connecticut Nov. 23, 1809. When Mr. Thomp- 
son closed out his tailoring establishment, they 
opened a boarding-house in Ravenna, which 
they conducted with success for many years ; 
this he afterward sold out, and purchased a 
farm north of Hudson, where they resided twelve 
years. In 1 868, they moved into Hudson, where 
they anticipated a life of rest in their lives' 
evening-time, apart from the bustle and toil of 
the world. Mr. Thompson was elected Justice 



of the Peace after coming to Hudson, and 
served eight years. He has been appointed 
administrator of twenty-four different estates. 
Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were parents of two 
children, viz.: Robert W., who resides on the 
farm; and Elisha, who died at the age of 12. 
Mr. Thompson's worldly cares ceased in death 
Dec. 19, 1877. Mrs. Thompson is one of the 
few who came here in pioneer days, and, al- 
though well advanced in her 72d year, has a 
good memory and a vigorous constitution. 

AMOS THOMPSON, farmer; P. 0. Hudson, 
is the son of Stephen Thompson, who came 
from Goshen, Conn., with his wife and three 
children, settling here in 1802. Amos was 
born in this tov/nship, Sept. 13, 181 2. Through- 
out his whole life he has been a well-to-do 
farmer without any desire for notoriety in pub- 
lic life. He has been twice married ; first in 
1836, to Miss Laura Smith, of Randolph. By 
this union there were six children, three de- 
ceased and three living. Those surviving are 
Henry 0., Ada A. and Arthur N. Their mother 
was a native of the State of New York, and 
came here with her parents about two years 
previous to her marriage; she died Sept. 13, 
1874. Mr. Thompson's second marriage was 
with Mrs. Lavina Sandford, widow of the late 
Peter Sandford, of Kent. The present Mrs. 
Thompson was twice married prior to her 
union with Mr. Thompson ; she has one child, 
Emma Arrow, by her first husband, John 
Arrow. 

S. E. TOWNSEND, farmer ; P. O. Hudson ; 
was born on Oct. 8, 1825, in New York, from 
which place his parents, Eli and Sarah (Kenyon) 
Townsend emigrated to Ohio with two children, 
viz. : Cynthia and himself, in 1833. They lo- 
cated in Richfield, and, after our subject had 
passed his majority, he learned the carpenter 
and joiner trades which he engaged in suc- 
cessfully. He has been twice married ; first to 
Miss Vanilla Smith, who died leaving four chil- 
dren, three of whom survive, viz. : Charles E.. 
Mary E. (now wife of Clifford Axtell) and 
Lewis S. ; his second marriage was with Mrs. 
Sarah Farnum, Oct. 18, 1863; they have one 
child — iMyron E. Mrs. Townsend was born in 
Massachusetts in 1827, and came to Ohio with 
her parents in 1842. Her first marriage was 
with Darwin Farnum, of Richfield, in 1851 ; 
died May 18, 1859. In December, 1879, Mr. 
Townsend purchased and moved to his present 






CUYAHOGA FALLS TOAVNSHIP. 



841 



home, which consists of 90 acres of excellent 
agricultural land, lying immediately west of 
the corporation limits of Hudson. With its 



advantages and improvements, besides the 
natural beautiful location, it is all that could 
be desired. 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWr^SHiP. 



EPHRAIM BLOOD, retired, Cuyahoga 
Falls; was born in Saratoga Co., N. Y., May 
27, 182L His father, David Blood, was a 
farmer by pursuit, and married a lady by the 
name of Maiy Hewitt. When scarcely of age, 
the subject of this sketch went to the trade of 
carpenter and joiner, which he followed 
steadily until 1852. He then engaged in 
millwi'ighting, which he continued to work at 
until 1876, at which time the firm of Snyder 
& Blood, builders and contractors, was 
formed. Both being practical carpenters, and 
possessing a thorough knowledge of their bus- 
iness, they immediately assumed a prominent 
position, and their trade annually increased. 
In January, 1881, Mr. Blood withdrew from 
business entirely, and is now leading a retired 
life. His marriage was celebrated Aug. 18, 

1847, Miss Mary A. Reece becoming his wife. 
She, too, is a native of the Empire State, and 
was born March 18, 1822. 

O. B. BEEBE, diy goods, Cuyahoga Falls; 
is a son of Oliver D. and Phoebe (Holt) Beebe, 
and was born Oct. 17, 1807, in New London, 
Conn. His father was a carpenter and joiner 
by trade, and moved to Middletown, Conn., 
when the subject of this article was in his 
childhood, and there he grew to matiu"ity. 
"While yet in his youth, he learned the trade 
of book-binder, and did "jour" work until he 
came to this cou.nty, with the exception of one 
year that he conducted business for himself. 
In December, 1831, he came to Cuyahoga 
Falls, and continued to work at his trade until 

1848, when he engaged in mercantile pur- 
suits, which he has since followed, keeping at 
present a large and complete stock of dry 
goods. His marriage was celebrated Sept. 80, 
1832, at Middletown, Conn., Miss Sarah A. 
Babcock becoming his wife. Their union has 
been fruitful of four children — Jane, Mary, 
William O. and Robert. The elder son is the 



only one living, he being his father's partner 
in business. Mr. and Mrs. Beebe are mem- 
bers of the Episcopal ClAirch. He was Post- 
master of Cuyahoga Falls during the adminis- 
tration of James K. Polk; has been Mayor. 
He is a Republican. 

J. H. BYRNE, grocer, Cuyahoga Falls ; was 
born in Ireland, April 14, 1822, and is the 
youngest of a family of twelve children born 
to Thomas and Catharine (Halleck) Byrne. 
The father died when the subject of this 
sketch was only 3 months old, and the 
family soon after emigrated to America, set- 
tling in Clinton Co., N. Y In 1833, they 
moved to what is now Summit Co., Ohio, and 
located in Tallmadge Township. J. H. re- 
ceived but a limited amount of schooling, and 
his first effort at earning money was perform- 
ing light work during the surveying for the 
Ohio Canal. He learned the trade of car- 
riage-maker with Oviatt & Avery, at Tall- 
madge, Ohio, and, in 1838, came to Cuyahoga 
Falls and entered the machine-shop, where he 
worked for several years. He conducted a 
saw-mill in Lucas Co. two years, and the 
rest of his life has been passed here, clerking 
until 1871, when he and S. W. Hei-rington 
engaged in business, keeping a store of gene- 
ral merchandise for three years. In June, 
1879, he commenced his present business, 
keeping a grocery and provision store. He 
was married, Aug. 28, 1845, to Catharine 
Malone. She was born in Wood Co., Va., 
May 7, 1825, and has crowned their union 
with two children, who grew to maturity — 
William P. and Thomas C. The younger died 
when in his 15th year. The elder studied 
dentistry, and died Nov. 29, 1879, having 
been a practitioner for ten years. Mrs. Byi'ne 
is a member of the Episcopal Church. He is 
a member of the I. O. O. F., and is independ- 
ent in his political views. 



842 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



L. W. BOYS, barber, Cuyahoga Falls. L. 
W. Boys was born in Bennington, Vi, Nov. 
20, 1843. His parents were G. L. and Sally 
(Davis) Boys. The father was also a native 
of the same place, and, by trade, a machinery - 
molder. The subject of this sketch is the only 
child of his parents. In about 184(), the fam- 
ily came to Aki'on, Ohio, where they remained 
two years, and then came to Cuyahoga Falls, 
Here they have ever since resided. Previous 
to the civil war, the son served an apprentice- 
ship under his father as a machinery-molder. 
He ran away fi-om home at the age of 19 
and enlisted in the United States Navy, under 
Commander J. C. Carter, of the United States 
steamer Michigan. After he had served about 
a year, he was taken sick with typhoid pneu- 
monia, and was discharged for disability. 
He returned home, and started to learn the 
cabinet-maker's trade, but his lungs were so 
delicate because of his previous illness that he 
gave up the trade, and a second time ran 
away from home. At Cleveland he again en- 
listed, this time in the Volunteer Navy, Elev- 
enth District, Mississippi Squadron, and was 
stationed under Acting Commander M. For- 
rest, a nephew of the rebel Gen. Forrest. He 
participated in three engagements at and near 
Decatur. He was also on the first gunboat 
that reached Knoxville, Tenn. He served to 
the close of the war, and was honorably dis- 
charged. After his I'eturn, he again engaged 
in the machine- molding business in Cuyahoga 
Falls, but, not being able to continue the busi- 
ness because of his previous illness, he went 
into the barbering business. He has contin- 
ued in that line to the present time; mean- 
while, he has invented an improved barber 
and dental chair. Mr. Boys was married, 
Sept. 20, 1866, to Phoebe E., daughter of G. 
W. Hobart, Esq., of Medina, Ohio. He has 
had two children, both of whom have died. 
Mrs. Boys was born June 1 5, 1850. Mr. Boys 
is a Republican in politics, and is of a race 
of Old-Line Whigs. He is a young man of 
push and energy, and is destined to make his 
mark as a business man. 

J. C. CASTLE, attorney, Cuyahoga Falls; 
was born at Elkhart, Ind., Sept. 11, 1842, and 
is a son of Levi B. and Elizabeth (Cranson) 
Castle. His father was an itinerant minister 



in the M. E. Church, and passed many years 
a resident of the western part of the State of 
New York. He moved to Ohio in 1855, and, 
in 1861, became a resident of Summit Co., 
where he passed the rest of his life, dying in 
Febriiary, 1875, when in his 84th year. The 
subject of this sketch commenced doing for 
himself when young, his first venture, being as 
a newsboy on the C, C, C. & I. R. R., during 
which he saved enough money to enter the 
Baldwin University at Berea, Ohio. Before 
the expiration of his second year, the liber- 
ties of his country were imperiled by armed 
secession, and he laid aside his studies to 
become a soldier. He entered the 9th Ohio 
Batter}^ and served over one year, when he 
was discharged for physical disabilities. In 
1864, he became a minister in the M. E. 
Church, and was thus employed for fifteen 
years, when he commenced the practice of law, 
which he had studied in the meantime, having 
been admitted in September, 1878. He 
opened his office at Cuyahoga Falls in Febru- 
ary, 1880. He has earned quite a reputation 
throughoiit the county as a lectiirer, and is 
widely and favorably known as the " sensible 
humorist." He was married at New Philadel 
phia, Ohio, June 15, 1869, Miss Anna Camp- 
bell becoming his wife. Their union has been 
blessed with four children. Those living are 
William A., Olin C. and John H. Mr. Castle 
is a member of the I. O. O. F., an-i of the G. 
A. R. He is a Republican. 

ROWLAND CLAPP, Cuyahoga Falls; was 
born April 1(3, 1804, in Franklin Co., Vt., and 
is a son of Reuben and Hepzibah (Gates) 
Clapp, both of whom were natives of Worces- 
ter Co., Mass. His father was a farmer by 
pursiiit, and passed the greater part of his life 
a resident of the Green Mountain State. The 
subject of this sketch received a good common - 
school education, and. when in his 21st year, 
commenced teaching school. In 1826, he 
left his native State and started for the Far 
West, walking most of the way to the home of 
a ]:)rother at New Albany, Ind. He taught school 
there a short time, and then came to Ohio, 
where he finally made his home, near the town 
of Cuyahoga Falls. He has followed various 
callings and occupations, and has borne an 
upright and honorable character throughout 



.^ ?) 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



843 



his long residence in this community. His 
marriage was celebrated Nov. 9, 1834, Miss 
Martha Gaylord becoming his wife. She was 
born in what is now Stow Township, Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio, Sept. 28, 1813, a daughter of 
Jonathan and Martha (Thomas) Gaylord, who 
moved there from Middletown, Conn., in 1809. 
Mr. Clapp lost his companion the (3th day of 
June, 1873, their union having been crowned 
with three childi'en, named, respectively, Eliz- 
abeth, Ashael and Emily. The oldest is the 
wife of M. H. Barber, and the son married a 
lady by the name of Maria Loomis. Mr. 
Clapp was a communicant of the St. John's 
Episcopal Church at Cuyahoga Falls when 
organized, over fifty years ago, and is the only 
one now living who was then a member. His 
connection with the chm-ch has been exempli- 
fied by a worthy and consistent life, and he 
has for many years been one of the most influ- 
ential and prominent members. During the 
progress of the war, he was appointed a mem- 
ber of the Ohio Relief Agency by Gov. Brough, 
and stationed at Annapolis. He is a Repub- 
lican. 

JAMES H. COOKE (deceased), .sewer 
pipe works, Cuyahoga Falls; was born in 
Hartford, Conn., in 1834, and is a son of Hen- 
ry and Laura Cooke. When 1 year old, he 
was brought to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and 
here grew to maturity. His father was a 
man of entei'].:)rise, and was endowed with busi- 
ness qualifications that placed him among the 
foremost men of his time. James .was in his 
father's employ for some time, biit, Avishing to 
engage in business that would be of a more 
permanent and pleasing character, he became 
interested in the sewer pipe works of Cuya- 
hoga Falls, and eventually attained the posi- 
tion of sole proprietor. His business was con- 
ducted on a large scale, and ranks among the 
leading industries of the enterprising town of 
Cuyahoga Falls. He was manned, Sept. 11, 
1 855, at Galena, 111., to a daughter of Prof. 
Germain. She was born at Catskill, N. Y., 
Nov. 12, 1837, and, a few years later, her 
father became Professor of Mathematics at 
Burlington. N. J., in Biu'lington College and 
St. Mary's Hall. In 1 849. he went to Galena, 
111., and engaged in civil engineering. He 
now resides at Cuvahosra Falls. Mr. Cooke 



died Sept. 21, 1880, leaving a family of five 
children, named, respectively, George, Laiu'a, 
Kate, Alice and Edward. Mrs. Cooke is a 
consistent member of the Congregational 
Church. 

HORACE B. CAMF, manufacturer of tile, 
etc., Cu.yahoga Falls; is one of the enterpris- 
ing and energetic business men of Cuyahoga 
Falls, in which he has resided since 1864. 
He was born in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, Nov. 9, 
1 838, and is a son of Hezekiah and Abigail 
(Fosdick) Camp. His father came to Ohio 
from Greene Co., N. "Y., in 1827, and for some 
time taught school, being a single man at the 
time. He was an ingenious and enterprising 
man, and, in the year 1840, opened a coal- 
bank in Springfield Township, Smnmit Co., 
Ohio, and commenced shipping to Cleveland. 
The following year, he moved to that city to 
superintend his rapidly growing business, and 
remained there until 1852, when he again 
returned to Summit Co. He was engaged in 
the manufacture of water-pipe at Middlebury 
until 1861, when he retired to a farm. He 
died at Cuyahoga Falls in August, 1872. 
Horace commenced doing for himself when 
of age, and for one year was in the employ of 
the Barber Match Company, of Ala-on, with 
headquarters at Lima, Ohio. He then con- 
ducted the farm until 1 864 when he came to 
Cuyahoga Falls and engaged in the manufact- 
ure of sewer-pipe. In 1876, he engaged in 
his present business, with G. W. Babb for 
partner, and the following year withchew fi'om 
the sewer pipe works, and has since devoted 
his attention to the perfection of his rapidly 
growing business. He has recently become 
sole proprietor. His marriage was celebrated 
in April, 1873, Miss Amelia M. Babb becoming 
his wife. She is a daughter of Jose])h and 
Elizabeth Babb, and was born in Summit Co.. 
Ohio, August 7, 1852. Tlii-ee children have 
blesged their union, viz. : Grace, Henry H. 
and Louis. Mr. Camp has served as Mayor 
of Cuyahoga Falls, and is identified with the 
Republican party. 

JOHN DOUDS, farmer; P. O. Cuyahoga 
Falls; was born in County Antrim, Ireland, 
March 17, 1825, and is a son of William and 
Ellen ( McEllenhatten ) Douds. John left his 
native land in 1843. and landed on the shores 



844 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



of America on the 9th day of Jime. For one 
year, he lived near Ottawa, Canada, and then 
came to Summit Co., Ohio, where he has since 
resided. He settled in Boston Township, 
where he cleared a farm, and has paid his 
whole attention to farming and dairying. He 
was married, September 2,1845, to Mrs. Mary 
A. Cooke, her maiden name being Drake; she 
died October 3, 1878, having borne him five 
children, three of whom are living, viz. : Will- 
iam J., who married Margaret J. Shields; 
Carrie E., wife of Albert C. Viers, and Anna 
M., wife of John E. Whaley. He has also an 
adopted son, named Joseph J. Douds. He 
was again married, Nov. 27, 1879, to Mrs. 
Anna Duncan, widow of Col. James F. Dun- 
can, of Cuyahoga Falls. She has three chil- 
di*en living by her first union — George A., 
Carrie D. and Thomas D. Mrs. Douds is a 
member of the Episcopal Chiu-ch. He has 
served as Trustee for many years; is a mem- 
ber of the Masonic fraternity. He is a Repub- 
lican. 

JOSIAH GAYLORD, Cuyahoga Falls; was 
born in Stow Township, Summit Co., Ohio, in 
September, 1824; he is a son of Steward and 
Mary A. (Creamer) Gaylord, and grandson of 
Steward Gaylord. Josiah's father was a 
ship-carpenter in Middletown, Conn. Hav- 
ing a large family of children, Mr. Gaylord 
determined to come West to Ohio, that they 
might, in the then new country, build homes 
of their own. In 1809, he and a number of 
others of Middletown, with their families and 
ox teams, started to Ohio, arriving, after a 
long and eventful trip of forty- four days, in 
Stow Township, where JVIr. Gaylord had pre- 
viously purchased a tract of land of Judge 
Stow, the proprietor. Knowing biit very little 
about pioneer life, he employed a man to con- 
duct the place, while he went to Cleveland to 
work at his trade. His children were Mary, 
John, Steward, Almira, George, William, 
Josiah, Hiram and Robert. Mr. Gaylord died 
October 6, 1840, after having lived to see 
many of the mighty forests of Stow Township 
leveled by the pioneer's ax. The subject of 
this biography was reared on a farm, where 
he received the rudiments of a good education. 
After his father's death, he gradually assumed 
control of the old homestead, buying out the 



heirs and adding to the place, until he now 
owns a fine faim of 108 acres, 18 being in 
Cuyahoga Falls, and the rest in Stow Town- 
ship. On the former, he has cleaa'ed one of 
the most beautiful places in the whole neigh- 
borhood for pleasure parties, picnics, etc. The 
grounds are admirably situated on the banks 
of the Cuyahoga, and a more convenient place 
for svich purposes can hardly be found. In 
1860, Mr. Gaylord married Laura Beckley, 
daughter of Noel Beckley; she bore him fom* 
childi'en, viz.: Mary, Noel, Willis W. and 
Norman J . The pioneer Gay lords were old- 
fashioned Presbyterians in religion, and Whigs 
(latterly Republicans) in politics. 

W. M. GRIS WOLD, ticket agent, Cuyahoga 
Falls; was born July 21, 1835, in Middletown, 
Conn., and is a son of Martin and Mary (Post) 
Griswold, both of whom were natives of Con- 
necticut. His father moved to Ohio in 1843, 
and seciu'ed a farm in Summit Co., Stow 
Township, on which he lived a number of 
years before he retired to Cuyahoga Falls, 
where he now resides. When 19 years old, 
W. M. commenced working in the railroad 
o£fice at Cuyahoga Falls, where he has since 
remained, an efficient and polite official. In 
1875, he became the telegraph operator for 
the company, and combines the two duties in 
one. He was manied, in 1855, t(- Charlotte 
E. Deming, of Summit Co. She died Oct. 30, 
1865, leaving two chiildi'en, Carrie May and 
Charlotte E. In 1868, he was iinited to Mrs. 
Lavina Stillwell of Portage Co. Two chil- 
dren have crowned this union — Clarence W. 
and Ellen M. Both Mi: and Mrs. Griswold 
are members of the Disciples' Cluu'ch. He is a 
members of the I. O. O. F. and Royal Arca- 
num. He has served as Treasiu-er of the 
Township, and also of the School Board, since 
1877. He is a Republican. 

J. B. HARRISON, farmer; P. O. Cuyahoga 
Falls; was born in Madison Co., N. Y., July 
16, 1808, and is a son of Joseph P. and 
Eleanor Harrison, who came to that county 
fi-om Litchfield Co., Conn., about the year 
1804. His father was a farmer by pm'suit, 
and served in the war of 1812. While at 
Sackett's Harbor, he contracted a disease 
from which he died in December, 1814, leav- 
ing a family of small children to the mother's 



■^1 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



845 



care. Before he was yet 10 years old, the 
subject of this sketch went to live with a 
neisfhbor, receiving; his "board and clothes" 
for the labor he could perform, and, while 
thus engaged, he no doubt laid the foundation 
of industry and perseverance that has been 
among the marked characteristics of his life. 
He remained with him nearly five years, and 
then, with an elder brother, conducted the 
homestead left by the father. When 19 years 
old, he commenced working out by the month, 
and for foiir years was thus employed, during 
which his hard-earned money was carefully 
saved, and he then commenced farming for 
himself. In 1836, he moved to Geauga Co., 
Ohio, and engaged in mercantile pursuits, and, 
in 1848, came to Cuyahoga Falls, where he 
followed the same business, being associated 
with gentlemen engaged in the paper-mills at 
this point, the firm being J. B. Harrison & Co. 
In 1856, he withdrew fi'om the store, but re- 
tained an interest in the paper-mills until 
1865, when he quit, and engaged in farming, 
owning a farm near the town. He was mar- 
ried, Feb. 13, 1832, to Miss Caroline Nichols; 
she was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., June U, 
1813, and accompanied her parents to Madi- 
son Co., N. Y., in 1823. She died Jan. 4, 
1879, having blessed their union with thi'ee 
children, viz.: Olive, Helen A. and Joseph B. 
The eldest was married to William C. Hitch- 
cock, and died Sept. 10, 1857, leaving two 
small children — Ida M. and Charles F., who 
have been since members of Mr. Harrison's 
family, having been adopted, and reared with 
the same care as his own childi-en. They 
both attended the University at Syracuse, N. 
Y., and the elder is now a teacher in the pub- 
lic schools at Cuyahoga Falls, and the 
yovmger has recently engaged in the manuf act- 
m'e of pot-rivets, being associated with two 
other gentlemen. Mr. Harrison's son, Joseph 
B., was married when young, to Louise Patter- 
son, and is now engaged in the mercantile 
business at Drakesburg, in Portage Co., where 
he has resided since 1874. He has one child 
— CaiTie. Mr. Harrison and family are mem- 
bers of the Congregational Church. 

F. S. HEATH & CO., di-uggists, Cuyahoga 
Falls. Among the reliable business firms of 
the pleasant town of Cuyahoga Falls, none 



stand before the public in a more enviable 
position than the one above named, who con- 
duct one of the best stores in Summit Co, 
The proprietors, F. S. and T. F. Heath, are 
sons of Stephen and Hannah (Chamberlain) 
Heath, and were born in Litchfield Co., Conn. 
In 1835, their father removed to Western New 
York, where the sons gi"ew to matm'ity and 
passed their early life on the farm. In July, 
1851, T. F. Heath came to Cuyahoga Falls, 
having graduated, the previous March, fi'om 
the College of Physicians and Sm'geons at 
New York City. He engaged in the di'ug 
trade, and, in the latter part of the same year, 
was joined by his brother, who has since been 
his partner, and conducted the telegraph bus- 
iness since 1858. The Doctor has had a 
lucrative practice since coming here, and stands 
high in the medical profession of the county. 
He was married, in 1854, to Emily A. Bruce; 
their union has been fi'uitful of thi-ee children 
—Frank T., Arthm- T. and Gracie E. The 
eldest attended the College of Pharmacy at 
Chicago, and carefully fitted himself for the 
business of druggist. Dr. Heath has for 
many years been agent for the Charter Oak 
Life Insiirance Company. 

H. E. HOWARD, clothing store, Cuyahoga 
Falls; was born at Worthington, Ohio, Jan. 
2, 1823. His father, C. Howard, was an en- 
terprising- and industrious business man, and 
for many years resided at Delaware, Ohio. 
He moved to Cuyahoga Falls to engage in the 
manufacture of paper, and. after remaining 
hei'e a number of years, went to Newark, Ohio, 
where he conducted the Park Hotel. One 
year later, he went to Zanesville and engaged 
in the coal business, which he followed the 
rest of his life. The subject of this sketch 
attended Kenyon College two yeai's, and made 
his first venture in the business world as a 
merchant at Delaware. Ohio. In 1855, he 
came to Cuyahoga Falls, where he has since 
resided, being associated for awhile with oth- 
ers in a paper-mill. In 18()1, he entered the 
army as Chief Musician of the 12th 111. V. I., 
and, when his services were no longer needed 
in that capacity, he was employed in the Pay- 
mastei"'s depjuiment until near the close of 
the war. He then traveled for a large paper 
fii-m of New York for fourteen years, and only 



846 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



recently settled down to his present business. 
His marriage was celebrated Nov. (>, 1851, 
IVIiss Cathariue A. Thompson, of Delaware, 
Ohio, becoming his wife. Their union has 
been fruitful of seven children — Mary, Kate, 
Julia, Fannie, Jessie (deceased), Charles and 
Bessie. Mrs. Howard and the foui* eldest 
daughters are members of the Episcopal 
Church. He is a Republican. 

W. A. HL4NF0RD. Mayor and Justice, 
Cuyahoga Falls; was born in Noi'walk, Conn., 
July 11, 181 U, and is a son of Charles and 
Ruth Hanford. His father was a farmer by 
pursuit, and died in that State in 1828. The 
subject of this sketch, although only V) years 
old at the time, came to Ohio to an uncle, who 
lived at Hudson, in what is now Summit Co., 
and, for three years, he lived in that town. 
After buffeting around for several years, he 
finally settled down in Tallmadge Township, 
and remained until 1850, when he moved to 
Cuyahoga Falls. Engaging in the manufac- 
ture of paper, the business prospered and 
largely increased while he was an interested 
party, but the enterprise was marred by vari- 
ous misfortunes that occurred, and, in 1868, 
he withdrew, and has since been engaged in 
business more suited to his taste and inclina- 
tions. He is engaged in the insm-ance busi- 
ness, and holds the office of Justice of the 
Peace. He was the first Mayor of Cuyahoga 
Falls, and is now filling the office for the third 
tiiije. Mr. Hanford is well known throughoiit 
Summit Co., and has endeared himself to 
many of her citizens by his courteous manners 
and business integrity. He was married, 
March 16, 1840, to Mary T. Sackett, who was 
born in Warren, Litchfield Co., Conn., June 5, 
181V), and accompanied her parents when they 
removed to Ohio. This union has been 
crowned with seven children, only three of 
whom are now living, viz.: Charles, Lewis M. 
and Henry E. Mr. Hanford was one of the 
leading spirits in the organization of the 
Summit County Agricultm'al Society, and held 
the office of Secretary dm'ing the early part of 
its existence. 

W. S. HOUGH, physician and surgeon, 
Cuyahoga Falls; is a son of Joel I. Hough, 
and was born April 3, 1844, in Atwater, Port- 
age Co., Ohio. In September, 1 861 , he enlisted 



in Battery D, 1st Ohio Light Artillery, and 
served for one and a half years, and then as 
Hospital Steward until October, 1864. Re- 
turning home, he entered the Charity Hospital 
College at Cleveland, Ohio, fi'om which he 
graduated in the spring of 1866. For ten 
years he practiced with i)r. J. C. Ferguson, at 
Mogadore, in this county, and then located at 
Cuyahoga Falls, where he has a lucrative 
practice. His marriage was celebrated in 
June, 1867, Miss Anna Golby, of Cleveland, 
Ohio, becoming his wife. Their union has 
been blessed with one child — William Condie. 
Dr. Hough is a member of the Masonic frater- 
nity and of the I. O. O. F. 

JOSEPH JONES, horseshoeing, Cuyahoga 
Falls; was born in Yorkshire, England, Nov. 
12, 1840, and is a son of Joseph and Mary 
(Acroyd) Jones. His father was a blacksmith 
by trade, and, in the summer of 1847, emi- 
gi'ated to America with his family and settled 
at Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He was in humble 
circumstances, but, by industry and frugality, 
not only sustained his family, but became the 
possessor of a good shop and had a flourishing 
trade. He died Feb. 24, 1879, having been 
on the retired list for a nmnber of years. 
Joseph was the eldest son, and, when 10 years 
old, went to work in the shop with his father, 
and, when 15, made a full hand at the trade. 
He was married, December 31, 1862, to Miss 
Eveline M. Newburgh, of Cuyahoga Falls, 
Ohio, her birth being recorded May 8, 1847. 
The next day after his marriage, he assumed 
control of the shop, which he has condiicted 
successfally ever since, and has a large and 
flourishing trade. His marriage has been 
fruitftil of seven children, viz.: Carrie Ida, 
Frank E., Minnie E., Lulu, Charles W., 
Maude and Birdie. Mr. Jones is a man of 
industrious habits, and is esteemed by the 
citizens as one of the most honorable and up- 
right men. He is a member of the I. O. O. 
F., and of the Town Council. He is a Repub- 

JOSHUA L'HOMMEDIEU, grocer, Cuya- 
hoga Falls; was born in Middletown, Conn., 
March 16, 1821, and is a son of Joseph and 
Betsey (Gridley) L'Hommedieu. His father 
was a rope-maker by trade, and passed his life 
a resident of Connecticut, dying in 1837. 



4i 



ii 



CUYAHOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



847 



Joshua commenced clerking in a store in 
Hartford when 16 years old, and, two years 
later, accepted s similar position at Amherst, 
Mass., where he remained until 1842, when 
he came to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He en- 
gaged in business with two brothers who had 
preceded him, and paid his first attention to 
the manufacture of stai'ch, and, a few years 
later, ran a large ashery and gi'ocery store as 
well. He subsequently enlarged his business, 
and kept a store of general merchandise, and 
at the same time conducted business of a sim- 
ilar nature at Northampton, and at Akron; 
was also in this kind of business in the oil re- 
gions of Pennsylvania during the height of 
the excitement, but, since 18f>i, he has kept a 
grocery and provision store only at Cuyahoga 
Falls. He was Postmaster of Cuyahoga Falls 
from 1858 to 1861, and has served as Mayor 
of the town. He is now serving hie fourth 
term as Justice of the Peace, and a third 
term as a Director of Summit County Agri- 
cultui'al Society. He was maiTied, in March, 
1852, to Julia, daughter of Sylvester and 
Emma Pease. She was born in Summit Co., 
Ohio, in April, 1834, and has crowned their 
union with six chiidi-en, four of whom are liv- 
ing, viz.: Townsend P., Mary F., Arthm' and 
Joshua H. Mrs. L'Hommedieu is a member 
of the Congregational Church. He has always 
acted with the Democratic party. 

L. W. LOOMIS, dealer in stoves, tin, glass 
and wooden ware, etc., Cuyahoga Falls. 
Among the prominent business men of this 
place, in which the varied industries have 
drawn together a large number, none, perhaps, 
exercise more tact or display better judgment 
in the management of their business than this 
gentleman, who conducts one of the leading 
houses of Northern Ohio. He was born in 
Madison Co., N. Y., Jan. 11, 1836, and is a 
son of William and Emeline (Thomas) Loomis. 
His early life was passed on his father's farm, 
and, when of age, he commenced the battle of 
life, with no capital save his natural business 
qualifications and a determination to succeed. 
For foiu' years he was a "tin peddler" for 
Smith & Herrington, of Waterloo, N .Y., and 
then entered the service of his country as a 
private soldier in Co. G, 13th New Yoi-k V. 
I. At the expiration of his enlistment, which 



was for two years, he once more entered the 
service of his old employers, and, in February, 

1864, accompanied by his brother, H. E. 
Loomis, he came to Cuyahoga Falls and 
founded the present business. Smith & Herr- 
ington, owning a half interest. In March, 

1865, he bought out his brother, and, in 1867, 
became sole proprietor. He has a large num- 
ber of wagons on the road, that are supplied 
with wares manuf actiu'ed at his shop, and by 
this means he is enabled to do an immense 
business. He has also a large branch store at 
Canton, Ohio. Mr. Loomis is associated with 
Mr. H. E. Parks in the proprietorship of the 
" High Bridge Glens and Caves,"one of the 
most pictm-esque and lovely resorts in North- 
ern Ohio, the scenery being undoubtedly the 
finest in the State. It is annually visited by 
thousands of pleasure- seekers, and Mr. Loomis 
can justly be proud of his connection with the 
enterprise. He was man'ied, June 3, 1863, to 
Jane Curtiss, of Canandaigua, N. Y. This 
union has been blessed with five children — 
Lilian M., Byron H., Irving L., Melvin C. and 
Arthur N. Arthur died Oct. 30, and Melvin 
Nov. 4, 1880. 

JAMES J. MOORE, Superintendent of the 
Falls Wire Manufacturing Company, Cuya- 
hoga Falls; was born in Pittsburgh, Perm., 
Feb. 14, 1830, and is a son of William and 
Margaret Moore. About the year 1835, they 
moved to Cuyahoga Falls, where they lived 
some fifteen years, and then went to Williams 
Co., Ohio. James clerked in a store for 
awhile, and then secui-ed a position on the 
railroad as express and mail agent. In 1861, 
he entered the service of the Government, in 
the Paymaster's Department, and was thus em- 
ployed until the close of the war. In 1870, 
he entered the employ of Camp, Cooke & Co., 
with whom he remained until the organization 
of the Falls Wire Company, when he became 
its Secretary, and, at the re-organization in 
1 879, under the name of the Falls Wire Man- 
ufacturing Company, he was retained as 
Superintendent. ^h\ Moore is a genial gen- 
tleman, and spends much of his time in trav- 
eling in the interests of his firm. 

GEORGE PAUL, civil engineer, Cuyahoga 
Falls; is one of the prominent and widely 
known citizens of this county, in which he has 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCPIES: 



always lived, being born at Cuyahoga Falls 
Sept. 8, 1S87. His father, Hosea Paul, was 
born at Braintree, Vt., and reared at Danville. 
He passed the early part of his life in a drug 
store, and studied surveying and engineering. 
He married a lady by the name of Ellen Gam- 
ble, who came to America from County Down, 
Ireland, when in her youth. In 1834, he 
moved to Ohio, and for one year lived at 
Wadsworth, in Medina Co., when he came to 
Cuyahoga Falls, where he passed the rest of 
his life. He first engaged in the flouring 
business, in which he was unfortunate, and 
then followed engineering and surveying, be- 
ing Surveyor of Summit Co. from 1857 until 
his death, in May, 1870. George is the eld- 
est but one of a family of seven children, and 
learned surveying and engineering in the best 
of all schools — experience. In 1857, he went 
to the machinist's trade and served three 
years at this place, and has the honor of plan- 
ning the first steam canal-boat that plied on 
the Ohio Canal. In 1860, he went East, and 
for two years was employed in various shops. 
Passing the required examination for an en- 
gineer in 1862, he entered the regular service 
of the United States Navy, being under 
Admiral Dupont, of the South Atlantic Squad- 
ron, three years, and then retiu-ned to his sur- 
veying and engineering, which he has since 
followed, with the exception of a short time 
he owned a machine-shop at this place, buying 
it in 1867. In 1878, he was elected member 
of the State Board of Public Works, an office 
he has filled with credit to himself and State. 
He was married, May 10, 1871, to Olive A., 
daughter of Austin and Eliza (Taylor) Bab- 
cock. She was born May 21 , 1 842, at Cuyhoga 
Falls, Ohio, her parents coming here fi'om 
Massachusetts. Mrs. Paul is a member of 
the Congregational Church. Politically, Mr. 
Paul is a Re]iulDlican. 

E. C. RUGGLES, attorney, Cuyahoga Falls; 
was born at Canfield, Ohio, May 14, 1840, and 
is a son of Charles and Lucy (Peck) Ruggles. 
His father adopted the legal profession in 
early life, and has always resided at Canfield, 
where he is now passing a retired and quiet 
life. He has been an energetic and enter- 
prising man, and is held in high estimation 
by the members of the bar, with whom he has 



been associated for many years. The subject 
of this sketch did not enjoy the usual facili- 
ties for acquiring an education, and for some 
time performed light duties about the court 
house. In the s})ring of 1863, he was ap- 
pointed Recorder of Claims against the Gov- 
ernment, with headquarters at Nashville, 
Tenn., and filled that office until the close of 
the war. He then passed two years in Illi- 
nois, and returned to Canfield and commenced 
the study of law. He was admitted to the bar 
in 1869, and, in the summer of 1873, came to 
Cuyahoga Falls from Kent, where he had 
located some two years previous. He now en- 
joys a lucrative and growing practice, and 
finds this a pleasant place for one of his pro- 
fession. He was manried in April, 1859, to 
Catharine, daughter of William and Amanda 
(Mygatt) McFarlane. This happy union has 
been blessed with one child — Ellen M. Mrs. 
Rugfofles and daughter are members of the 
Congregational Church. He is a Republican. 
DR. C. W. RICE (deceased); was born at 
Middlefield, Otsego Co., N. Y., April 15, 1803, 
and was a son of William and Sarah (Bel- 
knap) Rice, he being the third of a family of 
ten children. He passed his early life on a 
farm, and, when 17 years old, went to the 
trade of book-binder, which he worked at until 
he was 25, and then commenced the study of 
medicine with Dr. Ariel Spaford, of Coopers- 
tovni, N. Y. He remained with him about 
three years as a student, and graduated from 
Fairfield College, Herkimer Co., N. Y., in 
January, 1829. He practiced with his old 
preceptor for one year, and then came to Cuy- 
ahoga Falls, Ohio, where he soon had a large 
practice. He stood the acknowledged head of 
the profession for many years, and died Oct. 
7, 1861, leaving many friends to mourn his 
loss. He was married, Nov. 6, 1834, to Lucy 
W. Wetmore, daughter of Josiah and Nancy 
(Willard) Wetmore. She was born in Mid- 
dletown. Conn., July 13, 1812, and accompa- 
nied her parents to Ohio in 1818. They se- 
cured a farm in what is now Siammit Co., 
Stow Township. Dr. Rice was throughout 
life a man of integi'ity, and bore an upright 
character in every department of life. He 
united with the Episcopal Church soon after 
coming to this place, and was an upright and 



-^ <5" 



'k^ 



CUYAHOG.l FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



849 



cousistent Christian, devoting much of his time 
to objects of charity. His marriage was 
blessed with three children — Sarah F., Will- 
iam C. and George W. 

WILLIAM SOUTH^IAYD, insurance, Cuy- 
ahoga Falls; was born May 16, 1880; he is a 
son of Erastus and Clarissa (Rice) South- 
mayd, who were parents of four sons — Walter, 
William, and Horace and Henry (twins). 
William is the only one living of this family. 
William's father, Erastus, was born in Mid- 
dletown. Conn., March 29, 1847. When a 
young man, he left home and went to ISTew 
York City to take charge of a mercantile busi- 
ness there for his brother. His brother failed, 
and, in the fall of 1818, Mr. Southmayd came 
to Ashtabula Co., Ohio, and that winter taught 
school there. In the spring of 1819, he came 
to Stow Township, Summit Co., Ohio. He 
taught school in that county, the winters of 
1819 and 1820, and then went back to Con- 
necticut, where he remained but one year, 
when he again came to Stow Township, and, 
April 18, 1822, married Anna, daughter of 
Caleb Wetmore. By her he had thi'ee chil- 
dren — Lucy, Charles and Leonard. Lucy is 
now dead. Charles was born Feb. 4, 1825. 
He married Helen A. Wilson, an adopted 
daughter of Darius AVilson, and is now a resi- 
dent of Stow Township. A biographical sketch 
of Leonard will be found in another part of 
this work. Mr. Southmavd's wife died Dec. 
19, 1826, and, March 21, 1827, he married Clar- 
issa Rice, the mother of the subject of this 
sketch. Clarissa Rice was born Feb. 6, 1805, 
and was the second white child born in Stow 
Township. To this union were born four 
children, as stated above. Mr. Southmayd 
died Oct. 10, 1866, and his second wife March 
14, 1879. William Soiithmayd was reared on 
the old hom estead in Stow. He was married 
Nov. 4, 1852, to Martha, daughter of Darius 
Wilson. This union was blessed with two 
children — Lucy, born May 13, 1855, married 
Charles N. Gay lord, and resides at Monroe 
Falls; George M., born Jan. 12, 1863. Mrs. 
Southmayd was born Dec. 27, 1831, and is 
one in a family of seven. Mr. Southmayd 
started in life with scarcely anything. He 
now owns the old homestead in Stow— 48 
acres — which has been in the Southmayd fam- 



ily fifty-three years. He owns a house and 
lot in Cuyahoga Falls, where he resides. Mr. 
Southmayd represents the Citizens" Mutual 
Relief Association, one of the best and most 
reliable insiu-ance firms in the State of Ohio. 
After his marriage, Mr. Southmayd taught 
school considerably. He is a teacher of ten 
winters' experience. He and wife have been 
members of the Church of Christ thirty-one 
years, in which he has held positions of honor 
and trust. He is a Republican in politics, and 
has been Township Clerk of Stow twenty 
years. In October, 1879, he was elected to 
till a vacancy as one of the Directors of the 
County Infirmary, and re-elected in 1880, for 
three years. Horace Southmayd, brother of 
the subject of this sketch, was in the 42d O. 
V. I., under Col. (now President) Garfield, and 
was in the engagement at Middle Creek, Ky., 
where the Union forces met the rebels under 
Humphrey Marshall, and, as it was said, " let 
daylight shine for the first time in Kentucky." 
Horace was wounded here, but did not leave 
the service until he was afterward taken ill. 
His folks went after him and brought him 
home, where he died in May, 1862. 

P. H. STANDISH, chain works, Cuyahoga 
Falls; was born at Sing Sing, N. Y., May 5, 
1835, and is a son of John and Relief (Hay- 
den) Standish. His father was a native of 
the State of Rhode Island, and comes of a 
family who were noted for their ingenuity 
and mechanical skill. He was connected with 
one of the first cotton-mills in that State, and 
his whole life was one continued round of 
enterprise and industry. He conducted dif- 
ferent kinds of business during his life-time, 
and resided in various parts of the Union. In 
1850, he came to Cuyahoga Falls, where he 
remained some seven years, and then went to 
California, where he passed the rest of his life. 
When the siibject of this sketch was of age, he 
crossed the mountains to the Golden State, 
where his ingenuity and mechanical skill were 
in ready demand, and there he engaged in 
business. The manufactui'e of agricultural 
implements received his attention, and he in- 
vented the celebrated Standish Steam Plow, 
that is covered by letters patent in several 
countries of Europe, as well as in the United 
States. He was also quite largely interested 






850 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



in the milling industry. He returned to- 
Missouri in 1871, and resided in that State 
until 1878, for two years being master me- 
chanic in the penitentiary at Jefferson City. 
He was engaged in manufacturing in St. Louis 
quite extensively, and then came to Cuya- 
hoga Falls, where ' he is conducting a large 
business, that adds materially to the growth 
and prosperity of the town. He was married, 
in 1857, to Marie Gorham, of California, 
Wisconsin being the place of her birth. This 
union has been blessed with one child, a 
daughter, named Almira. 

GEOROE SACKETT, farmer; P. O. Cuy- 
ahoga Falls; is a son of Aaron and Huldah 
(Tanner) Sackett, both of whom were natives 
of Litchfield Co., Conn., and was born Jan. 
6, 1821, in that county. His father was a 
farmer by pursuit, and in 1838, moved to what 
is now Summit Co., Ohio, and secured a farm 
in Tallmadge Township. His companion died 
in April, 1855, and he in June, 1873, at the 
residence of a son in Copley Township, where 
he had been living a few years. George was 
reared to farming, and, by industry and econ- 
omy, at length secured a tract of Ifind in the 
township of Cuyahoga Falls. It was all for- 
est, and was cleared mostly by himself, and 
has since been partly laid out and sold as 
town lots. Mr. Sackett was married, iu Sep- 
tember, 1848, to Helen Williams; she died in 
1851, and he was then united to Fanny V. 
Grant, on the 9th day of February, 1854. 
This union has been blessed with one child — 
Mary P. Mi-. Sackett has a pleasant and re- 
fined home, and can now enjoy the fruits of 
his early labors with the satisfaction of know- 
ing that industry and integrity are sure to 
have iheir reward. He has held different 
ofiices, at the solicitation of the citizens of the 
county, and, in 1880, was Real Estate Ap- 
praiser of the township of Cuyahoga Falls. 
The same year, he was chosen a member of 
the State Board of Equalization, to represent 
the counties of Summit and Portage. Both 
he and wife are members of the Congrega- 
tional Church. He is a Republican. 

E. N. SILL, bank, Cuyahoga Falls; was 
bom in Windsor, Conn., Jan. 6, 1801, and is 
a son of Elisha N. and Chloe (Allyn) Sill. His 
father was a physician, and devoted the active 



part of his life to the practice of his profes- 
sion in the State of Connecticut. The subject 
of this sketch is the third of a family of nine 
children, and graduated from Yale College in 
1820. For several years he engaged in teach- 
ing, and, in 1829, came to Cuyahoga Falls, 
where he has since resided. For a short time 
he was engaged iu manuf actm'ing, and, having 
been instrumental in the organization of the 
Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Portage 
Co., was chosen Secretary — an office he held 
until the expiration of its charter. The Sum- 
mit Co. Branch of the Ohio State Bank was 
located at this point, and Mr. Sill became its 
President soon after. He has ever since held 
that position in the bank at Cuyahoga Falls — 
first, in the National Bank, which he organized, 
and at present in the Inter-National Bank. 
He has also been Director in the First National 
Bank since its organization. Mr. Sill served 
one term as State Senator, and, for the seven 
years following that service, was Frmd Com- 
missioner of the State. He is a member of 
the Congregational Church and a well-known 
and highly respected citizen of the town of 
Cuyahoga Falls. 

R. J. THOMAS, manufacturer of stone- 
ware, Cuyahoga Falls; was born in Wales, 
Aug. 24, 1831, and is a son of John and Anna 
(Rees) Thomas. His father was a blacksmith 
by trade, and, in 1835, emigrated to the 
United States and settled in Palmyra Town- 
ship, Portage Co., Ohio, where he ever after 
lived. Here he secured a farm, and, although 
he worked at his trade some at first, he may be 
said to have been a farmer after coming to 
America. Five children accompanied the par- 
ents to this country, and four were born to 
them after their arrival. Both Mr. and Mrs. 
Thomas were consistent members of the Uni- 
tarian Church, and their industrious habits 
crowned them with a competency before their 
death. She died in February, 1867, and he 
in December, 1868. The subject of this 
sketch received a good education, and for sev- 
eral years taught school during the winter sea- 
son. In the spring of 1857, he entered the 
employ of William H. Harris, of this county, 
who owned and operated a large coal-mine, 
and, in July, 1859, he leased the mines and 
conducted them until the spring of 1867, with 



^ 



i y 



CLTYAIIOGA FALLS TOWNSHIP. 



851 



tlie exception of two years that he passed in 
Trnmbull Co. He engaged in the manufact- 
ure of stoneware at that time, and has a 
younger brother for a partner. Their busi- 
ness is conducted on an extensive scale, but 
fails to meet the demands of their numerous 
})atrons, and they therefore buy largely from 
other manufacturers. Mr. Thomas was mar- 
ried, March 31, 1860, to Aim, a daughter of 
David S. and Hannah Davis. She was born 
in Wales in February, 1838, and accompanied 
her parents to Portage Co., Ohio, when in her 
childhood. Their union has been fruitful of 
six children, fom* of whom are living, viz.: 
Edwin D., Irving Seward, Hattie and Franklin 
W. Mr. Thomas and wife are members of the 
First Congregational Church. 

GRANT B. TURNER, Variety Iron Works, 
Cuyahoga Falls; is a son of William and 
Rosanna (Owen) Turner, and was born Oct. 
17, 1810, in Blooming Grove, Orange Co., N. 
Y. His father was a cooper by trade, and, in 
1818, moved to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where he 
remained ten j^ears, and then came to Cuya- 
hoga Falls, where he passed the rest of his 
life. Grant B. is the eldest of a family of 
four children, and, when 19 years old, went to 
the printer's trade, in the office of the Western 
Intelligencer, at Hudson, Ohio. After five years 
application, he left the business, and has since 
devoted his attention to other pursuits. For 
four years, he was Deputy Sheriff of Portage 
Co. He studied law, and, after his admission 
to the bar, practiced the profession for sev- 
eral years. In 1850, he, in company with sev- 
eral other gentlemen, founded the Variety Iron 
Works, the firm being Turner, Parks & Co 
Mr. Turner is the only one of the original 
firm connected with the business at the present 
time, his partners being Messrs. J. A. Vaughn 
and W. A. Taylor, two well-known business 
men. Their facilities for manufacturing are 
excellent, and their reputation, earned by 
years of careful attention to the wants of their 
patrons, places them in an enviable position 
in the business world. Among the many 
things manufactured at their shops are steam 
engines, grain- cleaning machinery, mill 
gearing, wire- working machinery, and clay- 
grinding machines — a part of which are cov- 
ered by patents taken out by this firm. The 



demand for their products is not confined to 
the United States, but includes considerable 
trade with several European countries. Mr. 
Turner was married, April 30, 1835, to Ada 
Morley, of Cunandaigua, N. Y. They have 
three children — Aiigusta, Hattie and Alice, all 
of whom are married. 

D. J. THOMAS, manufacturer of stoneware, 
Cuyahoga Falls; is a son of John and Anna 
(Rees) Thomas, and was born in Palmyra Town- 
ship, Portage Co., Ohio, April 14, 1841. When 
19 years old, he came to Tallmadge Township, 
in Summit Co., and went to work in the coal- 
banks. Aug. 24, 1862, he was married to 
Maria Thomas, of Poi'tage Co., whex-e she was 
born April 15, 1841. Two days after this 
iiniou, Sir. Thomas went into camp at Massil- 
lon, having enlisted, previous to his marriage, 
in Co. C, 115th O. V. I. He served thi-ee 
years, and was captured at Laverne, Tenn., 
but escaped ten days later, while at Coliunbia, 
being then on his way to the prison pens of 
the South. He returned to Cuyahoga Falls, 
and engaged in the grocery and provision 
business with John I. Jones, with whom he 
remained about one year, when he withdi-ew 
and engaged in his present business. His 
companion died May 31, 1863, and he was 
again united in the bonds of marriage the 
13th day of July, 1867, Ruth Williams, of Tall- 
madge, becoming his wife. This union has 
been fniitful of six children, viz.: Ella D., 
Delbert J. (deceased), Lizzie A., Walter 
(deceased), Sarah Josephine, and Mabel Carrie 
(deceased). Mrs. Thomas is a member of the 
Congregational Church. 

MAJ. CHARLES WRIGHT WETMORE 
(deceased), was born in St. Albans, Vt., Sept. 
8, 1803, where he passed his boyhood and 
early manhood. He was man'ied to Miss 
Hazeltine in 1825. They, with their thi-ee 
children, moved to Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1830, 
where Mr. Wetmore established himself in 
business. In 1832, they removed to Cuya- 
hoga Falls, where the remaining years of Mr. 
and Mrs. Wtemore's life were spent. During 
these years, Mr. Wetmore has repeatedly oc- 
cupied high public trusts at the solicitation of 
his fellow-citizens. He held the office of 
Mayor several successive tenns, and was so 
generally popular throughout the Reserve that, 



;f7 



M'. 



853 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



had tie aspired to political honors, he would 
undoubtedly have received the highest offices 
within the gift of the people of the State. 
His domestic tastes, however, induced him to 
seek a more quiet life, and the circle of his 
usefulness and civil duties were circumscribed 
by his own choice. Mr. Wetmore was one of, 
and for, the people; distinguished for his sym- 
pathy and benevolence. It was his delight, 
during his active life, to assist young men 
starting out in their career — professional or 
business. For a number of years previous to 
his death, Mr. Wetmore was quite infirm, but, 
throughoiit the time, a cheerful, uncomplain- 
ing invalid, always glad to see the fi-iends who 
remembered the Major with affection. His 
life work ended Sept. 29, 1880. Funeral serv- 
ices were conducted at the house by the Rev. 
E. V. H. Danner, and at the grave by the 
Masonic fraternity, of which the deceased had 
been a member during the greater part of his 
life. His wife was born in the year 1800; 
she was, on her mother's side, a descendant of 
the Worcesters, who were early settlers at 
Worcester, Mass., and from whom it is said 
the town took its name. For some time pre- 
vious to their marriage, Mrs. Wetmore had been 
living with her sister, Mrs. Judge Bridges, in 
St. Albans, Vt., and had enjoyed the privilege 
of a good education and intelligent society; 
it was hard for her to think of locating in a 
Western hamlet, without schools, churches or 
anything which makes society worth living for. 
Cuyahoga Falls, at that time, had a store, a 
hotel, a few dwellings, several mills, and a 
schoolhouse; in the latter, religious services 
were held once in two weeks. Full of the 
spirit of enterprise, added to earnest religious 
zeal, Mrs. Wetmore determined to awaken 
interest, if possible, in the formation of a 
Sabbath school. She met with many discoui*- 
agements, but finally the influential family of 
Mrs. H. Newberry pledged their assistance, 
and the work progressed without opposition. 
Mrs. Wetmore, with the aid of the Misses 
Mary and Fanny Newberry, founded the first 
Sabbath school in Cuyahoga Falls in the 
spring of 1888, and continued one of its 
teachers until advancing years and growing 
cares caused her to retire. So remarkable was 
her modesty, and so unmindful was she of her 



charitable deeds, that not till within the past 
few years did she relate to her family the 
early history of the school, and her relation to 
it. She was one of the few who were instru- 
mental in organizing the first Foreign Mis- 
sionary Society of the town. The Maternal 
Association, which was organized a few years 
later, she was a leading member of. It was 
a society composed of praying mothers, who 
often met to consult in regard to the religious 
training of their children. Mrs. Wetmore 
was one of the few who composed the Congre- 
gational Church at its organization. She was 
ever a consistent and devoted member of that 
church, her position being aggi'essive against 
anything that tended to lower its orthodoxy or 
to enfeeble its spirituality. She was pledged 
to its benevolent enterprises. Her highest 
ambition for her children was that they might 
be intelligent and Christian laborers in the 
church so dear to her. Her cheerful disposi- 
tion added to her faith in the wisdom of the 
providences of God, enabled her to rise above 
sorrow, and ever minister to those of less faith 
and fortitude. She was a generous friend to 
the home missionary. One of these, in 
acknowledging the receipt of a religious news- 
paper, on which she annually paid the sub- 
scription for him, begged the privilege of call- 
ing her "mother." A lady in Boston writes: 
"She was the only mother I ever knew." 
And many others, especially orphans, or those 
whose circumstances would place them in 
reach of her care or benevolence, think they 
also have the right to claim her as a " mother " 
indeed. She possessed an inexhaustible fund 
of knowledge, from which she could draw with 
adaptability, as occasion demanded. Much of 
the Bible she could repeat; one had only to 
commence a verse, when she would continue to 
repeat, from memory, the rest of the chapter. 
Her mind was a storehouse of history, both 
sacred and profane. Possessing rare execu- 
tive ability, excellent judgment, and that val- 
uable gift, common sense, we can justly say 
she was a j^erson of uncommon character and 
endowments; and at her demise — which oc- 
curred Christmas night, 1877, aged 77 years 
and 8 months —the loss was severely felt in 
many directions, but fell especially severe on 
her own family. The self-sacrificing mother 



[yi: 



ik* 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



was the idol almost worshiped by her children, 
who delighted in her brilliant, cultured intel- 
lect, her ready wit and her finely drawn con- 
clusions; they rejoiced in her independence of 
thovight and action, and her pitying scorn for 
what was wrong, and that she dared to live a 
life of non- conformity to the vain customs of 
the world. Of herself she seldom spoke or 
thought; for herself she seemed not to have 
ever lived. It was love and ministry unceas- 
ing for husband, children and grandchildren, 
that made her appear like an angel of light in 
her own household. She was calculated to 
lead each member of her family in thought 
and action; even the strongest were leaning 
upon her comparatively unimpaired faculties, 
when she was suddenly called away. The 
siu'viving members of the family are Miss 
Salome S. Wetmore, who is a resident of the 
village; Mrs. Louise, wife of Capt. H. S. Wet- 
more, of South America; and William Shep- 
ard Wetmore, of the firm of Frazer & Co., 
merchants, of Hong Kong and Shanghai, 
China. 

J. F. WEIDNER, cooper, Cuyahoga Falls; 
was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, Jan. 18, 
1827. His father, Michael Weidner, was a 
farmer, and passed his life in his native land. 
The subject of this sketch was only 8 days old 
when his mother died, and, as is usual in such 



cases, he grew to maturity without that kind 
and watchful care that none but mothers know 
how to bestow. He learned the trade of 
cooper, and, in 1849, emigrated to America 
for the purpose of acquiring a position in the 
world that he considered was beyond his reach 
while in the " Fatherland." Coming to Ohio, 
he passed one year at Cleveland, and, in March, 
1850. became a citizen of Cuyahoga Falls, 
where he has since resided and worked at his 
trade. His industrious habits, coupled with 
his business integrity, has given him a com- 
petency, and here he has, as it were, realized 
the dreams of his youth. He was married at 
Vermillion, Ohio, Aug. 9, 1853, to Miss Cath- 
arine Hess. She was born in Hessen, Ger- 
many, July 18, 1832, and came to America 
when 4 years old. Their happy and prosper- 
ous union has been blessed with five children 
— Elizabeth C, Charles A., Mary C, George 
F. and Nellie G. The eldest married Mr. E. 
E. Pierce, and resides at New Brighton, Penn. ; 
Charles married Miss Elsie Smith, and resides 
at Cuyahoga Falls, where he is interested in 
the manufacture of pot-rivets. Mi*. Weidner, 
wife and two eldest daughters ai'e members 
of the M. E. Church, of which he is Treasurer, 
and takes an active part in its prosperity, hav- 
ing been connected therewith over twenty 
years. He is a Republican. 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



JOHN A. BOTZUM, Buckeye. John George 
Botzum, father of this gentleman, was born in 
German}' in 179G. He was the son of John 
Botzum, who was a native of German\% and the 
parents of one son (John G.), and two daughters. 
John G. was married to Miss Catharine Draga- 
ser, in 1819. She was a native of the village 
of Urmmerspach, Germany, where she was born 
in 1796. Her parents moved to Poland when 
she was 7 years of age, leaving her with her 
mother's brother in Germany. She never saw 
her parents afterward, and continued to reside 
with her relatives until her marriage with Mr. 
Botzum. They were the parents of the follow- 
ing family of children : Michael, born in 1820 ; 
Catharine, in 1821. and died in 1825 ; Susan. 



born in 1823 ; Nicholas, in 1825 ; George, in 
1827 ; John, in 1829, and died in 1834 ; Adam, 
born in 1830 ; Catharine, in 1832 ; John A., in 
1834, and Conrad in 183G. All of these chil- 
dren were born in German}-, except Conrad. 
In 1836, Mr. Botzum and family left their na- 
tive village, and went b}' ox team to the sea- 
board, where thej' took passage on the vessel 
Princeosa for the United States, arriving at 
New York on the 17th of July of the same year. 
Here they met an agent, who, after some talk, 
persuaded Mr. Botzum to go to South America, 
where he was told a fortune awaited him. Be- 
fore they had completed arrangements for the 
voyage, however, Mr. Botzum learned from the 
authorities that it was a plan to get himself and 



854 



lilOGK A PII I C A J . SKETCHES : 



lamil}' to that far-off country, where they would 
be sold into slavery This decided him in his 
course, and, in a short time, we find the family 
aboard a fiat-boat on their way to Albany. 
From there they went by canal to Buffalo ; 
thence by the lake to Cleveland, Ohio. Here 
the family were compelled to stop for a time, 
owing to sickness in the family. After a short 
time, they took passage on an open flat-boat on 
the canal for Niles. From there they went to 
(Ihent, in Bath Township. Here Mr. Botzum 
obtained work at 50 cents per day, digging a 
mill race. The}' remained at this place two 
3'ears, and, while the father was at work so hard, 
his good wife found time to go into the wheat 
fields of the farmers of that neighborhood, and 
glean, as did Ruth of old. The first season her 
gleanings, when threshed, amounted to eight 
husheh of nice wheat. x\fter a sta^' of tw'o 3'ears 
at Grhent, thej' removed to Niles, and, after four 
years, purchased a farm, upon which the}' ever 
afterward resided. Mr. and Mrs. Botzum were 
members of the Catholic Church, and would 
often walk great distances to attend church. In 
1839. the}' walked to Canton, Ohio, to attend 
church at that place. They were frugal, indus- 
trious people, and respected by all who knew 
them. John A. Botzum was raised upon a 
farm, receiving but a limited education. When 
about 18 years of age, he went to Cleveland, 
and, for about a year, was engaged as clerk in 
a mercantile house. He then returned home, 
and. until 1858, was variously employed. He 
then engaged in mercantile pursuits at Botzum 
Station, where he has since remained, and, dur- 
ing tiiat time, has been prominently identified 
with the growth and prosperity of that place. 
He has been quite an extensive dealer in lum- 
ber, live stock and real estate, and, when the 
Valley Railroad was building, took the contract 
for grading one and a half miles of the road, 
near Botzinn Station. The man he contracted 
with proved worthless, and Mr. Botzum lost, in 
this undertaking, over $5,000. Mr. Botzum was 
married to a Miss Stout, a native of Northampton 
Township, this county. She is the daughter of 
George and P]liza (Woolford) Stout, appropriate 
j mention of whom is made in another part of 
I this work. Mr. and Mrs. Botzum are the parents 
j of two sons, to whom they have given superior 
I advantages for obtaining educations. Mr. Bot- 
zum is a self-made man, in the fullest sense of 
I the word. He is a good and useful citizen, and 



has the respect and confidence of the entire 
community. 

A. (1. BILLMAN, fiirmer and stock-raiser ; 
P. 0. Akron ; was born near Wooster, Wayne 
Co., Ohio, Dec. 18, 1838. He is a son of Henry 
and Maria (Best) Billman, and grandson of 
David and Mary (McDonald) Billman. and 
great-grandson of John and Julia (De Caveren) 
Billman. The last tvvo were natives of Prussia, 
and John was one of the regular soldiers there. 
Becoming tired of the service, he ran away and 
shipped on board a vessel bound for the United 
States, where he arrived in safety. Soon aft(n- 
his arrival the war between the colonies and 
Great Britain broke out, and Mr. Billman 
immediately offered his services in behalf of 
the colonies to Gen. Washington. Owing to his 
previous experience he was commissioned Cap- 
tain, but by bravery was promoted to Colonel. 
He served through the whole eight years, 
participating in the battle of Lexingt(jn, the 
campaign of Virginia, and was with Gen. 
Washington at Valley F rge, where, in connec- 
tion with the rest of the troops, passed one of 
the most severe winters of suffering ever known 
in the history of war. He was wounded three 
times, but never quit the service. After the 
close of the war, he married Julia De Caveren, 
and was made overseer of ' Hamilton's Planta- 
tion" in Virginia, four miles from Gen. Wash- 
ington's. At the end of four years he had 
saA'ed sufficient money to purchase a large 
farm of unimproved land, but, in time, turned 
it into a plantation. In 1818, he sold this 
property and purchased a large farm near Bal- 
timore, Md.. and, in 1819, his death occurred. 
His eldest son David moved to Lancaster Co., 
Penn., soon after his father's death, and lived 
there until about 1825, when he was induced l)y 
Gen. Bell, whom he had served under as pri- 
vate in the war of 1812, to remove to Wayne 
Co., Ohio. He purchased a large tract of land 
near Wooster. He died here in 1860. His 
third child was Henry Billman. who is the 
father of the subject of this sketch. He was 
born in Lancaster Co.. Penn., and married his 
wife, Maria Best, in Allegheny Co. He came 
with his parents to Ohio in 1825, and, in 1845, 
came with his family to Northampton Town- 
ship, Summit Co., and purchased the fiirm on 
which his son Alexander now resides. He was 
one of the few men who commanded the respect 
and esteem of every one, and of him could be 



-k- 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



855 



trul}' said he was one of nature's noblemen. 
At the time of his death he was a member of 
the M. E. Church. Alexander G. Billman was 
reared principall}' on the farm, and in 3'outh he 
received a good education. He was married, 
Feb. 21, 1861, to Eliza Hartman, daughter of 
the Rev. Peter Hartman, of Wayne Co., Ohio, 
and to this union there were born the following 
family — George, Frank, Arthur, one that died 
in infjmcy, and Blanche G. Mrs. Billman was 
born Feb. 11, 1839. Mr. and Mrs. Billman are 
members of the M. E. Church, and Mr. Billman 
is a Republican in politics. He owns 207 
acres of well-improved land, which has been in 
his famil}' ever since it was a forest. 

MARY A. BUTLER, the daughter of Joseph 
VVallace, was born in Franklin Township, Port- 
age Co., Ohio, Feb. 22, 1841. On the 22d of 
February. 1841, she was united in marriage 
with Jackson Bean, son of Henry Bean, and 
by him had three children ; Charles A., Frank 
W. and Alanson J. Mr. Bean was a widower 
with two children at the time of his marriage 
with Miss Wallace. His occupation was auc- 
tioneering. He died July 10. 18G1), and Feb. 
6. 1874, his widow married Heniy Butler, who 
was a widower with four children. To this 
union there were born three ciiildren ; Fronie, 
Byron E. and Maud L. B}' the death of her 
first husband Mrs. Butler and her children were 
left 78 acres near Old Portage. At present 
she lives on a farm of 56 acres which was given 
her b}' her father. Mr. Butler is a Democrat, 
and his wife is a member of the Baptist Church. 

L. H. COX, proprietor of stone quarry, 
Cuyahoga Falls ; was born in Northampton 
Township, Summit Co., Ohio, Sept. 24, 1837. He 
is one of the following children born to Leon- 
ard and Lydia (Thompson) Cox : Lyman H., 
Lenora M.. Frances, deceased, and LeRo3\ 
Mr. Cox died July 7, 1862. Lyman H. Cox 
passed his ^-outh and earl}' manhood on the 
farm, receiving a good common-school educa- 
tion. When he was 21 years and 11 days 
old he commenced life on his own responsibility. 
He was married Aug. 6, 1861, to Ann M. Fitts, 
daughter of Roswell Fitts, and by her has one 
son, Fred, born Dec. 8, 1865. Mrs. Cox was 
born April 8, 1836. In 1866, Mr. Cox came to 
his present place and purchased 4 acres. This 
tract of land is underlaid with the best quality 
of building rock in Summit Co. For a better 
description of this rock see the historv of 



Northampton Township in another part of this 
work. This quarry- is undoubtedly one of the 
best in the county. Besides this property', Mr. 
Cox owns a half interest in the old homestead 
which consists of 100 acres in the western part 
of the township. Mr. Cox is a member of 
Lodge No. 187, A., F. and A.M., and he is a 
Greenbacker in politics. 

WILLIAM CARTER, farmer ; P. 0. Cuya- 
hoga Falls ; is a son of William and Jane (Car- 
ter) Carter and grandson of Jared Carter. His 
father was a native of Middletown, Conn., and 
was born Feb. 13. 1792. June 16, 1814, he 
married Chloe Wadsworth, and by her had fi\-e 
children as follows : Maria E., born Maj' 30. 
1815; Sarah, born June 7, 1818; Mar}', born 
Jan. 7, 1820 ; Emily, born Oct. 31. 1822, and 
Amelia, born Jan. 31, 1835. The mother was 
born March 10, 1794; she died Oct. 17, 1826. 
Mr. Carter was a bricklayer by trade ; he came 
to Northampton Township at a very early time, 
and, being a master of his trade, received plenty 
of employment. The first brick building in 
the village of Cu\'ahoga Falls was built by 
him. as was also the jail at Akron, and many 
other of the best buildings in the count}'. His 
second wife was Jane Carter, to whom he was 
married in Northampton Township, Oct. 17, 
1834, and b}' her had the following family : 
William (the subject of this biograph}^, born 
Sept. 26, 1836; Patty, born July 25, 1838; 
Mahala, l)orn Oct. 11, 1842. and Helen, born 
April 27, 1845; Patty married Wallace Har- 
rington, and Mahala married Fred Harrington, 
brothers. Mr. Carter died April 24, 1876. 
William Carter, Jr., passed his 3'outh and early 
manhood on the farm ; he was married Nov. 
19, 1863, to Martha Pardee, daughter of Harr}' 
and Fanny (Benedict) Pardee, and to this union 
were born two children — Eleanor F. born in 
1864, and Harry, born in 1865. Mrs. Carter 
was born Sept. 16, 1838. Our subject's mother 
is yet living on the old Carter homestead, which 
consists of 72 acres. The Carters are among 
the old pioneers of Summit Qounty, and are 
also among the leading citizens. 

SIMEON DICKERMAN, farmer and dairy- 
man ; P. 0. Cuyahoga Falls ; was born in Nor- 
ton Township, Summit Co. (then Medina Co.) 
Ohio. June 22, 1824. He was one in a famiU' 
of six children, born to Clement C. and Almira 
M. (Ormsby) Dickerman. The names of these 
children are Gilbert C, dead ; Simeon, Orlando, 



856 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Henry, Asenath and Chloe, dead ; Henry mar- 
ried a Mrs. Renn, of Pennsylvania ; Asenath is 
the wife of Charles P. Gardner, and lives in 
Minnesota ; Orlando married Elizabeth Pear- 
son, sister of our subject's wife, and lives in 
Medina Co., Ohio. The parents were married 
in Norton Township, Jan. 11, 1821. Clement 
C. Dickerman came to Medina Co., Ohio, at the 
early period of 1816, and his first location was 
in Norton Township, now in Summit Count}-. 
Mr. Dickerman was a poor, but hard working 
citizen. His death occurred March 21, 184-, 
leaving a widow and family to mourn his loss. 
His widow is yet living with her son Simeon, 
at the advanced age of 81 years. Simeon 
Dickerman passed his early career on the farm 
assisting his mother in the care of the family, 
receiving but a limited chance for an education. 
On the 9th of Octobei", 1850, he was united in 
marriage with Miss Mary A. Pearson, daughter 
of Arza and Achsah Pearson, old settlers in 
York Township, Medina Co., Ohio. After his 
marriage, Mr. Dickerman still continued to re- 
side on the old place in Norton Township, until 
the spring of 1852, when he moved to Akron, 
and for one year engaged in teaming. The 
next year he engaged in the grocery business 
in that city and so continued for about four 
3'ears. In 1858, he came to his present place 
and engaged in farming and sheep-raising. He 
soon discontinued this and engaged in his pres- 
ent pursuit, in which he has ever since been 
engaged. Mr. Dickerman owns 300 acres of 
excellent land, 192 acres of which are in North- 
ampton, and the balance in Boston Township. 
To his union with Miss Pearson, there were 
born the following family : Henry A., born 
Nov. 23, 1856, died Nov. 16, 1865 ; Lydia A., 
born Aug. 26, 1863, and Charles E., born Dec. 
20, 1866, died Sept. 5, 1874. Mrs. Dickerman 
was born in Rutland Co., Vt., April 18, 1831. 
Mr. and Mrs. Dickerman are among the best 
connected families in the township, and are 
good and hospitable people. Mr. Dickerman 
is a stanch Republican in politics, and he and 
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. 

EDWIN FOLK, farmer ; P. 0. Cuyahoga 
Falls ; is a son of John and Mary (Fulwiler) 
Folk, who were natives of Pennsylvania. John 
Folk was born in 1796, and Mary his wife was 
born in 1798. This couple were the parents of 
ten children — Catharine, Mary, Sally, Jesse, 



Edwin, Hannah, John, Daniel, Polly and David. 
The three last were born in Ohio. All these 
children are living. In 1833, this famil}- came 
to Mahoning Co., Ohio, where he commenced 
farming and weaving, the latter being a trade 
he had learned years before. Mrs. Folk died 
July 20, 1865. Mr. Folk is still living making 
his home with relatives in Trumbull Co. Ed- 
win Folk was born in Pennsylvania, Feb. 25, 
1826. He came with his parents to Ohio in 
1833, and, in his j'outh, received a common- 
school education. His people were very poor 
on their arrival in Ohio, like a good many other 
pioneer families. An incident in their life is 
here worthy of mention, and one that shows 
what people were sometimes compelled to do 
to keep from starving. At one time they 
cleared one acre of timher-land for three bushels 
of shelled corn. When 19 years of age, Edwin, 
like the rest of his brothers, was given his time, 
and for a number of years farmed and followed 
the carpenter's trade. He was married, Aug. 
26, 1849, to Rebecca J. Hart, daughter of 
Samuel Hart, and by her had four children — 
Minnie S., born June 17, 1851, and who is now 
the wife of Rev. 0. 0. Osboi'n, and resides in 
Michigan ; Ida J., born Jan. 16, 1855, now the 
wife of Griffith G. Roberts, farmer, and resides 
in Northampton ; Charles E., born June 17, 
1860, died Sept. 29, 1861 ; and Ella M., born 
May 3, 1 863. Mrs. Folk was born May 1,1 829. 
Mr. Folk is a hard-working, industrious man. 
His wife is a member of the Baptist Church, 
and he is a member of the Lutheran Church. 

MARVIN GIBBS, farmer ; P. 0. Buckeye ; 
was born in Tuscarawas Co., Ohio, July 13, 
1832. He is a son of Charles and Isabelle 
(Steele) Gibbs, who were parents of the follow- 
ing family : Margaret, James (dead). Mar}- A., 
Marvin, John S. (dead), Warren (dead), and one 
that died in infancy unnamed. The father was 
a native of Virginia, and was born in about 
1799. He was a farmer, and was I'eared on a 
farm. He married Isabelle Steele in 1825 ; she 
was born in 1801. Mr. Gibbs came to Tus- 
carawas Co., Ohio, in about 1825, and after a 
residence there of eleven years, came to North- 
ampton Township, Summit Co., Ohio, and 
settled on the farm now owned by our subject. 
At the time of their settlement in Northampton, 
there was no clearing whatever on their place, 
and being a man of very little means, Mr. 
Gibbs was compelled to go in debt for it. He 



t 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



857 



was a hard workei", and an honest, upright man 
in his dealings with men ; and, at the time of 
his death, the place was cleared of all incum- 
brances. Mr. Gibbs died July 28, 1869. His 
widow still survives him, and resides with her 
son, Marvin, on the old homestead. Marvin 
passed his j'outh and early manhood on the 
farm. Was married Feb. 19, 1861, to Amanda 
E. Burgan, and her parents were among the 
pioneers of Sharon Township, Medina Co., Ohio. 
To this union there was born one son, Charles 
N., born in 1865. Mr. Gribbs is a Democrat in 
politics, and his mother is a member of the M. 
E. Church. The homestead consists of 85 
acres of well-improved land. 

HARRINGTON FAMILY. Job Harring- 
ton was born in Bennington, Vt, March 9, 
1792. He was a son of Richard Harrington, 
who was of English descent. During the fall 
of 1814, Job Harrington and Susan Hartle, who 
was born in Georgetown, Penu., Jan. 27, 1796, 
were married. To this union there were born 
the following : John, born Feb. 2, 1818 ; George, 
born Aug. 20, 1819 ; Seth W., born June 13, 
1821 ; James, born Nov. 17, 1823; Clarissa, born 
June 8, 1827 ; Warren A., born July 18, 1829 ; 
Alvin. born July 17, 1831 ; William, born July 
11, 1833 ; Fred L., born Oct. 14, 1835 ; Wallace, 
born April 27, 1837, and Newton S., born May 
22, 1840. John married Calista Prior and lives 
in Iowa ; George married Clarissa Turner, but 
has since moved to Michigan and died ; Cla- 
rissa married Alvin A. Wheeler ; Warren has 
never married ; he went to California in 1853, 
and has never returned ; Alvin died in child- 
hood ; William married Chloe Carr ; Wallace 
married Patty Carter, a sister of Fred L.'s wife ; 
Newton served in the late war and died from 
diseases contracted while in his c'ountr3''s serv- 
ice ; Seth W. married Freelove Jones, daughter 
of Rees and Jane (Wright) Jones, on the 12th 
of November, 1846, and by her had the follow- 
ing family : Ethelbert S., born April 17, 1848, 
died March 3. 1852 ; Robert W., born Oct. 25, 
1857 ; J. Athaliah, Oct. 7, 1853 ; Delbert R., 
born Feb. 7, 1857 ; Grace N., born Nov. 30, 
1865, and J. May, born April 2, 1868. The 
mother of these was born in Northampton 
Township, Sept. 6, 1824. Seth Harrington died 
Oct. 23, 1 876. He joined the M. E. Church when 
16 years old, and alwa3's remained in it. He was 
active in his duties for the advancement of edu- 
cation and religion. He taught school quite a 



number of terms, and also held various township 
offices. He left a large circle of friends to mourn 
his loss. James Harrington married Lydia 
M. Hawley, daughter of Richard and Esther 
(Gorman) Hawley, on the 7th of March, 1850. 
To this union there were born the following : 
Amoret A., born Dec. 30, 1850, died Feb. 21, 
1864 ; Ezra J., born Dec. 10, 1854 ; Wilfred J., 
born May 11, 1858, and Cora M., born Aug. 6, 
1861. The mother was born Feb. 28, 1832. 
Mr. Harrington owns 70 acres of land, on which 
he resides in Northampton. Fred L. Harrington 
married Mahala Carter, Oct. 10, 1866. She is 
a daughter of William Carter, a sketch of whom 
accompanies this work, and was born Oct. 11, 
1842. This union was blessed with four chil- 
dren—Charlie E., born Feb. 24. 1869 ; Burt C, 
born April 19, 1872 ; Frank L., born Dec. 13, 
1874, and Myron E., born May 22, 1877. This 
family resides on the old Harrington home- 
stead, which consists of over 100 acres. Job 
Harrington, the father and grandfather of the 
foregoing named individuals, in 1812, started 
on foot from Bennington, Vt., to Tallmadge 
Township. Summit Co., Ohio, where he arrived 
the same year, having traveled all the distance 
on foot. On his arrival, he purchased a farm 
for his parents, and the next year, 1813, his 
parents came there, and, building them a log 
cabin in the heart of the wilderness, commenced 
life there. In 1815, Job and his wife purchased 
and moved on the farm now owned by Fred L., 
in Northampton, and there remained until their 
respective deaths. Mrs. Harrington died Nov. 
9, 1849. Mr. Harrington's second wife was 
Mary M. Paige, to whom he was married Nov. 
30, 1851. She is j-et living and resides in Cu}'- 
ahoga Falls. Mr. Harrington died March 24, 
1869. He earl}- became identified in the his- 
tory of Northampton Township, by the active 
part he took in advancing the best interests of 
his township and county. B}' his generous dis- 
position and kind actions toward the Indians, 
he made life-long friends of them, and they re- 
garded their white friend as a most good and 
noble chief The first four years after his 
arrival in Northampton, Mr. Ilarrington was 
unable to work, owing to ill-health. His whole 
life in Ohio was one filled with the stern real- 
ities of a pioneer's life, in which innumerable 
hardships presented themselves. B3' the time 
he had begun to realize the comforts he had 
secured by his hardships, his life labors ceased, 






^1 



858 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and he was laid away at rest in the grave ; a 
rest that he had denied himself in life. Mr. 
Harrington was regarded as among the best 
citizens Northampton ever had, and his descend- 
ants are among the first families in the town- 
ship. 

JOHN HOVEY, farmer ; P. O. Buckeye. 
Among the old and time honored residents of 
Northampton Township, is the subject of this 
biography. He was born in the District of 
Montreal, in the Province of Lower Canada, 
June 1, 1814. He is the son of Abiel and 
Martha (Hardy) Hove}', who were parents of 
the following family : Amos, Ira, Aurelia, Mar}-, 
Abiel, James, John, Martha, Silas and Paulina. 
Of these, only James. John and Silas are now 
living. The parents were natives of Massa- 
chusetts. The}' came to what is now known as 
Boston Township, Summit Co., Ohio, in 1819. 
and settled first on the farm now owned by 
Thomas Woods. After living here and endur- 
ing the hardships of a pioneer's life two years, 
Mrs. Hovey died. His widow survived him 
until 1837, when she too died. John Hovey 
was reared on a farm, and not having the school 
advantages in those early days that we of the 
present have, his education was limited. He 
was married, June 18, 1835, to Maria Chamber- 
lain, daughter of Ephraim and Deborah (Schoon- 
over) Chamberlain, who emigrated to North- 
ampton Township, Summit Co., Ohio, from New 
York, in 1820. To this union there were born 
five children — Nelson A., Simeon E., Aurelia, 
Harvey T. and Ephraim C. Of these, only the 
oldest and youngest are living. Nelson mar- 
ried Mary Howland, and lives in Old Portage. 
Ephraim married Lovisa Allen, and lives in 
Northampton Township. Mrs. Hovey was born 
in September, 1813, and is one in a family of 
six. Mr. Hovey's wliole life has been passed 
in farming and lumbering. He now owns a 
farm of 76 acres of w^ell-im proved land, and is 
a stanch and unflinching Republican in politics. 

ISRAEL JAMES, Cuyahoga Falls ; was 
bom in Berkshire Co.. Mass., Mai'ch 13, 1814. 
He is a son of Moses and Polly (Vining) James 
who were parents of three children — Israel, 
Orln and Joseph, all of whom are living. Mrs. 
James died in 1824, and Mr. James' second 
wife was Catharine Williams, and by her had 
one daughter, Lucretia. Mr. James came to 
Portage Co., Ohio, from Massachusetts in 1818, 
drivina; overland with an ox team. After a 



journey of six weeks they reached their desti- 
nation, where Mr. James' parents had pre- 
ceeded him one year, and where he had pur- 
chased a tract of land containing 1,000 acres. 
Here Moses James and family lived for a num- 
ber of years, undergoing innumerable hardships 
incident to the pioneer's life. In about 1858, 
he moved to Geauga Co., Ohio, where he lived 
until his death, which occurred in his 78th 
year. Israel James remained at home until he 
was fifteen years of age. He then appren- 
ticed himself to learn the blacksmithing trade. 
In 1832, he came to Cuyahoga Falls and has 
remained there ever since. For the first fifteen 
years following his arrival he followed black- 
smithing, and at the end of that time started a 
forge, which finally turned into one of the best 
manufacturing houses in the town. Soon after 
his starting this enterprise, Mr. James gave 
$12,000 for the property on which his mill was 
situated. He then, in connection with two 
other men. began the building of the 'sJames 
Block," the largest building in Cuyahoga Falls, 
init his two partners failed before the work was 
accomplished, throwing the whole cost on Mr. 
James. He also built the building in which 
the Schumway drug store is situated, but the 
building has since been sold. In his enter- 
prises, Mr. James has been most unfortunate. 
In 1866. he built a saw-mill on the site of 
where the Heath & Thompson mill now stands. 
In 1869. this mill took fire, and all in it, in- 
cluding his lath, shingle and latheing machines 
were burned to the ground. In six weeks time 
b} the enterprise of Mr. James, a new mill was 
erected at a cost of about $4,000. In 1871, the 
mill-dam gave way and was destroyed. This 
was replaced at a cost of $4,000. Mr. James 
has done more to build up the town of Cuya- 
hoga Falls, than perhaps any other man. He 
and wife are members of the M. E. Church. 
He first married Hannah T. Steel, Sept. 25, 
1 835, and by her, there were born two children 
— Henry and Israel. This wife died Nov. 9, 

1847, and Mr. James, for his second and pres- 
ent wife married Mary E. Randall, March 11. 

1848. To this union there were born three 
childi-en — Laurel E., Frank, dead ; and Minnie, 
who is the wife of E. J. Squire. Mrs. James 
was born Sept. 15, 1821. 

DAVID Ct. MYERS, farmer and stock-raiser ; 
P. O. Cuyahoga* Falls, was born m Stark 
Co., Ohio, Aug. 30, 1819. His parents, George 



W\ 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



85y 



J. and Anne (Welty) Myers, were both natives 
of IMaryland. The father was born in 1786, ! 
and mother in 1788. They came to Stark 
Co.. Ohio, in 1810, and Mr. Myers, besides 
iarming, carried on the mercantile business for i 
a time. He owned th^ first dry goods store in 
Uniontown. Mr. Myers died Dec. 2, 1853, and 
Mrs. Myers died March 2G, 1858. They were i 
the parents of nine children, only four of whom 
are yet living. David G. Myers was reared 
principally on the farm. In 1839, he came to 
Akron, and for ten years was captain of a boat 
on the Ohio Canal. Sept. 11, 1841, he was 
united in marriage with Matilda P. Corp, 
daughter of Elias and Sarah (Pratt) Corp, and 
b}' her had the following family : Francis A., 
born Aug. 10, 1842, now the wife of Cyrus 
Shoemaker ; Adrian, born Mav 9, 1845, died ! 
March 21, 1847 ; Ellen I., born' Sept. 15, 1847 ; ' 
Alma L., born April 6, 1850, now the wife of 
L. N. Foust; George E., born March 1, 1852 ; 
Mary A., born June 8, 1854, now wife of , 
Lewis Keck ; Rena Y., born May 26, 1856, now ! 
wife of J. A. Johnson, and Milton J., born Sept. 
13, 1858. The mother of these was born April ! 
27, 1819, in Saratoga Co., N. Y. In 1849, Mr. | 
Myers retired from canal life and settled upon 
a farm in Boston Township. He remained there 
until March. 1857, when he moved to his pres- 
ent place in Northampton Township, and where i 
he has ever since resided. During his farming- 
experience in Northamptctn, Mr. M3'ers has 
done more, perhaps, to build up the stock in- 
terest than any other man. He owns 86 acres 
of land, is Independent in politics, and is a gen- 
tleman in ever}' respect. 

WILLIAM' NORTON (deceased) ; was a 
native of York Co., Penn., and was born in 
June, 1803. His early years were passed on a 
farm, and during that time he received a good 
practical education. In 1827, he married 
Selah Deniston, and in 1829, he and two 
brothers, with their families, moved to Wayne 
Co., Ohio Mr. Norton's first location was on 
a farm two miles south of Wooster, where they 
resided two years. At the conclusion of that 
time, they purchased a farm of 80 acres, four 
miles north of Wooster, whex'e the}- resided four 
years. At the time of Mr. Norton's settlement 
in Wayne Co., it was but thinly populated, and 
the citizens of the township often made his 
house their place of voting at the regular town- 
ship elections. In 1835, Mr. Norton moved 



from Wayne Co. to Northampton Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio, where his widow yet lives. 
To his union with Miss Deniston there were 
born nine children — Elizabeth, now the wife of 
Daniel Darrow ; James, who died when 19 }ears 
of age ; Mary J., widow of Abner Cannier ; 
Amanda, widow of Wesley Appleton, and pres- 
ent wife of Josiah Starr; Charity A., wife of 
Miles Oviatt ; Rebecca, who died when 14 years 
old ; William H., married Mary Smith, resides 
in Northampton ; Josiah. married Mary Hart, 
and lives in Michigan, and Cyrus L., who is 
single and lives with his mother on the old 
homestead, which consists of 70 acres. Mrs. 
Norton was born in York Co., Penn.. in 1808. 
During the latter end of Mr. Norton's life, he 
began suffering from a cancer in the stomach, 
and after a very long period of uncomplaining 
sufferings, he died as he had always lived — an 
upright man and a devoted Christian. The date 
of his death is July 29, 1866. Mr. Norton was 
a man of considerable ability and self-reliance. 
He proved an invaluable assistant in his neigh- 
borhood, in making shingles for himself and 
neighbors. In his political views, he was a 
Whig, until the Republican party was organized, 
when he became identified with the latter, and, 
for his honest and fair dealings, held various 
positions of honor and trust in the gift of that 
party. In conclusion, it can be said that Mr. 
Norton was a gentleman in eveiy sense of the 
word. 

WILLIAM PRIOR, Cuyahoga Falls. There 
is not a more appropriate biography for the 
history of Summit Co., Ohio, than is the 
history of the Prior family, who are so in- 
timately connected with the early history of 
Northampton Township ; the earliest records 
of this family are traced back to Joseph Prior, 
who was a native of the Highlands of Scot- 
land. The next, in the order of descent, is 
Joshua, son of Joseph Prior, who was born in 
Northern England. Of Joshua Prior, not much 
is known, nor is the exact date of this lamily's 
coming to America known. Simeon Prior, son 
of Joshua Prior, was born in Hampshire Co., 
Mass., 3Iay 16, 1754. On the 1st day of 
January, 1781. Simeon Prior and Katharine 
Wight were united in marriage. The history 
of the Wight family is of considerable im- 
portance and interest ; Katharine (Wight) I'rior 
was a daughter of one of the proprietc^rs of the 
Isle of Wiaht, after whom the island received 



K 



860 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



its name ; in their religious belief, this family 
was Protestant, and during the church dis- 
turbances, the property was confiscated by the 
Catholic Church (jovernment, and the Wights 
were compelled to flee to the Netherlands for 
safety ; after the Restoration, the family re- 
turned to England to reclaim their property ; 
they were successful in their petitions, but the 
papers made out that gave them the property 
were destroyed in the Great London Fire, and 
the estate was lost. To the union of Simeon 
Prior and Katharine Wight there were born 
fifteen children, only one of whom, Gurden, is 
yet living. At the time of the breaking out of 
the Revolutionary war, Simeon enlisted in the 
cause of the colonies and was under the com- 
mand of Col. Derby ; he participated in the 
battles of Princeton, Trenton and others, and 
was one of the men who piloted Gen. Washing- 
ton across the Delaware River at Trenton. In 
the year 1802, he and family moved westward ; 
they started with an ox team and afterward 
took a boat, landing at the mouth of the Cuya- 
hoga River, where Cleveland now is situated. 
At this early time there was not a frame build- 
ing in the village, and only a few log huts 
marked the place ; the Priors abandoned their 
boat at this point, and started toward the 
interior ; after some indecision, they finally lo- 
cated on what is now known as Lot No. 15, 
Northampton Township, Summit Co., Ohio, and 
to them can be accredited the first settlement 
in that township. In the family born to 
Simeon and Katharine Prior, there was one 
son, William, who was born April 6, 1 783 ; this 
son was married twice ; first to Sarah Wharton, 
by whom he had seven children ; his second 
wife was Polly Culver, by whom he had two 
children — William and George ; George served 
in the late war, and was killed in the battle of 
the Wilderness. William was born in North- 
ampton Township, April 20, 1825 ; he received 
a good common-school education in youth, and 
on the 20th of April, 1847, married Ruth 
Woodrow. daughter of Henry Woodrow, E-sq., 
and to this union were born two children — 
Matilda, who died in infanc}-, and Minnie, who 
is now the wife of L. E. James. Mrs. Prior 
was born June 17, 1826. Mr. Prior is a gentle- 
man who takes quite an interest in the advance- 
ment of education, and is a teacher of thirty- 
three terms of successive school teaching. The 
political complexion of the present generation 



of Priors is Republican, and they are among 
the best families of Summit Co. 

SAMUELS. PRIOR, farmer; P. 0. Cuya- 
hoga Falls ; was born in Northampton Town- 
ship, Summit Co., Ohio, Dec. -4, 1815. He is a 
son of Elisha and Harriet (Stiles) Prior, and 
grandson of Simeon and Kathai'ine (Wight) 
Prior, of whom appropriate mention is made in 
the biography of William Prior. Samuel Prior 
is one in a family of seven children : Laura, 
Delia, Samuel, Amanda, L. R., Benjamin and 
Harriet. He was reared on the farm, and re- 
ceived a good common-school education. He 
has passed his whole life on the homestead of 
his father, with the exception of five years, 
from 1835 to 1840, while he was at Cuyahoga 
Falls, having charge of an oil mill there. Dec. 
12, 1839, he was united in marriage with Miss 
Ann Everett, daughter of John Evex-ett, and by 
her had a family of nine children, as follows : 
Harriet, born Slarch 4, 1841; Stiles S., born 
Sept. 16, 1842 ; Clarissa, born Oct. 4., 1843 ; B. 
H., born June 23, 1845 ; F. S., born Jan. 23, 
1847 ; Amanda, born April 15, 1851 ; died 
Sept. 15, 1853 ; Florence A., born May 25, 
1854; Olive M., born May 1, 1857; and Delia 
K.. born April 12, 1863. Mr. Prior owns a nice 
farm near the beautiful city of Cuyahoga Falls. 
He is a Republican in politics, and is an intelli- 
gent and enterprising citizen. 

AMOS L. RICE,'^farmer ; P. 0. Cuyahoga 
Falls. Dr. Lewis Rice was a native of Massa- 
chusetts, and was born about 1782. He prac- 
ticed medicine when quite a young man, and 
during the war of 1812, served in the capacity 
of Assistant Surgeon. At the close of the war, 
Dr. Rice began looking for a congenial place in 
which to practice his profession. The young 
and popular State of Ohio was, at this time, 
attracting considerable attention, and this State 
suiting his fancy. Dr. Rice, in 1814, emigrated 
westward, and located in what is now known 
as Stow Township, Summit Co., Ohio. There 
being no other physician in the whole neighbor- 
hood, Dr. Rice immediately received a xevy 
large practice, being quite often called ten and 
fifteen miles distant. He continued his practice 
there until 1835, when he moved to Northamp- 
ton Township, and settled on a farm of 108 
acres. He did not discontinue his practice on 
his removal, but still pursued it up to a short 
time before his death. Di'. Rice was twice mar- 
ried, his first wife being Lucy Rice, by whom 



TT 



— ® 



NORTHAMPTON TOWNSHIP. 



861 



he had three children — Orlo, Lucy A. and Are- 
thusa. These children are all living. His 
second wife was Chloe Pratt, to whom he was 
married Jan. 5, 1823. To his second marriage 
there was born one son, Amos L., the subject 
of this biography. Dr. Rice's second wife died 
Oct. 28, 1845. After a long life of usefulness, 
Dr. Rice died March 25, 1861. His journey to 
Stow Township from Say brook, Conn., in 1814, 
was a very eventful one, coming with two yoke 
of oxen ; he was fifty-two days on the road. 
Amos L. Rice was born in Stow Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio, July 13, 1824. He received 
a common-school education, and on the 21st of 
October, 1856, was united in marriage with 
Phoebe 0. Jaqua3's, daughter of John and Ag- 
nes (Osborn) Jaquays, and by her has two 
children — Chloe A., born July 19, 1863 ; and 
Lewis P., born June 23, 1874. Besides these 
two. Mr. and Mrs. Rice have one child by 
adoption— Martin H., born May 27, 1857. Mrs. 
Rice was born May 3, 1836. Mr. Rice is one 
of the prosperous farmers of Northampton 
Township. He is nicely situated near Cuya- 
hoga Falls, and he and family are highly re- 
spected citizens. 

ISAAC SCOTT, farmer ; was born in Mus- 
kingum Co., Ohio. March 31, 1817. He is a son 
of Banfield and Lydia (Norris) Scott, who were 
parents of two children, Isaac and Sarah. 
The father was a native of the " Ba}- State," 
while Mrs. Scott was a native of Connecticut. 
Prior to her marriage with Mr. Scott, Mrs. 
Scott had married Stephen Lamon3-on, and by 
him had three children — Charles, Cornelius 
and Stephen. After the death of Mr. Lamon- 
3'On, his widow married Mr. Scott, who died 
during the fall of 1832, in Sharon Township, 
Medina Co., Ohio. Mrs. Scott's third and last 
husband was Joseph Dean, and b}' this gentle- 
man bore one son, James. Our subject, Isaac, 
at the age of 15 commenced the battle of 
life on his own responsibility, and from then 
until he became 22, worked at different 
employments in Summit and neighboring 
counties. He was married Dec. 28, 1837, to 
Fannie Wallace, daughter of Henry and Clar- 
issa (Strong) Wallace, and to this union were 
born three children — Henry, born Dec. 28. 
1840 ; Wallace, born Sept. 15, 1843, and Wal- 
ter, born Jan. 23, 1852, who died Dec. 9, 1864, 
of cerebro sjfinal meningitis. Henr}", who mar- 
ried Miss Ida Bishop, is a farmer and resides 



in Northampton. In 1861, he enlisted in Co. H, 
29th 0. V. I., Capt. Schoonover, and was dis- 
charged for ill health in 1862. He re-enlisted 
the next year in Co. H, 177th 0. V. I., and 
served until the close of the war. He was 
First Corporal, but was promoted to Sergeant. 
Wallace is a farmer, married Mary Best and 
also resides in Northampton. Mrs. Scott was 
born in Stow Township, April 14, 1822. Mr. 
Scott has the most part of his life lived in 
Northampton. In 1852, he purchased 160 
acres on lot No. 51, but has since sold 7 acres 
of it. He started in life a poor boy, with no 
one to depend upon, but by hard labor and 
economy, has secured a pleasant home. He is 
a Democrat in politics, but favors a strong 
anti-license law, and he and wife have been 
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
for almost half a century. Mr. Scott's father 
was a soldier in the war of 1812, as was also 
his mother's first husband. Mrs. Scott's grand- 
father, Theodore Strong, was Captain of a 
man-of-war, under the command of Admiral 
Porter. Mr. Scott has been a hard working 
man, knowing comparatively' little of the ease 
and comforts of life until later years. He is 
an excellent farmer and an honorable, upright 
gentleman. 

WILLIAM VIALL, dairyman and farmer ; 
P. O. Cu3'ahoga Falls ; son of Burrill Viall who 
came from Chautauqua Co., N. Y. during the 
winter of 1831, on a sled to Middlebur}- in what 
is now known as Summit Co., Ohio. He is of 
English descent on his father's side, but his 
mother, Sarah (Ferguson) Viall was of Scotch 
descent. At the lime of their removal from 
New York to Ohio, JMr. and Mrs. Viall were 
the parents of six children, and after their ar- 
rival, there were born to them six more, mak 
ing a total of six sons and six daughters. Eleven 
of these grew to be adults. There are now liv- 
ing in this family of children only nine. The 
Vialls were in ver}- poor circumstances at the 
time of their arrival, and Mr. Viall had to labor 
early and late to keep his family decently sup- 
ported. He first settled on the farm now owned 
by Uriah Horner. In 1850, he and famih' em- 
igrated to Jackson Co., Iowa, where they lived 
until the death of their parents. The father's 
death occurred Dec. 23, 1862, of heart disease. 
He was buried on Christmas Day, 1862, in 
Sterling Cemeter}-, Jackson Co., Iowa, aged 69 
years 8 months and 25 da3-s. His wife never 



Fv 



863 



BIOGRAnilCAL SKETCHES: 



survived the shock of her husband's death, and 
she died Jan. 4, 18G3, aged G2 years G months 
and 15 tlays, and was also buried in Sterling 
Cemetery. The father was a Republican in 
politics, and he and wife were consistent and 
devoted members of the M. E. Church. The 
names of the children are Eliza, Burrill, Elzi- 
na, dead ; Sullivan. John N., William, Mary, 
Julia, dead ; Adaline, Clark, dead ; Amelia 
and Lafayette. William, the subject of this 
biograph}', passed his 3'outh and early man- 
hood on the farm, receiving a common-school 
education. He was married Oct. 17, 1849, to 
Sabina, daughter of James and Mary (Dicker- 
son) McPherson, and by her had four children 
— Charles W.. born Aug. 9, 1852, died April 
24, 1853 ; Martha T., born April 19, 1854, now 
wife of George W. Hanson, and resides in Me- 
dina Co., Ohio ; Mary D., born April 4, 1856, 
and is now the wife of Fred S. Prior, and resides 
in Northampton, and James F., born April 25, 
1860. Mrs. Viall was born Oct. 16, 1832, in 
Utica, N. Y., and Mr. Viall was born Aug. 20, 
1828, in Chautauqua Co., N. Y. After fifteen 
years of farming on the prairies of Iowa, our 
subject returned to Ohio, and for the first year 
lived on the Lindsey farm, in Stow Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio. He sold that soon after- 
ward, and the following year purchased the old 
" Lewis farm ' in Northampton Township, where 
he has ever since resided. He now owns 134 
acres of well-improved land. Is a Republican 
in politics, and has held the office of Justice of 
the Peace for twelve years. He and wife are 
members of the Disciples' Church, and are 
among the fi;rst citizens of Northampton Town 
ship. 

ARIEL L. WAITE, farmer and stock-raiser ; 
P. 0. Everett. Walter Waite, father of Abiel 
Waite, was a native of Massachusetts, and was 
born in 1789. Oct. 10, 1811. he married Eliza- 
beth Blackford, who was born April 18, 1789. 
In 1811. Mr. and Mrs. Waite started westward 
overland with one horse and a wagon, and in 
this wagon was conveyed all of Mr. Waite's 
possessions, which consisted principally' of the 
following ; His wife, a skillet, a gun and an 
ax. They arrived in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, the 
same 3'ear they started, and, tlius equipped, 
commenced life in the wilderness. In about 
1820, they moved into Richfield Township, Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio. It was here, April 14, 1829, 
that the mother of six children, and the wife of 



Walter Waite died. Of the six children, only 
two are now living — Frederick and Rufus. In 
October, 1829, Mr. Waite married Mary Hovey, 
sister of John Hovey, whose biography will be 
found in another part of this work. To Mr. 
W^aite's second marriage, there was born the 
following family : Abiel L., John M., Martha 
E., Walter S., Mary V., Alfred C. and Lucetta 
M. Joim and Mary are dead. Abiel was reared 
on a farm, and received a common-school edu- 
cation. He was married, Jan. G, 1853, to Mary 
McLoney, daughter of William and Mary (Ste- 
phens) McLoncy, and to this union were born 
seven children — James E.,born Sept. 28, 1853 ; 
Walter F., born Sept. 29, 1856 ; Mary V., born 
Aug. 22, 1859 ; Scott, born Dec. 22, 1861, die<l 
Jan. 7, 1863 ; Ezra Mc, born May 20, 1864 ; 
Sherman A., born May 30, 1871, and Elnora, 
born Oct. 1, 1874. Mrs. Waite was born in 
Northampton, Dec. 29, 1833. Mr. Waite's father 
died Sept. 2, 1869, and his mother Oct. 29, 1868. 
In our subject's family, there is one child — 
Mary V., who is married. Her husband is 
Eugene Hancock. In about 1829, Mr. and Mrs. 
Waite, Sr.. came to Northampton Township, and 
settled on the farm now owned by Abiel L. 
This place consists of 187 acres, on which our 
subject has always lived, with the exception of 
five years in Wisconsin. Mr. Waite is a stanch 
Republican, and an influential citizen. 

JOSEPH WALLACE, farmer ; P. 0. Buck- 
eye ; was born on the Holland Purchase, in New 
York, Dec. 18, 1813. He is a son of Joseph 
and Ruth (Robinson) Wallace, who were parents 
of nine children, only the following named being 
alive : Ruth (Baldwin), Sophronia (Crawford), 
Sobrina (Butler) and Joseph. Joseph Wallace, 
Sr., was a native of Vermont, and, in the war 
of Independence, he was one of the " Green 
Mountain Boys," under the command of Col. 
Ethan Allen. He served six years in this 
war. His death occurred in 1828. His widow 
survived him until 1840, when she too died. 
Joseph, Jr., was reared on a farm, receiving a 
good education. In 1840, he purchased land 
in Northampton Township, Summit Co., Ohio, 
whei'e he now lives, and the same year moved 
to and located on it. He was married, in 1836, 
to Amanda Wolford, daughter of Peter and 
Elizabeth (Worthinger) Wolfoi'd, and by her 
had six children — Alexander ; Mary A., now 
wife of Henry Butler ; James E., dead ; Lewis 
B., dead ; Sophronia, now wife of James Smith, 



-r: 



5) 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



863 



and Byrou E. Mrs. Wallace was born Feb. 27, 
1814, at Portage Co., Ohio. Her son, Alexander, 
served in the late war, in Co. H, 29th 0. V. I., 
for nine months, and then was discharged for 
disabilities. In his time, Mr. Wallace has taught 
eighteen terms of school. He is Independent 
in his political views, voting in all cases for the 
man instead of the party. He has held various 
township offices, among which might be men- 
tioned Township Treasurer, which office he held 
eleven years. He and wife are members of the 
Baptist Church, and they are excellent citizens 
in every respect. Mr. Wallace owns a fine farm 
of 210 acres, nicely situated near church, school 
and railroad. 

WILLIAxM H. WILLIAMSON, farmer and 
dairyman ; P. 0. Akron ; was born in Orange 
Co., N. Y., Aug. 7, 1829. He is a son of 
Palmer and Amy (Horton) Williamson, natives 
of New York, who were parents of the follow- 
ing family : Mary F., William H., Bradner, 
Susan, Jane, Alveretta and Julius 0. Bradner, 
Jane and Alveretta are dead. The father was 
a farmer. In 1831, he emigrated Westward, 
where he had friends, and to better his circum- 



stances. He first located in Tallmadge Town- 
ship, Summit Co., Ohio, on the Demmick farm, 
renting that two years. He then purchased the 
Isaac Gaylord farm. In 1835, he sold that 
place an€l went to Stow, where he has ever 
since resided. His wife died Sept. 27, 1879. 
William H. lived on the old place and worked 
his father's farm, excepting three years, until 
he was 31 years of age. He was married Nov. 
15, 1860, to Mariette, daughter of Benjamin 
and Hannah (Chapman) Stark, and to this 
union were born the following family : George 
B., born Aug. 18, 18G1 ; Amy H., Feb. 20, 
1863; Emily, born Nov. 13, 1865, and Frank 
P., born Dec. L 1872, died Oct. 18, 1878. Mrs. 
Williamson was born in Stow Township June 
7, 1838. After his marriage, Mr. Williamson 
farmed in Stow Township eight years and Hud- 
son Township one year. He then came to 
Northampton and located on his present place, 
where he has since remained. He owns a fine 
farm of 166 acres. Is a stanch Republican in 
politics, and his wife is a member of the Disci- 
ples' Church. 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



GEORGE W. BAILEY, farming and dairy- 
ing ; P. 0. Cuyahoga Falls ; was born Feb. 11, 
1836, in Stow Township ; he is a son of Warren 
Bailey, who was born in Middletown, Conn., 
Sept. 26, 1796 ; the father was a ship-joiner by 
trade, which business he steadily followed until 
he came to Ohio. While at Middletown, he 
married Sail}- Thayer, who was born Sept. 3, 
1798, the marriage date being Sept. 18, 1821. 
From this union the following family was the 
issue, viz.: Mary, born Oct. 16, 1822, died July 
27, 1847 ; Lamira, born May 14, 1825, died 
Aug. 2, 1860 ; John C, born Jan. 2, 1828 ; 
Hannah M., born March 31, 1830, died June 5, 
1868; George W., born Feb. 11, 1836; and 
Francis M., born Oct. 16, 1838, died March 11, 
1868. Being a poor man, Mr. Bailey concluded 
to come West to Ohio to better his own cir- 
cumstances and give his children opportuni- 
ties to build homes for themselves ; in 1832, 
they came to Stow Township, Summit (then 
Portage) Co., Ohio, via the ocean to New York ; 



thence to Buffalo by canal ; thence to Cleve- 
land by Lake Erie ; and thence to Old Portage 
by canal. For the first few years after his ar- 
rival, Mr. Bailey worked at his trade in Cleve- 
land, and also at the carpenter's trade during 
the fall season at home. He arrived in the fall 
of 1832, and that winter lived with Nelson 
Sears, the next spring purchasing his home- 
stead, and continued to reside there. Mr. 
Bailey died March 1, 1867, aged 70 years; his 
death was caused by jumping from a buggy 
while his horse was running awa}', I'esulting in 
so serious a fracture of his limb as to necessi- 
tate its amputation, which operation he did not 
survive, and died June 2, 1873, aged 75 years. 
Of this family only two — John C. and George 
W. — are living ; the former married Mary 
Cartwright, is a farmer and fruit-grower, and 
lives in Tennessee. George W. was married 
March 25, 1867, to Elizabeth Brown, of Her- 
kimer Co., N. Y., and by her had three children 
— Millie M., born April 6, 1869, died June 20, 



^|v 



J. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



1869 ; Bertha E., born Oct. G, 1870, and one 
that died in infancy. Mrs. Bailey was born in 
New York July 1, 1843. Mr. Bailey enlisted, 
Aug. 12, 1862, in Co. C, 115th (3. V. I., and was 
assigned to the Twentieth Corps ; he was dis- 
charged July 5, 1865. He is a Democrat in his 
political views, and is liberal in his religious 
views. He owns 154 acres of good land, and is 
a self-reliant, intelligent gentleman. 

JOHN J. BRADLEY, farming and dairying ; 
P. 0. Kent. Arba Bradley, the father of the 
subject of this sketch was a native of the State 
of Connecticut. By trade he was a blacksmith, 
but he soon changed his vocation to silver- 
smithing. iVt the time of his marriage, he was 
foreman in Starr's gun factory in Middletown, 
but preceding his coming to Ohio a short time, 
he was proprietor of a brass foundry. His 
wife was Esther Chamberlain, by whom he had 
the following famil}- : Elizabeth, C^'rus, Samuel, 
Jacob, Chloe, Jacob, Arba, John, Robert and 
Ransom, twins, and Esther. John J. Bradley 
was born in Middletown, Conn., April 21, 1815. 
When he was between 14 and 15 j-ears of age, 
he came with his sister, Mrs. Marvin, to Stow 
Township, Portage Co. (now Summit Co.), Ohio, 
where his father had previously purchased a 
tract of land of 160 acres. He lived with his 
sister during the fall and winter of 1829, while 
he was engaged clearing the underbrush and 
timber off as much of his father's land that he 
possibly could. In June, 1830, his father came 
out, and bringing with him a suppl}^ of lemons 
and Santa Cruz rum, instituted a " logging 
bee," and with the help (?) of his sour punch 
and the neighbors, cleared a sufficient place to 
plant an orchard and erect his log cabin. He 
then went back to Connecticut, and the same 
tall returned bringing his family-. They built 
their house on the place they had cleared, Lot 
50, and he and wife lived here the rest of their 
lives, clearing and improving the place with the 
aid of their children, and taking part in all the 
pioneer industries of that earl}' day. John J. 
Bradle}' and Ruth C. Brewster were united in 
wedlock, Dec. 19, 1839, and their home was 
ever afterward in Summit Count}'. To this 
union were born a family of three — Julia Ann, 
born Nov. 12, 1840, died in infancy ; Samuel, 
born March 26, 1843, died Oct. 19, 1862, at 
Camp Dennison from disease contracted while 
in his country's service. Mary Esther, born 
Sept. 6, 1847, died Oct. 3, 1847. Mrs. Bradley 



died March 10, 1879, very suddenly from neu- 
ralgia of the heart. Mr. Bradley's whole life 
has been passed on his own place. He is a 
prominent Democrat in politics, having held 
various positions of honor and trust in that 
party. He is a man of considerable mechanical 
ability, and is among the enterprising men of 
Summit County. 

MRS. FANNY COCHRAN, farming and 
dairying ; P. 0. Cuyahoga Falls ; was born in 
Washington Co., Penn., June 15, 1814. She is 
the daughter of John Bird, and sister of James 
Bird, who was shot on Lake Erie. When but 
a child she, together with her parents, moved 
to Steubenville, Ohio, where she remained until 
her marriage with Robert Cochran, which took 
place in 1830. In about 1834, Mr. and Mrs. 
Cochran came to Stow Township. Summit Co., 
Ohio, where Mrs. Cochran has lived ever since. 
This couple were parents of the following 
family : Joseph (deceased), John, Jane (de- 
ceased), William, Norman, Robert, Maria, Fan- 
ny, Elraira (deceased), James and Martha. 
John married Miss L. Carrier ; William mar- 
ried Maria Carley ; Norman married Carrie 
Black, and these three families live in Michi- 
gan. Robert married Martha Hall, and lives in 
Tallmadge Township. Maria is the widow of 
John Fannigan, and resides in Boston Town- 
ship. Fanny is the wife of H. G. Moon, and is 
a resident of Stow Township. Jane was the 
wife of Richard Williams ; James married Ra- 
chel Best, and is a resident of Northampton 
Township ; Martha married William B. Gallo- 
way ; Elmira was the wife of P. Galloway, 
and Joseph died at the age of 18, being un- 
married. Mr. and Mrs. Cochran settled on Lot 
No. 72, in Stow, and, at the time of their set- 
tlement, it was a dense forest. They cleared 
land on which they built a log cabin, starting 
in a truly pioneer manner to build them a 
home. Mrs. Cochran has been a lady of more 
than ordinary powers, as the following will 
show : After working hard and enduring in- 
numerable privations, Mr. Cochran took the 
gold fever at the time of the gold excitement 
in California, and bidding his family adieu, set 
forth on the long trip to the gold mines. On 
his arrival there he opened a grocery and ex- 
change store at a mining town called Placer- 
ville, and, after remaining here some time, sold 
out and started for Sacramento for the purpose 

On the 



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STOW TOWNSHIP. 



865 



wa}, he and his companion, bj' the name of 
Morris, were attacked and murdered by the 
Indians. Mr. Cochran's remains were recovered 
and interred at a place then called Haintown, 
on Doolittle Ranehe. This left Mrs. Cochran 
with a large family dependent on her for sup- 
port, and with 80 acres of land that was encum- 
bered by a mortgage of .f 1,100. By the hard- 
est labor she has cleared the place of all in- 
debtedness, and added to.it 20 acres more, 
making in all now 100 acres. In 1872, her two 
sons, Norman and Robert, enlisted in the cause 
of their country's defense, the former being 
in Company D., 29th O. V. I., and the latter 
in the 115th 0. V. I. Norman was in quite 
a number of engagements and was twice 
wounded ; owing to ill health he was trans- 
ferred to the Commissar^' Department. Mrs. 
Cochran lives alone with hired help on the old 
place, living the life of an humble Christian. 
M. D. CALL, farming and dairying ; P. 0. 
Hudson ; is eldest in the following family born 
to Jerry and Lavina (Danforth) Call : Moses 
D., William D., Jerry C. and Hanson 0. Mr. 
Call's grandfather, Moses Call, was a native of 
England, and on his coming to the United 
States, fii'st settled in Massachusetts. From 
this State the}' moved to Merrimac Co., N. H., 
where the parents of our subject were married. 
Mr. Call, the father of Moses D., owned a farm, 
and on this farm Moses lived until 1838, when 
he left home and went to Boston, where he en- 
gaged in the bakery business. After remain- 
ing three years in Boston, he disposed of his 
property there and started for Peoria, III, but 
on the way stopped and visited friends in Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio. While here he was taken ill, 
and when he recovered, instead of continuing 
on to Illinois, as was his intention, he decided 
to remain in Ohio. For four 3'ears after his 
arrival, Mr. Call carried on the cooper's trade 
in summers and taught school during winters. 
In November, 1842, he married Hai-riet ^L Starr, 
daughter of the old pioneer, Josiah Starr, who 
came to Stow Township in 1804. In 1859, Mr. 
Call obtained possession of his present place, 
where he has ever since resided. To his union 
with Miss Starr there were born four children — 
Mary, Emma A., Ellen J. and Charles A. Mary 
married G. H. O'Brien, who is engaged in the 
agricultural business in Akron. Emma is the 
wife of E. A. Seasons. Ellen is the wife of La- 
fayette Darrow, and Charles A. niarried Olive 



A. Prior, the daughter of S. S. Prior, whose 
family history accompanies this work. Mr. 
Call was born Jul}' 12, 1815, and his career 
through life is one of honor and uprightness. 
He is a stanch Republican in politics, and has 
held the office of Justice of the Peace in Stow 
Township for thirty-four years, besides holding 
various other township offices. During the fall 
of 1877, he was elected County Commissioner, 
and re-elected during the fall of 1880. He 
owns a fine farm of 188 acres on Lots 77 and 
67. His wife was born in Stow Township on the 
farm now owned by Mr. Call, Sept. 25, 1818. 

VOLNEY CHAMBERLAIN, farmer ; P. 0. 
Kent ; was born in Oswego Co., N. Y., in De- 
cember, 1804. He is descended from English 
ancestors, whose family history entitles them to 
an old and honorable name. He is a son of 
Ebenezer and Susanna (Jones) Chamberlain, 
who were natives of Middletown, Conn. These 
parents, at a very early day, emigrated from 
Middletown to Redfield, Hei-kimer Co. (now 
Oswego Co.). N. Y., the latter part of their 
journey being through a dense forest by 
" blazed " trees. Volney remained with his 
parents in New York until he was 6 years old, 
and then with his parents moved back to Mid- 
dletown, where they resided until 1814 ; again 
removing to New York, where the father died 
in 1829, and the mother in 1864. The subject 
of this sketch is one in a family of thirteen 
children, eleven of whom lived to become 
almost men and women. He was married, Jan. 
18, 1832, to Mary, daughter of Willet Ranney, 
and from this union were born the following 
family : Orville L., Marian Gr., Leora E., James 
W., (jharles L. and Edgar V. Orville married 
Maria Grogan, and lives in Shreveport, La. 
Leora married John Deuble. James married 
Emma Fay (is a machinist and lives in Akron); 
Charles married Loretta Woodward, and lives 
in Minnesota ; Edgar married Mary Bradley, 
and lives at home, as does Marian, who is un- 
married. In 1853. the subject of these lines 
left New York, and came directly to his pres- 
ent farm in Stow Township, which consists of 
94^ acres situated on Lots 39 and 40. Mr. 
Chamberlain is a Republican in politics, and 
has served the various townships in which he 
has lived in almost their every office. Mr. 
Chamberlain is a well-informed, genial, intelli- 
gent gentleman, and he and family command 
the respect of a large circle of friends. 



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^ 



866 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



"CLIFF HOUSE," C. E. KIDNEY, Pro- 
prietor, Stow Corners. One of the most beau- 
tiful resorts for pleasure parties and private 
individuals, is situated near the famous glens 
and eaves on the Cuyahoga River, in Stow 
Township. During the fall of 1880, Mr. Kid- 
ne}' purehased the " Clifl' House" of Gen. Gross, 
and since that time has been remodelling and 
changing the appearance of the property, until 
it is now recognized as one of the leading re- 
sorts for pleasure seekers. This property' con- 
sists of 10 acres, through which a beautiful 
gorge extends, and within this gorge are glens, 
caves and grottoes, while half a mile distant is 
the beautiful Silver Lake. Cuyahoga Falls is 
near the '■ Clifl" House," but yet far enough 
distant to relieve the pleasure- seeker of the 
continual turmoil and bustle of the city. 
Around the hotel, Mr. K. is laying out walks, 
drives, croquet grounds, swings, dancing halls, 
and in tact has everything beautiful that will 
make the " Cliff House" a continuation of what 
it has been since coming into Mr. Kidney's 
hands, — a grand success. Mr. Kidne^^ was 
formerly a resident of Akron. He is a painter 
by trade, but owing to ill health he has retired 
from that business and engaged in his present 
occupation. 

HARVEY DAVIS, farmer and fruit-grower ; 
P. 0. Hudson ; was born in Genesee Co., N. Y., 
in 18L3. His parents, Nathaniel and Electa 
(Palmer) Davis, were natives of Middletown, 
Conn., and from their native village they went 
to New York, in 1807. From New York they 
came to Summit Co., Ohio, in 1818, where the}' 
remained for a short time. F'rora this point 
they went to Copley Township, buying 320 
acres of woodland, on which they soon erected a 
comfortable log cabin, and they then commenced 
clearing and improving the place. Here Mr. 
and Mrs. Davis brought up a family of nine 
children, of whom only our subject and two 
others are living. Mr. and Mrs. Davis alwa3S 
made this place their home, from the time of 
their arrival there to their deaths. Harvey was 
raised and educated in Copley Township. He 
began in life with nothing but a strong consti- 
tution and willing hands. He was married, in 
1842, to Clarissa Bos worth, and by her had a 
family of six — Francis, Nathaniel (deceased). 
May and Fay. Francis was a soldief in the 
war of secession, and was a member of Com- 
pany G., 115th Regiment, 0. V. I. Since the 



war, he married Hattie Nighman, and lives in 
Mt. Vernon, Ohio. Warner married Annie 
Grubb, and lives in Stow Township. In 1855, 
Mr. and Mrs. Davis went to Tennessee, and 
farmed there until 1859, when they came back 
to Ohio. After living one year in Copley Town- 
ship, they came to their present place, which 
consists of -to acres on lot 68, in Stow Town- 
ship. Mr. Davis deals quite extensively in fruit, 
and he has one of the finest vineyards in the 
county. Mrs. Davis is a member of the Church 
of Christ. Mr. Davis is an intelligent and en- 
terprising citizen. 

W. H. FERRY, farmer; P. 0. Kent; was 
born in Belcher, Mass., Aug. 20, 1823. He 
is one in a family of eleven children born to 
Aaron and Elizabeth (Gilbert) Ferry. x\aron 
Feriey was twice married, his second wife be- 
ing Mary Person, by whom he had two children. 
In 1833, this family came from Massachusetts 
to Ohio, making their home near the northwest 
corner of Franklin township. Portage County. 
B}' trade, Mr. Ferry was a brick-maker, a busi- 
ness he followed to a considerable extent in 
connection with farming. When a \^oung man, 
he was swindled out of almost all his property 
by a land speculator, and on his arrival in Ohio 
only had about $400. When the subject of 
this sketch was about 4 ^-ears old, he was taken 
sick and by injudicious doctoring, was made a 
cripple for life. When his father married the 
second time, he started out in life for himself 
He commenced by working b}' the month for 
those who would have him in his crippled con- 
dition. Through all his hardships in seeking a 
home, Mr. Ferry displayed great determina- 
tion and energy. Where many others would 
have given up in despair, he still continued the 
struggle, saving all his hard-earned pennies in 
the hope he might secure enough in time with 
which to commence a home. At one time he 
was on board a steamboat on Lake Erie, and 
during a terrific storm the boat was wrecked, 
but Mr. Ferry, with the rest of the passengers, 
were rescued by the timely arrival of a steam 
tug, "The Arrow." Mr. Ferry, however, lost 
all his property on the boat. Sept. 5, 1855, he 
was united in marriage with Miss B. R. A. 
Loomis, daughter of II. A. Loomis, of Portage 
County, and to this union were born the follow- 
ing family: Laura E., born July 16, 1857; 
Mary H, born Sept. 5, 1861 ; Phebe P., born 
March 7, 1865. and Hannah N. A., born Aug. 






4 



1^ 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



867 



18, 1868. Mrs. Ferry was born April 18, 1832, 
and died Feb. 25, 1877. Mr. Ferry came to 
his present place in 1859, where he has ever 
since remained. He run in debt $2,700 for his 
place, and for the first four years did not make 
enough to pay the interest on the debt, besides 
his actual household expenses. The farm con- 
sists of 80 acres, and in 1863 Mr. Ferrj' tried 
to find a purchaser for the place for the same 
amount he gave for it, but without success. 
He then determined to keep and pa}^ for it 
himself or break up altogether. By the hardest 
of labor, and with close econom}-, he in time 
began to improve his land and gradually pa^' 
off the debt. At present he is entirel}' out of 
debt, and with one of the finest farms in Stow 
Township. This he has acquired by his own 
exertions, working most of the time at a disad- 
vantage. Mr. Ferrj', however, has a stout 
heart, and now after he has accomplished his 
object, can look back and be merry over his 
hard life in the past. 

F. M. GREEN, Kent. F. M. Green and wife 
represent two of the old and time-honored set- 
tlers of Summit Co., Ohio. Mr. Green was 
born Sept. 28, 1836. He is one of two chil- 
dren born to Philander and Tarissa (Root) 
Green. His brother, Albert W., lives in Alli- 
ance, and is mail agent of the Pittsburgh, Fort 
Wayne & Chicago Railroad. Philander Green 
was born in Mahoning Co., Ohio, in 1811. He 
is a son of Samuel and Lucy (Baily) Green, and 
grandson of Samuel Green, who was a near 
relative of Gen. Nathaniel Green, of Revolu- 
tionary war fame. In about 1817, Philander, 
with his parents, came to Coventry Township, 
removing thence to Bath Township, and from 
there to Norton Township, in about 1818. 
Philanders father was twice married, the first 
time to Tarissa Root on Nov. 15, 1835. This 
lady died Jan. 8, 1839. He afterward mar- 
ried his second and present wife, Lestina 
Briggs. Mr. Green early became identified 
with the Church of Christ, and, in 1842, com- 
menced exhorting and preaching the doctrine 
advocated by that church. March 11, 1862, 
his son Frances married Ellen E. Stow, whose 
father. Albert C. Stow, was born in Stow Town- 
ship, at Monroe Falls, July 5, 1810. He was a 
son of Capt. William Stow and Margaret Gay- 
lord, who were natives of Middletown, Conn., 
the father being a sea captain. The Stows are 
of English descent, and they trace the family 



lineage back to a lordship, and an old and hon- 
ored family. Early in 1809, Mr. Stows father 
changed from " a life on the ocean wave " to 
one on " terra firma," and having previously 
purchased land of Judge Stow, the proprietor 
of Stow Township, who was a relative, he and 
his famil}' started overland with ox teams, and, 
after a long and eventful journey, arrived at 
their possessions — 300 acres — at Monroe Falls. 
William Stow, in 1812. built a boat for the pur- 
pose of assisting the Government during the 
war of 1812, and this boat was the first one 
that sailed out of Cleveland. At the close of 
the war, Mr. Stow returned to his family at 
Monroe Falls, and recommenced life in the 
wilderness. Albert C. Stow was married, Nov. 
22, 1835, in Jackson, Mich., to x\lmira Barrett, 
and by her had two daughters — Ellen E. and 
Emma A. As stated above, the former mar- 
ried F. M. Green. Mr. Stow resides on a good 
farm of 83 acres, while opposite to him lives 
his daughter and son-in-law, who, with their 
family, cheer and comfort Mr. and Mrs. Stow 
and Mr. and Mrs. Green in their old age. To 
the union of Mi*. Green and Miss Stow there 
were born six children, viz.. Lurie A., Fannie 
M., Mary T. (deceased), Frank A., Daisy A., and 
one that died in infancy'. Both families, the 
Greens and Stows, are active workers of the 
Church of Christ, and thev are Republicans in 
politics. F. M. Green became a member of 
that church Sept. 9, 1852. He preached his 
first regular sermon Sept. 13, 1863. He has 
held various positions in the church. His 
present employment is Corresponding Secretary 
of the General Church Missionarj' Society of 
the Christian Church denomination. 

H. B. GAYLORD ; P. 0. Cuyahoga Falls ; 
was born in Stow Township March 15, 1818. 
He is a son of Thomas and Betsey (Butler) 
Gaylord, and grandson of Jonathan and Patty 
Gaylord, who were natives of Middletown, 
Conn. In 1809, Jonathan Gaylord and famil}- 
started to Middletown with ox teams, and, trav- 
eling overland through the unbroken forests of 
the West, arrived in the same year in what is 
now known as Stow Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio. Seeing in the surrounding country that 
which would eventually be valuable land, he 
located on Lots 15 and 16, and this property 
has ever since remained in the Ga3dord famil}'. 
At the time of his settlement, there was not a 
particle of clearing on the lots he had selected. 






868 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



After clearing a place large enough, Mr. Ga^^- 
lord erected a rude log cabin, and in this man- 
ner lived through the early history of Stow 
Township, becoming more or less identified 
with its rise and progress. At the time of his 
death his property was divided among his three 
sons — Jonathan, William and Thomas. The 
latter being 5'oungest, received the home place. 
To Thomas Gaylord and Betsey Butler's union 
there were born the following family : Sylvanus, 
Henry B., Charlotte, Lewis, Elizabeth, and two 
that died in infancy. Sylvanus, Lewis and the 
mother are dead ; and Mr. Gaylord's second wife 
was Isabell Speers, b}^ whom he had two daugh- 
ters — Jane and Polly. The parents are now 
both dead. Henry B. Gay lord was reared on 
the home farm, receiving a common-school edu- 
cation. His wife is Elizabeth, daughter of 
Jeremiah Banning, of Goshen, Lid. 5lr. Gay- 
lord is a Republican in politics, and owns a fine 
farm of 112|^ acres of excellent farming and 
grazing land. In their religious belief the 
family were of the Old School Presbyterian 
stock. As citizens they were quiet and unob- 
trusive. 

A. L. GILBERT, farmer; P. 0. Cuyahoga 
Falls ; was born July 29, 1809. Is a son of 
Orin and Mary (Barber) Gilbert, who were na- 
tives of Litchfield Co., Conn. The father was a 
farmer after moving to Ohio, but formerl}' car- 
ried on the shoemaking and tanning trade. In 
the ftiU of 1828, he came to Stow Township, 
Summit Co., having exchanged GO acres of land 
there for over 200 acres in Stow Township. 
He settled on Lots 31, 32 and 41, which are now 
owned by his two sons. Mr. Gilbert was an in- 
fluential and enterprising citizen, taking an 
active part in all the improvements and enter- 
prises of his neighborhood, either morally or 
intellectuall}'. He did as much as, if not more, 
for the erection of the Episcopal Church at 
Cu3ahoga Falls, of which he was a member, 
than any other one man. He died Jul}' 13, 
1846, and his wife March 13, 1874. They were 
parents of the following family : Lemiry, Lewis, 
Mary, Henry, Harriet, Wallace, Maria, Edwin, 
Lyman and Louisa, and one that died in in- 
fanc}'. A. L. Gilbert has been twice married. 
His first wife was Almira Gaylord, by whom he 
had two children — Mary and Emily, both of 
whom are dead. His second and present wife 
was Mary Tuttle, by whom he had six children 
— Sarah, Lydia (dead), Orin, Albert, Frederick 



and Arthur. Mr. Gilbert owns 180 acres of ex- 
cellent land, and he and wife are members of 
the Episcopal Church. Is a Republican in 

I politics, and an honest and influential citizen. 
GEORGE W. HART. Col. John C. Hart, 

I the father of the subject of this sketch, was 
born in Cornwall, Litchfield Co., Conn., April 

I 17, 1798. He was a son of Rufus Hart, who 

j was born in Goshen, Conn., in 1771, and Esther 
Cotter to whom he was married in 1795. In 
1802, Rufus Hart and family moved from Con- 
necticut to Genesee Co., N. Y., when he again 
moved to Ohio. In the war of 1812, Mr. Hart 
served in the capacity of Lieutenant in a com- 
pany commanded b}' Capt. Mallison. He was 
an active participant in the battles of Chippewa, 
Lundy's Lane and at the burning of Buffalo. 
When between 14 and 15 years of age, John 
C. Hart enlisted in a cavalry company com- 
pany commanded by Capt. Stone, and was with 
his father at Newark, Ft. George and other con- 
tested points. On their evacuation of Ft. 
George, they suffered incredible hai'dships, 
their tents and clothing being such as were 
brought from their homes. Here 3'oung Hart 
learned a lesson of enduring hardships that he 
retained through after life. After the close of 
the war, he and his father returned to Genesee 
Co., where they remained but a short time, and 
in May, 1815, the}- removed to Ohio, locating 
at Middlebury, now the Sixth Ward of Akron. 
There were then but three or four log cabins 
in what is now that city, and the surrounding 
country was an almost unbroken forest. When 
21 years of age, John C. left home for the 
South in search of employment. He traveled 
on foot to Steubenville, where he got on board 
a lumber raft and floated down the Ohio River 
until the raft lodged on an island, he then made 
his way on foot to Cincinnati. From this 
point he went to St. Louis, where he engaged 
to work in a mill for a man living near the city. 
After about two months at this business, he 
left and went to a small town called Milton, 
where he engaged in the manufacture of brick, 
but was soon after taken ill with fever and ague, 
and the following June returned home. He 
then purchased 50 acres of land just south of 
Middlebur}-, on which he soon erected a house 
and barn. Feb. 24, 1831, he was united in 
marriage with Mrs. Margaret A. Sterling, and 
to this union were born George W., John S., 
Charles S., Hiram J., Elizabeth and Fanny A. 



>L^ 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



869 



All of these are living except Hiram and Eliza- 
beth. Hiram served his countr}' faithfully in 
the war of secession, and died from diseases 
contracted while in the service. The father, 
John C, was naturally of a military turn of 
mind, which only required opportunity for de- 
velopment. When advanced in life, he raised 
a regiment of cavalry of which he was elected 
Colonel. Mr. Hart died Aug. 20, 1880. Of 
his children that are yet living, John S. married 
Zilpha Tinker, of Peoria, 111., but that lady has 
since died. Chas. S. married Mrs. Molly Ferney, 
and lives in Middlebury. Fanny is the wife of 
Clinton Ruggles, and resides in Aliron. George 
W. was born in Middlebury, July 12, 1832, 
and in youth received the advantages of the 
common schools of his native village. He was 
married Aug. 18, 1853, to Miss AnnaH. Beards- 
ley, daughter of Talmon and Temperance (Spi- 
cer) Beardsle}'. Talmon Beardsley was born 
in Delhi, Delaware Co., N. Y., Dec. 15, 1799. 
He removed with his fathers famil}' to Licking 
Co., Ohio, in 1810, and from there came to Mid- 
dlebury- in 1818. He has since purchased and 
sold a farm in Springfield Township, and also 
a farm in Coventry Township, at the latter 
place living about thirty years. In 1831, he 
married Temperance Spicer, daughter of Maj. 
Miner Spicer, who was one of Middlebury's 
earliest pioneers. To this union were born 
seven children, of whom the living ones are 
Mills H., Avery S., Anna H., Hattie D. and 
Louisa J. Mills married Prudence Spicer, and 
is a resident of Ogden Junction, Utah. Avery 
married Amanda Hart, and lives in xlkron. 
Hattie is the wife of dates Babcock, and they 
are residents of Akron. Louisa married George 
Stover, and lives in Stark Co., Ohio. The two 
deceased are Emily A. and Avery T. The chil- 
dren of George W. Hart, the subject of this 
sketch, and his wife, are Freddie, born July 1, 
1855, died Sept. 26, 1855 ; Lizzie, born April 
22, 1857, died April 29, 1862 ; Emily F., born 
Jan. 13, 1859 ; Georgie Anna, born Dec. 
■1, 1861, died Dec. 28, 1873; Clarissie A., 
born July 25, 1865, and Maggie, born Ma}- 5, 
1871, died Aug. 16, 1871. Mrs. Hart was born 
in Middlebury, July 18, 1832. The death of 
Georgie Anna was accidental, caused by the 
kick of a horse. She was driving a team of 
horses for her father while he was loading the 
sled with corn. In some way she slipped from 
the load, and fell beneath one of the horses feet. 



The animal became frightened and commenced 
to kick, one foot striking her face disfig- 
uring it frightfully, one of the corks pene- 
trating the skull. She was sensible when taken 
up and continued so until the next Sunday, 
when life became extinct, and the spirit of 
Georgie Hart forsook its cla}- tenement and 
returned to God who gave it. She was a bright, 
winsome child, the pride of her friends and 
pla3'mates. Of an active and cheerful disposi- 
tion, she was always willing and ready to assist 
in whatever was required of her. Her faith 
was firmly fixed in God. After the accident, 
she asked her mother if she thought she would 
die ; she was told that they did not know, but 
were fearful she would. She answered that 
she was willing, and seemed not to fear death 
to the last. Her untimely fate was a sad blow 
to her parents, and the deplorable accident 
cast a gloom over the entire community. Mr. 
and Mrs. Hart have been singularly unfort- 
unate. Of a family of six children, onl}- two 
are now living. Ever since their marriage, 
they have lived on their place in Stow Town- 
ship. The farm consists of 150 acres of well- 
improved land. Mr. Hart is a stanch Repub- 
lican in politics, and he and wife are members 
of the J^piscopal Church. There is no family 
better known, or more highly esteemed than 
that of George W. Hart. 

SIMPSON HIBBARD, farming and dairy- 
ing ; P. 0. Hudson ; among the early settlers of 
Stow Township were William and Catharine 
(Sadler) Hibbard, who were natives of Ireland. 
Mr. Hibbard was a poor boy, and, often hearing 
of the beauties of America from friends who 
had come here previoush^-, he determined to 
brave the perils of a long voyage and cast his 
lot among the pioneers of Ohio ; in 1833, he 
left his native countr}', and, after a long voyage, 
arrived in the United States in safety ; he came 
directly to Stow Township, Summit Co., Ohio, 
and subsequent!}- married the mother of our 
subject — Catharine Sadler, who bore to him the 
following famil}' : Simpson, Eliza J. and Mary 
E. Eliza married S. P. Donaldson, and lives 
in Geauga Co., and Mary lives in Peninsula. 
Mr. Hibbard first began life by farming on 40 
acres, which he had purchased on his arrival 
in Stow ; by hard lal)or and econom}- this has 
been so increased as to make one of the finest 
farms in Stow Township. Mr. Hibbard's wife 
is dead, but he is yel living with his son, at 






870 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



the advanced age of 75 years. Simpson was 
born in Stow Township, June 5, 1844 ; he was 
reared on the farm, assisting his father in 
clearing and improving the place ; he was 
married May 18, 1864, to Sarah J., daughter of 
John Senter, and b}' her had a family of fixe 
children, as follows : Pkldie A., Fred, John S., 
Garret F. and Rollon. Mr. Hibbard owns a 
farm of 200 acres, which has about 1,000 rods 
of tileing on it ; he is Democratic in his politi- 
cal views, and is a quiet, unassuming gentle- 
man, having the friendship and good will of a 
large cii'cle of acquaintance. 

W. L. HANDFORD ; Cu3'ahoga Falls ; was 
born in Otsego Co., N. Y., April 13, 1811 ; 
he is a son of Uriah and Rhoda (Boalt) Han- 
ford, and grandson of Charles Hanford, of 
Norwalk, Conn. Our subject's father was a 
sea- faring man, and his son remained at home 
during his father's voyages ; in his youthful days 
he learned the hatter's trade ; in 1826, he came 
to Ohio, and his home ever since has been in 
Summit Co. In 1844, he married Mary San- 
ford, daughter of Frederick and Clarissa (Par- 
melee) Sanford. who came from Litchfield, 
Conn., to Ohio, in 1834. During 1837, the 
cyclone, that passed through Stow Township, 
struck Mr. Sanford's house, completely demol- 
ishing it, killing Mr. Sanford and his aged 
father and two sons. Mrs. Sanford and the 
present Mrs. Hanford were the onh' ones saved 
of the family. Mr. and Mrs. Hanford have had 
born to them one child that died in infancy. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hanford are members of the Epis- 
copal Church ; they own a farm of 100 acres, on 
which they are pleasantly located. 

GEORGE NORTH, farmer ; P. O. Cuyahoga 
Falls ; was born in Middletown Conn., Dec. 6, 
1819. He is a son of Selah and Anna (Newell) 
North, and grandson of Simeon North, who 
was the inventor of the breech-loading carbine. 
Simeon North was a man of more than ordi- 
nar}' ability, and as a master mechanic was 
known far and near. About the time of the 
breaking-out of the war of 1812, the Secretary 
of War came to Mr. North and made the prop- 
osition, that if Mr. North would build a fac- 
tory for the manufacture of guns for the United 
States x\rmy, he would give him $52,000. This 
proposition was accepted. Mr. North erected 
a large brick factory (which is yet standing) in 
Middletown, and employed a large force of 
men in the manufacture of his improved car- 



bine. Mr. North remained in the employ of 
the Government fiftv-two ^-ears. Our subject's 
father learned the gunsmith's trade in his 
father's factory. To his union with Anna 
Newell there were born the following family : 
Nancy, Julia. Egbert, (reorge, John, Philly, 
Charles. Sarah and Newell. The mother of 
these died in Connecticut, and Mr. North then 
married Sarah Duran, a widow lady, and by 
her had six children — Charlotte, Ellen, Bessie, 
Selah (dead), Selah and one that died in in- 
fancy. In 1834, Mr. North and family came to 
Stow Township, Summit Co., Ohio, and first 
located on Lot 8. After living here a number 
of years, they sold out and moved near Monroe 
Falls. Mr. North had just built a house there, 
when one day during a heavy thunder shower 
the house was struck by lightning and Mr. 
North was killed. The date of his death is 
Aug. 13, 1850. He was a member of the M. 
E. Church and an excellent citizen. In 1841, 
George North went back to Middletown. trav- 
eling the entire distance on horseback. For 
the first few years he farmed there, and then 
bought a large flouring-mill which he ran three 
years, doing an extensive business. He was 
married March 10, 1847, to Catharine Wright, 
daughter of Daniel and Patience Wright, of 
North Stonington, Conn. To this union there 
were born four children — Charlotte, Wallace 
N., Linus and George. Charlotte is the wife 
of Benjamin Brown, and lives in Michigan ; 
Wallace and Linus are dead ; (reorge is single 
and lives with his parents on the home farm in 
Stow. Mr. North returned to Stow in 1853. 
He now owns a fine farm of 100 acres on which 
he resides, besides two lots and a house in 
Cuyahoga Falls. Mrs. North was born in 
Rhode Island June 27. 1820, but moved to 
Connecticut when 9 weeks old. 

HIRAM REED, farming and dairying ; P. O. 
Hudson ; was born in Columbiana Co., Ohio, 
Jan. 13, 1825 ; he is one in a family of twelve 
children born to John and Rebecca Reed. Mr. 
Reed's father was b}- trade a weaver, but he dis- 
continued weaving when Hiram was 6 years 
old, and moved to Portage Co., where he went 
to farming. At the age of 1 8, Hiram appren- 
ticed himself to a boss carpenter to learn the 
trade ; after three years' servitude, he com- 
menced plying his trade in his neighborhood, 
continuing for a number of 3-ears. In October, 
1851, he was united in marriage with Phebe 



Vl 



b^ 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



871 



Sadler, daughter of Arthur Sadler, and the 
three succeeding years he and his wife lived 
with her father. At the time of Mr. Reed's 
marriage, his total possessions was only $10, 
but for three years he worked at his trade 
faithfully until he had acquired some capital 
with which to commence housekeeping ; his 
father-in-law then gave to Phebe 20 acres of 
land, which was increased to 83 acres in 1861, by 
Mr. Reed ; in 18GG, he sold all his possessions 
at this place, and purchased the original Fred- 
erick Wolcott farm of 127 acres, at Monroe 
Falls ; after three 3^ears, he purchased 63 acres 
more adjoining him, and, in 1871, sold out and 
went to Hudson ; he purchased a farm at the 
latter place, but, after two years, sold out and 
moved where he now resides ; he now owns a 
farm of 300 acres, delightfully located, half of 
which lies in Hudson and half in Stow Township ; 
during the year 1880, this farm yielded 1,762 
bushels of wheat from 63 acres of land. Not 
being content with farming alone, Mr. Reed 
erected a cheese factor}' in 1877, in which he 
manufactured the American cheese ; in 1878. 
altandoning that, and in its stead manufactured 
Swiss cheese. In this last venture, Mr. Reed 
has been reasonabl}' successful ; during the 
season of 1880, this factor}' turned out over 
fifty-three and two-fiftlis tons of an excellent 
qualit}- of Swiss cheese. By his judicious 
management and honorable dealings, Mr. Reed 
has proven to be one of the best business men 
in Stow Township : he has also proven that in 
order to be successful one must not necessarily 
be born wealthy. His wife bore him the follow- 
ing family : Angeline, Elizabeth. H.. Kilen, 
Harriet, Arthur and one that died in infancy ; 
the mother of these died Feb. 7, 1871, and, 
March 20. 1873, Mr. Reed married Mrs. Sophia 
Galloway, widow of Henry Gralloway and daugh- 
ter of Broady McKenzie. Mr. Reed is a Re- 
publican in politics. 

REV. L. SOUTHMAYD, minister, Cuya- 
hoga Falls; was born December 19, 1826, in 
Stow Township, Summit Co., Ohio. He is a 
son of Erastus and Anna (Wetmore) South- 
ma3'd, and grandson of Partridge and Hannah 
(Fanning) Southmayd. Erastus Southmayd 
was a native of Middletown, Conn., and was 
born March 29, 1787. He was the sixth child 
in a famil}' of nine children. When a young 
man he left home and went to New York Cit}-, 
engaging in the mercantile business. He failed 



at this in 1812, and seven years later, emigrated 
westward, locating in Stow Township, Summit 
Co., Ohio, where he remained until his death. 
On his arrival in Stow, Mr. Southma\'d began 
teaching school, which vocation he followed for 
some time. April 18, 1822, he was united in 
marriage with Anna Wetmore, daughter of 
Caleb Wetmore, and of this union were born 
three children — Lucy, Charles and Leonard — 
the mother dying after giving birth to the last- 
named. Soon after his marriage Mr. South- 
mayd moved to Stow Corners, where he opened 
a tavern. He afterward married Clarissa Rice, 
who became his wife March 21, 1827 ; this lad}' 
was born Feb. 6, 1805, and she is the second 
white child born in the township of Stow ; to 
his second marriage four sons were born, viz. : 
Walter, William, and Horace and Henry — 
twins ; of these William alone is living. Mr. 
Southmayd's services, as agent, were secured 
and retained for a number of years by Joshua 
Stow, the proprietor of the township, before it 
was sold to the settlers. He finally died Oct. 
10, 1866, and his wife March 14, 1879. In his 
political views, Mr. Southmayd was a Re- 
publican, and a strong temperance man : he 
was identified with the Disciples' Church, and 
his descendants are members of the same. 
Leonard Southmayd received a good education 
in youth, and, in 1850, married Elizabeth A. 
Stark, daughter of the old pioneer, Benjamin 
Stark ; their union there was without issue ; but 
Mr. and Mrs. Southmayd have raised three of 
their neighbor's children — Charles H. (who died 
in the army). Fredrick W. and Jessie R. — the last 
named being the only one that received the 
name of their foster parents. Mrs. Southmayd 
was born Jan. 14, 1826. At the close of the 
war, Mr. Southmayd was ordained a minister 
of the Disciples' Church, in which capacity he 
has served ever since. He owns the undivided 
two-thirds of the old Stark homestead, which 
consists of 144 acres. Of the Southmayds, 
there are but two others in the State of Ohio ; 
these are Charles and William ; the former a 
farmer in Stow Township, and the latter an 
insurance agent, located at Cuyahoga Falls. 

NELSON SEARS, retired farmer, Cuyahoga 
Falls. This gentleman, one of the old land- 
marks of Stow Township, is one in a family of 
ten children, born to Daniel and Betsey (Thomas) 
Sears, and was born in Middletown. Conn., in 
1802. When 3 years of age, Mr. Sears, together 






872 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



with his parents, moved to New York. At the 
age of 14, Nelson determined to accompany liis 
father, who was at that time preparing to go to 
Randolph, Portage Co., Ohio, and, with well- 
tilled knapsacks, they began their walk of nearly 
500 miles through the forests of New York, 
Pennsylvania and Ohio. Mr. Sears' father only 
remained in Portage Co. that winter, and the 
next spring he built a sleigh, and, loading it 
with deer skins, went back to Lewis Co., N. Y. 
Nelson, however, remained, working for his 
grandfather at Randolph for three years. Be- 
coming liomesick, he concluded to go back to 
his friends in York State, and, in due time, 
reached home in safety. On Jan. 17, 1828, he 
married Lucy Roberts, of Middletown, Conn., 
and from that place removed to New York, 
where he continued to reside until the fall of 
1831, when he came to Stow Township, Summit 
Co., Ohio, locating on Lot No. 11. He has ever 
since resided in Stow, helping to clear and im- 
prove the township, and build up the town. By 
legitimate farming alone, Mr. Sears has earned 
valuable property. He only had $1.50 on his 
arrival in Stow. Until recently, he possessed 
225 acres of land ; but gave his two living chil- 
dren 100 acres apiece, reserving for himself 
and wife about $10,000 worth of property. This 
couple were parents of the following children : 
Sarah A. (deceased), Robert, Angeliue, Julia A. 
(deceased), Harris (deceased), Ellen M. (de- 
ceased) and Horace (deceased). Robert and 
Angeline are both married, and they are the 
only children living. Robert married Elsie Haz- 
zard, and Angeline became the wife of B. R. 
Bucklin. Robert served his country in the war 
of the rebellion. Mr. Sears is a Republican in 
politics, and he has at times held various town- 
ship offices. He is regarded as one of Stow 
Township's best citizens. 

ROBERT STEWART, farmer ; P. 0. Hud- 
son ; son of Joshua and Margaret (Walker) 
Stewart was born in Stow Township April 8, 
1805. He is the first white male child born in 
Stow Township. His father, Joshua, was a 
native of Virginia, and his grandfather, Thomas 
Stewart, was an old Revolutionary soldier. 
Joshua Stewart came from Virginia to Ohio in 
1803, walking the entire distance. His total 
possessions at this time was only an ax. He 
married Margaret Walker soon after his arrival, 
and then, in 1803, came to Stow Township, and 
located on Lots 88 and 89. His family were 



the second white settlers in the township. 
Here they passed through a long period of suf- 
fering, clearing the land, making their own 
clothing and enduring the hardships incident to 
a pioneer's life. 'I'here were born to his mar- 
riage with Miss Walker eight children — Robert, 
Betse}', Thomas, George, Margaret, James, 
Sally and Joshua. James and Joshua are 
dead. Robert Stewart, as well as his brothers 
and sisters, were raised in the woods of Stow 
Township. He remained at home, working and 
assisting his father in clearing the home place 
until he was 25 years of age. He then started 
out in life for himself He was married, Sept. 
11, 1858, to Nancy Tracy, daughter of William 
and Nancy (Ish) Tracy, of Wayne Co., Ohio, 
and to this union were born Franklin F., Will- 
iam, Margaret J., Jeanette, Sherling P., Nancy 
E. and George I. (twins). Mr. Stewart started 
in life a poor boy with but $5 he could call his 
own. By hard labor and economy he has made 
for himself and familj-, with the aid of his wife, 
a fine home. They now have 54 acres in Stow 
Township, and 155 in Hudson Township. Mr. 
Stewart's father and mother were the first 
couple married in Hudson Township. Much 
more of the Stewarts will be found in the his- 
tory of Hudson and Stow Townships. 

LEVI SWINEH ART, farmer ; P. 0. Kent ; 
was born in Springfield Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio, Jan. 20, 183G. He is a son of Benjamin 
and Catharine (Garl) Swinehart, and grandson 
of Christian Swinehart, who was one of the 
brave men that freed the colonies in America 
from the tyrannical rule of Great Britain. 
Benjamin Swinehart was born in Northumber- 
land Co., Penn., Jan. 30, 1811. He came to 
Uuiontown, Stark Co., Ohio, in 1829, where he 
worked at his trade — shoemaking — for a time. 
March 10, 1835, he married Catharine Garl, and 
had the following children — Levi, Samuel, Sarah, 
Lucinda, Harriet and Daniel. Lucinda lived 
to become the wife of Jacob Brumbaugh, but 
has since died. Samuel married Elizabeth 
Brumbaugh, Sarah married Isaac Sausaman, 
Harriet married Frank Ewell, and all three li\'e 
in Portage Co., Ohio. Daniel married Catha- 
rine Nittle, and is a resident of Sandusky Co., 
Ohio. The father came to Ohio a poor boy, 
but, by industry and economy, amassed a good 
fortune by the time of his death. Mr. Swine- 
hart was well known by a large circile of neigh- 
bors, and his death, which occurred Feb. 11, 



<^ <s 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



873 



1878, was deeply deplored b}^ a large concourse 
of friends who followed his remains to their 
last resting-place. His widow never fully 
recovered from the shock occasioned by the 
death of her husband ; she died June 28, 1878. 
Levi Swiuehart was raised in every sense of the 
word a farmer boy. His early life was filled 
with hard work and privations. He carefully 
saved his hard-earned money until he could 
place it to a good advantage. On the -Ith of 
March, 1859, his wedding with Sarah Myers 
was celebrated. To their union were born 
Almeda E., Celestia C, Eldora C. and Nelson 
E. (deceased). Mrs. Swinehart is adaugliterof 
Daniel and Esther M3'ers, and she was born in 
Green Township, Summit Co., Ohio, Feb. 9, 
1835. In 1875, Mr. Swinehart purchased his 
present farm in Stow Township. This place 
consists of 96 acres of tlie best land in the 
township. Mr. and Mrs. Swinehart are mem- 
bers of the Darrow Street Grange. 

VIRGTL M. THOMPSON, son of Dr. Moses 
and Elizabeth (Mills) Thompson, was born in 
Hudson Township, Summit Co., Ohio, March 
1-1, 1810. Dr. Thompson was a native of 
Goshen, Conn., and being one in a large family, 
his father gave him his time as his own when 
he was 17. With no mone}' to his name to 
speak of, and a small bundle of patched clothes 
on his back in a pack, Moses determined to hew 
his wa}', and become a phj'sician, and, being a 
young man of spirit, in time accomplished his 
desires. In 1800, he started on foot, and trav- 
eling the miles of unbroken forest, arrived in 
what is now known as Hudson, Ohio, whither 
friends had gone the preceding year. Arriving 
in Hudson in x\pril, he immediately purchased 
a large tract of land (600 acres), for friends 
back East, and 160 acres for himself He at 
once commenced clearing the land he had se- 
lected for himself, and in July went back to 
Goshen, married Elizabeth Mills, and in 1802, 
removed to Hudson, where they remained un- 
til their respective deaths. To his marriage 
with Miss Mills there were born thirteen chil- 
dren : Eliza M., Susan, Mills, Emily, Sylvester, 
Virgil, Ruthy, Sarah A., Mary, Martha, Eliza- 
beth and two that died in infanc}'. All that 
are now living (five in number) reside in Sum- 
mit Co. Virgil was reared on the old home- 
stead in Hudson. In 1836, he married Maria 
Smith, who died about two years after their 
marriage. Mr. Thompson's second wife was 



Marie Antoinette Turner, to whom he was mar- 
ried in May, 1842, and by whom he had three 
daughters — Celia M., married to H. H. Cham- 
berlain, but has since died ; Mary A., and 
Emma P. Mary is the wife of her dead sis- 
ter's husband, H. H. Chamberlain, and Emma 
married E. D. Ellsworth, by whom she had 
two children — Fred and Mamie. Mr. Thomp- 
son purchased his present place in 1836. He 
owns 355 acres of good land, and is a stanch 
Republican. 

H. E. TALCOTT, farmer; P. 0. Kent; 
is a native of Lewis County, N. Y., and was 
born May 9, 1809. He is a son of Joel and 
Zilpah (Kelse}') Talcott, who were parents of 
four children — Electa, Lucy, Laura and Heze- 
kiah E. When but four years old, Hezekiah's 
father died, leaving the widow and four children 
to struggle through life as best they might. 
Hezekiah remained with his mother until he 
began doing for himself, and afterward the 
mother made her home with her son. In 1830, 
he came to Ohio, and having relatives in Stow 
Township, Summit Co., he selected a place 
there on Lot 1 9, which was at that time an al- 
most unbroken forest. The fall succeeding his 
coming, his mother and family came out, and 
together they started life in the wilderness. 
Dec. 29, 1833, Hezekiah married Betsey Bur- 
dick, daughter of John Burdick, and by her 
had a family of ten, as follows : Henry L., 
Asher M., Charles G., Myra V., Zilpah A., Ellen 
J., Emma E., Lorenzo A., Ethe W. and Electa 
M. ; all these are living, and all are married ex- 
cepting the two youngest. Mrs. Talcott was born 
in Stow Township, in 1816, and her parents 
came to the township from Massachusetts, in 
1812. Mr. and Mrs. Talcott had three sons in 
the late war-^-Charles, Asher and Lorenzo ; 
Charles passed about four years in actual serv- 
ice, participating in some of the most hotly- 
contested engagements. He was with Sherman 
on his memorable march to the sea, but during 
all his army career he never received a wound. 
Mr. and Mrs. Talcott's children are married as 
follows : Henr}' L. married Mary Anthony, and 
lives in Michigan; Asher married Sarah Thomas, 
and lives in Kansas ; Charles G. married Mary 
Evans, and is an em^Dloj-e at the Buckeye Works, 
at Akron, Ohio ; Myra is the wife of Edward 
Peck, and lives in Hudson ; Zilpah married 
Orson E. Mooi'e, of Bath Township ; Ellen 
married D. Barnard, and is a resident of Stow ; 



?F 



^ 



^i 



874 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Emma married Martin Holdridge, and lives in 
Kent. Ohio ; Lorenzo is an artist in St. Paul, 
Minn., and he married Mary Peck. Mr. Taleott 
is a Republican in politics, and he and liis wife 
are hospitable, kind and courteous people. 

WETMORE FAMILY. The Wetmores, of 
Stow Township, were originally from Wales. It 
was some time during the sixteenth century that 
three Wetmore brotliers, Seth, Chauncey and 
one whose name is forgotten, emigrated from 
Wales to the United States, and all the Wet- 
mores in America are said to be the descendants 
of these three brothers. One of them settled 
in Connecticut, one in Massachusetts, and one 
in New York. The Wetmores of Stow Town- 
ship are the descendants of Seth, who settled 
in Connecticut. William and Titus were the 
sons of Seth. In 1804, William and Titus— 
the former with his family — started for what 
is now known as Stow Township, Summit Co.. 
Ohio, where they arrived in June, the same 
year, locating on Lots 36, 25 and 35. William's 
wife's maiden name was Anne Ogden, and the}' 
were parents of the following family : William, 
Edwin, Clarissa and Henry. William Wetmore. 
Sr., was a man very decided in his views, and 
of great energy of character. Before the count}' 
in which he resided was divided, he was selected 
as Judge of the Common Pleas Court, of 
Portage Co., and in that capacity served with 
general satisfaction. Of his sons, William and 
Edwin imbibed some of the political attributes 
of their father, William at one time serving as 
State Senator and Edwin as County Commis- 
sioner. Of the children of Judge Wetmore. 
only one son, Henry, is yet living. Edwin 
Wetmore was twice married ; first to Polly Wet- 
more, by whom he had three sons — Silas, Luther 
and Charles. His second wife was was Polly 
Bell, by whom he had two daughters — Clara 
and Hattie. The three sons are dead, but the 
two daughters, with their mother, are j^et living. 
Silas Wetmore was born July 4, 1821. He 
married Mary Birge, Aug. 27, 1846. and to this 
union were i)orntwo sons — Chai'les B. and Ed- 
win S.; the latter is single. Charles married 
Adaline Kelly, and by her has thi'ee children — 
Arthur, Ida and Jennie B. Silas Wetmore died 
March 12, 1871. He was an excellent citizen, 
and his death was gi'eatly deplored 1)y a large 
circle of friends. His widow, with her two 
sons, resides on the farm left b}- the husband 
and father in Stow Township. In 1807, William 



Wetmore's brother, Titus, who came with him 
to Stow Township in 1804, married Sarah Wet- 
more, daughter of Caleb Wetmore, and by her 
had three children — Seth, VVillard and Josiah. 
Of these, Willard died in 1831, and Seth in 
1832. Josiah was born in Stow Township, in 
1816. His youth and early manhood was 
passed on the farm, during which time he re- 
ceived the education the common schools of 
that early day afforded. In 1839, he married 
Elizabeth R. Brainard, daughter of Enoch S. 
and Abbey Brainard, and by her had two sous 
— Willard W., born in 1843, and Luther B., born 
in 1847. The former married Julia Gaylord, 
and the latter Julia Darrow. To the first union 
there is born one daughter, Jessie, and to the 
last, four children — Burt D., Harry J.. Leona 
and Celia. Josiah Wetmore's wife died in 
August. 1879, and his second and present wife 
was Velonia Le Moin, daughter of Noah and 
Hannah Le Moin. In their political faith, the 
Wetmores early espoused the cause of the 
Whigs, but when the Republican party was ci-e- 
ated, the}' joined its ranks, and have since been 
among its most powerful supporters in Stow 
Township. On their arrival here, they settled 
on land devoid of a particle of clearing, and 
commencing at the foot of the ladder, have, by 
their honorable, upright dealings, become among 
Summit Co.'s best and most respected citizens. 
L. H. WILLCOX, retired farmer ; P. 0. Cuya- 
hoga Falls ; was born in Berlin, near Middle- 
town, Conn., Aug. 3, 1804 ; he is a son of Isaac 
and Lucy (North) Willcox, who were parents of 
a family of ten children. The father of Mr, 
Willcox was twice married, his second wife 
being Mary Randall, by whom he had six 
children, making a total of sixteen children in 
this one family. In 1809, Mr. Willcox and fam- 
ily, with a Mr. Kelsey and family, started with 
ox teams for the West, in which to seek homes 
for themselves and children ; after a journey of 
forty-two days through an unsettled country, 
and passing through almost innumerable hard- 
ships, they arrived, Oct. 26, 1809, in what is now 
known as Stow Township, Summit Co., Ohio ; on 
their arrival, they were met by Indians, who 
showed every demonstration of joy on their 
coming. Mr. Willcox cleared a place on which 
to erect a cabin, and, after he had cut and 
hewed the logs, by the help of the Indians, 
raised him a comfortable double log cabin ; this 
place was situated on Lots 3 and 4 ; Mr. and 



^-, 



STOW TOWNSHIP. 



875 



Mrs. Willcox remained here all the rest of their 
lives, clearing and improving their place by the 
help of their children, and assisting in building 
up a country from a dense forest to what is now 
a beautiful farming country, dotted over b}- fine 
Airms and elegant homes. Through all their 
earlj- experiences, the Willcoxes were regarded 
by the Indians as firm friends ; the}' were al- 
ways faithful and honest in their dealings with 
the savages, and the Indians were not back- 
ward in showing their gratitude. Leverett H. 
Willcox was raised in the woods of Stow Town- 
ship. He was married, July 15, 1829, to Han- 
nah Porter, daughter of William and Mary 
Porter, and to this union were born the follow- 
ing familj- : Orpha, Louisa, Lydia. Elizabeth. 
Sophronia. Mary, Lemuel, Clarence, William, 
Henry and two that died in infanc}' ; there are 
now five daughters and two sons living, and all 
are married ; Mr. Willcox has had twenty-five 
grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 
Mrs. Willcox died March 4, 1881 : she was an 
exemplary Christian, a kind wife and an affec- 
tionate mother. Mr. and Mrs. Willcox had lived 
together as husband and wife fifty years seven 
months and seventeen days. Mr. Willcox, in 
earl}' years, did not receive any of the benefits 
of school whatever, but has since acquired an 
excellent practical education. With perhaps 
but one exception, he is the only one of the 
old pioneers of Stow Township yet living. 

JOHN WELLS (deceased). This gentleman 
was born in New Lisbon, (3hio. Aug. 23, 1803 ; 
he was of English descent, and one in a ftimily 
of ten children born to John and Polly 
(Walker) Wells, all of whom are now dead : his 
youth and early manhood was passed on a 
farm, but when he arrived at manhood he 
learned the carpenter's trade, which occupation 
he steadily followed until he purchased his farm 
in Stow Township. From New Lisbon he 
moved to Jefferson Co., Ohio, when it was all 
woods, there being at that time but few white 
settlers in that locality ; he settled at what is 
now Wellsville, which was afterward named 
after him ; from this point they came to Little 
Ireland, in Stow Township. Summit Co., Ohio, 
locating on a farm entirely devoid of clearing. 
He was married, July 15, 1830, to Miss Emily 
Oilbert. daughter of Orin Gilbert, a sketch of 
whom will be found in the biography of A. L. 
Gilbert ; to this union were born one son and 
three daughters — Henry, who died when about 



9 years old ; Harriet (who died), the wife of 
William Perkins ; Frances and Alice. Mr. 
Wells died March 2, 1875; he was an honor- 
able man in every respect, and was one well 
calculated to hold the position he did in the 
hearts of his fellow-townsmen. He and wife 
had removed to Cuyahoga Falls soon after 
their marriage, and, after a residence there of 
about two years, purchased a farm of 94 acres 
on Lot 32 in Stow Township, where his family 
are yet living. Mrs. Wells was born Oct. 27, 
1807, and her two daughters — ^Frances and 
Alice — and grand-daughter — Lillie — are living 
with her ; the only other grandchild — Hattie — - 
is living with her father in Kent, Ohio. Mr. 
Hart was a resident of Summit Co. over forty 
years, and his life was one of usefulness and 
hard labor. John Wells, the father of the sub- 
ject of this biography, was a native of Virginia, 
of English descent, and was a brave and ef- 
ficient soldier in the war of 1812 ; he was a 
man loved and respected, and was an upright 
and honorable gentleman : his ancestors came 
over in the Mayflower. 

J. O. WILLIAMSON, farmer ; P. O. Hudson ; 
was born in Stow Township March 14, 1845. 
He is a son of Palmer and Amy (Horton) 
Williamson, and a grandson of William and 
Mary (Palmer) Williamson. The father, Palmer 
Williamson, was born in Westchester Co., N. 
Y., Oct. 9, 1802. When he was IC years of 
age, he was sent to live with a merchant in 
Salisbury. After residing here two years, he 
went to Hyde Park to work on the dock and 
sell lumber, remaining at this place three years. 
In 1823, he obtained a position in Pougiikeep- 
sie as shipping clerk and dock hand ; and, three 
years later, on Feb. 22. 1827, he married Amy 
Horton, when he began farming, which has 
since been his vocation, save one year, during 
which he kept tavern in Goshen, N. Y. During 
the spring of 1831, he and his family came to 
Ohio, first locating in Tallmadge Township, 
Summit Co., where they remained three years, 
^Yhen they moved to his present place in Stow 
Township, where he has since resided. His 
wife bore him children, viz.. Mary, Horton, 
Bradner (deceased). Susan, Jane (deceased), 
Aldrette (deceased) and Julius O. When he 
came to Ohio, Mr. Williamstni was probably 
worth about $300. but, nothing daunted by Ids 
poverty, with the hel|) of a loving and brave 
wife, he walked from the poverty of early pio- 



^* e) 






^ S) 



876 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



neer life to the comforts of a later da_y. Mrs. 
Williamson died Sept. 27, 1880. Mr. William- 
son survives her death, and he and his son, 
Julius 0., live together on the old homestead in 
Stow. Feb. 24, 1875, Julius married llosetta 
Z. White, daughter of Henry and Almira White, 



and by her has three children — Henry J., Ho- 
mer E., and John P. Julius and his father 
own a large farm of over 250 acres, which is 
nicel}- situated, being four miles from Kent, 
four from Hudson, five from Cuyahoga Falls, 
and nine from Akron. 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



WILLIAM ALLEN, fai-mer; P. O. Akron; 
son of Jonah Allen, was born Oct. 14, 1798; 
died May 15, 1874; he of Jesse Allen. His 
mother was Cynthia Spicer ( for further history 
of Spicer family, see Avery Spicer); she was 
born May 21, 1803, and died Sept. 11, 
1860. The family of Jonah and Cynthia were 
Catharine, born Nov. 5, 1822; Mrs. Beckwith, 
who died Jan. 23, 1855; Edward, born Aug. 
18, 1824, died July 9, 1841; William, the sub- 
ject of this sketch, bom Feb. 18, 1827; John, 
whose history appears in another place in this 
woi'k; and Cynthia, who died in infancy. 
William received but a meager district-school 
education, being employed upon the farm until 
about 17 years of age, when he began work at 
the Akron City Woolen Mill, his father being 
a heavy stockholder, where he learned the 
various branches of the business, such as cai'd- 
ing, coloring, finishing, etc.; subsequently 
returning to the old farm south of the city, 
"where he and his brother John farmed together 
for a time; then returned to the city, where 
he kept for one year the boai'diug department 
for the Perkins Company, to whom the former 
company had sold. At the expiration of that 
year, the factoiy being converted into a floui'- 
ing-mill, he again returned to the farm, where 
he has since resided. He was married Nov. 
11, 1847, to Amy Amanda Beckwith, daughter 
of Chauncy and Susannah (Barnes) Beckwith, 
who came to Norton Township, about 1820, 
from Hartford, Conn. Mrs. Allen was the 
second daughter of a family of six childi'en, 
three sons and three daughters; she was born 
Sept. 16, 1830, and by her marriage has two 
children — Newton W,. born April 2, 1857; and 
Cynthia Anna, Sept. 11, 1860. Newton was 
married, April 28, 1880, to Mary E. Grove, 
daughter of David Grove, a prominent farmer 



of Franklin Township. Mr. Allen has held 
the most prominent positions in the township, 
such as Trustee, Township Clerk and Presi- 
dent of the School Board; a man of good 
business tact, which has been conducive to his 
success, and of a Christian spirit, he and fam- 
ily being members of the Disciples' Church, 
to which he is a liberal giver as vfell as to all 
other societies j^romoting the cause of Chris- 
tianity. 

LEVI ALLEN, Jr., farmer; P. O. Aki'on; 
was born July 28, 1824, on the farm where he 
now lives; his education was sufficient to ena- 
ble him to teach. He I'emained with his father 
until the spring of 1850, when he started from 
Aki'on to Sacramento City, Cal., going most 
of the way on foot in company with Edwin 
Allen, Isaac Spicer, Sterns SpaiTowhawk and 
Ephraim Bellows; they endm'ed a great deal 
of hai-dship and suffering on account of lack 
of provision and water; he lived in the princi- 
pal cities, and engaged in mining in the 
mountains. The latter years of his stay there 
were spent on a ranch in the stock business 
and the raising of grain. At one time while 
retm-ning on horseback to Sacramento City 
from his mining interests in the mountains, 
he was chased by two desperadoes (there being 
a great number in that country), for eighteen 
miles, and only escaped by the superiority of 
his steed and the approach upon civilization; 
many more incidents of the experience of 
about sixteen years of frontier life might be 
related, but space will not permit. On the 
24th day of December, 1856, he was married 
to Mary E. Ware, a native of Amherst 
Co., Va., by whom he has had tlu-ee chikh-en 
— a pair of twin boys who were buried there 
with their mother, and Mary E. P., born Aug. 
16, 18-58. His second marriage occurred in 



-r|s- 



COVENTKY TOWNSHIP. 



877 



1868, to Cornelia Adelaide Knapp, daughter 
of William H. ard Deborah (Wightman) 
Knapp, who are prominent in the history of 
Cuyahoga Co., where they resided, and where 
Mr. Kiiapp served the county for nine years as 
County Surveyor, he being a man of influence, 
and one of the oldest settlers in that comity, 
their settlement being made in about 1810. 
Mr. Allen has two children by his second 
marriage, viz., Cornelia Cynthia Adelia, born 
June 18, 1871; Albertina May Deborah, May 
14, 1872. He returned to Aki'on in December, 
1866, from the Pacific coast, and subse(|uently 
engaging in a general farm life and the im- 
provement of stock. Is a member of the Dis- 
ciples' Church, and a man of prominence in 
his township. 

JOHN ALLEN, farmer; P. O. Akron; was 
born Oct. 20, 1829, to Jonah Allen, whose his- 
tory appears in another place in this work, 
under the head of William Allen. The sub- 
ject of this sketch spent his early life in assist- 
ing in the farm work, and in securing as good 
an education as the common schools of his 
time would admit of. On the Dth of Decem- 
ber, 1857, he was married to Ann Morgan, 
daughter of Isham and Juliette (Meech) Mor- 
gan, who came to Newburg, Cuyahoga Co., 
Ohio, in 1811, from Groton, Conn. The Mor- 
gan family was among the oldest and most 
prominent families of Cuyahoga Co. Mr. 
Allen by his marriage has four children — Em- 
ma C, born Nov. 2, 1858, and married June 2, 
1880, to Henry B. Sisler, one of the coal mer- 
chants of Akron; Jesse M., born April 6, 1864; 
Isham F., Jan. 2, 1868: John R., March 23, 
1871. The Aliens are a quiet and unassmn- 
ing people, not aspiring to office, but paying 
strict attention to the most improved methods 
of agriculture, in which they are engaged, and 
very successful. They are members of the 
Disciples' Church, and have at heart the im- 
provement of the morals of the people, and 
the advancement of education and religion. 

ISRAEL ALL YN. deceased; was born Dec. 
24, 1790, in Groton, New London Co., Conn., 
and died May 7, 1873. He moved to the farm 
upon which his two daughters, Lucy and Han- 
nah now live, and to whom we are indebted 
for this sketch, in March, 18 19, with a f tunily 
consisting; of wife and two children. The 



wife was Lucy Gallup, born March 22, 1789, 
and married Aug. 1, 1813; daughter of Jacob 
and Rebecca (Morgan) Gallup, who were mar- 
ried in 1766, and were natives of the State of 
Connecticut. Israel's parents were Ephraim, 
born in 1748, died Dec. 28, 1816, and Tem- 
perance (Morgan) Allen, who died Oct. 3, 
1799, having been born May 4, 1752, and mar- 
ried Nov. 15, 1770. The wife of Israel died 
July 2, 1850. Ephraim was the father of sev- 
enteen children, twelve by his first wife, the sub- 
ject of this sketch being one of a pair of twins, 
the eleventh child and seventh son, the foiu" 
oldest being daughters. His second marriage 
was to Mrs. Rebecca (Morgan) Gallup, a sister 
to first wife; she was born April 9, 1766, 
died July 3, 1834. By this union five chil- 
dren were born, two of whom are now living 
— Erastus and Edward, prominent men in the 
State of Connecticut, and Austin, who died at 
Canaan, Conn., in 1878. Israel's family con- 
sisted of seven cliildren — George H., born Oct. 
31, 1814; Israel M., June 20, 1818; Abel G., 
Oct. 4, 1820; Lucy R., Sept. 15, 1822; Austin, 
Aug. 20, 1828; Lydia, June 16, 1831; Han- 
nah S., Aug. 15, 1833. Three are deceased — 
Lydia, Mrs. Gen. Voris, died March 16, 1876, 
leaving three children — George H., married a 
Miss Altay A. Hall, also leaving three childi-eu, 
two sons in Aki'on and one daughter in Sun 
City, Kan., with whom the mother is living. 
Austin was married in August, 1 854, to Huldah 
Voris, a sister to Gen. Voris, by whom ho had 
six daughters, all living in Ottawa Co., Mo., 
except the oldest, who is teaching in the high 
school at Akron. He died April 15, 1871. 
Israel M. resides near Eaton Rajiids, Mich.; 
was three times married, first, to Hannah 
Mather: second to Mrs. Caroline Ludlow, by 
whom he had two sons and one daughter; 
third marriage to Elmira Nichols. The sub- 
ject of this sketch was in the war of 1812; a 
carpenter by trade, but engaged in farming 
after coming to this State. He is a man of 
rare abilities, of remarkable force of character, 
honest and industrious, a very prominent man 
among the people, and neai'ly worshiped for 
his kindness and assistance rendered the poor. 
He held the most prominent offices in the 
township of Coventry, and received the honor 
and praises of all the people. 



878 



BIOGllAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



ABEL G. ALLYN, fcumer; P. O. Akron; 
is the third sou of Israel Allyn, whose history 
appeal's in another part of the biogi'aphical 
department of Coventry Township; was born 
Oct. 4, 1820, in the vicinity of Akron, and 
received a common district-school education 
such as could be secured at that early day. 
He assisted in the management of the old 
homestead until 1847, when he purchased the 
farm on which he now resides, where his life 
has since been spent in a general farm and 
dairy business. His marriage occurred Oct. 
10, 1847, to Adeline Capron, daughter of Ara 
and Eliza (Sweet) Capron, who came from 
Susquehanna Co., Penn., about 1825, making 
their settlement on the line between Copley 
and Bath Townships, this county, where they 
engaged in farming. They have six childi-en, 
viz., Addie. born July 23. f848; Charles, May 
25, 1851; Ida, Feb. 15. 1854; Leora, Mav 14, 
1800; Ettie, Jan. 28, 1863, and Oertie, Nov. 24, 
1869. The three oldest are married — Addie, 
to Preston Barber, who is engaged at the Buck- 
eye Works; Charles, to Ada Viall, and now 
residing in Summit, Greeley Co., Neb., where 
he is farming, and is also Postmaster at Smn- 
mit, which he named after his native county; 
Ida, the wife of States A. McCoy, a former resi- 
dent of this county, now of St. Joseph, Mich. 
Mr. Allyn has held the most responsible offices 
of his township, and is now serving his fifth 
term as Director of the agricultural society of 
this county. 

JOHN BEESE, Superintendent Summit 
Mine; P. O. Aki'on; son of Samuel, who was 
a son of Sampson, a native of Somersetshire, 
England, bu.t moved to Monmouthshire, South 
Wales, when his son Samuel was 4 years of 
age, which was about the year 1800, there 
living and dying and raising a family, by his 
first marriage, of eleven childi'en, of which our 
subject is one, having been born March 1, 1 82U. 
By his second marriage he had twelve childi-en, 
foiu' of whom are still living in their native 
country. Five of the childi'en by the first 
marriage living in this country. His mother 
was Esther Jones, who, at a very tender age, 
on account of the loss of her mother, was 
taken hj a family named Roberts, with whom 
she lived until her marriage. Mr. Beese spent 
his life with his father, who was encraered in 



mining, until the fall of 1850, when he came 
to Youngstown, working in the Mahoning 
Valley until the fall of 1868, when he came 
to Coventry, accepting at that time the super- 
intendency of the Middlebuiy Shaft, which 
position he held for about eight years; then 
that of the Summit mine, formerly the old 
Steese bank, which position he now holds. He 
was for some time Superintendent of both 
mines, which re<iuired a great amount of 
business tact and ability. He has been en- 
gaged in his present business for about twen- 
ty-foTU' years. He was married. No. 4, 1853, 
to Agnes Thornton, who was born Jan. 31, 
1836, daughter of Alexander and Mary(Meak) 
Thornton, all natives of Scotland, who came to 
America and settled in Sharon, Penn., in 
August, 1849, where her parents still reside. 
The father being one of the most prominent 
farmers and stock- raisers in Mercer County, and 
both hale and hearty at an advanced age. 
Their family, which consisted of ten childi-en, 
nine of whom are living in dilferent parts of 
the cou.nty, are all of considerable prominence. 
Ml'. Beese has eight children — Alfred, born 
Aug. 18, 1854; Charles, June 10, 1856; Eliza, 
June 2, 1859; Mary, Nov. 4, 1861; Belle, May 
26, 1864; Samuel, 'Nov. 18, 1866; John, Oct. 
16, 1869; Agnes Caroline, June 19, 1873. 
Charles was married, Jan. 8, 1878, to Mary 
Hausman, residing in Sharon Township, Me- 
dina Co., Ohio, and is mining the Ebbert coal, 
which belong-s to his father. The mine being 
situ.ated on township county lines, they are 
mining for two counties and four different 
townships. Eliza is the wife of Henry Stro- 
mal!, who is engineer at the Brewster Coal 
Company's mine in Springfield Township. 

GEOROE BURONER, farmer; P. O. New 
Portage. Jacob Harter, the father-in-law of 
the subject of this sketch, was born Jan. 10, 
1793, in Dauphin Co., Penn.; he a son of 
Greorge, who was born about 1757, and died 
about 1833; he a son of Mathias, who came 
from Germany very early in 1700. His mother 
was Elizabeth Bauman, who died in her 95th 
year; she a daughter of Abraham Bauman, 
natives of Dauphin Co. also. Jacob came 
with his father to Stark Co. in 1805, settling 
near Canton. In the spring after arriving at 
the age of 18 years, was " taken in the first 



4* 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



879 



draft, first class," for the war of 1812. They 
were first sent to Wooster under Gen. Bell, 
where they built a block-house; no danger 
being anticipated, they were sent still further 
west to Mansfield, where they camped for a 
short time, and being put under the command 
of Gen. Simon Perkins, they were sent to his 
camp about forty miles north, afterward going 
to Lower Sandusky. The war ending in a 
short time, he retui-ned home. In 1815, he 
was married to Catharine Souers, daughter of 
Heni-y and Catharine (Harter) Souers, from 
Lancaster Co., Penn., and early settlers in 
Stark Covmty. In the spring of 1831, Mr. 
Harter with his wife and seven children came 
to Coventry Township from Franklin. His 
family were ten in number, seven of whom 
still survive — one son in Iowa, two in Indiana, 
and one in Norton Township, this county; two 
daughters reside in Stark County, the other, 
a Mrs. George Burgner, with whom the old 
gentleman resides. Mr. Burgner is the son of 
Jacob, a son of Peter Biu-gner, who came from 
Berne, Switzerland, when but 15 years old. The 
record of the Btu'gner family is contained in a 
German Bible, printed in 1573, and a testa- 
ment printed in 1545, the two books now being 
the property of Jacob Burgner, who resides 
at Fremont, Ohio. The father of Jacob Burg- 
ner arrived in Canton July 4, 181'2. He en- 
gaged in farming in Jackson Township, and, 
in 1815, came to Franklin Township, being 
among the first in that township. His wife 
was Mary Com*ad. George received a very 
limited education, in an old log schoolhouse, 
which was built upon his father's farm, and 
afterward taught in same place in the winters 
of 1835 and 1836; from that time until 1852, 
he worked at the carpenter's trade, and the 
warehouses at New Portage. May 2, 1852, 
he was married to Anna Harter, and settled 
upon the farm where they now live. They 
have had four daughters, of whom three are 
now living — Amanda, born Jan. 9, 1855 ; Mary, 
Jan. 23, 1859, and Clara, March 10, 1870. 
Amanda is the wife of George A. Proehl, by 
whom she has two childi'en — Clara Bertha, 
bom Feb. 26, 1877; and Vincent, Sept. 15, 
1880. Ml*. Proehl is a farmer and stone ma- 
son in Coventry Township. Mr. Burgner held 
the ofl&ce of Township Trustee four terms, and 



was elected Township Treasurer, but declined 
the office. 

BREWSTER BROS. Coal Company, Mid- 
dlebury, is composed of Stephen, born Oct. 2, 
1832; Jonathan H., Jan. 11, 1834; James G., 
Jr., and Hiram, June 8, 1835; and George 
W., March 21, 1837; sons of James G., bom 
in Groton, Conn., Jan. 9, 1797; and Martha 
(Hassen) Brewster, who is a daughter of Jon- 
athan and Mary Jirown, who were residents 
of the State of Pennsylvania. James G., Sr., 
was a son of Stephen, bom March 4, 1770, 
and Lydia (Bellows) Brewster, born May 14, 
1771. ■ They were married May 1, 1796. ' The 
Brewster Coal Company is well known through- 
out Simmiit Coimty, and the north ])art of 
Ohio; the biography of James G. apears in 
the biograj)hical department of Springfield 
Township. Jonathan H. and Hiram are bach- 
elors, and the family histories of Stephen and 
George W. appear below^ Stephen, the sub- 
ject of this sketch, is living in the foiu^th 
house built upon the same location where his 
grandfather settled in 1811, being one of the 
first settlers in Coventry Township. He was 
man'ied, April 2, 1874, to Charlotte H. Meach, 
daughter of John A. and Lydia Ann ( Housel) 
Meach, early residents of this township. They 
have four children — Ephraim H, born Dec. 
25, 1874; Hayes Wheeler, June 25, 1876; Ste- 
phen M., March 5, 1878; and Sir Walter, 
April 1, 1880. George W. was married, Oct. 
19, 1876, to Marie L. Kent, who was born 
June 1, 1843, to Josiah and Lucia (Miller) 
Kent, who were among the first settlers in Suf- 
field Township, Portage Co., Ohio, where the 
father has resided for about sixty-five years on 
one farm. They have tlu'ee children — Georgia 
Marie, born Sept. 20. 1877; Hiram Wallace, 
Sept. 24, 1879; Ai-thur Kent, Dec. 20, 1880. 

HENRY J. BELLOWS, farmer; P. O. 
Aki'on; is the youngest son of Ithamar, whose 
history appears with that of John H. Bellows. 
He received a conmion district-school educa- 
tion, attending until about 20 years of age, 
the intervening time being spent upon the 
farm. He was married, July 4, 1856, to Lou- 
isa Weston, born Dec. 24, 1837, and daughter 
of Francis and Amanda (Hinman) Weston, 
who were among the earliest settlers in Spring- 
field Township. They have one child — Mary — 



>^ 






880 



lUOGRAPIIICAL SKETCHES: 



born July 16, 1857, and married Sept. 6, 1875, 
to Frank Rabenstine, son of Ephraim Raben- 
stine, who was one of tlie early settlers of 
Stark Co. They reside with Mr. Bellows, and 
have one son — Dwight. The subject of this 
sketch was for seven years engaged in the dai- 
rying business, four years on his present farm, 
and three years on the Sumner estate, south 
of Middlebury, where he lived from the fall 
of 1878 to 1870. He is a stanch Republican, 
and he and his family are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a liberal 
giver to the cause of religion, and the advance- 
ment of missions and schools; is prominently 
engaged in all the enterprises of the township, 
Init not an office seeker. 

BENJAMIN S. COOKE, machinist, with 
Webster, Camp & Lane, and farmer; P. O. Ak- 
ron. The father of the subject of this sketch, 
Charles Cooke, son of Benjamin S., a native 
of Brooklyn, N. Y., was a harness-maker by 
trade, and engaged in business in Baltimore, 
Md., and in Camden, N. J., where his son, 
Benjamin S., was born March 22, 1833. 
Charles was born in Brooklyn Feb. 18, 1810, 
and died June 25, 1849. He was married, 
July 12, 1831, to Sarah Stout, daughter of 
James and Rebecca (Stiles) Stout, natives of 
Salem Co. , N. J. ; he was the possessor of the 
famous " apple orchard farm " opjjosite Fort 
Delaware. The Stouts and Stileses were of the 
original Quakers, who settled before the Revo- 
lution in Burlington and Camden Cos., N. J. 
The family names possess considerable wealth 
and influence in England. The parents of 
our subject are both deceased, leaving a fam- 
ily of fom- children — Benjamin S., Rebecca, 
Abigail, now deceased, and Sallie, wife of 
Charles Peck, a business man of Pittsburgh. 
Rebecca, wife of Henry Carles, residing in 
Camden. Benjamin S. received the advan- 
tages of education until the age of 1 (5 years. 
At 1 8, he began learning the trade of a ma- 
chinist, at which he is now engaged with 
Webster, Camp & Lane. He has worked at 
his trade in a great many difterent cities and 
States, and was, at 22 years of age, steamboat 
engineer upon the Delaware River, and dur- 
ing the war, engineer in Admiral Farragut's 
squadron of the navy, and at the taking of 
Fort Morgan, at the mouth of the Mobile. 



His travels have been extensive, taking in 
twenty-six Sates, Mexico and Cviba; he came 
to the farm which he now owns, about two 
miles from Akron, in the spring of 1868, from 
Mifflin, Penn. In 1878, he built a portable 
engine, giving it by his great inventive talent, 
many new points, which make it superior to 
all others of like design. On his farm he has 
a very profitable pebble quarry, with all the 
machinery for separating the pebble from the 
sand, for fire brick manufacturing, making 
a superior quality of brick. He was married, 
June 27, 1862, to Ermina K. Frank, daughter 
of Jacob and Sarah Frank, natives of Juniata 
Co., Penn. They have had three children, 
one of whom died in infancy; those living are 
Sallie, born Sept. 18, 1866; and Rebecca, 
April 22, 1873. 

HIRAM S. FALOR, Akron; born in Coven- 
try Township, at the farm upon which he now 
resides, March 22, 1829; the son of George 
A. and Nancy (McCoy) Falor, who were early 
settlers of Summit Co. ; he received a knowl- 
edge of the common branches in the schools of 
his native township; when 19 years of age, 
became an apprentice in the harness-shop of 
On-in Beckwith, of Akron, remaining thi-ee 
years ; then started a shop of his own, and car- 
ried on business some ten years. In the 
spring of 1860, he went to California; for a 
short time clerked in a wholesale store at San 
Francisco; then went to Humboldt Bay, 
crossed over the mountains to Salmon River 
and mined for fo;ir months. During the lat- 
ter part of 1860, he removed to Virginia City, 
Nev., then a Territory, and opened the first 
harness-shop ever started in that place; his 
establishment was called the " Pioneer Har- 
ness-Shop." He served as a petit jiu-or in the 
first court ever held in Storey Co. During 
the early part of 1861, he organized the Vir- 
ginia City Grays, and was elected Captain of 
the company; when the rebellion was inaugu- 
rated the company tendered their services to 
the Government, but were declined by the 
national authorities who, at the time early in 
the war, did not wish to pay the expense of 
transporting the company to the seat of hos- 
tilities. In September, 1863, Falor returned 
to Akron, remaining for some five years in the 
city. In 1868, having purchased 30 acres 



g - 



-^ 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



881 



from his father, he removed to Coventry 
Township, erected a residence on this land, a 
part of the old homestead, where his family 
now resides. In January, 1880, he was ap 
pointed by Hon. Joseph Torney, Ti'easurer of 
Ohio, to be Messenger in the office at Colum- 
bus; he also had charge of the Attorney 
General's office and the Mine Inspector's 
rooms in the Capitol. Mr. Falor was, on 
April 28, 1858, elected by the Council of Ak- 
ron to be Deputy Marshal of the place, and 
served for two years. He was Secretary of 
the Summit County Agricultural Society for 
four years, and Assistant nearly ever since its 
organization; has been a member of the I. O. 
O. F. for over twenty vears, and, as early as 
1854, filled the office of Noble Grand in that 
order; has also been a Mason since 1852. 
He was married, July 1, 1854, to Miss Bertia 
E., daiighter of Benjamin aud Bertia E. Agard, 
and by her had four children — Benjamin 
Stanton, died aged 8; Claude Emerson, now 
a member of Co. G, 10th Regiment of the 
regular army; Nancy Honora, died aged 7; 
Minnie Florence, now at home. His first wife 
died Jan. 2, 1872, and he was married a sec- 
ond time to Mrs. Phoebe A. Lutz; two children 
being the result of this onion — Hiram, Garce- 
lon and Phebe. Mrs. Falor, by her former 
husband, is the mother of two childi-en — Min- 
nie C, now Mrs. Harry Flower; and Sylvester 
E. Lutz. Mr. Falor is now at the age of 52, 
in reasonalile good health and circumstances. 
MOSES FALOR, farmer; P. O. Akron; 
was born in the city of Akron ¥eh. 8, 1827, to 
Abraham and Polly (Osborn) Falor; his 
grandparents were Adam and Elizabeth Falor, 
who came from Pennsylvania among the first 
settlers of Stark Co., Ohio. The Osborns 
were from the State of Connecticut. There 
were ten children in his father's family, seven 
sons and three daughters, of which the subject 
of this sketch is the fifth son, and has lived 
near the city of Akron his whole life, noting 
the rapid progress of that place, in the build- 
ing-up of the great manufacturing interests 
of which she can now boast. Mr. Falor 
received but a limited education, his time 
being spent on the farm with his father in the 
performance of the various duties connected 
with farm life. His marriage occurred Feb. 



10, 1858, to Hannah H. Wilson, born 1827, 
Oct. 20, and daughter of Moses D. and Jane 
(McCoy) Willson, who were among the first 
settlers in Coventry Township. They have 
had eight children, four sons and four daugh- 
ters — Albert, born Feb. 22, 1854; Ida Jane, 
Feb. y, 1856: Clinton, Oct. 10, 1857; Rollin 
J., Dec. 18, 1859; Clara L., Sept. 12, 1868; 
Grace N., Oct. 11, 1866; Cora May, Dec. 18, 
1869; Jasper M., May 26, 1874. All are liv- 
ing except Clara, who died Oct. 20, 1866. 
Clinton was married July 18, 1880, to Isabel 
Kintz, daughter of Samuel Kintz, and is 
engaged in the molding-room at the Buckeye 
Works. They are engaged quite extensively 
in farming and dairying. They are members 
of the Disciples' Church, respected and 
esteemed as citizens. 

ADAM GREEN WALT, grocer and farmer; 
P. O. Akron; son of Michael and Henrietta 
(Brehm) Greenwalt, who were natives of Ger- 
many, but emigrated to America in 1841, and 
settled in York State, where he worked at farm 
work until 1848, when he came to Massillon 
and worked in a warehouse for eight years; 
then purchased a farm two and a half miles 
north of that place, where he died Jan. 13, 
1873, in his 54th year. His wife survives 
him at the old homestead in her 60th year, 
she coming to Massillon in 1889. Adam was 
born Sept. 18, 1845; received a limited educa- 
tion and enlisted Oct. 18, 1862, in Co. C, 13th 
O. V. I., lander Capt. William B. Lamberts, at 
Mansfield, and sworn in to service at Colum- 
bus; thence to Cincinnati, Louisville and 
Cave City, where he joined his regiment and 
began the hard life of active soldiering, which 
lasted for more than three years, during which 
time he participated in all the hotly contested 
battles and skirmishes engaged in by the 
Southern army. At Murfreesboro, the regi- 
ment was badly cut to pieces, siiflering great 
loss; also at Mission Ridge, engaging in the 
gi-eat charge at that place, with Grant the 
great leader, by his side; thence to Knoxville, 
Chattanooga and the seven months Georgia 
campaign; then back to Chattanooga, Hunts- 
ville, Franklin and Nashville, engaging in 
the battle at that place; thence to Texas, 
landing at Indianola; afterward to San Anto- 
nio, where he was discharged by Capt. D. A. 



Tv 



^ ^ 



882 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Geiger, on the 26th day of October, 1865, after 
having displayed great bravery and discharged 
nobly the duties of a soldier. He is one of 
the six or seven members of the original com- 
pany, who returned home. He came to this 
county about 1867, from Stark Co., and about 
seven years later in company with his brother- 
in-law, pui'chased the farm of 82 acres upon 
which he now lives. He was married, Oct. 
10, 1867, to Catharine Koontz, daughter of 
Frederick and Charlotte (Dippey) Koontz, 
who were natives of Grermany, but emigi-ated 
to America about forty- live years ago. They 
have three childi'en living — William Henry, 
John and George Adam. 

MATHIAS HARTEE, farmer; P. O. Ak- 
ron. The Harter families in our county and 
country have become quite numerous. The 
original stock emigi-ated fi'om Wurtemberg, 
Germany, in the year 1748. Three brothers 
landed in that year in the city of Philadel- 
phia. The colonial laws then allowed the 
owners of ships to sell all emigrants for a 
stated time, so as to pay their indebtedness to 
the ihip. The voyage having been both tedi- 
ous and perilous, all the emigrants had to be 
sold for debts. One of the brothers being 
lame he didn't bring anything on the block, 
so the mother of the family, who was a stout 
woman, was sold and worked out the indebt- 
edness. Two of the brothers moved into the 
interior of Pennsylvania, and one went to the 
colony of New York and settled in the valley 
of the Mohawk. The name was originally 
Herder, similar to the Herder who was one 
of Germany's most distinguished authors, the- 
ologians and teachers. The names of some of 
the Harters who were among the first settlers 
in the southern jjart of this county are An- 
di'ew, who settled near the village of Man- 
chester, and Jac Harter, who lives now in 
Coventry Township. These Harters are first 
cousins. Andrew came to Franklin Township 
in 1814. But John Harter, the father of Jac, 
moved to Stark Co. previoiis to the war of 
1812. The Harter family to which Andrew 
and Jac belong, is noted for its longevity. 
The former is past 87 years, while the latter 
has rounded up his 88th year. Andrew has 
now a brother living in Center Co., Penn., 
who is 90 years old, and two sisters who are 



past 80. The name of the original gi'and- 
father who came fi'om Germany was Mathias. 
It was he who was lame and did not bring 
an^^thing. Andi'ew Harter's father's name 
was John, who was born and raised in Leb- 
anon Co., Penn. The family of Andrew Hai*- 
ter consisted of five sons and one daughter, 
who was the wife of Mi-. Daniel Diehl, of 
Franklin Township. Two of the sons are 
dead — Andrew and Isaac. George resides at 
Independence, Iowa; Daniel and Mathias 
reside in Coventry Township. The latter 
lived in the State of Missouri when the Wcu* 
of the rebellion broke out. And as he resided 
in one of the hottest hot-beds of secession, he 
had great opportunities to learn the real spirit 
of the Southei'ners. After the fall of Fort 
Sumter, he took his wife and two children 
and started for Iowa, where he formerly re- 
sided, and after locating them as comforta- 
bly as he could, he enlisted in the Uth Regi- 
ment of O. V. I. After the battles of Look- 
out Mountain and Mission Ridge in the fall 
of 1868, he re-enlisted for three years more, or 
during the war. He was with Gen. Sherman 
on his great march from Atlanta to the sea, 
and thi-ough the Carolinas and Vii'ginia to 
Washington, and was mustered out at Louis- 
ville, Ky., in the month of Jrme, I860. After 
the war was over, he moved with his family 
to the city of Aki-on, where he started the 
"Akron File Works," in the fall of 1868. 
Mathias Harter was married, in 1855, to Miss 
Sallie M. Hall, the youngest daughter of 
John Hall, second of Springfield Township, 
who was one of its earliest pioneers. The 
family of Mathias Harter consists of three 
sons — Edwin C, Sigel F. and James Hall; 
and two daughters — Jennie Winona and Sal- 
lie Belle. The two first sons and the first 
daughter were born at Independence, Iowa; 
of the remaining two, the daughter was born 
in Aki'on, and the son in the township of Cov- 
entry. 

JOHN HEINTZ, farmer; P. O. Aki'on; 
came to New York in August, 1884, from 
Hesse, Hamburg, on the west side of the 
Rhine, near Franlcfort-on-the-Main, which 
country now belongs to Prussia. He was born 
Oct. 24, 1812, to Peter and Louisa (Bauers) 
Heintz; she was a daughter of George and 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



883 



^Margaret Bauers. His father was a promi- 
nent farmer in his native country: his family 
consisting of three sons and three daughters, 
John being the only son now living: his old- 
est sister living in Germany, the second, Loii- 
isa, wife of Urias Whitner, of Coventry: and 
Mary, wife of Joseph Slager. now residing near 
Aurora, 111. John was married, March 20, 
1886. in Cleveland, to Sophia Kech. daughter 
of Conrad Kech, a prominent farmer of Trum- 
l)ull Co.. Ohio: by her he had seven childi'eu, 
two of whom died in infancy. Tohn F. in his 
29th year, after having been married some 
time to Susannah Renninger, who is also 
deceased, leaving three children — Charles and 
Edward, living in Bath Township, and Jo- 
seph living with relatives in East Libei*ty. 
There are four children living, one son and 
tluve daughters — Louisa, wife of Louis Moore, 
residing in Pine Bluffs, Ark. ; Sarah, wife of 
Joseph Arnold, a farmer in Sharon Township, 
Medina Co. : Amelia, widow of Hemy Bolin- 
ger. she residing in Clarke Co.. Ind. : and 
George, married to Sarah A. HaiTis, a farmer 
in Bath Township. The fii'st wife of John 
Heintz died in 1849: his second mamage 
occurring May 20, 1851, to Margai'et (Rost) 
Bollen, a daughter of Jacob and Agnes (Boll 
inger) Bollen, who were natives of Schaff- 
hausen, Switzerland, came to New Yoi'k in 
1848; subsequently moving to Norton Town- 
ship. Mr. Heintz after complying with the 
requirements of the compulsory education 
law, learned the painter's trade. After com- 
ing to America he sought for work at his 
trade, and not being able to speak the English 
language, was unable to secure a position. 
He then ti'aveled in search of work, a part of 
his time being spent in Holmes Co., Ohio, 
and in Cleveland, where he learned the butch- 
er's trade, which he followed in the latter 
place, and in Alo-on, subsequently learning the 
cooper's trade which he followed until 1858, 
when he moved to the farm which he now 
occupies. He has held the various township 
offices of trust, and with his family, are con- 
nected with the Gennan Reformed Chiu'ch of 
Akron. 

GEORGE HEINTZ, farmer; P. O. Aki'on; 
son of Philip, whose history appears in that of 
John Heintz, in another place, was born Jan. 



28, 18 7. Philip came from Germany in the 
spring of 1845, to the farm on which our 
subject now lives, with his wife, two sons and 
two daughters — seven more, two sons and live 
daughters being born after their emigi-ation 
to Coventry Township, he dying Dec. 29, 187<), 
in his f)7th year; of the whole number of 
children eight are now living — two brothers, 
Philip and John, in Bath Township, this 
county, engaged in farming; one sister, for- 
merly Mrs. Jacob Glass, who died in Kansas, 
she afterward marrying Elias Gaskanbach, a 
farmer in Miami Co., Kan., where they now 
reside; the others are Mrs. Matilda Sherbondy, 
whose husband is Superintendent in rubber 
works: Mary, Mrs. Urias Kramer, also engaged 
in rubber works ; Magdalena, a Mi-s. Eli Petrti, 
engaged at the sewer-pipe works; Catharine, 
formerly a Mrs. Philij^ Biu-gy, now a Mrs. 
Philip Laubert, working at the Seiberling 
Company Works; all residing in Akron. 
George, the subject of this sketch, was mar- 
ried to Mary M. Beck, bom Sept. 1, 1853, 
and daughter of George Beck. They have 
one child — George Philip, born Aug. 21, 
1878. The mother of our subject is Mary 
(Baird) Heintz, born Sept. 29, 1814. George 
learned the potter's trade, at which he worked 
eight years, the rest of his life being spent in 
a general farm avocation. They are members 
of the Trinity Lutheran Church, living Chi'is- 
tian lives and commanding the respect of the 
people. 

ALEM HIGH, farmer; P. O. New Portage; 
son of William High, who was born Feb. 18, 
1796; he of Josiah High, a native of Berks 
Co., Penn. William was mari'ied to Elizabeth 
Reninger Sept. 10, 1822; she was boi-n Jan. 
6, 1801, and died Sept. 3, 1872; they had 
thi-ee childi-en — Alem, the subject of this 
sketch, born June 1, 1823; Isaac, June 21, 
1825; Anna Eliza, Dec. 18, 1828; all of whom 
are living, the latter the wife of Rev. L. C. 
Edmonds, married Feb. 1, 1850, and located 
in Adamsburg, Snyder Co., Penn.; Isaac was 
married to Mary Jane Ludwig; the second 
marriage, to Jane Moore, with whom he is still 
living in Medina; he engaged in the hardware 
and gi'ocery business at that place. Alem was 
married to Leah Wildi'oudt May 30, 1850, she 
dying April 6, 1851 ; second marriage, to Mary 



l9 



884 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Weirick, Aug. 29, 1854; expired July 21, 
1868; third marriage, to Elizabeth Daily, 
Nov. 2, 1805. By all maiTiages, he has had 
teu children: By first wife, one, who died in 
infancy; second, four children, two of whom 
died in infancy; those living are Amasa Mil 
ton, born Oct. 10, 1859; Sarah E., Sept. 26, 
1861; third marriage, five — Leora, born Sept. 
4, 1866; U. G., July 9, 1868; Milo, Feb. 26, 
1870: Lvdia A., Oct. 23, 1871, died May 10, 
1875: and Joshua, Jan. 8, 1875. William 
High came to Springfield Township in the 
spring of 1882, where he lived and worked at 
the car})enter and joiner's trade for aliout 
eleven years, then came to the farm upon 
which his son now lives, and upon which he 
has carried on a general farm life since, secur- 
ing a district- school education. Our subject 
has held the various township offices of trust; 
is a liberal supporter of all the enterprises of 
the township, and watchful in the advantages 
of education for his family. 

ELMER HOUSEL, Weighmaster at Sweit- 
zer Shaft, Akron; is a son of Martin, born 
Nov. 20, 1794, in Westmoreland Co., Penn., 
and died Sept. 30, 1856, in his 63d year; he 
is a son of Jacob Housel. Martin was one of 
the first settlers in Coventry Township; his 
first wife was Charlotte Brewster, a sister to 
Alexander Brewster, whose sketch appears in 
another place in this work. By this marriage 
there were thi'ee children — Hiram, Jacob and 
Lydia; second marriage, to Margaret Viers, 
by whom he had twelve children, eight of 
whom are living; they were as follows: Char- 
lotte, Sarah, Martin, Liverton, Harrison, 
Nancy, Martha, James, Alice, Elmer (the sub- 
ject of this sketch), Benjamin and Oscar. All 
are maiTied — Charlotte, wife of C. L. Good- 
win, engaged in prospecting coal; residence, 
Girard, Trumbull Co.. Ohio; Martin, a mill- 
wright in Middlebury; Harrison, mail agent 
on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail- 
road; Martha, wife of James Kilfoyle, who is 
connected with the railroad at Niles, Ohio; 
James, foreman in sewer-pipe company at 
Middlebmy; Benjamin, a carpenter in North- 
field, Cuyahoga Co., Ohio; Oscar, car[)enter 
in Galesburg, 111. Our subject was born Feb. 
25, 1846; attended school and worked on a 
farm until 1 6 years of age, when he went to 



Girard, Ohio, where he worked in a flouring- 
mill eleven years, then engaged in the coal 
business in difl:erent ptu'ts of the Mahoning 
Valley, continuing in the same business, prin- 
cipally, until the present time. He was mar- 
ried, Oct. 3, 1871, to Rachael A. McCartney, 
daughter of A. W. and Mary A. (Dunlap) 
McCtu'tney, of Girard, Ohio. They have 
three childi'en — Guy, born June 16, 1873; 
Mary, Feb. 28, 1876; Elizabeth, Jan. 17, 
1879. In November, 1880, after the opening 
the new shaft of an extensive coal-mine on 
the Sweitzer farm, he accepted his present 
position — that of Weiglunaster. 

HOUSTON KEPLER, faiTaer; P. O. New 
Portage; is a son of Jacob Kepler, who was 
born about 1797, in Center Co., Penn. His 
father was John, a native of Bucks Co., Penn., 
but moved with his family to Green Town- 
ship, in 1802. The early ancestry were fi'om 
Switzerland. John and a valuable horse were 
instantly killed at a cider-press by being 
struck with a heavy lever which became de- 
tached. Jacob remained with his father until 
18 years of age, when he began woi'king for 
himself, returning, however, at harvest time, 
to assist his father. At about 25 years of age, 
he was man-ied to Susan Marsh, daughter of 
Adam Marsh, an eai-ly -settler of Franklin 
Township. Jacob was always a hard-working 
man, with a gi-eat desire for the acquisition of 
wealth, which he afterwju'd possessed. In 
1822, he settled on the fann where his son 
Houston now lives, which at that time was a 
vast wilderness, bu.t, by clearing and gi'ubbing, 
he became the possessor of more than 1,100 
acres of land in Coventry Township. They 
had thirteen children — foiu- sons and nine 
daughters; six are living — two sons, both rep- 
resented in this work; and foiu" daughters — 
Mrs. Thomas Baughman, Mrs. Hemy Wise, 
IVIi-s. Andi-ew Oberlin and Mrs. Solomon Ren- 
inger. Huston was born Aug. 25, 1889; he 
stayed with his father on the fann until his 
marriage, which occvirred April 2, 1868, to 
Catharine Foust, daughter of Abraham and 
Elizabeth (Mauery ), daughter of Frederic and 
Catharine (Hillygoss) Mauery, natives of 
Pennsylvania. In 1850, the Fousts came 
from near the southern line of the State of 
Wisconsin, whither they had gone, a short 






I>^ 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



885 



time before, from their native State, to Green 
Township, where they purchased the place 
known as the " Old Foust Farm." The old 
people there died — the father on his birthday, 
Oct. 20, 1875, aged ()G years; the mother, 
Aug. 18, 1872, aged 5(5 years. Houston has 
four children — Clara Alice, born Feb. 24, 
1864: Lam-a Jane, Aug. 11, 1867; Maggie 
Elizabeth, Oct. 18, 1872; and Nelson Eugene, 
May 16, 1877. He was elected Clerk of the 
township in the spring of 1864, which posi- 
tion he held for six successive terms, and two 
terms thereafter was .Treasiu'er one year, and 
for the last fifteen years has held the office of 
Justice of the Peace, and eleven years member 
of the School Board, taking an active interest 
in the progress of education. His life upon 
the farm is more especially devoted to the rais- 
ing of grain, the products of his farm being 
from twelve to fifteen hundi'ed bushels of 
wheat alone. He and family ai'e members of 
the Refonned Chm'ch, and liberal givers to 
the cause of religion and the building of 
chm'ches. 

SAMUEL KEPLER, fai-mer: P. O. New 
Portage ; is a son of Jacob Kepler, a brief his- 
tory of whom appears with that of Houston 
Kepler, in this work. Samuel was born April 
17, 1830, and received the educational advan- 
tages of the old log schoolhouse of those pio- 
neer days, with its puncheon floor and Con- 
gress stove, with holes bored in the logs of the 
building, and wooden pins driven in to support 
their writing-desks, etc. At 21 years of age, 
he engaged in farming on his present location, 
which was a part of the land owned by his 
father. He was married, Sept. 12, 1851, to 
Suannah Swigait, daughter of George and 
Elizabeth (Daily) Swigart, she a daughter of 
John Daily, who was supposed to have been 
the first settler in Franklin Township They 
were natives of Bucks Co., Penn. By this 
union there were seven children, five of whom 
are living — Uriah A., born in 1852; Anna, 
in 1855; Jacob, July 19, 1859; Samuel, Dec. 
9, 1865; Minnie May, Dec. 5, 1871. Uriah 
A. married Mary Lamb, daxighter of Nathan 
Lamb, formerly a prominent business man of 
this county. They are farming at Chanute, 
Kan.; Anna, wife of Hon. Hugo C. Preyer, 
formerly of the Ohio Staats Zritnng, at Canton, 



now editor of the Great West, an independent 
paper published at Denver, Colo. He is also 
President of the Stonewall Mining Company. 
The mines of this company, four in number, 
are situated near Crosson, on the line of the 
Denver & South Park Railroad, about forty- 
eight miles from Denver. The camp is con- 
sidered one of the best in the State, with a 
capital of $1,000,000. He is also Secretary 
of three other mines. Jacob, second son of 
Samuel Kepler, has advanced to a considera- 
ble degree of prominence as a township pol- 
tician and a business man. He received a 
district-school education, with the additional 
advantages, for a short time, of the high 
schools and College of Canton, Ohio, where he 
was also engaged for a time as solicitor upon 
the Ohio Staats Zeitung. When a lad of but 
16 years, he became very much interested in 
public matters, and, at 21 years of age, was 
appointed by the Trustees to canvass the town- 
ship for election purposes, on account of the 
great niunber of transient men. He has 
been for a considerable time a regular corre- 
spondent of the Aki'on City Times, and is at 
present living upon the farm with his father. 
The subject of this sketch has held the various 
township offices of trust since his marriage — 
those of Trustee, Treasurer, and, in 1880, was 
Assessor of real fistate. 

JOHN P. KEPLER, Aki'on; projn-ietor of 
the Farmers' Coal Bank, Coventry Township 
Ohio, which was started in 1874, opening a 
mine of coal of a superior quality, with a vein 
averaging about four and a half feet, and em- 
ploying at one time neai4y forty men. His 
machinery consists of two engines, one of 
•4ghty-five-horse power, the other of twenty- 
horse power; being a practical engineer, he is 
able to run his own power, as well as the gen- 
eral superintendency of his mine. In 1878, 
he began utilizing his power by engaging in 
wood-tm-ning of all kinds, and light sawing; 
but, on the 18th of February, 1880, his build- 
ing, 86x46, was destroyed by fire, entailing 
upon him a heavy loss. He was born March 
5, 1849, to John A., the son of Andi-ew and 
^Iaria Kintz, the latter a daughter of John 
Kintz, of Chippewa Township, Wayne Co., 
Ohio. His boyhood was spent in Green Town- 
ship, where he was born, working on a farm 



t) ^ 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and at the carpenter's trade. He afterward 
went to Alu'on, where he learned the machin- 
ist's trade, having before had some experience 
in that branch of machinery, so that he is now 
able to biiild an engine complete. Afterward, 
for abont a year, he kept a meat market, and, 
since being engaged in the business of mining, 
has devoted some time to prospecting for coal 
and the stxidy of geology. He was married, 
Jnly 27, 1865, to Lovina Stroman, daughter 
of John Stroman, of Springfield Township. 
They have two children — Clara M., born Jnne 
9, 18r5<l: and Hem'v Edgar, Feb. 4, 187U. 

JOHN KITTINGER, retired farmer; P. O. 
Akron; was born east of the city of Lancaster. 
Perm., Aug. 28, 1809. His father was Abra- 
ham, son of Casper, whose father came from 
Germany abont one hundred years ago. His 
mother, Elizabeth Hunsicker, a native of 
Switzerland, came to this coiuitry in about the 
year 1800. The subject of this sketch has 
spent his life in farming and fancy- coverlet 
weaving, being at present engaged, to a lim- 
ited extent, in the latter occupation, his ap- 
j)renticeship being completed when not quite 
21 years of age, so that, for more than half a 
century, he has plied his trade. In the year 
183H,he came from the land of his nativity to 
New Portage, where he resided for about two 
years, then returned to the East to pxu'chase 
machinery for weaving purposes. He was 
married, in the spring of 1885, to Soj)hia 
Babb, daughter of George Babb, one of the 
early settlers of Springfield Townshij^; five 
childi'en blessed this union, three of whom are 
still living — Jacob, born Feb. 19, 1887; 
George, Sept. 23, 1888, died in infancy; 
David, Oct. 25, 1840; Levi, May 26, 1842; 
and Amanda, Sept. 28, 1850. All thi-ee of his 
sons served in the cause of their country — 
Levi in the 14th Ohio Battery, under Ca})t. 
BiuTows, (lying April 15. 1852, of a fever 
which he contracted at Pittsbm-g Landing: 
David served three years in the 29th O. V. I., 
imder Col. Buckley, and was discharged after 
the battle of Atlanta; retm-ning home, he en- 
gaged in work at the wagon-maker's trade at 
Hammond's Corners, Bath Township, this 
county, where he still resides; Jacob resided 
in Randolph Co., Ill,, with his family, where 
he joined a regiment and entered the service; 



being taken prisoner soon after, he lay at 
Richmond until that city was taken by the 
Union forces; he is now residing at Pmis 
Landing, engaged in coopering and carpenter- 
ing. Mr. Kittinger's wife died March 2(5, 
1870. He is a stanch old Republican, and 
has been a member of the Gennan Reformed 
Church f(jr nearly fifty years. 

CHARLES F^ KOHLER, Akion; the old- 
est of a family of five sons and one daughter; 
born Sept. 6, 1855, to Andrew; he of Andi-ew 
and Sarah Fisher, daughter of John Fisher. 
He is of German- English descent. Charles' 
father was for many years engaged in gene- 
ral merchandising at Richfield and Jersey 
Shore, in the State of Pennsylvania, where, in 
Jtmiata Co., Charles was born, and received 
all the educational advantages of his commu- 
nity; then, after moving to Akron, in the 
spring of 1870, he completed the high school 
term and took a coiu'se at the Ol^erlin Commer- 
cial School, where he received a diploma for 
proficiency. On the 1st of January, 1879, 
he accepted the position of Weighmaster and 
book-keeper at the Sunnnit Mine, formerly 
the old Steese Mine. He was married, April 
10, 1879, to Alice Brittain, daiighter of John 
T. Brittain whose history appears in the bio- 
grai)hical department of Springfield Township, 
of this work. They have one child — Burt B., 
born Feb. 4, 1 880. Charles' only sister, Mrs. 
Ferdinand Diebold, residing in Cleveland; his 
oldest brother, John, stiidying medicine with 
Dr. Leight; the others ai'e attending school, 
the father being careful that his children im- 
prove their educational advantages. 

SIMON P. MARSH, teacher and farmer: 
P. O. Akron. The ancestors of this estimable 
gentleman were natives of the State of Penn- 
sylvania, near Williamsport: his father, George 
L., was born Feb. 7, 1808, and died April 18, 
1870, the son of Atlam, a car]>euter by trade, 
who came to Franklin Townshi}), this county, 
about 1819, and died in 1862 or 18(58, aged 
about 82 years. George L. received a very 
limited education on account of the early re- 
moval of his father to the above-named town- 
ship, and the prevailing idea of those early 
times that work was more necessary than edu- 
cation; his services were, at a tender age, 
demanded ui)on the fann. He was married 



^w 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



887 



to Elizabeth Hane. Dec. 1, 1881 : she was born 
July 20, IcSll, and died Nov. 2, 1867. By 
this union there were six sons and six daugh- 
ters — George Adam, born Dec. 8, 1882; John 
Jacob, Dec. 80, 1883; Samuel Christian. Aug. 
25, 1885; Nancy, April 4, 1887; Lovina, Jan. 
8, 1889; Elizabeth, April 8, 1840; Sarah, 
April 7. 1842; the two last are dead — the lat- 
ter, wife of John Myers, by whom she had 
one child Ida Elizabeth, born June 22, 
1862; William Henry, Jan. 22, 1844; Hiram 
Franklin, Nov. 28, 1845; Simon Peter, April 
5, 1848: Harriet, May 8, 1850; and Amanda, 
Sept. 16, 1852. Mr. Marsh, before his mar- 
riage, entered 160 acres of land, which he 
afterward cleared up, and raised the large 
family mentioned above, ten of whom are still 
living, all the sons having been teachers, 
George teaching and farming in Marshall Co., 
Ind. ; William teaching and carpentering in 
Tallmadge Township; John farming in Stark 
Co. ; the others are residents of Franklin 
Township ; the daughters are wives of the sons 
of the earliest and most prominent early set- 
tlers of that township. Simon P. began teach- 
ing at 16 years of age, having received h s 
certificate to teach when but 1 5 years of age; 
he has now taught his twentieth term of dis- 
trict school. He was married, Oct. 15, 1872, 
to Sophia E. Young, born July 21, 1848, in 
Franklin Township, daughter of Samuel, the 
son of Abraham Yoiuig; her mother was Sarah 
Shook, daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Ven- 
sall) Shook, natives of Pennsylvania, but early 
settlers of Franklin Township. They have 
had four childi-en, one dying in infancy : those 
living are Ellery Leroy, born Aug. 1, 1874; 
Charles Gilbert,' March 1, 1877; and Etta 
Elizabeth, March 26, 1 879. He pui-chased the 
beautiful farm upon which he now lives in 
March, 1 874, and, in the spring following, his 
removal to the township, was elected to the 
office of TowTiship Clerk, which position he 
has held to the present time, except the year 
1879. He and family are members of the 
Reformed Church ; a prominent Democrat, and 
an enterprising yoimg man. 

SAMUEL W.' MILLER (deceased); was 
bom in Westmoreland Co., Penn., Dec. 6, 
1812, and died Jan. 28, 1881, suddenly, of 
heart disease; his parents were Jesse and 



Elizabeth (Weaster) Miller, both of whom 
lived to a great age — she about 106 years. 
They came from Venango Co., Penn., to the 
farm on which the widow now lives, in Janu- 
ary, 1865, after having resided in many difier- 
ent places in ttieir native State, he being a 
stone-mason by trade, but afterward engaging 
in farming; his father, Jesse, was a miller by 
trade, and a school-teacher of considerable 
prominence. Samuel married Elizabeth Seger 
June 11, 1888, daughter of John, he of John 
and Ann (Rhodenbush), she of Jacob and Ann 
Rhodenbush. They had eleven children, 
fom- of whom died in childhood; those living 
are William J. M., born March 8, 1884; 
Mary Caroline, Dec. 12, 1886; John H., May 
12, 1889; Sarah Ann, Nov. 80, 1841; Eunice 
C, July 2, 1847; Hannah M., Jvme 4, 1856; 
and George W., April 28, 1859. William 
married Elizalieth Honn, who was born in 
Philadelphia; they have two children — John 
L. and Sarah A., who, at this wi-iting, reside 
in Venango Co., Penn. William, being called 
here by the death of his father, is contem- 
plating a removal to this State to assist his 
mother in the management of the farm; the 
second is Mrs. James Graham, living in Wood 
Co., Ohio; the third, to Amanda Gregg; they 
reside in Aki'on; the fourth, a Mrs. Samuel 
Foster, who is a mechanic in the knife-works 
at Akron: the fifth, a Mrs. Earnest B. Teits, a 
tailor at Akron. The two youngest are at 
home. Mr. Miller was a man respected by 
the ]ieo|)le of his commianity, and, with his 
wife, members of the chmx-h, and gave liber- 
ally of their means for the support of the 
cause of religion and the advancement of the 
people. 

SAMPSON MOORE, Jr., farmer; P. O. 
Akron; the youngest of six childi-en — four 
sous and tAVO daughters — of Sampson Moore, 
who came from the County Antrim, near Bal- 
lymena, Ireland, in May 1822, landing at 
Fairport, Ohio, and going fi'om there to 
Painesville. Lake Co., Ohio. Sampson, Sr., 
died nine days after landing at Fairport, and 
his widow afterward married one James Hall, 
and, in March, 1826, moved to the farm upon 
which the subject of this sketch now lives. 
The ste})-father died about two years later, 
and the mother Sept 7, 1855, at about 68 



<s~ 



■ v^ 



M'. 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



years of age. She was Jane Kerr, a native of 
Ireland, and daughter of Robert and Mar- 
garet (Boyd) Kerr, who was a sister of Gen. 
Boyd, of Revolutionary fame, who died in 
New York City. The Kerr family was form- 
erly of Scotland, but moved into Ireland, and, 
like the Boyd family, became very wealthy 
and of considerable prominence. Mr. Moore 
was married, Jan. 10, 1864, to Mary E. Shutt, 
daughter of Abraham and Catharine (Gregg) 
Shutt, who were natives of Maryland — the 
Greggs of Pennnsylvania. They have four 
children — Jane C, born Feb. 21, 1865; Emma 
T., Nov. 26. 1869; Louisa M., Oct. 17, 1871; 
and James S., May 26, 1875. The Moores 
were of English descent, Sampson's grand- 
father being sent from England to Ireland as 
legal agent for an estate. James Moore, a 
brother to Sampson, is probably responsible 
for the p appearing in that name; he was a 
jeweler at No. 68 High street, Belfast, and, 
upon the face of an "old bull's-eye" watch, 
which he presented to his brother, he used the 
letters of the name to mark the hour, instead 
of figiu-es or other characters, and supj)lying 
the deficiency in the number of letters. Mr. 
Moore is a member of the Disciples' Church, 
a stanch Republican, and a man of considera- 
ble prominence in the township in which he 
lives. 

GEORGE PROEHL, farmer; P. O. Aki-on; 
was born April 9, 1822, to George and Chris- 
tine (Boedchel) Proehl, who were natives of 
Saxe Altenburg, Germany; his father was 
a grain-dealer in that country, dying when 
the subject of this sketch was at a very tender 
age, probably about 1825, at about 50 years 
of age. George is the youngest of six chil 
dren, all of whom are dead except an older 
sister, who still resides in their native coun- 
try. He received his education under the 
compulsory laws of the country, was a soldier 
from 1842 to 1846, serving the required time 
as a regular; then went on the reserve force 
for two years, after which he received his 
freedom. In the fall of 1848, he came to 
America, shipping from Bremen to New York, 
where he landed after a forty-three days' voy- 
age; he immediately came to Akron, where he 
worked the first ten years at his trade, that of 
stone-cutting and masonry. In 1858, he pur- 



chased the farm upon which he now lives, 
moving to the same in the spring of 1859, and 
has been working at his trade and farming 
since that time. He was married, July 1, 
1849, to Louisa Loose, who was born May 21, 
1825. to Gottfried and Elizabeth Loose, who 
were also natives of Saxe Altenburg, Ger- 
many. She came to America without her par- 
ents in the year of her marriage. They have 
had eight children; one died in infancy; the 
oldest, Louis J., born July 18, 1850; George, 
March 8, 1852; William, May 14, 1854; 
Maria Matilda, April 18, 1856; John Frank- 
lin, Aug. 8, 1861; Emma, Aug. 17, 1864, and 
Sarah Ida, Jan. 29, 1867. Loiiis is a grad- 
uate of the college at Lebanon, Ohio; also, .n 
1879, graduated from the Ohio Medical Col- 
lege at Cincinnati, and is now practicing with 
Dr. Underwood, in the city of Akron. George, 
Jr., married Amanda Burgner; William mar- 
ried Allie S. Vandersall Dec. 7, 1879, by 
whom he has one child — John Martin, bom 
Sept. 6, 1880; he is engaged in farming in 
Coventry. Maria M. is the wife of John R. 
Davis, who is teacher of a graded school 
started by himself at Brecksville; he is also a 
graduate of Lebanon, Ohio. They were mar- 
ried April 18, 1880. Mr. Proehl and family 
are members of church, and he a liberal sup- 
porter of religious and educational privileges. 
ISAAC ROMIG, farmer; P. O. New Por- 
tage; is a son of Jesse Romig, a native of Le- 
high Co., Penn., who died in 1867, in his 85th 
year; he was the youngest of five children — 
four sons and one daughter, all of whom are 
dead. Isaac was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, 
March 14, 1827. Jesse came from his native 
county to Wooster in the fall of 1826, where 
he lived four years, then removed to Thomp- 
son Township, Seneca Co., where he died. 
He was the father of thirteen children, all of 
whom lived until after 21 years of age; there 
are at present two sons and five daughters livr 
ing, our subject next to the youngest. Their 
residences are as follows: John, a farmer in 
Marshall Co., Ind. ; Susannah, widow of 
Michael Kern, Thompson Township, Seneca 
Co. ; Polly, widow of Samuel Shirk, living in 
the State of Michigan; Juliana, a maiden liv- 
ing with the last- mentioned; Catharine, wife 
of John Good, a farmer of some official ])rom- 



COVENTRY TOWNSHIP. 



'lU 



inence in Stark Co., Ind. ; Martha, wife of 
George Collier, a farmer in York Township, 
Sandusky Co., Ohio. Our subject received a 
very limited education, attending the district 
school about six months, his time being occu- 
pied upon the farm with his father until 20 
years of age, after which he worked by the 
month for a time. In February 1850, he was 
married to Lucy Ann Good, daughter of Ad- 
am Good. By her he had two children, she 
dying in June, 1855, in Stark Co., Ind., 
whither they had gone shortly after marrige. 
His second marriage was to Mary Good, in 
December, 1856, a cousin to his tirst wife; by 
the latter marriage there were eight children, 
two of whom died in childhood; those living 
are Sarah Matilda, born March 21, 1851, now 
the wife of Robert Paul, the present County 
Sui'veyor, living in Akron; Mary Magdalene, 
born Oct. 23, 1853, the wife of Moses Werley, 
a carpenter and cabinet-maker in Wadsworth, 
Ohio. Emma L., born Aug. 28, 1862; Hiram 
F., Aug. 31, 1865; George W., July 4, 1868; 
Clara A., Oct. 6, 1871; Charles N., Sept. 12, 
1875; Archie H., Aug. 16, 1878. Mr. Romig 
has been a member of the School Board of 
his township, taking an active interest in the 
education of his family; his business is grain 
and stock raising. He and family are mem- 
bers of the Grace Reformed Church. After 
ten years' life in Indiana, and meeting with 
many reverses in trying to secure a home, he 
sought a new field in Siunmit Co., Ohio, were, 
after many trials and hardships, he has, by 
diligence and perseverance, secured one of the 
most beautiful homes in Coventry Township. 
RILEY ROOT, farmer; P. O. New Portage; 
is the youngest of eight sons, one daughter 
being younger; he was born June 30, 1807, 
his parents being Reuben and Sarah (McMil 
lin) Root, natives' of Canaan, Conn., but came 
to Coventry Township in the winter of 1818, 
and engaged in farming, at time when the 
city of Akron consisted of only three log cab- 
ins, Cleveland and Canton being the nearest 
markets. The subject of this sketch received 
a very limited education, his time being em- 
ployed in farming and at odd jobs of clearing. 
He was married, Sept. 27, 1827, to Lucinda 
Manning, who was born Jan. 29, 1812, to John 
and Sophia (Cogswell) Manning. They have 



had five children — Fannie, born Jan. 11, 1828, 
married Jan. 24, 1847, to Orson Moore, and 
died Jan. 19, 1875; Orpha, born Dec. 27, 
1829, married, July 1, 1852, to John Meredith, 
a resident of Bath; Harriet, born Sept. 21, 
1833, married Sept. 2, 1852, to N. C. Minor, 
a resident of Johnson's Corners; William, 
born Dec. 27, 1835, married, Oct. 6, 1859, to 
Rosetta Bunker, who died Oct. 23, 1872; he 
re-married March 20, 1873, to Mary Ann 
Smith (McCune); Olive, born Sept. 1, 1839, 
married, Nov. 10, 1859, to Charles Ingersoll. 
They have lived on their preseent homestead 
for forty- four years, clearing up all the land 
and making progress with the times. Mr. 
Root was, in his you.nger days, an expert with 
the rifle, having at one shot killed two deer, 
and on several occasions two tmrkeys; he has 
been an honest and industrious farmer all his 
days, and, with his noble wife, is a member of 
the M. E. Chui-ch. 

FRANKLIN E. RENINGER, farmer; P. 
O. Akron; is a son of Solomon Reninger, 
deceased, born Sept. 26, 1830, in the State of 
Pennsylvania, and came to Coventry in the 
spring of 1831, he a son of John and Mary 
(Spotts) Reninger. Mr. Reninger was a man 
of many pleasing characteristics, and his 
death, which occm'red April 1, 1870, after 
nearly fifty years of life among the people of 
Coventry, was greatly lamented by the people 
of many years' acquaintance. His wife, who 
is still living, is Lovina Kepler (see sketch of 
Kepler family). Franklin was born July 10, 
1855; being second son of a large family, 
his educational advantages were limited ; how- 
ever, he has taken an active part in the differ- 
ent enterprises of the township. He was mar- 
ried, June 22, 1874, to Catharine Ries, born 
May 25, 1858, to Henry, a son of Nicholas 
Ries, who were natives of Hesse-Cassel, near 
Unter-Haun, Germany; he came to America 
in 1845, in his 17th year. Her mother was 
Elizabeth Brehm, daughter of Conrad and 
Elizabeth (Karr) Brehm, natives of Bavaria, 
Germany; she came to this country in 1846, 
in her 14th year. By this mamage there 
were three childi*en born — Lizzie, Dec. 18, 
1875; Clara, Oct. 5, 1879; and one who died 
in infancy. IVIr. Reninger carries on gene- 
ral farming and stock-raising ; is a member of 



"r>" 



890 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



the Coventry Center Cornet Band, and Clerk 
of School Board, taking a lively interest in 
the advancement of education. 

SAMUEL STEFFEE, farmer; P. O. Sum- 
mit: was born Jan. 2, 1819, to Adam, a son of 
Leonard Steftee who were natives of Hunting- 
don Co., Penn., where they resided, and were 
engaged as tillers of the soil. The father of 
oTir subject died in 1878, in his 84th year. 
Samuel's mother was Sally Stroup, daughter 
of Adam and Eve Stroup, who were also 
natives of the State of Pennsylvania. He ob- 
tained his education, which is moderate, by 
carefully utilizing the spare moments which 
he had from labor, the whole time that he 
spent in school being but one-half day, his 
father having moved into Venango Co. as one 
among the first settlers, and when the schools 
were more than five miles distant. He as- 
sisted his father on the farm until about 21 
years of age, when he engaged at the charcoal 
works, at which employment he was engaged 
nearly thirty years. He was married about 
1844, to Margery Allen, daughter of Gen. 
George Allen, who was one of seven brothers 
engaged in the war of 1812, but returned 
home at the close of the war, having 
passed safely through many hair- breadth 
escapes with the Indians. By this mar- 
riage there were seven children, four of 
whom are living — Thomas, Louisa, Narcissa 
and Samuel. The three oldest are married 
and living — Thomas, in Coventry Town- 
ship; Louisa, wife of Charles Carpenter, 
in Portage Township; Narcissa, wife of John 
Nichols, a farmer in Copley; Samuel, at 
home. His second marriage was to Sarah 
Jane Manross (Manson), daughter of George 
and Sarah (Burdick) Manross, who were 
natives of York State; she, by her first mar- 
riage, had five children — Louis, Robert, Eu 
phemia, Mary T. and George Washington, all 
living, the four oldest married; by her mar- 
riage to Mr. Steffee she has two children — 
Jesse and Elmira. Jesse Manross, who was a 
relative or Mrs. Steffee's, was also engaged in 
the war or 1812, and captured by the Indians, 
with whom he lived a short time, sharing the 
life of a prisoner with other comrades among 
the Indians, but finally made a very narrow 
escape. Mr. Steffee came to Coventry in the 



spring of 1865, where he has since been a 
prominent Kepublican and grain-raiser, also 
taking part in all the different enterprises of 
his township. 

AUSTIN A. SPICER, fcU-mer and coal- 
dealer; P. O. Akt'on; son of Avery Spicer, 
whose history appears in the part devoted to 
the city of Akron; was bom Feb. 27, 1834, 
and spent his early years in securing a good 
common-school education sufficient to qualify 
him for teaching, which he engaged in while 
traveling tlu"0Ugh the States of Michigan and 
Illinois in the year 1855, and a part of 1856. 
In the year 1857, March 19, he was married 
to Julia A. Lantz, born Nov. 22, 1835, to 
Jacob and Elizabeth (Albert) Lantz, the 
mother being a native of Hagerstown, Md., 
the father of the State of New Jersey, but 
among the early settlers in the southern part 
of Springfield Township, this county. They 
have foTir children — Julia Mav, born July 5, 

1859, and died Sept. 15, 1860; ' Ernest, Albert 
K., Lizzie Beatrice. Mr. Spicer, in the year 

1860, went to California, where he intended 
making his futm'e home, and engaged in min- 
ing for a time, but, on account of the death of 
his daughter, he returned to Coventry and 
engaged in the stock business and farming. 
Since 1875, he has been engaged in the coal 
business, mining fi'om his own fann, and in 
running a coal- dock in the city of Akron, where 
he is now doing business. Mrs. Spicer has 
an old German Bible, printed in 1727, and 
handed down to her fi'om her great-grand- 
mother; also several other relics of antiquity. 

ELIAS L. THORNTON, farmer; P. O. 
Akron; son of David Thornton, who came 
from the land of his nativity, Snyder Co., 
Penn., to Coventry Township in 1836, his 
father, Jolin Thornton, following in 1839. 
Elias, the subject of this sketch, was born 
April 25, 1850, on the fai'm where he now re- 
sides, receiving, in his eai'lier life, a very lim- 
ited education, on account of not being able 
to iinderstand the English language, so that 
the success with which he has met is due to 
his own energy and business tact. In about 
the year 1 870, he began ranning a restaurant, 
belonging to his father, in the city of Aki-on, 
in which business he continued about two 
years, the latter half of the second yeai" for 



^ (■ 



hL 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



891 



himself, having purchased the business of 
his father, who died April 23, 1874, since 
which time Elias has had charge of the large 
farm contained in the old homestead, in addi- 
tion to a 53-acre lot adjoining, which he pur- 
chased a few years ago. He has, also, in con- 
nection with his large farming interests, em- 
ployed men as blacksmiths and harness-mak- 
ers in shops on his own farm, and extensively 
engaged in the lumber business, furnishing 
from his own land timbers fc-r the different 
coal mines in Coventry Township, and, in 
partnership with the Swartz brothers, pur- 
chased several acres of timber land near Man- 
chester, Franklin Township, which was fur- 
nished in ties to the railroad company. In 
the early part of the centennial decade, he en- 
tered into partnership with the Motz brothers, 
at Uniontown, in the tannery business, which 



they continued for about two years, when they 
sold the stock and retired from the business, 
retaining the real estate, which they hold 
jointly at the present time. He has charge, 
on the old homestead, of one of the finest 
pleasure-grounds in Summit Co., it being 
finely located on the reservoir, where can be 
found the best of boating and fishing, and 
having every modern convenience, makes it a 
most popular summer resort. He is now 
building a store-room on his farm adjoining 
the mines, for the pvu'pose of supplying the 
farmers and mining trade. He was married, 
Sept. 7, 1S75, to Alice Stahl, daughter of 
Benjamin and Catharine (Sholley) Stahl, 
formerly of the city of Akron. They had 
three children; two are living — Dora Belle 
and Grace Leona. 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



HIEAM Y. BRONSON ; Peninsula ; is a 
son of Harmon and Molly (Hickox) Bron- 
&on, who were natives of Wateibury. Conn. 
Harmon was born Dec. 18, 1774 ; his wife Dec. 

17, 1777. They were united in marriage Dee. 

18, 1795, and, with his father's famil}-, came to 
Ohio in 1809. Harmon settled in Cleveland 
with his famil}', wbile his father went on to 
Cohimbia, Lorain Co., where he resided until 
his death in 1816. Harmon Bronson was by 
trade a carpenter, and was occupied in this 
business during his residence in Cleveland, the 
place at that time scarcely meriting the name 
of village. Upon the breaking-out of the war 
of 1812, he sent his wife and family to Connec- 
ticut, but the}' only reached a town in New 
York State, however, when their money was 
exhausted, and she remained there all winter, 
working in a hotel ; and, at the close of the war, 
she took a presented opportunity to ride back 
to Cleveland in a lumber wagon. In 1815, 
Harmon removed to Lorain County, where he 
engaged in farming, remaining there until 1821, 
and then returned to Cleveland. He remained 
there but a short time, however, moving to 
Boston Township and locating at Peninsula, 
where the remainder of his days were passed. 
He became a large land-owner, and was largely 



interested in developing the business interests 
of the township. He erected the first saw and 
grist mill at that place, which he successfully 
conducted for some 3'ears. His death occurred 
upon the anniversary^ of his birth and mar- 
riage, Dec. 18, 1853. His wife died Feb. 18. 
1858. Hiram Y. Bronson was born in Cleve- 
land in 1811, and came with his parents to 
Peninsula in 1824, where he has since resided. 
Upon the death of his father, he succeeded him 
in his milling and various enterprises. He has 
been an active participant in all public enter- 
prises ; has striven to promote all measures 
conducing to the best interests of the com- 
munit}', and has been instrumental in securing 
for Peninsula such advantages as will last as 
long as does the community. He has served 
as Justice of the Peace, and as Assistant T'nited 
States Internal Revenue Collector for four years, 
and as Postmaster for eight years. He is now 
pleasantly situated, retired from active life, but 
alwa3s finds time to lend a helping hand to 
an}' enterprise which tends to promote the wel- 
fare of the community with which he has been 
so long identified. To the fund of reminis- 
cences and historical facts which he has gath- 
ered during his life of nearly 7(1 3'ears, the 
historian of Boston Township is chiefly in- 



j^ 



Al, 



892 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



debted for the material of his sketch. Mr. 
Bronson was united in marriage, in 1835, to 
Miss Ruth L. Ranney, a native of Ohio, and 
daughter to Comfort and Betsey (Hubbard) 
Ranney, pioneers of Boston Township, a more 
complete sketch of whom will be found else- 
where in this department. Of the children 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Bronson, Lucy, born May 
1, 1838, married P. H. Dudley, C. E., Dec. 12, 
1871. Mr. Dudley is the inventor of the " dyna- 
graph " — a car so constructed that by passing 
over a road he can give an accurate chart, 
showing its exact condition as to the rail, road- 
bed, natui-al resistance, speed, amount of coal 
and water used by engine, grade, etc. This is 
one of the most intricate and valuable inven- 
tions of modern times. Mr. Dudley's first car 
was constructed for the Victorian Grovernment 
for the railways of Australia. He is now con- 
stantly employed in examining the railroads of 
this country, and can be found most of the 
time with his family in his car, which is fitted 
out with elegant appointments. Mr. Dudley is 
also the inventor of an electric clock, which is 
making a sensation in scientific circles. Emily 
v., born May 7, 1843. was married to Hon. A. 
L. Conger, of Akron, Nov. 1, 1864. Mr. Conger 
is one of Akron's most prominent citizens, of 
whom an extended sketch will be found else- 
where in this work. Harmon, born Aug. 15, 
1846, has traveled extensively, and is a prom- 
ising young business man, at present living in 
Philadelphia, engaged in business connected 
with the electric clock of Mr. Dudley's inven- 
tion. 

FREDERICK. N BOIES, retired farmer, 
Peninsula. Perhaps none of the older settlers 
of the township have passed through such a 
varied and interesting career as the subject of 
this sketch. He was born in New Hampshire 
in 1800, and remained with his father, who was 
a farmer, until he was 17 years of age, when he 
engaged in lumbering upon the St. Croix River 
for three years. He then returned home, and 
for a year engaged in the mercantile trade, after- 
ward in the stock business, and finally in lum- 
bering, which he continued for four years, and 
then, after a few months, devoted to various 
occupations, he went to Portland, Conn., and 
farmed three years. While there, he was mar- 
ried to Miss Elizabeth Lewis, who was born in 
1805. They were married Jan. 5, 1830. After 
his marriage, Mr. B. was boss teamster in the 



famous freestone quarries of Portland for three 
years. In the fall of 1834, he removed with his 
family to Ohio, and bought a piece of land in 
Northampton Township, remaining there three 
years, when he removed to Stow Township, and 
started a blacksmith-shop, which he conducted 
for some time, bis family enjoying the superior 
school advantages of that township. He traded 
his shop, after a time, for 80 acres of land, upon 
which he remained one year, and then bought 
and located upon 110 acres of land in Boston 
Township. In 1849, he went to California, l)ut 
returned in about one year, and resumed farm- 
ing and dairying. One day, while milking, he 
was stricken with paralysis, from which be par- 
tially recovered, and, exposing himself, caught 
cold, which resulted in the loss of bis eyesight. 
Since June, 1876. he has not been able to see a 
ray of light. Mentally, Mr. Boies is as vigorous 
as he was in his prime, and relates, with minute 
dates, interesting reminiscences of the former 
days of his busy life. Himself and wife are 
members of the Episcopal Church, in which be 
is Senior Warden. They are now living in Pe- 
ninsula, and enjoj^ the satisfaction of having 
raised a worth}- family of children, viz., Mrs. 
Ann L. Cole, Peninsula, Ohio ; Mrs. Mary Wor- 
thington, who died in Connecticut ; Chai'les E., 
Fred W., Mrs. Effie A. Worthington, of Portland, 
Conn., and Helen, who died at the age of 14, in 
Boston Township. 

CHARLES E. BOIES is a young and promis- 
ing business man of Peninsula. He was born in 
Stow Township, in 1840. At about the age of 
15, he went to Connecticut, from which place he 
took passage upon a coasting vessel. In Au- 
gust, 1862, be enlisted in the 20th Conn. V. I., 
and was in active service during all the rebellion, 
after wliich he again went to sea for a year. In 
the fall of 1867, he came to Peninsula, and 
started a meat market, after which he engaged 
upon the canal a year ; and, in 1872, went into 
partnership with bis brother, F. W. Boies, who 
was engaged in milling at Peninsula, which 
business they operated together until January, 
1880, when be sold out to bis brother, who 
afterward disposed of the business to George 
Thomas & Son, with whom Mr. Boies is now 
engaged. He was married, in 1868, to Miss 
Alice A. Warburton, of Northampton Townsbip. 
They have two children — Edith M. and E. Rice. 
Charles is now serving as Township Trustee, 
and as a member of the Council, and has served 



"7]< 



-^ 



BOSTOI^ TOWNSHIP. 



893 



as Constable two terms. He is a member of 
Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 266, A., F. & A. M. of 
Richfield. 

FRED W. BOIES was born in Stow Township, 
Sept. 17, 1842, and, until 21 years of age, was 
an assistant upon his father's farm. In 1862, 
he enlisted in the 115th 0. V. I., and served for 
three years in all the engagements of his regi- 
ment. Upon his return to his home, he engaged 
in business upon the canal, and followed boat- 
ing for himself six j-ears, at the expiration of 
which time he engaged at farming for two years, 
and then, with his brother Charles, followed 
milling, at which he devoted his time exclusively 
up to February, 1881, when he sold out to 
George Thomas & Son. He is a young man, 
possessing good business qualifications, and 
will succeed at whatever he undertakes. 

FRANK BUTLER, farmer ; P. 0. Penin- 
sula ; is a young and extensive farmer of the 
township. His parents are Thomas and Catha- 
rine (Brennan) Butler, both of whom are natives 
of Ireland. The}' emigrated to America, and 
subsequently settled, in 1849, upon the farm 
which Frank now owns. Frank was born in 
Northampton Township, in 1851, but has re 
sided in Boston Township since the removal of 
his parents there, being engaged in farming and 
lumbering. He now owns 280 acres of land, 
which he previously shared in partnership with 
his brother John. He has improved the place 
with buildings, and has the farm under good 
cultivation. He is an industrious and deserv- 
ing yonng man, and is highly respected by his 
fellow townsmen. John Butler was born in 
Northampton, in 1848, and has been farming 
for the greater portion of his life. His health 
is such that he goes to the Southern States to 
spend the winter months, but tlie remainder of 
the time is identified with Boston Township as 
one of its most respected inhabitants. 

EDWARD BLAKESLEY, retired farmer; 
Peninsula ; is a son of Edward and Rhoda (Dag- 
gett) Blakesley. His father was a native of 
Hartford, Conn.; his mother, of Schenectady, N. 
Y., where they were married. They emigrated 
to Ohio, in 1835, locating in Richfield Town- 
ship, where they resided for many years. His 
father was an extensive land-owner, owning 
land in Hinckley, Granger, Royalton and Brecks- 
ville Townships. He died, Jan. 14, 1876, in 
Ro3'alton. His mother died at his home in 
Peninsula, Feb. 11, 1879, at the advanced age 



of 92 years. The subject of this sketch was 
born in Onondaga town and count}', Jan. 11, 
1815, and has been engaged in agricultural 
pursuits his entire life. He commenced farm- 
ing for himself in Richfield Township, remain- 
ing there nearl}' nine 3'ears ; from there he re- 
moved to Boston Township, where he has since 
resided. He has now disposed of his land, and 
is living in retirement in Peninsula. He is 
naturall}' endowed with a genial and liberal 
spirit, and is a respected and progressive citizen. 
Mr. Blakesley was married to Miss Ellen Robin- 
son, of Richfield, in 1844 ; they had three 
children, but one of whom is now living — Ellen 
Tate. His wife died Feb. 14, 1857. July 5, 
1879, he was married to a second wife, Mrs. 
Betsev McBride, widow of John McBride. 

JOHN CONGER (deceased). Job and Roby 
(Potter) Conger, were married in Vermont, and 
settled upon his father's farm, at St. Albans. 
He was one of eleven children, all of whom 
were Methodists and took a great interest in 
the church. His father is believed to have 
been the progenitor of all of the name in the 
LTnited States. He was a native of New York, 
and she of Vermont. To them was born, at 
St. Albans, Vt., the subject of this sketch — 
John Conger — in September, 1805, who, as 
soon as he became old enough, worked upon 
the farm at home, and, they having a brick- 
yard, he learned to manufacture brick. He was 
married to Hannah Reals, a daughter of Enoch 
and Hannah (Hurlburt) Beals, she being a na- 
tive of Massachusetts. Her father was a farmer, 
and lived a mile and a half from St. xilbans, at 
which place he and his wife lived and died. Of 
their daughters, but one other than Mrs. Con- 
ger survives ; her name is Mar}' Ann Beals, 
and her home near Avon, in Wisconsin. Mrs. 
John Conger was born in Massachusetts, in 
1805. After her marriage with Mr. Conger, 
they remained in St. Albans five years, where 
he was employed on the farm and in the brick- 
yard. In 1833, he came to Ohio, and for one 
season clerked at Cleveland for one Ira Jewell, 
when he was' joined by his family, wliich then 
consisted of his wife and two children — Sidney 
P. and George S., an infant, who died when 
3 years of age. Subsequently, they moved to 
Boston, Ohio, where, in company with one Silas 
Eaton, he established a yard for the manufacture 
of brick, at which occupation they continued 
for some time. In 1844, Mr. Conger went into 



:^ 



3 L>^ 



804 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



partnership with one Erastus Jackson, with 
whom he was associated until the time of his 
deatli, and wiio was, from tlie date of their co- 
partnersliip, his fast friend. Seven children 
were born to him, viz., Sidney P., Sandford L., 
George S., John C., Arthur L., and Lucy Cole, 
wife of Dr. A. M. Cole, of Peninsula. He was 
Postmaster under Polk and Pierce ; was also 
Constable. Trustee, and frequently called upon 
in settlement of estates and arbitration of dif- 
ferences between parties. He was Captain of 
Artiller3', in Vermont, and was deeply interested 
in the militia service in his adopted State. He 
died Nov. 30, 1 853. 

SIDNEY P. CONGER, deceased ; was born 
in Vermont in 1829, and came with his parents 
when the}' removed to Boston Township, where 
his early life was passed. He was married 
Nov. 6, 1853, to Miss Bridget I. Codey, of Bos- 
ton Township ; she died in Januarv 1861, leav- 
ing two children — Lucy Jeanette Warburton, 
living in Peninsula, and Sidney John, a resi- 
dent of Akron. He married a second wife,. 
Miss Rose Mcllwain, of Boston Townsliip, 
April 10, 1862. Mr. Conger was a prominent 
business man of the township, engaged in vari- 
ous enterprises. He was engaged in the man- 
ufacture of brick for a number of years, and 
also owned 180 acres of land which he operat- 
ed, making a specialty of dairying. He served 
one term as County Commissioner, and held 
various township offices of trust. He was a 
member of Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 266, A., F. 
& A. M. His death occurred in August, 1874, 
in his life's prime, and was a severe blow to 
the business interests of Boston. Mrs. Conger 
is living in Boston Village ; she has three chil- 
dren living — George C, Mary Belle and Allie 
Blanche. 

JOHN C. CONGER, farmer ; P. O. Penin- 
sula ; was born in Boston Township in 1835. 
His early days were passed engaged in home 
duties, receiving a good district-school educa- 
tion. He first left home and was gone one 
season with Lieut. Reynolds upon a topo- 
graphical surve}' of the lakes. Returning to 
Boston Township, he engaged at farming and 
brick-making until the breaking-out of the 
war, when he enlisted Aug. 16, 1861, in Co. A. 
2d 0. V. C, and was in active service until 
April 8, 1863. He returned to Boston Town- 
ship and engaged in farming, at which he has 
continued up to the present time. He has 135 



acres of land, commandingl}- located a short 
distance from Peninsula, and well improved. 
As a citizen, Mr. Conger ranks as one of the 
most intelligent and honorable. He was mar- 
ried in September 1867, to Miss Eunice M. 
Stillman, who was born in Rhode Island in 
1844. The}' have been blessed with five chil- 
dren—Fanny S., Luen J., Elmer B., Pamela 
P. and Mary G. Mr. Conger has served as 
Township Clerk and is a member of Meridian 
Sun Lodge, No. 266, and of Summit Chapter of 
Twinsburg A., F. '& A. M. 

A. M. COLE, merchant. Peninsula ; is 
a son of Edmund H. and Ann L. (Boies) 
Cole. Edmund H. Cole was born in Niagara 
Co., N. Y., in 1824, and came with his parents 
to Ohio at the age of 8 years. His ventures 
for himself commenced at an early age, first 
engaging in school-teaching, and then buying 
and shipping stock. In 1856, he commenced 
his mercantile career, at which he continued 
until his death. He first associated himself 
with F. & T. Wood, under the firm name of 
Wood, Cole & Co., continuing until 1863, when 
he bought out his partners and continued in 
business alone in the same localit}', which he 
carried on until his death, Jan. 11, 1876. He 
was a man prominent in all objects of charity, 
enterprising in all movements tending to the 
growth, the advantages and welfare of the com- 
munity, foremost in educational and township 
affairs, and taking a leading interest in agri- 
cultural fairs, serving as Marshal at the fairs 
in Akron each year. Throughout the excite- 
ment prevalent during the war, he was found 
most loyal and patriotic, aiding with all the 
means within his power to protect and save 
the Union. He opened in 1868, the stone 
quarry south of the town to give employment 
to laboring men, and was one of the incor- 
porators of the Put-in-Bay Grape and Wine 
Co., which he was successfully connected with 
for several years. His death was a severe loss 
to the business interests of Peninsula and vi- 
cinity. He was married in 1848, to Miss Ann 
L. Boies, daughter of Frederick N. Boies, of 
Peninsula. Mrs. Cole is living in Peninsula, 
educating her younger children. Four chil- 
dren now living were the result of this mar- 
riage—A. M., H. W., Nellie and Fred. 

Dr. a. M. Cole was born in Everett, July 6, 
1850. His education was common school and 
Commercial College. For several years he was 



*:^. 



'K. 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



895 



assistant in his father's store. He then entered 
upon the study and practice of medicine. He 
commenced his studies in the office of Dr. 
Morton, of Peninsula, and finished with Dr. 
Pixley, who was at that time in practice 
at Cleveland. He graduated in the IMed- 
ical Department of Wooster University, of 
Cleveland, in 1873-74 ; attended two courses 
of lectures in Cleveland, and one course at the 
College of Physicians and Surgeons of New 
York. He then returned to Peninsula and was 
urged to remain there by his father, who was 
in ill health. He practiced there two years, 
the last year in company with Dr. Pixley. 
Upon the death of his father, he entered upon 
a mercantile career, at which he is now engaged. 
In 1879, in company with his brother, H. W. 
Cole, who conducted the business there^ he 
opened a store in Deerfield, Portage Co., which 
was carried on to a successful termination, by 
the disposal of the stock. His brother then 
came to Peninsula and entered into partner- 
ship with him under the firm name of Dr. A. 
M. Cole & Bro. They carry a large and well- 
selected stock of dry goods, groceries, drugs, 
medicines, etc., and have built up a large and 
still increasing trade. Dr. Cole, although not 
in active practice, has an office in his store, and 
does a good office business. He is a prominent 
Mason, and takes a leading interest in all the 
political issues of the day. He has served as 
School Director two years, and has been Treas- 
urer of the School Fund for three years. He 
is an advocate of temperance, and is ready to 
aid any movement for the advancement of the 
business, social and intellectual good of the 
community. He is a director and one of the 
principal ownei's of the ■' Tri-Union Telegraph 
Co.," which runs from Chagrin Falls to Medina, 
and which is a good paying investment. Mr. 
Cole was united in marriage in 1876, to Mrs. 
Luc}' J. Truscott, of Cleveland, a widow with 
two children — Harr}' and Jessie. Mr. and Mrs. 
Cole have one child — Sam. 

H. W. Cole was born in Peninsula in 1857, 
received a good education, and for some time 
acted as a commercial traveler from Cleveland. 
He is now the junior partner of the firm, and 
brings to the business good commercial at- 
tributes. 

H. H. CASSIDY, grocer. Peninsula ; was 
born in Boston Township in 1850. His par- 
ents are Patrick and Margaret Cassid}^, who 



located in the township in 1820, where they 
still reside. Our subject started out in life for 
himself at the age of 18 ; he sold osage- 
orange hedge for two years, and then engaged 
in the lightning-rod business for five years. 
He next engaged at farming for two years, and 
still owns, with his brother James, a farm of 
170 acres in the township. In December, 1880, 
he in connection with John Ilusseil opened a 
grocery store in Peninsula, and are now en- 
gaged in trade there under the firm name of 
Cassidy & Russell. Mr. Cassidy also owns 
and is operating a saw-mill in the village. He 
is now serving the third year as Township 
Trustee, and is a pushing and enterprising 
business man. He was married in 1877, to 
Miss Anna Cody, of Boston Township. They 
have one child — Archimedes. 

ANDREW R. CASSIDY, hotel. Peninsula; 
was born in Boston Township in 1844, and is a 
sou of Patrick and Margaret Cassidy ; he at- 
tended school until he became 16 years of age, 
after which he engaged for several years in 
teaching — in all about eighteen terms — in dif- 
ferent portions of the county ; in 1866, he 
started for the West and was gone about eight 
months, visiting many different localities ; upon 
his return home, he taught school one term in 
Hudson ; he then engaged in farming in Boston 
Township, at which he continued about seven 
years, still owning the farm ; in 1875, he rented 
the hotel where he is now living, in Peninsula, 
and, in 1878, bought the property, which he has 
carried on up to the present time, but devoting 
most of his time to cheese and butter making, 
at which he has been largely engaged for the 
past five years ; he owns one factory and rents 
two others, and, during the season of about 
eight months yearly, makes upon an average 
1,700 pounds of cheese and 250 pounds of but- 
ter daily ; two of these factories are located in 
Boston, and one in Richfield Township. Mr 
Cassidy has served the township as Assessor 
for seven years, as Township Clerk for three 
years, and the past year as Real Estate Asses- 
sor. He was married in 1869, to Miss Agnes 
Doherty, of Cleveland ; they have three chil- 
dren — Grace E., Helen M. and Andrew H. 

CHARLES FISH, farmer; P. 0. Boston. 
The Fish brothers, Charles and Buel, own 362 
acres of land in Boston Township, which they 
are rapidly clearing and improving ; at the 
time of its purchase, a few years ago, it was 



^ ^ 

TT^ 



896 



BJOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



covered with underbrush and timber ; now they 
have over 50 acres in a good state of cultiva- 
tion, and, being young and industrious men, 
they will in a few years have a large portion in 
cleared and fertile fields. Charles was born 
in Cuyahoga Co. in 1842 ; he was married to 
Miss Mary Campbell in 1865 ; they have two 
children — Willis and Millie. Charles has asso- 
ciated with him in his farming enterprise, a 
cousin — Deming B. Pish — who was born in Cuy- 
ahoga Co. in 1846, and is an enterprising and 
industrious 3'oung man. Buel Fish was born 
in Cuyahoga Co. in 1847 ; he was united in 
marriage, in 1868, to Miss Lela HoUister, of 
Cu3-ahoga Co.; they have two children — Nellie 
and Lida. Charles and Deming were both vol- 
unteers in the late war, serving long and faith- 
fully in the defense of their country ; Charles was 
a member of the 7th Ky. V. C, and served over 
three years ; Deming was a member of the 52d 
0. V. I., and also served three years, during 
which time he was once a prisoner for five 

WGGks 

A. W. HANCOCK, farmer ; P. (3. Peninsula ; 
was born in Massachusetts in 1832, and came 
to Ohio with his parents, who settled in Rich- 
field Township, their sketch appearing in that 
township history. He passed his early days 
upon the farm until he became 20 years old, 
when he engaged in various occupations — 
farming, droving, etc., until 1857, when he was 
married to Miss L^dia M. Humphrey, who 
is a daughter of Isaiah and Almira (Waite) 
Humphrey ; her father was born in Connecticut 
in 1807 ; her mother in Massachusetts in 1809. 
Her father came with his parents to Twinsburg 
at an early day. He was a lawyer bj' profes- 
sion, and, after his mari'iage, resided a number 
of years in Twinsburg, engaged at his profes- 
sion, subsequently removing to Boston Town- 
ship, where he bought a farm, dividing his time 
between the two vocations. He died in 1877 ; 
her mother is still living in the township, upon 
her fiirm. After his marriage, Mr. H. worked 
upon his father-in-law's farm for two years, and 
then enlisted in the 64th 0. V. I., Co. G. He 
was in active service all through the war, and 
rose from a private, through all the different 
grades of merit, to that of Major, as which he 
was mustered out in 1865 ; his regiment par- 
ticipated in a great many severe battles — Stone 
River, Chickamauga, Pittsburg Landing, Nash- 
ville, and the siege of Atlanta being the most 



memorable. Through them all he passed, and 
only received a slight wound in the leg at 
Chickamauga. Our space forbids an extended 
notice of his military career, and suffice it to 
say that his duty to his country was performed 
most honorably. After his return home he 
removed to Cleveland, where, for four years, he 
was engaged in training horses upon the Cleve- 
land Driving Park. He then entered the em- 
ploy of the American Express Company as 
messenger, and had the route from Cleveland 
j to Erie for a short time, after which he acted as 
their agent at Vernon, Ohio ; from there going 
to Mansfield, being the messenger from thereto 
Toledo for two years, and from Cleveland to 
Columbus four years. In 1877, he returned to 
Boston Township, where he has since resided, 
engaging in farming. Mr. and Mrs. Hancock 
have two children — Sylvia E. and Harry H. 

ERASTUS JACKSON ; James Jackson, 
a native of New York, was born near 
King's Bridge, now New York City, and, in A. 
D. 1800, he went to (then) Hollwell, C. W., 
where, eight ^^ears after, he married one Celia 
Whitney, who was visiting her sister, a Mrs. 
Palmer, at that place. Miss Whitney was a 
native of Litchfield Co., Conn. Her mother 
was a near neighbor and acquaintance of Israel 
Putnam, and, previous to her death, could re- 
member many events which have since become 
matter of history. Two years after the mar- 
riage of Mr. Jackson and Miss Whitney, they 
moved to New York State, settling where 
Brockpoi't, N. Y., now is. The same year, 1810, 
the subject of these lines was born to them. 
Mrs. Whitney Jackson died in 1827, leaving 
eight children, of whom Mrs. Milina McBride, 
of Summit Co., Ohio, is the only one living ex- 
cept our subject. James Jackson, of Kalama- 
zoo, Mich., Mrs. E. Gardner and Willett Jackson, 
Brockport, N. Y., are now living. Mr. E. Jack- 
son passed his minority on the farm. In 1832, 
he started Westward for the purpose of paying 
a visit to his aunt, Mrs. Palmer, who had moved 
to Marietta, Ohio, stopping on his way at Bos- 
ton, Ohio, where he clerked in a grocer}^ one 
summer ; the ravages of cholei'a, and the con- 
sequent stagnation of business, inducing him to 
discontinue the clerkship, when he made the 
visit to jNIarietta, and returned to his native 
State, where, the following winter, he began 
school-teaching, which, in connection with other 
vocations, he followed until 1837, when he re- 



^ 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



897 



turned to Boston. At the '' Lock " in Boston, 
be clerked in a grocery, teaching school the 
first winter, and the following spring he went 
into business at that place for himself, continu- 
ing for four years, when he started a furnace at 
the same place, which now is existent at Hinck- 
le}' ; he conducted its business about two 3'ears, 
when, in 1844, in partnership with Mr. John 
Conger, he went into the brick business. They 
manufactured the bricks for all the first brick 
buildings of Akron, man}' of which are stand- 
ing, and among which may be mentioned 
the Empire House, P. D. Hall's, Baldwin's, 
Exchange, Gardner & Hanscome's, M. W. 
Haney, William Upson's, and Perkins & 
Cumming's Block. During their partnership, 
they invested their mone}' in land — some of 
their purchases being 169 acres, for which they 
paid in bricks, which the}' sent to Cleveland, 
134 acres of Sheldon C. Leavitt, where the Con- 
ger homestead now is ; McBride's farm of 150 
acres, and 409 acres from the C, C, C. & I. R. R. 
Co., west of Boston Village, Ohio. By putting 
their money directly into land they made a sure, 
steady progress toward affluence. His partner, 
Mr. Conger, died on Nov. 30, 1853, and, for two 
years, he conducted the business in partnership 
with the sons of the deceased, at the end of 
which time he withdrew and commenced farm- 
ing, which occupation he has since followed. 
Commencing in life as a poor clerk he has 
grown to be one of the wealthiest land-owners 
in the township, and his success is due to his 
own energy, and perseverance. He has served 
as Justice of the Peace for about twelve years, 
as Township Clerk five years, and, for some time, 
as Township Treasurer. He was Postmaster of 
Boston from 1848 to 1852, and is present Post- 
master of Peninsula, having held the position 
since Hayes' administration. On June, 1854, 
he was married to Mrs. Conger, widow of his 
former partner. 

HENRY KERST, coal dealer, Peninsula; 
was born in Germany in 1840 ; his parents 
emigrated to x\merica in 1854, and first settled 
in Cleveland, remaining their one 3'ear, and in 
1855, removed to Boston Township, remaining 
there until their deaths. Henry began life as 
a boatman upon the canal, and finally, in 
partnership with another gentleman, bought a 
boat and began business for himself; he sub- 
sequently disposed of his share of the boat 
and bought one alone, continuing in that 



business for a number of years ; he began his 
coal operations b}' bringing up a boat load in 
the fall and selling it during the winter : in 
1880, he disposed of his boat, and started a 
coal-yard in Peninsula, at which he is now en- 
gaged. He was married Dec. 25, 1879, to Mrs. 
Esther Noah, of Boston ; she has two children 
— Andrew and George. Mr. Kerst is a popular 
and deserving citizen with progi'essive business 
habits ; he is a member of Hudson Lodge, No. 
510, A., F. & A. M. 

LEWIS LEMOIN, station agent Valley 
R. R., Peninsula ; is a son of Benjamin and 
Priscilla (Pray) Lemoin ; his father was a na- 
tive of Massachusetts, and his mother of Con- 
necticut. The}' were married in Pittsfield, 
Mass., in 1821, and in 1827, they emigrated to 
Ohio, locating first in Medina Co., but only re- 
mained there one year, when the}' removed to 
Massillon, where for ten years he was engaged 
in the tailor and clothier business with Charles 
Skinner ; about 1838, he reihoved to Akron, 
and worked at the trade, for Jacob Allen, for 
two years, when he removed to Brandywine, 
Northfield Township, when for eight years he 
was employed in a woolen-mill ; he has served 
as Justice of the Peace, as Township Trustee, 
and has always been prominent in educational 
affairs, and in all movements toward the ad- 
vancement of humanity. He is now living 
with his son at Macedonia, and is in the 87th 
year of his age. His wife died in the summer 
of 1876. Lewis was born in Pittsfield, Mass., 
Dec. 24, 1822 ; when 18 years old, he com- 
menced driving on the canal, and passed 
through the several gradations from driver to 
packet Captain, his experience in that line 
covering about twelve years ; he next became 
connected with the railroad business, and com- 
mencing at Cuyahoga Falls with the C. & Mt. 
V. R. R. Co. as switchman, going thence to 
Clinton as station agent, where he remained 
two years, and thence to Macedonia, where, 
with the C. & P. R. R. Co., he served seventeen 
years as station agent ; he was next employed 
two years at Columbus, as night watchman of 
tiie Treasury ; he is at present in the employ 
of the V. R. R. Co. as station agent for Boston 
and Peninsula. Mr. Lemoin was united in 
marriage, Feb. 28, 1853, to Miss Lucinda Post, 
daughter of Henry and Mary A. (Clark) Post, 
who were natives of Connecticut and pioneers 
of Boston Township. Mr. Post came to the 






<a_ 



898 



BIOGR APHICAI. SKETCHE.S : 



township in 1804, but shortly afterward re- 
turned to Connecticut and was married ; return- 
ing with his wife, he built the ftrst log cabin in 
the township, and cleared the first 10 acres of 
land ; he served through the war of 1812, his 
wife remaining in the township alone, sur- 
rounded by dangers of almost every description, 
as Indians and wild beasts were numerous ; 
however, she passed safel}' through all, and, 
with her husband, lived through the various 
changes of pioneer life to the days of modern 
improvements ; she died in October, 1859 ; her 
husband survived her several years ; he served 
as Justice of the Peace, and was a progi'essive 
and respected citizen ; he was finally killed by 
the cars, Jul}- 4, 1865, at Macedonia, while on 
a visit to his daughter. Mrs. Lemoin was born 
in Boston Township, Jan. 11, 1827. They have 
four children, viz. : Theodore, now station agent 
at Macedonia ; Lew D., S3dvia E. and Dollie 0. 
Mr. Lemoin served Northfield Township four 
years as clerk ; he is a prominent Mason, being 
a member of Hudson Lodge, No. 510, and 
Akron Commandery, No. 25 ; he is P. H. P. of 
Summit Chapter, and P. M. of Hudson Lodge. 

HIRAM LEE, farmer ; P. 0. Peninsula ; is 
a son of Hiram and Ann Lee, who came to 
Boston Township in 1861. Hiram has fol- 
lowed the occupation of a farmer from the age 
of 16 years up to the present writing, and is 
considered one of the best, most practical and 
most industrious farmers of the township. He 
was united in marriage in December, 1865, to 
Miss Elizabeth A. Gillsou, who is a daughter 
of John H. and Hannah (Schofield) Gillson. 
He was a native of England, his wife of New 
York. They were married in Ohio, and came 
to Boston Township in 1841. Mr. Gillson set- 
tled in the southern portion of the township, 
where he resided until his death, which oc- 
curred Feb. 1, 1877. His wife still resides 
upon the farm, which consists of 116 acres of 
finely located and well drained land, and is one 
of the best cultivated and improved farms in 
the township, being conducted by Mr. Lee. 
Mr. and Mrs. Lee have four children — Herbert 
G., Parker A., Corda 31. and Edwin H. He is 
one of the enterprising and progi'essive spirits 
of the township, and is a deserving and re- 
spectable citizen. 

VOLNEY MILLER, farmer; P. O. Hud- 
son ; is a son of Samuel and Sally (Ozmun) 
Miller. Samuel Miller was born in Orange 



Co., N. Y., and his wife in Tompkins Co., where 
they were married. Thej' were pioneers of 
Boston Township, locating there in 1810, upon 
the State road, where he purchased 150 acres 
of unimproved land, and where for some 3'ears 
the}' resided, their lives being replete with the 
toil and hardships to which the " advance 
guards " of the army of civilization are sub- 
ject. They next removed to Hudson Town- 
ship, disposing of part of his farming interests 
in Boston. Here he resided for twenty-five 
years, engaged in farming, and then removed 
to Michigan, where he died at the age of 77, 
his wife having died in Summit County many 
years previous. Volney is the only child of 
this union living. He was born in Boston 
Township July 20, 1811, and has been engaged 
in agricultural pursuits for the most of his 
life. He has, with the exception of three 
3^ears' residence in Hudson, lived at the old 
homestead, where his parents first settled. 
His property now consists of 314 acres of 
land, a good portion of which is improved. 
He has improved the farm since it came into 
his possession with a fine brick residence and 
in commodious outbuildings until it is a most 
desirable home. Mr. Miller has served the 
township as Trustee and Constable. In educa- 
tion and its interests, he has always been for- 
ward, and as a citizen is respected and trusted. 
He was united in marriage, June 4, 1835, to 
Miss Susan Thompson, a daughter of Abram 
Thompson, one of Hudson's first settlers, 
where she was born June 3, 1813. They have 
had two children — Louisa S., who died at 
home, and Virgil T., who resides with his par- 
ents upon the old homestead. He was mar- 
ried, July 3, 1862, to Miss Helen S. Danforth, 
of Hudson Township. She has borne him 
three children, viz., Millie L., Minnie M. and 
Ora V. 

D. McBRIDE, butcher. Peninsula ; is a son 
of James A. McBride. who was born in 
Youngstown, Ohio, in 1816. He came with 
his parents to Boston Township at an early 
day, and has been a resident there since. He 
began life by working out by the month, as the 
death of his father left a large family. He 
then worked on the canal about two 3'ears, and 
then started a groceiy at Boston with one Mr. 
E. Jackson, which they run for several years. 
He married, in 1842, Miss Melina Jackson, sis- 
ter of his partner. She was born in Brock- 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP 



fki^ 



port, N. Y., in 1818. Thej- are now living in 
Peninsula, where Mr. McBride is engaged in 
boat-building. D. McBride was born in Bos- 
ton Township in IS-IG. He first began life for 
himself as a butcher, in 1872, at Peninsula, 
where he has since successfully conducted the 
business. He runs a wagon through the coun- 
tr}' during the summer months. He erected a 
building in 1875, in Peninsula, which is one of 
the finest business buildings in the town. A 
lower storeroom he now rents to W. W. Whit- 
ing for stoves, hardware, etc, and occupies the 
upper room himself, which is admirably fur- 
nished, for his business. Mr. McBride has a fine 
commencement for a young man, all the result 
of his energy and business qualifications. He 
has been Corporation Marshal, and is at pres- 
ent serving as Councilman. He was united in 
marriage, in 1872, to Miss Lucy Fitts, daugh- 
ter of Roswell Fitts, an old and respectable 
citizen of the township. They have one child 
— Chrissie. 

JAMES A. McBRlDE, boat-builder, Penin- 
sula ; was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1816. 
He is a son of William and Agnes (Duncan) 
McBride, who were early residents of Boston 
Township, coming there about 1822. His 
father was by trade a millwright, and built, 
for the Wallace famil}', the Brandvwine grist 
and flouring mill, one of the pioneer industries 
of Summit Co. Wm. McBride died in Boston 
Township, about 1829 ; his wife lived to be 
about 65 years of age. James A. McBride has 
been a resident of Boston Township the greater 
part of his life, engaged in different occupa- 
tions, but has devoted the major part to boat- 
building and repairing. For several years, he 
was in partnership with Erastus Jackson, Esq., 
in the grocery trade, at Boston, and also em- 
barked in an edge-tool manufactor3", at Boston, 
for several years. He removed to Peninsula in 
1861, where he has since resided, and has been 
working at his trade. He was married to Miss 
Melina Jackson, sister of E. Jackson ; she is a 
native of Brockport, N. Y. The members of 
this family now living are Harriet, Mott, 
Duncan, James and John, all living in Boston 
Township. Mr. McBride has served as a mem- 
ber of the Corporation Council for two or three 
3'ears. His gi-andfather, James Duncan, a 
Presb3'terian clergyman, was one of the earliest 
writers against slavery, and was the author of a 
book which was published many years before 



the war, and awakened a great interest for the 

cause. 

O.J. MOTT, blacksmith. Peninsula; was born 
in Franklin, Portage Co., Ohio, in 1841. He 
commenced to learn the blacksmith's trade with 
L. Beei-s, at Peninsula, Ohio, when he was 16 
3ears of age. He remained with him for four 
years, at the expiration of which time he en- 
listed in the 2d 0. V. C, and was in the 
service for more than three years. Upon his 
return to Peninsula, he entered into partner- 
ship with his former employer, L. Beers, which 
continued for ten years. In 1875, he erected 
the large and commodious shop where he is 
now located, and where he is doing a lucrative 
and leading business. Mr. Mott is a skilled 
workman, and one of Peninsula's representative 
and honored men. He has served the town- 
ship as Treasurer for four years, and has been 
a member of the Corporation Council several 
times. He was married in 1868, to Miss Phoebe 
McArthur, who died in June, 1879, leaving 
four children — Arthur, Sylvia, Jessie and Le 
G-rand. He was united to a second wife. Miss 
Marv Lightfoot, in June, 1880. 

FRANKLIN OZMUN, farmer ; P. 0. Hud- 
son ; is a son of Isaac and Maria (Neumau) 
Ozmun. His father was born in Orange Co., 
N. Y., in 1785, and his mother in Pennsylvania, 
in 1787. They were married in Tompkins Co., 
N. Y., where they settled upon a farm, remain- 
ing four years, during which time Franklin was 
born, in 1807. In 1811, they emigrated to 
Ohio, and in October of that year located upon 
59 acres of timbered land (where subject now 
resides), and possessing, like most pioneers, in- 
dustrious habits, they became large land-own- 
ers, adding to their land until they possessed 
about 400 acres, which they divided among 
their children. He served the township as Trus- 
tee and as Justice of the Peace for twenty-one 
years, as Township Treasurer, and held various 
offices of trust and honor. He was also greatly 
interested in the militia, in which he ranked as 
Captain and Major. He died May 26, 1866. 
His wife, aged 94 years, still lives upon the old 
farm with her son Franklin (our subject). The 
children of this worthy couple are as follows : 
Margaret Grossman, of Michigan ; Hector, who 
died in Boston Township ; Polly M. Carter, of 
Richfield ; Catharine Ashley, of Strongsville ; 
Abram N., who was born Jan. 26, 1827, and 
married, on July 3, 1862, Miss Eliza Veers. 



i 'V 



900 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



He commenced life farming in Nortlifield Town- 
ship, but returned to Boston in 1866, where he 
has since resided ; he lias three children — Laura 
A., Mary M. and Charles V. Franklin has re- 
sided upon the farm where his parents settled, 
during his entire life ; he has alwa3's followed 
farming, and now owns about 170 acres of im- 
proved land. He is considered one of the solid, 
substantial citizens of the township. 

HECTOR OZMUN, deceased; was born 
Feb. 19, 1815, in Boston Township ; was a son 
of Isaac and Maria (Neuman) Osmun, pioneers 
of Boston Township. He married Aug. 24, 
1840, Miss Nancy Long, who was a daughter 
of Christian Long, an early settler of Summit 
County, and a resident of the county until his 
death. Nancy was born in Northumberland 
Co., Penn., Jan. 1, 1822. After their marriage, 
they removed to the western part of Boston 
Township, where she still resides. He was a 
farmer and interested in dairying ; he died May 
19, 1879. Mrs. Ozmun still resides upon the 
farm of 236 acres of improved land, which is 
cultivated by her sons. The children are as 
follows : Isaac and Andrew, both married and 
farming in Michigan ; Mary Viall, of Boston 
Township ; Margaret and Lucius, at home ; 
Augusta Peach, living in Boston Township ; 
Edward, a resident of Hudson ; Sarah, at 
home ; Henry, in Michigan ; and Lincoln, at 
home. Mrs. Ozmun has a sister living in Bath 
Township, Mrs. Elizabeth Huntlej^ ; and two 
brothers in Indiana, Andrew and Christian 
Long. 

DR. SUMNER PIXLEY, Peninsula; is a 
son of Stephen Pixley, one of the pioneers of 
Richfield Township. Dr. Pixley was born in 
Massachusetts in 1816, and was not quite 1 
year old at the time of his parents' settlement 
in Richfield. His early days were passed upon 
the farm there. After deciding to make the 
medical profession his life-work, he entered 
the office of Drs. Trask & Leonard, of Strongs- 
ville, remaining with them about two years, 
also studying in the office of Dr. Munson, of 
Richfield, one and a half years. He then at- 
tended the Western Reserve College, graduat- 
ing in the medical department in 1846 and 
1847. He also took a full course of lectures 
at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 
New York, and at the Jefferson Medical Col- 
lege of Philadelphia. He began the practice 
of his profession at Wooster, Ohio, where he 



continued ten years. He then removed to 
California, where he practiced in Marysville 
about eighteen months. In 1854, he returned 
to Richfield, where he remained until 1869, 
when he removed to Cleveland, where he prac- 
ticed until 1876, at which time he I'emoved to 
Peninsula, where he has since resided. Dr. 
Pixley has an extended practice, and occupies 
an elevated rank among his professional 
brothers. He is a member of the State Medi- 
cal Association and of the Northeast Medical 
Association. He also served as Surgeon of the 
110th 0. V. I., and was in field and hospital 
service nearly two years. He was married in 
April, 1847, to Elmira A. Tupper, who is a 
daughter of Charles and Julia H. (Briggs) Tup- 
per, natives of Vermont, and early settlers in 
Strongsville, Cuyahoga Co., where they resided 
up to the time of their deaths. Mr. and Mrs. 
Pixley have two sons — Chelius S., who gradu- 
ated from the Cleveland Medical College in 
1873, and is now engaged in practice in Elkhart, 
Ind.; Will H., a promising young law student, 
now in the office of Gen. Wildes, of Akron. He 
was elected Justice of the Peace of Peninsula 
when 21 years old, and is now serving as such. 
JORGEN PETERSEN, painter, Peninsula ; 
was born at Elsinore, Denmark, within a short 
distance from the castle, made celebrated by 
Shakespeare in his " Hamlet." His father was 
a sailor, and served in the Danish navy many 
years. He afterwaixl engaged in fishing, at 
which occupation our subject passed his earlier 
years. At the age of 15 he served on an 
English collier, remaining upon it four 3'ears as 
a sailor. Next upon an English vessel for four 
years, and, in 1842, shipped upon the American 
bark " Richmond," of Plymouth, and landed 
in New Orleans. After serving as a sailor for 
six years, sailing from American ports, he 
engaged with a firm in New York and learned 
the painter's trade, remaining with them five 
years. He then worked at his trade three years 
there, and, in 1855, emigrated to Ohio. He locat- 
ed in Peninsula in 1864, and was first engaged 
as a painter of canal-boats, afterward building 
the boat " Scandinavia," which he conducted 
for fifteen years, since which time he has been 
following his trade. He was married, in 1849, 
to Miss Marie Y. Miller. The}- have seven 
children living — Chai'les M., Emma C, Francis 
E., Albert, Ada M., Lizzie and Edith. Mr. 
Petersen has always been an industrious and 



^ 



:k* 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



901 



respected citizen, and has been Township and 
Corporation Clerks. He has a most entertain- 
ing fund of reminiscences of his varied life, 
which makes him an interesting companion. 
He is also familiar with several languages. 

LYMAN C. POST, former ; P. 0. Hudson ; 
is a son of Henry Post, Jr., and Lucy A. 
(Curtis) Post. His father was the first white 
male child born in Boston Township. His 
mother was born in Hudson. After their mar- 
riage they lived in the northeast corner of the 
township the most of the time until their 
deaths. He died in September, 1879, and she 
in November of the same year. The grand- 
parents of our sulyject were the first settlers in 
the township, and an extended sketch of their 
lives and pioneer experiences will be found in 
another portion of this work. Lyman is the 
youngest of a family of six children — Minerva 
Hine (of Twinsburg), Lydia Warrell (of North- 
field Township), Mary A. Clisby (Trumbull 
Co.), George H. (of Michigan), Sophronia John- 
son (a resident of Macedonia), and the subject 
of this sketch, who is a native of Boston 
Township, born in 1850, a resident of the 
township and of the old homestead up to the 
present time. He has followed farming for the 
most of his life, and, in connection with his 
farm, he erected, in November, 1879, a steam 
saw-mill, to the operation of which he devotes 
a part of his time, and which is proving a 
profitable enterprise. He was married in 1873, 
to Miss Ella Johnson, of Geauga Co., who died 
May 22, 1875. 

ANTON PFAUS, shoemaker, Peninsula ; is 
a native of Germany, where he was born in 
1847. His parents emigrated to America when 
our subject was only 5 years of age, they 
locating in Cleveland, where they remained 
until the}' died. Anton learned his trade in 
Cleveland, serving an apprenticeship of nearl}' 
three j^ears, after which he worked at the trade 
there about one 3'ear. In 1867, he came to 
Peninsula, after a few months in Hudsun, 
where he located, and has since followed his 
chosen trade. It is now his intention to add to 
his business b}' placing upon sale a line of 
boots, shoes, etc., and carry on a first-class 
boot and shoe store. Mr. Pfaus was married 
to Miss Laura McClure, of Peninsula, in 1870. 
The}' have one child — Herman. 

LUTHER B. BANNEY. farmer ; P. 0. Hud- 
son ; is a son of Comfort and Betsey (Hubbard) 



Banney, both natives of Connecticut. Comfort 
was born March 20, 1788, and Betsey April 2, 
1790; they were married in Connecticut, Dec. 
25, 1808, and came immediately to Hudson. 
The same year, accompanied "by his father and 
brother Jacob, they started from Connecticut 
and his father died upon the way, and Jacob fol- 
lowed him soon after reaching Hudson. Com- 
fort Ranney's father was a soldier in the Revo- 
lution, and owned, at the time of his death, a 
tract of land in Richfield. Comfort located in 
Hudson ; he was a ship-carpenter by trade, and 
soon after moved to Cleveland and followed his 
calling there. But, because of poor health, his 
stay there was brief and he soon after returned 
to Hudson and engaged in running a saw-mill, 
which was finally burned, when he removed to 
Boston Township about 1820, and purchased a 
piece of land where he resided only a few years, 
when he died July 14, 1823. His wife sur- 
vived him until Jan. 4, 1868, when she died, 
aged 78. Of the children born to them the 
following are now living : Luther B. ; Julia 
A. Shields, residing in Kansas, and Eliza S. 
Shields, of Boston Township ; Ruth L. Bron- 
son, of Peninsula , Betsey J. Hurlburt, living 
in Cleveland, and Moses, of Northfield Town- 
ship. Mrs. Ranney was subsequently married 
to Mr. Colliei', by whom she had two children 
— Capt. M. J. Collier, of Cleveland, and Fred 
M. Collier, of Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Ranney 
were both members of the Methodist Church. 
Luther B. Ranney was born in Hudson Nov. 
28, 1809. After the death of his father in 
1823, their farm was sold and our subject, with 
the laudable ambition to regain it, worked by 
the month for Deacon Hudson at $5 per month, 
and was, by industry and perseverance, finally 
the happy owner ; the farm is located upon the 
State road, and now consists of well-cultivated 
fields and is improved with good buildings and 
all modern comforts. Mr. Ranney is, essen- 
tially, a self-made man, having begun life un- 
der many difficulties. He is a most intelligent 
and well-informed man. Mr. Ranney has served 
in various offices of township trust, and ranks 
as one of the citizens par excellence. Mr. Ran- 
ney was married in 1833, to Miss Sally M. Car- 
ter, who died July 29, 1846, leaving five chil- 
dren, three now living — Comfort, of Michigan; 
Harriet S. Leach, of Michigan, and Sarah M., 
living in Akron ; he was married April 6, 1847, 
to a second wife, Miss Caroline Clapp, daughter 



rv 



902 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



of Richard and Anna (Alvord) Clapp, natives 
of Massacluisetts, and early settlers of Brecks- 
ville ; she was born in Massacluisetts Ma}' 3, 
1821. Their children are three in number — 
Julia Ann Criss, of Akron; Luther K., and 
Carrie M. Evans, also a resident of Akron. Mr. 
and Mrs. llanney resided in Akron three 3'ears 
to secure for their children superior school ad- 
vantages. Luther K. entered for a classical 
course at Buchtel College, of Akron, but on 
account of ill health was forced to leave ; he is 
now studying at home where he has a well-se- 
lected library of books. Mr. Ranney, during 
the gold excitement of 1 850, went to California, 
where he remained for four years, mining with 
good success. He relates many stories and 
reminiscences of the pioneer days of his par- 
ents ; he has, in his possession, a wooden bottle, 
which was carried by his great grandfather, and 
by his grandfather through the Revolution, and 
which descended through his father to himself 

W. W. RICHARDSON, merchant, Everett ; 
is the principal representative of the mercan- 
tile business of Everett, and was born in Lick- 
ing Co., Ohio, in 1840. His parent^ were Will- 
iam and Jane Richardson, his father being a 
native of New York and his mother of Ver- 
mont. They first settled in Licking County, 
where his father followed the carpenter and 
joiner's trade. He died while living in Illinois 
where he was practicing medicine. His mother 
is still living in Delaware Co., Ohio. Our sub- 
ject began his business ventures upon the 
canal being the owner of a boat, and was en- 
gaged for three years in the transportation of 
stone to Cleveland, the most of which was used 
by the A. & G. W. Railroad. He next turned 
his attention to fiirming, following that occupa- 
tion in Boston Township for three years, and 
for the next ten years in Bath Township. In 
March, 1879, he removed to Everett Station, 
where he has since devoted his attention to 
the mercantile business. His store is located 
upon the banks of the canal, and his stock con- 
sists of groceries, dry goods and a general line 
of boat supplies. He was married Feb. 25, 
1863, to Miss Sylvia Myers, who was born in 
Portage County in 1840. They have three 
children — Margaret A., Dora B. and Eva P. 
Mr. Richardson is the owner of the celebrated 
chestnut stallion "Sunshine." 

WILLIAM RICHARDSON, farmer ; P. O. 
Boston ; was born in Bucks Co., Penn.. in 1814. 



His father was a mechanic, but subsequently 
became a farmer, and our subject's early life 
and experience was in the care and cultivation 
of his father's land. He remained at home un- 
til he was 27 3'ears of age, and then engaged 
in farming in Bucks County for himself, con- 
tinuing there three years, and one year in 
Philadelphia County ; he then rented another 
farm which he cultivated for two years, at the 
expiration of which time, he was engaged as a 
drover for a 3'ear. In 185(J, he removed to 
Brooklyn. Cuyahoga County, and engaged in 
milling there for a few years, after which he 
again resumed farming, continuing until 1864, 
when he removed to Boston Township, where 
he has since resided. His farm consists of 200 
acres, about two-thirds of which is in cultiva- 
tion. He has improved the place in buildings 
and erected a neat and desirable residence. 
Like the most of his neighbors, he is making 
the dair}' business a specialty. Mr. Richard- 
son was united in marriage, in 1840, to Miss 
Mary M. Hagstoz in Philadelphia. They have 
an adopted son — Franklin E. 

LEWIS B. ROSWELL, Marshal. Peninsula ; 
was born in Lake Co., Ohio, in 1832. His 
parents were Ambrose and Elizabeth (Van 
Looven) Roswell ; his father was a native of 
New York and his mother of Pennsylvania. 
The}' were married in Canada, and subse- 
quently removed to the States, locating in Lake 
County, v?here they remained about three 
years, then removing to Hudson where they 
were residents for the remainder of their days. 
Lewis started out in life for himself at the age 
of 15, working upon a farm for over a year. 
He then learned the shoemaker's trade at 
Twinsburg, and followed that trade in ditt'erent 
localities, chieil}' Hudson and Peninsula, for 
many 3'ears, since which time he has engaged 
in various occupations. He is at present serv- 
ing the corporation of Peninsula as JNIarshal. 
He was married in 1873 to 3Iiss Nettie Wilson. 

GEORGE STANFORD, farmer ; P. 0. B s- 
ton ; is one of the oldest settlers now living in 
Boston Township. He was born in Beaver Co., 
Penn., Oct. 9. 1800. His parents were James 
and Polly (Johnston) Stanford. His father 
was a native of Ireland ; his mother of Pennsyl- 
vania. They emigrated to Ohio and settled in 
Warren, Trumbull Co., about 1802, where they 
remained about three years, moving thence to 
Bristol, remaining one year. His father then 



^ 



:^ 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



903 



joined a survejing party to locate and survey 
Boston Township, and lie removed his family in 
March, 1806, taking 169 acres upon the west 
bank of the Cuyahoga River, near Boston. 
Here they resided for the remainder of their 
lives. Many of their pioneer incidents and ad- 
ventures appear in the township histor}'. She 
died in July. 1814, and James in January, 1827, 
leaving nine children — George being the only 
one now living — who has been engaged in agri- 
culture, and has resided upon the old homestead 
farm since his parents' death. He furnishes 
many of the dates and reminiscences of pioneer 
days, found in the township histor}'. The farm 
(which now consists of 284 acres) has been 
greatly improved b}' him. He has served in 
various offices of township trust, having been 
Justice of the Peace for six years. He is a 
consistent member of the Methodist Church. 
He was united in marriage, Jan. 17, 1828, to 
Catharine Carter, a daughter of Thomas and 
Elizabeth Carter, early settlers of the town- 
ship, locating there about 1819, and remaining 
there during their lives. Catharine was boi'n 
in Ireland, in 1804 ; she departed this life Dec. 
20, 1872. Eight children were the result of 
this marriage — Emily, who died an infant ; 
James M. and Ellen, both of whom died at 20 
years of age ; William Irwin (deceased) ; Per- 
kins W. Stanford, who enlisted as a private in 
the 2d 0. V. C, Co. A ; he was subsequently 
promoted to Sergeant ; was finall}- captured a 
prisoner in 1864, and died in Andersonville 
Prison ; Eliza, who died at the age of 3 years, 
and Greorge C, born April 18, 1839. He was 
married to Miss Lida Wetmore, Dec. 23, 1869. 
They have three children — Ellen, Perkins W. 
and Clayton J. George is now serving as 
Postmaster of Boston. 

ANDREW STUART, grocer. Peninsula ; was 
born in Ireland in 1850. In 1852, his parents 
emigrated to America and settled in Norton 
Township, Summit Co. His father was a farmer, 
and our subject remained at home until lie be- 
came 14 years of age. He then went out to 
work upon a farm, at which he continued nearly 
four years, and then went to work upon the 
canal, boating about four years ; and then upon 
a farm again two years, at the end of which 
time he was engaged upon public works at Ak- 
ron one season. In 1871, he began clerking in 
a grocery at Everett's Station, working there 
about a jear, and from there to Peninsula, and 



engaged in the same occupation for D. Peck, 
with whom he remained some three years or 
more ; after which, for a few years, he engaged 
in different occupations. In 1879, he returned 
to Peninsula and purchased the stock of his old 
employer, D. Peck, where he is now engaged in 
trade for himself He keeps a general line of 
groceries and boat supplies, and is doing a 
flourishing business. Mr. Stuart has by indus- 
try and hard work effected a good business 
commencement, and will doubtless become one 
of the successful business men of Peninsula. 

DANIEL TILDEN, farmer ; P. 0. Peninsula ; 
was born in Vermont in 1790. His parents 
were natives of Connecticut, where they were 
married ; the}' then removed to Vermont, where 
they resided for some years, moving from there 
to Massachusetts, where the remainder of their 
lives were spent. Daniel, at the age of 16, left 
home: and, in 1817, came to Ohio, settling in 
Hiram, Portage Co., w^here he bought a piece of 
land and began the task of clearing it. He re- 
mained there about two years, and, after dis- 
posing of his land, returned to ^lassachusetts, 
where he remained about six ^-ears farming. 
In 1824, he returned to Hiram, and, after one 
year, came to Boston Township, where he ac- 
cepted a job upon the canal. He was also en- 
gaged several years at milling. He then entered 
upon his farming operations, locating upon the 
McBride farm, where he remained four years ; 
after which, he liought 160 acres of land, located 
in the western part of the township, where 
he has lived since, 1837. He was married in 
1832 to Nancy Mather, who was born in Ver- 
mont in 1792. and died in Boston Township in 
1849. Thej' had two children — Nanc}^ who 
died when an infant, and Daniel W. Mr. Tilden 
commenced life with no pecuniary assistance, 
and has accumulated .a handsome propert}'. 
He has served as Townsliip Trustee, and was 
elected Justice of Peace, but did not serve. 
Daniel W. Tilden was born in March. 1836. in 
Boston Township, of which place he has since 
been a resident. He has always followed farm- 
ing and lived upon the old homestead since his 
father removed there. Tiiey have 450 acres of 
land, whicli is of good quality and under good 
cultivation ; and they have also been consider- 
ably interested in dairying and cheese-making. 
Daniel W. was married, in 1857. to Miss Harriet 
Hall, who was born in New York in 1839. Her 
parents subsequently removed to Summit Co., 



"5) ^ 



Ml 



901 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



where they passed the remainder of their days. 
They have but one child living — Pearlie M. 
Daniel W. has served the township as Trustee 
for many years, and is one of the leading citi- 
zens. His ftither is past 90 3'ears of age, but 
still retains vivid recollections of his early 
struggles, and relates many reminiscences of 
pioneer life. 

BURRILL VIALL, farmer; P. 0. Penin- 
sula ; was born in Hanover Township, Chau- 
tauqua Co., N. Y., in 1821. He is a son of 
Burrill Viall, who was born in Bennington Co., 
Yt., in 1793, and removed to New York in 1814, 
settling in Chautauqua Co., where he soon after 
married Sarah Ferguson, who was born in 
Cooperstown, N. Y. They removed to Ohio, 
and first settled in Middlebury in 1831, remov- 
ing from there to Northampton, and residing 
there until 1850, when the}- removed to Jack- 
son Co., Iowa, where they resided until their 
deaths, his occurring Dec. 23, 1862, and hers 
Jan. 4, 1864. They were both members of the 
Methodist Church. The}" had twelve children, 
six boys and six girls. Burrill, Jr., has always 
followed farming. He remained with his pa- 
rents until 20 years of age, and, in 1841, bought 
50 acres of land, which is a part of the farm 
where he now resides. He is a self-made man, 
having commenced the struggle of life with 
small means, and, by industry and practical 
ability, accumulated a large farm, which is or- 
namented by an elegant residence, finely ap- 
pointed. His is one of the model farms of the 
township, and his system consists in dairying 
and general farming. He ranks as one of the 
township's most valuable citizens, having served 
as Trustee, and taken an active interest in its 
educational matters. He was married, Dec. 24, 
1843, to Miss Jane White, who was born in 
Cleveland, Ohio, Feb. 7, 1823. Her father, 
Solomon White, was a native of Vermont ; her 
mother, Hannah (Bronson) White, of Connecti- 
cut, he served as baggage boy in the war of 
1812, at the age of 14, under Gen. Harrison. 
Her mother was taken to Connecticut by her 
mother, to avoid the danger of warfare. Her 
parents remained at Cleveland until she was 10 
years of age, when they removed to Brooklyn, 
living there four yeai's. He was the Cuyahoga 
Co. Pork Inspector. They subsequently re- 
moved to Boston Township, and finally emi- 
grated to Jackson Co., Iowa, where they both 
died ; his death occurred Jan. 24, 1864 ; his 



wife died March 15, of the same year. Mr. 
and Mrs. Viall's family are as follows : Sarah 
J., deceased ; Mattie J. Humphrey, living in 
Richfield ; Mary A. Carr, of Cuyahoga Falls ; 
Julia F. Oviatt, Boston Township ; Lucy K. 
Clark, residing in Middlebury ; Kittie E. and 
Jennie M., at home. 

B. J. VIERS, farmer ; P. 0. Hudson ; is a 
son of Charles and Laura (Patterson) Viers. 
Charles Viers was born in Jeft'erson Co., N. Y., 
in 1806, and was married to Laura Patterson 
in 1827. She was born in Vermont in 1810. 
He was the son of a farmer and pioneer of 
Jefferson Co., and subject to the toil and pri- 
vation of that life from his childhood. After 
his marriage, he farmed in that county for 
some years, and then emigrated to Ohio, set- 
tling in Northfield Township in 1831, where he 
still resides. His wife died in October, 1877. 
Their children are as follows : Bazzel J.; 
Theda E. Holt, of Northfield ; Eliza J., the 
widow of George Lamb, now the wife of A. N. 
Ozmun, of Boston Township ; Samantha, de- 
ceased ; Charles Albert, of Hudson, and Laura 
M., deceased. Our subject was born in Jefler- 
son Co., N. Y., in 1829 ; he remained with his 
parents until 20 years of age, receiving a com- 
mon-school education. He taught school one 
winter, at the age of 19. His occupation for 
many years subsequently was that of a laborer. 
About 1864, he began farming operations for 
himself, purchasing a piece of wild land, which 
he cleared and worked for two years, when he 
disposed of it and bought land in Norton 
Township, farming there about seven years. 
In 1874, he purchased a tract of land where he 
now resides, in Boston Township. His farm 
consists of 218 acres of improved land, located 
upon the " State road." Mr. Viers is a practi- 
cal and industrious farmer, and stands high in 
his township and county. He was married, in 
November, 1856, to Miss Lovena Ford, daugh- 
ter of Marvin Ford, of Northampton. She was 
born in Northampton in 1839. They have 
eight children living, and one deceased (Clara 
A., died at 6 years of age) — Laura E., Marvin 
F„ Charles E.,'^Lydia A., Albert B., Linda M., 
Rose I. and Lillie I. (twins). 

FREDERICK B. WADHAMS, ftirmer ; P. 0. 
Hudson ; was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., in 
1804. He is a son of Seth and Lucy (Davis) 
Wadhams. His mother died when he was about 
2 3'ears old, and his father subsequently' mar- 



BOSTON TOWNSHIP. 



905 



ried her sister. His fatiier died, leaving five 
sons and one daughter. Frederick, who was 
but 4 years of age, lived with his step-mother 
until he was IG years old, and then went to live 
with Gen. Abernethy, at Torrington, Conn., with 
whom he remained until he attained his major- 
ity, working in the mercantile business. In the 
fall of 1825, he went to South Carolina, and 
was in the eraplo}' of Wadkins & Birge for six 
years, in the mercantile trade, having charge of 
one of their stores, located at Lawrence. After 
severing Ids connection with them, he engaged 
in business for himself there, peddling dry 
goods and notions, at which he continued for 
five years, meeting with good success. He then 
returned to Connecticut, where he was married, 
September, 1830, to Miss Cornelia Phelps. He 
then bought the Mansion House, of Litchfield, 
which he owned for several years, but which 
proved an unfortunate investment, and in 1835, 
he started for Ohio, with but little mone}', but 
rich in hope, perseverance, industrious habits 
and good business qualifications. He located 
in Boston Township, purchasing 150 acres of 
timbered land at $16 per acre, borrowing most 
of the money to pay for it. Mr. Wadhams has 
resided in the township from that day to the 
present time, and has been so largely engaged 
in various enterprises that our space will hardly 
afford a complete history. His farm at present 
comprises about 400 acres of as fine land as 
there is in the township, with superior improve- 
ments in buildings, and with a location un- 
equaled for a commanding view of the land- 
scape for miles around, together with good 
drainage, and a stone quarry of superior grade ; 
he has also engaged in dairying. His business 
transactions for many years were extensive. 
He interested himself largely in the lumber 
trade, during which he ran saw-mills, cooper- 
shops, canal-boats, etc.; he also owned at one 
time about 1,400 acres of laud, and has done 
much to promote the prosperity of the town- 
ship. Beginning life as he did, without money, 
it is a great source of satisfaction for him to 
review his past life, and reflect that to his per- 
severance, honesty of purpose, and industry 
alone, is due all of his well-deserved prosperit}' . 
He was married again, Sept. 16, 1846, to Miss 
Jane Jones, who was born in New York in 1816, 
and is a daughter of Bees and Jane (Wright) 
Jones, early settlers of Northampton, in which 
township history a sketch of them appears. 



Her grandfather Wright was also one of North- 
ampton's pioneers. Mr. and Mrs. Wadhams 
have three children — George, Ellen and Charles, 
all at home. Mr. Wadhams has a son, Frede- 
rick B., by his former wife, living in Cleveland. 
The Wadhams family are of English descent, 
tracing the line back to 1680, and were the 
founders of Wadhams College, in England. 

F. WOOD, merchant, Peninsula. Prominent 
among the business interests of Peninsula is 
the general mercantile store of F. Wood. Mr. 
Wood was born in County Wicklow, Ireland, in 
1828. His parents were Nesbitt and Eliza (Mor- 
ton) Wood. His father resigned a commission in 
the English army, and, with his family, emi- 
grated to America in 1835, locating in Michigan. 
In 1838, they removed to Boston Township, 
where they resided for the remainder of their 
lives. His father's death occurred in 1863, and 
his mother's in 1868. The subject of this sketch 
began his mercantile career at the age of 18, 
when he entered the store of Arthur Layton, at 
Boston Village, with whom he continued about 
three years, and, in the same store, with his 
successor, J. D. Edson, for over four years. In 
1853, he came to Peninsula, and started in busi- 
ness for himself, purchasing the stock of Charles 
Curtis. In 1863, he removed to his present 
location, where he has since been successfully 
engaged in trade, with a general stock of dry 
goods, groceries, etc., and also a line of drugs 
and medicines. He has also devoted consider- 
able attention to other business interests and 
enterprises, for many years being the principal 
owner of the stone quarr}^, south of the village ; 
and, in 1872, when it became a stock concern, 
he retained an interest until 1879, when he dis- 
posed of his stock to F. Schumacher, of Akron. 
He held the office of Deputy Postmaster, and 
that of Postmaster for twent3--one years. He 
has also served in various township offices of 
trust. He is a member of Richfield Lodge, 
Meridian Sun, No. 266, A., F. & A. M. Mr. Wood 
was married, Feb. 16, 1854, to Miss Charlotte 
M. Barnhart, who was born in Peninsula, June 
19, 1836, and is the daughter of Jacob Barn- 
hart and Rhoda (Bronson) Barnhart. Jacob 
Barnhart was born in New York, in 1804, and 
emigrated to Cleveland in 1832, and from there 
to Peninsula, in the following j^ear, when he 
became engaged in the boat-building business, 
in which he was a pioneer in that section. He 
was a respected and enterprising citizen during 



V 



906 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



his entire life, taking a prominent position and 
active interest in tlie enrollment of volunteers 
during our late war ; his patriotism being so 
sincere that, although nearl}- 60 years of age, 
he enlisted in the 2d 0. V. C, but was not 
allowed to serve. He died Jan. 26, 1874. His 
wife, Rhoda Bronson, was born in Middlebury, 
Conn., Oct. 9, 1800. She was a daughter of 
Hermon and Molly (Hickox) Bronson, a more 
extended sketch of whom is given elsewhere. 
She w'as married, in March, 1816, to Willis 
Payne, who died in Akron in 1828, leaving two 
sons — H. B. Payne, lawyer at Richmond, Ind., 
and William H., a boat-builder at Akron. She 
was married to Jacob Barnhart, in March, 1833, 
and survived him nearl}' six years. She died 
in September, 1879, Charlotte M. being the only 
child. Mr. and Mrs. Wood have had four chil- 
dren — Annie C, who died at the age of 20 
months ; Stella A., the wife of H. L. Cross, of 
Cleveland, who have a son Charles Wood ; 
Minnie E., who died in infancy, and Fred C. 
The}- have an adopted daughter — Miss Julia E. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wood, together with their family, 
ai'e members of the Episcopal Church, in which 
they have been prominently identified for many 
years. Mr. Wood is the superintendent of the 
Sabbath school, and his wife, for many years, 
was the organist and leader of the choir. 

F. C. WETMORE, farmer ; P. 0. Peninsula. 
The Wetmore family in America are descend- 
ants from Thomas Whitmore, who came from 
the West of England to Boston, Mass., in 1635. 
Judge William Wetmore was born in Middle- 
town, Conn., in 1771, and came to Ohio in 
June, 1804, with his family, as agent of the 
Western Reserve Land Company, for the sale 
of their lands. He located in Stow Township 
and built the second house in that township. 
He was a general counselor of law, and served 
during the war of 1812, acting as Commissary 
of Supplies. In 1825, with his sons Henry 
and William, he made the first survey of Cuy- 
ahoga Falls, and commenced the improvements 
and laying- out of the town. They also started 
saw, flouring and oil mills in company with 
John Stow. He was a prime mover in giving 
life and impetus to business interests there. 
He died Oct. 9, 1827. William 0. Wetmore 
was born Sept. 5, 1796. Married, Oct. 2, 1822, 
Miss Elizabeth Wallace. He resided for a 
number of 3'ears at Cuyahoga Falls, where he 
was extensively engaged in manufacturing. 



He built the first paper-mill in Ohio, on the 
wet-felt plan. He removed to Boston Town- 
ship in 1850, and bought a large tract of land 
and was beginning extensive business opera- 
tions there, when he was taken suddenly ill 
through exposure, and died Jan. 12, 1852. He 
represented the counties of Portage and Sum- 
mit in the State Legislature in 1844-45. His 
wife died Oct. 9, 1875. Children as follows : 
Henry, now living in Boston Township ; Ed- 
win, of Northampton ; Mary Collier, in Indi- 
ana ; Frederick C.; Julia Wood, of Boston 
Township, and Eliza Stanford, of Boston 
Township. Frederick C. Wetmore was born in 
Stow Township March 6, 1835. Upon the 
death of his father, he engaged in various oc- 
cupations until the spring of 1866, when he 
bought the saw-mill at Peninsula, which his 
father had built, since which time he has been 
engaged in farming and lumbering in Boston 
Township. He has 160 acres of valuable im- 
proved land, and gives the dairying business 
considerable attention. Mr. Wetmore has 
served the township in man}' offices of trust, 
as Trustee, Town Clerk, Constable, Mayor and 
Councilman of the corporation, and as Justice 
of the Peace one year, at the expiration of 
which he resigned. He was united in mar- 
riage, Oct. 23, 1860, to Miss Emily Wetmore, a 
descendant of the same family as himself 
Her father was Nathaniel D. Wetmore, a native 
of Connecticut, who embarked earl}' in life in 
business, which led him to reside severally in 
Canada, Dover and Rochester, N. H., and Cuy- 
ahoga Falls and Cleveland, where he is now in 
business in connection with Brainard's Sons. 
He was a member of the General Assembly of 
New Hampshire in 1846-47-48, and is a cor- 
rect an extensive business man. His wife was 
Lydia Mcintosh, who died in Cuyahoga Falls 
in 1865. Mr. and Mrs. Wetmore have two 
children — Ethelbert and Lida. A daughter, 
Mildred, died at 4 years of age. 

ALFRED WOLCOTT, fai^mer ; P. 0. Hud- 
son ; is a son of Alfred and Margaret (Craig) 
Wolcott, pioneers of the township ; Alfred 
Wolcott was born in Connecticut, his wife in 
Wheeling, Va. He was a surveyor and was 
employed by Perkins to survey most of the 
land of the Western Reserve ; he was mar- 
ried in Youngstown, Ohio, about 1806, and in 
the fall of that year bought the land where 
Gen. Sanford now resides ; but thinking it 



BOSTOX TOWNSHIP. 



907 



would be unhealthy on account of the river, 
sold to Stanford, and purchased a tract of land 
where Alfred Jr., now resides. He bought 115 
acres and built a cabin upon it and began the 
clearing of the land. He raised a large family 
of children, three girls and six boys — Melinda, 
the eldest, was the first white female child 
born in the township ; only three of the chil- 
dren are now living — Alfred, Ji*.; Darius, a res- 
ident of Geauga Countv, and Mrs. ]Mary Gay- 
lord, of Stow Township. He followed his occu- 
pation of surve3'or man}' years, la3'ing out 
many of the township roads, and most of the 
land adjacent. He served as Justice of the 
Peace for eighteen 3'ears, and in other minor 
offices, taking a deep interest in educational 
matters, teaching school man}' terms. He 
died in 1835 ; his wife in February 1863. Al- 
fred Woleott, Jr., was born Jan. 28, 1812, in 
Boston Township, and remained at home, as- 
sisting in clearing land, as most bo^'S of that 
period did, until he became of age. He was 
married, April 18, 1836, to Miss Mary Scovill, 
who was born in Connecticut, in 1821 ; her 
father died in Connecticut and her mother sub- 
sequently married Thomas McCauley, and in 
1832, they removed to Summit County ; they 
now reside in Hudson. After his marriage he 
bought a farm in Northfield Township, which 
he soon afterward traded for the old home- 
stead from his brother. Here he has resided 
up to the present time, making many improve- 
ments and adding to his possessions, until he 
now owns 257 acres, the major portion of which 
is under cultivation. He has made a specialty 
of the dairj'ing business. He was elected a 
State Representative from his district and 
served two years ; has also served as Assessor 
and interests himself generally in all enter- 
prises and improvements of merit. ^Ir. and 
Mrs. Woleott have five children living — Simon 
P., a graduate of Western Reserve College, and 
now practicing law in Kent, Ohio ; John, of 
Grand Rapids, Mich., who is a graduate of the 
Mercantile College of Hiram ; Anna A. Bis- 
sell, living in Michigan, a graduate of Paines- 
ville Female Seminary ; Alfred, Jr.. also a 
graduate of Western Reserve College, soon to 
go to Cincinnati to stud}- Law ; Fremont, at 
home ; Andrew A. enlisted in 29th 0. V. I. 
and died in service. 

ALLEN WELTON (deceased) ; was born in 
Vermont, July 18, 1809. He was for many years 



a prominent farmer and dair^-man of Boston 
Township. At the time of his death he was the 
owner of two cheese factories in the township, and 
was for man\' 3'ears a prominent member of the 
Ohio Dairymen's As.sociation, in which he was a 
leader. He was one of the pioneer dair3'men of 
the Western Reserve, starting the second factor}' 
within its limits. He was a man of extraordi- 
nary energy and possessed great executive 
ability. Commencing life a poor bo3', one of 
his first enterprises proved a disaster ; he had 
chopped 400 cords of wood in New York State, 
which, b3' a sudden uprising of the stream, was 
all swept away. He was of very industrious 
habits, which, coupled with good judgment, 
made his later enterprises successful, and at 
the time of his death he left a handsome prop- 
ert3^ He was a popular citizen and was ver3- 
patriotic, taking a leading interest in all efforts 
to carry on the late war. He was married in 
New York State to Miss Sarah Striker, by 
whom he had five children — Francis (deceased), 
George W., now a resident of Bradford, Penn., 
who was in the service nearly three years ; 
William H. H., of Akron, who served in the 
"Squirrel Hunters ;" John A., of Bath Town- 
ship, who was in the service over three years, 
and Ellen E. Ozmun, who is living in Michi- 
gan. He was married to a second wife. Louise 
Thompson, March 17, 1852. She was born in 
Hudson, in 1831, and is a daughter of Mills 
and Catharine (Allen) Thompson, who were 
early settlers in the county. Five children 
were the result of this marriage — Cora A., Em- 
ma C, Hattio J., Iva J. and the eldest, a son, 
Frank E. Mr. Welton died in Boston Town- 
ship, April 3, 1878. and in his death the com- 
munity lost a A'^aluable citizen and one of its 
progressive business men. Mrs. Welton is liv- 
ing upon the homestead, which consists of 180 
acres of valuable land, finely located and im- 
proved. 

W. W. WHITNEY, hardware, Peninsula : is 
a young and promising business man of Penin- 
sula. He was born in Akron in 1856; com- 
menced to learn his trade as tinsmith at the 
age of 19, with D. E. Sheppard, of Richfield, 
with whom he remained four years ; he then 
worked a short time for Green Lease, at Penin- 
sula, thence to Hudson, whore he worked four 
months for G. H. Grimm. In November, 1879, 
he returned to Peninsula, and, in July, 1880, 
commenced his present business venture. He 



908 



BIOGKAPHTCAL SKETCHES: 



purchased a new and complete line of hard- 
ware, stoves, tinware, agricultural implements, 
etc., and is doing a promising and growing 
trade. He is a skillful and experienced work- 
man in tinware, in which line he does general 
repairing. His business location is centi'al, and, 
as he is a popular and deserving young man, 
will, doubtless, grow into a fine trade. 

C. S. WHITNEY, shocTnaker ; Peninsula ; 
is a native of New York Slate, having been 
born in Oswego Co., in 1829. His father died 
in New York State, and his mother sub- 
sequently removed to Ohio, locating about 
1835, in Parma. Cuyahoga Co. Our subject 
commenced to learn his trade at the age of 20 
years, in West Cleveland, and has followed that 
calling all his life. He came to Peninsula 



about 1860, where he has since remained. He 
was united in marriage in 1854 to Miss Melissa 
Washburn ; they have three children — William 
W., Daniel L. and Nellie V. Mr. Whitney is 
considered one of the best citizens of Peninsula, 
and is an industrious and proficient workman. 
FRANK B. WELTON, farmer and dairying ; 
P. 0. Peninsula ; is a son of Allen and Louise 
(Thompson) Welton. He was born in Boston 
Township Dec. 9, 1853. He is, by occupation, 
a farmer, and is a rising young dairyman. He 
has been interested in cheese- making for the 
past eight years, and is carrying on the factor}' 
located upon their farm. He was married Dec. 
28. 1875. to Miss Ella Hancock, daughter of E. 
D.' Hancock, Esq., of Richfield Township. They 
have one child — Park E. 



SPRIS^CFIELD TOWNSHflP. 



ROBERT L. ATCHISON, merchant, Mog- 
adore, Ohio. This gentleman was born in 
Washington Co., Penn., April 15, 1813, being 
the son of Humphrey and Betsey (Loury) 
Atchison, who were natives of Washington 
Co., where he (Humphrey) was engaged in 
farming. In 1816, he moved to Steubenville, 
Ohio, where for a short time he was proprietor 
of a hotel. Becoming dissatisfied, he moved 
to Yellow Creek, where he became interested 
in procuring and selling salt, at which busi 
ness he was very successful, and had contracts 
in many parts of Ohio and West Virginia. 
He died in March, 1876. The subject of these 
lines lived at home imtil he was 14 years of 
age; he was then engaged to drive a stage, 
the route being from Wheeling to Janesville, 
which occupation he followed for seven years. 
In 1884, he came to Akron and engaged in 
the manufacture of stoneware, at first as jour- 
neyman, and subsequently as proprietor, which 
business he has carried on up to the present 
time. He engaged in the mercantile business 
in 1855, with a small capital, which business 
also he successfully controls. He was united 
in marriage to Fannie Purdy on Jan. 10, 1841, 
from which marriage three children were born 
to them, viz.: Alfred P., Charles C, and 
Emma, wife of Norton Atwood (deceased). A 



son of the last named lives with him, and is a 
musician of considerable note. Mr. Atchison 
is an active Republican. 

ABRAM BRUMBAUGH, farmer and stock- 
raiser; P. O. North Springfield; is a son 
of Jacob and Susan (Ditch) Brumbaugh. 
Jacob was a native of Pennsylvania, and came 
to Stark Co., Ohio, in 1810, where he was mar- 
ried to Susan Ditch in 1828 ; she was a native 
of Germany, and came to Summit Co. with her 
parents at an early day. There were nine 
children in the family. They were members 
of the German Baptist Church. The subject 
was born in Stark Co., Ohio, April 21, 1835. 
He lived at home until he was of age, attend- 
ing the district schools. In 1857, he was 
united in marriage to Sarah Shoner, daughter 
of P. H. and Dorothy Shoner, who were natives 
of Germany, and early settled in Springfield 
Township. The result of that marriage is an 
interesting family of six children, viz. : Emma 
J., Monroe A, Caroline, Amanda, Minerva 
and Laura. In 1860, he took charge of his 
father's farm and threshing. He jiurchased a 
farm of 100 acres in Lake Township, where 
he remained for two years, afterward exchang- 
ing it for a grist-mill in Springfield Township, 
known as the Tritt Mill. He settled on a 
farm of 146 acres in Springfield Township, 



IZ 



:^i 



SPlUNGriP:LD TOWNSHIP. 



909 



where he now resides. He has engaged ex- 
tensively in buying and shipping stock. Mr. 
and Mrs. Brumbaugh are active members of 
the Lutheran Church. Mi'. Brumbaugh has 
always voted the Democratic ticket, and has 
held many offices of trust, and is one of the 
most successful business men in Springfield 
township. 

JOHN T. BRITTAIN, farmer; P. O. Brit- 
tain. This gentleman was born on his fa- 
ther's farm in Colmnbia Co., Penn., Aug. 
16, 1823. His parents moved to Springfield 
Township in 1832, and settled on the farm 
he now occupies. His early days were spent 
on the farm. At the age of 21 years, he mar- 
ried Hannah Rogers, daughter of Gerdon and 
Sarah Rogers, of Geauga Co., Ohio, and the 
following-named children were born, viz.: 
Amanda, wife of Wesley Corp, of Northamp- 
ton Township; John; Sarah, wife of Herman 
Newbower; and Hannah, wife of Thomas Gil- 
crest, of Springfield Township. Mrs. Brittain 
died in March, 1852, aged 24 years. His sec- 
ond wife was Catharine Potts, of Suffield 
Township; eight children were born to them, 
six of whom are living, viz. : Olive, Lemuel, 
Alice, Cora, Grace and Edith. Mr. Brittain 
is comfortably situ.ated on a fine farm of 200 
acres, which is valuable because of the amount 
of ore it contains. He takes an active part in 
the welfare of the township, and, when the 
people of Springfield petitioned for a post 
ofiice to be located where Brittain is, it was 
their desire to have it given his name. Mr. 
Brittain has always voted the Republican 
ticket, and has held many township ofiices. 

EDWARD BERRY, Postmaster and mer- 
chant, Brittain; son of Henry and Elizabeth 
Berry; was born in Union Co., Penn., April 4, 
1832. At an early age, he left home and 
commenced to drive mules on a canal, run- 
ning between Pittston, Penn., and Baltimore, 
Md., and followed that occupation for four 
years. He then engaged with the Captain of 
a schooner, for whom he worked four years, 
sailing principally along the coast. He ar- 
ranged to take passage on a vessel that was to 
sail around the world, but, before leaving, 
returned home for the purjiose of bidding his 
parents farewell, and was taken suddenly ill, 
being sick for about three months; abandon- 



ing his sailor's life, he was apprenticed to a 
shoe-maker to learn the trade; at the expira- 
tion of his apprenticeship, he began as jour- 
neyman, working and traveling extensively 
for three years. In 1853, in Stark Co., Ohio, 
he started a boot and shoe store and custom 
shop, doing business until 1856, when he 
began to sell other articles. In 1869, he pur- 
chased the property now occupied b him and 
started a general store, conducting the busi- 
ness ever since. In February, 1880, he was 
appointed Postmaster at Brittain. On April 
23, 1853, he married Maria Leib, daughter of 
John Leib, of Stark Co. ; four children were 
born to them, three of whom are living — 
Sarah E., Martha A. and Henry L. He is a 
Democrat in principle, and has held many 
township offices. 

JAMES BREWSTER, coal operator, Mid- 
dlebury; is the son of James G. and Mar- 
tha Brewster, and was born in Coventry, this 
county, Jan. 11, 1834. He lived on the farm 
with his father until he was 21 years of age, 
when he went to California, where he remained 
twelve years, engaged in mining. In 18(37, 
he returned home and began farming. Then, 
in company with his brothers, he began oper- 
ating the coal mine which was located on 
their farm, and has been in that business up 
to the present time. They also own an inter- 
est in the Buckeye Sewer-Pipe Works of Mid- 
dlebiuy, and a gi'ist-mill in Coventry Town- 
ship, and other property. In May, 1870, he 
was married to Mary Davies, daughter of Rev. 
David Davies, of Portage Co. ; they have six 
children, viz.: Albert, Martha. Mary, Laura, 
Rose and Modena. Mrs. Brewster is a mem- 
ber of the Congregational Church of Akron. 
Mr. Brewster is a stanch Republican, always 
having voted with that party, and is consid- 
ered one of the stalwarts. 

BENJAMIN COLDREN, miller. Lake, 
Stark Co. The subject was born on his fa- 
thers' farm in Lancaster Co., Penn., May 5, 
1821. His parents, Abram and Mar}- Coldi'en, 
wei'e natives of Lancaster Co., Penn., where 
they were engaged in farming up to the time 
of their death; he died in 1866, aged 75 
years, and she in 1845, aged 40. The subject 
assisted his father on the farm imtil he ar- 
rived at the age of 18, when he left home 



4. 



ly- 



910 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and worked on another farm for two _years; 
biit, being dissatisfied with this work, and 
having a desire to become a miller, he ap})ren- 
ticed himself, two years later, to a miller in 
Lancaster Co., Penn., serving three years. 
He then took charge of a mill and followed 
that business three years. In 1847, he rented 
another mill, where he successfully carried on 
business for thirteen years. In ISGO, he 
moved to Springfield and purchased the mill 
property known as the Phoenix Mill, where he 
has continued in business up to the present 
time. He has made many improvements, and 
it is now one of he first- class mills of Spring- 
field Townshi]). In connection with that 
property, he owns a farm in Springfield. 
In 1858, he was married to Ann Sheets, 
daughter of John and Elizabeth Sheets, of 
Lancaster Co., Penn. Their children were 
Mary, wife of John Myers; Samuel, deceased; 
Caroline E., wife of Adam Swinehart; and 
Pansy. Mr. Coldren is Democratic in princi- 
ple, and has voted with that party since its 
organization. 

CIEORGE CARPER, farmer; P. O. Mid- 
dlebury ; is the son of Samuel and Ester Young, 
who came to Stark Co. from Pennsylvania at an 
early day, where they settled on a farm of 160 
acres, where they lived until their death, 
the mother dying in 1864, and the father in 
1868. The subject's early life was spent in 
assisting his father on the farm. At the age 
of 21, he left home and worked on a farm for 
three years. On Dec. 22, 1861, he was united 
in marriage to Elizabeth, the only child of 
Henry and Elizabeth Young. Five children 
were born to them, as follows: Amanda, Mar- 
garet, Samuel, Ruben and Henry (deceased). 
Mr. Carper settled on a farm after his mar- 
riage, and has continued in that calling up to 
the present time, in addition to which, having 
been licensed to preach in 1872, he has accept- 
ably tilled the pulpit of the German Baptist 
Church. He owns 250 acres of valuable land, 
and also has an interest in a clay bank. 
He lives with his father-in-law, Mr. Young, 
who was a native of Lancaster Co., Penn., 
where he was born in 1819, and came to 
Springfield at an early day. Being a cooper 
by trade, he followed that calling for several 
years, until about 1842, when he engaged in 



farming, and, by his industry and economy, 
has become one of Springfield's wealthiest 
men. He and his wife are members of the 
GFerman Baptist Church. 

HENRY CRAMER, farmer; P. O. Moga- 
dore; is the son of Daniel and Catharine 
(Myers) Cramer, and was born in Uniontown, 
Summit Co., Ohio, Oct. 15, 1822. In his early 
life, he assisted his father on the farm. At 
the age of 21, he left home and purchased 80 
acres of land in Green T(3wnsliip, and worked 
at chojjping and clearing for three years, when 
he discontinued the same. He was married to 
Elmira Stall, daughter of Simon and Deb- 
orah Stall, May 6, 1846, and six children were 
born to them, viz.: Calviii, Melancthon, Sy- 
bella (deceased), William H. (deceased), Mar- 
tha E. and Cora A. After his marriage, he 
settled on 208 acres of land in Springfield 
Township, where he labored diligently, until 
he has one of the best- improved farms in the 
township. Subsequent to the death of his 
first wife, he married Isabella Jones, daughter 
of William and Jane Jones, and she bore him 
two children — Jennie B. and Arthur H (de- 
ceased). His wife died March 1, 1880, and 
her loss was keenly felt by neighbors and 
friends, who greatly esteemed her. 

WILLIAM F. CROTZER, retired farmer; 
P. O. Mogadore. Among the early settlers of 
Summit Co. is the subject, who was born on 
his father's farm Oct. 30, 1799. His father, 
John Crotzer, came to Springfield in 1816, 
the subject accompanying him. In his youth, 
he assisted in clearing the farm, obtaining 
such education as the early schools afforded. 
On Dec. 28, 1820, he was married to Margaret 
Diuibar, daughter of Alexander Dmibar, of 
Pemisylvania. They had no children, and his 
wife died on June 5, 1872. He settled on his 
present farm at an early day, and did the first 
plowing done at Brittain. He was united in 
marriage to Mrs. George Rehard, formerly 
from Peimsylvania; her maiden name was 
Sarah A. Degarmo. They are both active 
members of the Presbyterian Church, he hav- 
ing been a member for a number of years. In 
politics, he is a Democrat. 

JOHNW. CHAMBERLIN, farmer; P. O. 
Krumroy; son of Joseph and Agnes (Deal) 
Chamberlin; was born in Springfield Town- 



"x: 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



911 



ship March 22, 1845. He remained at home 
until, and for several years after, his marriage, 
which occurred Oct. 21, 1869, the lady being 
Elizabeth Wise, daughter of Samuel Wise, of 
Stark Co. ; there were three children. In 
1877, he purchased of the heirs 83 acres of 
the homestead farm. He has made many im- 
provements, and his is considered one of the 
pleasantest homes in the neighborhood. Mx. 
and Mrs. Chamberlin are members of the 
M. E. Chvu-ch. Joseph Chamberlin, his 
father, soon after settling in Springfield 
Township, built the grist-mill known as the 
Chamberlin Mill, and conducted business 
therein for several years, when he again fol- 
lowed farming. He died in 1873, aged 64. 

DAVID ELLET, school-teacher, Akron. 
This gentleman is the son of David and Sarah 
(Fite) Ellet, and was born in Springfield, 
Smnmit Co., Ohio, Feb. 7, 1827. His parents 
died when he was young, and he lived with 
his grandparents. At the age of 11, he went 
to Findlay and lived there a year, when he 
retm-ned to Springfield Township and lived 
with Jehu Ellet until he was 17, when he 
attended school at Middlebury ; from there he 
went to Wadsworth, where he entered Wads- 
worth Academy, subsequently attending the 
institute at Twinsburg, where he remained for 
some time. In order to acquire a more com- 
plete education, he attended Franklin College, 
where he remained until his health began to 
fail. He was considered one of the best- 
infonned students in the college, and was 
especially noted for his proficiency in the 
Latin language. On June 14, 1849, he was 
united in marriage to Keziah Ellet, daughter 
of Jehu Ellet, of Springfield Township. 
There were three childi'en, viz. : Lucinda E., 
Minnie J., Ai'thiu* L. ; Sarah E., is deceased. 
Since his marriage, he has been engaged in 
fanning and teaching. He is a member of the 
Board of School Examiners of Summit Co. 
Mr. and Mrs. Ellet are devout members of the 
Presbyterian Church. 

K. J. ELLET, farmer; P. O. Middlebury; is 
a son of Jehu and Elizabeth Ellet. His 
father was from Hartford Co., Md., and came 
to Tnunbull Co., Ohio, in 1802 with his par- 
ents, where they remained until 1810, when 
they came to Springfield and settled a f ai'm of 



640 acres. His mother's parents were from 
Pennsylvania, and settled in Trumbull Co., 
Ohio, in 1820. After their marriage, they 
lived on a farm up to the time of their death; 
he died March 23, 1860, aged 66 years, and 
she in September, 1865, aged 73 years. The 
subject was born in Springfield Dec. 27, 1831. 
He lived at home, doing farm work and at- 
tending district school, until March 16, 1854, 
when he was married to Lu.cinda E. Norton, 
daughter of Lester Norton, who came to 
Springfield from New York State in 1808. 
Three children were born to them, viz. : Mat- 
tie, wife of Milo White, of Springfield; Cora 
J., wife of Frank Weston; and King Fred. 
Mr. Ellet lives on the homestead farm, consist- 
ing of 132 acres of valuable land. He is a 
stanch Republican, and has held many town- 
ship olfices. 

ROBERT GILCREST, miller, Brittain. 
The subjcet of this sketch was born in Wash- 
ington Co., Penn., Feb. 28, 18 lO. He lived 
at home until he was 22 years of age, working 
on the farm during siimmers and attending 
school in winters. At the age of 22, he left 
home and went to Wellsburg, Va., where he 
began working in a boat-yard, remaining for 
four years. In 1838, he came to Stark Co., 
Ohio, where he became engaged in the mill- 
wright's trade, which he continued eight years 
in different parts of Ohio. In 1849, he came 
to Springfield and purchased the mill prop- 
erty known as the Western Reserve Mill, in 
which business he has been engaged ever 
since. In 1832, he was married to Mary Mar- 
tin, daughter of Robert Martin, of Brooke Co., 
Va. Mrs. Gilcrest died in 1838. His second 
wife was Rebecca Myers, of Springfield. 
They have five childi-en — Caroline, wife of 
Frederick Schnee; Thomas; Matilda, wife of 
Benton Adams, of Aki-on; Mary A. and Anson. 
IVIi-. Gilcrest is a stanch Democrat. 

A. W. HALL, stoneware manufacturer, 
Mogadore; is the son of Robert and Mary 
(Warner) Hall; born in Portage Co., Ohio, 
Aug. 15, 1843, on his father's farm, where 
his boyhood days were spent. At the age of 
7, he came to Mogadore with his mother, at- 
tending school imtil he was 14 yeai-s old, when 
he began to work on a farm in Portage Co., 
continuing for two years, when he went to 



912 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Oshkosh, Wis., remaining but one year, dur- 
ing which time he was working on a farm. 
Returning to Ohio, he went to Tallmadge, 
where he again attended school, remaining 
until the breaking-out of the war, when he 
enlisted in Co. F, 7th O. V. I., remaining in 
that company but three months, when he 
enlisted in Co. G, 29th O. V. I. He was 
taken prisoner at Chancellorsville May 3, 1868, 
being released on the 1 st of June of the same 
year. He served through many battles, and 
was with Sherman while on his march to the 
sea. He returned home in 1866 and engaged 
in the pottery business, the firm name being 
Martin & Hall. Their works were destroyed 
by tire in 1868, and he then bought more 
extensive works. The tirm is now Myers & 
Hall, and are doing a flourishing business. 
In March, 1867, he was married to Helen 
Warren, daughter of William H. and Phcebe 
Warren. From their union two children were 
the issue — Harry R. and Eva. Mr. Hall is an 
active Republican, and enjoys the confidence 
of all. 

HARLIN HILL, farmer; P. O. Mogadore; 
is a son of John and Eunice Crane Hill. 
John, the father, was born in Rhode Island, 
but removed to Clarence, N. Y., where he was 
engaged in farming; he remained there but a 
short time when he removed to Allegany Co., 
N. Y., and settled on a farm, where he lived 
for several years. At the breaking-out of the 
war of 1812, he volunteered his services and 
was engaged in the battle in which Gen. Brock 
lost his life, and after the war he moved to 
Canada, where he remained until the time of 
his death. The subject of this sketch was 
born on his father's farm in Clarence, N. Y., 
in the year 1810, and his early life was spent 
on his father's farm. At the age of 18 years, 
he learned to manufacture woolen goods in 
Canada, and was engaged in the same for ten 
years, when he sold out. In 1 844, he came to 
Summit Co., settling in Tallmadge Township, 
remaining there eight years. He then pur- 
chased the farm he now lives on, consisting of 
300 acres of land. In May, 1835, he was 
married to Mary M. Church, daughter of John 
K. and Mary Chxirch, who were natives of 
Vermont, and settled in Summit Co. at an 
early day. From that marriage there were 



six children born, as follows: John H., Hiram 
C, both killed in the late war; Franklin F., 
William E., Eugene H., and Edith P., wife of 
Albert Kent, of Mogadore. Mr. Hill has 
always been identified with the Republican 
party. 

JOHN S. HART, contractor, Middlebury; 
was born in Middlebiuy, Summit Co., Ohio, 
Dec. 5, 1833, to John C. and Margaret A. 
(Sterling) Hart, and lived on his father's farm 
imtil he was 16 years of age, when he entered 
the high school at Abingdon, Mass., where he 
remained one year, and then attended the high 
school at Winchester, Mass. , where he remained 
for a short time, and then returned home and 
assisted his father at farming and other busi- 
ness. On March 12, 1856, he was united in 
marriage to Zilpha M. Tinker, daughter of 
Daniel Tinker, of Rochester, N. Y. Two 
children were born to them, viz.: Louise 
Sumner and Hiram S. (deceased). In Sep- 
tember, 1873, his wife died, and on the 19th 
of July, 1874, he married Rose Henry, daugh- 
ter of Jacob Henry, of Pittsburgh. They have 
no childien. In 1856, he engaged in farm- 
ing, which business he followed imtil 1861, 
when he adopted the stoneware business, in 
company with William E. Smith, at which he 
continued until 1873. In July, 1875, he was 
engaged by the Akron Strawboard Company 
— the lai'gest establishment of its kind in the 
State — as contractor, which business he is now 
engaged in. In addition to this, he carries 
on the old homestead farm. Mr. Hart is a 
stanch Republican, always having A'oted with 
that party. 

AUSTIN M. HALE, farmer and nursery- 
man; P. O. Mogadore. Among the first set- 
tlers of Portage Co. was the subject's father, 
Thomas Hale, who, in 1806, left his home in 
Suffield Co., Conn., for the State of Ohio. 
Uj)on his arrival in the new country, he was 
engaged to teach school, which business he 
can-ied on for several yeai's. In 1810, he was 
united in mandage to Laura Moore, who was 
a native of Vermont. The subject has in his 
possession a letter written by his father to 
Mr. Moore, asking his approval of their mar- 
riage. Thomas Hale came into possession of 
1,800 acres of land in Portage and Medina 
Cos. at the death of his father. He served as 



. yg 



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^ 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



913 



Justice of the Peace for upward of forty years. 
His death occuired in June, 1841. The sub- 
ject's early life was spent on his father's farm. 
At the age of 17, he moved on the farm which 
he now occupies. On Jan. I, 1838, he was 
married to Samantha Bellows; four children 
wei'e born to them — Thomas, Albert, Laura 
and Mary. His wife died in 1870. He mar- 
ried his second wife, Laura Brown, on Feb. 6, 
1871, and of that marriage there is one child 
—Nellie May. 

PETER HILE, farmer; P. O. Mogadore: 
is the son of Henry and Maria Hile, and was 
born Nov. 11, »824. When but 5 days old, 
his mother died and left him in charge of a 
brother, where he lived until he was 10 years 
of age, when he commenced to work on a farm 
in the summers and attending school during 
the winters, which life he led for seven years. 
He then learned the blacksmith's trade, serv- 
ing three years as an apprentice; he worked 
in company with his brother for two years, 
when they dissolved partnership and he con- 
ducted the business alone for a time. On Feb. 
25, 1846, he was married to Olive L. Boyd, 
who bore him two childi"en, viz.: Emily R., 
wife of Quinn Monroe, of Texas; and Sarah 
L., wife of Henry Weimer, of Springfield, 
Mr. Hile began life a poor boy, but, by his 
industry and economy, has acquired a fine 
property. Mr. and Mrs. Hile are members of 
the Disciples' Church. 

GEORGE W. HART, farmer; P. O. Mid- 
dlebury; is the son of John and Sarah (Dun- 
bar) Hart, who were natives of Penosylvania, 
where they were engaged in farming. In 
1819, they came to Springfield and settled on 
a farm. In 1889, they bought and settled on 
the farm now owned by George, where they 
lived until their death. The father was a sol- 
dier of the war of 1812, and died at the ripe 
age of 82; and the mother, at the age of 66. 
The subject was born on his father's farm in 
Springfield, March 17, 1833, and is the young- 
est of a family of feven children. His younger 
days were spent on the fai'm and attending 
school. In 1864, he enlisted in Co. H, 4th 
Battalion O. V. I., and served 100 days. On 
Nov. 23, 1856, he was married to Rebecca 
Myers, daughter of John D. Myers. There 
were three children, as follows: Arilda J., 



wife of Oren Swinehart; Ira L. and Luther 
E. Mr. Hart's gi'andfather was a soldier 
imder La Favette, serving seven yeai'a. 

JONATHAN HOOVER, farmer; P. O. 
Lake; is the yoimgest of a family of eight 
children born to Samuel and Susan Hoover, 
who were natives of Huntington Co., Penn., 
where they followed farming until their death. 
The subject was born in Himtingdon Co., 
Penn., Feb. 8, 1818, and lived at home imtil 
he was 10 years of age, when he came to 
Stark Co., Ohio, with John Harley. When 
he reached his 18th yeai% he began to learn 
the shoemaker's trade; served thi*ee years as 
an apprentice, and then started in business for 
himself in Lake Township, where he contin- 
ued for twelve years. In 1851, he bought and 
settled on a farm of 113 acres, where he lived 
until 1867, when he sold his farm and bought 
the one he now lives on, consisting of 155 
acres of valuable land. In 1843, he mairied 
Catharine Fouse; nine children were bom to 
them, viz.: Franklin, William, Elizabeth, 
Priscilla, Sarah, Ellen, Daniel, Wilson and Ida. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hoover are members of the Ger- 
man Baptist Chiu-ch. Mr. Hoover is a stanch 
Republican. 

SAWYER M. miSH, farmer; P. O. Mid- 
dlebmy; is the third of a family of six chil- 
dren born to Jonas and Sallie (Sawyer) Ii'ish. 
They were natives of Rutland, Yt., and moved 
to New York State in 1810, settling on a farm, 
and afterwai'd moving to Knox Co., Tenn., in 
1866, where he engaged in fanning, which he 
continued until his death, which occiuTed in 
1873, his age being 73. His companion died 
in New York State in 1860, her age being 65. 
The subject of this sketch was born on his 
father's farm in Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., July 
12, 1820. Here he assisted his father at fann- 
ing imtil he attained his majority, when he 
left home and worked on another farm. In 
1 842, he came to Siunmit Co. and began farm- 
ing in Springfield Township, where he re- 
mained for some years. He afterwai'd pur- 
chased 40 acres of land, where he has since 
resided. In 1842, he was imited in mam age 
to Julia Decker, daughter of John Decker, of 
Orange Co.,N. Y.; foiu- childi-en were born to 
them, viz.: Melvin, Elizabeth (wife of H. 
Crosier, of Portage,) CaiTie (wife of H. Neli, 



^3* 



..s> 



914 



BIOGUAPIIICAL SKETCHES: 



of Springfield), and Hattie (wife of J. K. 
Kimes, of Portage Co.). Mr. Irish lias been 
successful in his pursuits. His wife has been 
a member of. the M. E. Church for several 
years. Mr. Irish is a stanch Republican, 
and has voted the Repiiblican ticket for sev- 
eral years. 

WILLIAM H. JONES, farmer; P. O. Brit- 
tain; son of John and Lucy C. Jones, was 
born in Lodi, Medina Co., Ohio, Aug. 3, 1841. 
His father died when he was young, and he 
lived with his grandparents until he was 
twelve years of age, when he left them and 
worked in different parts of the county. In 
1858, he began working at the carpenter's 
trade, serving his apprenticeship, afterward 
continuing at the trade until 1862, when he 
enlisted in the 120th O. V. I., and served 
three yeai's. He was with his company in 
Texas the greater part of the time. At the 
close of the war he returned home, and, in 
1866, came to Akron where he again worked 
at his trade and at contracting. In Septem- 
ber, 1862, he was married to Sarah A. Sum- 
merton, of Wayne County, Ohio, she bore him 
five children, viz., Ora A., Beiiies E., Frank 
E. (deceased), John V. and Lucy E. J. In 
1878, he purchased a farm of 90 acres on which 
he now lives. In politics he is a Republican, 
and is among the stalwarts of the township. 

ALFRED KREIGHBAUM, farmer; P. O. 
Lake; is the oldest of a family of fom-teen 
childi-en born to William and Sarah Kreigh- 
baum, who were natives of Lancaster Co., 
Penn., and came to Stark Co. at an early day, 
where they settled on a farm of 235 acres. 
The father was engaged in farming until his 
death, which occuiTed in 1869. His wife sur- 
vives him and lives in Greentown, Stark Co., 
at the present time. The subje.ct was born in 
Stark Co., Ohio, April 14, 1835, on the farm, 
where he remained until 1858, where he was 
married to Mary A. Pontius, daughter of Sam. 
uel and Catharine Pontius, of Stark Co. From 
that mai-riage there were three children — Sa- 
die C, Emma L. and Louise D. (deceased). 
Soon after his marriage he bought a farm of 
45 acres, where he resided for five years, and, 
in 1870, bought and settled on the present 
farm, consisting of 154 acres of valuable and 
well improved land. Mr. and Mrs. Kreigh- 



baum are members of the Methodist Episcopal 
Church. Mr. K. is Democratic in principle, 
and has always voted that ticket. 

ELIAS KURTZ, farmer; P. O. Lake; Is 
one of eleven childi-en born to Jacob and Cath- 
arine (Gibble) Kurtz, who settled in Portage 
Co., Ohio, in 1856, on a farm where he still 
lives, his wife having died in 1873. They 
were natives of Lebanon Co., Penn., where 
the subject was born in May, 1833. He lived 
at home until he was 18 years of age, when he 
began to learn the carpenter trade, serving two 
years as an apprentice, and working at it in 
Pennsylvania until 1856, when he came to 
Portage Co. with his parents, where he con- 
tinued at his trade for several years. He was 
also engaged in contracting. In 1854, he 
married Catharine Kunse, daughter of John 
Kunse, of Dauphin Co., Penn. There were 
twelve children, nine of whom are living. In 
1868, he bought and settled on a farm of 140 
acres, where he lived three years, and then 
bought 1 02 acres of valuable and well-improved 
land where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs. 
Kurtz are members of the German Baptist 
Church of Springfield, which they have at- 
tended for many years. He is one of the most 
successful farmers in Springfield Township. 

SIMON LAUDENSLAGER, retired mer- 
chant, Mogadore. The subject of this sketch 
was born in Snyder Co., Penn., Oct. 18, 1819. 
His father, John Laudeuslager, owned a farm, 
and Simon spent his youthful days thereon. 
In the month of September, 1839, he in com- 
pany with his family left his native home to 
seek a more desirable one in Ohio. They jour- 
neyed in wagons and reached here after twen- 
ty-tlu-ee days of driving, settling in Magadore, 
where our subject worked at the tailor's trade 
for fifteen /ears, first as a journe man, and 
subsequently carried on the business for him- 
self. In 1854, he engaged in the mercantile 
business with R. L. Atchison (whose sketch 
appears in this work), and continued in the 
business for eight years, when he sold his 
interest to his partner. His ambition would 
not allow him to remain idle, and, in 1868, he 
again started a general store, and caiTied on 
business until 1874, when he sold his interest, 
since which time he has lived a retired life. 
He was married to Elizabeth Green, daughter 



-® \ 



<2 



^ 



SPRIXGFIELD TOWXSHIP. 



915 



of Benjamin and Lucy Green, May 30, 1844. 
There were no children; his wife died in 
1878, aged 54 years. He has since his retire- 
ment fi'om business traveled extensively 
through the United States, and takes an act- 
ive part in the erection of the Connotton Val- 
ley Railroad. He has been a member of 
the Disciples* Church since 1848, and Elder 
in the same since 1854. In politics he is a 
Republican, and has held many offices in his 
township,which is Democratic. 

PETER LEPPER, farmer; P. O. Middle- 
bury. The subject of this sketch was born 
Oct. 6, 182G, in Mahoning Co., Ohio. He 
lived with his parents, Adam J. and Mary 
tStine) Lepper until he was 12 years old, 
when he began life as a mule driver on the Ohio 
& Pennsylvania Canal, his route being from 
Cleveland to Youngstown, which employ- 
ment he followed for three seasons. At the 
age of 15, he was engaged by a stage route 
company to drive a stage from Erie to Con- 
neaut, which he did for one year. He then 
engaged as steamboat hand on board a steam- 
er running between Cincinnati and Nachez; 
gi'owing tired of that life he returned home, 
soon afterward coming to Akron, where, for 
three years, he worked by the day. By his 
economy he saved money enough to purchase 
a team and wagon, which he did and began 
peddling, dealing principally in cigars and 
notions, which he carried on successfully for 
two years. In 1850, he purchased and settled 
on 60 acres of land in Suffield Township, 
Portage Co., where he remained for several 
years. In 1869, he bought and settled on his 
residence farm which consists of 254 acres 
of well-improved land; he also owns a farm 
of 140 acres in Brimfield Township, Portage 
Co. In 1880, he started the Bohemian oat 
meal mill at Middlebury, where he is 
doing a thriving business. In connection 
with this business he is extensively engaged 
in the sale of farming implements, and is con- 
sidered one of the best and most successful 
business men in Springfield Township. In 
1850, he was man-ied to Catharine Sausaman, 
daughter of John Sausaman, of Portage Co., 
Ohio. Seven children were born to them as 
follows: J. H., T. F., Louisa, Maggie, Liz- 
zie, Catharine and Jefferson. Mr. and Mrs. 



Lepper are members of the German Baptist 
Church of Aki'on. 

JACOB IVnSHLER, farmer and civil engi- 
neer; P. O. Mogadore. This gentleman was 
born on his father's farm in Pemisylvania Feb. 
24, 1828. His father, Samuel, and mother, 
Elizabeth (Beecher) Mishler, had nine chil- 
dren, the subject being the eighth. In 1883, 
his father came to Springfield Township, 
where he settled on 140 acres of land. Here 
the subject spent his boyhood days, and 
obtained such education as the common 
schools afforded. At the age of 1 9, he taught 
and continued teaching for ten years. About 
this time he saw in the New York Trib- 
une an advertisement of the sale of sui'veyor's 
instrmnents. He procured a set, and, un- 
aided, set to work, the result being consid- 
erable notoriety as a surveyor. In Suffield 
Township he owns 103 acres of land, upon 
which he is to erect some buildings on the 
Connotton Valley Railroad, and in the deeds 
of conveyance are the articles prohibiting the 
sale of intoxicating drink to any person. In 
1851, he was married to Louise, daughter of 
Joseph and Susan Myers. There are six chil- 
dren — Menno S., Milton B., Maria, wife of J. 
W. Wise: Lizzie, Frank J. Mr. and Mrs. 
Mishler are devout members of the German 
Baptist Church, with which they iinited twen- 
ty-six years ago. His first voting was with 
the Frfee-Soilers. He was elected by the Re- 
publicans to the office of County Surveyor, 
which office he held for several years. 

PHILIP MYERS, retired fai-mer; P. O. 
Lake, Stark Co. Is the son of Michael and 
Agnes Myers, who were among the fii'st set 
tiers in Green Township, settling there in 1812. 
They were natives of Center Co.,Penn., where 
Michael was engaged in blacksmithing, which 
business he had followed for several years. 
Owing to the newness of the neighborhood in 
which he settled, he was obliged to abandon his 
trade for some time, and tm'ned his attention 
to farming; he purchased 100 acres of land, 
cleared it, and i-esided upon it to the time of 
his death, which occurred in 1847; his wife 
died in 1852. The siibject was born in Cen- 
ter Co., Penn., February, 1809, when but 3 
years of age he was brought to Green Town- 
ship, Summit Co. He remained on the farm 



:^ 



/, K 



i^ 



916 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 




assisting his father until he was 21 years of 
age, when he settled on 88 acres of land, which 
he now owns in connection with another valua- 
ble farm and some town property, all in Spring- 
field Township. In 1831, he was united in 
marriage to Rosana Buchtel, daughter of Pe- 
ter Buchtel. There were ten children, seven 
of whom are living — Urias, Rebecca, Thomas 
Jefferson, James M., Malinda, Susan and Jen- 
ning. Mrs. Myers died Nov. 27, 1880, aged 
70 years. Mr. Myers has voted with the 
Democratic party since its organization. 

GEORGE MARKLE, potter and grocer, 
Brittain; sou of Adam and Barbara Markle, 
was boni in Springfield Township Sept. 11, 
1846. He attended school until he was 17 
years of age. In 1864, he entered Co. D, 1st 
Ohio Light Ai-tillery, and remained for eight- 
een months. In 1865, he was engaged by 
Whitmore, Roberson & Co., of Aki'on, as sales- 
man. In 1866, he began learning the potter's 
trade, working as an apprentice until 1868, 
when he removed to Manchester, Iowa, where 
he engaged in that business for two years, 
when he returned to Summit Co., and, in com- 
pany with James Viall, of Middlebury, engaged 
in the manufactiu'e of stoneware. They are 
now doing a thriving business. He is engaged 
with his brother, Lewis E., in the grocery 
business. In 1867, he was man-ied to Carrie 
Swartz, and two childi'en were liom to them, 
viz., Archie and Grace. In politics, he is a 
Democrat. 

D. W. MARTIN, farmer; P. O. Akron; is 
one of a f.imily of eleven children born to 
Andrew and Rebecca (Way) Martin. He was 
born in Springfield Township, Ohio, February, 
1841. During his early life he assisted his 
father on the farm, and attended common 
schools and the seminary at Greensburg, 
remaining at home until he was 21 years of 
age. In November, 1861, he was married to 
Rebecca J. Henderson, daughter of William 
and Jane Henderson, of Springfield, who were 
formerly fi'om Pennsylvania. Six children 
were born to them as follows: Luella, wife 
of William Yerrick, of Springfield Township; 
Ida C, Florence, Herman H, William A. and 
Jennie. In 1860, he settled on a farm in 
Springfield. He now owns and resides on a 
farm of 117 acres of valuable land. He was 



a Colonel in the late war. He is a Democrat 
in politics, and has held many offices of trust. 
He is a member of the Masonic Order, Lodge 
No. 83, Aki'on. Rebecca (Way) Martin, mother 
of the subject, was born in Suffield Town- 
ship, Portage County, Ohio, April 29, 1804, 
and was the first white child born in that 
township. Her parents, David and Rebecca 
(Baldwin) Way, were natives of Connecticut, 
and came to Portage Co. in 1802. Mrs. Mar- 
tin's early days were spent at her home in the 
woods, where she remained until she was 18 
years of age, when she married Andrew Mar- 
tin, who was a native of Pennsylvania, and 
settled in Springfield at an early day. Eleven 
children were born to them, five of whom are 
living. Mr. Martin died June 11, 1878, at 
the ripe age of 83 years. Mrs. Martin still 
lives on the old homestead, and is highly es- 
teemed by her neighbors and friends. She 
is a devout member of the Refoimed Presby- 
terian Church. 

JACOB METZGER, farmer; P. O. Mid- 
dlebui-y; was born on his father's farm in 
Lancaster Co.,Penn., Jan. 2, 1841. His par- 
ents, Henry and Mary (Geibe) Metzger, were 
natives of that place. In the year 1855, they 
came to Lake Township, where they settled 
on 100 acres of land, and farmed until 1872, 
when, selling the farm, they moved to Union- 
town. IVIrs. Metzger died in 1875 at the age 
of 65. In 1879, he mai'ried again. After 
coming to Ohio, om* subject learned the carpen- 
ter's trade, serving two years as an apprentice, 
and afterward working at the trade. At the 
breaking-out of the war, he enlisted in Co. E, 
115th O. V. I., serving until its close. He 
assisted in building the block-houses at Mur- 
freesboro, and was one of the thirty men 
closed in by the rebels for seventeen days. At 
the close of the war he retiu-ned to Stark Co., 
and began working at his trade. In February, 
1868, he was married to Leah Wise, daughter 
of George and Barbara Wise, of Stark Co. 
Thi-ee childi'en were born to them, as follows: 
Aerman H., Mark E. and Floyd J. In April, 
1878, he bought and settled on a farm of 146 
acres where he now resides, and is orle of the 
most successful farmers in Springfield Town- 
ship. Ml-. Metzger is a Republican in poli- 
tics. 



IK 



SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



917 



WILLIAM McCLELLAN, f aimer; P. O. 
Mogadore. The subject of this sketch was 
born on his father's farm in Trumbull Co., 
Ohio, July 4, 1807. His parents, Robert and 
Rosana McClellan, were among the first set- 
tlers there. The subject's early life was spent 
in assisting his father on the farm and attend- 
ing school. In 1818, he came with his father 
to Summit Co., where they settled on 100 acres 
of land. Here it was that William worked 
and spent his younger days. At the age of 
26, in 1833, he was united in marriage to 
Jane Cmnmins, of Trumbull Co. ; from that 
union three children were the issue — Robert 
A., Jane E. (wife of Urias Cramer, of New 
Philadelphia); and William A. He now owns 
65 acres of valuable land. He has been a 
member of the United Presbyterian Chiu-ch 
for several years. He has discontinued farm- 
ing, and is paying his attention to sheep-rais- 
ing. His son, R. A., is carrying on business 
on the farm, making it his home. He has 
gained the respect of all who know him. 

LEWIS E. MARKLE, grocer, Brittain; 
the son of Adam and Barbara Markle, was 
born at Brittain May 10, 1855, where he at- 
tended both district and high schools. At the 
age of 17, he was engaged by one of Akron's 
merchants as clerk, where he remained one 
year, and then engaged with J. Park Alexan- 
der as foreman and collector of his fire-brick 
works. He afterward withdrew and clerked 
for Viall & Markle, where he remained one 
year. In 1876, he traveled through the East- 
ern and Western States. In 1877, he pui'- 
chased IMr. Vi all's interest in the grocery busi- 
ness, and engaged in the same in company 
with his brother. Although a young man, he 
has rare business qualifications. He is a 
Democrat in politics. His father was a native 
of Wurtemberg. Germany, and came to Amer- 
ica at an early day, settling in Medina Co. 
He came to Brittain and engaged in the gro- 
cery business, which he conducted until his 
death, in 1858. 

F. W. MYERS, stonewai'e manufactm'er, 
Mogadore; is the son of Joseph and Susan 
(Winger) Myers, who were natives of Lancas- 
ter Co., Penn., where they were engaged in 
farming. In 1838, they removed to Wayne 
Co., Ohio, settling on a fai'm; in 1876, remov- 



ing to Mogadore. The subject was bom Dec. 
4, 1830, in Lancaster Co., Penn. He at- 
tended district schools, and, at the age of 1 5, 
left home for the pm-pose of obtaining a bet- 
ter education. At the age of 18, he was ap- 
prenticed to the potter's trade; after serving 
his apprenticeship, he continued at the trade 
for several years. In 1864, he began 
business at Mogadore, on a small scale, pm-- 
chasing a shop which he afterward enlarged 
to those now standing. He, in company with 
A. W. Hall, are doing an extensive business, 
employing from forty-five to fifty men. The 
pay-roll amounts to $1,600 per month. In 
1852, he was married to Lydia Mishler, daugh- 
ter of Joseph Mishler. There were five chil- 
dren, two of whom are living, viz., Maria L., 
wife of Dr. Steele, of Mogadore; and Grace 
Eugenia. Mr. and Mrs. Myers are members 
of the Disciples' Church. Mr. Myers is a 
Republican. 

LEVI H. RHODES, contractor. North 
Springfield; is the oldest of seven children 
born to Joseph and Rosana (Housley) Rhodes, 
natives of Stark Co., where his father engaged 
in fai'ming. The subject was born in Summit 
Co., Ohio, May 14, 1847. He lived at home 
on the farm until his marriage, which oc- 
cm'red at the age of 18, to Mai'tha E. England, 
daughter of George England, of Medina Co. 
From that marriage three children were bom 
to them, viz., Minnie V., Martha A. and George 
E. After his marriage he learned the miller's 
trade in Wayne Co., at which he worked for 
some time, when he was obliged to discontinue 
it on account of his health. Then he farmed 
in Medina Co. for two years, at the end of 
which time he came to Springfield Township 
and engaged as contractor for the Middlebmy 
Clay Company. In 1872 and 1873, he was 
engaged in the stoneware business. He after- 
ward re-commenced contracting, which busi- 
ness he has been engaged in up to the pi'es- 
ent time. He invented what is known as the 
miner's drilling machine, which is valuable. 
Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes are both members of 
the Presbyterian Church. IVIi-. Rhodes has 
always voted the Democratic ticket, and has 
held manv township offices. 

HENRY RITTER, farmer; P. O. Krumrov; 
son of John S. and Elizabeth (Hendricks) Rit- 






918 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



ter; was born in Union Co., Penn., March 11, 
1834. When he was 1 year old, his parents 
came to Ohio and settled on a farm in Snm- 
mit Co., where the subject spent his younger 
days. He lived at home until he was 26 years 
of age, and obtained such education as the 
district schools afforded. In February, 1859, 
he married Louisa Kepler, who were for- 
merly from Pennsylvania. They have seven 
children, viz., William, John, Charles, Nor- 
man, Elsie, Harry and Earnest. In 1861, he 
purchased and settled on 80 acres of land, and, 
by his industry and economy, has accmnulated 
a handsome property, also owning a valuable 
farm in Green Township. He commands the 
respect and esteem of all. In politics, he is a 
Republican, and is ranked among the stal- 
warts. 

ABRAHAM SNYDER, farmer; P. O. Lake. 
The subject is the fourteenth child of a fam- 
ily of lifteen children born to Jost and Sa- 
loma Snyder, who were natives of Pennsylva- 
nia. Jost Snyder was a weaver by trade, and 
followed the business until 1819, when he 
came to Summit Co., settling in Green Tojvn- 
ship on a fann of 68 acres. It was on this 
fai-m the subject was born May 4, 1888, and 
where his early days were spent. He obtained 
such education as the district schools afforded, 
and, at the age of 18, he left home and woi'ked 
on a farm for two years; followed threshing 
for twenty-two years in Summit and Stark 
Cos., where he gained a notable reputation. 
In 1858, he man-ied Catharine Cranable, of 
Portage Co., who bore him live childi'en as 
follows: William, Stephen D., Sarah S., Eli as 
A. and George P. He now owns 140 acres of 
well improved lands, and a comfortable prop- 
erty in Portage Co. Mr. Snyder has always 
voted the Democratic ticket, and has held 
many offices of trust. He was 1 st Lieutenant 
of a company diu-iug the war, l)ut was never 
called out. 

WILLIAM J. SCHROP, potter, Krumi-oy; 
was born in Berks Co., Penn., April 19, 1838. 
His parents, Michael and Maria (Giesler) 
Schrop, were natives of the same place, and 
came to Summit Co., settling in Springfield 
Township in 1839. The father was a tailor 
by trade, and continued the business up to the 
time of his death. The subject of this sketch 



lived at home until he was 17 years of age, 
gaining his education at such schools as the 
neighborhood afforded. At the age of 18, he 
was apprenticed to the potter's trade with F. 
& G. Purdee, of Mogadore, serving two years, 
and continued with the company as journey- 
man for some time. Subsequently he was 
engaged by J. Ebberling as foreman of the 
pot-shops, and, in company with his brother, 
E. G. Schrop, bought the Brown pottery, which 
they rebuilt in 1871. They are now engaged 
in the manufacture of stoneware. They also 
own an interest in the clay-mill at Mogadore. 
He is a first-class workman, and Mobile serving 
his apprenticeship made the smallest perfect 
jug ever turned on a wheel, its dimensions not 
exceeding the size of a kernel of corn. He is 
the oldest correspondent on the Beacon^ con- 
tinuing through all its changes of ovpnership. 
On Dec. 25, 1854, he married Louisa Hender- 
son, daughter of William and Jane Henderson, 
of Springfield. They have three boys — Ed- 
ward H., who is in business with his father, 
and a music teacher of considerable note; 
William G. and Perry. Mr. and Mrs. Schrop 
are members of the Presbyterian Chiu'ch. 

HENRY STEIN, retired farmer; P. O. 
Brittian; was born in Baden, Germany, Aug. 
10, 1818, and is one of the eight childi'en born 
to Daniel and Catharine Stein, who came to 
Coventry To'svnship from Germany in 1832, 
where they lived on a farm for many years. 
In 1845, our subject left home to earn a liveli- 
hood, and, being industrious and economical, 
he was enabled in 1856, to piu'chase a farm of 
100 acres in Green Township, where he resided 
until 1878. He i3urchased a pottery known 
as the Bm-n's pottery, but did not conduct the 
business. In July, 1844, he was married to 
Mary Kramer, daughter of Henry Kramer, of 
Dauphin Co., Penn. Six childi'en were born 
to them, viz., Lavina, wife of John Sell, of 
Alo-oii; Mary E., wife of Benjamin Holland, 
of Indiana; William H. ; Amanda A., wife of 
E. Killinger, of Green To^vnship; and Daniel 
P. Mr. and Mr,~. Stein are members of the 
German Reformed Church. In politics, he is 
a Democrat, and has held many offices of 
trust. 

J. B. SWITZER, farmer; P. O. Brittain; is 
the son of Charles and Mary R. Switzer, who 



— ?l\ 



t 



Ll^ 



SPEINGFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



919 



settled in Coventry Township and engaged in 
farming, the father also working at the carpen- 
ter's trade. Mr. Switzer was a native of Peun 
sylvania, and his wife of Connecticut. He has 
an interest in a very valuable coal mine in Cov- 
entry. The subject was born on his father's 
farm, in Coventry Township, Siunmit Co., Ohio, 
Aug. 8, 1848, where he remained until he was 
21 years of age, when, with others, he was 
engaged prospecting for coal. He afterward 
took charge of his father's farm for foiir 
years. In July, 1874, he was married to 
Rebecca, daughter of Adam and Catharine 
Yerrick, of Springfield. Three children were 
born to them, two of whom are living. In 
1875, he pxu'chased and settled on the farm 
where he now resides, which consists oi 105 
acres of well improved land. For ten years 
he taught singing school in different parts of 
Summit Co. In politics, he is a Republican. 

JAMES A. STETLER, farmer; P. O. 
North Spring-field; is the only child of Will- 
iam and Sarah (Reichely ) Stetler, and was born 
in Union Co., Penn., May, 1840. At the age 
of 10 years, his parents moved to Green 
Township, Summit Co., Ohio, where they set- 
tled on a farm. He remained at home doing 
farm work and attending school, until Sep- 
tember, 1860, when he was married to Lavina 
Koons, daughter of Henry and Esther Koons. 
Four children were born to them, viz., Will- 
iam H, Charles E., Marion T. and Clarence 
O. In 1879, he purchased 120 acres of valu- 
able and well improved land, where he now 
resides. Mr. and Mrs. Stetler are members 
of the Evangelical Association. Mr. Stetler 
is Democratic in principle. His father and 
mother are comfortably settled on one of the 
best farms in Green Township. 

FRANCIS WESTON, retired farmer; P. 
O. Middlebury; is the son of John and Mar- 
garet Weston, who were natives of Litchfield 
Co., Conn., and who came to Springfield in 
March, 1814, where they settled on a farm of 
260 acres, and lived there until the father's 
death, which occurred in September, 1887, at 
the age of 82. The mother died in 1864, 
at the advanced age of 93 years. The subject 
was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., April 20, 
1790. In 1814, he came with his parents to 
Springfield, and, in company with his father. 



purchased the farm where he now lives. In 
1817, he was married to Amanda Hinman, 
daughter of Caleb Hinman, formerly from 
New York State. There were five childi-en as 
follows: Celestia, wife of Mathias Rhodes, 
of DeKalb Co., Ind. ; Margaret, wife of Ly- 
man Brown, of Springfield; Louisa, wife of 
Henry Bellows; Lydia, wife of Martin Bick, 
of Michigan; and Salmon, who married 
Mary J. Fox, of Springfield, and is settled on 
a farm near the old homestead. Mrs. Weston 
died Oct. 17, 1859, aged 57. Mr. Weston 
married in October, I860, Elizabeth McGowti, 
daughter of Dr. John McGowi^, of Orange Co., 
N. Y. She was the widow of John Decker, to 
whom she was married in 1807. Mr. Weston 
owns 160 acres of well-improved land, and is 
the oldest man in Springfield Township. 
Mrs. Weston is a lady of high cultui-e, and 
has now reached the ripe age of 91. They 
are both active members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Chiu'ch. Mi-. Weston has voted the 
Republican ticket, since that party was organ- 
ized. 

ABIA WHITE, farmer; P. O. Mogadore; 
son of Jacob and Rachel (Brittain) AVhite, 
was born in Luzerne Co., Penn., Oct. 18, 1816. 
His father and mother were natives of New 
England, and settled in Luzerne Co. in an 
early day. In 1824, his father moved to 
Summit Co., and settled on a farm, afterward 
moving on another of 150 acres near North 
Springfield. He died on May, 25, 1858, and 
his wife on April 8, 1855, aged 76. At 
the age of 21, otu- subject learned the car- 
penter's trade, at which he worked a few years, 
and then turned his attention to farming, 
which business he still engages in. On Feb. 
21, 1844, he was married to Martha Hagen- 
baiTgh, daughter of Christian Hagenbaugli, of 
Medina Co., of which marriage there were 
five childi-eu, fom- deceased. The only child, 
Milo, is living on his father's farm. Mr. and 
Mrs. White are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. Mr. Wliite has always 
voted the Republican ticket. 

JOEL F. WEBB, farmer; P. O. Mogadore. 
Among the wealthy farmers of Springfield 
Township ranks the subject, who is the son 
of John and Elizabeth (McDermoth) Webb. 
The father was a native of York Co., Penn., 



920 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



where the subject was born Nov. 10, 1823, 
where his early life was spent, and whence he, 
in company with his father's family, came to 
Portage Co., where they settled on a farm of 
125 acres, which the subject now owns. In 
1863, he was iinited in marriage to Marion 
Anderson, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah 



Anderson. She bore him four children, three 
of whom are living — Mary Grace, Martha L., 
John F. (deceased) and Joel William. He 
owns 184 acres of valuable and well-improved 
land, and in addition considerable town prop- 
erty. He has been a life-long Democrat, 
and an admirer of Democratic principles. 



TALLMADCE TOWNSHIP. 



WILLTSTON ALLING, architect and build- 
er, Tallmadge ; is a son of Jonathan and Maria 
(Clark) Ailing, who were natives of Connecticut, 
and came to Trumbull Co. in 1807, where the}' 
settled on a farm ; he was engaged in farming 
until his death, which occurred in 1878, at the 
age of 86 years ; his widow died in 1880, 
at the age of 80 years ; they were the parents 
of five children, the subject being the young- 
est. Our subject was born in Trumbull Co., 
Ohio, Oct. 26, 1842 ; at the age of 12 3'ears, 
he left home and worked in a saw-mill for four 
years ; he came to Tallmadge in 1858, and began 
working at the carpenter's trade ; he has been 
engaged in building and working at his trade 
up to the present time. He entered the office 
of Mr. Snyder, the architect of Akron, where 
he remained about four years. He is consid- 
ered an architect of considerable note. In 
1868, he married Emily Carter, daughter of 
Horatio L. Carter, of Brimtield, Portage Co.; 
there are three children of that marriage — 
Julia, Walter and Ruth. Mr. and Mrs. Ailing 
are members of the Congregational Church. 
He is a strong Republican, and has held many 
offices of trust. 

SYLVESTER BARNES, farmer; P. 0. 
Tallmadge ; is the third of a family of twelve 
children born to Phineas and Abigail Barnes, 
his birth occurring Feb. 28, 1805, in Granville, 
Mass. His parents came to Ohio in 1815, set- 
tling in Trumbull Co.; after remaining there 
for several years, they removed to Norton 
Township, Summit Co., where they lived until 
removed by death. Our subject's early life was 
spent on the farm of his father, where he re- 
mained until he was 21 years old ; he obtained 
his education in the common schools of his 
neighborhood, and learned the carpenter's 
trade, working at the same for several vears ; 



in 1831, he bought a farm east of the center of 
Tallmadge, where he lived until he removed to 
the present farm. Oct. 27, 1831, he was united 
in marriage to Esther, daughter of Maj. John 
Treat, of TaUmadge, who still lives to share his 
happiness ; from that marriage there have 
been six children, four of whom are living, 
viz., Sidne}- C, Sylvester E., Francis N. and 
Clark B. Mr. Barnes united with the M. E. 
Church tift3'-six years ago, and is one of its 
most proficient members ; Mrs. Barnes is a 
member of the Congregational Church, uniting 
with the same when a girl. 

J. E. BiVLDWIN, carriage manufticturer, 
Tallmadge ; is a son of John and Mary Bald- 
win ; they were natives of Milford. Conn.; Mr. 
John Baldwin, while young, was apprenticed to 
a carriage-maker in New Haven, Conn., working 
for a Mr. James Brewster, who built tue first 
carriages in the United States ; after serving 
his apprenticeship, he soon after began busi- 
ness for himself, which he carried on for twenty- 
five years ; he died in 1867 ; his widow sur- 
vived him and still lives in Milford. There 
were ten children in their family, the subject 
being the oldest. J. E. was born in Milford, 
Conn, Oct. 24, 1827 ; he attended school until 
he was 17 years of age, when he entered his 
father's factory to learn the trade of a carriage- 
maker ; after working in his father's shop for 
four years, he went to New Haven, where he 
worked for one 3-ear in order to get a thorough 
understanding of his trade ; he came to Tall- 
madge in 1848, and worked for Oviatt & 
Sperry for ten years as a wheelwright ; he then 
contracted to furnish wheels for their work, and 
furnished, while in connection with them, 1,950 
sets of wheels ; in 1859, he engaged in business 
for himself on the northeast corner of tiie pub- 
lic square in Tallmadge, where he carried on 



^1 



TAl.LMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



921 



business extensively, at one time employing 
thirty men ; his works were destroyed by fire 
soon afterward, from which he suffered a loss 
of $3,000 ; he rebuilt, and carried on business 
until 1871, when he suffered the second loss by 
fire ; in 1872, he built the works he now occu- 
pies. In September, 1852, he was united in 
marriage to Harriet S. Wright, daughter of 
Francis H. Wright, of Tallmadge ; from that 
marriage there were six children, all of whom 
are living. 

C. C. BRONSON, Tallmadge; the eldest 
child of Jarius and Irena (Mallory) Bronson ; 
was born in Woodbury, Litchfield Co., Conn., 
July 5, 1804. Soon after, his father moved to 
Middlebury, New Haven Co., his native place, 
where young Bronson spent the first fifteen 
years of his life. In February, 1819, the 
father, in company with a brother, Augustus 
Bi'onson, and Ebenezer Richardson, with one 
horse and wagon, left for the West, arriving in 
Tallmadge the following March. Here the 
father selected Lot 1, in Tract 4, and his brother 
Lot 2. Going immediately to work, they 
cleared and planted six acres, and in June 
Jarius returned for his family, leaving his 
brother to build a log house and care for the 
crops. On the 25th day of August, with his 
family, consisting of his wife and seven chil- 
dren, together with the wife of Augustus and 
Dan Saxton, Jr., left with two yoke of oxen 
and a wagon for their new home on the Western 
Reserve. On the road they were attacked with 
dysentery, resulting in the death of two of the 
children, a boy of 5 years, in Oneida Co., and 
one of 3 3'ears, in Livingston Co., N. Y. On 
the 3d of October, they arrived in Tallmadge. 
Jan. 21, 1820, the family moved into their 
newly constructed log house, which was with- 
out fire-place or chimney. Thus, at the age of 
15, was C. C. Bronson brought face to face 
with the stern realities of pioneer life. Their 
lot had been cast in the midst of a dense forest, 
out of which they had undertaken the task of 
making a home. But with that sturd}^ will 
possessed b}' most of pioneers, the}^ pressed 
forward, and, in time, became surrounded with 
comfort and plenty, and Mr. Bronson's father 
and mother lived to enjoy the fruits of their 
toil. The former died April 7, 1857, and the 
latter April 7, 1863, each at the age of 78 
years. The farm which Mr. Bronson assisted 
his father to carve from the forest has been his 



home until this day, where he still lives in 
comparative health and comfort a respected 
citizen. 

JOHN CHAPMAN (deceased); was born 
in Cornwall, Eng., in the year 1812. He lived 
at home until he was 19 years of age, when he 
came to America, settling in Oswego, N. Y. 
He had worked in a flouring-mill before leaving 
home, and had a good knowledge of his trade. 
He was engaged in one of the mills in Oswego, 
where he remained until 1832. He then came 
to xikron for the purpose of putting the stone 
mill in operation which was being built. The 
owners not being pi'epared, he went to Middle- 
bury and worked for McNorton & Noble, where 
he remained for some time. He then returned 
to iVkron and finished the stone mill, and in 
June, 1832, he made the first fiour ever made 
in Akron proper ; he continued to run the mill 
for about a year. In 1833, he went to Rochester 
and worked at his ti'ade for about a year. He 
returned to Akron and took charge of the 
stone mill, where he remained for a short time. 
He was a practical mechanic and miller, and 
many of the earl}' mills built in Summit 
Co. were erected under his supervision. He 
purchased a farm adjoining Akron, where he 
lived several years, then bought the farm his 
widow now lives on. In 1857, he married 
Phebe Budd, daughter of Solomon Budd, of 
Akron, who bore him four children — John L., 
Nellie, Caroline and Cora. Mr. Chapman died 
in April, 1881, after a short illness, at the age 
of 69 years. He was respected by all who 
knew him for his integrity and gentlemanly 
qualities. His widow and son John L. conduct 
the farming on the farm where Mr. Chapman 
had made man}' improvements. 

H. S. CARTER, retired merchant, Tall- 
madge ; is a son of Adoniram and Arilla 
(Sackett) Carter. They were natives of Litch- 
field Co., Conn., where Adoniram, the father, 
was engaged in farming. He was connected 
with the company who had the contract to dig 
the race from Cuyahoga Falls to Akron. He 
furnished part of the capital, and sent his son. 
H. S., to look after his interests. He never 
moved from his home in Connecticut, and died 
in 1842, while on a visit to some friends living 
in Illinois. After his death, his widow came 
came to Tallmadge, where she died in 1848. 
H. S. Carter, the subject of our sketch, was 
born in Litchfield Co., Conn., in the year 1817. 



TT 



922 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



He lived on the farm until he was 21 years of 
age, and attended the seminary at Warren, 
Conn., and was about to enter Yale College, 
when his classmate, to whom he was much at- 
tached, died. He then abandoned the idea. He 
was then sent by his father to look after his 
interests in the company of which he was a 
member. H. S. was to bring considerable 
mone}^ with him to put into the enterprise, but 
upon his arrival, he not being satisfied with the 
manner in which the business was conducted, 
refused to furnish the mone3\ He engaged in 
mercantile pursuits in Tallmadge, in company 
with W. A. Hanford, which firm did business 
for three j'ears, when E. V. Carter purchased 
Mr. Hanford's interest. This partnership con- 
tinued until 1846. He then took in as part- 
ners C. and B. D. Wright, with whom he con- 
tinued in business until 1872. He owns con- 
siderable real estate, including a small farm. 
In 1846, he was united in marriage to Martha 
Wright, daughter of Alpha Wright, of Summit 
Co. From that marriage seven children were 
born, five of whom are living — H. W., a prac- 
ticing physician of Fond du Lac, Wis.; Mar}^ A., 
at home ; H. H., studying music in Leipzig, 
Germany ; Starr V. V. and Charles. Mr. and 
Mrs. Carter are members of the Congregational 
Church. In 1846, was appointed Postmaster 
at Tallmadge, holding the office until 1872. 

JAMES CHAMBERLAIN, farmer ; P. 0. 
Tallmadge ; is a son of Luther and Caroline 
(Davenport) Chamberlain, who were natives of 
Litchfield Co., Conn. The father was a car- 
penter by trade, and worked at the same for 
several years. In 1811, he came to Ohio, set- 
tling in Tallmadge, where he settled on a farm 
north of the center of the town. After remain- 
ing there two years, he purchased a farm east 
of the center, and worked at his trade in con- 
nection with farming. He was called out in 
the war of 1812, but, owing to ill health, was 
dismissed from the service. He died in 1870. 
at the I'ipe age of 89 years ; his wife died in 
1839, at the age of 57 years. Our subject was 
born in Tallmadge, May 10. 1817. He re- 
mained at home until he was of age, and then 
worked his father's farm, which he inherited 
and lived on until 1867. He purchased forty 
acres of well-improved land, where he now re- 
sides. In 1844, he was married to Harriet 
Heath, of Livingston Co., N. Y. They had no 
children, but took George H. Chapman to raise, 



to whom they gave a good education, and 
cared for him as if he were their own child. He 
is now a practicing ph^^sician at Grand Cross- 
ing, 111. Mr. and Mrs. Chamberlain are de- 
vout members of the Congregational Church 
of Tallmadge. 

P. C. CARUTHERS, farmer, P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; is the eighth of a famih' of ten chil- 
dren boi'n to John and Nancy (Allen) Caruthers. 
John Caruthers was born in Carlisle, Penn., 
where he lived until 1811, when he came to 
Ohio, settling in Tallmadge Township. He 
was a tanner and shoemaker by trade, and 
worked for several years at the same. Upon 
his arrival in Tallmadge, he purchased a farm 
in the southeast corner of the township, where 
he lived until he died. He was in the war of 
1812, for a short time, and died Dec. 14, 1853. 
Our subject was born in Tallmadge, Ma}' 1, 
1818. His childhood was spent on the farm, 
obtaining his education in the schools of his 
neighborhood. At the age of 21, he began 
farming the homestead, which he afterward 
purchased, where he lived until 1870 ; he then 
sold it and purchased the farm he now occu- 
pies, consisting of 83 acres of well-improved 
land. Oct. 21, 1840, he was united in marriage 
to Cynthia N. Clark, daughter of William L. 
Clark, of Akron. From that marriage there 
were three children, as follows : Elmer P., 
Charles Clark and Lois N., wife of Pai'k John- 
ston, of Akron. Elmer was a graduate of the 
Western Reserve (vollege, of the class of 1865, 
and was employed as Principal of the Deaf 
and Dumb Asylum, at Little Rock, Ark., where 
he remained for seven years. He was con- 
sidered one of the most successful teachers in 
the country. After remaining there for seven 
years, he took a trip across the plains for his 
health, but received no benefit therefrom, and 
died Sept. 3, 1876, at the age of 37 years. 
Charles, the younger son, was a graduate of the 
Western Reserve College, studied medicine 
and attended lectures at the Starling Medical 
College. He enlisted in a company attatched 
to the 60th 0. V. I. He was with Grant until 
the close of the war, being wounded in the bat- 
tle of Petersburg, and was oflfered a discharge, 
but would not accept it. He returned home, 
and after three months again joined his com- 
pany. After his return at the close of the war. 
he lived at home until his death, which oc- 
curred May 10, 1871, at the age of 24 years. 



rrx: 



!.£ 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



923 



NEWTON DUNBAR, farmer ; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; was born in Springfield Township, 
Summit Co., Nov. 10, 1853. His parents, John 
and Fanny (Hostler) Dunbar, were natives of 
Summit Co., and lived there several years. 
John Dunbar was a plasterer b}' trade, and 
worked at the same until 1856, when he engaged 
in the stock business, in Iowa. He was very 
successful, and was considered a thorough stock- 
man. He removed to Springfield, where he 
died in 1859 ; Mrs. Dunbar died in 1856. Our 
subject's early life was spent on the farm and 
attending the schools of his neighborhood. At 
the time of his father's death, he being then but 
6 3'ears old, he went to live with Sherman Pet- 
tibone (whose sketch appears in this work), 
where he remained on the farm until 1877. In 
1877, he was married to Mary E. Pero, daugh- 
ter of Jasper and Elizabeth Pero, of Tallmadge. 
From that marriage there have been two chil- 
dren, one of whom is living. Although a young 
man, Mr. Dunbar has accumulated considerable 
property. Upon the death of Mrs. Dunbar's 
father, she inherited the homestead, consisting 
of 156 acres of well-improved land. 

DR. D. E. FENN. dentist and farmer ; P. 0. 
Tallmadge ; is the eldest of a famil}' of twelve 
children born to Wyllys and Hannah (Root) 
Fenn. The}' were natives of Connecticut. The 
father was from Milford, and came to Ohio in 
1819, settling in Tallmadge ; he was a carpen- 
ter, and worked at his trade for several years 
after his arrival. He built many buildings in 
the Sixth Ward of Akron. In 1838, he bought 
a farm, and settled on the same, where he lived 
until he died, his death occurring in 1880, at 
the age of 78 years. Hannah (Root) Fenn was 
a native of Waterbur}', Conn.; she died in 1870, 
at the age of 62 years. Dr. D. E. Fenn, the 
subject of this sketch, was born in Tallm.adge 
March 16, 1828. His early life was spent at 
home, where he lived until he was 34 j'ears of 
age. He obtained his education in the schools 
of his neighborhood. In 1852, he purchased 
the farm he still occupies. In 1861, he began 
the stud}' of dentistry. He was an apprentice 
but a short time, when he opened an office, and 
has since been engaged in the profession. He 
is a skillful workman, and has gained a repu- 
tation which is a credit to any one. He owns 
215 acres of well-improved land well stocked 
with cattle and horses of excellent pedigree. 
Oct. 12, 1851, he was united in marriage to 



Charlotte A. Wolcott, daughter of Guy and An- 
nis Walcott, of Connecticut, formerly. From 
that marriage there were three children, as fol- 
lows : Wilbur W., associated with his father in 
business ; Annis E. and Harriet W., both at 
home. Mr. and Mrs. Fenn are devout members 
of the Congregational Church, of Tallmadge; 
the two oldest children are members also. 

T. H. FENTON, pipe and stoneware manu- 
facturer ; Tallmadge ; was born in Mogadore 
Oct. 22, 1847. His early life was spent in at- 
tending the school of his native town. At the 
age of 18, he began learning the potter's trade 
in his father's works at 3Iogadoi-e. After work- 
ing in his father's shop five years, he started 
the works he now manages, in compain' with 
H. H. Stahl. At the close of one year, he pur- 
chased Mr. Stahl's interest, and conducted the 
business alone until 1876, when he took in 
as partner his brother, Curtis Fenton, who is 
still connected with him. The shop's capacity 
is about 6,000 gallons per week, and about 
150,000 pipes. In 1870, he was united in mar- 
riage to Mary Stahl, daughter of A. M. and 
Laura Stahl, of Trumbull Co., who bore him two 
children. His brother Curtis married Katie, 
daughter of Dr. James Ferguson, of Mogadore. 

C. GUISE, farmer ; P. 6. Munroe Falls ; is 
a son of Elias and Christiana (Marsh) Guise, 
and was born in Manchester, Summit Co., Ohio, 
Jan. 28, 1849 ; he attended the schools in his 
native town until 1865, when he entered the 
grammar school at Akron, and, one year later, 
the high school of the same city, where he re- 
mained for twelve consecutive terms. After 
completing his education, he retui'ned to his 
father's farm and remained one year. In Jan- 
uar}-, 1871, he was united in marriage to Viana, 
daughter of Samuel Thornton, of Akron, Oliio. 
and from whom he received 117 acres of well- 
improved land. There are two children from 
that marriage — Nellie Bell and Newton H. 
Elias Guise, the father of our subject, was born 
in Snyder Co., Penn., where he lived until 
1835. He learned the tailor's trade while 
young, and upon his arrival in Summit County 
in 1 835, he opened a shop in East Liberty and 
one at Johnston's Corners, and conducted the 
business successfully until 1845. He then 
disposed of it and settled on a small farm in 
Franklin Township, where he lived five years. 
He then moved on his father-in-law's farm and 
remained nine years, and, in 1865. purchased 



924 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and settled on 65 acres of land, where he still 
resides. There were five children in his family, 
two of whom are living. Mr. and Mrs. Guise 
are members of the Evangelical Church of 
Akron, Ohio. 

ALVAN A. HINE, farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge ; 
son of William and Phila (Root) Hine, whose 
sketch appears in this work, was born in Tall- 
madge in September, 1831. His youth was 
spent on his fathei's farm. He obtained his 
education in the common schools, and the 
academy at Tallmadge. After leaving school 
he returned to the farm, where he lived until he 
was 22 years old. In 1853, he went to Knox 
Co., 111., and engaged in the clothing business 
in compan}^ with Mr. Atwood. They were en- 
gaged in business for eighteen months, when he 
returned to Portage Co., and lived there but a 
short time. He then removed to Mogadore, 
where he remained one year, and while there he 
was engaged by J. Welsh as clerk in a general 
store. In 1859, he removed on his father's 
farm where he has since resided. In 1852, he 
was married to Sarah J., daughter of Philo At- 
wood, of Springfield Township. From that mar- 
riage there has been five children — Elton, 
Arthur, Frank, Leora and William. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hine are members of the Congregational 
Church. 

WILLIAM HINE, farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge. 
This gentleman was born in New Haven Co., 
Conn., his birth occurring July 22, 1801. He 
lived at home until he was 9 3'ears old, and 
then went to work for a farmer in the neighbor- 
hood, where he remained five j^ears, and then 
returned home where, for about two ,years, he 
attended school during the winter season, and 
worked on the farm in the summer. In 1820, 
his father's family came to Ohio, and with them 
came our subject, who worked for his father 
until 1823. when he began clearing a piece of 
land of 50 acres, a part of the farm he now lives 
on. He now owns about 235 acres of well- 
improved land. Dec. 24, 1823, he was united 
in marriage to Melia Root, who was a native of 
Waterbury, Conn. From that marriage there 
were three children — William E., of Livingston 
Co., 111.; Alvin A., of Tallmadge ; and Melia A., 
wife of T. F. Metlin, of Akron. Dec. 24, 1873, 
Mr. and Mrs. Hine celebrated the fiftieth anni- 
versary of their wedded life ; about seventy of 
their friends assembled at the home of Mr. 
Hine, where thev showed the love and esteem 



they cherished for the pioneer couple. Jan. 25, 
1881, Mrs. Hine departed this life at the age of 
75 years. She was a Christian lady, a kind 
mother, and a loving wife. Mr. and Mrs. Hine 
were members of the Congregational Church. 

DANIEL HINE, farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge ; 
was born in New Haven Co., Conn, May 23, 
1806. At the age of 14 3^ears his parents came 
to Ohio, settling in Tallmadge, Daniel assist- 
ing in clearing and working the farm until he 
was 27 years of age, when he purchased a piece 
of new land, which he cleared and occupied 
until 1837 ; then selling his farm, he went to 
Kentucky, where he remained the winter of 
1838-39 ; when he returned to Tallmadge and 
settled on the farm he now occupies. Soon 
after he settled, he started a vineyard, carrying 
on the same successfully for several 3'ears. In 
1830, he was married to Sally Caruthers, of 
Tallmadge, with whom he lived happily until 
1869, when she died, at the age of 62 years. 
He married for his second wife, Sarah, widow 
of Caleb S. Clevis, of Yarmouth, Me. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hine are members of the Congi'egational 
Church, of Tallmadge. In politics, he is a 
Republican, and has always been identified 
with that party. He served as Coroner, and 
was appointed Deputy Sheriff. His father, 
Abraham, was a native of New Haven Co., 
Conn., where he was engaged in farming. In 
1820, he came to Ohio, settling on a farm in 
Tallmadge ; he lived on the farm up to the 
time of his death, which occurred in 1856, at 
the age of 81 years. Mrs. Abraham Hine was 
born in Hartford Co., Conn., and lived until 
1864 ; she was 88 years of age. 

MICHAEL HAWK, farmer ; P. 0. Middle- 
bury ; son of Philip and Margaret Hawk. They 
were natives of Germany, where thej^ were en- 
gaged in farming. In 1839, they came to Ohio, 
settling in Portage Co., on a farm ; they lived 
on the farm up to the time of their death. The 
father died in 1862 ; the mother, in 1874. 
There were five children in the family, our sub- 
ject being the youngest who was born in Ger- 
many, Sept. 27, 1835, and came to Portage Co., 
Ohio, with his parents, in 1839. At the age of 
21 3'ears he began farming, first working the 
homestead. In 1870, he bought the farm he 
now lives on. He began life a poor boy, but, 
b}' industr}' and economy, has accumulated a 
nice property, owning 144 acres of well-improved 
land in the southern part of the township. He 



V <s ^r- 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



935 



was married to Albertenia Bletcler, daughter 
of Michael Bletcler, of Randolph, Portage Co. 
They have two children — x\lbert and L3'dia. 
Mr. and Mrs. Hawk are members of the Grace 
Church, of Akron. 

C. A. JOHNSTON, farmer; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; son of William and Elizabeth John- 
ston, whose sketch appears in this work. The 
subject was born in Green Township, Summit 
Co., July 16, 1842. His earl}^ life was spent 
on the farm and attending school. In 1860, he 
entered Mt. Union College, when he remained 
three years. After leaving college, he engaged 
in the oil business, in Pennsylvania and Medina 
Co.. where he conducted business successfully 
for two years. He then engaged in the coal 
business, in company with W. G. Johnston, 
which they carried on for six years. He then 
carried on the milling business, in the State 
mill, for one year. In 1876, he bought the 
farm he now lives on, of 104 acres of well- 
improved land. In 1870, he was married to 
Sarah A. Swartz, of Franklin Township ; from 
that marriage there were three children, two of 
whom are living — Lizzie M. and Clara B. 

CAPT. J. A. MEANS, Ex-County Clerk, 
Tallmadge; was born in Allegheny Co., Penn., 
in February, 1811. He obtained his education 
in the common district schools, and, at an early 
age, was apprenticed to the tanner's trade, at 
which he worked until he was 22 years old. 
In 1833, he came to Summit County, settling in 
Northfleld Township on a farm of unimproved 
land, and by hard work and econom}' , accumu- 
lated a fine propert}^ In 1836, he was ap- 
pointed Deputy County Survej'or. He remained 
on the farm until about 1860, when he was 
elected Clei'k of the county. After serving 
part of his term, he organized Company C, 
115th 0. V. I., of which he was made Captain, 
serving his countr}' three 3^eai's ; at the close of 
the war, he returned home and again engaged 
in farming. In 1870, he was re-elected Count}- 
Clerk, holding the office for three years, and. at 
the expii-ation of his term of office, he was 
elected Clerk of the cit}- of Akron, serving 
three years. In 1877, he pui'chased 12 acres of 
land adjoining Tallmadge Center, upon which 
he has made some very fine improvements. In 
1835, he was united in marriage to Eliza Cha- 
pin, daughter, of A. Chapin, of Northfield. 
From that marriage there were six children, 
two of whom are living — Nathan A., of Akron, 



and E. A., wife of W. B. Marsh, of Tallmadge. 
In September, 1879, his wife died at the age of 
68 years. In October, 1880, he married Mrs. 
M. V. Walton, widow of Dr. L. C. Walton, of 
Tallmadge. Mr and Mrs. Means are members 
of the Congregational Church of Tallmadge. 

C. B. MAURER, barrel manufacturer, Tall- 
madge ; is a son of John J. and Sophia Maurer, 
who were natives of Prussia ; they came to 
Rochester, N. Y., in 1833. John J. was a barrel- 
maker, and worked at his trade previous to 
his coming to Rochester, where he was one of 
the largest manufacturers, doing business there 
for several years. He died from the effects of 
a wound caused b}' the explosion of a sky 
rocket, while celebrating the da}- the Atlantic 
cable was first laid. After his death, his oldest 
son carried on the business. C. B. was born in 
Rochester, N. Y., May 14, 1842, and obtained 
his education in the public schools of that city. 
At an early age, he entered his father's shop 
and worked there until he was of age. In 
1864, he went to California and worked at his 
trade for about one j'ear, when he returned 
home, where he remained but a short time, 
when he went to Sandusky, Ohio, and thence 
to Da3'ton, where he was engaged as leader of 
an orchestra in a concert troupe. He traveled 
about six months, when he abandoned the 
troupe and came to Akron, where he has since 
been engaged in business, at first working at 
his trade. In 1868, he built a factory which 
has" since been enlarged. He employs about 
fift}^ men and manufactures about 180,000 bar- 
rels per year. In 1873, he, in company with 
Commins & Allen, built a large stave factory in 
Union City, Penn. In 1870, he was married to 
Miss Mai-y A. Dunnigan, of Akron, Ohio, who 
bore him four children. He purchased the 
property known as the Francis H. Upson prop- 
erty, in' 1880, where he still lives. By his in- 
dustry and econom}-, he has accumulated con- 
siderable property. 

MORRISS SISTERS, farmers ; P. 0. Middle- 
bui-y ; are the daughters of Aaron and Sarah 
(Tsbell) Morriss. Mr. Morriss was a native of 
Winstead, Conn., where he lived until he reached 
manhood, in the meantime learning the carpen- 
ter's trade, and, at the age of 21, left home, 
and in company with l*eter Hepburn went to 
Georgia. Mr. Hepburn returned home soon 
after, leaving Mr. Morriss in a strange city among 
strangers. He was not among strangers but a 



« 
.^^ 



926 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



short time, for his gentlemaiil}' bearing and con- 
duct made him many friends. He was engaged 
in contracting and Imilding. and contributed 
$50 toward the erection of every church being- 
built in the vicinity in which he lived. After 
an absence of thirteen years, he returned to 
New Haven, Conn., where he married Sarah 
Isbell, widow of Capt. Fregift Coggeshall. From 
that marriage, there were two daughters — 
America and Corene. After his marriage, he 
came to Tallmadge, settling on a farm, where 
he lived until he died in 1871, aged 74. He 
was one of the best workman in the country, 
and made part of the furniture in Yale College 
and other pul)lic buildings. Mrs. Morriss lived 
on the farm until she died, her death occurring 
in 1879, at the age of 78 years. America was 
born in Tallmadge, in 1835, and Corene in 1836. 
The}' attended school at Hudson for some time, 
and then entered the Ontario Female Seminary 
at Canandaigua, N. Y., where they remained 
until they were about to graduate. Tiiej' have 
lived on the farm ever since. 

L. B. PIERCE, nursery-man and florist ; P. 0. 
Tallmadge ; is a son of Nathaniel and Minerva 
(Sanford) Pierce, whose father was a native of 
Litchfield Co., Conn., and came to Ohio in 1839. 
The mother was born near Burlington, Vt. Our 
sul)ject was born in Tallmadge Township, April 
30, 1840. He lived at home until he was 20 
years of age. He received his education in the 
common schools and the academy at Tallmadge, 
and, when 18 3-ears of age, was prepared to enter 
college. After completing his education, he 
returned to the farm, and there remained until 
1864, when he enlisted in Co. D, 164th 0. N. G. 
At the close of the war, he returned home, and, 
in 1866, purchased 40 acres of the old home- 
stead, and began improving it. He soon after 
turned his attention to fruit growing and nur- 
sery business, and has been engaged in the same 
pursuit up to the present time. For ^ears, he 
had been carefully reading works on landscape 
gardening, and, in 1880, he put his knowledge 
on the subject into practical use. He is con- 
sidered a proficient landscape gardener, and, in 
1881, opened an office in Cleveland, where he 
still visits. In 1873, he was married to Miss 
E. M. Bradley, of Kent. From that marriage, 
there is one child. In 1857, he united with the 
Congregational Church at Tallmadge. 

MRS. JASPER PERO, Tallmadge, is the 
youngest of a family of five daughters born to 



John and Susan Gareheart, who were natives 
of Pennsylvania, and settled in Middlebury in 
1836. The subject's father was a stonemason 
by trade, and worked at the same for several 
years. He moved to Portage Co., remained 
there a short time, then moved to Indiana, 
Mdiere he died. Our subject lived at home 
until 1849, when she married Jasper Pero, who 
was a native of France, and came to Ohio in 
1832, settling in Springfield Township, where 
he was engaged in farming. He learned the 
potter's trade and worked at the same for sev- 
eral years in connection with farming. By his 
industr}' and economy he accumulated consid- 
erable money, and with it purchased a farm in 
Portage Co., which he afterward exchanged for 
the one now owned by Newton Dunbar, where 
he lived until his death, which occurred under 
very distressing circumstances. He was a 
great lover of horses, and every opportunity 
afforded him he would be found around them. 
March 16, 1877, while working about them, 
was kicked and instantly killed by one of his 
horses. He was the father of two children — 
Mary E., wife of Newton Dunbar, and Flora, 
wife of Daniel Beal, both of Tallmadge. 

HERBERT A. PECK, farmer ; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; is a son of Anthony and Harriet 
(Clark) Peck, who were natives of Milford, 
Conn., and came to Summit County in 1822, 
settling on a farm of 200 acres in Tallmadge 
Township, where he lived until he died. His 
death occurred in 1845. His widow survives 
him, and lives with her son Herbert. The 
subject of this sketch was born in Tallmadge 
Township Nov. 13, 1842. His childhood was 
spent on his father's farm. He attended the 
schools of his neighborhood and the academy 
at Tallmadge, where he procured a good edu- 
cation. He then turned his attention to farm- 
ing, which business he is still engaged in. He 
owns 310 acres of valuable land, situated in 
the southern part of the township. He has 
always been identified with the Republican 
party, and has been Treasurer of the Summit 
County Agricultural Association for several 
years. 

SHERMAN PETTIBONE, farmer; P. O. 
Middlebury ; is a son of Norman and Amelia 
Wetmore Pettibone. They were natives of 
Connecticut, where they were engaged in farm- 
ing. Norman died in 1814, at the age of 45 
3'ears. His widow married for her second hus- 






TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



927 



band Simeon Hart, of Burlington, Conn. There 
were six children from her first marriage and 
two from the latter. She died about the year 
1860, at the age of 84 years. Our subject was 
born in Burlington, Conn., in 1809. His child- 
hood was spent on the farm and attending the 
schools of his neighborhood and the academy 
at Burlington. After leaving school, he worked 
on a farm, and, at the age of 18, was employed 
by a New York merchant as clerk, for whom 
he worked two years. In 1830, he was em- 
ployed by Jerome & Darrow, clock manufact- 
urers, of Bristol, Conn., as salesman, traveling 
for that firm five j'ears through the Southern 
States. In 1835, he came to Ohio, settling in 
Tallmadge Township, where he has since re- 
sided. He owns 150 acres of valuable land, 
situated in the southern part of the township. 
Ma}' 20, 1835, he was united in marriage to 
Sarah B. Lambert, who was born in Orange, 
New Haven Co., Conn. From their union there 
were three children, as follows : Fanny E., 
widow of Philo Wright, of Detroit, Mich ; 
Sarah V., deceased, and Sherman B., who is 
associated with his father on the farm. He is 
a member of the Congregational Church of 
Tallmadge. Mr. Pettibone is a stanch Repub- 
lican. 

J. B. RICHARDSON, farmer ; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; was born in Tallmadge April 5, 1834. 
His childhood was spent at home on the farm, 
his education being obtained in the common 
schools and the Academy of Tallmadge. When 
21 years of age he began life for himself, first 
working for his father on the farm. In 1856, 
he went to Iowa and Illinois, where he remained 
for a short time, but returned in 1858 and pur- 
chased the farm he now occupies, 80 acres of 
well-improved land. In 1860, he was united 
in marriage to Miss Frances Evans, daughter 
of D. N. Evans, of Portage Co. The subject's 
father, E. Richardson, was born in Middlebury, 
Conn. In 1799, he lived at home on the farm 
until 1817, when he started across the country 
on foot, arriving in Tallmadge Township, where 
he worked at chopping for one year. Before 
leaving home he promised his parents to return 
in one year : he did so, walking the whole dis- 
tance. He returned to Tallmadge and worked 
for Squire Whittlesey for two years, he then 
settled on 50 acres of land, where he remained 
the greater part of his life. In 1822. he was 
married to Elizabeth Porter, who was from 



Waterbur}^, Conn. From that marriage there 
were three children — Mary, wife of S. H. 
Cooley, of Oneida, 111. ; Charles P. and J. B. 
Mrs. Richardson died in 1858, at the age of 55 
years. In 1862, J. B., our subject, married 
Lauretta, widow of Amos Parker, of Geauga 
Co. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson are members of 
the Congregational Church, of Tallmadge. 

GEORGE RIPLEY, farmer ; P. 0. Middle- 
bury ; is a son of William and Elizabeth Rip- 
ley, of Yorkshire, England, and was born in 
Yorkshire in September, 1822. His father died 
when he was young, and he was obliged to 
work in a mine, serving until he was 21 years 
of age as an apprentice, for which he received 
his board and clothes. In 1850, he came to 
Ohio, settling in Clinton, where he worked a 
short time. He then removed to Coventry 
Township, where he worked for about two 
years. In 1852, he operated a coal bank, which 
he was engaged in for ten years, meeting with 
good success. In 1861, he purchased the farm 
he now lives on, consisting of 160 acres of 
well-improved land. In 1844, he was married 
to Martha Marsden, who was a native of York- 
shire, England. From that marriage there 
were eight children, four of whom are living, 
viz. : William, Charles, John and Eli. Mr. 
Ripley is a stalwart Republican, and b}' his 
industry and economy, has, from a poor bo}-, 
become a wealthv man. 

C. A. SACKETT, farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge ; 
is the seventh of a family of nine children 
born to Clark and Laura M. (Akin) Sackett, his 
birth occurring May 15, 1837, in Tallmadge 
Township. His father was a native of War- 
ren, Conn. He remained at home until he was 
21 years old, working on the farm and in his 
father's distillery. In 1814, he left home for 
the purpose of making a new home in the 
West ; he made the journey on foot, and, after a 
wearisome tramp, reached Tallmadge, and 
bought the farm now owned and occupied by 
our subject. He lived on this farm until a few 
years before he died. He united with the Con- 
gregational Church, at Tallmadge, while young, 
and was a devout and faithful member, and 
was also Deacon of the above-named Church 
for several years. He was twice married ; first 
to Cynthia Preston, who lived but about six 
weeks after their marriage. He married for 
his second wife, Laura M. Akin, who bore him 
nine children. She was a Christian ladv, and 



d=^ 



928 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



by her death the Congregational Church lost a 
proficient member. She died March 30, 1846. 
Mr. Sackett died May 14, 1862. Our subject's 
early life was spent on the farm, and he ob- 
tained his education in the common schools and 
the Academy of Tallmadge. After completing 
his education, he returned to the farm, where 
he remained until 1864, when he enlisted in 
Co. B, 164th 0. N. G. He was gone but about 
100 days, and upon being released, he returned 
to the farm, where he has since lived. At the 
time of his father's death, he purchased the 
farm where he now resides. In 1861, June 25, 
he was married to Catharine Ashman, daughter 
of Russell and Marcia Ashman, of Tallmadge. 

B. W. SKINNER, farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge ; 
is a son of Solomon and Caroline (Waldo) 
Skinner, who were natives of Hartford, Conn. 
At the age of 18, the father of our subject en- 
listed in the war of 1812, and served his coun- 
try in such a manner as becomes a true soldier. 
Soon after the war he came to Ohio, and, set- 
tling in Bath Township, he bought a farm of 
unimproved land, and, after many months of 
wearisome labor, he converted it into a pleas- 
ant home. He remained there until 1860, 
when he removed to Milan, Ohio, and there he 
died July 22, 1880, at the advanced age of 91 
years. The subject of this sketch was born in 
Bath Township, April 6, 1835, his youth being 
spent on the farm, where he obtained his edu- 
cation in the common schools of his neighbor- 
hood. He worked on the farm until he was 18 
years of age, and then came to Tallmadge 
Township, and worked at the same business 
for several years, at the expiration of which 
time he had accumulated considerable monej^ ; 
he then rented a farm, and soon after bought 
33 acres of land, where he now resides, now in- 
ci'eased to 97 acres. In 1864, he enlisted in 
Co. D., 164th 0. N. G. At the close of the 
war, he returned to the farm, and has remained 
there ever since. In 1856, he was married to 
Laura Dickinson, of Northampton Township, 
who bore him five children, as follows — Laura 
E., Carlton B., Olive A., Lucy R. and Minnie 
M. Rev. 0. S. Skinner, brother of our subject, 
was a 3' oung man of bright prospects. He was 
much attached to him, and b}' his death the 
Church lost a proficient and active worker. 

WILLARD S PERRY, stock-dealer and 
farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge ; is a son of Adna 
and Julia (Wilcox) Sperry. The father of our 



subject was a prominent man, and came to 
Tallmadge about the year 1808, and engaged in 
farming, settling on the farm now owned by 
Willard. He was extensively engaged in buy- 
ing and shipping stock, and carried on the 
same successfully up to the time of his death. 
Our subject was born in Tallmadge Township, 
Oct. 4, 1851. He remained on the farm until 
he was 14 3'ears of age. He then went to live 
with his uncle. Dr. Sperr^^, of Tallmadge, with 
whom he lived until he was 20 3'ears of age, 
when he went to Colorado and remained one 
3^ear. He then returned to Pennsylvania, re- 
maining there for some time. While there, he 
acted as superintendent of a large lumber es- 
tablishment. In 1877, he settled on the farm 
he now lives on. He has been engaged in the 
stock business extensivel3'. In 1874, he was 
mai'ried to Flora A., daughter of Weems Caru- 
thers, of Tallmadge Township. 

J. S. STROMAN, farmer ; P. 0. Munroe 
Fal!s ; is a son of Henr3' and Catharine (Stine) 
Stroman ; was born in Springfield Township, 
Summit Co., JUI3' 30, 1845. His youth was 
spent on the farm of his father, obtaining his 
education in the meantime in the schools of his 
neighborhood. In 1876, he settled on a farm 
of 117 acres of valuable land in the northeast 
corner of the township, where he has since re- 
sided. In 1872, he was united in marriage to 
Maggie, daughter of Thomas and Mary Ellis, of 
Thomastown, formerl3' of Wales. From Mr. 
Stroman's marriage, there has been one child. 
Mr. Stroman, although a 3^oung man, has accu- 
mulated a handsome property. He has always 
been identified with the Democratic party. 
Henr3' Stroman, the father of our subject, was 
boim in Union Co., Penn., in 1818, and came to 
Ohio with his parents in 1824. He remained 
at home until he was 25 3^ears of age, when he 
settled on a farm ; he then, worked at day's 
work for about three 3'ears. In 1850, he 
bought and settled on a farm of 40 acres, which 
he increased to 160. He has been an industri- 
ous man, and for his industr3^ he has been 
rewarded. He is now a well-to do farmer. 
There have been born two children in his fam- 
ily, J. P. and W. H. 

H. H. STAHL, stoneware manufacturer, 
Tallmadge ; was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, 
May 9, 1847, his parents, A. M. and Laura 
Stahl. being natives of Ohio, the father of Co- 
lumbiana Co., and the mother of Trumbull Co. 



^L. 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



929 



The father of our subject was a farmer, and 
conducted the business successfully. In 1880, 
he removed to Ashtabula Co., where he still 
resides. His wife died in 1852, at the age of 
35 years. Our subject's early life was spent 
on his father's farm and in attending the 
schools of the neighborhood. At the age of 15, 
he enlisted in Co. M. 2d Heavy Artillery, serv- 
ing until the close of the war. At the close of 
the war, he returned to Ashtabula Co., and at- 
tended school for about one 3'ear, and finished 
his education in his native town. In 1866, he 
came to Mogadore, this count}^, and began to 
learn the potter's trade, serving as an appren- 
tice one year. He then worked as journeyman 
for one 3'ear, and, in 1868, in company with J. 
Lee, operated a shop in Mogadore. This com- 
pan}' lasted about two and a half 3'ears. He 
then worked as journeyman for about one and 
a half years, and, in 1870, he, in company with 
T. H. Fenton, began the manufacture of stone- 
ware in Tallmadge, the}' making man}- improve- 
ments, and carrying on the business success- 
fully for about one year. In 1876, he pur- 
chased the works he now manages, and, having 
made man\' improvements, has now one of the 
best shops in town. In 1869, he was married 
to Laura Hale, daughter of A. M. Hale, of 
Springfield, whose sketch appears in this work. 
From that marriage there has been one child — 
Howard Austin. Mr. and Mrs. Stahl are mem- 
bers of the Methodist Episcopal Church of 
Tallmadge. 

IRA P. SPERRY, sewer-pipe manufacturer. 
Tallmadge ; is a son of Lyman and Lydia 
(Peck) Sperry, the father being a native of New 
Haven Co., Conn., where he was engaged in 
farming. In 1819, he came to Tallmadge Town- 
ship, settling on a farm in the northeastern part 
of the township, where he lived until he died, 
his death occurring in 1858, aged 86 years. 
Mrs. Sperr}' died in 1836, at the age of 52 years. 
Our subject was born in Waterbmy, Conn., in 
the year 1818. He came to Ohio with his 
parents in 1819, and lived on his father's farm 
until he was 14 3'ears of age, when he was ap- 
prenticed to a blacksmith to learn the trade, 
serving three and one-half years ; he then 
learned the carriage-ironing trade, which occu- 
pied three years ; he worked at the latter for one 
year. At the age of 21, attended school at 
Cu^'ahoga Falls for about one vear. Then en- 
gaged with William C. Oviatt, of Tallmadge, as 



a carriage-ironer, working for him for two years. 
In 1844, he purchased an interest in the works 
of William C. Oviatt, of Tallmadge, where they 
did a successful business. Their work was in 
use in ever^' section of the State and many 
other States. They had a carriage depository 
in Cincinnati for fourteen years, where they 
did business to the amount of $300,000, but 
sold his interest in 1871. In 1870, he engaged 
in sewer-pipe manufacturing, in company with 
S. J. Ritchie and Dr. Sperry, of Tallmadge. 
They did an extensive business until 1879, 
when their shops were destroyed b}' fire, which 
proved disastrous to the village of Tallmadge. 
The works were valued at $150,000, and were 
the best of the kind in the State. Sept. 27, 
1841, he was united in marriage to Clarissa 
Carlton, daughter of Peter Carlton, of Portage 
Co., and from that marriage, the}- had six 
children, four of whom are living ; their names 
are as follows : Willis C, George P., Francis 
L. and Henry B. The first named is a practic- 
ing physician in York Co., Neb. Mr. Sperry is 
a stalwart in the Republican party. In 1858, 
was elected by the Free-Soil party as their 
Representative in the Ohio Legislature. Mr. 
and Mrs. Sperry are active members of the 
Congregational Church. 

JESSE SPRAGUE, farmer; P. 0. Middle- 
bury ; is the eighth of a family of eleven chil- 
dren born to Jonathan and Sarah Sprague ; 
they were natives of Sharon, Conn., where thej' 
were engaged in farming ; the father was a tan- 
ner and currier by trade, but worked very little 
at it, learning the shoemaker's trade, which he 
followed for several years ; in 1805, he came to 
Ohio, first stopping in Canfield, Mahoning Co., 
where he remained three years ; in 1808, he 
came to Tallmadge Township, settling on a 
farm ; this family was the fourth family in the 
township. Mr. Sprague died in 1837, at the 
age of 70, his widow dying in 1843 at the age 
of 64. Our subject was born in Tallmadge, 
Oct. 13, 1809, and lived at home until he was 
21 years of age ; he then took charge of the 
farm, where he lived fifteen years ; in 1851, he 
purchased the farm he now occupies. In 1836, 
he married Sallie Y. Lane ; from that marriage 
there were two children — Rhoda, wife of David 
Foote, of Portage Co.. and Heman,''who is as- 
sociated with his father on the farm. Mr. 
Sprague has alwaj'S voted with the Republican 
party. 



'k. 



930 



BIOGKAPPIICAL SKETCHES: 



DENNIS TREAT, farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge ; 
sou of Samuel aud Alice (Westou) Treat, whose 
sketch appears in this work, was boru in Tall- 
madge May 28, 1831 ; his youthful daj's were 
spent on the farm ; he obtained his education 
in the common schools and the academy of 
Tallmadge ; he lived on the farm until he was of 
age ; at the time of his father's death he pur- 
chased the old homestead, where he has since 
resided. In 1864, he enlisted in Co. D, 164th 
0. N. Gr., aud, while in service, was stationed at 
Arlington Heights ; after his release from the 
service he returned to the farm, where he has 
since resided ; he owns 200 acres of valuable 
land, which he has farmed successfully. In 
1874, he was elected President of the Summit 
Co. Agricultural Society ; he had previous to 
this date acted as Vice President of the same 
society. In 1857, he was united in marriage to 
Rhoda H., daughter of Dr. Philo Wright, of 
Tallmadge ; from that marriage there have been 
four children, viz., Alice W., Florence S., Hiram 
B. and Henry W. Mr. and Mrs. Treat are 
members of the Congregational Church of Tall- 
madge. 

HARRIET E. TREAT, fiirmer ; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; is the widow of Lemuel P. Walcott, 
who was born in Tallmadge Aug. 18, 1831; his 
childhood was passed on the farm, where he re- 
mained until he had grown to manhood ; he ob- 
tained his education in the common schools, 
the Windom Academy and the Nelson High 
School ; after completing his education, he re- 
turned to the farm, and there lived until it was 
divided between himself and brothers. In 
November, 1856, he married Harriet E., daugh- 
ter of Richard and Amoret Treat, who shared 
his happiness until death separated them ; he 
died Nov. 10, 1876, at the age of 45 years ; he 
was a man much missed in the surrounding- 
community in which he lived, for his amiable 
disposition, gentlemanly bearing and devotion 
to his church. He was the father of three 
children — Mary E., Flora I. and Bryan T. — all 
at home. Mrs. Wolcott still lives on the farm, 
is comfortabl}' situated, with hosts of sympa- 
thizing friends, who with her share the loss of a 
kind husband and loving father. 

PHILIP THOMAS, coal operator, Tall- 
madge ; is a son of John and Rachel Thomas, 
both of whom were natives of Wales, where the 
subject was born in 1825, in the shire of Mon- 
mouth. AYhen 8 years old, Philip went to work 



in a coal-mine and was thus employed until 
1851, when he emigrated to America. Coming 
direct to Ohio, he settled in Summit County, 
Tallmadge Township, where he has since re- 
sided, with the exception of two years he 
passed in the township of Coventry. For a 
short time he worked in the coal-bank of W. 
H. Harris, and then came to the Upson banks 
which he and Wm. T. Owen leased in 1868. 
Four years later he secured his partner's inter- 
est and is doing a good business, employing 
some forty men, and mines about 15,000 tons 
annuall}'. Mr. Thomas has b}^ industry and 
econom}' secured a position in life that reflects 
credit on himself and shows what can be ac- 
complished, even under adverse circumstances 
by a determined will. His marriage was cele- 
brated in 1849, Miss Sarah Williams becoming 
his wife. Their union has been crowned with 
twelve children, eight of whom are living, viz., 
John, Mary, Philip, Llewellyn, Henry, Mor- 
gan, Frank and Willie. Mrs. Thomas is a con- 
sistent member of the Welsh Congregational 
Church. He is a Republican. 
• ANDREW TREAT, farmer; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; was born iu New Haven Co., Conn., 
Dec. 22, 1799. He spent his youthful days on 
the farm ; he obtained his education in the 
common schools and the academ}' of his native 
town. In 1823, he came to Tallmadge Town- 
ship, and settled on a farm of 109 acres of 
partly cleared land, where he has since resided. 
He now owns about 525 acres of well-improved 
land. He has given his attention to farming 
exclusively, and by his industrious and eco- 
nomical habits has become the wealthiest man 
of his township. April 24, 1823, he was mar- 
ried to Marrietta N. Treat, who was born in 
New Haven Co., Conn. From that marriage 
there has been two children — Joseph A., of 
Cleveland, and Julia E., wife of F. F. Fenn, of 
Tallmadge. Mr. and Mrs. Treat are members 
of the Congregational Church of Tallmadge, 
uniting with the same over sixty years ago. 
April 24, 1823, they celebrated the fiftieth an- 
niversary of their marriage day. 

S. C. TAYLOR, farmer ; P. 0. Middlebury ; 
was born in Tallmadge Oct. 29, 1837, and is 
the only child living of a family born to Elijah 
and Betsey (Clinton) Taylor. Elijah Taylor 
was a native of Massachusetts, his birth occur- 
ring in 1796. He lived on the farm until 
1816, when he came to Ohio, settling in Portage 



-©K 



TALLMADGE TOWNSHIP. 



931 



Co., where he remained ten ^ears, and while 
there was engaged in farming. In 1826, he 
I'emoved to Tallmadge and settled on a farm. 
He was a thrifty farmer, and b}- his industry 
and economy accumulated a large amount of 
property. He died Feb. 10, 1872, at the age of 
76. His wife was a native of Trumbull Co., 
Ohio, her parents settling there at an early da}'. 
She bore him two children — S. C. being the 
only surviving one. His early life was spent 
on the farm. He obtained his education in the 
schools of his neighborhood. He has always 
been engaged in farming on the farm on which 
he was raised. In 1860, he was married to 
Sarah Hagenbaugh, of Tallmadge, who bore 
him one child, viz., Albert VV. She died Dec. 
7, 1864. He married for his second wife Sarah 
3IcNeal, daughter of James and Sarah McNeal, 
who are residents of Pennsylvania. From the 
last union there has been three children, viz., 
Minnie E., Charles C. and Howard H. 

STANLEY TREAT, farmer; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; is the third of a family of six chil- 
dren born to Samuel and Alice (Weston) Treat, 
who were natives of Connecticut, and came to 
Tallmadge in 1818. Samuel Treat obtained 
his education in the common schools of New 
Haven Co., where he remained until he came to 
Ohio. In 1818, he walked across the country, 
reaching Tallmadge after a long and tiresome 
tramp. He purchased 300 acres of land in the 
southeast corner of the township, upon which 
he settled the year following. In 1820, he was 
married to the above-named lady, who bore 
him six children, five sons and one daughter. 
Three of the sons died after reaching manhood. 
Samuel, Jr., was a prominent law^^er of Will- 
iams Co., and by his death the county lost one 
of its most enterprising men. Henry was a 
farmer of Northampton Township, and H. B., 
a graduate of the Western Reserve College 
and a proficient scholar, died in Mississippi 
after a short illness. While there he was 
engaged in school-teaching. The father of our 
subject lived on the farm up to the time of his 
death he was a leading man in church and 
societ}- circles*^ The subject of this sketch was 
born on his father's farm in Tallmadge June 6, 
1826. He obtained his education in the com- 
mon schools and at the Tallmadge Academy. 
After completing his education he returned to 
the farm, where he remained until he was 25 
years of age. He then bought a farm of 160 



acres in Northampton Township, where he 
remained four j-ears. He then returned to the 
homestead and lived there a short time. In 
1868, he bought the farm he now lives on of 
155 acres of valuable land. In 1852, he mar- 
ried Eliza Stilwell, of Portage Co., who bore 
him one child — Arabella. Mrs. Treat died in 
1861. He married for his second wife Charity 
M. Kent, daughter of Martin Kent, of Moga- 
dore. From that marriage there are two daugh- 
ters, both at home. 

D. B. TREAT, farmer ; P. 0. Tallmadge ; 
is a son of Calvin and Jane Treat. The father 
was a native of Orange, Conn. ; he came to 
Ohio in 1824, settling in Tallmadge Township, 
on a farm of 300 acres. He cleared the farm, 
and sold about 90 acres ; the remainder he kept 
and occupied until 1864. Mrs. Treat died, and 
he married for his second wife Elizabeth, widow 
of Harvey Hinman. After they left the farm, 
they took up their residence at Tallmadge Cen- 
ter. Our subject was born in Tallmadge, in 
December, 1836, and attended the schools of 
his neighborhood, the academy at Tallmadge, 
and the college at Hudson. After leaving col- 
lege, he began teaching school, being engaged 
in that occupation for several years. In 1863, 
he enlisted in the 5th Independent Company of 
0. V. S. S., and was with Sherman through 
Georgia. He was gone two years, and after he 
returned engaged in farming, being engaged in 
the same up to the present. In 1861, was mar- 
ried to Catharine Price, daughter of Cyrus and 
Jane Price. They have four children — Calvin, 
Fannie, Edward and Elizur. Mr. and Mrs. 
Treat are members of the Congi'egational Church 
of Tallmadge. 

DANIEL A. UPSON, farmer ; P. 0. Tall- 
madge. This gentleman was born in Worth- 
ington, Franklin Co., Ohio, Feb. 17, 1821, where 
his youth was spent. His parents moved to 
Tallmadge while he was 3'oung, and there en- 
tered the Academy, and at that institution he 
received the greater part of his education. 
After leaving school, he attended to the farm 
duties, and there remained for several 3'ears 
preceding the death of his father, and at the 
time of his father's death he inherited the old 
homestead, where he still resides. In addition 
to his farming interests, he has a large in- 
terest in the coal-banks known as the Upson 
banks. In 1859, he conducted a fair in Cuya- 
hoga Falls, the fii'st one of the kind ever held 



"e) \> 



^ — ^t^ 



932 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



there, and spared neither time or funds to make 
it a success. He had the fleetest horses of his 
day on the grounds, such as Flora Temple and 
other horses of like pedigree. He has many 
interests in Akron, among them are the oat- 
meal mills, etc. Mr. Upson never married, but 
is living on his farm, and is one of the most 
active men in church or society circles. Feb. 
17, 1881, he was surprised b}- over 100 of his 
many friends, who assembled at his house for 
the purpose of showing the friendship they 
cherished for him. The parents of our subject, 
Dr. Daniel and Polly (Wright) Upson, were 
natives of Connecticut, and came to Ohio in an 
early day. Dr. Upson's youth was spent on 
the farm and in attending the schools of his 
neighborhood, where he received a liberal edu- 
cation. He was engaged in teaching school 
for several years, and at the same time study- 
ing medicine. He graduated in medicine, and 
then sought a home in Ohio ; he first located 
in Trumbull Co., where he remained several 
years, and, in 1818, he removed to Franklin 
Co., settling in Worthington, and there remained 
until 1832, when he removed to Tallmadge. 
He was elected Representative, b}' the people 
of Franklin Co., several times. After his re- 
moval to Tallmadge, he discontinued his prac- 
tice, paying special attention to his coal banks. 
He married Polly, daughter of Deacon Elizur 
Wright, of Tallmadge, but formerly of Connecti- 
cut. She was a Christian ladj', an amiable 
wife and kind mother. 

WILLIAM UPTON, farmer; P. 0. Tall- 
madge ; was born in the County of Kerry, Ire- 
land, June 24, 1814. At the age of 16 j-ears, 
he took passage on a vessel bound for Quebec. 
When out about sixteen da}' s, and off the coast 
of Nova Scotia, the vessel was wrecked, having 
on board 303 passengers, men, women and chil- 
dren. The captain ordered the women and 
children to be taken ashore (which was two miles 
distant) first, then the older men. and by that 
time the vessel was fast going to pieces. Our 
subject, with eleven other young men, was ad- 
vised by the captain to swim the distance. They 
undertook it, and eleven of them reached shore 
in an exhausted condition. He saved nothing 
from the wreck, and went three days without 
food. He started off in search of food or a 
settlement, and, after traveling for some time, 
saw a small boat belonging to a fishing smack. 
He told the occupants of the disaster, who took 



them aboard of the smack, and brought them 
to Louisburg, N. S. The passengers of the ill- 
fated vessel, with the exception of our subject, 
were taken to Quebec. He remained in Louis- 
burg for three months. He then worked his 
way to Boston, on board a coal vessel. From 
there he went to Albany and Schenectady, N. 
Y., where he remained a short time. In 1833, 
he came to Ohio, settling in Summit Co., and 
engaging in shoemaking for six ^^ears at Tall- 
madge Center. He then settled on a farm of 
220 acres, where he has since resided. In 1836, 
he married Maria Sprague, daughter of Jonathan 
Sprague, of Tallmadge. From that marriage, 
there were six children, one of whom is living — • 
Rev. J. S. Upton, of Bridgewater, N. Y. Mrs. 
Upton died in 1873. He married, for his second 
wife, Mrs. Kate Murphy, of Akron. The father 
of our subject, Capt. John Upton, had, from a 
boy, followed the seas. His mother was Mary 
Fuller, who was a consistent and earnest mem- 
ber of the Church of England. 

A. A. VIALL, farmer; P. 0. Tallmadge; 
was born in Harrisburg, Penn., Nov. 29, 1848. 
He remained at home until he was 16 years of 
age, receiving his education in the common 
schools of his neighborhood. In 1864, he en- 
listed in 184th 0. V. I., where he remained un- 
til the close of the war. After his return home, 
he was engaged as engineer on a steamboat. 
He then worked on the Pittsburgh & Cleveland 
Railroad, where he fired a locomotive. He was 
then engaged by J. A. Caruthers to take charge 
of machinery in his mill. In 1878, he purchased, 
in company with C. D. Caruthers, the mill he 
now operates. In 1879, he was united in mar- 
I'iage to Helen Caruthers, daughter of J. A. 
Caruthers, of Tallmadge, whose family settled 
there in an early day from Connecticut. Mr. 
Viall is a strong Republican, and has always 
been identified with that part}'. 

DR. AMOS WRIGHT, physician, Tallmadge ; 
the first white male child born in Tallmadge 
Township, and his birth occurred Oct. 5, 1808 ; 
his parents. Dr. Amos and Lydia (Kinne}') 
Wright, were natives of Connecticut, he coming 
to Trumbull County in 1801, where he remained 
until 1802, when he returned to Connecticut 
and married the above-named lad}', who was 
the daughter of Rev. Aaron Kinney. After 
his marriage, he came to Trumbull County, 
where he remained until 1808 ; he then came 
to Tallmadge where he remained until he died. 



(a" 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



933 



He was the first practicing ptiysician in this 
section of the State, and his practice was ex- 
tensive. Our subject attended the academy in 
Tallmadge until he was 14 years old, and then 
went on the farm where he remained until he 
was 19 years of age. Tn 1827, he began the 
study of medicine in his father's office, where 
he remained two years ; he then went to Cin- 
cinnati and attended lectures in; 1829 and 1830. 
In 1831 and 1832, he attended lectures at Yale 
College. He returned to Tallmadge in 1833, 
and opened a drug store in Middlebury, con- 
ducting the business for one year, then re- 
moved to Trumbull County and practiced medi- 
cine for two years. He returned to Tallmadge 
in 1836, and has remained there ever since. 
He has an extensive circuit of practice, visiting 



patients in Portage, Stark and Summit Coun- 
ties. On the 31st day of March, 1831, he was 
united in marriage to Clemence C. Fenn, who 
bore to him nine childi'en, six of whom are liv- 
ing — Stella, Celia, Ellen M., Julia I., Darwin 
E. ; Samuel St. John associated with his father 
in his practice ; H. M., Sarah E. and Alice are 
the names of those deceased. Alice was well 
and widely known in social and musical circles, 
and had distinguished herself as a singer of 
more than ordinary ability ; she died in 1874, 
at the age of 23 years. March 31, 1881, Dr. 
and Mrs. Wright celebrated the fiftieth anni- 
versary of their wedded life by a golden wed- 
ding, given by them at their home, and enter- 
tained a host of conoratulatina: friends. 



NORTHFIELD TOWI'^SHiP. 



J. G. ALEXANDER, merchant, Northfield ; 
is one of the rising young merchants of Summit 
County ; born in Cleveland, May 6, 1848 ; son 
of Hamill and Martha (Nesbit) Alexander. The 
father of our subject was born Aug. 6, 1818, in 
West Pennsylvania ; son of James Alexander, 
whose ancestors hail from " Bonnie Scotland." 
He came West with his son Hamill in 1838, 
locating in Cuyahoga County, and engaged in 
agricultural pursuits, bringing his son up to 
this calling, whose marriage with Miss Nesbit 
occurred Nov. 17, 1842, whose birth is recorded 
April 7, 1822, born in Wheatfield Township, 
Indiana Co., Penn., daughter of John and Ann 
(Matthews) Nesbit, who came West from Penn- 
sylvania, locating in the township in 1831. 
After the marriage of Hamill Alexander, he 
remained one year on the farm ; then removed 
to Cleveland, where he lived nine years, being 
engaged in the mercantile business. From 
there he moved to Macedonia, this township, 
engaging in the lumber business, where he 
remained until his death, which took place 
July 4, 1854. To him were born a family of 
three children, viz., John N., now residing in 
Lansing, Mich.; James Gr. and Martha J. (now 
the wife of Dr. J. C. Bryson, of La C3'gne, L}- nn 
Co., Kan.). James Gr., at the deatli of his father, 
was but a lad of 6 years ; being then thrown 
upon his own resources, he has since that time 



rowed his own craft. When a mere lad, he 
hired out by the week, receiving $5 per mouth, 
and continued on in this wa}' until he accumu- 
lated means to enable him to engage in busi- 
ness for himself In 18G9, he moved with his 
mother and sisfer to Johnson Co., Mo., and 
farmed four years, which gave him more exper- 
ience than profit. Returning, in November, 
1872, to this town, he engaged as a clerk for 
Lyons, Logan & McClellan, remaining with 
them one year and a half, and then engaged 
one year with E. A. Palmer & Brother as trav- 
eling salesman. April 13, 1876, he married 
Ellen F. Love, daughter of John and Jane 
Love, of Coshocton County. The May follow- 
ing, he succeeded J. D. Lyon & Co., and has 
since been engaged in general merchandising, 
and is doing a safe and lucrative business. His 
business has increased to double its first di- 
mensions. He is now handling all kinds of 
farm machinery, engines and threshers. He is 
energetic and an excellent business man. 
March 20, 1878, his lovely wife passed to the 
land " beyond the river," leaving him compan- 
ionless. She bore him one child — Jennie — who 
sleeps in the cemetcr}- beside her. Since the death 
of his wife, his mother has been his comforter 
and housekeeper. Mr. Alexander and mother 
are members of the U. P. Church, as also was 
her father. 



vi; 



:rx: 



934 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



MRS. JANE W. BACON, retired, Northfield ; 
was born Nov. 16, 1811, in Jetferson Co., this 
State, to James and Sarah (McClintick) Pritch- 
ard. Her father was ijorn in Maryhiud, son of 
William Pritchard, to whom was born three 
children. The father of Sarah McClintick was 
James, whose wife was Mar}' Williamson ; they 
raised a family of six children, whose names 
were Mary, Rachel, Nancy, Sarah, James and 
Samuel. James, the father of the above, was 
a Commissary during the war of the Revolu- 
tion, and was pi'esent at the battle of Bunker 
Hill. To James and Sarah Pritchard were 
born two children — Jane W. (Mrs. Bacon) and 
Sarah. His first marriage was with Tabitha 
White, by whom he had eight children ; two of 
the number, Hezekiah and William, were sol- 
diers in the war of 1812 ; William was Captain, 
his brother Hezekiah dying in the service. 
Mrs. Bacon's father removed West to Jefferson 
Co. in the latter part of the last century, locat- 
ing in Steubenville ; he was a man of superior 
ability and talent, was a Judge of the Court of 
Steubenville, and was one of the framers of 
the State Constitution and a member of the 
State Legislature, when they met at Chillicothe ; 
here he died Feb. 6, 1813. His wife survived 
him until 1856 ; she was for sixty years a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Mrs. Bacon was married June 22, 1828, to 
David C. Bacon, who was born in Genesee 
Co., N. Y.. July 18, 1803 ; he was a son of 
Isaac and Nancy (Cranmer) Bacon. Isaac Ba- 
con came to Ohio, locating in this township, on 
Lot C3, in 1807, where he cut down a few trees 
and erected a cabin ; while this was in pro- 
gress, parties who were cutting the road leading 
from Hudson to Cleveland, hearing the sound 
of his ax, knowing the country to be unin- 
habited, started in quest of the unknown woods- 
man, and there found the frontiersman busy at 
his work ; and, in honor to him, and for his 
accommodation, changed the direction of the 
road and run it past his domicile ; hence the 
crook in the road which has since existed as a 
landmark in the township. This pioneer of 
Northfield Township died November, 1812 ; his 
son, David C, succeeded him in the ownership 
of the farm, and remained in the townsliip until 
his death, which occurred Oct. 22, 1880. Five 
children were born to him, of whom but two 
are living, viz. : Sarah J. (now the wife of Dr. 
B. F. Roy, of Geauga Co., this State) and Miles 



P., who is a resident of this township. Reason 
P. died June G, 1859, at the age of 31, leaving 
no issue. Mrs. Bacon has been a member of 
Methodist Episcopal Church over fifty years, 
and was the first to experience religion in the 
township, and for one 3'ear was the onl}^ pro- 
fessor of religion in the township ; she resides 
on her farm of 130 acres, which was settled by 
the elder Bacon, her house being the first frame 
built in the township. 

NOEL BECK, farmer ; P. 0. Northfield ; 
was born Feb. 17, 1818, near Salem, Colum- 
biana Co.; son of Paul and Mary (Dickinson) 
Beck ; Paul was born in Loudoun Co.,Va., son of 
Preston Beck, to whom was born Edward, Paul, 
John, Richard, Mary, Esther, Phebe Ann and 
Rachel ; Mary Dickinson was born in Redstone, 
in New Jersey ; her mother's maiden name was 
Martha Hatfield ; the father of Mary Dickinson 
was named Jesse Dickinson, whose mother's 
name was Sarah Richardson before marriage ; 
the family on both sides were of Quaker fam- 
ilies. Preston Beck came out to Columbiana 
Co. with his famil}' before the commencement 
of the present century, being one of the pioneers 
of that count}'. Paul Beck was twice mar- 
ried — first, to Mary Dickinson, who bore him 
eight children ; those who grew up, were Ma- 
tilda, Jesse, Joseph, Noel and Martha ; his 
second marriage was to Rachel Foster, b}' 
whom he had eight children. Noel came to 
Bedford in 1834. June 1, 1840, he was mar- 
ried to Maria Sheets, born March 28, 1819, in 
Columbiana Co.; her parents were George and 
Sarah (McConners) Sheets ; he was born Nov. 
30, 1783, she March 5, 1787 ; he was a sailor 
when young . they were born and married in 
New Jerse}' ; their nuptials are recorded as 
taking place in the 3'ear 1808 ; to them were 
born ten children, nine of whom grew up. 
George Sheets and wife, with two other fam- 
ilies, composed of Father McConners and wife, 
and Robert Thomas and his wife, all came out 
in 1812 together, in a two-horse wagon contain- 
ing what little of this world's goods the}' pos- 
sessed. Soon after Mr. Sheets' arrival in the 
State, he was drafted into the war of 1812. 
His father's name was Yose}', who married 
Elizabeth Kuntz, and by her he had seven 
children — John, Joseph, William, Samuel, 
George, Adam and Betsey. Mr. Beck, at the 
time of his marriage, had notiiing l)ut his 
hands and his worthy wife to begin with ; not 



:l^ 



NOETHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



935 



having the money to buy any furniture, he 
turned in and made his own table, chairs, and 
such articles as they were obliged to have, 
which served them until they could afford 
" store " furniture ; he bought 40 acres " in the 
woods," of his father, costing $400, 3'et in four 
3'ears had it paid for ; after living on this farm 
ten years, he sold it for $700 and moved to 
this township, purchasing 93 acres on Lot 13 
for $1,400, but afterward cost him $300 more, 
in consequence of a dower lien coming to 
light which he had to square off ; he lived on 
this place three years and located where he 
now resides, where he has 101 acres. Four 
children liave been born to him — Mary (Mrs. 
Charles Pell), Clarkson and Alice (Mrs. John 
A. EUett), all of this township. Mrs. Beck is a 
member of the Disciples' Church. Mr. B. is not 
a member of any denomination, but is a good 
Republican. 

CLARKSON BECK, farmer ; P. 0. Bedford ; 
was born in Bedford Township, Cuvahoga Co., 
March 20, 1847, the fourth of the family, and 
the third of the number who grew up. He re- 
moved with his parents to this township when 
about 3 years of age, his father first locating 
on the " ledge." Clarkson remained with his 
parents until he was 25 j-ears of age. Jan. 14, 
1872, he married Rebecca J. Stanley, who was 
born 1851, in Columbiana Co., this State, daugh- 
ter of Waddj' and Lydia (Mather) Stanley. 
Her father was born in Virginia, Sept. 4, 1816, 
and her mother on Feb. 2, 1822, in Pennsvlva- 
nia. Waddy was a son of Waddy, Sr., who was 
the parent of ten children, viz., Joel, Samuel, 
Thomas, Waddy, Precilla, Luc}', Nanc}^, Re- 
becca, Anna and Deborah. Lydia was a daugh- 
ter of John and Catharine (Smith) Mather, to 
whom were born ten children — Samuel, Thomas, 
Sarah, Daniel, Jessie, Ann, William, James, 
Lydia and John. To Mrs. Beck's parents were 
born Catharine A., Joshua L., Rebecca J. and 
Thomas, who died at 4 years of age ; Edgar 
W. died when 16 months' old. The Stanleys 
and Mathers are Quakers. The Mathers were 
Hicksites ; the Stanleys were Guernseys. The 
old gentleman died March 31, 1871, and his 
wife "March 30, 1861. Since Mr. Beck's mar- 
riage, he has been a resident of the snug farm 
of 82 acres, which he now owns. He has three 
children, viz., Bertha May, Mattie Jane and 
(reorge D. Mr. Beck is among the enterprising 
3'oung men of the count}'. He has a pleasant 



home and family, and is a representative young 
agriculturist and business man. 

GEORGE L. BISHOP, farmer ; P. 0. North- 
field ; born Jan. 23, 1842, at the center of 
Nortiifield ; is the youngest of a family of 
three children of Orin and' Celina (Lilley) 
Bishop. George was 3 3'ears of age when his 
father died, and was then raised by Mr. Seidell, 
his step-father, who taught him the wagon- 
maker's trade. In August, 1861, he enlisted 
in Co. K, 19th 0. V. I., for three years, and 
after the expiration of his time, re-enlisted and 
served until the close of the war, receiving his 
discharge in November, 1865. He served in 
seventeen battles ; his first was Shiloh or Pitts- 
burg Landing, then ^Mission Ridge, Chickamauga 
and winding up with the battle at Nashville, 
when Hood attempted to match W. T. Sherman 
— to invade the enemj-'s countr}-. It can be said 
of Mr. Bishop that he was a true and valiant 
soldier dui'ing all his time of service, aijd was 
always with his command, with the exception of 
five months, when he was in the hospital in 
consequence of wounds received at Stone River, 
and during this time the regiment were not 
in any engagement. Upon his return home 
from service, he resumed his trade at the Cen- 
ter with Mr. Seidell, remaining with him two 
years. He then engaged with a New York firm, 
and for six years was their general agent, hav- 
ing the State to canvass in the interests of 
patent medicine. After which, he and his 
brother Clark purchased a farm together, which 
they carried on some time, when he sold his 
share to his brother. Dec. 31, 1819, he mar- 
ried Martha Way, who was born May 4, 1850, 
in England, daughter of Charles Wav, who 
came to the country in 1859. Since his mar- 
riage he has resided at Brandywine. Both he 
and his wife are members of the M. E. Church. 
He is also a member of A.. F. & A. M., and a 
103'al Republican. 

SIDNEY BEANEY. farmer; P. 0. Mace- 
donia ; he is the son of John and Jane (Weston) 
Beaney ; was born March 1, 1819, in Sussex 
Co.. England. John Beane}' was born March 
28, 1776, and his wife April 11, 1780. To them 
were boi'n twelve children — Mary, born in 1799 ; 
Susanna, in 1802 ; James, in 1804 ; Alfred, in 
1806; William, in 1809: Walter, in 1811; 
Jesse, in 1814 ; Jane, in 1815 ; John, in 1816 ; 
Sidney, in 1819; Ann. in 1820; Joshua, in 
1823. Sidney left England when a young man. 



5 '>y 



J^- 



k. 



936 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and came with Alfred and Jesse to New Hart- 
ford, Litchfield Co., Conn., where his brother j 
Walter was engaged as foreman in a cotton [ 
factor}'. Here Sidney found employment for 
two years, and then went to Stockbridge, Berk- 
shire Co., where he engaged for two years more 
in a factory at that place. In company with 
two others, he started West in May, 1841, and, 
after a long, tedious journey of adventures, they 
came to Hudson, where he engaged in brick-yard 
shoveling, at $7 per month. Here he sta^-ed 
six months, and then worked three years in a i 
hat store, for Mr. Strong, after which he went | 
back to England, and brought out his parents, 
and after staying one year with them in York 
State, he came back to Hudson, where he pur- 1 
chased GO acres of land where he now resides, 
there being then a small clearing on the same. 
Here Mr. Beaney has since lived, and though 
poor when he commenced life, he has at length 
become prosperous, having now 180 acres of 
land, with excellent buildings thereon. His 
father died suddenly of heart disease in March, 
1864, and his mother died the following Septem- 
ber. June 28, 1858, Mr. Beaney was married 
to Mary Roughton, born March 19, 1836, in 
Cambridgeshire (March Parish). She was the 
daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Thompson) 
Houghton. To Benjamin and Sarah Boughton 
were born twelve children, of whom seven grew 
up : Alice, Rachel, John, Rebecca, John and 
John R., twins ; Mary and Sarah (also twins) ; 
Keziah, Thomas, Jemima and James. The 
father of Mrs. Beaney died when she was 8 
years of age. She came to America with her 
mother in 1847, and located in Strongsville. 
Her mother died November, 1873. She was a 
Free- Will Baptist, and her husband a Calvinist, 
in belief Mr. and Mrs. Beaney are members 
of the Baptist Church. They have three chil- 
dren, viz., Walter, Sidney and Sarah J. 

AMBROSE W. BLISS, farmer; P.O. North- 
field. The Bliss family trace their origin to 
one Thomas Bliss, who was born in England 
about the year 1550, the name having been 
traced from the Norman-French Blois through 
the forms Bloys, Blyse, Blysse and Blisse to 
the American Bliss. The family is supposed 
to be of Norman descent, having come to En- 
gland with Wilham the Conqueror, and it is 
thought b}' some to have been connected with 
the Norman kinga. The history of the Ameri- 
can family begins with the Puritan brothers 



George Bliss and Thomas Bliss, Jr., who came 
to America to escape religious persecution, 
landing in Boston in 1635. Thomas Bliss 
died at Hartford in 1640. Four of his five 
sons came to Springfield, Mass., in 1643, and 
their mother, Margaret Bliss, soon followed, 
making the journey in five days through the 
forests to Hartford. She bought a tract of 
land on the Connecticut River, through which 
now extends Margaret and Bliss streets, named 
for them. From her comes the " Springfield 
famil}'," which is now scattered over the world, 
having three of its members missionaries in 
Turkey, while others have been traced to Asia, 
Africa and Australia. Among the famous 
members and descendants of the family are 
Ralph Waldo Emerson and the late P. P. Bliss, 
the singer, who was a descendant of the orig- 
inal Thomas Bliss. Ambrose W. Bliss is a 
native of Vermont, born in Jericho Township, 
Chittendon Co., Dec. 6, 1806, and the eighth 
child of a family of eleven children, viz.: Jul- 
ius, Cynthia, Fannie, Hosea, Timoth}', Laura, 
Lucia, Ambrose W., Lavina, George, and one 
deceased, born to Timothy and Anna (Camp- 
bell) Bliss, both of whom were natives of Con- 
necticut. Timotlw was born Feb. 16, 1769, 
Anna Feb. 2, 1769. Ambrose was brought up 
on a farm. At the age of 18, he left home 
and learned the carpenter and millwright's 
trade. In the fall of 1833, he came to this 
State, working on the public works in the har- 
bor at Cleveland and Black River, where he 
had charge of a force of men for some time. 
May 9, 1839, he married Emehne Palmer, born 
April 5, 1815, in Windsor, Conn., daughter of 
Hezekiah H. and Abigail (Taylor) Palmer. 
Mrs. Bliss was the second of a famil}- of six 
who grew to maturity. Since Mr. Bliss was 
married he has been a constant resident of the 
township. When he first came, he and his 
brother Hosea purchased 148 acres (Lot 76) in 
partnership, upon which Hosea built a log- 
cabin. Ambrose in the meantime located one- 
half mile south of the Center on a tract of 30 
acres, upon which he lived about three years 
and a half He then purchased 165 acres at 
the Center, where he has since resided. While 
he has carried on farming since his coming, 
yet he has in the meantime been engaged at 
his trade, having built nearly all the aqueducts 
and lock-gates on the canal between Brecks- 
ville and Cleveland. Being an excellent work 



I>> 



NORTHFIELU TOWNSHIP. 



937 



man, his services have been brought into 
requisition by the public. Mr. Bliss is one of 
the self-made men of this township. He has 
been industrious, prudent and economical, and 
has now 240 acres of good land. Since the 
dissolution of the Whig party, he has been a 
Republican, and has filled several offices of 
trust in the township and served two years as 
Commissioner of the county. He is not a 
member of any orthodox church, yet is a sup- 
porter of the Gospel and a friend to all relig- 
ious orders and enterprises that are calculated 
to advance the interests of the community at 
large. He is a life member of the American 
Bible Society. He and his family patronize 
liberally the newspapers and monthly period- 
icals. Of four children born three are living 
— Ellen, Lorin and George. Horace was a 
member of Co. C, 115th 0. V. I.; enlisted 
August, 1862, and died Feb. 20, 1863, of dis- 
ease contracted in the army. All the Bliss 
family are Republicans with the exception of 
George Bliss, who was a Democrat. He repre- 
sented this county in the State Legislature. 

C. J. CHAFFEE, farmer and stock-raiser ; 
son of Comfort and Perses (Skinner) Chaffee, 
was boi'n in Hampden Co., Mass., April 14, 
1817. Comfort's father bore the same name ; 
he was a son of Asa, who was the son of Asa, 
Sr., which makes Comfort J., whose name 
heads this sketch, of the fifth generation from 
Asa Chaffee, Sr. The Chaflfee family were 
among the stanch families in the Colonial 
times ; nine of the family were represented in 
the war of the Revolution. Comfort, Sr., mar- 
ried Mary Bliss ; their children were Comfort, 
Joel and Bliss. To Comfort and Perses were 
born ten children, of whom Polly (Mrs. G. 
Smith), settled in Springfield, Mass.; Rodolphus 
died in Michigan ; John M. died in Spring- 
field, Mass. ; Jonathan S. died in Grand Haven, 
Mich. ; Perses married S. Hunt, and raised four 
children ; William P. lives in Wilberham, on 
his grandfather's place, and Electa settled in 
Hampden. Mr. Chaflfee's great-uncle, Isaiah 
Ephraim, was among the number who chased 
the wolf in the den, which Maj. Putnam captured. 
Isaiah and William were at Braddock's de- 
feat. Isaiah was in command of the wagon- 
train, and was attacked b}' the Indians ; Isaac 
fought with desperation, and was finally shot, 
but had slain nine of the dusk}' warriors ere 
he received his death wound. Subject, being 



of a mechanical turn of mind, worked in ma- 
chine-shops, and was engaged for some time 
in the armory at Millberry — engaged in the 
manufacture of pistols and spring-bow callipers; 
also, at Chickopee Falls, on slide wrenches. 
He came West in 1840, and worked at Brecks- 
ville a short time ; then went to Elyria, and 
assisted in building the first machinery used in 
the. mills by Herrick & Palmer; with this firm 
he remained nearl}' three years. June 24, 1845, 
he was married to Asenath Ward Ferry, born 
Nov. 13, 1819, in Massachusetts, a daughter of 
Noah Ferry and Rebecca Ward. Noah was 
born in Palmer, Mass., 1783 ; he had two sons 
and four daughters, whose names were James 
A., Asenath W., Sophia J., Rebecca, Maria and 
Noah F. Noah was a son of Judah and Han- 
nah (Cooley) Ferry. Rebecca Ward was a 
daughter of Reuben Ward, whose wife was 
Rebecca (Firbush) Wood, a daughter of Dr. 
Wood. Reuben was a son of Lieut. Urijah 
Ward, and a brother of Sheriff's Asa, Calvin and 
Dr. John Ward. Perses, the mother of C. J., 
was a daughter of Jonathan V. and Drusilla 
(Perrin) Skinner, to whom were born five chil- 
dren — Aaron, who was a noted lawyer, George, 
Frank, Orin and Jonathan, who was a manu- 
facturer. The Skinners were from England, 
and were among the first settlers in America. 
Mr. Chaffee has been a z-esident of this town- 
ship for many ^-ears ; he has been a successful 
farmer and has 375 acres of land, situate in 
the west part of the township ; said farm is 
well adapted to farming and pasturage. The 
spars of Commodore Perry's boat were cut off 
this land, also the timber of which the vessel 
"Sardis" was built. Mr. Chaffee has been in 
the past quite extensively engaged in the dairy 
business, running 70 cows, but more recently 
is engaged in stock-raising. He has two chil- 
dren — Lucian M. and Anna M., now Mrs. Dr. 
Franklin M. Coates, in Berea, Cuyahoga Co. 

Z. F. CHAMBERLIN, farmer; P. 0. 
Macedonia. The Chamberlin famil}- of this 
county, originated from William Chamberlin, 
who came from England to Connecticut, in 
1780 ; his wife was Jemima Skinner. Amos, 
his son, married Jerusha Crane, bj' whom he 
had five sons and four daughters, viz., Horace 
A., Harris B., Schuyler M., Orville W., Henr\' 
H., Laura, Jerusha, Catharine and Cordelia. 
Horace A., was born in Hudson Township, 
March 24. 1819 ; Sept. 24, 1839, he married 






938 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Anna Post, who was born Nov. 28, 1820, in 
Hudson Township, daughter of Zina and Marena 
(Kellogg) Post. Zina was born in Saybrook, 
Conn., son of Joshua, who died in Connecticut. 
Marena was a daughter of Bradford Kellogg, a 
native of Vermont, who entered the Revolu- 
tionary war when young, and who being under- 
size, stood on a log at the time of inspection 
to raise him him to regulution height. Zina 
Post was a soldier in the war of 1812, and at 
one time 250 of Hull's soldiers encamped one 
night on his premises and partook of his hos- 
pitalit3^ To Horace and Anna (Post) Cham- 
ijerlin were born six children — Zina F. and 
Francis A., now in Newburg in the wire works; 
Edward A., at Cuyahoga Falls, in rivet manu- 
facturing ; Horace A. and Willie E., on the 
homestead ; Delos (deceased) ; Horace A., died 
Oct. 30, 1876 ; his wife is yet living. Zina F. 
and his father were born on the same farm. 
March 20, 1862 ; he married Sarah A. Paxson, 
born in Stark Co., Lexington Township, Ohio, 
April 20, 1841, daughter of Heston C. and Ra- 
chel (Ingledue) Paxson, her father was born Feb. 
17, 1794, in Lancaster Co., Penn., son of Will- 
iam, whose ancestors came from England. 
Rachel Ingledue was a daughter of Blackstone 
and Nellie (Wheat) Ingledue, to whom were 
born, seven chikh'en — Reason, Eber, William 
Rachel, Parmelia and Ellen. To Heston and 
Rachel Paxson were born four children whose 
names are Ezra W., now in Stark Count}' ; Lu- 
cinda, now in Marshall Co., Iowa, the wife of 
R. Strang ; Melinda (Mrs. Joseph Sheets), Stark 
Co., Ohio, and Sarah A. (Mrs. Chamberlin). 
Since the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Chamber- 
lin they have been constant residents of this 
township, with the exception of one year spent 
in Cleveland and a short time in Hudson 
Township. He is now located on the farm his 
father (Horace) owned, situated on Lot 8, 
which is one of the finest locations (inclusive 
of house and farm buildings) in the township. 
His farm consists of 150 acres. He has but 
one child — Hanmer E., born July 14, 1866. 
The Chamberlin and Post families are Repub- 

MRS. GEORGE DARLING, Northfield ; was 
born in Putnam, Washington Co., N. Y., March 
11, 1821. Her parents were Robert Sheill, who 
was born in Scotland, Oct. 28. 1784, and died 
Oct. 11, 1834, and Mary (Easton) Sheill born 
Aug. 13, 1789, and died March 7, 1828. Rob- 



ert Sheill was a son of William Sheill who was 
born in 1760, and died in June, 1844. Mary 
Easton was a daughter of George Easton and 
Margaret (Hutton) Easton, who was a daughter 
of William Hutton, of Scotland. To Robert 
Sheill and wife were born nine children — Mar- 
garet, Elizabeth, Jane, Janette, Agnes, Mary, 
Bathsheba (Mrs. Darling), William and Robert. 
Jane, Agnes, Mary, Bathsheba and Robert are 
the surviving members at this date (1881). 
Robert Sheill was a weaver in his native home 
(Scotland). George Easton was a soldier in 
the Revolutionary war. Adam Darling was 
born in Scotland about the 3'ear 1778, and was 
married to f:]lizabeth Porteous Dec. 18, 1812. 
In the year 1816, they emigrated to America, 
landing at Baltimore, where the}' remained for 
about a 3'ear, and from there the}- removed to 
Putnam, Washington Co., N. Y. To Adam and 
Elizabeth were born ten children — George, born 
Jan. 8, 1814, at Dunbar, Scotland; John, Hel- 
en, James, Margaret, Thomas, William, Jan- 
ette, Elizabeth and Mary. Those living are 
James, of Sac Co., Iowa ; Margaret, Mrs. Daniel 
Boyd, of Pocahontas Co., Iowa ; Janette, Mrs. 
Adam Kuhn, of Houston Co., Minn. ; Thomas, 
of Oakland Co., Mich., and Mar\', Mrs. Isaac 
Thompson, of Houston Co., Minn. George Dar- 
ling and Bathsheba Sheill were married in Put- 
nam, Washington Co., N. Y., June 13. 1843. 
In the 3'ear 1845, they removed to Noi'thfield, 
and located one-fourth mile north of the Cen- 
ter. Mr. Darling was a carpenter by trade, as 
was his father, and, during his life, he pursued 
his trade industriousl3^ He died June 24, 
1880, at the age of 66 3'ears. He was a mem- 
ber of the United Presbyterian Church for up- 
ward of fort3' 3'ears, and was highl3' respected 
by all who knew him. His wife and four 
children remain on the homestead with their 
mother. Mar}- E. is one of the most success- 
ful teachers of the count3', having an experi- 
ence of twenty-eight terms of teaching. Mar- 
garet A., relict of Thomas McArthur, of Put- 
nam, Washington Co., N. Y., who died Sept. 6, 
1876, leaving one child — Ida Marion. Robert 
A. and Georgiana are at home. 

J. C. DEISMAN, farmer ; P. O. Northfield : 
born Ma3' 12, 1831, in Salem, Columbiana Co., 
Ohio, the second child born to Henry L. and 
Letitia (Coulson) Deisman. He was born Feb. 
27,1807, in Warrington Township, in York Co., 
Penn., whose father bore the same name (H. L.). 



— ^ 



k^ 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



939 



Was a native of German}' ; came to America 
prior to the war of the Revolution, when he 
was 14 years of age, and was sold to pa}' his 
passage money. He settled in Pennsylvania, 
and raised a family of seven children, who 
were Rebecca, Rachel, Susan, Elizabeth, Mary, 
Henry L. and John. The father of James C., 
our subject, was a weaver by trade, which vo- 
cation he followed for many years. In 1828, 
was married to Letitia Coulson, whose birth 
was Nov. 5, 1809, in same county as her hus- 
band ; she was a daughter of Charles and 
Elizabeth (Glass) Coulson ; he was a son of 
David, whose wife was Jane Clark. Mrs. Deis- 
man was the only child born to her parents 
that lived to be grown. Elizabeth Glass Avas a 
daughter of Daniel and Letta (Gray) Glass, both 
natives of Ireland ; they had children as fol- 
lows : William, Daniel and John. The chil- 
dren of David Coulson were William and 
Charles. Mr. and Mrs. Deisman came West to 
Columbiana County, about the year 1830, and, 
about seven years afterward, came to this 
township with $160, purchasing 35 acres on 
Lot 41. costing him $6.25 per acre, with no im- 
provements , here they settled, when he got his 
cabin built had 50 cents left, he working at his 
trade when not engaged at his home on the 
farm, and paid for his land, remaining on the 
same until his death, Oct. 8, 1867, having been 
for many years a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. His wife yet survives him ; 
has been a member of the same church since 
16 years of age. James C. left home soon after 
21 ; Nov. 15, 1858, was married to Elizabeth 
Patterson, born Jan. 15, 1835, daughter of 
Thomas and Jane McNeelen, born December, 
1799; he was born in Pennsylvania Jan. 22, 
1797, son of Andrew, who was a Virginian. 
The mother of Thomas Patterson was Mary 
Bell. The children of xVndrew, were Andrew, 
Nathaniel. Thomas, Belsey and Polly. Jane 
McNeelen's parents were William and Mary 
(Ray) McNeelen, whose offspring were Ellen, 
Jane, Peggy, Eliza, Nancy, William and Samuel. 
The parents of Mrs. Deisman came West in 
1857, to Bedford Township, Cuyahoga Co. ; 
they had six children — William, James, Thomas, 
Ellen, Mary and Lizzie ; parents died, he 1878, 
she 1844. After Mr. and Mrs. Deisman was 
married, they located in Bedford Township, 
remaining there until 1870, when he moved to 
the township, purchasing 103 acres on Lot 61, 



where he has since resided ; has one daughter — 
Emma, born 1 860. Mrs. Deisman is a member 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is a 
member of Bedford Lodge, No. 375, A., F. & 
A. M., also of the Chapter of R. A. Masons. 

JOHN DOSENBURY, farmer; P. 0. North- 
field; was born Dec. 1, 1800, in Hunterdon 
Co., N. J., to Cornelius and Mary (Stillwell) 
Dosenbury. Cornelius was a son of Abram, 
who was a soldier in the war of the Revolution ; 
he and all his brothers served under Gen. 
Washington in the battles of Trenton, Prince- 
ton, etc. Abram Dosenbury was a native of 
Holland, and emigrated to the United States 
about the middle of the seventeenth century. 
Mary was a daughter of John Stillwell, whose 
wife was Sarah Stevenson, whose family was 
from Germany. Cornelius had ten children 
born him, viz.. Sarah, Ann, John, Hannah, 
Elizabeth, Charity, Rebecca, Phineas, Cornelius, 
and Phebe (deceased). John left home at 21, 
and moved about from place to place for several 
years before he settled down ; then, in 1829, he 
came West and stayed one year in Michigan ; 
also some length of time near Zanesville. Nov. 
14, 1835, he married Ruth Duncan, born Dec. 
6, 1816, in Beaver Co., Penn. ; she was the 
daughter of John and Elizabeth (McLean) 
Duncan. John Duncan's parents came from 
Ireland, and he was born on the sea while his 
parents were coming to this country. Thirteen 
children were born them ; eleven grew up, 
whose names were Robert, John, Hannah. Ruth, 
McLean, William, Elizabeth, Mary, James, 
Simeon and Perry. The Duncan family settled 
in this township about the year 1821. To 
Mr. Dosenbury nine children were born ; those 
living are William (in Montcalm Co.. Mich.), 
John (in Pierson, same State), Sarah (this 
county), George, Cornelius, Frank, Harriet (at 
home) and Jane (died at 31). John built the 
first house in Pierson. Mrs. Dosenbury is a 
member of the M. E. Church. He is not a 
member of any denomination, but is a believer 
in Spiritualism. 

L. R. FOSTER, farmer ; P. 0. Macedonia ; 
was born in Warrensburg, Warren Co., N. Y., 
Aug. 7, 1831, to Lyman and Minerva (Everest) 
Foster. His father was born Feb. 28, 1805, 
near Augusta, Maine ; he was a son of Eli and 
Amy (Carpenter) Foster. The Fosters are of 
Irish ancestry. The tradition is, that four 
brothers came from Ireland and settled in the 



-<r. 



940 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Eastern States ; from them have descended 
the existhig tamilies of the name. To Eli and 
Amy were born Fannie, Lyman, Eli and Eliza. 
Minerva Everest was born in Essex Co., N. Y., 
June 17, 1806, daughter of William Everest, 
who was born Sept. 24, 1771, in Addison Co., 
Vt., son of Zadock Everest, whose ancestors 
came from England, and are in direct line of 
connection with the Dudley familj-. Zadock 
Everest was one of the early settlers in Ad- 
dison Co., Vt. The first session of court in 
that county was held in his house, and at the 
time of the Revolution his house was head- 
quarters for the officers of the troops, who were 
encamped on the farm. To Zadock were born 
thirteen children. William Everest married 
Mina Holcomb, by whom he had thirteen chil- 
dren, nine of whom grew to maturity — William 
B., Harvey, Almina, Clarissa, Minerva, Amanda, 
Miranda, Zadock and Marshall. Eli Foster 
and wife, after marriage, moved to Maine, 
where Lyman (the father of L. R.) was born, 
and when 10 years of age, removed with his 
parents to Warren Co., N. Y. The parents of 
our subject were married March 10, 1829 ; to 
them were born eight children, viz. : Orlando, 
Le Roy R., Andrew J., Amanda E., Alonzo L., 
Sarah J., Rada M. and Amelia M. The parents 
of the above came West in 1841, and located 
in Macedonia, with a famil}^ of six children and 
$52 in money, and a scanty amount of house- 
hold goods ; though poor, being industrious 
and handy with tools, by working at the car- 
penter's trade and whatever labor was the most 
remunerative, he was successful and acquired a 
good home and a competence. He died Sept. 
24, 1875. He was one of the founders of the 
Baptist Church, and was for many years a 
regularly ordained Deacon of the same ; was a 
free and outspoken man in whatever he deemed 
was right ; was a friend of the bondman, who 
were fleeing for libert}', ever found in him a 
true friend, and was a man who never aspired 
after political preferment. William Everest 
and wife came West to this State in 1841, where 
they lived until their death. llis decease took 
place Jan. 23, 1856 ; his wife's in April, 1861. 
Our subject was raised to farming, and at the 
age of 19, began teaching in the public schools ; 
he taught singing classes during the winter ; 
music is a talent that has always predominated 
in the family. Jul}' 1, 1859, he married Maria 
Stevens, born in Princeville, Peoria Co., 111., 



daughter of William and Maria (Blood) Stevens. 
Mr. Stevens is now an extensive land owner in 
Quiver Township, Mason Co., 111. Mrs. Foster 
died Nov. 1, 1862, leaving one child — -Ora M. 
Mr. Foster has 175 acres of land, and, though 
not a member of any church, is a friend to and 
supporter of Christianity, and an active worker 
and superintendent of the Sunday school. He 
is a true Republican, and a strong temperance 
man. 

GEORGE FORBES, stock-trader, Macedonia. 
Esquire Forbes was born April 27, 1840, in 
Aberdeen Co., Scotland, and was the youngest 
of a family' of nine children born to Nathaniel 
and Margaret Souder. His father was born 
about the 3'ear 1794, son of William Forbes. 
Margaret was a daughter of Robert Souder, to 
whom were born two children — Margaret and 
Mary, both living. The family emigrated to 
this State, locating in Cuyahoga Co., Solon 
Township, in 1852. Nine children were born to 
them, eight living — Mary (now in Solon, the 
wife of George Cowan), Robert (in Bedford 
Township), Margaret and Isabella (same town- 
ship), also John and James (of this township), 
and Alexander (a teacher of Cleveland). After 
several years' residence, Nathaniel purchased 
land and located in this township in 1 862. His 
death occurred May, 1875 ; his wife, still living, 
is a resident of Bedford Township. George 
was raised to farming pursuits ; receiving the 
advantages afforded at the common district 
school and at Hiram, he launched out as a 
teacher, and was successfully engaged for sev- 
eral years. Since 1864, he has been engaged 
in stock- trading. In June, 1875, he formed a 
matrimonial alliance with Fannie Bliss. Since 
April, 1876, he has served as Justice of the 
Peace. His good judgment, aided by his 
studied acquaintance with common law, con- 
spire to make him an able and satisfactory 
officer. Although not a member of any church, 
he contributes to the support of the Gospel. 

ELIHU GRISWOLD, retired farmer ; P. 0. 
Macedonia ; born in Schroon, Essex Co., N. Y., 
Sept. 2, 1807 ; was raised in Essex Co., where 
his father, Elihu, died. Mr. Griswold came 
West to this township 3Iay 19, 1832, and pur- 
chased 164 acres on Lot 7. from Henry M. 
Boardman, upon which there were no improve- 
ments whatever. Building him a small cabin 
a short distance north of his present residence ; 
he then cut off" about ten acres and sowed the 



liL 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



941 



same in wheat ; the following j'ear, while this 
was maturing, he returned East to his native 
county, and was married to Betsy Potter, and 
returned with her the same week ; he started, 
driving the entire distance, in a buggy borrowed 
from Col. Arthur, of Northfield Center. Since 
Mr. Griswold came, he has resided on his fii'st 
purchase. In 1843, he built his present resi- 
dence. His wife died Dec. 30, 1862, leaving 
no issue. June 14, 1863, he was married to 
Louisa, born, 1841, in this township, daughter 
of William and Sarah (Baum) Powell. Mr. 
Grriswold has been seriously injured b}- a fall 
occasioned by a horse running away ; his health 
and mental faculties are impaired to such an 
extent as to render him incompetent to attend 
to his own business affairs, of which Mrs. Grris- 
wold has taken charge, and, in the management 
of the same, she has displayed a spirit of en- 
terprise and business tact not seen in the aver- 
age woman. She has been a member of the 
M. E. Church for over a score of years. Mr. 
Griswold is not a member of an}" church, yet 
has alwaj^s been an honorable man, upright and 
straight in his business transactions, and has 
been highly respected in the community. They 
have one son — Elihu W., born Nov. 8, 1865. 
He owns 186 acres of land. 

MRS. ALMIRA HERBERT, retired ; P. 0. 
Macedonia ; third daughter of Elisha and Sarah 
(Simms) Hyde ; was born Sept. 28, 1812, in 
Hartwick, Otsego Co., N. Y. Elisha was raised 
in Vermont ; Sarah Simms was born in Rhode 
Island, and was the daughter of a sea-faring 
man, who was the captain of a merchantman ; 
the family ai-e supposed to be of English de- 
scent. To Elisha was born G-race, who married 
Truman Chaffee, who settled in Trumbull Co., 
this State, and raised a large family ; they 
finally located in Orwell, Ashtabula Co.; Sarah 
also settled in Trumbull Co. after becoming 
the wife of Horace Mansfield ; they raised 
no family. Elisha Hyde was a soldier in the 
war of 1812 ; he died Oct. 8, 1862, his wife in 
1827 ; both were members of the M. E. Church. 
Mrs. Herbert came West to Trumbull Co. in 
1824, with her parents, who settled in Farming- 
ton, where they died, as per above statement. 
Sept. 9, 1845, she was married to James Her- 
bert, who was born in Leitram Co., Ireland ; 
his parents were William and Jane (Saddler) 
Herbert. Mr. John Senters was a boon com- 
panion to Mr. Herbert, and came with him from 



the same county in Ireland to this State, and 
together they worked on the public works at 
Cleveland and at Akron ; after saving some 
mone}-, they made their first purchase in partner- 
ship, one taking the south part of the lot and 
the other the north. Mr. Herbert died in 1865. 
Mrs. Herbert is a member of the M. E. Church. 

J. A. HERBERT, farmer ; P. 0. Macedonia. 
John A. Herbert was born on the farm where 
he now lives June 21, 1852 ; he is the third 
child of four born to James and Almira 
(Hyde) Herbert ; Hattie is an experienced and 
successful teacher, and Sarah is the wife of 0. 
T. Holbrook, of this township. John A. was 
married to Mary Means, born Oct. 24, 1857 ; 
she is a daughter of Andrew S. Means, one of 
the prominent farmers and pioneers of this 
township ; they have one child, Ouida. John 
A. now resides on the homestead farm,- which 
contains 206f acres ; his mother and sister 
Hattie reside in Macedonia. 

HORACE HOLBROOK, retired farmer ; P. 
0. Macedonia ; third child of John and Susan- 
nah (Towne) Holbrook, was born in Essex Co., 
Vt., June 19, 1803. He was one of ten chil- 
dren — eight of whom lived to be grown, whose 
names were Rebecca, Horace, Salem, Adaline, 
Alanson, Irena, William H. and Nelson M. 
The boys are yet living — Salem in Wisconsin. 
Alanson in Michigan, William in New York, 
Nelson in Iowa, Horace in this township. 
Irena ?s not married, and resides in Michigan. 
Job was the grandfather of Horace, and mar- 
ried Naomi Stebbins. Jonathan and William 
Towne served in the war of the Revolution, and 
Alanson Holbrook in that of 1812. The Towne 
family trace their origin to William Towne, an 
Anglo-American, born about the year 1600, 
who came to Salem, Mass., in 1640, and after- 
ward removed to Topsfield in 1852, where he 
died, aged 72. His son Jacob was born in 
1631, and in 1657, married Catharine Symonds, 
and by her had six children. John, his son, 
was born April 2, 1658. Feb. 2, 1680, he mar- 
ried Mary Smith, and settled in Oxford in 1712. 
Ten children were born him. The next gene- 
ration was Israel, born Nov. 18, 1684 — mar- 
ried Susan Haven, who bore him ten children. 
Israel, the next in order, was born Feb. 12, 
1727, purchased a farm in Belchertown in 
1749, married Naomi Stebbins in 1754. She 
was born Nov. 9, 1735. He died Dec. 10, 1805, 
in his 78th year, and she on Feb. 12, 1827, in 



g) 



x^l 



942 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



her 92d year. All of the children, ten in num- 
ber, were born and brought up in Belchertown. 
Next was Salem Towne, born March 5, 1779, 
married Abigail King, March 26, 1807, and 
lived in Granville, N. Y., until 1829, when he 
moved to Aurora. Abigail was born Oct. 12, 
1781 ; she died while on a visit to Grallipolis, 
Ohio, Dec. 7, 1840, in her 60th year. The chil- 
dren, seven in number, were all born in Grran- 
ville, N. Y. Horace was raised a farmer ; leav- 
ing home at 21, he embarked for himself, and 
worked out by the month. In the spring of 
1834, he came West, purchasing, where he now 
lives, 80 acres. Returning in 1835, he married 
Mary G-utherie, born in 1809 ; a daughter of 
James Gutherie, whose wife was a Munson. 
His wife died fourteen months after their mar- 
riage, leaving no issue. April 11, 1839, he 
married Susan Thompson, born in Hudson 
Township, Oct. 2, 1802 ; daughter of Moses 
and Elizabeth (Mills) Thompson. She died in 
January, 1879 ; bj- her he had one son, Ossian 
T., who now resides with Mr. Hoi brook on the 
homestead. His present wife was a daughter 
of James Herbert, one of the old settlers of 
the township. Mr. Holbrook began in life 
poor, and has now 175 acres, situated a short 
distance north of Macedonia. He is a member 
of the Presbyterian Church, and one of the 
solid and substantial representatives of the 
communit}'. 

C. HUNT, farmer ; P. 0. Northfield. -Calvin 
Hunt is the j'oungest of a family of eleven 
children, whose parents were Abner and Betsy 
(Johnson) Hunt. The names of the children 
born them were Lovina, Almira, Nancy, Abner, 
William, Norman, Russel, Marshall, Hannah 
and Calvin, all of whom lived to be men and 
women. Abner Hunt was born in Massachu- 
setts Aug. 18, 1791 ; wife born in same State 
in 1788. Abner was a son of Jacob Hunt, who 
was a soldier in the war of 1 8 1 2. To him were born 
children as follows: Jacob, Thomas, John, Sallie 
and Hannah. Abner Hunt came West in 1817, 
remaining one year on Tinker's Creek, in Cuy- 
ahoga Co. ; the year following, came to this 
township, where he rented land several years ; 
coming here poor, had but little means to do 
with. March, 1825, located in the north part 
of the township on Lot 72, purchasing 38 acres 
of Dorsey Viers ; no improvements at the time 
of purchase. Ten jears afterward, he added 
14 acres more, which was the date of Calvin's 



birth, which occurred Oct. 13, 1835, on the 
same farm where he now resides, which his father 
first purchased, and remained on the same un- 
til his death, which took place Jan. 17, 1876 ; 
his wife "passed over" Oct. 1, just two years 
previously. Both of them were members of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church ere the}- came to 
this State, and were among the first members 
who united with the church at the Center at 
the time of its organization. Mr. Hunt was an 
Old-Line Whig, and one of the esteemed citi- 
zens of his township. Calvin, being the young- 
est of the famil}', has never left the homestead. 
March 24:, 1865, married A'ictoria Waite, daugh- 
ter of Walter and Polly (Hopkins) Waite, who 
were natives of Maine, and came to Richfield 
Township, this county, when the country was 
comparatively new. Mrs. Hunt was born in 
Northampton, June 4, 1829, and bore him two 
children — Edwin Odell and Mary Blanche. 
Aug. 27, 1880, after a short illness, Mrs. Hunt 
closed her eyes in death, and joined the " in- 
numerable throng," leaving her husband and 
two children to mOurn her demise. She was a 
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in 
which she was a great worker, in the Sunday 
school a valued worker, and was a lady of su- 
perior mental worth, and, possessing many per- 
sonal attractions, was a bright light in societ3% 
a kind associate, a true wife and devoted 
mother. Mr. Hunt is also a member of the 
church of his parents' choice, and class-leader. 
Mr. Hunt, the father of Calvin, had, at the 
time of his death, fifty- four grandchildren and 
forty-six great grandchildren. Mr. Hunt has 
104 acres of land, and is among the well-to-do 
farmers in the township. 

WILLIAM HURST, farmer ; P. 0. Bedford; 
this worthy gentleman is a native of Ireland, 
born March 26, 1815, in Count}- Leitrim. His 
parents were William and Catharine (Senters) 
Hurst. William was a son of Robert whose 
wife was Jane McLean, to whom were born 
Joshua, James, Thomas and William. Catha- 
rine was a daughter of Charles, whose wife was 
a Stinson before marriage. They had children 
as follows — Charles, William, Catharine and 
Mary. By his second marriage he had one 
child only, named Margaret. To the parents 
of Mr. Hurst were born ten children, seven 
sons and three daughters ; but four grew to 
maturity, viz., John, William, Mar}^ and Jane; 
Mary never came to this country ; she married 



"^ 



NORTHFIELD TOW:NSHir. 



943 



William McDei'mot ; Jane died in Ireland at 
the age of 22 ; John settled in Canada. The 
religion of the family was of the Episcopal 
order. The father of William was a weaver b}' 
trade ; he died when William was a lad of 10 
years ; he was raised by his mother until he 
was 19 years of age ; two years after he set 
sail for America, landing in Quebec ; after a 
short staj' he came to this county, in 1836. 
Stow Township was his first home in America. 
Here he " hired out " by the month. Oct. 27, 
1846, he married Fanny O'Brien, who was born 
Jul}' 9, 1818, in Hudson Township, daughter 
of Henry and Sarah (Walker) O'Brien, who 
were both natives of Ireland, and located in 
Hudson Township in 1802. To them were 
born David, William, Martin, Moses, Mary, 
Harriet, Fannie and Sarah. After Mr. Hurst's 
marriage he moved to Michigan (Kalamazoo), 
where he purchased 123 acres of land ; after 
keeping the same four years and a half, he sold 
it at a gain. Upon his return from Michigan 
he located on his father-in law O'Brien's farm, 
where he stayed two years and then bought 165 
acres one mile and a half northeast of Hudson, 
where he remained from 1853 to 1863. Then 
he purchased 194 acres in Twinsburg Town- 
ship. In March, 1869, he moved to his pres- 
ent place, where he has 53 acres ; his house 
and 5 acres stand in Bedford Township, the 
remainder (245 acres) is in Summit County. 
January, 1856, his wife died, leaving no issue. 
He was married May 27, 1858, to Mary Spaf- 
ford, born in this township May 7, 1838, 
daughter of Nathan B. and Mar}' Morrison. 
Her mother was born in New Hampshire in 
1800, her father in Chittenden, Vermont, in 
1791. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, as 
was also John Morrison (Mrs. Hurst's grand- 
father). Mr. and Mrs. H. are members of the 
Episcopal Church. 

J. W. HYNTON, farmer ; P. 0. Northfield ; 
son of John and Elizabeth (Halpenneg) Hyn- 
ton ; was born in this township in 1850. Mr. 
John Hynton was born in Wicklow Co., Ire- 
land, June, 1810 ; he was a son of John Hyn- 
ton. Elizabeth was born March 5, 1822, in 
the same county ; her father's name was John 
Halpenneg, and he married Mary Tumma. 
John Hynton, the father of our subject, 
was a man of education and culture ; he 
came to America about the year 1840. Soon 
after his marriage, he and his brother Edward 



made a purchase of 147 acres in the northwest 
corner of the township, where they engaged in 
business together ; uniting their energies, they 
were successful in accumulating property. He 
remained on the farm until 1860, when he 
moved across the line into Cuyahoga County, 
where he died Sept. 15. His brother Edward 
died in 1879. They were men of honor, and 
commanded the respect of all who came in 
contact with them, either in a business or social 
way. To John Hynton were born four children, 
viz., Mary (Mrs. H. Dubler, of Newburg. 
Catharine (Mrs. T. Walsh, of Cleveland), John 
W. and Elizabeth (now Mrs. James Cassidy, of 
Boston Township). May 23, 1876, subject was 
married to Anna Cassidy, born in Boston, 
daughter of Patrick Cassidy, to whom were 
born seven children. In April, 1872, J. W. 
settled on the farm he now owns, which con- 
sists of 95 acres. He has three children, viz., 
Lucy M., Agnes B., and Frances E. The 
mother of J. W. lives on the farm, where her 
husband resided at the time of his death. 

W. H. KUHN, farmer ; P. 0. Bedford ; was 
born March 22, 1813, in Allegheny Co., Penn., 
to Archibald and Martha (Stotlar) Kuhn. 
Archibald was a son of Michael, to whom 
were born five sons and three daughters, whose 
names were Eve, Archibald, Adam, Samuel, 
John, Mary, David and Nancy. Michael's 
father was a native of Holland ; so also were 
the Stotlars. Our subject was the youngest of 
a family of eight children — Michael, Jacob, 
Nancy, Archie, David, Catharine, John and 
William H. The great-grandfather of W. H. 
was Adam Kuhn, whose wife was Eve, to whom 
were born Michael, Nicholas and Samuel. 
Archibald was a Federalist, and took an active 
part in the affairs of his county. He repre- 
sented his county in the State Legislature ; was 
a commissioned officer during the war of 1812. 
xirchibald Kuhn and wife died before W. H. 
was grown, yet he remained on the homestead 
until his marriage, March 7, 1843 ; he married 
Mary Elder, born Feb. 28, 1824, in Indiana 
Co., Penn., daughter of Rev. Robert and Jane 
(McConaughy) Elder. Robert was born near 
Harrisburg ; son of John Elder, who had six 
children — Joseph, Thomas, James, Robert, 
Belle and Betsey. Robert Elder's mother's 
name was Polly Caruthers. The Elders left 
the north part of Ireland for Scotland at the 
time of its insurrection, or religious persecu- 



944 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



tion. To Robert McConaughy were born nine 
children ; of the bo3's, Simon and James came 
West and settled in Ashland County. Robert 
Elder, the father of Mrs. Kuhn, was a soldier 
in the war of 1812 ; also Samuel Kuhn, the 
uncle of William H. While Mr. Kuhn (W. H.) 
was yet a young man, he was elected Major of 
the Seventh Battalion of Alleghany County 
Volunteers, being the youngest officer in the 
battalion. In June, 1843, he came to this 
township, where he purchased 107 aci'es on 
Lots 31 and 41. He has now 204 acres. To 
him have been born ten cliildren ; of those liv- 
ing are Margaret J., the wife of John Shirk, of 
Muscatine, Iowa ; Luther, in same county ; 
Robert, now a practitioner of materia medica in 
Shelby Co., Iowa ; Mary, Willie and Frankie, 
at home ; Luie, at school preparing for the 
ministry. Since Mr. Kuhn was 16 years of 
age, he has been a member of the church of his 
parent's choice (Presb^'terian), and is now an 
official member of the same. Mr. Kuhn is one 
of the successful farmers of the township, as 
well as one of its valued citizens. He is a lib- 
eral supporter of the leading journals and peri- 
odicals of the day. 

A. J. KELTY, farmer; P. 0. Macedonia; 
born May 24, 1841, in Columbiana Co.; is the 
son of Owen H. and Ruth Hinksman. His father 
was born in 1812, in Salem Co., N. J.; he was 
a son of William Kelty who was in the war of 
the Revolution, with two of his brothers, of 
whom nothing was heard after the war's termi- 
nation. The Keltys are of Dutch descent. To 
Owen and wife were born William, Aaron, Sam- 
uel, Sarah, Andrew and Henry. The family 
came first to Columbiana Co., where Owen set- 
tled on a squatter's claim ; subsequently moved 
to Bedford Township, in Cuyahoga Co.; here 
he died, in November, 1869. A. J. was raised 
at home until 20 years of age, when he began 
for himself Sept. 16, 1866, he married Harriet 
Powell, born Jan. 16, 1845, in this township, 
daughter of William and Sarah Powell. Mr. 
Kelt}' moved on this farm in March, 1869. hav- 
ing then 88 acres. Mr. Kelt}- is a hard-work- 
ing man, and is making financial success. He 
has five children, viz., Henr}', George, Harriet, 
Anna M. and Charlie A. Mr. Kelty had three 
brothers in the late war. Aai'on was in the 90th 
Regiment and 5th Cavalry, and served about 
four years ; he was nine months in Libby Prison, 
and, when he was released, weighed only eighty- 



six pounds. Samuel did duty on Johnson's 
Island two years. Henry served four years in 
Co. K, 9th Ohio Battery. Mrs. Kelty has been 
a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church 
since 14 years of age. Mr. Kelty's family are 
'' DiscidIgs 

H. LANFORD, farmer ; P. 0. Northfield ; 
born Jan. 2, 1804, in the Town of Schroon, Es- 
sex Co., N. Y. ; is a son of Daniel, who was 
born in Connecticut, and served in the Conti- 
nental Arm}', participating in the battle of 
Bunker Hill. His wife was Jemima Hotchkiss, 
who was born in Clarendon, Vt. To this couple 
were born fifteen children, and fourteen of the 
number grew to maturity. Elias, Daniel and Lu- 
ther were among the sons, all of whom partici- 
pated in the war of 1812 ; Elias was killed at 
Plattsburg. The Lanfords are of Irish descent ; 
Daniel's father emigrated from Ireland to the 
Middle States several years prior to the Revo- 
lutionary war. Hezekiah left home at 10 years 
of age, and was raised by one Mr. Lockwood. 
At the age of 22, Aug. 3, 1825, he married 
Roba Scriptures, born March 21, 1811, in 
Chesterfield, Essex Co., N. Y., a daughter of 
John and Betsey (Chamberlain) Scriptures ; 
her father was born in Concord, N. H., about 
the year 1770 ; his parents were Samuel and 
Hannah (Barrett) Scriptures. Samuel came 
from England, when he was 17 years of age ; 
Hannah was a native of Holland, and quite 
young when she came with her parents to 
America. To Samuel and Hannah were born 
twelve children. Betsey Chamberlain was a 
daughter of John and Betsey (Bowman) Cham- 
berlain ; the latter family came from Goffstown, 
N. H. Betsey Bowman's parents died when 
she was quite young ; her father's name was 
Charles. John and Betsey had five children 
born to them. John Scriptures was twice mar- 
ried ; first to Polly Saunders, and by her had 
nine children ; his second marriage was to Mrs. 
Betsey Mace, who had nine children by her 
first husband ; by the last union five were 
born — Jermia, Ezra, Wesley, Sallie and Roba. 
These twenty-three children were raised to- 
gether, and their relations were of the most 
harmonious character. After Mr. Lanford's 
marriage, he worked severl years at Schroon, in 
a saw-mill. In August, 1833, he came West 
to Franklin Township, Portage Co., where he 
engaged to work for Zeno Kent, at general 
farm and mill work ; while here, he took up 



[^ 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



945 



carpenter and joiner work, and did consider- 
able in tliis line. March, 1841, he came to this 
township, and bought 5 acres on Lot 3, in 
this township, which he kept about seven 
years, and sold to Charles West ; then 
removed to the northeastern part of the 
township, purchasing about 40 acres, where he 
remained until 1861, when he came to his pres- 
ent place (on Lot 86), purchasing 86 acres. Mr. 
Lantbrd came to this country' a poor man; when 
he arrived at Franklin Township, he had $7, a 
sick wife, and two children, and with the aid of 
his wife earned what they have by hard labor 
and economy. They have six children — three 
living — Harriet (Mrs. Berry), Lorenzo and Milo 
at home. Aug. 3, 1875, Mr. and Mrs. Lanford 
celebrated their golden wedding. 

REV. JAMES W. LOGUE,^minister, North- 
field, was born July 17, 1812, in York Co., 
Penn., to James and Jennette ((xibson) Logue. 
The grandfather of our subject was James, 
whose birthplace was Ireland, and he emigrated 
to America prior to the war of the Revolution, 
in which he was a participant, serving through 
the entire struggle. He married Ann Gabby, 
and by her had two children — James and Ann. 
Jeanette Gibson was a daughter of James, a 
native of Scotland, but married his wife after 
his arrival to this countr}', and b}' her had 
twelve children. To James and Jeanette Logue 
were born quite a numerous family, but four of 
the number grew to man's estate, viz., Ann 
John, Elizabeth and James W. Our subject 
remained under the guardianship of his par- 
ents until he was 20 years of age, when he 
entered Jefferson College, thence to Union Col- 
lege, New York State, where he received his 
graduation honors, after which he entered the 
theological school at Canuonsburg, where he 
remained four ^ears, and began his ministerial 
labors in 1841. June 6, 1843, he formed a 
matrimonial alliance with Mary J. Cooper, who 
was boi'n in the cit}' of Baltimore, Md.. Dec. 3, 
1820, daughter of Samuel and Jane (Campbell) 
Cooper. Her father was born in County Derry, 
Ireland, and Jane, his wife, was a native of 
Carlisle, Penn. To them were born twelve 
children, Mrs. Logue being the youngest. Im- 
mediately after the marriage of Rev. Logue, 
he moved West to this State, locating in this 
township, where he was installed as Pastor of 
the United Presbj'terian Church, and since 
that time has administered to the spiritual 



interests of his charge without intermission, 
and through his instrumentality many have 
been called from darkness to the marvelous 
light. To Mr. Logue have been born five chil- 
dren, of whom three are living, viz., Jennie C, 
now Lady Principal in Monmouth College, Illi- 
nois (she entered the arena as teacher at the 
age of 14) ; Joseph T., now attorne}^ at law at 
Cleveland, and James R., now attending theo- 
logical school in iVllegheny Co., Penn. Nettie, 
now deceased, was the wife of Mr. J. C. Alex- 
ander. She died Feb. 15, 1874, aged 22. 

WILLIAM M. LEMMON, farmer; P. 0. 
Northfield ; was born Oct. 27, 1822, in West- 
moreland Co., Penn., to William M. and Jane 
(Matthews) Lemmon. The grandfather of our 
subject was named William also, and was a 
native of the Emerald Isle. The Matthews are 
of Scotch ancestry, and afterward settled in the 
North of Ireland. Mr. Lemmon came West 
with his father in the spring of 1832, when he 
was a lad of 10 ; he well remembers the long 
ride in the feed trough, the family coming 
through by covered wagon. His father previ- 
ously purchased 160 acres on Lot 44, and 
coming out, found a "squatter" on the land, 
and gave him $107 to vacate. There was a 
cabin built, and about twenty acres under- 
brushed and pai'tially " slashed ;" the remainder 
was as nature produced it. The old log cabin 
stood in the road, about twenty rods north of 
Mr. Lemmon's present residence. When his 
father came he labored arduously, and, b} 
much self-denial and good management, he 
succeeded in paying for his land. Eight chil- 
dren were born them ; seven grew up — Samuel, 
Martha, William, Jane, John, Archibald, Robert 
and James. William L. and John now only 
are left. His grandfather Lemmon was the 
father of James, Thomas and William, and was 
a soldier in the war of the Revolution. James 
Lemmon was in the 1812 war. The parents of 
William M. remained on the place where first 
they settled up to the time of their death ; his 
death occurred May 13, 1858 ; his wife's June, 
1857. He was one of the first Elders in the 
United Presbyterian Church at this place, and 
alwaj^s bore a prominent part in the affairs of 
the church, ever ready to do his duty and to 
advance the cause of his Master. William M. 
was 22 years of age, when he began for him- 
self ; he made his commencement b^' working 
outf by the day and month for such remunera. 



y: 



'K 



946 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



tion as the times and circumstances afforded. 
He worlved sixtj' days for a 2-year-old colt, and 
tlie same time for a 3'olie of young steers. His 
first purchase was twent}' acres of land, when 
he was 26 years of age, for which he paid 
$425. He shortly afterward sold it at an 
advance of $200, and, in 1851, he went to Alle- 
gan Co., Mich., where he purchased 100 acres, 
which he farmed for five years, and then sold it, 
and, with the price it and its productions 
brought him, he returned to this township in 
the spring of 1858, and purchased the home- 
stead farm, on which he has since been a resi- 
dent. His marriage took place March 1, 1854, 
with Ellen Kerr, who was born in Columbiana 
Co., Ohio, Oct. 14, 1825, daughter of James 
and Mary (McClellan) Kerr. Her father was 
born in Adams Co., Penn., Aug. 1, 1788, and 
her mother in Chester Co., Penn., Feb. 14, 
1789. They came to Salem, Columbiana Co., 
this State, in 1807, were married in 1819, and 
had seven children, who grew to man's estate. 
The Kerrs and McClellans are of Scotch ances- 
try. Mary McClellan's father's name was 
James, and he was a Revolutionary soldier. His 
wife was Hannah Withrow. To them were born 
Samuel, William, Robert, John, Lindsey, Mary, 
Thomas, Rebecca, Anna and Elizabeth. To 
James Kerr were born Hannah, William, James, 
Ellen J., John, Rebecca A. and David. The 
father died Dec. 5, 1869 ; his wife now lives in 
Columbiana Co., and is 92 years of age Both 
were members of the Old School Presbyterian 
Church. The father of James Kerr, above 
mentioned, was likewise named James, and a 
native of Ireland. His wife was Jane Mc- 
Adams. Mr. Lemmon was bereft of his wife 
Aug. 19, 1872. She left him four children, 
viz., Mary J., Harvey K., Lizzie H. and Mattie 
A. Mr. Lemmon and wife have long been 
associated with the church. His father was in 
early times Democratic in his political views, 
but later in life he was en rapjwrt with princi- 
ples which favored the abolition of the sj'stem 
of slavery. Mr. Lemmon has now 193 acres of 
land, and is one of the most affluent agricult- 
urists of the township. 

ALEXANDER McCONNELL, farmer ; P. 
0. Northfleld ; is a native of the Emerald Isle, 
and was born July 22, 1824, to John and Sarah 
(Rogers) McConnell, being one of ten children. 
Emigrating to this State in June, 1834, Jphn 
located in Coshocton Co.. where Alexander 



was raised to farming, and lived with his par- 
ents until his marriage, which occurred Maj- 15, 
1850. His wife's maiden name was Ann Whaley, 
a native of this county. B3' her he had one 
child — Greorge A., who died at the age of 2 
years and 4 days. Mr. McConnell had the mis- 
fortune to lose his wife after three years of 
married life. April 24, 1856, he was married 
to Mary J. Nesbit, born in this township Oct. 
20, 1832, daughter of John and Ann (Matthews) 
Nesbit. After Mr. McConnell's first marriage, 
he located on 200 acres of land in Coshocton 
Co., upon which he lived until his advent to 
this county, when he disposed of his farm, 
and located in this township, April, 1859, on 
Lot 56, at the Center, where he has since re- 
sided. His original purchase consisted of 104 
acres ; ten years later, he purchased 25 acres 
adjoining him, on Lot 46. Mr. McConnell has 
had four children ; three are living, viz., Hettie 
Ann, John N. and Emma J.; James L. died 
when 20 months old. Mr. McConnell and wife 
are members of the United Presbyterian Church ; 
he has been associated with this denomination 
for over thirty j^ears. Farming has been the 
business of his life ; in the discharge of his du- 
ties as such he merits the name of being a 
snug and economical farmer, his farm and sur- 
roundings giving proof of the good manage- 
ment and taste of its proprietor. 

JAMES M. McELROY, cheese manufactory, 
Northfield ; was born in Westmoreland Co., 
Penn., March 20, 1826, the third of a familj- of 
fourteen children, ten of whom grew to matur- 
ity, whose parents were James and Ruth (Nes- 
bit) McElro}'. James was born in same county 
as son, in the year 1799, in May ; she, in the 
same county and State, six weeks later, the 
same year as her husband. The grandfather of 
our subject was James, whose place of birth 
was Ireland. He came to Pennsylvania when 
a lad, where he afterward married Pets}' Doug- 
lass ; the children were born as indicated, John, 
Alexander, Mary and James. James, the 
father of James M., married Ruth Nesbit, and 
by her had Alexander, James M., William, 
John, Mary, Ann, Esther, David, Samuel and 
Elizabeth. Ruth Nesbit was a daughter of 
William and Esther (Robinson) Nesbit. James 
M. came West with his father to the north part 
of this township in June, 1838, where our sub- 
ject was raised to farming. Since leaving the 
homestead, he has made many changes, and trav- 






NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



947 



eled about considerably, but for the most pai't 
has been a resident of the township. In 1863, 
enlisted in Co. (t, 115th 0. V. I., and served 
twenty-three months, when he was discharged 
on account of disability from impaired eyesight, 
or " moon blindness." July 5, 1866, was mar- 
ried to Sarah McElroy, born in Westmoreland 
Co., Penn., Aug. 8, 1827 ; daughter of John 
and Sarah (Menoher) McElro}- ; she daughter 
of John and Jane (Clifford) Menoher. Mrs. 
McElroy came West the same year she was 
married. Mr. McElroy is proprietor and owner 
of " Spring G-rove Cheese Factor}^," which he 
has run for several years. Has one son, Frank 
A., born in June, 1868. Mr. McElroy and wife 
are both members of the United Presbyterian 
Church. 

MRS. ELIZA McKISSON, farmer; P. 0. 
Northfield ; was born Sept. 13, 1812, in Onon- 
daga Co., N. Y., to Abel and Betsy (Hill) Ha- 
A'ens. Abel was 3'oung when his father died, 
leaving two children, himself and Cyrus. Betsy 
was a daughter of George and Esther (Cran- 
mer) Hill, to whom were born Jeremiah, Thomas, 
Bets}', Sallie, Mercy, Hannah and Nancy, all 
of whom lived to raise families. To Abel and 
Betsy Havens were born eight children, who 
were Eliza (Mrs. McK.), Harriet (now in Iowa 
Co., Iowa, the wife of A. Doty), G-eorge (who 
settled in Delaware Co., this State), William, 
Silas, Maria, Mahala and Clark. But three are 
living, Silas, in Delaware, Harriet and Mrs. Doty. 
Mr. Abel Havens and wife came to this town- 
ship in 1818, when Mrs. McKisson was but 6 
years of age. Her father settled in the east 
part of the township, where James Wallace now 
resides. Mr. Havens lived here man}" years, 
then moved to Twinsburg, where he lived until 
his removal to Delaware Co., Ohio, where his 
wife died in 1859. In 1866, he moved to Iowa, 
and lived with his daughter Harriet until his 
death, which event occurred July 24, 1874. 
Both he and his wife, for many years, had been 
members of the Methodist Church. In 1839, 
March 13, Eliza Havens became the wife of 
James McKisson, who was born in Harrison 
Co., Ohio, in 1811, and came to this township 
when it was comparatively new ; he purchased 
this farm, and was among the first settlers. Af- 
ter Mr. and Mrs. McKisson were married, they 
moved into a log house, which is yet standing ; 
in this they lived until the present brick struct- 
ure was erected. Mr. McKisson died Aug. 19, 



1866. He was a successful man in business. 
Since his death she has remained on the farm, 
where she has a nice residence and 71^ acres, 
having no children. 

R. M. J. McKISSON, farmer ; P. 0. North- 
field ; was born on the farm he now owns, June 
25, 1838 ; son of Robert and Rebecca (Viers) 
McKisson. Robert was a son of Samuel, who 
was among the early settlers in the township. 
R. M. J. was raised on the farm, and. at the 
age of 20, he left home ; his first work was in 
the powder-mills ; afterward he worked by the 
month and was engaged for three years in the 
lumber business ; subsequently he purchased a 
canal-boat, and for three years and a half he 
boated, running from Cleveland to Portsmouth, 
dealing mostly in coal transportation ; subse- 
quently he engaged in the lumber business until 
1871 ; has also been engaged on contracts for 
railroad companies ; finally, he returned to the 
homestead, where he farmed the place until De- 
cember, 1880, when he purchased the same ; 
the farm consists of 160^ acres. In 1860, he 
was married to Ellen Burns, born in 1844, in 
Bedford Township, Cuyahoga Co., daughter of 
Hugh and Margaret (Boyle) Burns, both natives 
of Ireland. Mr. McKisson has three children 
— Daniel, PJlla A. and Margaret. 

LEONARD McNIECE, farmer ; P. 0. North- 
field ; was born Dec. 29, 1818, in County An- 
trim, twelve miles from Belfast, and is a repre- 
sentative of one of the prominent families in 
the North of Ireland ; his parents were Isaac 
and Jane (McKinstry) McNiece; Isaac was a 
son of Isaac, whose famil}- consisted of six 
children — Isaac, Leonard. John, Rebecca, Maria 
and Ruth ; Jane McKinstry was a daughter of 
Henry and Mary (McNitt) McKinstry, to whom 
were born a family of eleven children, viz., 
Henry, William, Robert, Ann, Charlotte, Sarah, 
Mary, Margaret, Eliza, Hannah and Rebecca. 
To Isaac and Jane McNiece were born Isaac 
Mc, Leonard, William H., Robert, Mary Jane. 
Eliza and Sarah. The religion of the family 
on both sides was Episcopalian, and all were 
members of the p]stablished Church. Isaac, 
the father of the subject of our sketch, was a 
farmer and linen draper, but raised his sons to 
agricultural pursuits. Leonard left home at 
his majority, May 29, 1847. He married Ann 
Bell, who was born April, 1819, in Antrim Co.; 
her parents were Jonathan and ]\Iary (Tipping) 
Bell, whose children were Nelson, Thomas, Jon- 



']£. 



948 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



athan, William, Mary J., Ann and Sarah ; 
July 4, of the same year of their marriage, 
Mr. McNiece and wife started from Liverpool, 
and, after a vogage of fifty days, landed at 
Philadelphia, where they remained three 
months, then came direct to this township ; 
upon his arrival he was poor, and for three 
years he worked as a common laborer, and 
saved means sufficient to enable him to make 
a payment on a piece of land on Lot 59, pur- 
chasing at first 31^ acres of Homer Oviatt, for 
which he agreed to pay $756 ; this he soon was 
enabled to call his own, and then added more 
at diflerent times, until he acquired 120 acres, 
which, with the assistance of his worthy wife, 
he has earned by hard labor, much self-denial 
and constant savings, and is now among the 
substantial and opulent husbandmen of the 
township ; he has improved his slender oppor- 
tunities, and. in point of intelligence and gen- 
eral information, is well versed ; his mind is 
well stored with historical events that are con- 
nected with the history of the old countries. 
Since his advent to this country, he has acted 
independent of sects and is a free and liberal 
thinker, and in matters of political nature is a 
sound Democrat, and still adheres to the prin- 
ciples and traditions inculcated in the old 
Jacksonian part\'. He is a worthy member of 
the community in which he resides. He has 
two children — Jonathan B. and Anna. 

ANDREW S. MEANS, Macedonia; born 
Feb. 17, 1814, in Allegheny Co., Penn.; is the 
third of a family of seven children, all of whom 
raised families of their own. The parents of 
the above are Nathan and Elizabeth (Coch- 
rane) Means. He was born July 20, 1784 ; son 
of John Means, of Irish descent, who had borne 
him Nathan, John, James, Joseph, Jane and 
Nancy Means. To Nathan was born John A., 
Samuel C, Andrew S., Elvira A. (Mrs. John F. 
Curry, in Alleghenj' Co., Penn.), Martha (Mrs. 
William Wood, same place), James (on the 
homestead), Robert S. (also in same place, on 
farm adjoining homestead). Nathan, the father 
of Andrew S., is yet living on the homestead, 
at the ripe age of 97. Elizabeth, his wife, was 
a daughter of Samuel Cochrane, to whom was 
born Polly, Sallie, Elizabeth, Ann, Margaret, 
Robert, Samuel, John and William, all dead. 
Nathan Means moved to Allegheny Co., Penn., 
in 1799, and was among the early settlers of 
that place. He was a tanner by occupation. 



In 1810, he purchased and located on his pres- 
ent farm in Allegheny Co., Penn. Andrew S. 
was raised on the farm, and assisted his father 
in the tannery, remaining with him until 26 
years of age. In March, 1840, he came to this 
township and purchased 160 acres of land, 
where he now resides. He had been out three 
years previously, and, liking the country, he 
returned and made the purchase as above men- 
tioned. There were no improvements whatever 
on this land. He built a light cabin shortly 
after his arrival. January, 1842, he was mar- 
ried to Mar}' J. Wilson, born in Pittsburgh, 
Penn., June 8, 1820, daughter of John and 
Elizabeth (Morrow) Wilson, who were old set- 
tlers in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Means died May 
6, 1872. They have had nine children — Eliza- 
beth (now deceased), John W., Nathan A., Jo- 
seph M., James H., William R., Mary H. (Mrs. 
John A. Hibbard), Robert F. and Lillie. Mr. 
Means has 220 acres of land. He and his wife 
have been members of the Presbyterian Church 
for many years. He has now been a constant 
resident of this township for forty years, which 
long acquaintance has endeai-ed him to his 
neighbors and friends. 

MUNN BROS., Macedonia, sons of Hiram 
and Esther (Cranmer) Munn. Hiram Munn 
was born August 10, 1800, in Trenton, N. J., 
son of Nathan and Esther (Warner) Munn, who 
had nine children, viz., Warner, Mj'ron, Oscar, 
Eri, Archie and Hiram, Ruth, Bets}' Ann, Irene 
and Lydia. Myron and Warner were in the 
war of 1812. Hiram emigrated to this State 
with his father about the year 1817. Hiram 
was a carpenter and cabinet-maker ; he settled 
on Tinker's Creek, in Cuyahoga Co., where he 
engaged at his trade. Feb. 6, 1844, he became 
the husband of Esther Cranmer, who was born 
July 14, 1814, in this township, daughter of 
Abram and Nancy Voster. Abram was born 
in New Jersey Aug. 10, 1787 ; Nancy in Am- 
sterdam, Holland, Dec. 20, 1777 ; she was of a 
family of thirteen children ; her father. Adri- 
anas, died when she was young. Mrs. Munn 
came to this county with her parents about the 
3'ear 1813, located on Lot 72, in this township, 
where they lived six years, then moved to Lot 
54 ; about the 3'ear 1824, they moved to Mace- 
donia, where Mr. Cranmer purchased 90 acres ; 
it was a dense growth of timber ; on the East 
the nearest neighbor was three miles. To them 
were born five children — Nancy (Mrs. Rev. L. 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



949 



itil. 



E. Beardsley), Esther (Mrs. Munn), Elizabeth 
(Mrs. W. Storrs), Isaac W. and Jeremiah. 
Shortl}- after the marriage of Mr. aud Mrs. 
Munn, they located at Macedonia. Mr. Munn 
died suddenly March 29, 1880 ; for fiftj^ years 
of his life he was a member of the M. E. 
Church, and was a licensed minister. His life 
was adorned by an upright Christian walk. 
To him were born eleven childi'en ; eight living 
— Irene (Mrs. Julius Brittan, of Portage Co.), 
Frances A. (Mrs. J. W. Caldwell, this township), 
Isaac W., Abram C. and Amos R. (twins), 
Zarada E. (wife of H. Bromley, general freight 
and ticket agent on the L. & S. R. R.), Ferdinand 
and Lillie (at home). Abram C. and Amos R., 
engaged in the mercantile business, in 1865, at 
Macedonia, and have since been doing a thriv- 
ing and prosperous trade. They are 3'oung 
men of enterprise — keeping a general stock of 
such goods as are in demand b}' the people — 
drj' goods, groceries, Yankee notions, etc., etc. 
Abram C. was commissioned Postmaster, and 
also expi'ess agent since that time. He is a 
member of Twinsburg Lodge No. 375, A., F. & 
A. M., and of Summit Chapter, R. A. M., No. 
74. In 1874, he married Mary McLaughlin, has 
one child, Gracie A. 

ALEX. NESBTT, farmer ; was born on the 
farm he now owns, 1843, March 10, son of 
William and Lucinda Nesbit. William Nesbit 
was born March 24, 1794, in Westmoreland 
Co., Penn., and came to Ohio, settling in the 
township during its early settlement. He was 
a participant in the war of 1812, entering the 
war before he attained his manhood. His 
wife Lucinda was born Oct. 27, 1806, in Herki- 
mer County, New York. She was a daughter 
of Asa and Phebe (Wood) Hungerford, to 
whom were born Lucinda, Asa and Horace. 
Horace, now in Portage County, Asa, in Allen 
County, both of this State. Phebe Wood was 
a daughter of Samuel and Petsej- (Stewart) 
Wood, to whom was born Phebe, Henry, Bet- 
sey, Samuel, Silas, Lucy, Jonathan and Julia. 
Mrs. Nesbit removed west to Cuyahoga County 
with her parents when she was 3 years of age ; 
both of them died shortly after their arrival to 
the State. She was raised by her grandfather 
Samuel Wood. She was first married to 
Thomas Johnson and by him had six children, 
four living ; he died in 1837. Her second mar- 
riage was with Mr. Nesbit, and b}' him had 
seven children, of the number living, are Alex- 



ander, David G., Emily L. and Caroline E. 
Mr. Nesbit was for many 3'ears a member of 
the U. P. Church. He died in October 1873. 
Dec. 16, 1874, Alexander was married to Jo- 
sephine Fillius, born Nov. 15, 1843, in Hud^n 
Township, daughter of Phillip and Barbara 
(Keis) Fillius ; both were natives of the Old 
World ; he was born in Bavaria, April 12, 
1806, she in the Kingdom of Wurtemberg at 
Stuttgart in 1817. He was a son of Phillip. 
The family came to America, and to Cleveland 
in 1836, the year following located in Hudson 
Township. To them were born nine children, 
who were Catharine, Elizabeth, John, Joseph- 
ine, Phillip, Jacob, Ella, Charles and Ernest. 
Mr. Nesbit has one child — Grace E., born Nov. 
1, 1877. Her father (Mr. Nesbit) died 1 878, her 
mother living. 

JOHN NESBIT, farmer ; P. 0. Northfield ; 
is a native of the Keystone State, born Oct. 22, 
1830, and came West with his parents when he 
was a babe. His parents were John and Ann 
(Mathews) Nesbit who were natives of Penn- 
sylvania. John Nesbit traded land in Penn- 
sylvania for 160 acres on lot 83 in this 
township, upon which he settled, afterward 
purchasing 56 acres on Lot 73. There were 
no improvements upon lot traded for, a small 
cabin and 3 acres on Lot 73. Upon this farm 
our subject was raised ard has since passed 
his life, remaining with his father on the home- 
stead until he was 36 3'ears, and, but for the 
timel}' meeting of Florilla J. Nesbit he "might 
have been" a bachelor during the remainder of 
his life. Oct. 11, 1866, he became the husband 
of the lady who now bears his name. Her 
father's name was Joseph Patterson, who mar- 
ried soon after the death of her mother. She 
was then raised b}' Dr. Allen Nesbit, and ever 
after bore the maiden name of her mother 
who was Florilla Nesbit, who had two children 
b}' Mr. Patterson — Anna and Florilla. Mrs. 
Nesbit was born in Lawrence, Penn., March 
20, 1842, her parents she knows but little of 
They have five children — Anna W., James, 
John C, Ambrose and babe ; one named Will- 
iam died when three 3'ears of age. Since Mr. 
Nesbit has married has remained on the farm, 
he having 120 acres. He and wife are mem- 
bers of the U. P. Church and is one of the val- 
uable members of the communit3'. 

JOHN PACKARD, farmer ; P. 0. North- 
field ; son of Isaac and " Polly " (Smith) Pack- 



w 



'Ml 



950 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



ard, was born Feb. 7, 1823, in Massachusetts. 
Isaac was born in Massachusetts, April 14, 1788. 
He was the son of Ichabod, who was born 
March 29, 1763, and Lorania Tower, born 
June 20, 1763. To this couple were born 
Isaac, Jonathan, Orick, Sylvester, Hart, Emily, 
Emery H., Hart 2d, and Sylvester 2d. Polly 
Smith was a daughter of Andrew and Margaret 
(Gagg) Smith, to whom were born Jeanette, 
John. Mary, Harriet, Sarah, Minerva, David, 
Anna, Roxana and Levi. Andrew Smith was 
born Sept. 14, 1764; Margaret Gagg, March 
19, 1762. Ichabod Packard was a soldier in 
the war of the Revolution ; Sylvester, his son, 
was Fife Major in the war of 1812. John, our 
subject, came West with his father, Isaac, in 
in June, 1823, when a baby. His father lo- 
cated at Brecksville, where he kept the first 
tavern of that place ; his occupation was that 
of clothier, which business he carried on at 
Brecksville, Hinckle}- and Strongsville. He 
died at Independence, in September, 1854, and 
his wife on Feb. 12, 1865 ; he was a Baptist in 
belief, and she a Presbyterian. John began for 
himself at the age of 21 ; he left home with an 
empty pocket, and an ax on his shoulder, re- 
solving to hew his way through life, and to ob- 
tain a home at some future day and become a 
business man. He commenced cutting timber 
in a small way, and sold his products, which 
were borne off on the canal ; this he continued 
for several years. The panic came on, which 
destroyed the sale of his timber, and he aban- 
doned the business and purchased 50 acres of 
land in Brecksville Township, and began farm- 
ing ; several years after, he purchased 35 acres 
more. In 18(38, he sold his first purchase, and 
bought 81^ acres in Independence, and moved 
on the same ; this he retained five 3^ears, when 
he sold it. About this time he caught the " Iowa 
fever," and bought 640 acres in Shelby and 
Carroll Counties, and went out to see his pur- 
chase. Being unfavorably impressed with the 
outlook, he returned home, after having an 
interesting and eventful trip. He afterward 
traded this land with his brother Ichabod, for 
other in Michigan, and yet retains 160 acres of 
it. Jan. 9, 1871, he married Sarah E. Bramley, 
born March 1, 1845, in Lorain County ; she 
was the daughter of Matthew and Sarah E. 
(Oldershaw) Bramley ; they were natives of 
Derbyshire, England, and came to this country 
in 1840 ; they had a family of thirteen children. 



Mr. Packard removed from Independence to 
this township in 1872, locating on Lot 92, 
where he owns 185 acres. He also owns 49 
acres in Brecksville, 250 acres in White Co., 
Tenn.. 100 acres in Van Buren Co., Mich., be- 
sides land in Iowa. Matthew Bramley was 
born Jan. 9, 1802. The children born to him 
were John P., Anna, Hannah, Martha, Marian 
J., Mira, Frank M., Matthew, Rebecca, Julia, 
Sarah E., George and Elias. Parents of the 
above live in Lorain Co., where the}' settled in 
1840. Mr. Packard's' children are Mary M., 
Myra A., Julia E., Sadie B., and an infant. Mr. 
Packard is one of the most successful business 
men and safest financiers in the township. 

WILLIAM L. PALMER, farmer; P. 0. 
Northfield ; was born Nov. 4, 1820, in Wind- 
sor, Hartford Co.. Conn., to Hezekiah H. and 
Abigail (Taylor) Palmer. His father was born 
Jan. 19, 1781 ; his mother in Buckland, Mass., 
Jan. 12, 1792. They were married May 29, 
1811. To them were born a family of eight 
children — Julia A., Eraeline, Abigail T., Will- 
iam L., Horace H., Henry T., and two de- 
ceased. The Palmers are of old Connecticut 
stock, who came over in the Mayflower. Some 
of our subject's ancestors were soldiers in the 
war of the Revolution. The father of our 
subject first came West to this State, locating 
in AVilloughby, in 1822, where he lived a shoit 
time, but, because of the prevaleney of ague, 
he returned with his family and lived on the 
Holland Purchase in New York for some time, 
and then returned to his native county and 
State. In 1831, he came out and selected 160 
acres at the Center of this township. Return- 
ing, he brought out his family in June, 1832, 
by canal from Albany, N. Y., and with the 
family settled in the woods, which in a short 
time was transformed to productive fields. 
Upon this tract the elder Palmer lived until 
his death Oct. 7, 1863 ; that of his wife oc- 
curred Dec. 10, 1875. He was a man of hardy 
constitution, a worthy citizen and a Jacksonian 
Democrat. William L. was reared among the 
early pioneer surroundings of the township ; 
deer and wild game were plentiful. His first 
ideas of the fundamental principles of " book 
learning '' was obtained in a log school which 
stood on the site where the town pump now 
stands. Nov. 15, 1849, he was married to 
Amelia Whitney, born in Uniontown, Stark 
Co., Oct. 6, 1827, daughter of William and 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



951 



Hannah (McNaughton) Whitney, both natives 
of Vermont. Her father was born Feb. 22, 
1795 ; her mother in Rutland Aug. 25, 1795. 
He was a son of William Whitne}', and she a 
daughter of Daniel McNaughton. Mrs. Palmer 
was of a family of eight children, five living — • 
Louisa, Helen, Harriet, Parmelia and Mrs. 
Palmer. Since Mr. Palmer came to the town- 
ship he has been a constant resident. Has 
served several terms as Justice of the Peace, 
and is at present fulfilling the duties of that 
office. He was seven years Postmaster, and 
bore well his part as a citizen and a neighbor. 
He has but one child, Helen, still at home. 
His nephew, William Palmer, has resided with 
him since a mere child, and recognizes no 
other place as home. 

HENRY T. PALMP]R, carpenter, North- 
field ; was born in Windsor, Hartford Co., 
Conn., Dec. 12, 1829, and came West with his 
parents when 2 years of age. Raised to farm- 
ing, he, in his earl}- manhood, learned his trade 
and worked for his brother-in-law, A. W. Bliss. 
March 2, 1854, he married Mar}' J. Hillman, 
who was born in 1836, daughter of David and 
Mary (Derrick) Hillman, to whom three chil- 
dren were born, Mrs. Palmer being the youngest ; 
her mother died when she was very young, and 
she was raised by Mrs. Hollister, and saw her 
father but little afterward. She learned but 
little of her parents farther than that her 
mother was born in Canada, and was of Scotch 
parentage. She has a brother, Benjamin B., in 
Salamanca, N. Y., and one sister, Eliza (Mrs. 
Lyman Allen). After Mr. Palmer was married 
he resided fourteen years at the Center, and, in 
1873. moved to the place he now owns, where 
he has erected new buildings throughout, and 
has a very pleasant and desirable residence 
situated a short distance north of the Center. 
They have had one child — Freddie, born March 
20, 1864, who died Feb. 5, 1877, of spinal dis- 
ease. He was beloved by all who knew him, 
both by his companions and those of riper 
years, being kind-hearted to his associates and 
obedient to his parents. Henry T. was a son 
of Hezekiah H. and Abigail (Taylor) Palmer, 
who were among the first settlers at the center 
of Northfield, where they lived as its honored 
citizens, and in all the relations of life they 
were universally esteemed and beloved. Mrs. 
Palmer, at the age of 16, made a profession of 
religion and united with the Baptist Church, 



and for sixty-eight years she ever remained 
true to her allegiance, and never faltered in her 
Christian course, ever adhering with tenacity 
to the church of her early choice. Mr. Palmer 
never united with any church, yet he was not 
opposed to religion, but always acted inde- 
pendent of sects and denominations, yet favor- 
ing everything known to be right. In his daily 
intercourse with others he was unassuming, 
obliging and courteous ; was scrupulously up- 
right in all his dealings, ever diligently prose- 
cuting his own legitimate business, and never 
meddled with the aflairs of others ; } et he was 
a man of decided opinions, which he rarely 
failed to express at the ballot-box ; he died as 
he lived, an honored and substantial member 
of the community. Henry T. is an official 
member of the Presbyterian Church, is a man 
of few words and of a retiring nature, shun- 
ning publicity and preferment, and is a worthy 
citizen. " Aunt Mary," as she is familiarly 
called, is, like the good Samaritan, ever ready 
to do good, both in sickness and in health. 

HENRY PHILE, farmer; P. 0. Macedo- 
nia ; born May 30, 1804, in Bucks Co., 
Penn., to Henry and Mary Gr. (Allshouse) Phile. 
His father was born in Germany. Mary Gr. 
was a daughter of (xabriel, to whom were born 
five children, three sons and two daughters. 
Henry Phile, Sr., was a wagon-maker by trade. 
He came to Pennsylvania in 1795. Twelve 
children were born him, viz., Mary, Betsy, 
Katie, Rebecca, Priscilla, Eliza, Sarah, Hannah, 
Lydia, John, Joseph and Henry. Henry moved 
with his father to Columbiana Co., the last day 
of 1808 ; afterward to Green Township (now 
Mahoning Co.). Here his father settled on land 
purchased from the Government, his death oc- 
curring in 1833, at the age of 77. His wife 
died seven years later. At the age of 18. our 
subject left home, learned the cabinet-maker's 
trade in Trumbull Co., and afterward estab- 
lished business with a partner at Ellsworth ; 
this association lasted two years, the partner 
walking off with the mone}-, leaving Mr. Phile 
with the experience. He then came to Frank- 
lin, where he engaged in the carpenter and 
cabinet work. In April, 1830, he came to this 
township. Dec. 16, same year, he was married 
to Roxie Cranmer, the second child born in 
this township, which birth is recorded March 
22, 1812, on Lot 72 ; she was a daughter of 
Jeremiah and Hannah (Cole) Peck. Jeremiah 



u^ 



953 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



was born in New Jersey in 1762, and served 
all through the war of the Revolution. He 
was a son of Jeremiah, who was a native of 
Scotland. Hannah Cole was a daughter of 
Joshua and Eunice (Bennett) Cole, both being 
natives of New York. Mrs. Phile was one of 
ten children. The famil}- came first to Cha- 
grin Falls, and, in 1811, they located in this 
township. Mr. Phile located on the farm he 
now owns, in April, 1837. There were but few 
improvements on the place. He came here 
with ver}' limited means. His first location 
was a short distance west of Macedonia, where 
he worked at his trade. When he located on 
his present farm, he engaged in both farming 
and practicing his trade. Corn was $1.50 per 
bushel, wheat $2, and other things in propor- 
tion ; meat was out of the question ; wages very 
low and money hard to get ; yet, by the aid of 
his rifle, he obtained venison and wild turkeys, 
then plentiful. Though Mr. Phile was twice 
bankrupted by bailing and by a dishonest part- 
ner, 3'et he has been successful, having now a 
good home and 118 acres of land. Of nine 
children boi-n, five are living — Eunice (Mrs. A. 
E. Salsburg, of Ottawa Co.) ; also Henry and 
George, in same place ; Mary, at home ; Ava 
G. (Mrs. James Wolcott, of this township). 
Mr. Phile has always been a true Republican. 
JOHN POPE, deceased ; born in Aberdeen- 
shire, Scotland, in 1793 ; was son of John, to 
whom were born two children, Barbara and 
John. John Pope, whose name heads this 
page, married Isabella Centers, daughter of 
William and Isabella, whose children were 
Alexander and Isabella, all natives of Scotland. 
John Pope emigrated to the county in 1837, 
lived three years in Twinsburg, and then located 
on Lot 27, this township, purchasing 80 acres, 
on which a log cabin and a small patch was all 
the improvements made' at the time of his 
arrival. Here he remained until his death, 
which occurred Dec. 14, 1859. His life was 
characterized by a sincere devotion to the prin- 
ciples of Christianity. For many years prior 
to his death, he was a devoted member of the 
U. P. Church, having been a member before his 
departure from Scotland. He was brought up 
under the ministrations of the good old Bun- 
yan, of Whitehill, and united with the church 
at the age of 16 ; he afterward was chosen 
Ruling Elder, and became identified with the 
Sabbath-school interests in his native countr}'. 



Upon his arrival here he cast his lot with the 
U. P. Church at Northfield Center, where he 
served as Ruling Elder for twenty years, and, 
as in Scotland, he was much interested in the 
Sabbath-school cause, and was ever an able and 
enthusiastic worker in the same. He was a 
man possessed of a good mind, a great reader 
as well as a sober thinker. He loved to read 
and comment on the Word of God, and the in- 
spiration and light which he derived from its 
careful study was ever demonstrated in his 
every-day life and association with his fellow- 
men. When in the discharge of his duties as 
a Christian, his true character manifested itself 
His disease was exhaustion of the nerves of 
the brain, occasioned b}' a partial sunstroke. 
His last words were, '' I die, trusting in Jesus." 
His worthy companion united with the Seces- 
sion Church in Scotland, at the age of 17, and 
was a professor for sixty years ; her father was 
also a member for many years. Mrs. Pope was 
a ver^' exemplary woman in her family, ever 
striving to impress upon their minds that God- 
liness was more to be esteemed than riches, and 
to live with an ever-ready preparation for the 
mansions above ; though not a lad}^ of strong 
constitution, yet her accustomed seat in the 
sanctuary was rarel}' ever vacant on the Sab- 
bath. To them were born ten children, six liv- 
ing — Isabella (now in Portage, the wife of 
James Sterling), William (in Cleveland), Mar- 
garet (Mrs. Thomas Macke}), Alexander (in 
Indiana), Ellen and George L. (on the home- 
stead, unmarried). The farm is situated im- 
mediately south of the town of Macedonia, 
and consists of 200 acres of land. All of the 
children are members of the church of their 
parent's choice. 

MRS. S. POWELL, farming ; P. 0. Mace- 
donia ; was born June 1, 1824, in Salem, Co- 
lumbiana Co., this State ; daughter of Thomas 
and Mary (Perkey) Baum. Her fiither was 
born June 20, 1798 ; her mother June 28, 1797. 
Thomas was a son of John George Baum, who 
was a native of Germany. To him were born 
George, Joel, John, Sarah, Ann, Betsey and 
Thomas. Mary Perkey's father's name was 
Daniel ; he too, came from Germany. Mrs. 
Powell removed with her parents to this coun- 
ty, locating on Lot 34, where there were some 
improvements. Thomas Baum died Dec. 24, 
1860 ; his wife died June 28, 1855, of cancer. 
To them were born John, Sarah, Mary, Martha. 



^ 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



953 



Elizabeth, George, Madison and Emeline ; but 
five are living. Mrs. Powell was married Jan. 
30, 1840, to William Powell, who was born 
Sept. 10, 1814, in New Jersey ; son of Henry, 
whose father was George, who was a native of 
Germany, and was among the number who re- 
sisted the tyranny imposed upon the people at 
that time, and wore placards in their hats, 
" Liberty or death." His son Henry was sold 
to pay his mother's passage money to this coun- 
try. From New Jerse}', he came to Salem, in 
Columbiana Co., where he took a lease for five 
3'ears, but sold it soon afterward, and the money 
he invested in land iu Mahoning Co., upon 
which he settled, and afterward became a man 
of wealth. His son William remained in Ma- 
honing until a young man, when he went to 
Michigan, where he lived a short time, and, re- 
turning to this State, came to this township — 
three years afterward, he formed the alliance as 
above recorded — locating on the farm, where he 
died Oct. 26, 1869. Five children were born to 
him, four living — Maria L., now the wife of 
Elihu Griswold, of this township ; Harriet E., 
Mrs. A. J. Kelty, also of Northfield ; Mary R. 
and William J., at home. The farm consists of 
122 acres (Lot 33). Mrs. Powell has been a 
member of the church of her parents' choice 
(Methodist Episcopal) since 14 years of age. 
At the age of 8 3'ears, she heard a sermon 
preached by Rev. Ghee, which carried convic- 
tion to her heart, and was then impressed with 
the importance of becoming a Christian. This 
discourse was delivered in a log cabin, the 
speaker's desk was a rude bench. Her first 
union with the church bod}^ was at Macedonia, 
under the ministration of Rev. Whorlon. Mr. 
Walker never took an active part in religious 
matters ; having been raised among the Society' 
of Friends, or Quakers, he was ever afterward 
imbued with the doctrines of that sect, and never 
affiliated with any church afterward, yet was a 
consistent and upright member of society, and 
highly esteemed for his good qualities. 

A. K. RICHEY, farmer ; P. O. Northfield ; 
born Jan. 31, 1828, in Wayne Co., Ohio ; son of 
Thomas and Mary M. (Koplin) Richey. Thomas 
was born in the north of Ireland Jan. 31, 1790, 
of Scotch Irish ancestry- ; he was a son of 
Thomas, whose father likewise bore the same 
name. The grandfather of A. K. had five 
children born him — Charles, Thomas, George, 
John and Margaret. Mary Koplin was born 



Jan. 1, 1799, in Huntingdon, Penn., daughter 
of Matthias Koplin, whose children were 
Christopher, William, Abram, Matthias, David, 
George, Mary M., Catharine, Rachel and Bar- 
bara. Thomas Richey emigrated to America 
in 1812, and was enrolled as a soldier, after- 
ward receiving a land warrant. When he came 
to this country he was poor ; had neither 
education or friends ; his first work was 
in New York City at the fisheries, afterward 
worked in Capt. Dupont's powder works on 
Brandywine Creek, where he worked con- 
tinuously for several years. In the meantime, 
he purchased 160 acres of unimproved land in 
Chippewa Township, Wayne Co. ; this was 
about the year 1821 ; he remained at the pow- 
der works until he had saved sufficient to en- 
able him to liquidate his purchase, paying for 
the same in three annual installments. AiDril 
4, 1826, he married, having moved to his land 
two years previous. His family consisted of 
twelve children, eight of whom grew up, four 
dying in infancy. Those who attained man- 
hood's years wei'e A. K. ; Matthias, near Doyles- 
town, Wayne Co. ; George, in this township ; 
Thomas, in Michigan (Palo, Ionia Co.) ; Jane, 
Mrs. J. W. Cook, of Cooksville, Allen Co., Kan. ; 
Margaret, who married a Dehaven ; Catharine, 
Mrs. Nathaniel Tilton, of Ogle Co., 111. ; Mary 
A., who never married. In 1852, Thomas 
Richey sold his farm in Wayne Co., and bought 
211 acres on Lots 84 and 74, and remained on 
the same until his death, which is recorded 
Aug. 27, 1867. She survived him until June 
22, 1880. They were both members of the 
Old School Presb^^terian, and though he could 
not read, jet he knew the Psalms and shorter 
catechism to the letter, and required his family 
to repeat them verbatim ; was a man of mirth- 
ful and sunny disposition, of strong constitu- 
tion ; a man of energy, industrious habits, and 
devoted his life to agricultural pursuits ; was 
successful in his business undertakings, and 
enjoj'ed the esteem of the communit\- in which 
he lived. A. K. was 22 when he launched out 
for himself; had the advantages afforded at the 
common district school, and attended three 
terms at the High School at Tallmadge ; began 
teaching at the age of 18, and wielded the 
ferule for about eight terms. Nov. 6, 1856, 
married Elizabeth Bain, born Sept. 19, 1836, in 
Greenwich, Washington Co., N. Y.; her parents 
were Jacob and Catharine McNaughton. He 



1^ 






954 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



:2L 



was born in Argyle, Washington Co., N. Y., 
April 30, 1807 ; she in same place April 14, 
1806. He was a son of James C, whose wife 
was Marietta Dings. James C. was a son of 
Casper Bain, whose wife was Maria Clump ; to 
them were born Phillip, James, Peter. John, 
Catharine, Margaret, Casper and Elizabeth. 
He was married second time, to Mary Gillespie. 
The Bains are from Scotland ; the first one that 
came to this country was sold to pay his 
passage. To Jacob and Catharine were born 
five children, viz., Finley, Elizabeth, Marietta, 
Katie M. and James McN. Catharine Mc- 
Naughton's father was named Finley, his wife 
was Elizabeth Murray ; to them were born 
Duncan, Catharine, William, Malcomb, James, 
Archibald and John. Mrs. Richey came West 
with her parents in 1855, who located in this 
township, remaining until their death : he died 
May 5, 1877 ; she May 9, 1880. The first year 
after Mr. Richey was married he lived on his 
father's farm. In April, 1858, moved to his 
present place of living, where he purchased 
114 acres on Lot 81, which was settled b}' Mr. 
Cronizer ; has since added to his original pur- 
chase, having 230 acres. Since April, 1856, both 
Mr. Riche}' and wife have been members of the 
United Presbyterian Church. The Richey fam- 
ily are possessed of considerable versatility of 
talent, and more than ordinary ingenuity, that 
has enabled them to turn their hands readily 
to almost anything in the trades or mechanics. 
Mr. Richey and famil}- are great readers, he 
being a liberal patron of the current and his- 
torical literature of the day, Mrs. R. being 
tolerably well read up in the theory and prac- 
tice of medicine, of which she keeps a quantit}' 
on hand for family and neighborhood use ; has 
six children — Margaret Z., Jacob F. T., Thomas 
T., Andrew F., Elmer R. and Ella Kate. 
Elmer, born Jan. 31 (his grand-father and 
father having the same birthdays), has as large 
a quantity of Indian relics as can be found in 
the country. 

GEORGE RICHEY, farmer; P. 0. North- 
field ; was born Oct. 12, 1834, in Chippewa 
Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, and is the third 
son and fifth child born (who grew to maturity) 
to Thomas and Mar^^ M. (Coplin) Richey. 
George came to this township with his parents, 
who reared him to agricultural pursuits, but 
George, being of a mechanical turn of mind, 
soon learned the carpenter and joiners trade. 



at which he worked, until, at his father's re- 
quest, he took charge of the farm. Jan. 29, 
1868, he married Sarah J. Love, born at 
Coshocton Co., Ohio, Dec. 28, 1838, daugh- 
ter of John and Jane M. (McConnell) Love. 
Both were natives of North Ireland, and 
emigrated direct to the Buckeye State, spend- 
ing the first winter at Millersburg, Holmes 
Co., then came to Coshocton Co. Mr. Love, 
the father of Mrs. Richey, was married in 
Coshocton. To him were born eight chil- 
dren — Sarah J. (Mrs. Richey), Mary A. (maid, 
who never married, died at 24), Catharine (Mrs. 
James Overholt), Samuel (on the homestead), 
Ellen (now deceased, who was the wife of J. G. 
Alexander, of this township), Emma, John M. 
and Miranda, at home. Her mother died May 8, 
1876 ; her father is yet living on the homestead 
in Coshocton. Both he and wife members of 
the Presbyterian Church. Since the marriage 
of Mr. Richey he has remained on the home- 
stead farm, he having 149 acres. Of five chil- 
dren born him but three are living — Anna E., 
Emma L. and Maro 0. Maggie died of diph- 
theria at the age of 7 ; John T. died when 8 
months old. For twenty years Mr. Richey has 
been a member of the Presbyterian Church, 
and is the present Ruling Elder of that body, 
and Church Clerk. 

A. RICHARDSON, farmer ; P. O. North- 
field ; son of Amos and Betsy (Barber) Rich- 
ardson ; was born Dec. 14, 1810, in Hampshire 
Co., Mass. His father was born in Massachu- 
setts, about the year 1775, and was a son of 
Thomas Richardson, who came from England. 
The Barbers are of Welsh ancestry. To Amos 
and Betsy Richardson were boi'n ten chil- 
dren, eight of whom grew to maturity, viz.: 
Beman, Eliza, Hollon, Austin, John, Mary, 
Amos, Lyman, Lucy and Hannah. Amos moved 
with his parents to Sherburne, Vt., in 1818, and 
the year following came West to Cuyahoga Co., 
locating in Independence a short time, then 
came to this township, locating on Lot 43, 
where John Wilson now resides. He died 
about the year 1826. Amos remained with his 
mother and eldest brother until he began bus- 
iness for himself Nov. 7, 1832, Amos married 
Phebe Wood, born June 3, 1814, in Bedford 
Township, daughter of Henry and Esther (Cran- 
mer) Wood. Henry Wood was born in Con- 
necticut Aug. 9, 1790 ; he was a son of Sam- 
uel, who was a son of Jonathan. Samuel Wood 






r^ 



.^^ 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



955 



was born June 30, 1767 ; he was married to 
Betsy Stewart, born Aug. 22, 1768; to them 
were born ten children, viz.: Phebe, Henry, 
Samuel, Betsy, Silas, Lucy, Jonathan, Charlotte, 
Julia and Esther. Jonathan Wood was born 
in Connecticut Dec. 14, 1724, and married Abiel 
Bailey. The Woods are of English descent, 
the Stewarts of Irish. Betsy's father died in the 
Revolutionary war. Henry Wood was a sol- 
dier of the war of 1812, and, at this writing, is 
the oldest man in the township. Nine children 
have been born him, viz.: Phebe, Samuel, Mar- 
tin, Maria, Henry C, Charlotte, Roxie, Henry 
J. and Esther. After Mr. Richardson was mar- 
ried he located in Freedom, Portage Co., where 
he bought 40 acres, but lived there one jear 
only, and then came to the place he now owns. 
In August, 1834, he bought 83 acres and built 
him a cabin where he has since I'esided. Four 
children were born to him, viz., Ira (now in To- 
ledo, life and fire insurance agent), Maria (Mrs. 
A. Gr. Shields, of Hudson Township), Ellen (the 
wife of Harlow Bissell, of Ness Co., Kan.), 
Olive (Mrs. Fred W. Stark). Mrs. Richardson 
is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
Mr. R. has 86 acres of land. 

A. R. RINEAR, farmer ; P. 0. Northfield ; 
is a native of this State ; was born Jan. 5, 1826, 
in Columbiana Co. ; son of John and Mary 
Jobs. The former was born, April 23, 1782, in 
Burlington Co., N. J. ; the latter, June 27, 1794. 
John Rinear was a son of Joseph, whose father 
was a Frenchman. To Joseph was born John, 
William, Warden, Rebecca, Jane and Amy. To 
John and Mary (Jobs) Rinear were born Au- 
gustus, Albert R. and Sylvester. The father 
of A. R. came to Bedford Township, Cuyahoga 
Co., in 1834. where he located a piece of land, 
and returned, bringing out his famil}- in the 
spring of 1835 ; here he remained until his 
death, March 26, 1850, that of his wife, same 
month, 1864 ; both of them were consistent 
members of the M. E. Church, and adorned 
their profession by a Christian life. Albert R. 
was married Sept. 21, 1847, to Esther Nesbit, 
who was born Oct. 7, 1823, in Westmoreland 
Co., Penn., daughter of John and Ann (Mathews) 
Nesbit. After marriage, he located on a farm 
adjoining his father, just across the line adjoin- 
ing Northfield, where he lived until 1850, when 
he moved to this township, purchasing 60 acres 
on Lot 72, where he lived until 1867, in March, 
when he purchased 110 acres where he now re- 



sides, having a good farm and under good im- 
provements. Four children have crowned his 
marriage, whose names are Mary, who is now 
the wife of M. E. Van Horn ; Sylvester, now a 
traveling salesman ; Martha and Charlotte A. 
Mr. Rinear and entire famil}', with the exception 
of Sylvester, are members of the U. P. Church ; 
Sylvester is a Methodist ; Mr. Rinear has been 
a member of his church nearl}- thirty years. 
Mr. R. and family are readers of the leading 
journals and prominent newspapers of the day. 
G. M. SEIDEL, wagon-maker and undei'- 
taker, Northfield ; was born Aug. 13, 1821, in 
Selp, Kingdom of Bavaria, to J. M. and Eliza- 
beth (Krautheim) Seidel. Our subject early in 
life learned the wagon-maker's trade, and 
worked three years at the same in Bohemia. 
Having heard glowing accounts of America, he 
bade good-bye to his early associations, and, in 
the spring of 1841, set sail for our country, ar- 
riving in Baltimore in June, soon turning his 
steps westward to this State, crossing the Alle- 
ghany Mountains on the inclined railroad. 
Reaching this part of Ohio, he engaged to work 
in Tallmadge for S. A. Lane, and afterward 
worked two years in Akron ; then went to 
Hudson, where he worked five 3'ears, and after 
a limited sojourn in Twinsburg, he came to this 
township, Feb. 23, 1848, and engaged at his 
trade at the Center, and has since been the 
resident wheel-wright and wagon-maker of the 
place. Sept. 27, 1850, he married Mrs. Sa- 
linda Bishop, whose maiden name was Lillie, 
born in Windsor Co., Vt., March 3, 1812 ; she 
was a daughter of Benjamin and Hannah 
(Young) Lillie, both natives of Hebron, Conn. 
Hannah Young is a descendant of Miles Stan- 
dish. Mi'S. Seidel is of a family of thirteen 
children ; seven of the number grew to matur- 
ity, and but two of them are living — herself 
and Mrs. Bliss. Her father died in Jericho, Vt., 
1821. Mrs. Seidel came West with her mother 
and her brother Cieorge, who was for twenty-one 
years Justice of the Peace of the township, in 
1833, locating in this township. She was married 
to Orin A. Bishop, in October. 1845. Mr. Bish- 
op's father was Benjamin, who married Poll}' 
Whitcomb, of Connecticut. Orin Bishop was 
born in Richmond, Vt., Aug. 3. 1805. and was of 
English descent. The mother of Mrs. Seidel died 
in August, 1864. By Mr. Bishop she had tliree 
sons — Clark B.. Orin A. and George L., who 
served throusjh the late war and was a member 



yr. 



956 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



of Company K., 19th Regiment 0. V. I. ; he 
was a true and valiant soldier, was once 
wounded, causing a five months' absence 
from his regiment, which in the meantime was 
not in active service. Orin A. served three 
months in the 115th Ohio, and was discharged 
on account of disability. For twenty-five years 
Mr. Seidel has been a member of the U. P. 
Church, and is one of the Polders of that body. 
His parents were members of the Lutheran 
Church. Mrs. Seidel is a member of the M. E. 
Church. Since Mr. Seidel's residence, he has 
been engaged at his trade ; for the past five 
years he has taken up the undertaking busi- 
ness, and met with reasonable patronage. For 
nearly a year past his health has become seri- 
ously impaired, the result of a fall from the 
scaffolding of a building, upon which he was at 
work. 

JOHN SENTER, farmer ; P. 0. Bedford. 
To William and Jennie (Hurst) Senter were 
born Robert, Catharine, Margaret. John and 
Jane. Of these, John, the subject, was born 
Dec. 23, 1805, in Lochton, County Leitram, Ire- 
land. His parents died when he was young ; 
all but Robert and John died of fever when 
young. At the age of 18, Mr. Senter left his 
native land for America, landing in New York ; 
he soon after made his way to Cleveland, 
where he worked on the public works for some 
time, also at Akron, being employed at both 
places about ten ^^ears, in which time he had 
saved enough means to purchase some land. 
He and James Hibbard purchased a lot to- 
gether, situated in the northeast part of the 
township, Mr. H. taking the south half, and 
Mr. Senter the north, the land costing $3 per 
acre, and was purchased two or three years 
ere they settled on it. Dec. 31, 1843, he 
married Jane Boyle, born June 26, 1824, in 
Londonderry, Ireland, daughter of Edward and 
Catharine (Alexander) Boyle. Edward was a 
son of James ; mother's name was Rose. 
Catharine was a daughter of John and Jen- 
nie (Woodburn) Alexander. The Alexanders 
and Boyles were among the prominent fam- 
ilies in the north of Ireland ; were educated 
and people of high respectability. Mrs. Sen- 
ter came to this country with her parents 
when she was but a child of 5 years. Her 
parents settled first at Willoughby ; afterward 
at Dayton, in Lake County, where they lived 
until 1855, and finally moved to Dayton, Mich. 



To Mr. and Mrs. Senter have been born ten 
chikh-en, seven of whom are living — Sarah 
Jane (Mrs. Simpson Hibbard, of Hudson 
Township) ; William H., of this township ; 
Edward B., in Cuyahoga County, near by ; 
James B., on Lot 35, west of Macedonia ; Delia 
v., Fred B. and Carrie. Ella J., Robert and 
John A. died when young. Mr. Senter was 
raised a member of the Established Church, 
and is now a member of the Baptist Church, as 
are nearly all the famil}', Mrs. Senter having 
been a member since she was 14 3'ears of age. 
Mr. Senter has acquired a good property' ; be- 
fore dividing his land he had 258 acres, all of 
which has been the outgrowth of small begin- 
nings. For several years he has been engaged 
in running a dairy ; from a start of ten cows, 
he increased the number to fox'ty-two, manu- 
facturing their own cheese. They have raised 
an intelligent family. Three of the eldest chil- 
dren have taught school. Mr. Senter has now 
141 acres of land, and still pushes ahead to 
accumulate for his family. 

A. J. SHIELDS, farmer; P. 0. Northfield; was 
born Oct. 3, 1838, in Mahoning Co., Ohio, to Arch- 
ibald and Sumantha (Rainey) Shields. Archibald 
was born Oct. 16, 1808, in Mahoning Co., Ohio, 
and Sumantha in Hudson Township July, 1812. 
Archibald's father and two brothers came to 
this State about the year 1810, and were in the 
war of 1812. To Archibald's fether were born 
William, Archibald and Andrew (twins), Betsey 
and James. Sumantha was a daughter of 
Comfort and Betsey (Hubbard) Rainey, to whom 
were born seven children — Luther, Julia, Su- 
mantha, Elizabeth, Ruth, Moses and Sarah. 
The Raineys came West from Connecticut to 
Hudson Township about the year 1808. Archi- 
bald Shields was a millwright, and built the 
mills at Little Fork. The family are of Scotch 
ancestry, and are of good stock. To Archi- 
bald were born ten children, all of whom lived 
to manhood and womanhood, viz., Comfort, 
Allen and Albert (twins), Betsey A., Angelina, 
Cordelia, Margai-et, Elmer and Elsie. Mr. 
Shields died Nov. 2, 1880, and enjoyed the 
esteem and confidence of the communit}' in 
which he lived. A. J. was reared to farming, 
and remained with his parents until he attained 
his 26th year. Oct. 8, 1863, he was maoried to 
Clarissa Ford, born in this township Jan. 12, 
1842, daughter of Marvin and Lydia (Cornell) 
Ford ; her father was born in Hudson Town- 



^1 



ns^ 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



957 



ship Feb. 20, 1818 ; her mother in Rensselaer 
Co., N. Y., Dec. 16, 1815 ; he was a son of 
William, born in Herkimer Co., N. Y., in 1771. 
The mother of Marvin Ford was Sallie Gray- 
lord, who was born in Goshen, Conn., Nov. 16, 
1783; his grandfather was Joel Gaj'lord, and 
was a Drum Major in the war of the Revolu- 
tion, and was with Washington at the battle of 
Monmouth. He came to Hudson Township in 
1800, and purchased one mile square ; his wife 
came in 1801. She was married in Connecticut 
to William Leach, and came out with an ox 
team. William Ford came to Hudson in 1815, 
and for many years was a Methodist class- 
leader. For several 3-ears past Mr. Shields has 
been engaged in the lumber business, and buys 
and sells in large quantities. He has a saw- 
mill at Macedonia ; also 150 acres of land in 
Hudson Township. His children are — Lydia 
S., born Sept. 3, 1864 ; Eva and Ella M. (twins), 
Jan. 27, 1867 ; Agie D., March 16, 1870 ; Alice, 
July 13, 1876, and Effle M. The last two men- 
tioned died when young. The mother of Mrs. 
Shields died May 3, 1873. She and her hus- 
band came to this township in the year 1836. 

Z. P. SORTER, farmer ; P. 0.' Northfield ; 
son of Elijah and Margaret (Middaugh) Sorter ; 
was born May 26, 1827, in Allegany Co., N. Y. 
His father was born in Essex Co., N. J., Sept. 
5, 1782 ; he was in the war of 1812. The Sor- 
ters are of English and the Middaughs of 
Scotch descent. Henr\" Sorter was the grand- 
father of Z. P. To him were born nine chil- 
dren, viz.: Elijah, Nathaniel S., Zebulon, Henry, 
Jonathan, Rebecca, Anna, Mary and Charity. 
Abram Middaugh was the father of John, 
Abram, Elijah, Alvin, William. Polly and 
Betsey. Elijah came West in March, 1831. To 
him were born eleven children, viz.: Charles 
(near the old homestead), Harry (who is a rep- 
resentative to the Legislature), Isaac (in Sew- 
ard Co., Nebraska, in the lumber business), 
Zebulon, James M. (in Kansas, Nemaha Co.), 
Sarah (Mrs. J. Jones, of Mayfield Township, in 
Cuyahoga Co.), Catharine (of Missouri), Asa, 
Gurney, Arvilla (Mrs. M. Fields, in Lake Co., 
Ohio), and Margaret A. (Mrs. Evans, of Mis- 
souri). The father died March 13, 1869, and 
the mother Feb. 18. 1880. Mr. Sorter was for 
many years a member of the M. E. Church. 
He celebrated his golden wedding in 1861. His 
house was the home and rendezvous of the 
ministry. Z. P. had good school advantages, 



and was a classmate of James A. Garfield at 
the Geauga Seminary. Mr. Sorter taught school 
twent3^-one terms, afterward engaged in farm- 
ing ; he first bought 25 acres, then 225 in 
Geauga Co., then 300 in Lake Co., 600 in Kan- 
sas, and afterward 380 where he now lives. He 
came to the township in 1871, and has since 
remained ; he is now engaged in farming pur- 
suits in this township. 

JASON M. SPAFFORD (deceased) ; was 
born Sept. 18, 1831, in Twinsburg Township ; 
he was the son of Nathan and Polly (Morrison) 
Spafford. Jason lived in Twinsburg until he 
became a young man, then he came to North- 
field Township with his father, where he lived 
until March 4, 1854, when he married Philena 
Cranson, who was born April 5, 1829, in the 
town of Lenox, N. Y., and came West with her 
parents (when she was 1 _year old), who located 
in Chester, Geauga Co. Mrs. Spafford's par- 
ents were Gershom and Philena (Fosdick) Cran- 
son. Philena was a daughter of John and 
Philena (Robbins) Fosdick. Gershom was born 
in New York State, and was the son of Abner 
Cranson. To John and Philena were born 
fourteen children. To Gershom and Philena 
Cranson were born nine children. The Cran- 
sons are of French descent and the Fosdicks of 
English. After the marriage of Mr. Spafford 
he located on the farm now owned by his 
widow. Mr. Spafford died May 25, 1876. He 
was one of the substantial members of the com- 
munity and a libei'al supporter of the Gospel ; 
for many years he was a stanch member of the 
Baptist Church ; he was a man highly respected 
in the township for his man}- virtues ; he was 
a good farmer and a successful financier, hav- 
ing, at the time of his death, 275 acres of good 
land. Since his death, Mrs. Spafford has re- 
mained on the farm, which now consists of 165 
acres, she having given 110 acres to her daugh- 
ter Armarilla, who is the wife of Joseph Car- 
ter, and resides in Twinsburg. Mrs. Spafford 
has been a member of the Baptist Church for 
many years. 

ROBERT VAN HORN, farmer; P. 0. 
Northfield ; was born Jan. 20, 1812, in Harri- 
son Co., Ohio : son of Edward and Margaret 
(Hamilton) Van Horn. The Van Horns are 
origiuall}' from Holland, the early ancestors 
emigrating to the United States in 1623, locat- 
ing on the Holland Purchase in New York — 
some of them owning land where Trinit}' 



-« s K>> 



K 



958 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Church now stands, in the city of New Yorlc. 
Kobert Van Horn, whose name heads the nar- 
rative, is of the eighth generation of the family 
from which they trace their ancestors. Ed- 
ward Van Horn, when a lad of 5 years, moved 
with his father, Daniel Van Horn, to Mifflin 
Co., Penn., where they settled in 1783 ; finall}' 
moved to Tuscarawas Co. Daniel Van Horn's 
wife was Anna Barteman, born 1749, daughter 
of p]dward Barteman, whose wife was Anna 
Debaen. They were married 1735. To them 
were born ten children. Daniel Van Horn 
died in Tuscarawas Co. in 1822, being 93 years 
of age. His son Edward, the father of the 
above, was born in New York March 10, 1778. 
Was married, in 1803, to Margaret Hamilton, 
who was born in Chester Co., Penn., 1776 ; 
daughter of Robert Hamilton, of Irish descent. 
His family consisted of four children, three 
daughters and one son. Edward Van Horn 
removed West to Harrison Co., this State, in 
1807, where he purchased land, and remained 
on the same until his death, which took place 
1855 ; that of his wife was in 1839. To them 
were born five children, viz., Anna, who died 
at 12 ; Martha, never married ; Jemima, Mrs. 
M. Downey, of Noble Co., this State ; Robert, 
and Jane, who never married. Our subject 
was brought up on the ftirm. Dec. 26, 1833, 
was married to Catharine Kuhn, born Aug. 29, 
1809, in Allegheny Co., Penn.; daughter of 
Archibald and Martha (Stotlar) Kuhn. Mr. 
Van Horn came to this township in April, 
1837, purchasing 86 acres on Lot 62, for which 
he paid $12 per acre, paying the money down. 
There were about 25 acres partially cleared at 
the time of his purchase. Upon this plat of 
ground he has since remained a constant occu- 
pant. To him have been born three children 
— Archibald K., now a physician in Stephenson 
Co., 111.; Ann J., now the relict of Joseph 
Boyd, who died Aug. 31, 1875, leaving no 
issue ; Milton A., now on farm adjoining. Mr. 
Van Horn's family have been Presbyterians in 
religious belief. His father, Edward, for fifty 
years was an Elder in the Church. Mr. Van 
Horn is a member of the U. P. Church, and is 
Clerk of the Sessions. Edward Van Horn was 
a soldier in the war of 1812. His brother 
Jacob was Paymaster of the same regiment. 

M. A. VAN HORN, farmer ; P. 0. Northfleld. 
Milton A. was born on the farm where he now 
resides, March 27, 1843, being the youngest of 



a family of three children born to his parents, 
Robert and Catharine (Kuhn) Van Horn, who 
raised their son to agricultural pursuits. De- 
cember, 1864, he became the husband of Har- 
riet Thompson, who was born in Parkman, 
Greauga Co., Ohio, daughter of Graham and 
Harriet (Pearce) Thompson, to whom were born 
Henry, William, Alfred, James, Robert, Mary, 
Maria and Harriet. March 25, 1872, Mrs. Van 
Horn, after an illness of ten days, died of dipthe- 
ria, leaving two children— prances J., born Oct. 
18. 1865 ; and Jennie Maria, June 19, 1870. 
July 30, 1873, he was married to Mary A. 
Rinear, born in Bedford Township, Cuyahoga 
Co., and eldest daughter of Albert R. Rinear, 
whose wife was a Nesbit. Mr. Van Horn and 
wife are members of the U. P. Church. Aside 
from his farming, he is engaged in trading ; lian- 
dles agricultural implements ; handles the Eu- 
reka Mower, of sis feet cut ; has also the agency 
for the Cooley Creamer ; is a 3'oung man of 
good business habits, straightforwai-d and en- 
terprising ; and is a progressive man, open and 
outspoken in everything that does not bear 
upon its face the semblance of right. He is a 
warm friend to education, and ever ready to 
contribute to local enterprises wherein are in- 
volved advantages that will redound to the 
interest of the communit}' at large, but not in 
sympathy with any institution that is working 
under a rule of secrecy. 

F. M. WAITE, farmer and contractor; P. 
0. Northfield ; first saw the light of day Jan. 
26, 1830, on the farm he now owns. His par- 
ents were Benjamin and Loretta (Bacon) 
Waite. Benjamin was born in Hatfield, Buck- 
land Co., Mass., in the 3'ear 1796 ; his father 
was named Benjamin, also, whose ancestors 
were from England. The last-mentioned gen- 
tleman's grandfather was in the French and 
Indian wars, and was an Indian fighter ; he at 
one time had a son captured by the Indians, 
but the father, pursuing them to Canada, res- 
cued him from their hands. His valor and 
long-range rifle were well known among the 
Indians, who, after the war terminated, made 
several attempts to capture the rifle. At 
one time, when plowing in the field, an In- 
dian crept up near where he was at work, 
and shot Mr. Waite through both arms. Know- 
ing his gun was near at hand, and seeing the 
owner shot, he yelled in a taunting way in 
broken English : " You shoot no more Indian. 



^V 



'A 



NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



959 



I get long gun now." But not so ; our hero 
succeeded in getting his gun across both fore- 
arms, and carried it to the house ; the Indian 
gave up the chase. Loretta, the mother of Mr. 
Waite, was a daughter of Isaac and Nanc}' 
(Cranmer) Bacon, who came to this township 
as early as 1807 or 1808. Benjamin Waite. 
the father of F. M., first came to Brecksville 
about the 3'ear 1810 ; returning to Massachu- 
setts, he came out again in 1814, or there- 
abouts. In 1829, he was married, and located 
on the farm F. M. now owns. To him was 
born eleven children ; nine grew to maturity. 
By his first marriage, he had Benjamin, Nelson, 
Obadiah and Sarah ; by his second wife, Loretta 
Bacon, were F. M., Loretta, Olive, Emily, Adah 
and Maude. His parents were both members 
of the M. E. Church. His father died in 1864 ; 
his mother in 1858. During Mr. Waite's so- 
journ in this township, he killed 300 deer, 7 
bears, and quite a number of gray wolves. 
Francis M., at the age of 18, bought his time ; 
the price was $200. He then worked out one 
year by the month, saving $100, which he in- 
vested in a joint-stock company, and went to 
California in 1849, where he engaged in mining, 
remaining two years and a half, in a short 
time returning to his father the $200, plus the 
interest, as the price of his freedom. After 
having an extended and varied life of change 
and interesting incidents, he returned to this 
township with $2,000 in gold. He was mar- 
ried, in 1853, to Ellen Chapman, born in Hud- 
son Aug. 12, 1828, daughter of John and Eliza 
(Basset) Chapman. John Chapman was born 
in England in 1792, and came to this country 
at the age of 20, and was the first gunner on 
board the Queen Charlotte at the battle of 
Lake Erie. Mr. Waite has two children — 
Bird and Laura. For several years Mr. W^te 
has been engaged as foreman and contractor 
on the public works at Cleveland, and else- 
where, on sewerage and railroad building. He 
is a member of Twinsburg Chapter, No. 74, R. 
A. M., and Bedford Lodge, No. 375, A., F. & 
A. M. 

MRS. H. A. WALKER, farming; P. O. 
Northfield ; was born July 11, 1808, in Lancas- 
ter Co., Penn., to Stewart and Martha (Beard) 
Miller. Mr. Miller died very suddenly, falling 
from his chair while waiting for dinner. He 
was a son of Joseph, who was of Irish ancestry, 
as were the Beard family. Joseph Miller was 



a (xcneral during the war of the Revolution, 
and did effective service as a soldier and com- 
missioned officer. To him were born fourteen 
children. Stewart was blessed with seven chil- 
dren, four are living, viz., Harriet, Mary, Re- 
becca and Augustus, who resides in Lancaster 
Co., Penn.; Mary, also, and the wife of William 
Pickell ; Rebecca, now the wife of George 
Pickell, of Caldwell Co., Mo. By the death of 
her father and mother, Mrs. Walker, when a 
mere child, was left alone in the world, but in 
the person of her uncle Rev. John Banks,, who 
married her Aunt Mary, she found protection, 
who gave her a home and educated her. He 
was the Pastor of the first Seceder Church in 
Philadelphia, and was a man of superior talents 
and great moral worth. She resided in Schenec- 
tady at the time of her marriage, which occurred 
Feb. 20, 1834 ; the gentleman was John Walker, 
born in Princeton, N. Y., 1806, son of Oeorge 
and Jane McMicken, the latter being from the 
Highlands of Scotland. Mr. Walker was a car- 
penter by trade, and, in 1836, came West, lo- 
cating in this township, where Mrs. Walker now 
resides. He first purchased 45 acres, only four 
or five of which were cleared ; he subsequently 
added to it, at different times, until he owned 
the entire lot. His death occurred Sept. 3, 1866. 
Since 1834, he had been a consistent member 
of the U. P. Church. He was a man highly 
esteemed in the community in which he lived. 
Though not an over-zealous man, yet, in his at- 
tachments to the principles which early he pro- 
fessed, he was firm and uncompromising. For 
several years prior to his death, he was in poor 
health, and though enduring at times intense 
bodily pain, yet he bore it with Christian forti- 
tude and patient resignation. His noble and ami- 
able companion still survives him and resides on 
the farm, and is a firm believer in the doctrines 
embodied in the creed of her church, having 
been a member of the same since 1824. Her 
farm consists of 160 acres, which she rents and 
resides upon, having it under her own manage- 
ment and supervision. Mrs. Walker has long 
been esteemed in the community as an upright 
Christian lady, and for her benevolence and 
goodness of heart. 

JAMES W. WALLACE, retired; Macedo- 
nia. The Wallace family came from Scotland. 
The first one of whom there is any record of 
came from Scotland during the reign of Queen 
Anne of England, locating in Londonderry, Ire- 



960 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



land. His son was John, who emigrated in 
1716 to LondondeiT}-, New Hampshire, with his 
father, above described his first name not 
known. The next in regular descent was 
James, the fourteenth child of his parents, who 
settled in Ackwith, New Hampshire, about the 
year 1775. He married Margai'et Archibald, 
and by her raised ten children, viz., George, 
Robert, Jane (married Noah Page), John, Ann 
(married Hezekiah King), James, William, 
Margaret (married Robert Finley), Nancy (Mrs. 
Stephen Tharton) and Jonathan. George 
Wallace, eldest son of James, was born March 
6, 1776, and in 1798 came to the Western Re- 
serve to Youngstown. June 29, 1802, he 
married Harriet Menough, born in Maryland, 
Feb. 25, 1784, eldest daughter of Samuel and 
Isabella (Waugh) Menough, who emigrated 
from Chester County, Penn., in 1790 ; eight 
years later they came West to Youngstown 
where they settled. To George and Harriet 
Wallace were born James W., George Y., Per- 
kins and Emeline. James was the only one 
born in Trumbull County. The family after a 
short time moved to Geauga, afterward to 
Cleveland in 1810, and where Mr. Wallace, 
(George) engaged in the hotel business ; was 
here during the war of 1812. Gen. Harrison 
and other prominent officials were many times 
among the guests at his house. While here, 
Mr. Wallace issued supplies to the soldiers at 
the time of Hull's surrender under the direc- 
tion of Gen. Jessup; afterward, entered Gen. 
Harrison's camp where he remained until ap- 
pointed Commissary before he could draw 
his pay for the services rendered. While here 
in Cleveland, Mr. Wallace built a vessel and 
was engaged in the commission business. In 
1814, he began building the saw-mill and dam 
at Brandy wine. In the summer of 1815, built 
the grist-mill, and the distillery in the fall of 
1816 ; he put in a small stock of goods in the 
upper room in the mill. In November, 1818, 
he moved his family to Brandywine. In the 
fall of 1820, commenced building the factory 
which began operations the 3^ear following spin- 
ning and carding ; 1822, began manufacturing, 
the products of which supplied the wants in 
this line for forty miles each vfay, and was for 
several years one of the prominent manufact- 
uring points in the State. In 1843, the mill 
was swept off by high water. George Wallace 
died April 4, 1849, Mrs. W. Jan. 4, 1848. The 



subject of these lines was born Nov. 27, 1803, 
in Youngstown, the eldest son of George and 
Harriet (Menough) Wallace, was raised to 
active business pursuits under the training and 
guardianship of his father. In 1825, began 
business on his own account ; about his first 
adventure in business was taking two-mile con- 
tract building canal ; afterward, in compau}^ 
with his father and another party, took four 
miles near Massillon, subsequently built five 
miles and aqueduct at Roscoe ; afterward 
boated two years. Then engaged in the em- 
ploy of Giddings, Baldwin, Pease & Co., con- 
tinuing in their employ' five years ; firm name 
was afterward changed to S. A. Andrews, 
Baldwin & Co.; he remained with this firm in 
the capacity of purchasing agent during the 
winter, taking charge of the water craft during 
boating season; was then known on the line as 
Capt. Wallace. Subsequentlj' went to Boston, 
where he was agent for the Boston Land Com- 
pany for some time, where he remained until 
spring of 1838. He and his brother George 
carried on the business at Brandy wine after their 
father retired. After Mr. Wallace abandoned 
the agency for the firms above mentioned, he 
returned to Brandywine, where he remained 
permanenth', being mostly afterward engaged 
in farming. Sept. 8, 1835, he was married to 
Adaline Hanchett, who was born near River 
Raisin, Wisconsin, June 17, 1817, daughter of 
Hiram and Mary (Smith) Hanchett ; he was 
born in New York, she in Massachusetts ; they 
had three children. Hiram Hanchett was a 
surve3'or ; previous to 1814, he built the "Lady 
of the Lake," the first good vessel that was 
built on Lake Erie. In 1871, Mr. Wallace 
moved to his present place where he has since 
resided. Mr. Wallace is now in a measure re- 
tired from active buiness ; has been successful 
in his business relations and now ranks among 
the affluent and solid financial men of the 
county. His excellent business qualifications 
have been called into requisition at different 
times as a public officer, serving at one time as 
Trustee on the Clinton Railroad, and in all the 
different and various phases of his business 
life he has ever sustained himself as an upright 
man and worthy citizen. He and wife are 
members of the Presbyterian Church, and in all 
the various relations in societ}' have merited the 
esteem with which he is held in the commu- 
nity. Has five children living — Hiram H., 



fv" 



J^ 



NOETHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



961 



Warren W., Leonard C, Mar}- C. the wife of 
Lorain Bliss, and Margie S. 

H. H. WALLACE, fanning; P. 0. North- 
field ; was born Feb. 18, 1843, in Boston 
Township, being the second child born to James 
Wallace ; remained at home until he was sev- 
eral years past his majority. Dec. 5, 1867, 
was married to Mary A. Mearns, born in Cecil 
Co., Northeast Maryland, Feb. 15, 1843, daugh- 
ter of John and Mary (Waugh) Mearns ; she 
was a daughter of Esquire Robert Waugh, who 
obtained his land from William Penn, the deed 
bearing his seal upon it ; this land remained in 
the Waugh family for 103 years. The Mearns 
and Waughs are of Scotch-Irish descent. Mrs. 
Wallace was of a famil}' of five children — 
William R., Martha J., Mary A., Stephen J. and 
Charles F. Her father died 1869, at the ripe 
age of 80 3'ears. Since Mr. Wallace was mar- 
ried he has been a constant resident of the 
township with the exception of nine years spent 
in Pocahontas Co., Iowa, where he has 640 
acres of land ; he went in 1871, and returned 
to this county in 1880. Jan. 8, 1880, he pur- 
chased the farm he now owns, situated on Lot 
64, where he has 86:^ acres with good brick 
house thereon. Has six children — Adda, Belle 
M., Anna W., Margie S., George H., Schuyler 
H., Mary L. died young, aged 2 years. Both 
Mr. Wallace and wife are members of the 
Presbyterian Church. 

CHARLES WEST, farmer ; P. 0. Macedonia ; 
was born April 17, 1803, in Hebron, Washing- 
ton Co., N. Y. ; his parents were Charles and 
Patience (Lee) West. Charles West's grand- 
father was named Levi. Charles and Patience 
had three children — Ira, Egbert and Charles. 
The latter never saw his father, his birth occur- 
ring about two months after his death ; his moth- 
er, the same 3'ear of his birth, moved to Dover, 
Dutchess Co., N. Y., where she again married, 
and he lived with them until he was about 19 
3'ears of age, at which time his brother Egbert 
came and took him back to his native count3^ 
Mr. West engaged that winter with Titus 
Foster to board him in lieu of services rendered 
night and morning while attending school ; soon 
after he hired to work for Mr. Foster, and con- 
tinued to work by the month until his mar- 
riage, which occurred Jan. 17, 1833. The lady, 
Mary B. Nelson was born Feb. 15, 1802, to 
John and Martha (Baldi'idge) Nelson. After 
his marriage, Mr. West worked land on shares 



until, in 1835. he came West, direct to this 
township and purchased 50 acres of land, 
which, b}' means of industry and economy, he 
has increased to about 90 acres of good land 
all paid for, situated a short distance east of 
Macedonia, where he lives enjo3'ing the quiet 
of his home ; his first wife died, leaving three 
children — Martha B., Fannie N. and Patience 
A., who married Anson Hollister, and moved 
to White Co., 111. She has since died, leaving 
one son — Frank C. ; Martha and Fannie reside 
with their father. Mr. West was married to 
Nanc}' Johnson, who was also a native of 
Hebron, Washington Co., N. Y. ; she died Feb. 
4, 1879, leaving no issue. For many 3'ears 
Mr. West has been a consistent member of the 
Baptist Church, in close communion. In poli- 
tics, he has always been a Democrat of the 
Andrew Jackson type, and is as honest in his 
sentiments politicall3' as in his religious tenets. 
JOHN WILSON, farmer ; P. 0. Northfield ; 
was born Sept. 6, 1816, in Allegheny Co., Penn., 
to John and Mar}' S. (Kiddoo) Wilson. John 
was a son of John and Jean Renshaw, to whom 
were born a famil3^ of twelve children, viz., 
James, Andrew, Mary, John, Eliza, Agnes, Will- 
iam, Samuel, Susan, Joseph, Mary and Benja- 
min. To John Wilson was born John, Mary, 
James, Samuel, Margaret and Sarah T. To 
James Kiddoo, the father of Mar}', were born 
Thomas, John, David, Samuel, Joseph, Mary, 
Jane, Isabella, Fannie and Betsey. John Wil- 
son, the father of our subject, was born on Mon- 
day Sept. 20, 1789, in Allegheny Co., Penn.; his 
wife, same place. May 27, 1790. To them were 
born eight children ; six grew to maturity — 
James, John, David M., Mary J., Joseph F., 
William R. After Mr. Wilson left home, he 
lived with his uncle, Samuel Kiddoo, and was 
raised to agricultural pursuits. He came West 
to this township in the fall of 1843, and pur- 
chased 84 acres on Lot 43 ; returning East, 
came back in the spring of 1844. June 6, 
same year, was married to Hannah Chapin, 
who was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., Oct. 
9, 1819, daughter of Amzi and Hannah (Power) 
Chapin. Amzi was a son of Edward Chapin. 
The Chapin family have all descended from 
Deacon Samuel Chapin, who came from En- 
gland and settled in Springfield, Mass., in 1642. 
From this reverend gentlemen have sprung the 
numerous progeny of Chapins. Hannah 
Powers was a daughter of Rev. James Powers, 



IT' 



k 



962 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



whose wife was a Miss Tanner. Arazi was born 
in Springfield, Mass., Marcli 2, 1768. Married 
to Hannati Powers, Oct. 10, 1800. She was 
born June 17, 1781. To tliem were born eight 
children — Mary. Eunice L., James P., Jane S., 
Eliza, Amzi, Hannah and Rebecca M. Of this 
number Mrs. Wilson is the sole surviving mem- 
ber of the family. Edward Chapin, the father 
of Arazi, was born Feb. 16, 1 724. Eunice Col ton, 
his wife, was born Jul}' 19, 1728. To this ven- 
erable twain were born Aaron, Edward, Lu- 
cretia. Lucius, Calvin, Alpheus, Amzi and 
Eunice L. This couple died Jan. 6, 1800, and 
April 8, 1806, respectively. The religion of the 
family has been Presbyterian on both sides. 
Since 1844, Mr. Wilson has been a constant 
resident of the farm he located upon at the time 
of his arrival. His farm is under excellent im- 
provement, with neat buildings. He has two 
sons. Amzi, born June 17, 1845 ; William J., 
born Aug. 9, 1847. Amzi has been licensed to 
preach, and is now at the seminary (theological) 
preparing for the ministry. William J. is in 
the piano trade at Cleveland. Mr. and Mrs. 
Wilson are members of the Presbyterian Church, 
of which her father, Amzi was one of the found- 
ers. He came West in 1831, locating on Lot 
81, where he purchased 160 acres. He died 
Feb. 19, 1835 ; she, June 15, 1855. 

THKODOSIUS WOOD, Macedonia; was 
born Jan. 14, 1801, in Buckland, Franklin Co., 
Mass. His parents were Amos and Lovica 
(Temple) Wood. Amos was a son of Forbes 
Wood, whose ancestors came from England. 
The mother of Lovica Temple was Lucretia 
Butler ; her grandfather was one of two 
brothers who settled in Boston during the early 
history, and built several blocks of buildings on 
their land in that city. Both the Butlers and 
Woods are noted for their longevity ; two of 
his grandmothers lived to be 87 each ; two 
aunts lived to be 100 and 104 respectively. 



Forbes Wood and Amos, his son, were both in 
the war of the Revolution. They were among 
the earh^ settlers in Buckland. Amos was 
twice married, having by both wives fifteen 
children. Mr. Wood was married to Betsey 
Johnson in May, 1831; she was born April 12, 
1812, in Buckland, Franklin Co., Mass. Her 
parents were Josiah and Betsey (Elmore) John- 
son. Forbes Wood married a lady by the name 
of Gauze, of Scotch descent, and by her had 
John, Amos, Lovica and Sallie. Both Forbes 
and son Amos were stanch old " Feds," and 
stood by the colonists in their efforts for free- 
dom. Forbes was a soldier in the old French 
and Indian war, and when the time came for 
him to take his stand he did it, both he and son 
casting their lots with the lo3'al New England 
people. Theodosius came West in 1832, reach- 
ing this State in September of the same year ; 
he first purchased 96 acres at Strongsville, 
Cu3'ahoga Co. After one year's ownership he 
sold out and moved to Calhoun Co., Mich., 
where he purchased 150 acres. After a short 
residence there, he sold it at a gain of $1,600, 
and came to this town, where he bought 72^ 
acres. Subsequentlj' he moved to Wisconsin, 
near Milwaukee, where he invested in land, 
remaining there two 3'ears ; he then sold it at a 
marked advance, and returned to this township, 
where he has since lived. He has a comfortable 
home, and is in the possession of a reasonable 
competence to provide for all his wants. He 
has no children. Mr. Wood has already passed 
the limit of time alloted to the race, and is now 
spending the eve of his life in the enjoyment of 
his home. He has always acted independent 
of sects or denominations, 3'et alwa3'S favored 
everything known to be right, and is not in 
sympathy with an3' scheme or enterprise that 
will not augment the interests of the people at 
large. He is no partisan, but a firm and solid 
Republican. 



r 



2^; 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



963 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



DANIEL ANDREW, retired farmer; P. O. 
Sherman; was born in Northampton Co., 
Penn., near Nazareth, July 7, 1796, and is a 
son of Jonathan, he of Nicholas; his mother 
was Elizabeth (Myer) Andrews, daughter of 
Martin Myer, who are all natives of Penn- 
sylvania. The limit of Daniel's education 
was about four terms' attendance upon sub- 
scription school, his earlier life being spent 
in making spools, for his father was a weaver 
by trade. He afterward engaged in an agri- 
cultural life until about 30 years of age, when 
he learned the trade of millwright, at which 
he worked several years. In aljout 1850, he 
settled at Ri%er Styx, where he resided one 
year, then moved to the farm on which he now 
lives, and where there is now being mined, by 
a Cleveland firm, a superior quality of coal, 
from a four-and-a-half-foot vein, yielding him 
a handsome I'oyalty. He was married to 
Anna Friede, by whom he had nine children, 
six of whom are living, viz. : Stephen, Daniel, 
James, Josiah, Melinda and Catharine; all are 
married; Joseph, Cyrus and Edward are de- 
ceased, the two latter leaving families in good 
circumstances in the West. His wife dying, 
he was married to a Mrs. Clay, the widow 'A 
Henry Clay; her maiden name was Peggy 
Pontius. Mr. Andrews is a member of the 
Reformed Church, and has been for about fif- 
ty-five years, and is a gentleman commanding 
the respect of all the peuple of his community. 

CHARLES H. BAUER, retired farmer; P. 
O. Loyal Oak; is a son of Daniel, who was 
born in Bethlehem, Northampton Co., Penn., 
April 10, 1801, the son of Jacob, he the son 
of Charles, who was born in G-ennany early 
in 1700. The mother of Daniel was G-erti'ude 
Shott, the daughter of Elizabeth (Maudan 
Shott. Daniel received a very meager educa- 
tion, his tinje being spent on the farm with 
his father. On Nov. 22, 1822, he was mar- 
ried to Elizabeth Miller, sister to John Miller, 
whose history appears in this work. By this 
union there were three sons and three daugh- 



ters — Susannah Maria, born March 22, 1824; 
John J., March 12, 1825; Charles H., Sept. 7, 
1826; Catharine L., Dec. 30, 1828; Joseph D., 
Mai-ch 30, 1832; Elvina E., Aug. 15, 1839. 
Mr. Bauer's was one of the six families who 
came to Ohio in 1843, of whom mention is 
made in another part of the work. He is a 
very sprightly old gentleman for one having 
passed fourscore years. His son Charles was 
given as good educational advantages as could 
be obtained in the district schools of an early 
date, remaining w^th his father upon the 
home farm, which was piu'chased upon arriv- 
ing in this country, until his marriage, Aug. 
27, 1853, to Sarah Everhard, who was born 
Nov. 11, 1832, to Jonathan and Catharine 
(Wall) Everhard. They were natives, the 
former of Armstrong Co., the latter from Sun- 
bury, on the Susquehanna, in the State of 
Pennsylvania. Jonathan Everhard was the 
third settler in Sharon Township, Medina Co., 
where he went from Wadsworth with a few 
men and built a house in one day, returning 
at night. By his marriage with Sarah Ever- 
hard there were two children born; one died 
in infancy, and Leora C, born Feb. 10, 1864, 
is now attending school in Pennsylvania. Mr. 
Bauer is now holding the office of Township 
Treasurer; is an enterprising man in all the 
affairs of the township; a member, with his 
family, of the Lutheran Church, and a liberal 
giver to the cause of Christianity. 

JOHN J. BAUER, tanner; Loyal Oak; 
is a son of Daniel Bauer, whose hiotory ap- 
pears with that of Charles Bauer in this work. 
He received but a limited education, yet, from 
his earliest years, has shown a remai'kable apt- 
ness for mathematics. He lived with his fa- 
ther in a Moravian settlement in Pennsylva- 
nia, on a farm which had been leased by the 
gi'andfather, and where his father had resided 
for thirty-one years, up to 1843, when he 
sought a home in Norton. At 22 years of 
age, he began learning the mason's trade with 
his uncle, but abandoned it after two years 



lL^ 



964 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



on account of sickness. He then learned dis- 
tilling, working five years at that without 
drinking one drop. He then engaged in 
farming with his brother Charles, pm-chasing 
the farm in partnership now owned by the lat- 
ter. For several years, he engaged in cooper- 
ing at the Corners. In ISB-t, after disposing 
of his farming and coopering interests, he pur- 
chased the tannery now owned and carried on 
by himself and son Byron. He was married, 
Jan. 17, 1850, to Catharine Everhard, daugh- 
ter of Jonathan and Mary (Wall) Everhard, 
she a sister to Catharine Wall, mother of 
Charles Bauer's wife. They have had, by this 
marriage, seven children — six sons and one 
daughter — five of whom are living, two having 
died in infancy; they are Milton M., born 
June 4, 1853; Byron B., June 24, 1850; Jon- 
athan M., June 25, 1861; Cora O., Jan. 9, 
1864; Albert A., Dec. 22, 1865. Milton, a 
graduate of the National Normal School at 
Lebanon, Ohio, also a graduate of the Long 
Island Medical College at Brooklyn, N. Y., 
now practicing at Uniontown, Stark Co. ; By- 
ron, married to Fannie Jennings, daughter of 
Joseph and Elizabeth (Wall) Jennings; they 
have one child, born Jan. 21, 1881. making 
the fiftieth heir of Daniel Bauer in this 
State; J. M. is engaged with HaiTison & Hol- 
loway, dry goods merchants, South Aki'on; the 
two younger are at home. Mr. Bauer has been 
nine years Justice of the Peace, three years 
Township Clerk, one year Treasurer of Town- 
ship, and for more than ten years a member 
of the School Board. He and family are 
members of the Lutheran Church, he being 
one of the most ]>rominent supporters of 
chm'ches and schools in the township. He 
has been a leader of singing in the clmrch 
since 1851, and his daughter organist since 
her 12 th year. 

JOSEPH D. BAUER, farmer; P. O. Loyal 
Oak; a member of one of the oldest and most 
prominent families in Norton Township; was 
born March 30, 1832. His father was Daniel 
Bauer, whose history appears in another place 
in this work. Aboitt twenty years of his early 
life were spent on the farm wi^^^h his father, 
and in receiving his education ; after that age, 
he learned the wagon- maker's trade at Loyal 
Oak, with his brother-in-law, William Sweit- 



zer. He was married, Sept. 30, 1854, to 
Sarah Serfass, daughter of Andrew and Sarah 
(Hawk) Serfass; her grandparents were Law- 
rence and Barbara Serfass, and John and 
Susannah (Hahn) Hawk, all natives of the 
eastern part of Pennsylvania, principally Car- 
bon Co. They have had four children, two of 
whom are living — Lorinda L., born Dec. 1, 
1855, died July 10, 1862; Ann Adelia. Sept. 
2, 1859, died July 4, 1862, of that dreadful 
disease, diphtheria; William D., June 4, 
1863; Fietta E., Dec. 25, 1865. Joseph has 
resided in Norton Township since 11 years of 
age, and held the most responsible offices — 
that of Treasurer, Trustee, and, in 1880, was 
Ileal Estate Assessor, giving satisfaction to 
the landholders and receiving the sanction of 
the County Board. He is a liberal sup- 
porter of religion and education; is a member 
of the School Board, and he and family are 
members of the Lutheran Churck and Sabbath 
school. 

JOHN C. BAUGHMAN, farmer; P. O. 
Johnson's Corners; was born in Lancaster Co., 
Penn., March 2, 1827, and came with his par- 
ents, John and Agnes (Com-ad) Baughman, an 
older brother and one sister, to Chippewa 
Township, Wayne Co., where they resided four- 
teen years, the father working at cabinet-mak- 
ing, the two sons clearing and tending a small 
piece of land which they had purchased. In 
the fall of 1844, they moved to the now Stein- 
bring farm, which he purchased and farmed 
vmtil 1856, afterward selling the same to his 
son, John C, and returned to Wayne Co., 
where his wife died; he then lived alone be- 
tween four and five years, when he left his 
home and lived with his childi-en until his 
death, which occurred in 1872, at the home of 
our subject. By close application, Mr. 
Baughman has acquired a good education, 
although attending school bttt a short time; 
at 20 years of age, he began working at the 
carpenter and joiner's trade, having, previous 
to that time, acquired some knowledge of the 
the trade. He is now, in connection with his 
farming, engaged in contracting and building, 
and is quite extensively engaged in the liun- 
ber business. He was married, July 29, 1849, 
to Elizabeth Barkhamer, daughter of John 
and Dorothy (Flickinger) Barkhamer, natives 



f 



41 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



965 



of Pennsylvania, the father settling in Frank- 
lin Township about 1815. They have had 
eight children, live of whom are living — 
Ruben B., born July 12, 1850; Isaac J., Oct. 
10, 1851; Arvilla, April 1, 1855; Callista, Jan. 
21, 1863; Clara E., Aug. 21, 1875; those de- 
ceased are Amanda E., born Nov. 2, 1856, died 
Oct. 29, 1860; Emma, born April 3, 1861, 
died March 27, 1863; Cora, born June 11, 
1865, died Sept. 24, 1870. Ruben B., married 
to a Miss Wise, farming east of Johnson's 
Corners; Isaac J., to Mary Minor, he a medi- 
cal student with Dr. Rockwell; Arvilla, a Mrs. 
William H. Nice, residing in Wadsworth, he 
a teacher. Mr. Baughman has held the offices 
of Township Treasui'er and Trustee; was a 
candidate for Infirmary Director, and received 
the nomination for County Treasurer by the 
Democratic party, but declined the nomination. 
They are members of the Reformed Church. 
JOSEPH BURGESS, farmer and coal 
miner; P. O. Johnson's Corners; was born in 
Lancashire, England, about forty miles from 
Liverpool, and six miles from Manchester, 
Dec. 10, 1820. He is a son of Samuel, who 
died at 49 years of age; he of John Burgess. 
Joseph received three months' schooling, for 
which he paid a tuition of 6 cents per week. At 
7^ years, he began learning, with his father, 
the trade of weaving silk, cotton and fancy 
flower work, by which he was able to earn his 
father about $3 per week. His mother was 
Ann Simpson, a daughter of Robert Simp- 
son, who lived to 94 years of age, and 
a brother to James Simpson, noted in the 
manufactiu'ing circles of England. The par- 
ents of oui' subject died — the mother when he 
was but 10 years of age, the father when he 
was 14. At 19 years of age, he was made a 
member of the organization of Odd Fellows; 
at the same age, after working twelve hours 
a day, would attend the night school. He 
gained valuable inf oimation in the business of 
mining in England, among other practical 
points which have been conducive to his suc- 
cess. In the spring of 1848, he came to 
America; worked in the States of Pennsylva- 
nia and Rhode Island until in the spring of 
1849, when he came to the farm upon which 
he now lives, and began opening the coal-bank 
known as the Bartsfess bank, which he rented 



for seven years, then bought, subsequently 
selling to Mr. Bartgess. He has now just 
completed, with his brother-in-law, the open- 
ing of a valuable bank of coal two miles west 
of Massillon, having leased 60 acres, 40 of 
which, after prospecting, proves a vein aver- 
aging from foui* to four and a half feet of 
superior quality. The firm name is Sonn- 
halter & Burgess. He was married to Catha- 
rine SonnJialter Jan. 29, 1856, by whom he 
has three living childi'en — Thomas, Samuel 
and George, all Iving at home; a little girl 
was drowned in infancy. Mi\ Burgess has 
for the last thirty-three years been a subscriber 
to the Boston Investigator — being a man of lib- 
eral views, bu.t of strict honesty and integrity 
in all business transactions, and having the 
confidence of the people who know him. 

ALVIN D. BETZ, farmer; P. O. Norton 
Center; was born in Hu.ntingdon Co., Penn., 
July 19, 1826; son of Abraham, he of John 
Betz; his mother was Sarah Beyer, daughter 
of David Beyer. Alvin received a limited 
education, assisting his father on the farm 
until 16 years of age, then engaged exclusively 
in farming; was married May 20, 1846. In 
the fall of 1849, he moved to Pacific, Colum- 
bia Co., Wis., where he pui'chased land and 
resided about twelve years in the State of 
Wisconsin and one year in Minnesota, he 
holding a claim on the Winnebago Reserva- 
tion; having disposed of his property in the 
West, he purchased the old homestead upon 
which he now lives. Twelve childi'en were 
born to them, ten of whom are living — Sarah 
J., Jerusha C, Mary S., John Charles Fre- 
mont, Clara E., Ira David, Archie Oliver, 
Hazwell Abraham, Alvin E. and Lam-a E. 
Jerusha C, now Mrs. Charles Seiberling; 
Clara E., Mrs. Joseph May, both living in 
Iowa; Sarah J., Mrs. John L. Serf ass; Charles, 
married Susan Cassell; both are living in 
Summit Co. Mr. Betz is a prominent man 
and office-holder in the Summit Grange, No. 
1283, of which he is the founder, and very 
proud of it, as it is the most flom-ishing 
grange in the county. Mr. Betz is an enthu- 
siastic supporter of all religious denomina- 
tions, and all entei-prises for the advancement 
of education, and a good moral atmosphere 
throughout the county. He is engaged in the 



(^ 



966 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



breeding of thoroughbred cattle and hogs, a 
general farming, and bee culture. He and 
wife are connected with the Mutual Protec- 
tion Association of Columbus, Ohio. The fa- 
ther of our subject settled in Wadsworth 
Township, Medina Co., from the State of 
Pennsylvania, in about 1822, where they lived 
until in 1847, when they moved to the farm 
now occupied by the son. 

AARON BETZ, farmer; P. O. Loyal Oak; 
is the second son of a family of live sons and 
two daughters, and was bom June 2, 1835. 
His father was John, born in March, 1808, 
died Feb. 1, 1863; he of John, born in 1773, 
and died in 1852. They settled in Chippewa 
Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, from Pennsylva- 
nia, about 1821. His mother, who is still liv- 
ing, was Rebecca Beyer, born Jan. 27, 1807, 
daughter of David, born Sept. 7, 1763, and 
Sarah (Crum) Beyer; her grandfather was 
William Crum, born April 5, 1731, died Oct. 
10, 1790; her grandmother was Mary (Crum) 
Cnun, born Dec. 5, 1746, died June 26, 1798. 
They had four children — Maiy, Sarah, Abra- 
ham, William. Aaron remained on the farm 
until his enlistment, in 1861, in Co. C, Akron 
B. L. I., P. C. Haid, Captain, but was the 
same year honorably discharged on account of 
disability. He re-enlisted, however, in 1862, 
and served in Quartermaster's Department, 7th 
Division, Army of the Ohio, at Cumberland 
Ford, Ky., when he was again honorably dis- 
charged. He theii remained at home in 
charge of the farm, his parents being aged, and 
three other sons being in the army, and his 
oldest brother in Wisconsin. He was married, 
Aug. 20, 1863, to Catharine Baughman, born 
Oct. 24, 1835, and daughter of David and 
Elizabeth (Blocker) Baughman. They have 
ten children — Bertha R., Mary E,. George 
W., Florence L., Susan C, JohnD., Sarah E., 
Charles O., Fred E., Rocse Ellen. Mr. Betz 
is engaged in grain-raising and feeding stock ; 
has held the office of Township Trustee two 
terms, and a member of the School Board. 
He is also a member of the Norton 'Subordi- 
nate Grange, of which he is a prominent 
office-holder. 

NORMAN BLOCKER, farmer; P. O. Loyal 
Oak; was born March 8, 1835, to Eli and Mary 
(Myers) Blocker, who were natives of the State 



of Maryland; his father, Eli, was born in 
1807, and died in 1845. Although his death 
occurred in early life, he had suffered all the 
trials of an early pioneer life, in clearing up 
the farm where his son now resides. His first 
settlement in this State was in Wadsworth 
Township, Medina Co., but, subsequent to his 
marriage, he moved to Norton Township, 
where there were five children born unto them, 
two of whom are living. Norman, the second 
of the family of children, received but a lim- 
ited education in the district school, his help 
being required, at 10 years of age, by his wid- 
owed mother in supporting the family and 
tending the farm, where he has been engaged 
since. His mother is still living, in her 75th 
year, as hale and hearty as twenty years ago. 
Norman was married. Nov. 9, 18(51-, to Mary 
Elizabeth Betz, daughter of John and Rebecca 
(Byers) Betz, natives of Pennsylvania. Mrs. 
Blocker was born July 5, 1839. They have 
had four children, three of whom are living — 
David E., born March 21, 1863; Lillian G., 
June 8, 1864, died Sept. 18, 1864; Ermina 
Amelia, Sept. 2, 1865; and Samuel Allen, 
Nov. 13, 1875. Mr. Blocker has at heart the 
furtherance of all good enterprises and prin- 
ciples, the improvement of stock and agricult- 
ure, and the promotion of the principles of 
the Republican party. 

DAVID L. CARTMILL, telegraph oper- 
ator. New Portage; born at Annapolis, Parke 
Co., Ind., Feb. 12, 1845, to Jacob and Eliza 
(Atchinson) Cartmill, and was the third of 
four children. The father died when David 
was but 5 years of age. At about 10 years 
of age, he came to New Portage and began 
working to educate himself, which, by his 
energy, he succeeded in doing. He began 
working, in 1860, in the pottery, where he 
continued for about eight years, and at 
the expiration of that time, on account of 
the injury to his health, he abandoned the 
business, having, in the meantime, devoted his 
evenings to the study of telegraphy, which he 
subsequently adopted as a business, and, after 
working at several different places, was given 
charge of the office at New Portage, on the N. 
Y., P. & O. R. R., formerly the A. & G. W., 
where he has been for the last thirteen years. 
He was married, March 4, 1872, to Miss Hattie 



-^1^ 



.2^ 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



967 



Hettrick, who was boru March 20, 1850, to 
John and Mary Jane Hettrick. They have 
one child — Harley Edwin, born March 28, 
3874; they are also raising a little niece, 
Mary May, bom June 10, 1874. He is a 
member of the Masonic fraternity at Wads- 
worth, member of the School Board, and, with 
his wife, a member of the M. E. Church, in 
which he is one of the Trustees. The follow- 
ing is a brief account of the tragic death of 
his uncle: In the year 1825, on the 9th of 
September, a civil, qiiiet man named Johnston 
fell in with yoiuig Cartmill (an uncle of the 
subject of this sketch) as he was carrying the 
mail from Freeport to Coshocton, and, when 
night came on, the two stopped at a tavern 
kept by Mrs. Sarah Booth, which was on the 
Coshocton road. The next day, they contin- 
ued their joiu-ney together, and, after going 
about three miles, came to a spring of cold, 
clear water, where Johnston paused to get a 
drink, while Cartmill went on up the hill. 
The sharp report of a gun and a scream of 
teiTor burst simultaneously upon the ear of 
Johnston, who hastily ran on and found the 
poor boy weltering in his own blood and so 
near dead that he could not speak. Circum- 
stantial evidence appeared against Cartmill's 
companion; consequently, he was confined in 
the New Philadelphia Jail, which was a log 
building standing on the ground now occu- 
pied by the public offices. He was finally 
proven innocent, and the miu-derer of the boy, 
a young man by the name of Funston, proven 
guilty by the identification of a $10 bill known 
to have been in the possession of the mail -boy. 
He was tried, convicted, and, on the 80th day 
of December, was taken to the place of execu- 
tion, where he paid the penalty of the law for 
the commission of one of the most dastardly 
deeds ever chi'onicled. 

DR. M. M. DICKSON, Johnson's Corners; 
a son of Robert Dickson, who was a native of 
Dumfrieshire, Scotland, emigrating to this 
country at 21 years of age, and locating in 
York Co., Penn., in 1819, died in 1800. His 
mother was Susanna McCall, who died in 1849, 
at 40 year* of age; she a daughter of Matthew 
and Ann (Logue) McCall. The great-grand- 
father of our subject. Matthew McCall, came 
from Ireland to this country in about 1 770, and 



engaged in the war of the Revolution during 
the whole time. The Doctor was born near 
York, Penn., March 23, 1828; his parents 
soon after (probably in 1829) settled near 
Zanesville, where they engaged in farming, 
our subject residing in that vicinity until 
about 24 years of age, when he located in New 
Portage, where he remained, completing .his 
studies and practicing for two years, when he 
settled permanently in the village of his pres- 
ent location. In his early youth, he learned 
the potter's trade while at home, which served 
him in educating himself in after life, he re- 
ceiving a diploma from the Cleveland Medi- 
cal College in the month of February, 1855. 
He enlisted in the 74th O. V. I. as Assistant 
Surgeon, which position he held two years, 
then was made Surgeon of the regiment until 
the close of the war; he joined the army at 
Stone River, being present subsequently at 
the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga, 
where the regiment remained all winter, being 
exposed to great suffering; then at Lookout 
Mountain and Mission Ridge. After the re- 
enlistment of the regiment, they started from 
Ringgold, being present at Buzzard's Roost, 
Resaca, and many other battles and skirmishes 
in their march of 150 miles, which occupied 
twenty-one days. They were in the 14th 
Corps, imder Gen. Thomas; also in Sherman's 
march to the sea. After remaining in Savamiah 
for a time, they crossed the Savannah River and 
marched up through South and North Caro- 
lina to Martha's Vineyard, where Johnston's 
army surrendered to Sherman, which ended 
that campaign. They then participated in the 
review of " Sherman's bummers," at Washing- 
ton; they were then sent to Louisville, with 
the intention of going into Texas to look after 
Kirby Smith, but returned to Cincinnati, where 
they were mustered out of service and retiu'ned 
home about the 1st of August, 1865. He was 
married, June 14, 1854, to Sylvina Irviu, 
daughter of John and Clara (Merton) Irvin, 
who were residents of Zanesville. By this 
marriage there were seven children, three of 
whom are living — Chalmers M.. born April 
25, 1855; Gertrude C, July 28, 1800; Robert 
Theodore, June 25, 1871; the remaining four 
died in infancy. Chalmei's M. is a graduate 
of the Michigan University at Ann Arbor, and 



^ 



'H. 



968 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



is now practicing medicine at Port Clinton, 
Ohio, and building tip a successful practice. 
The Doctor is thoroughly interested in the 
education of his family, and has been success- 
fully engaged in mercantile pursuits at the 
village in which he now lives. 

URIAH EBBERT, farmer; P. O. Western 
Star; was born June 10, 1823; son of Isaac, 
who was born Jan. 30, 1800, and still living 
in Sharon Township, Medina Co.; he of 
John. His mother was Maria (Lamb) Ebbert. 
Isaac moved, with his wife and two children, 
to Lawrence Township, Stark Co., in the 
spring of 1823, where they lived more than 
thirty years, then moved to Sharon Township 
in the spring of 1859. The subject of this 
sketch says that he got his education riding 
horses around the barn floor tramping out 
grain, hauling saw- logs, chopping timber, 
grubbing, and in all manner of hard work on 
his father's farm, where he remained until his 
marriage, Nov. 14, 1847, to Catharine Kel- 
ler, born Feb. 15, 1826, daughter of Philip and 
Catharine (Shook) Keller, who were natives of 
Center Co., Penn., but settled in Jackson Town- 
ship, Stark Co., about 1815. They had one 
child — George, born July 21, 1848, and died 
Aug. 6, same year. They moved to their present 
home in the spring of 1860, where he has fol- 
lowed farming and stock-raising. In the fall 
of 1870, the John Beese Coal Company opened 
up a mine on his farm, where there were sev- 
eral acres of coal, the vein averaging about 
four and a half feet, of fine quality, and where 
they mine several thousand tons annually. 
He and wife are members of the Reformed 
Church, in which he has served as Deacon for 
many years, and worked in the Sunday school ; 
is a liberal patron of all charitable enterprises. 

JOHN HARTER, farmer; P. O. Johnson's 
Corners; is a son of Jacob Harter, who was a 
soldier of 1812, and whose history appears in 
this work under the head of Coventry Town- 
ship. He was born Aug. 28, 1822, in Frank- 
lin Township, near Manchester. His educa- 
tional advantages were such as could be ac- 
quired in those early pioneer days, in a 
wooded country, his father settling at a very 
early date, and piu-chasing 100 acres of heavy 
timber land at $4 per acre, in what was then 
known as the Hinckley Tract. In 1844, our 



subject left the home of his father and worked 
at different places until in 1845, when he 
started to Galena, 111., performing most of the 
journey on foot; after stopping for a time in 
Galena, he went to Dubuque, Iowa, where he 
attended a mill for a few months, then went 
up the river to the pineries in Wisconsin, re- 
turning in the fall of 1847, on a raft, from 
Black River, Wis., down the Mississippi to St. 
Louis, then to his home in Summit Co. He was 
married, Sept. 20, 1848, to Elizabeth Baugh- 
man, daughter of Theobald and Mary (Will- 
helm) Baughman. He engaged immediately 
in farming, living the first five years on the 
old Bartgess farm in southern Norton; then 
moved to the farm which he now occupies, 
pm'chasing the same fi"om his father-in-law, 
about 1857. By his marriage with Elizabeth 
Baughman, eight children were born unto 
them — George, Oliver, William (who died 
after arriving at maturity), Theobold, Eli, 
Otis, Melvina and Mary. Tlu'ee sons and one 
daughter are married, Theobold now living 
near Millersburg, Holmes Co., Ohio; George 
and Oliver now residing in Fayette Co., 111.; 
Melvina, the wife of Wilson Waltz, residing 
on the Harter farm. Mr. Harter is a promi- 
nent man in Norton Township, having held 
the various offices of trust, both in the town- 
ship and in the German Reformed Church, of 
which he and family are members. 

MRS. E. W HARTZELL, farmer; P. O. 
Norton Center; is the widow of the late 
Aaron Hartzell, who was born April 23, 1827, 
to Isaac and Anne Maria (George) Hartzell, 
who were natives of Northampton Co., Penn. 
His gi-andfather, John Hartzell, a son of 
Philip Hartzell, and of English descent, settled 
in Northampton Co. about 1740, where their 
posterity resided for more than a century. 
John was an officer in the Revolution, and was 
appointed an Esquire at 21 years of age, in 
which capacity he served fifty-three years. 
The subject of this sketch was born Feb 25, 
1843. She is a daughter of Thomas Wood- 
land, who was born May 15, 1803, in Kent, 
England, to Richard and Sarah (Umpage) 
Woodland. The Woodland family are heirs 
to several millions of a legacy left by the 
Umpage family. Her mother was Martha 
Woodward, born March 27, 1807, in London, 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



969 



England, and is still living; tlie father died 
a few years ago at his home in Wooster, Ohio, 
where he was a very prominent man during 
his many years' residence at that place, as the 
history of the family appears in a more com- 
plete form in the Wayne Co. work. Mrs. 
Hartzell was married, Dec. 6, 1866, to Aaron 
Hartzell, at her home in Wooster; the follow- 
ing March, they moved to Akron, where he 
engaged as general manager and traveling 
agent for the J. F. Seiberling Manufacturing 
Company for three years; afterward, in con- 
nection with Charles Cranz, John J. Wagnor 
and Mr. Perkins, purchased the mine now 
owned by the Wadsworth Coal Company, he 
acting as Secretary and Treasurer. He soon 
after disposed of his coal interests, and, in 
May, 1871, built the storeroom at Norton 
Center, and engaged in general merchandising 
with Dr. Dickson until December, 1873, when 
they purchased the store building at Johnson's 
Corners of the Barnes brothers, where they 
carried on business until December, 1874, 
when he returned to Akron on account of the 
death of their little son, he assisting in the 
settlement of the business of the J. F. Seiber- 
ling Company after their assignment, and, 
after the formation of the new company in the 
works formerly occupied by rake company, he 
was book-keeper and traveling agent. At St. 
Louis, while representing the company on a 
Western trip, he was stricken down with 
paralysis Jan. 10, 1877, and died Sept. 8, 
1878, after having received every attention 
that money and friends could give. They 
moved on the farm where the widow now lives 
March 7, 1877. Two children were born to 
them — Charles Woodland, born Nov. 34, 
1868, died April 15, 1874; and Bessie, boi'n 
Oct. 18, 1876. Mr. Hartzell was a prominent 
member of the I. O. O. F. Lodge, No. 51, of 
the city of Akron; a member of the Reformed 
Church, to which he was a liberal giver, as 
well as to the college of that denomination at 
Tiffin, Ohio, where he received a liberal edu- 
cation. 

DR. JOHN HILL, farmer; P. O. Western 
Star ; whose portrait appears in this work, was 
born Oct. 26, 1828, in Sussex, England. His 
father was named John, as was his grandfa- 
ther also. The mother, Harriet Wickham, 



was a native of the County of Kent, England. 
They emigrated to America in the year 1828, 
fi'om the now sunken port of Rye, in the 
English Channel, landing in New York after 
a wearisome voyage of six weeks. They en- 
gaged in farming near Utica, N. Y., where 
they remained until in the spring of 1832, 
when they removed to Orange Township, 
Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, purchased a farm and 
resided there until about 1843, when he sold 
his purchase and set out for Tazewell Co., 111., 
where he re-engaged in agricultural pursuits 
until his death. The subject of this sketch 
left home when but 15 years of age, and 
worked at odd jobs for the five years follow- 
ing, giving his earnings to his father, who, at 
the expiration of that time, removed to the 
West. John then began attending school, re- 
ceiving a limited education; however, he en- 
gaged in teaching a few terms. In the fall of 
1847, he began the study of medicine with Dr. 
Alexander Fisher, at Western Star, and, in 
the fall of 1848 and 1849, he attended lectures 
at the Cleveland Medical College. In 1850, 
he started upon a traveling expedition, first to 
California, where he lay sick for six months 
in the city of Sacramento. He remained in 
that State until in May, 1853, when he took 
passage for Australia, being seventy days on 
the voyage. In May following, he left that 
country for London, England, arriving there 
in September of the same year. After stop- 
ping for a short time there, he shipped for 
New York, landing late in October following. 
Early in December, he went to Cleveland, 
where he again entered the medical college 
for the years 1854 and 1855. Although 
urgently requested by the Faculty of that 
institution to accept a diploma, he objected 
upon sufficient reasons, and, in the fall of 
1855, entered the Jefi"erson Medical College 
at Philadelphia, receiving a diploma fi'om 
that institution in March, 1856; returned to 
Western Star, stopped a short time, then en- 
gaged in tiie practice of medicine in Sharon 
Township, Medina Co., where he remainea 
nearly a year; was then, in March, 1857, 
married to Catharine Pardee, daughter of 
Ebenezer and Almira (Brace) Pardee. By this 
union there have been six childi'en born — 
Harriet Almira, born June 22, 1858, died Oct. 



w 



•Ml 



970 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



30, 1878; John. E., born Aug. 2, 1859, now 
engaged in business in the city of Akron; 
Mai-tha B., born Jan. 2, 1861; Brace P., Aug. 
12, 1865; Josephine Elizabeth, March 28, 
1875; and an infant son, Jan. 4, 1881. Mr. 
Hill was elected County Commissioner in 
1870, jmd, having so faithfully discharged the 
duties of that office for nearly nine years, he 
was elected, by the voters of Summit Co., in 
1879, to a term in the Legislature of Ohio. 
He is a man of great natural ability and force 
of character, honest and pure in his biisiness 
and social relations, commanding, by the pur- 
ity of his principles, the respect and honor of 
all the people with whom he is connected. 

WILLIAM H. LAHR, farmer; P. O. Nor- 
ton Center; is an interesting and prominent 
young man of Norton Center, and son of John 
and Mary Margaret (Miller) Lahr, natives of 
Pennsylvania, and was bom April 16, 1850. 
The fii'st twenty years of his life were spent in 
attending school and assisting his father in 
agricultural piu-suits. He was married, Dec. 
1, 1870, to Sarah J. Lerch, who was bom in 
Copley Township, and daughter of Peter and 
Rebecca (Schweitzer) Lerch, natives of North" 
ampton Co., Perm. Mrs. S arah Lahr was 
born April 15, 1850, there being one day's 
difference in the ages of husband and wife. 
They have two children — Charles Horner, 
born April 18, 1873; and Aletta Pearl, Jan. 
21, 1880. Mr. Lahr served a term of three 
years as member of the School Board of the 
Norton Center Village School, and was re- 
elected in the spring of 1880; he shows a 
great interest in the improvement of the 
schools and the advancement of the educa- 
tional interests of his township. He is a Re- 
publican politically, and, with his estimable 
wife, members of the chnrch. His father, 
John Lahr, was bom June 19, 1823; his fa- 
ther was John, grandfather Jacob, all natives 
of Pennsylvania; his gi'eat- grandfather Lahr 
came from Germany early in 1700; his mother, 
Susan Knecht, her father, Leonard Knecht, 
her mother, Maria Steckchel, natives of Penn- 
sylvania. John learned the carpenter's trade 
at a very early age, with his father, at which 
he worked for thirty-five years, in connection 
with agricultural pursuits. He was married, 
Jan. 8, 1845, to a Miss Miller, daughter of 



John and Susan (Bower) Miller, Keystoneites, 
by whom he had three children — Lucinda 
Elizabeth, William H. and his twin brother, 
Jonas Franklin; all are deceased except the 
subject of our sketch. John has been a resi- 
dent of Norton Center since the spring of 1844, 
and closely identified with the interests of the 
township, the improvement of its industries, 
and the affairs of church. 

JOHN LOUTZENHISER, farmer; P. O. 
Sherman; is a native of Northampton Town- 
ship, Westmoreland Co., Penn., and son of 
David and Catharine (Long) Loutzenhiser, 
who were also natives of Pennsylvania. He 
was born May 23, 1802; he received but a 
very meager education, attending subscrip- 
tion school two or three miles distant, and 
comjileting his education in about seven 
months, the remainder of the time being 
spent in assisting his father with the farm 
work. In September, 1829, he, with his fa- 
ther and family, came to Norton Township, 
and, on the 23d of November, 1830, he was 
married to Miss Lydia Baughman, whose 
parents lived on the farm known now as the 
Dr. Simmons' place, in Wadsworth Township, 
Medina Co. His wife was born in Triunbull 
Co., Ohio, Aug. 4, 1812, daughter of Law- 
rence and Anne Maria (Creitz) Baughman, 
whose parents were Simon and Anne Maria 
Creitz, natives of Northampton Co., Penn. 
John, after marriage, more than fifty years 
ago, moved to the farm on which they now 
live, it being then a perfect wilderness, but, 
by their industry, good management and fru- 
gal habits, have made for themselves a beau- 
tiful home, raised and educated a large fam- 
ily, and saved a surplus for their old age. 
They have had fifteen children, eleven of 
whom are living — Lawrence, born Dec. 30, 
1832; John B., Feb. 26, 1835; Jonas W., 
Sept. 19, 1839; Anna M., Jan. 22, 1837; Paul 
d, April 8, 1841; Moses, Feb. 15, 1843; 
Rachel, Dec. 2, 1844: Susan, Aug. 16, 1848; 
Lydia, July 25, 1850; Florinda, Sept. 23, 
1852; Katie, March 25, 1854. The family 
are members of the Grerman Reformed Church 
in Wayne Co., and give liberally to the sup- 
port of religious institiitions and schools; also 
lend a helping hand toward the advancement 
of the people of their community. They have 



"Tt; 



0^ 



NOETON TOWNSHIP. 



971 



four childi'en married — Jonas, to Susan C. 
Bauer, and working at the mason's trade and 
farming in Summit Co.; John, to Jane E. 
Keppel, is a farmer, and resides in Seneca 
Co., Ohio; Rachel, to George W. Braden, a 
farmer in Morrow Co., Ohio; Susan, to Fred 
Sclineider, a shoe-maker in Hametown, Ohio. 

ALEXANDER MENTZER, fanner; P. O. 
Loyal Oak; was born in Canton Township, 
Stark Co., Ohio, Nov. 2, 1835, to John Ment- 
zer, born Feb. 2, 1800, he of George "William, 
natives of the State of Maryland. They 
moved to Lancaster Co., Penn., thence to 
Columbiana Co., Ohio, where they settled in 
1812. About fifty-one years ago, they settled 
in Stark Co., where the subject of this sketch 
was born, as stated above. His mother's peo- 
ple came from Somerset Co., Penn., to 
Stark Co., in 1814. Her maiden name was 
Mary Ann Smith, daughter of Jacob, who died 
in 1864, in his 83d year, and Elizabeth 
(Rhoades) Smith. Alexander, with the re- 
maining children — two older sisters — received 
a limited education, but afterward taught 
their parents to read and write, and assisted 
them with farm work. They moved to the 
farm on which Mr. Mentzer now lives in 1853, 
and where he was man'ied, Feb. 24, 1864, to 
Amelia Blocker (see sketch of Norman 
Blocker). They have had five children- — John 
Frederick, born Sept. 7, 1865; Charles Oscar, 
Nov. 22, 1867; Sarah E., Sept. 2, 1870; Har- 
vey Allen, Nov. 17, 1872; Frank Elmer, Feb. 
20, 1876: Mr. Mentzer has held the office of 
Township Trustee, and has been prominently 
engaged in the enterprises of the township. 
He is a liberal giver to the support of 
churches and the promotion of educational 
advantages; is engaged in a mixed industry — 
stock and grain raising. 

STEPHEN D. MILLER, farmer; P. O. 
Sherman; is a son of John Miller, born the 
15th of November, 1802, in Northampton Co., 
Penn. ; he a son of Jacob, i^orn in April, 1777, 
died Jan. 12, 1836; he of David, born in 1756, 
died 1831; he of Walter, born in 1716, died 
in 1808; he cjmie from Germany; John is in 
possession of a fine old leather pocket-book, 
brought from Germany by the last-named 
ancestor nearly 150 years ago; also, an old- 
fashioned clock, which is still keeping time 



faithfully, brought by a branch of his mother's 
family by the name of Bair. His mother was 
Margaret Serfass, her father William Serfass. 
They have followed farming throughout their 
lives. John was married, Oct. 14, 1823, to 
Su.sannah Bauer, sister of Daniel Bauer, 
whose history appears in another place in this 
work. They had twelve children, eight of 
whom are living; they were among the early 
settlers of Norton Tovmship, coming in with 
the large number who came fi*om Pennsylva- 
nia in 1843. Stephen was born July 19, 1827, 
in Nazareth Township, near Easton, North- 
ampton Co., Penn, where he resided, attending 
school and assisting on farm, until in 1843, 
when he came to Ohio with his parents, with 
whom he remained until 24 years of age, when 
he was married, Nov 6, 1851, to Mary Ann 
Musser, born Sept 15, 1831, in Trumbull Co., 
where her parents settled about the year 1812, 
and resided until 1840, when they moved to the 
farm on which Stephen now lives; she is a 
daughter of David and Mary Ann (Read) Mus- 
ser, natives of Pennsylvania. They have six 
children— Sarah Jane, born July 1, 1852; 
Albert, May 21, 1859; Norman F., Oct. 26, 
1861; Harriet O., March 13, 1863; Charles 
O., Nov. 11, 1866; Mary Susannah, Aug. 23, 
1870. Sarah Jane, a Mrs. Columbus Seiber- 
ling, whose sketch appears in another place in 
this work. Mi'. Miller, at the beginning of 
the war, held for two years the position of 
Deputy Revenue Assessor for a part of the 
18th Congressional District; he has also held 
the most responsible township offices, and, for 
about eight years, acbed as agent, on his own 
accoimt, for the Doylestown Machine Com- 
pany, then traveled seven years longer as gen- 
eral agent throughout the different States, for 
same company. He is a man having at heart 
the improvement of all the affairs pertaining 
to the good of his community, and with his 
family are members of the Lutheran Church. 
AMOS AV. MILLER, merchant, and Post- 
master at the village or cross-roads kno-mi as 
Johnson's Cox'ners; was born Nov. 3, 1850, at 
Norton Center, in a well-preserved house be- 
longing to the Aaron Hartzell farm; his par 
ents, Joseph B. and Caroline (Steckel) Miller, 
were natives of the State of Pennsylvania, but 
located in Norton TowTiship in the spring of 



Iv 



,!, 



972 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



1847; his gi-andfather Miller was Daniel; his 
grandfather Steckel, Daniel, he of Solomon, 
who lived more than one hundred years. 
Amos assisted with the work on the farm and 
attended to the very limited education he re- 
ceived until 16 years of age, when he began 
clerking in a general store kept by E. P. Hol- 
loway at Loyal Oak, where he remained a few 
months, then engaged with J. E. Wesener, a 
dry goods merchant of Akron, with whom he 
remained but a few months, then traveled 
tln-ough different parts of the West, whertj he 
engaged in farming; returning, subsequently, 
to the dry goods business in the city of Aki'on, 
with Sabin & Rudesill, was sent by them to 
Canal Fulton to take charge of a branch store; 
in 1871, he, under the firm name of A. W. 
Miller & Co., purchased the branch store at 
that place, where they continued with success 
until the fall of 1879, when the firm dissolved 
partnership, Mr. Miller retiring. In the 
spring of 1880, he started the general store 
where he is at present located and doing a 
good business. Was married, May 21, 1871, 
to Emma Walzer, daughter of Louis and Cath- 
arine (Ehrett) Walzer, who were natives of 
Alsace, France, now a portion of Germany. 
They have three children — Tnza, born Feb. 
17, 1875; Roland, June 9, 1877; Bertha, Oct. 
5, 1879. 

JACOB J. MILLER, farmer; P. O. Loyal 
Oak; was the only child of Joseph and Julia 
Ann (Hahn) Miller, daughter of Peter and 
Margaret (Kostenbader) Hahn, who were 
natives of Northampton Co., Perm. Joseph 
was the first of the large Miller family to 
migrate to the West, where he died after 
about one year's residence in Wadsworth 
Township, where they made their settlement, 
the mother returning to her native State after 
his death, and a few years later married a 
Mr. John Knecht, with whom she lived until 
his death, she then returning to Norton Town- 
ship, where she is now living, in the village 
of Loyal Oak. Jacob received a very limited 
education, leaving home at 15 years of age, 
and coming to Ohio, where he engaged in 
farm work until in his 28d year, when he was 
married, March 19, 1861, to Theresa Resh, 
born May 11, 1813, and daughter of John and 
Rebecca (Hartzell) Resh, who were all natives 



of Pennsylvania. They have had four chil- 
di-en — Edgar M., born July 18, 1862, in Nor- 
ton Township; Cora A., April 19, 1865, in 
Wadsworth Township; Eugene L., July 11, 
1871, in Copley Tovniship; Gertrude O., at 
Johnson's Corners, May 28, 1878. Mr. Mil- 
ler is one of the enterprising men of his town- 
ship, and one of the foremost stock men, hav- 
ing brought from Canada his French stallion, 
"Montreal Lion;" is also breeding Durham 
cattle and Cotswold sheep. He and wife are 
members of the Summit Co. Society of Patrons 
of Husbandry, members of the Lu.theran 
Church, and earnest advocates of the cause of 
temperance and improvement of society. 

JONAS FRANKLIN MILLER, farmer; 
P. O. Loyal Oak; is a son of " Uncle John 
Miller," whose history appears in another 
place in this work; was born Nov. 3, 1S32. 
His education was limited, the principal part 
of it being practical, such as could be acquired 
by spending most of his time clearing in the 
woods and in general farm work upon the 
place where he now lives, and upon which his 
father settled in 1 841. He was married, Jan. 
17, 1856, to Marietta Schlabach, daughter of 
George and Esther Ami (Lichtenwalner) 
Schlabach; her father is still living, in his 
82d year, he a son of Jacob Schlabach, who 
came fi-om Germany about 1799, and settled 
in Northampton Co., Perm. Her gi'andpar- 
ents on her mother's side were Peter and 
Susan (Oswold) Lichtenwalner, residents of 
Northampton Co. There have been nine 
childi'en born unto them — Uriah A., born Jan. 
7, 1857; Alice M., April 17, 1858; Milton 
Henry, Dec. 4, 1860; Ida M., died in 6th 
year; Harry E., Jan. 21, 1868; John G., July 
29, 1870; Ella S., Sept. 17, 1873; Freddie 
Allen, died in infancy; Lizzie Catharine, Feb. 
8, 1877. Uriah A. was married, June 5, 1877, 
to Addie Koplin, by whom he has two children. 
He is engaged in farming in noi'thern part of 
Norton; Alice M., now the wife of Harvey A. 
Myers, a farmer in Copley Township. Mr. 
Miller has been Trustee of his township, and 
held other ofiices of trust. He and wife are 
members of the Lutheran Church. He is one 
of the prominent stock men of the township, 
dealing: in graded and thorouo^hbreds, as well 
as being engaged in general farming. 



n* 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



973 



DANIEL MILLEE, farmer; P. O. Loyal 
Oak; son of David, who was born June 17, 
1796, and died in 1856; he also of David; 
his mother was Mary, daughter of Jacob and 
Gertrude (Schodt) Bauer. Daniel came from 
near Nazareth, Northampton Co., where he 
was born Dec. 30, 1821, to Norton Township 
in the spring of 1848, with Dani*el Bauer and 
family, with whom he had lived since 14 years 
of age. When about 18 years of age, he 
began learning the carpenter and joiner's 
trade, at which he worked for about ten years 
in this township, then engaged in the butcher 
business about eight years longer, since which 
time he has followed farming, being very suc- 
cessful, in consequence of his industrious and 
frugal habits. He was married, Aug. 24, 1852, 
to Amelia Boerstler, born Feb. 20, 1833, 
daughter of John and Mary (Esch) Boerstler, 
who were natives of Northampton Co., Penn., 
but came to this State in 1846, with a family 
of five children, Amelia being the oldest 
daughter, and by whom Daniel has had one 
child — Franklin Harrison, born March 30, 
1856, and has followed farming with his fa- 
ther, where he is now living with his family, 
having married Sarah Ann Moser in May, 
1876, by whom he has two children — Mattie 
May, born Jan. 14, 1878; and Elsie Pearl, 
Feb. 7, 1880. They devote their time to the 
improvement of stock and the best method of 
agriculture. He and family are members of 
the Lutheran Church, and highly respected 
by the people of his community. 

PARMELEE FAMILY, New Portage. The 
history of this family, in a very complete form, 
can be found in the possession of Eliza A. 
Parmelee, from whom this sketch was obtained, 
and who is very careful in the preservation of 
the old family record, which is too volumi- 
nous for publication ; therefore, only the differ- 
ent heads of the family will be mentioned in 
this work. John Parmelee landed in this 
country June 1, 1639, from Guilford, En- 
gland, and, with twenty-four other families 
making up a church, they were the first set- 
tlers of Guilford, Conn., which place they 
named after their former home. After arriv- 
ing in this coimtry, they all signed a covenant 
never to depart fi'om one another, etc. John 
PaiTQelee, tii'st, born in England, date of birth 



not given; John, Jr., second, date of birth 
not given, but very probably in England; 
Isaac, third generation, born in Guilford Nov. 
21, 1665; Abraham, fourth, in Guilford, May 
18, 1692; Abraham, Jr., fifth, in Guilford, 
April 28, 1717; Theodore, sixth, born April 3, 
1751; Theodoi'e Hudson, seventh, Jan. 25, 
1792, and came to this State in November, 
1812, settling on the farm now known as the 
Swartz place, retm'ning to his native place to 
teach school during the winter ; in the fall, Nov. 
3, 1813, was married, and started, on the morn- 
ing of the 4th, to their home in the wilder- 
ness, where they endured every hardship of an 
early pioneer life; they had nine children, six 
of whom are living — Mrs. Caroline K. Earl, 
born Oct. 30, 1814, of the eighth generation; 
Maria, Eleza A., Mrs. Clarinda Chapman; 
Charles, living in Tallmadge Township; and 
Martha, a Mrs. Rose, her husband an ex-Mayor 
of Cleveland; Theodore H. Earl, of the ninth 
generation, eldest son of IVIrs. Caroline H. 
Earl, born April 18, 1836, in Newton Falls, 
Trmnbull Co., Ohio; his child, Leafy, of the 
tenth generation, born Oct. 29, 1868, in New 
London, Wis. ; the father of the eighth gener- 
ation was a man of gi'eat ability, holding many 
of the prominent positions in the county, a 
man of sterling integi'ity and honor, a mem- 
ber of the church during the greater part of 
his life. Eliza began attending Oberlin Col- 
lege in 1842, and graduated in 1844, being 
one of five of the family who graduated from 
that college, Charles taking the collegiate 
course, and six of the family attended the 
same institution; she taught for more than 
thirteen years in different academies in the 
State of Pennsylvania; during the college 
years of 1856 and 1857, she held the position 
of Professor of Natural Sciences in the col- 
lege at Iberia, Morrow Co., Ohio; this posi- 
tion she resigned, and retm-ned home to take 
care of her mother and grandmother who were 
aged and feeble; she is now superintending 
her farm of more than 100 acres of choice 
land, in the eastern part of Norton Township. 
DR. W. T. PARMELE, physician. New 
Portage; was born in Southington, Conn., 
Feb. 19, 1830, to N. L. and Eximena (Horton) 
Parmele; his father, who was also a physi- 
cian, removed to Delhi Co., N. Y., where he 



974 



]5I0GRAPinCAL SKETCHES: 



resided three years; then to Baker, Brown 
Co.; then, in 1851, he moved to Binghamp- 
ton, where he died March 4, 1880, after a 
practice of about fifty years. W. T. received 
a common- school education, and, after study- 
ing with his father until about 22 years of 
age, attended lectures at Geneva, N. Y. He 
has practiced medicine for about twenty-nine 
years, in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland 
and Ohio; also on board the Government ships 
as Assistant Physician for five years, from 
Norfolk, Va., to Palestine, and in Suixmiit Co. 
for the last seven years, now located at New 
Portage; was married, Oct. 14, 1851, to Sarah 
Slaight, a native of York State, and daughter 
of David and Catharine Slaight, by whom he 
had one child — Gertrude, born Oct. 3, 1854, 
now the wife of William Creque, residing at 
Trumansburg, N. Y. ; his first wife died in the 
year 1801; his second marriage, to Mary Jane 
Porter, daughter of William C. and Mary 
Jane (Graves) Porter. The Doctor is a stanch 
Republican, a member of the I. O. O. F. and 
Sons of Temperance, in which cause he is an 
earnest worker. He was Independent Assist- 
ant Physician at the battle of Gettysburg; is 
a member of the Evangelical Association, 
Superintendent of two Sabbath schools for two 
years, and teacher of Bible-class for four 
years. 

M. LOUIS SHOOK, painter, Norton Center. 
The subject of this sketch was born in 
Chatham Township, Medina Co., Ohio, his 
father, a prominent farmer, residing on the 
old homestead. Louis received a common- 
school education, attending, after his 9th 
year, in winters only, his services being re- 
quired upon the farm during the summer sea- 
son; he, however, being an apt scholar, soon 
mastered all that was then taught in the com- 
mon schools, and, at the age of 17 years, hav- 
ing overcome great opposition, received the 
benefit of one term at a select school at 
Chatham Center; the second winter follow- 
ing, he taught a district school in his native 
township with good success; the autumn fol- 
lowing, he again attended school at Chatham 
Center; the next winter, he taught school in 
Homer Township, where he continued dm-ing 
the winter seasons until his 23d year; prior 
to this time, however, he had turned his atten- 



tion to painting, which he ultimately adopted 
as a profession, after attaining his majority. 
During his early career as a teacher, he be- 
came acquainted with the lady who afterward 
became his wife — Miss Minnie Messinger; 
they were married Oct. 17, 1875, since which 
time he has resided at his present location. 
In the summer of 1876, he engaged to teach 
the Center District School for nine months in 
succession; this so impaired his health that 
he abandoned teaching and engaged in the 
mercantile bu.siness with Adam G. Seas, at 
Norton Center, during which time his father- 
in-law died. May, 1878; subsequently, on ac- 
count of light trade, they closed out the busi- 
ness, and he again, in 1879, resumed the 
brush, which he has continued with success 
until the present time. Dm'ing the coiu'se of 
his mercantile career, he was instrumental in 
restoring the post office at Norton Center, at 
which place he is Postmaster, also holding the 
position of Township Clerk by appointment. 
Of his ancestry, one branch can be traced to 
Germany, his great-great-grandfather, Ack- 
erman by name, emigrating from that coun- 
try to Philadelphia near the time of the Rev- 
olution, and from that city to Bucks Co. ; he 
had a family of six sons, viz. : John, Jacob, 
Daniel, George, Henry and Abraham; from 
Bucks Co. they moved to Lower Mt. Bethel 
Township, Northampton Co., Perm., where 
they purchased a large tract of land on the 
Little Martin's Creek, where he soon erected 
a saw and grist mill; at the death of the elder 
Ackerman, his son Jacob, who is the direct 
ancestry of the Shook family, became the mil- 
ler; the property was divided among the sons, 
who, having settled upon different parts of the 
estate, formed quite a settlement, which was 
called Ackermanville, and now known by that 
name. In 1823 or 1824, Jacob rebuilt the 
mill, which he owned until his death. He 
was married to Rebecca Kulb, by whom he 
had three sons and eight daughters, respect- 
ively: John, Isaac, Catharine, Elizabeth, Bar- 
bara, Rebecca, Mary, Susan, Magdaline, Lydia 
and Jacob, who fell heir to the mill property, 
and who is still living on the old homestead. 
Hem-y Shook, grandfather of the subject of 
this sketch, was born in 1799, in Plainfield 
Township, Northampton Co. , Penn. ; he mar- 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



975 



ried Catharine Ackerman in the year 1820, 
and worked his father's farm for about seven- 
teen years ; from there he moved to Tunkhan- 
nock, Wyoming Co., Penn., in the year 1837; 
he was the father of nine children, as follows: 
Jacob, George, Rebecca, Susan, Isaac, John 
E., Catharine, Aaron and Helen; their eldest 
son, Jacob, was born in Plainfield Township, 
Northampton Co., July 18, 1821; he lived 
with his parents until their removal to Wy- 
oming Co., when he returned to his uncle at 
Ackermanville to learn the miller's trade, at 
which he worked until in the winter of 1843; 
he was married, in the fall of 1842, to Rebecca 
Berkey, who was bom Aug. 11, 1818, near Ban- 
gor, Penn. ; in the spring of 1843, he mi- 
grated to Ohio with his father-in-law, Chris- 
tian Berkey; they came in wagons, making 
the trip in twenty- four days, landing in Ches- 
ter Township, Wayne Co., Ohio, on the 16th 
day of May, 1843; here he remained working 
in several different mills for a few years, 
finally renting a mill near Ashland, Ohio, 
where he remained until the year 1851, when, 
on account of ill health, he abandoned his 
trade and purchased a farm of 56 acres in 
Chatham Township, Medina Co., where he 
moved on the 2d of April of that year; a few 
years later, 40 acres more were added to their 
home, where they are now surrounded with 
every comfort necessary for the enjoyment of 
life. They have been blessed with foiu- chil- 
dren — Mary A., born in Chester Township, 
Wayjie Co., June 20, 1843, was married in 
January, 1864, to John Hange; Susan was 
born near Ashland, June 7, 1846; married 
Irwin Reimel in October, 1869; resides in 
Upper Mt. Bethel Township, Northampton 
Co., Penn.; M. Louis, born June 1, 1853; 
Katie, Dec. 25, 1857, in Chatham, the young- 
est still remaining at home. Of the mother's 
family, the great-grandfather. Christian 
Berkey, was born in 1759; he was a native of 
Pennsylvania, and was married to Gertrude 
Kulp; they had ten childi-en. Christian 
Berkey, Sr., died in 1829; his wife, in 1840. 
Their home was in Lower Mt. Bethel Town- 
ship, Northampton Co. , where their son Chris- 
tian was born, and married Barbara Shaum in 
1817. IVIi's. Minnie Shook, wife of our sub- 
ject, was a daughter of Jacob Messinger, who 



was fi'om Forks Township, Northampton Co., 
where his brothers and sisters still reside; he 
came to Ohio about 1854, and was married to 
Mrs. Mary A. Johnson, by whom he had two 
children — Minnie and La Fayette, the latter 
dying when about 4 years of age, and the fa- 
ther May 8, 1878. 

The SEIBERLING-MILLER COMPANY, 
Doylestown, Wayne Co., Ohio. This company, 
in the year 1861, began business at their pres- 
ent location, under the firm name of Cline, Seib- 
erling & Hower, in the manufacture of the now 
famous Excelsior Mower and Reaper, then an 
entirely new machine, invented by John F. 
Seiberling, a young farmer of Norton Town- 
ship, who has, by his numerous inventions, 
been of great service to the agi'icultui-al inter- 
ests of the United States; a more complete 
history of his various enterprises will be 
found under the head of the City of Akron, 
where he has been engaged in the extensive 
manufacture of machinery since 1865, still re- 
taining one-third interest in the Doylestown 
company, with his brother, James H. Seiber- 
ling, and S. H. Miller, a brother-in-law, super- 
seding the other three partners, J. H. and J. 
J. Hower, and Peter Cline. The firm have 
rapidly increased their business from the 
manufacture of twenty-five machines in the 
year 1861, to about 1,500 the past year, at 
their shops in Doylestown. This energetic 
firm, though not being able to supply the de- 
mand for their now popular machines, have 
greatly increased their machinery and facility 
for work, so that they are now able to manu- 
facture, with the same work, fi-om three to fom* 
hundred more machines than formerly. In 
connection with the Excelsior, which they be- 
gan manufacturing more than twenty years 
ago, with all the dilferent improvements and 
attachments which time and expense could 
suggest to an inventive mind, they are also 
constructing the Empire Mower and Reaper, 
an invention of Mr. Seiberling's about six 
years ago; and, in 1880, he brought out the 
new single-wheel reaper, which was thor- 
oughly tested, and will be quite extensively 
manufactui'ed this year. They are building 
the following difi'erent machines: Two styles 
of sweep-rake, table-rake, di'opper, self-binder, 
single-wheel reaper, etc. James H. Seiber- 



'-v 



^jv 



976 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



ling, the head of this firm, is a son of Nathan 
Seiberling, whose history appears in another 
part of this work; he was born Nov. 25, 1835, 
and received a very ordinary education, re- 
maining with his father until his marriage, 
which occurred Oct. 9, 18C0, to Elizabeth 
Baughman, who was born in Norton Township 
Aug. 28, 1838, to David and Elizabeth (Block- 
er) Baughman. They have four children — 
Mattie Jane, born Feb. 17, 1864; Albert 
Franklin, May 1(3, 18()6; Olive May, Dec. 14, 
1868; Robert Walter, Dec. 21. 187-1; two died 
— Allen Byron, born March 6, 1862, died 
Sept. 15, 1866; George Willard, March 19, 
1873, died Sept. 24, 1874. After marriage, 
Mr. Seiberling engaged in farming on the 
Harter farm one year, then purchased a farm 
in Copley, where he resided one year, 
then sold his farm for the purpose of 
engaging in his present business; he now 
owns one of the finest farms, of 196 acres, 
in Norton Township. Samuel H. Miller, 
the junior partner, was born May 28, 1839, 
in Northampton Co., Penn., son of John 
Miller, whose history also appears in this 
work. Mr. S. H. Miller is in possession of 
some old relics, owned first by Walder Miller, 
a native of Germany, who died in 1806, aged 
92 years; next, by David Miller, who died in 
1831, aged 75 years; third, by Jacob Miller, 
died in 1836, aged 57 years; fourth, by John 
Miller, father of our subject, who is still liv- 
ing. Samuel H. remained in school until 12 
years of age; went to Akron, where he clerked 
about six years in the store of M. W. Heniy: 
he afterward attended school and remained on 
the farm until December 15, 1863, when he be- 
gan cleiking for Cline, Seiberling & Co., at 
Doylestown, where he remained until in 1865, 
when he was made a partner in the firm. He 
was married, Aug. 29, 1867, to Ella L. 
Schneider, daughter of Alfred and Clarissa 
(Clewell) Schneider, who were natives of 
Pennsylvania. They have had six childi-en, 
three of whom are living — Alfred -J., born 
Dec. 8, 1868; William R., March 6, 1875; 
Carrie E., Jan. 24, 1877. His wife was born 
Jan. 27, 1847. Willard H., Robert, and an 
infant son, died in infancy. 

NATHAN SEIBERLING, farmer; P. O. 
Western Star. More than fifty years ago. 



there came among the " Yankees " of Norton 
Township one of the first of that industrious 
and thriving German population which now 
inhabit' the township, and who became the 
successors to the first "Yankee" settlers in 
that part of the Western Reserve. Mr. Sei- 
berling, to whom the writer alludes, was born 
April 14, 1810, in Lynn Township, Northamp- 
ton Co., Penn. ; he is a son of John F. and Cath- 
arine (Bear) Seiberling; his grandfather was 
Frederick, his gi'eat- grandfather Christian, all 
natives of Pennsylvania. The Seiberling fam- 
ily are noted for longevity, all the ancestry 
mentioned living in the early remembrance of 
our subject. The father of Nathan was a 
shoemaker and farmer, and, at the time of 
his death, which occiuTed in his 93d year, was 
the oldest office-holder in the United States 
Government, having held the office of Post- 
master in his native county for more than 
sixty years. Our subject worked on the farm 
and learned the trade of shoe- making in the 
shop with his father; his school-days were of 
less than one year's dirration, he obtaining his 
education by closely economizing the spare 
moments. He was mamed, Dec. 6. 1829, to 
Catharine Peter, born June 27, 1811, a daugh- 
ter of Jacob and Margaret (Moser) Peter, 
natives of Northampton Co.; in June, 1831, 
he came to his present home, where he pur- 
chased 96 acres in the woods, and began life 
with a determination which won for him wealth 
and honor in after years; after working hard 
all day in the woods, he would return at night 
with a light heart to his hiimble home and 
faithful wife, where, after the fiaigal meal, 
he would work until 12 o'clock at night, his 
wife beside him, whittling out pegs, at shoe- 
making, for the few neighbors, that he might 
earn bread for his family's support; but, by 
industry and frugal living, he became very 
prosperous, owning, at one time, several hun- 
dred acres of valuable land, besides invest- 
ments in stocks and bonds, all of which he has 
shared liberally with his large family, fifteen 
in number, eleven of whom are living, one 
having died in infancy; two sons and one 
daughter after arriving at maturity. His sons 
have become very prominent as inventors and 
manufacturers of machinerj^, their farming 
implements being used throughout the differ- 



rV 



^ 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



977 



ent States and Territories ; six sons are repre- 
sented in this work, with their farming and 
manufacturing interests. Mr, Seiberling is 
a stanch Republican; has the office of Justice 
of the Peace, and, with his family, are mem- 
bers of the Lutheran Church, he and wife 
having been members of that organization for 
about fifty-five years. 

COLUMBUS SEIBEKLING, farmer; P. 
O. Western Star. Columbus Seiberling, a 
promising young farmer and stock-dealer, was 
born to Nathan Seiberling on the 14th day of 
November, 1848, near where he now resides. 
His education, as far as the prosecution of his 
studies at school, was very limited, but, by 
close application to study during his spare 
moments, he has thoroughly informed himself 
upon all the general topics of the day. He, 
as a dutiful son, assisted his father with the 
numerous cares of his extensive business until 
attaining his majority. In the early winter 
of 1869, he went to the State of Iowa,where 
he engaged in farming, principally, for a time, 
then traveled through difierent parts of the 
West, viewing the country, retui'ning in the 
winter of 1870. March 14, 1871, he was mar- 
ried to Sarah J. Miller, daughter of Stephen 
D. and Mary A. (Musser) Miller, who were 
natives of the State of Pennsylvania, and 
among the early settlers of this county; by 
her he has had six children, five of whom are 
living — Mary C, born Nov. 3, 1872; Mattie 
May, Nov. 3, 1873, died at 10 months of age; 
Corman E., Feb. 4, 1875; Carrie E., Jan. 1, 
1877; Sadie May, Dec. 4, 1878; Lohman 
Arthur, July 29, 1880. Mr. Seiberling is 
always interested in the advancement of edu- 
cation and the improvement of society; also, 
in the improvement of farm and agriculture 
generally. He and family are members of 
the Lutheran Church, and have the esteem 
and respect of all their neighbors. 

MILTON A. SEIBERLING, farmer; P. O. 
Sherman; son of Nathan Seiberling, whose 
interesting history appears in another place in 
this work, was born Nov. 20, 1850, and re- 
ceived a common school education, at the same 
time rendering his father valuable assistance 
in his business until his marriage, Nov. 30, 
1871, to Fyetta E. Johnson, daughter of 
Joseph and Mary Ann (Hartzell,) afterward a 



Mrs. Messinger. Mrs. Seiberling was born 
in Norton Township, but her parents were 
natives of Pennyslvania. They have two chil- 
dren — Minnie Letitia, born April 15, 1873; 
Mattie May, Jan. 28, 1875. Mr. Seiberling 
is an enterprising young man, industrious 
and frugal in his habits, pleasing and cour- 
teous in his manners, and highly esteemed by 
the people of the community in which he 
lives. He and wife are members of the 
Lutheran Church. 

CHARLES STUVER, Western Star, who 
was born Jan. 9, 1808, is a son of John, he of 
Philip Stuver, who was a native of Germany, 
a comb-maker by trade, emigrated to this 
country about the middle of the eighteenth 
century and settled in Pennsylvania, where 
our sul3Ject and his father were born. Charles 
received his education in Geiman by attend- 
ing subscription school a short time, and, in 
his earlier years, rendering his father what 
assistance he was able on the farm. At about 
17 years of age, he began learning the wheel- 
wright's trade, at which he worked until in 
the spring of 1849, when he moved to Wads- 
worth Township, where he lived two years, 
then moved to the farm on which he now lives. 
His mother was Elizabeth Bauer, daughter of 
Daniel and Margaret (Shutt), natives of 
Pennsylvania. Charles was married, July 3, 
1831, to Mary Ann San tee, daughter of Joseph 
and Margaret (Ritter) Santee, natives of Penn- 
sylvania, but of French origin. They had 
twelve children, all living, viz.: Marietta 
Salinda, James Dillworth, Annaminda Eliza- 
beth, Henry William, Emma Caroline, Aaron 
Simon, Adeline Rebecca, Jonas Franklin, 
Sarah Ann Clarissa, Sevilla Louisa, Eliza 
Adelia, Florenda Catharine — all man'ied ex- 
cept Sevilla Louisa, who is living at home 
with her father, the mother being deceased 
since March, 1878; Adaline, married to 
Joseph Kulp, a dentist in Muscatine, Iowa; 
Aaron married a Miss Josephine Hufi", and is 
now a member of the bar at Newton, Iowa; 
Henry, to Susannah Miller, of this township, 
is now farming near Brookfield, Mo. ; Mari- 
etta, Mrs. John Santee, who is farming in 
Wadsworth Township, Medina Co"; Annamin- 
da, Mrs. John Hoch, a farmer in Center Nor- 
ton; James, married to Miss Kate Hoch; he 



ifv 



978 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



it now farming in Wadsworth Township; 
Jonas, to Kate Hodge; is book-keeper in the 
Woods bank at Arkon; Emma, Mrs. William 
Santee, a mechanic at the Empire shops, 
Akron, Ohio; Sarah, Mrs. Greorge Wise, who 
is engaged in the rubber works at Akron; 
Eliza, ]VIi-s. Chai'les Holloway, of the firm of 
Holloway & Myers, boots and shoes, Akron; 
Florenda, a Mrs. Durbin Holloway, of the firm 
of Harrison & Holloway, dry goods, Akron. 
In 1876, the Brewster Coal Company of Aki'on 
opened a mine of several acres of superior 
coal, the vein averaging about four and a half 
feet, which afi'ords him a large income. He 
and his interesting family are members of the 
Lutheran Church, and greatly respected by 
the people of their township. 

HEJ^RY TIPPERY, farmer; P. O. Loyal 
Oak; is the son of Abraham Tippery, a native 
of Williamsport, Md., who died in the spring 
of 1872, aged 81 years; his mother is still liv- 
ing, in her 85th year, in Clarion Co., Penn., 
but a native of Berks Co., Penn.; her maiden 
name was Elizabeth Harpst, daughter of 
Andi'ew and Barbara Harpst. Heniy was 
born July 2(3, 1827, and received his educa- 
tion by attending about two months in each 
year, fi'om 13 years until about 20; he ren- 
dered what assistance he was able on the farm 
until about 24 years of age, when he engaged 
as farm hand for two years to one Samuel 
Fox; was married June 9, 1853, and worked 
with Ml". Fox thirteen years longer; his wife 
was Elizabeth Goodman, daughter of Jacob 
and Mary (Alshouse) Goodman, her parents 
being natives of Pennsylvania. In Septem- 
ber, 1868, they moved from Clarion Co. to the 
farm on which they now live; they have had 
four children, three of whom died in infancy; 
the one living is Mary C, born July 9, 1854, 
living at home. Mr. Tippery and family are 
members of the Reformed Church, and a lib- 
eral donor to the support of religious and 
educational piu-poses ; he has served a number 
of years as Township Trustee, and as Clerk of 
the township two terms; is a public-spirited 
man, and connected with the society of Pat- 
rons of Husbandry, in which he has held the 
higiiest offices. 

SYLVESTER VAN HYNING, farmer; P. 
O. New Portage; was born in Mahoning Co.,- 



Ohio, Nov. 22, 1805, to Henry and Hannah 
(Brauer) Van Hyning, who were natives of 
the State to New York, but came to North- 
ampton Township, Summit Co., through Ma- 
honing, in the fall of 1805 ; after a residence 
of about ten year's in Northampton, they 
moved to the farm upon which the subject of 
this sketch now resides, they being among the 
first settlers in Norton Township, and Mr. Van 
Hyning the oldest settler now living in the 
township. He received about three months' 
schooling in a log schoolhouse; his services 
being required upon the farm, he was de- 
prived of the advantages which would have 
better qualified him, and made his subsequent 
active life more satisfactory to himself. The 
farm of 150 acres upon which he now lives was 
purchased by his father about sixty-five years 
ago, of a Mr. Robinson, at |3-^- per acre. He 
was married to Melissa Hollister, born Oct. 
24, 1821, by whom he had eight children, 
seven of whom are living — Hannah, born 
March 22, 1838; Heniy, July 16, 1840; 
Peny, Jan. 29, 1845; Sylvester, Sept. 5, 
1848; Norman, Nov. 15, 1851; Homer, Oct. 
14, 1856; Giles, Jan. 24, 1859; Chai-les, Aug. 
24, 1862; died Oct. 24, 1865. Mi-. Van Hyn- 
ing, the father of om* subject, died at 102 
years of age, after a long and wearisome pio- 
neer life. Sylvester is a careful farmer, giv- 
ing attention to the most improved methods of 
agriculture and stock-raising. Although not 
a member of a chui'ch, he is a liberal giver 
to the cause of religion and the building of 
churches, his wife being a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal denomination. 

ISRAEL WARE, deceased; born in Ells- 
worth Township, Trumbull Co., Ohio, May 23, 
1808, to Daniel and Magdalene (Bitter) Ware, 
who were natives of the State of Pennsylvania, 
and came to Summit Co. among its early set- 
tlers, where they engaged in clearing up the 
country. After a residence of about one year 
in this new country, Daniel, the father, died, 
leaving his wife, Magdalene, with four small 
children, who, for support, were thrown upon 
their o'wti resources; his was the first grave 
made in the old burying- ground belonging to 
the German Reformed Chm'ch, situated in the 
edge of Wayne Co., adjoining the corners of 
Simnnit and Medina Cos. Israel was married 



Ml 



NORTON TOWNSHIP. 



979 



to Mary A. Loutzenhiser, by whom this 
sketch was related, June 10, 1831; she was 
born Jan, 13, 1809, in North Huntington, 
Westmoreland Co., Penn., and daughter of 
David and Catharine (Long) Loutzenhiser, 
who moved from the East to Norton Township 
in 1829, more than fifty years ago. By her 
he had eight children, six of whom are living, 
all in this vicinity; those living are Josiah, 
boiTi July 3, 1832; Louisa, March 15, 1834; 
Carlos, Feb. 6, 1836; Mary A., Jan. 21, 1838; 
Norman, Feb. 24, 1840; Isabel, March 24, 
1842; Catharine, Jan. 28, 1844; Daniel L, 
Aug. 3, 1846. Carlos was killed at the battle 
of Jackson, Miss., while nobly bearing the col- 
ors; Catharine died in her 19th year; and 
Israel, the father, July 18, 1861. Mrs. Ware 
and all her children are members of the Ger- 
man RefoiTiied Chui'ch. 

JOHN WALTENBERGER, farmer; P. O. 
Loyal Oak; born in Franklin Township, Stark 
Co. then, now Summit, March 11, 1825; son 
of Daniel, he of Daniel, natives of Pennsylva- 
nia, but settled in said county about 1814, 
among the pioneers. His mother, Mary 
Whitesalt, daughter of Conrad W., who set- 
tled near Union town. Stark Co., about the same 
time that the Waltenbergers settled in Franklin 
Township. The father, Daniel, was among 
the number who cleared the land of its heavy 
growth of timber and shared all the trials of 
early pioneer life; raised a family of five chil- 
dren, two of whom are living — John, and 
Sarah, Mi's. William Belts, of Franklin Town- 
ship. The father died in January, 1872, in 
his 79th year; his mother, in 1872, in her 
72d year. John received an ordinary educa- 
tion, and worked with his father on the farm 
until his man'iage, which occurred Feb. 21, 
1850, to Susan Baughman, born March 25, 
1824, daughter of John and Agatha (Conrad) 
Bauglmaan, whose grandfather and grand- 
mother were Leonard and Agatha (Redich) 
Conrad. They have had three children, two of 
whom are living — Amanda Viola, born Aug. 
19, 1851; and Frank M., Sept 1, 1855; the 
youngest died in infancy; Amanda V. married, 
March 12, 1872, to William H. Young, a 
farmer and mechanic, by whom she had two 
children — Clara May, born May 9, 1874; and 
Carmon Walter, Nov. 17, 1878; the husband 



died July 31, 1880, in Copley Township, 
where they resided. Mi-. Waltenberger is a 
successful farmer ; has been Township Trustee 
and member of School Board. They are 
members of church, and liberal givers to all 
worthy enterprises, and those conducive to 
good, and the advancement of the people. 

WILLIAM WUCHTER, retired fai-mer; 
P. O. Johnson's Corners; bom in Lehigh Co., 
Pemi., May 15, 1819; is a son of John and 
Maria B. (Sammel) Wuchter. William is 
about eight years older than his brother Eli, 
who is also represented in this work, and in 
whose sketch a more complete history of the 
family will be found. William received but a 
meager education, his time being occupied in 
assisting his father on farm and in general 
work until his marriage, which occurred 
March 26, 1846, to Aurilla A. Cahon, daugh- 
ter of James and Miranda (Holmes ) Cahon, 
he a native of Maryland, she of Sheffield, 
Mass.; her parents Joseph and Charlotte 
Holmes, came to Norton Township in 1816, 
being one of the first families in the township. 
William and his wife have had a family of 
thirteen childi-en, seven of whom are living — 
George Wallace, Mary L., Am-illa V., Helen, 
Eli H., Lottie M. and Sarah Lydia; fom- are 
married — George W. to Sarah Hines, living 
in Tallmadge Township, this coimty; Mary 
S., Mrs. Ephraim Marsh, living in Osceola 
Co., Mich.; Am-illa V., JVIrs. Joseph D. 
Knecht, living in Akron; Helen, IVIrs. Thomas 
B. Dillworth, also resides in Akron; the thi-ee 
yoimger ones are at home. Mr. Wuchter has 
always been engaged in agricultm-e since 
coming to this State, in Coventry and Noi-ton 
Townships; is a stanch Republican, and he 
and wife are members of the Lutheran 
Church. 

ELI WUCHTER, farmer; P. O. Johnson's 
Comers; was born in Lehigh Co., Penn., Jan. 
12, 1827, and is a son of John, born Jan. 9, 
1792; he of Martin. His mother, Maria Bar- 
bara (Sammel), born Sept. 24, 1789; she of 
John and Anna Maria (Schneck), who were 
residents of the State of Pennsylvania. The 
Wuchter family moved to Norton Township 
in the spring of 1834, from the East, and en- 
gaged in agricultm-al piu-suits, with the father 
working a part of each year at the stone-ma- 



^ 



^V 



:t£ 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



son's trade, until the latter years of this life, 
which were spent in coopering. After the 
death of his wife, in 1849, Feb. 20, he was 
remarried, and lived until the Ist day of Sep- 
tember, 1863. Eli spent the earlier years of 
his life, or until the death of his mother work- 
ing on the farm and obtaining the meager ed- 
ucation which he received; he then worked 
for about tlu-ee years in the States of New 
York, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois; was mar- 
ried, May 13, 1852, to Susan Betz, born Aug. 



17, 1833, and daughter of John and Rebecca 
(Beyer) Betz, who were also natives of Penn- 
sylvania, but moved to this part of Ohio about 
1832. The family consists of thi-ee childi'en 
— Rebecca Catharine, born March 29, 1853; 
died Aug. 23, 1854; Mai-tha Amelia, Aug. 18, 
1855; and John Harvey, April 1, 1860, living 
at home. Mr. Wuchter is a stanch Repub- 
lican, and, with his family, members of the 
Lutheran Church, and respected by all the 
neighborhood. 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



ELKANAH BENDER, farmer and school 
teacher; P. O. Inland; son of Daniel and 
Levina (Wadsworth) Bender, born in Grreens- 
burg March 24, 1853. His grandfather, Jacob 
Bender, removed from Lancaster Co., Penn., 
about the year 1821, and settled in Springfield 
Township. Jacob was a millwright for many 
years, and worked at what is now called the 
Chamberlain Mill. He was married, first to 
Miss Catharine May, who was by him the 
mother of Daniel Bender, born May 25, 1820, 
in Lancaster Co., Penn. After his first wife 
died, Jacob married Rebecca Kreighbaum, 
and settled in Green Township. Daniel, the 
father of Elkanah Bender, removed with his 
parents to Siunmit Co. when he was about 1 
year old. He was educated in the common 
schools of Springfield Township, and, when 
about 13 years of age, was apprenticed to 
learn the harness-maker's trade. He worked 
one year at Uniontown, and then finished his 
apprenticeship at Canton; he afterward 
worked at Massillon, Greentown, Greensburg 
and other places. When about 21 years of 
age, he started a shop in Greensburg, where 
he continued in business until he died. He 
was married, first to Catharine France — she 
died about six months after their marriage, 
and, about two years afterward, in February, 
1846, he "led to the altar" Miss Levina 
Wadsworth, daughter of Samuel and Catha- 
rine (Runk) Wadsworth, who were married 
in Westmoreland Co.. Penn., where Samuel 
Wadsworth died. Shortly after his decease, 



Mrs. Wadsworth removed to Ohio with her 
daughter Levina, who was born March 2, 
1822, and they settled in Stark Co. for one 
year; then removed to Green Township and 
resided south of Greensburg two years, and 
after Mrs. Wadsworth married Jonathan Gra- 
ble she removed to the village, where she died, 
July 10, 1876, in the 80th year of her age. 
In February, 1853, Daniel Bender bought the 
farm of 36^ acres, now occupied by his wife 
and children, who erected their present resi- 
dence in the summer of 1878. Previous to 
occupying this house, they resided in Greens- 
burg for many years. Daniel Bender served 
as Township Treasurer many years, and was 
elected Township Trustee several terms. He 
died July 2, 1861, leaving three children — 
Marietta, born August 6, 1848, now married 
to Alkiah Koontz, of Stow Township, and the 
mother of three children — Alice, Russell and 
Katie; Alice A. Bender, was born Nov. 18. 
1850; and Elkanah, March 24, 1853. Their 
mother is a member of the Church of Christ 
at Greensburg. Elkanah has been a teacher 
for the past ten years; at the age of 17, he 
took charge of the school in the Grable Dis- 
trict ; he then taught one term in the Johnson 
District; then one term in the Frank District, 
and, for the next five, was employed in Greens- 
bm*g. During the winter of 1880-81, he had 
charge of the school in King District. 

ELIAS CRAMER, farmer; P. O. Inland; 
the only son of Daniel and Elizabeth (Thorn- 
ton) Cramer; born in Green Township Sept. 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



981 



14, 1834. Daniel was the youngest son of 
Solomon Cramer, who removed with his fam- 
ily from Center Co., Penn., and settled in 
Green Township during the year 1812, when 
Daniel was quite young; owing to the poor 
facilities for acquiring an education in those 
days, Daniel did not secure in his youth a 
ver}' extended knowledge of the common 
branches, but, by his own efforts in later years, 
he gained a fair education; he was early 
apprenticed to learn the carpenter's trade with 
Peter Buchtel, which occupation he followed 
until his decease; he was married, in March, 
1833, to Miss Elizabeth Thornton, whose only 
child is the subject of this sketch; a short 
time after his marriage, he purchased of 
William Benn 45 acres of land lying south- 
west of Greensburg, and, in 1850, 17 acres 
belonging to the estate of Louis Spotts. 
Daniel was a member of the Evangelical 
Association of Greensburg, of which congre- 
gation he was an active, influential and con- 
sistent member, holding for many years the 
offices of Class-leader, Exhorter and Trustee. 
He died April 26, 1863. Elias Cramer, his 
son, was educated in the schools of Green 
Township, and attended Greensbui'g Semi- 
nary; he worked on his father's farm until his 
death; was a member of the 164th Regiment 
O. N. G., and during the civil war was called 
into the service for some four months; is 
owner at the present time of about 52 acres 
of land; was married, Aug. 16, 1860, to Miss 
Rebecca Staver, daughter of Rev. Elias and 
Mary (Yerrick) Sta>er; eight children are the 
fruit of this union — Oliver J., Daniel, Sarah 
J., Emma, Elizabeth, Mary Anna and Etta. 
Mr. and Mrs. Cramer are connected with the 
Evangelical Association of Greensburg, of 
which church he is an active and consistent 
member, having held in the past years the 
oifices of Class-leader, Exhorter, Trustee and 
Steward; is Superintendent of the Sunday 
school at the present time. In politics, he 
has always been a Republican. 

ABRAHAM CRAMER, farmer; P. O. Un- 
iontown; was born Oct. 26, 1827, in Green 
Township, and has been a resident ever since ; 
he is thfi only living child of Solomon and 
Elizabeth (Myers) Cramer. Solomon was 
born in Center Co., Penn., May 6, 1796, and, 



when about 16 years of age, his father, Abra- 
ham Cramer, removed to Summit Co. with his 
family, and settled in Green Township in 
1812, purchasing fi'om the Government the 
quarter- section now owned by William Stett- 
ler and John Snyder. Abraham was by his 
tii'st wife the father of five children — Solomon, 
Elizabeth, John, Daniel, and one whose name 
we have been unable to ascertain; Elizabeth 
married Michael Wise, and died many years 
ago; John worked on the Ohio Canal for some 
time, and afterward died at Greentown; Dan- 
iel died at Greensburg in April, 1863. Solo- 
mon, the father of the subject of this sketch, 
was married, about 1825, to Miss Myers, who 
died some live years later in 1830; he started 
in life as a poor man, and worked hard in 
order to secm^e a competency for his only 
child; about the year 1832, he purchased 
70 acres of Jacob Cline; nearly twenty 
years later he bought another piece of 40 
acres, and, again in 1860, another tract con- 
sisting of 41 acres, making a total of 151 
acres, which is now owned by his son. Solo- 
mon died March 8, 1874, nearly 78 years, 
while residing with his son Abraham. The 
subject of this sketch was educated in the 
schools of Green Township, and married, 
April 3, 1856, to Miss Sarah J. Wiley, daugh- 
ter of John and Ruah (Gaff) Wiley. They 
are the parents of seven childi-en — John Wes- 
ley, died in infancy; Ruah, married Daniel 
Vandersoll Dec. 9, 1880; Mary Ella, Walter 
Grant, Sarah M., Nellie died aged 2, and 
Harley Forrest. The present residence of 
the family was erected during the summer of 
1878. Mr. Cramer has always been a Repub- 
lican. He is a member of the Reformed 
Church, and formerly connected with the con- 
gi'egation at Millheim. 

JACOB FOLTZ, farmer; P. O. Nimisila; 
son of Abraham and Elizabeth (Lausche) 
Foltz, born in Lancaster Co., Penn., June 21, 
1822. Abraham was a tailor by trade, and 
also followed farming; he died in August, 
1831, at the age of 53; during his life he was 
married twice, and the father of eight children 
— John, George and Barbara by his first wife ; 
and Samuel, Jacob, Abraham, Elizabeth and 
Hemy by the second. Hemy Lausch, gi-and- 
father of Jacob Foltz, was a soldier during 



^ < 






982 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



the Revolutionary war, and wounded at the 
battle of Brandywine; he served thi-ee years 
during the struggle for American independ- 
ence. Jacob Foltz was educated in the com- 
mon schools of Pennsylvania, and, at the age 
of 14, he was apprenticed to learn the tailor's 
trade with Jonas Renningei', of East Earl; 
after remaining with him for five years, he 
worked for Benjamin Swartz, of East Cocal- 
ico, and, after some twelve months, opened a 
shop on his own account in Brecknock Town- 
ship, Lancaster Co., where he made custom 
work for many years. He discontinued this 
business about April, 1857, and some twelve 
months later removed to Franklin Township, 
Summit Co., where for thi'ee years he fol- 
lowed butchering, residing near Manchester; 
for the next five years he kept the Mansion 
House, at that village; in March, 1866, he 
removed to Green Township, having pur- 
chased 84 acres of land from James Serf ass; 
some four years later, he bought 26 acres 
from John Kaler; he sold a small tract of 5^ 
acres, and bought 15 more from Messrs. Her- 
ring and Rohrer, having at the present time 
about 70 acres. His residence was jnit up in 
the summer of 1876. Mi-. Foltz was married, 
Sept. 29, 1841, to Catharine Baker, daughter 
of Peter and Madgalena Baker, of Lancaster 
Co., and they are the parents of the follow- 
ing eight children: Lucetta, now Mrs. Da- 
vid Hotelling, of Ionia Co., Mich.; Susan, 
now Mrs. Hiram Haring, of Montcalm Co., 
Mich.; Elizabeth, now Mrs. David Stump, of 
Manchester, Franklin Township; Catharine, 
now Mrs. Frank Slaybaugh, of Williams Co., 
Ohio; Barbara, now Mrs. Reuben Clark, of 
Gratiot Co., Mich.; Isaac, now a resident of 
Manchester, Franklin Township; Maria, died 
aged about 20 while visiting in Michigan ; Caro- 
line, now Mrs. Benjamin Loeihr, of Wilson's 
Comers, Medina Co., Ohio. The first wife of 
Mr. Foltz died Nov. 21, 1868, and he was 
married the second time, to Mrs. Catharine 
Kauffman, daughter of John and Elizabeth 
(Grove) Stump. The resiilt of this union is 
one child — William Henry Foltz. By her 
first husband Mrs. Kauffman (now Mrs. 
Foltz), had six children; two died in infancy, 
four are living, viz.. Rev. J. C. Kauffman, 
now Pastor of the Lutheran Church, at Orr- 



ville; Levi M., now a resident of Franklin 
Township; S. Ellen, now at home; and Sam- 
uel S., now a student in the Junior Class of 
Wittenberg College, at Springfield, Ohio. 
Mr. and Mrs. Foltz are members of the New 
School Lutheran Church at Manchester, in 
which congregation Mr. Foltz has served as 
Deacon, Elder and Treasurer. He has also 
been elected Assessor of Green Township for 
one term, and of Franklin for two; was Land 
Appraiser for Green in 1870, of which town- 
ship he has also been chosen as Trustee. 

DANIEL FOUST, farmer; P. O. Inland; 
is the youngest son of John and Catharine 
(Schaber) Foust, was born at the farm upon 
which he now resides, Sept. 25, 1842. John 
was born in Union Co., Penn., May 2, 1795; 
he was the son of Philip and Magdalena 
(Long) Foust; when about 24, he removed to 
Green Township and purchased from the Gov- 
ernment the northeast quarter of Section 21 . 
(This land is now occupied by his widow and 
her son Daniel — it is the only tract in the 
township which has not passed from the 
hands of the original family that purchased 
it.) In 1820, this land was covered with a 
heavy growth of timber, but by hard work he 
succeeded in clearing this to a great extent; 
for many years he followed shoemaking and 
weaving at night and during the winter; he 
united with the Reformed Chm'ch dm-ing his 
youth, and was connected with the congrega- 
tion at East Liberty, of which he was an act- 
ive member, serving as Deacon and Elder for 
many years. John was mamed, Dec. 29, 
1822, to Catharine Schaber, who was born 
July 10, 1800; she was a daughter of Philip 
and Elizabeth (Bickle) Schaber. They were 
the parents of nine children, viz., Mary, born 
in 1828, married Samuel Foust and died many 
years ago; Elizabeth and Abraham, died in 
infancy; John, Dec. 19, 1829, and died about 
1854; Samuel, born June 6, 1881, and now a 
resident of Iowa City; Michael, Nov. 12, 1885, 
and died aged 14; George, Aug. 80, 1887; he 
enlisted in the 29th Regiment O. V. I., under 
Col. Buckley, and, after serving three years, 
was killed at Buzzard's Roost; Catharine, 
Nov. 16, 1840, now living with her mother; 
Daniel, the subject of this sketch. John died 
May 25, 1874, after living on his farm in 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



983 



Green Township over half a century. Daniel 
was educated in the schools of Green Town- 
ship; he has been a farmer and stock-raiser 
all his life; was a member of the 164th Reg- 
iment O. N. G., and was in active service for 
four months during 1864. For several years 
he owned a half interest in a threshing ma- 
chine with his cousin Abraham Foust. He 
recently purchased the full-blooded Durham 
Bull "Leo," and also other cattle of this 
grade; the Foust homestead was erected in 
1847; the barn was built in 1834, and re- 
fitted and painted in 1879. Daniel was mar- 
ried, Oct. 24, 1861, to Mary Ann Dreese, 
daughter of Isaac and Nancy ( Yerrick ) Dreese. 
They are the parents of seven children, all 
girls, of whom six are living — Minerva Ellen, 
Nancy Cora, Lorena Alice (deceased). Bertha 
May, Mary Abbi, Sarah Saloma and Celia 
Catharine. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Foust are 
members of the German Reformed Church at 
East Liberty. 

ISAAC FRANKS, farmer; P. O. Inland; 
was born Feb. 21, 1817, in that portion of 
Trumbull which is now within the limits of 
Mahoning Co. ; he was the son of Jacob and 
Elizabeth (Dice) Franks, who were natives of 
Washington Co., Penn., and removed with 
their parents to Trumbull Co., Ohio, where 
they were married; ten children were the 
result of their union, nine reached maturity 
— Samuel, now of Portage Co. ; Andrew, for- 
merly of Green Township, now deceased; 
John, a former resident of Green, but died 
some thirty years ago, his only son Joel was 
killed in the army; Henry, now of Eaton Co., 
Mich.; George, died in April, 1876, while 
residing north of Akron; Isaac, subject of 
this sketch; Jacob, died some seven years 
since in Iowa; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Peter 
Gates, of Muscatine, Iowa; Jonas, n'^w a res- 
ident of Michigan. Jacob Franks was a sol- 
dier during the war of 1812; he was wounded 
in the arm at a battle near Lake Erie, and 
carried the ball in his flesh for six months; 
dxu'ing the later years of his life, drew a pen- 
sion from the Government; he died about 
1847, aged 64 years; in April, 1850, his wife 
removed to Green Township and purchased 
103 acres of land, which was farmed by her 
son Andrew until his death; and then resided 



with her son Isaac until she died Oct. 27, 
1877, aged 97 years and 3 months. The sub- 
ject of this sketch removed to Green Town- 
ship about the year 1841, in the fall; he was 
then a poor man, and for ' some two years 
worked at days work and by the month, mak- 
ing rails, chopping wood and at the carpen- 
ter's trade, imtil he saved enough to warrant 
him in purchasing 64 acres of land, which 
tract he owns at the present time; he after- 
ward bought other land from various parties, 
and now owns about 280 acres ; having during 
the past twoscore years gained a competency 
by habits of industry and good business man- 
agement; he purchased the first threshing- 
machine ever brought to Summit (Jo., and, for 
six seasons, followed this business; in 1873, 
he erected his present residence which is the 
largest frame dwelling in the township. For 
some years Mr. Franks has been engaged in 
breeding thoroughbred stock. In 1868, he 
purchased the first two Jersey calves ever im- 
ported into Green Township, paying |205 for 
the animals; since then the Franks family 
have always had pure blooded cattle of this 
grade, which are as well bred for dairy pur- 
poses as any other stock of Jersey cows in 
Siunmit Co. In 1878, they paid $600 for 
three yearlings and three calves; they have 
also the most extensive stock of Italian bees 
in Green Township. Isaac Franks was mar- 
ried, June 13, 1850, to Miss Sai-ah Cathai'ine 
Miller, who was bom March 5, 1833; she was 
the daughter of John and Susan (Stambaugh) 
Miller; was born and raised in what is now 
Mahoning Co., where her father died in the 
fall o£ 1879, aged 90 years. Mr. and 'Mxs. 
Franks are members of the Evangelical Asso- 
ciation at Greensburg, of which denomination 
they have been earnest and consistent mem- 
bers for many years. They are the parents 
of two children — Emanuel and Mary E., now 
Mrs. Madison Kepler. Emanuel was born 
July 23, 1851; he was educated in the com- 
mon schools of his native township, and after- 
ward attended Greensbm-g Seminary for six 
terms. Was married, Nov. 21, 1876, to Ella 
Francis Cox, daughter of Henry and Char- 
lotte (Horner) Cox; they have one child — 
Lloyd Mondella, who was born June 25, 
1879. 



i >y 



984 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



JOSEPH GRABLE (deceased), formerly 
of Green Township, was born in Washington 
Co., Penn., Dec. 8, 1812; son of Jonathan 
and Catharine (Barkhammer) Grable, and 
married, in 1832, Susanna Cox, daughter of 
Jacob and Elizabeth (Hartsoph) Cox, who 
was also born in Washington Co., Oct. 18, 
1815, where they resided until 1884, and then 
removed to Green Township, settling upon 
the farm now occupied by Jacob Grable, 
which land Jonathan Grable, father of Joseph, 
had purchased fi'om the Government; they 
remained there for some twenty years, then 
removed to the farm now occupied by IVIrs. 
Susanna Grable, which Joseph purchased of 
Frederick Pontius about 1864; Joseph was 
always a farmer, but for many years cried 
sales for those desiring the services of an 
auctioneer; was chosen Land Appraiser by 
the citizens of Green Township, at one De- 
cennial Appraisment; he died March 9, 1867. 
Mr. and Mrs. Grable were members of the 
Disciples' Church; they were the parents of 
ten children; record of these is as follows: 
Sarah, born May 7, 1833, married Conrad 
Ream, and died aged about 24, leaving one son, 
Adam — now a resident of Caldwell Co., Mo. ; 
Mary Ann, May 8, 1835, and died in Iowa 
aged about 22; Jacob, born Sept. 6, 1886, 
now a resident of Green Township; he mar- 
ried Miss Ajinelia Stauffer Jan. 1, 1857 ; they 
have five children — Marion, Effie, Florence, 
Harry and Bessie; Elizabeth, March 9, 1888, 
married Willi am Col e, they reside near Belmont, 
111., having six children — Ellsworth, Clyde, 
Joseph, Hatty, Eddie and Samuel; Jonathan, 
April 5, 1889, died some three years since at 
Osceola, Iowa, leaving one child, named Anna ; 
Samuel, Aug. 19, 1840, resides in Green Town- 
ship with his mother; Catharine, November 
10, 1842, married Daniel Shutt, and died Oct. 
30, 1864; Jerome, Jan. 11, 1844, enlisted in 
the army for three years during the rebellion, 
and died about 1870; Levina, April 9, 1846, 
and died March 13, 1865; Minerva, Jan. 81, 
1848, married Alfred Yerrick, who died May 
16, 1879, leaving six children — Omsby, Lois 
Lovina (now living with her grandmother), 
Susan, Stella, Bessie, Johnny and Ida. Jon- 
athan Grable moved to Green Township a 
short time after his son Joseph did, and set- 



tled in the southern portion; he removed to 
Greensburg where he died many years since, 
and was bui'ied on his farm some two miles 
south of the village. 

REV. P. W. HAHN, Inland; was born in 
Columbiana Co., Ohio; the oldest son of Peter 
and Mary (Stump) Hahn; Peter was born in 
Baltimore Co., Md., and Mary Stump in York 
Co., Penn. They were married, in 1811, by 
Rev. Mr. Stauch, of the German Reformed 
Church. Dui'ing the year 1800, George 
Adam Hahn, father of Peter, left his Eastern 
home, with a family of six sons and daughters, 
and removed to Ohio, settling in Coliunbiana 
Co. The same year George Adam Stump, 
with his four sons and six daughters, left York 
Co., Penn., and occupied land in the same 
district in Ohio. Both of these pioneers had 
served in the American army dm-ing the Rev- 
olutionary war, and their grandson, the sub- 
ject of this sketch states: " I remember dis- 
tinctly of hearing them relate incidents of 
the war and of the gTeat and good man Wash- 
ington." These two families, with another by 
the name of Sumner, foi-med the nucleus of a 
new community; both of the sturdy patriots 
died in Springfield Township. Peter and 
Mary Hahn had nine children — Sarah, mar- 
ried Dr. Sowers, of Columbiana Co., and now 
deceased; Mary, now the wife of Rev. J. 
Crouse, of Tifiin, Ohio; Libbie, married J. H. 
Donald, and now deceased; Rev. P. W., now 
of Green Township; Rachael, now Mrs. J. 
Frankfort, of Rockford, 111.; J. W., now of 
Texas; J. D., now of Plainfield, 111.; George, 
died in California; Jeremiah, died in Illinois. 
The subject of this sketch was educated in 
the schools of Columbiana Co., and remained 
on his father's farm imtil 22 years of age; he 
then entered the ministry of the Evangel- 
ical Association, of which denomination he 
has been an active minister for thirty- 
seven years; during this period he has 
preached throughout Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, 
Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York and New 
Jersey ; he preached for two years at Kelly s 
Island in Lake Erie, crossing and re-crossing 
on the ice during the winter; for some twelve 
months he was collector of funds to aid the 
Evangelical Printing House now located at 
Cleveland. Mi'. Hahn was married, April 30, 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



985 



1846, to Mary A. Mottinger, daughter of John 
and Barbai'a (Long) Mottinger. They are 
the parents of four living children — Flora 
Almeda, Jennie Cornelia, Charles Beecher 
and Henry Ward. Rev. Hahn has charge at 
the present time (February, 1881), of Wil- 
mot Circuit of Stark Co. ; he owns a fine 
house and some 23 acres of land, which lies 
just south of Greensburg Village. 

CYRUS HARTONG, farmer; P. O. Inland; 
was born Sept. 25, 1816; the son of Jacob 
and Elizabeth (Tritch) Hartong, who were 
born on the same day, April 21, 1796, and 
married about the year 1815. Jacob was the 
son of Christian and Barbara Hartong, who 
were residents of Lancaster Co., Penn., at the 
time of his birth. Jacob remained in that 
State until the year 1824, when he removed 
with his wife and family to Green Township; 
he purchased some 200 acres of land, which 
is now owned by the Widow Thui'sby. Jacob 
was a weaver by trade, and followed this 
business in connection with farming for some 
fifteen years after he removed to Green Town- 
ship. He was a member of the Evangelical 
Chm-ch of Greensburg, and died in November, 
1869; his wife died in 1842; they were the 
parents of twelve children, and these are all 
living, the youngest being over 40 years of 
age. These children are located at the pres- 
ent time as follows: Cyi'us, in Green Town- 
ship; Elias, near Joliet, 111.; Allen, Green 
Township ; Mary Ann, now Mrs. John Swartz, 
of Coventry Township; Harriet, now Mrs. 
George W. Craig, of Coventry Township; 
Eliza, now Mrs. Andi'ew Kiblinger, of Frank- 
lin Township; Catharine, now Mi-s. John 
Miller, of Green Township; Jacob, near Jol- 
iet, 111. ; Lydia, now Mrs. Elias Thornton, of 
Elkhart, Ind. ; Jonathan, Levi and Franklin, 
near Joliet, 111. Cyrus Hartong, the subject 
of this sketch, removed with his parents to 
Green Township in 1824. He attended school 
for a short time in Pennsylvania; and also 
the schools of Green Township, and since his 
youth he has acquired by reading a very fair 
education. Assisted by his younger brothers, 
he cleared his father's farm. By a long life 
of toil at farming and habits of economy, he 
has acquired a competency and owns at the 
present time a fine farm of nearly 150 acres 



in Green Township, 160 acres of land in Iowa, 
and his pi-esent residence just south of Greens- 
burg. Cyrus Hai-tong was married, in Janu- 
ary, 1841, to Miss Elizabeth Wetzel, who was 
born at what is now Greensbm-g Aug. 17, 
1821. They were the parents of thirteen chil- 
dren, four died in infancy, nine are living as 
follows: Louis, in Jackson Township, Stark 
Co. ; Margaret, now Mrs. Hemy Swigart, of 
Portage Township; Levi, Green Township; 
Catharine, now Mrs. Eli Smith, of Jackson 
Township, Stark Co. ; Maiy, at home with her 
parents; Hannah, now Mrs. Levi Bach man, 
of Green Township; Cp-us Wilson, Green 
Township; Emma, now Mrs. David Heckman, 
of Green Township; John Lincoln, at home 
with his parents. Mr. Hartong has served 
twice as Trustee of Green Township, and has 
also been elected to other minor ofiices of 
honor and trust. He is a member of the 
Evangelical Chiu'ch of Greensbm'g; his wife 
is also a member, and they have brought all 
the children up in that faith. 

WILLIAM HENRY, farmer; P. O. Smn- 
mit; son of Peter and Susannah (Mongold) 
Henry; born in Germany April 16, 1816. 
Peter was a farmer in one of the Rhine Prov- 
inces of Germany, living about thirty miles 
from the River Rhine. He was the father of 
four sons who were coming of age, and not 
wishing to give one up each year to the Ger- 
man Government, he determined to emigrate. 
He received about $1,500 for his small fai'm 
of some 25 acres in different patches, and, 
about the year 1835, embarked with his wife 
and four childi'en for America. His fii'st wife, 
the mother of Henry, had died about foui' 
years previous ; Peter settled in Coventry 
Township where he resided some twelve years, 
he then removed to Marshall Co., Ind., and 
died nearly thirty years ago. Peter was, by 
two wives, the father of nine childi-en, as fol- 
lows: Henry, who died while a i-esident of 
Marshall Co., Ind.; William, the subject of 
this sketch; Martha, man'ied John Dice and 
resided east of Akron near the old forge; Ja- 
cob, now of Marshall Co., Ind.; John, died 
while a resident of Green Township about 
1855; Susannah, married William Bitman, 
and afterward his brother Charles; they re- 
moved to Dubuque, Iowa, where she died;. 



■V" 



_^. 



986 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Frederick, died while a resident of Marshall 
Co., Ind. ; Charlotte, is now Mrs. Andrew 
Warner, of Marshall Co. ; Katie, married Will- 
iam Logan, after removing to Indiana. Will- 
iam Henry was ediicated in the schools of 
Germany, and worked on his father's farm 
both in Germany and America until he be- 
came of age. He was maiTied, Oct. 17, 1844, 
to Susannah Evans, daughter of Abraham and 
Susannah (Shade) Evans, who were married 
in Lancaster Co., where Mrs. Henrv was born 
Sept. 27, 1821; Mrs. Evans died Feb. 15, 
1872, aged 84 years 2 months and 15 days; 
her husband died many years previous. Will- 
iam Henry and wife are the parents of eleven 
children as follows: John, born Sept. 13, 
1845, married Catharine Weyrich, and now 
a resident of Tallmadge Township (during 
the war he was a member of Co. A, 104th O. 
V. L); Susannah, born July 13, 1847, and now 
Mrs. Andrew Walkup, of Akron; Henry, born 
Jan. 27, 1849, and died April 16, 1855; Katie, 
born Jan. 1, 1851, and now Mrs. Samuel War- 
ley; Kebecca, born Dec. 31, 1852, now at 
home; Mary, born Sept. 24, 1854, now Mrs. 
Aaron Ritter, of Green Township; and Sarah, 
her twin sister, who died Mai'ch 18, 1855; 
Hiram, born Sept. 11, 1856, married Hattie 
McCummings, and now a resident of Tall- 
madge; Amanda, born Sept. 28, 1858, now 
Mrs. Andrew Switzer, of East Liberty, Will- 
iam, born June 18, 1861, married Jennie 
Semler, and now a resident of Coventry; 
Louis Ellsworth, born June 10, 1864, and now 
at home. Mr. Henry started in life a poor 
man; previous to his marriage and for several 
years afterward, he worked out by the day 
and month for various farmers; he then 
farmed several of Adam Yen-ick's tracts of 
land on the shares for some ten years ; then 
removed to Franklin Township and rented the 
Rex farm for eleven years. He then pm'- 
chased 70 acres of Matthias Battey in Frank- 
lin Township, and, after about six years, sold 
this and bought, in 1871, of Samuel Long, 
the farm upon which he now resides, which 
consists at the present time of 64 acres. His 
residence was put up in the summer of 1878. 
Mr. Henry is a member of the Evangelical 
Association of East Liberty; his wife is a 
member of the same denomination. 



D. F. HUNSBERGER, merchant, Inland; 
one of the most enterprising and ener- 
getic business men of Summit Co.; born 
March 5, 1835; the eldest son of John and 
Cynthia (Triplet) Hunsberger; he received a 
knowledge of the common branches in the 
schools of Green Township, and afterward 
attended Greensburg Seminary and at Marl- 
boro, Stark Co. He entered his father's store 
when quite young; was so small that it was 
necessary for him to stand on a store box to 
sell goods, and in fact " grew up behind the 
coimter." In October, 1863, John Hunsber- 
ger transferred the establishment to his two 
sons, D. F. and C. F., who c6nducted the 
business luitil July 1, 1868, imder the firm of 
Hunsberger Brothers. Since then D. F. has 
managed the establishment; he has at the 
present time a branch store at Uniontown, 
and runs the warehouse at Uniontown Station, 
where he is engaged buying grain. He was a 
member of the O. N. G. diu-ing the rebellion, 
and was in active service from May to Sep- 
tember, 1864; was chosen Cnptain of Co. H, 
164th Regiment. He has been a member of 
the Township Board of Educat'on since 1868, 
and is Postmaster of Greensburg at the pres- 
ent time, which business is attended by his 
son Arthur F. It is worthy of note that he 
was the first young man from this section of 
the county who visited New York City, having 
been sent by his father to pm'chase goods 
when he was about 18 years of age. Mr. 
Hunsberger was married, Nov. 25, 1858, to 
Miss A. C. Henkle, of Ashland Co., and they 
have six childi'en — Sheridan G., now a student 
at Oberlin College; Arthur F., Deputy Post- 
master; Homer E., Lottie C, Ai-lin E. and 
John H. John Hunsberger, for many years 
a merchant at Greensburg, was born in Lan- 
caster Co., Perm., Aug. 14, 1808; he was the 
son of John and Mary (Bender) Hunsberger, 
who moved to Ohio in 1822, with nine chil- 
di'en, and settled in Green Township, pm-chas- 
ing 400 acres of land. These children were: 
Abram, of Green Township ; Fannie married 
John Harter, and died near Joliet, 111. ; John, 
of Greensbiu-g; Mary, now Mrs. Peter Buch- 
tel, of South Aki-on; Samuel, of Green Town- 
ship; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Jacob Garmon, of 
Greensburg; Levi, went to California during 



& I - 



Ml 



GREEN TOWNSHIP. 



987 



gold excitement and never returned; Catlia- 
rine, unmarried; Isaac, near New Portage, 
Summit Co. John remained on his father's 
farm until he was 22, when he entered Hart 
& McMillen's store at Middleburg, and clerked 
there about four years; then started a store 
in Uniontown, Stark Co., and after three years 
removed to Greensburg, at which village he 
was engaged in the mercantile business until 
he transferred the store to his sons; thi'ough 
his efforts a post office was established at 
Greensburg, and he was appointed first Post- 
master by President Van Buren; holding this 
position for some ten years. He was married 
to Cynthia Triplet, daughter of William Trip- 
let, the first settler of Green Township, and 
they have three children^ — D. F., of Greens- 
burg; Celia, now Mrs. Beehtel, of Jackson 
Township, Stark Co. ; and Clinton F., of Akron, 
Ohio. 

ALEXANDEK JOHNSTON, farmer; P. 
O. Greentown, Stark Co. "You just go to 
Alexander Johnston and he will tell you all 
about it." This was the language of many 
old settlers when asked by the historian in 
regard to facts of the early days in Green 
Township. The general opinion seemed to 
be that the proper source for reliable infor- 
mation would be one, who, during a residence 
in the township of nearly threescore and ten 
years, had occupied such positions in the com- 
munity which proved him to be superior in 
intellect to the great majority who now reside 
or have lived in Green Township. Alexander 
Johnston was born in Center Co.. Penn., Nov. 
7, 1808, the eldest son of Cornelius and Eliz- 
abeth (Wilhelm) Johnston. Cornelius was of 
Scotch-Irish descent, and born in Center Co. 
Feb. 17, 1782; married to Elizabeth Wilhelm 
March 25, 1806; she was born Jan. 8, 1787, 
and the daughter of Abraham Wilhelm, who 
settled in Green Township in 1814, and en- 
tered from the Government 820 acres of land, 
upon which the village of Greensburg is now 
located. Cornelius and his wife came to 
Green Township at the same time and pur- 
chased 160 acres, upon which he resided for 
over half a century. He was always a farmer, 
but chosen frequently to offices of honor and 
trust by the citizens of the township; he died 
June 3, 1870; his wife died Aug. 23, 1854. 



They were the parents of eight children, five 
sons and three daughters, as follows: Mary, 
born March 3, 1807, resides with Mrs. Good- 
hue, of Akron; Alexander, subject of this 
sketch; Abraham W., whose sketch appears 
in this work; John, born Feb. 11, 1813, mar- 
ried Elizabeth R. Newton, Feb. 4, 1840, and 
died while a resident of Middlebiu-y, Jan. 26, 
1879; William, Aug. 3, 1815, married Eliza- 
beth G. Moore, April 22, 1841, and now a 
resident of Copley; Cornelius, Feb. 8, 1819, 
married Mary McNaughton Sept. 10, 1851, 
and now resides at Akron; Nancy, Aug, 22, 
1822, now Mrs. N. W. Goodhue, of Aki-on; 
they were married Dec. 20, 1841; Eliza Ann, 
March 5, 1827, and married Lot M. Watson, 
of Copley, Dec. 27, 1865. During his youth, 
Alexander received instruction at the pioneer 
schools of Green Township, but most of his 
education he acquired in the later years of his 
life by h's own efforts ; he worked on his father's 
farm in the summer and taught school 
during the winter; he had charge of the school 
at Greentown for six winters in succession, 
and taught many terms in Green; was chosen 
Township School Examiner, and continued in 
this position imtil the office was abolished by 
the Legislature. Was elected Clerk of the 
township for two terms, and served as Justice 
of the Peace for six years. When Summit 
Co. was formed in 1840, he was elected County 
Recorder, serving first for six months; in the 
fall of 1840, he was re-elected for a full term. 
During the winter of 1846-47, he represented 
Summit Co. m the Legislature; he has also 
been elected to many other minor offices of 
trust and honor by the citizens. Alexander 
was married, March 14, 1850, to Miss Lovina 
(Thornton) Thursby, she was born Nov. 8, 
1821; they are the parents of three children 
— Horace Greeley, a surveyor and engineer; 
Newton and Anna Maria. Mr. Johnston 
owns at the present time 125 acres of land, 
upon which is a fine residence situated one- 
half mile from GreentowTQ Station. He was 
originally a W'hig, but has voted the Repub- 
lican ticket since the formation of that paiiv. 
ABRAHAM W. JOHNSTON (deceased); 
an early settler and for over half a centiuy a 
resident of Green Township; bom Oct. 25, 
1810, in Center Co., Penn.; the second son 



^ 



988 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



of Cornelius and Elizabeth (Willielm) John- 
ston. He came with his parents to Green 
Township in 1814; attended school very little 
in his youth, owing to the limited facilities 
offered for obtaining an education at that 
early day, but in after years he acquired by 
his own efforts and constant reading a more 
extended knowledge than most citizens of 
Green Township ever had. In early life, he 
was apprenticed to a Mr. Danner, of Canton, 
and learned a trade ; after his term of service, 
he opened a shop at Greentown, where he 
remained for nine years. Then retiu'ned to 
his father's farm, and, after five years, pur- 
chased the homestead, residing there until he 
died. He was chosen by his neighbors to 
occupy many offices of honor and trust in the 
township; was married. May 25, 1835, by 
Rev. O. T. Plympton, to Miss Catharine 
Moore, who was born Feb. 27, 1814, in North- 
umberland Co., Penn. She was che daughter 
of John and Margaret (White) Moore, who 
were both natives of Northiunberland Co.; 
they moved to Ohio in 1823, with their family, 
and settled on a farm in Springfield Town- 
ship, now Summit Co., where they resided 
until they died. Mr. Abraham Johnston died 
Aug. 28, 1877; his widow is still living on 
the farm with their daughter Maggie. Mr. 
and Mrs. Johnston were the parents of five 
children — Washington G., born Feb. 18, 1836, 
now farming the homestead; Cornelius, March 
4, 1839, and died in early childhood; Mary 
E., Jan. 9, 1842, married Jan. 4, 1866, to S. 
H. Hunsberger, and now living at Ottawa, 
111.; Maggie J., April 4, 1849, and resides 
with her mother; Isabella, June 16, 1852, 
mai'ried Oct. 23, 1878, to Corbin Dillman; 
they now reside at Joliet, 111. The three 
daughters were educated at Greensburg Sem- 
inary. Washington G. attended Oberlin 
College for two years, and was also a student 
at Mt. Union; when about 20, he entered his 
uncle's dry goods store at Akron, remaining 
here two years; then commenced prospecting 
for coal in connection with his cousin, Cornel- 
ius A Johnston; they opened the Johnston 
shaft in Franklin Township, working that for 
four or five years; they also manufactured 
oil at Akron for some eighteen months; Wash- 
ington then removed to Rochester, N. Y., and 



for four years was engaged manufacturing 
boots and shoes; he returned to Summit Co., 
and, after his father's death, purchased the 
homestead, now 153 acres, which he farms at 
the present time. He was maiTied, Oct. 1, 
1863, to Miss Anna Irvin, and they have four 
children — James Irvin, Katie May, ^ Grace 
and Mattie. 

JACOB KING, farmer and stock-buyer; P. 
O. Inland; the son of William and Margaret 
(Stroup) King; born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, 
Jan. 20, 1838. He received a common-school 
education in the district schools of Mill Creek 
Township, Coshocton Co., and previous to 
attaining his majority he engaged in the mer- 
cantile business at Warsaw, a small village of 
his native county, forming a partnership with 
Christian Strome; after about two years he 
sold his interest in this establishment, and 
entered the seminary at Greensburg, where 
he remained for some eighteen months; he 
then attended Spring Mountain College, of 
Coshocton Co., for about six months, and, 
after teaching school for one term in Whitley 
Co., Ind., re-entered Greensburg Seminary. 
He was married, Feb. 27, 1862, to Miss Eliz- 
abeth Gougler, daughter of John and Mary 
(Thornton) Gougler. Mr. Gougler was born 
in Union Co., Perm., June 16, 1807; was mar- 
ried to Miss Thornton March 28, 1833, and 
they were the parents of four childi'en — 
George and Samuel, residents of Green Town- 
ship; Elizabeth, wife of our subject; and 
Elias, now a resident of Coventry Township. 
The Gouglers removed fi"om Pennsylvania to 
Green Township about the year 1838. Mr. 
and Mi's. King are the parents of fou.r chil- 
di'en — Mary Martha, Samantha Jane, Ama 
Maranda and John William. For three years 
after his marriage, Mr. King farmed his fath- 
er-in-law's farm upon the shares; he then set- 
tled on his present farm in the spring of 
1865. He is an active member of the Evan- 
gelical Association of Greensburg, having 
been a member of this denomination for some 
twenty-two years. His wife has been con- 
nected with the church about the same length 
of time. In the spring of 1870, Mr. King 
received a license to preach from the Pitts- 
burgh Conference of the Evangelical Associa- 
tion, and was for two years assigned to Stark 



f 



:fr 



GKEEN TOWNSHIP. 



989 



Cii'cuit; for the next two years tie was located 
on Austintown Circuit, in Mahoning Co., and 
afterward to Erie Circuit, in Pennsylvania, 
for the same length of time. He was a very 
efficient worker in the cause of religion, and 
during his ministiy in Stark Co. two new 
churches were erected on his circuit, one at 
Homeworth and the other at Louisville; two 
new church edifices were also -erected while 
he was engaged on Austintown Circuit, one 
in Berlin and the other on Green Township, 
Mahoning Co. These four new church build- 
ings in as many years, were in a great measure 
the direct result of his skill at financiering for 
the congregations, of which he was then Pas- 
tor, and he received credit for his efforts in a 
lengthy article published in one of the organs 
of the association. Mr. King is at the present 
time a local minister; he is a member of the 
I. O. O. F. Lodge, of Greensburg, and is un- 
doubtedly the largest stock- dealer of Green 
Township. 

L. M. KEPLEE, farmer; P. O. Inland; 
youngest son of Andrew and Sarah Ann 
(Kintz) Kepler; born at his father's farm just 
south of East Liberty May 15, 1852; was 
educated in the common school of that village, 
and attended Greensburg Seminary for two 
terms. At the age of 20, he taught school in 
District No. 12, Coventry Township, for one 
term, and afterward in District No. 12, 
Springfield Township, for two terms, and 
District No. 3, in Green Township, for two 
terms. He was married, Nov. 26, 1876, to 
Miss Mary E., only daughter of Isaac and 
Sarah Catharine (Miller) Franks. They have 
one child — Earnest, who was born June 15, 
1878. Andrew Kepler, father of the subject 
of this sketch, was born in Green Township 
March 16, 1815; he was the son of Andrew 
and Mary (Cramer) Kepler, who settled in 
Green Township with their family during the 
spring of 1810. Andrew, Jr., received a very 
limited education, owing to the poor facilities 
offered in the early days; he worked for his 
father until he was 21; then farmed for sev- 
eral years; in 1841, he erected a hotel in the 
village of East Liberty, and, after keeping 
tavern for two years, traded the establishment 
to John Castetter for his present farm ; he has 
served as Trustee several terms, and is Treas- 



urer of Green Township at the present time. 
He was man-ied, April 28, 1886, to Sarah Ann 
Kintz, who was born June 20, 1817; they are 
the parents of seven children — Maria, now 
Mrs. Daniel Stam, of Greeusbm-g; Hiram, 
proprietor of a laundry at Akron; Isabella, 
now at home; John Perry, of Tallmadge; 
Sylvester, a resident of East Liberty, and 
Justice of the Peace of Green Township; 
Oliver C, died in infancy; and L. M., subject 
of this sketch. 

EEV. ADAM KLINEFELTER (deceased); 
a pioneer minister of the Evangelical Associ- 
ation, and for many years a prominent and 
influential member of the congregation at 
Greensburg. He was born May 1, 1796, in 
Shrewsbury Township, York Co. , Penn. , where 
he lived until he became of age. He united 
with the Evangelical Association at 19, and, 
at the Tenth Annual Conference held at New 
Berlin, Penn., in June, 1817, was received 
into the itineracy as a preacher on probation, 
and sent to the Lancaster Circuit in Ohio. 
The Evangelical Association then niunbered 
only twenty-one itinerant ministers, and 1,493 
members; Father Klinefelter sui-vived them 
all, and was, previous to his death, the oldest 
living minister of this denomination. In the 
year 1818, he traveled Schuylkill Circuit, 
Penn.; in 1819, Somerset; in 1820, Union; in 
1821, Lancaster, Ohio; in 1822, York, Penn. 
In 1823, was elected Presiding Elder and 
stationed on Ohio District, which field he 
occupied as Elder for foiu* years; in 1827, he 
was sent to Sandusky, Ohio; 1828, Schuylkill, 
Penn.; and 1829, to Canton Circuit, Ohio. 
In consequence of the hardships he suiTered 
during this active ministry of thirteen years, 
his health was undermined, and he was com- 
pelled to locate, in 1830, on account of bodily 
infirmities, but, for nearly fifty years after- 
ward as a local preacher, he did good service 
for the cause he loved. He was married, Aug. 
2, 1825, to Margaret Dillman, born May 26, 
1805; a daughter of Conrad Dillman, one of 
the early settlers of Green Township. For 
several years Rev. Klinefelter resided on his 
father-in-law's farm, but, about the year 1843, 
he purchased from a man named Yohe the 
160 acres in Green Township, and resided 
upon this land until he died, March 22, 1878. 



Co — 



990 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



It was then written of him : " As a man and 
associate he was always straightforward, open- 
hearted, sociable and communicative. In his 
company no one would be likely to become 
sad or gloomy, for he was always cheerful, 
and the influence of his friendly spirit was 
almost irresistible. He was strongly attached 
to the church of his choice, without being 
uncharitable toward others, and, although he 
attached great importance to the early cus 
toms, manners and spirit of our church, he 
was more progressive than many whose best 
years belong to this progressive age. As a 
Christian, he was sincere and firm in his 
belief and principles, constant in his devo- 
tions, and exemplary in conduct. He liber- 
ally supported every good enterprise of the 
chtu-ch." Margaret, his wife, was thrown 
from a wagon June 1, 1879, and suffered in- 
stantaneous death. They were the parents of 
ten children — Joel and Amelia, died in infan- 
cy; Joseph, died in 1846, aged 11; Catharine, 
who resides on the farm, is a frequent contrib- 
utor of the Evangdical^ Messenger; Amos, now 
a resident of Joliet, 111., married, May 12, 
1859, to Mary E. Hammer, they have six chil- 
dren — Emma, Clara, Charles, Lena, Susan 
and George. Mary, died in 1816, aged 6; 
Simon, resides at the old homestead; Will- 
iam, now a minister in Des Moines, Iowa Con- 
ference; married. May 10, 1870, to Ellen Holl, 
and has live children — Herbert, Maggie, Mary, 
Edgar and Alice. Elizabeth, married Nov. 
19, 1868, to Jacob J. Long, they reside in 
Cerro Gordo Co., Iowa, with four children — 
William E., Jesse, Gertrude and Ruth. Levi, 
now County Superintendent of Cerro Gordo 
Co., Iowa; he was married, Oct. 14, 1879, to 
Miss Carrie E. Brown. 

SATVIUEL B. LONG, farmer; P. O. Union- 
town; born Nov. 15, 1830, in Center Co., 
Penn. ; the son of Samuel and Eva (Hersber- 
ger) Long. Johannes Hersberger, his grand- 
father, was born Oct. 3, 1770, and Miss Chris- 
tina Elizabeth Fehler, daughter of John 
Jacob Fehler, was born in 1773; they were 
married in 1795, and became the parents 
of ten children — George, Eva, Leonard, Su- 
sanna, Catharine, Thomas, Johannes, John 
Henrich, Christina and Maria Hersberger; 
only two of these are living. Eva, the oldest 



daughter, was born Dec. 9, 1798, and, oq Dec. 
17, 1822, married Samuel Long, who was also 
born in Center Co. Feb. 22, 1792; the result 
of this union was nine children, viz., Mary, 
married Michael Laney, and died while a res- 
ident of Copley Tovpnship; Rachel, now Mrs. 
Simon McLean, of Grundy Co , 111. ; Leah, 
now Mrs. Samuel Baum, of Venango Co., 
Penn.; Rebecca, now Mrs. Joseph Weikeal, 
of Ashland Co., Ohio; Samuel B., subject of 
this sketch; Reuben, died aged 3; Johnson, 
now of Meadville, Penn. ; Elias, now of Akron, 
Ohio; Daniel N., of Copley Township. Sam- 
uel B. Long was educated in the schools of 
Venango Co., Penn., where his parents removed 
when he was about 6 years of age. After 
leaving school he worked at painting steadily 
for about fifteen years, and then at different 
times for some five years, following this busi- 
ness at Venango, Oil City, Petroleum and 
other places in Pennsylvania. In 1854, he 
removed to South Bend, Ind., and remained 
there about twelve months, then returned to the 
Keystone State. During the oil excitement, 
he was engaged for a short time in buying 
and selling oil lands, and his operations at 
this were generally successful. He has also 
worked at cabinet-making for several years; 
March 28, 1867, he removed to Green Town- 
ship and settled upon the farm now owned by 
William Henry, near East Liberty ; after eight 
years he sold this to Henry, and purchased of 
Andrew Shanafelt the 118 acres upon which 
he now resides. During the suixmaer of 1880, 
he erected upon this a very neat dwelling 
house. Mr. Long was married, Feb. 21, 1854, 
to Miss Louisa Thomas, daughter of Samuel 
and Elizabeth (Rhodes) Thomas, who was 
born July 1, 1839; they are the parents of 
the following children: Thomas, Newton, 
Sylveen, Frank M., Etta, Eva, Byr-on S., 
Ernest, Ervin, Jennie, Addie, Delia and Em- 
ma. They are all living; the oldest daugh- 
ter, Sylveen, was married, Oct. 18, 1878, to 
Charles Schnee, of Springfield Township, and 
is the mother of two children — Nellis and 
Matilda. Mr. and Mrs. Long are members of 
the Methodist Chiu'ch at Uniontown. 

DANIEL MOTTINGER, farmer; P. O. 
Inland; the son of John and Barbara (Long) 
Mottinger, born in Green Township March 



a) 



TT 



GEEEN TOWNSHIP. 



991 



29, 1841. His grandfather was of Scotch 
descent, and one of the early settlers of 
Columbiana Co., who entered at the Govern- 
ment office the land upon which the village of 
New Lisbon now stands. The nearest white 
neighbor was at that time some eighteen miles 
distant. Dimng the war of 1812, this early 
pioneer of Cohmabiana Co. enlisted in the 
American army, and through exposure in the 
service he contracted disease from which he 
eventually died. His son John was bom May 
8, 1799, and removed from New Lisbon about 
1830, and settled in Green Township, pur- 
chasing 135 acres of land. He was married to 
Miss Barbara Long, and they were the parents 
of ten childi'en, three sons and seven daugh- 
ters, viz., Susan, now IVIi's. Jacob Burkett, of 
Green Township; Elizabeth, now Mrs. Henry 
Stroh, of Elkhart, Ind. ; Mary, now Mrs. P. 
W. Hahn, of Green Township; Joseph, now 
of Jackson Township, Stark Co.; Leah, now 
Mrs. John L. Bender, of Akron; Sarah, now 
Mrs. Elias Baughman, of Green Township; 
Maggie, now Mrs. Wesley Harold, of Sugar 
Creek Township, Stark Co.; Rebecca, now 
]\Irs. Elias Hartong, of Akron; Samuel, now 
a resident of Plainfield, 111.; and Daniel, of 
Green Township. John Mottinger was a car 
penter by trade, and assisted by Peter Buch- 
tel he built the Evangelical Church edifice at 
Greensburg. He was a prominent and influ- 
ential member of that congregation, and, in 
the year 1865, having resided in Green Town- 
ship for thirty-five years, he sold his farm to 
Thomas Shoemaker and removed to Will Co., 
111., where he is now living at the advanced 
age of 82 years. Daniel, his youngest child, 
the subject of this sketch, was educated in the 
schools of Green Township and also the Sem- 
inary at Greensburg. He taught school in 
various districts of the township for some eight 
terms. Was a member of the Ohio National 
Guards during the civil war, and as such 
was called into active service and coramis- 
sioned 2d Lieutenant in Co. H, 164th O. V. 
I. He was married, December 25, 1862, 
to Miss Lizzie J. Shoemaker, daughter of 
Thomas and Sarah (Beatty) Shoemaker. They 
are the parents of the following childi'en: 
Lily J., Charles C, Arthur S. and Byron T. 
Mr. Mottinger has been Superintendent of the 



Union Sunday school at Greensburg, during 
the past eight years, and is a very active, 
earnest and faithful worker in the temperance 
cause, which reform movement has been 
greatly aided of late years by his elforts in 
Green Township. 

MICHAEL MYERS, farmer; P. O. Union- 
town; born in Center Co., Penn., Nov. 11, 
1811; the oldest son of Hemy and Elizabeth 
(Bushong) Myers, who removed to Green 
Township when Michael was about 18 months 
old. They settled on the farm now owned by 
him, and resided there until they died. When 
the subject of this sketch was young, the facil- 
ities for acquiring an education were very 
limited; he never went to school in his life, 
being compelled to labor early and late upon 
the farm. May 26, 1840, he was married to 
Miss Rebecca Ann Grotz, who was born Sept. 
5, 1817; she was the daughter of Abraham 
and Mary (Kuhn) Grotz; her grandfather, 
John Kuhn, was a soldier in the American 
army during the Revolutionary war, and died 
July 3, 1845, while a resident of Green 
Township, at the advanced age of 88 years. 
Abraham Grotz was married to Mary Kuhn 
while they were both residents of Pennsylva- 
nia; he followed his trade as a hatter in 
Bloomsburg for many years, but removed to 
Green Township about the year 1834. He 
was the father of eleven childi-en — Eliza, 
married William Coggeshall, and died in 1853; 
Julia Ann, married James Lacoth; David, 
died while a resident of Green Township; 
Rachael, now Mrs. George Bidleman, of 
Green Township; John, now a resident of 
Pennsylvania; Maria, now Mrs. Norris Coif- 
man, of Ashland; Abraham, died in 1858; 
Rebecca Ann, now Mrs. Michael Myers; Ma- 
tilda, died in 1842; Louisa, now IVIrs. John 
B. Myers, of Green Township; and Eroeline, 
died in 1842. Abraham Grotz died Aug. 4, 
1848, aged 72 years and 8 months; his wife 
died March 22, 1856, aged 73 years and 9 
months. Michael Myers and wife are both 
members of the Reformed Chm-ch at Mill- 
heim; he owns 129 acres at the present time; 
they were the pai'ents of two children; 
Byron, their only son, born March 7, 1843, 
died Jan. 10, 1859, aged nearly 16; and Mary 
Lovina, their only daughter. 



992 



BIOGEAPHICxVL SKETCHES: 



JOHN B. MYERS, farmer, P. 0. Union- 
town; born in Green Township Jan. 18, 1818; 
the son of Henry and Elizabeth (Bushong) 
Mjers. The Myers family were of Germanic 
extraction, but probably from Switzerland. 
The grandfather of Michael was Isaac, who 
lived in Union Co., Penn., near Straubstown ; 
Isaac had a son named Jacob, who married a 
Miss Ream, she was an exemplary Clu-istian; 
they had eight children — Phillip, Jacob, 
George, Henry, Christopher, Michael, Barbara 
and Catharine. Michael was born March 1, 
1765, and resided on his father's farm until 
19 years of age, and then, in 1784, married 
Agnes Buchtel, who was born Dec. 1, 1765. 
About the year 1805, Michael removed from 
Union Co. with his wife and family to Center 
Co., Penn., where they remained about seven 
years. Michael followed his trade as a wea- 
ver for many years, but found this occupation 
injured his health, and commenced getting 
out mill- stones which was a very remunerative 
business, but one day a small piece of the 
stone flew into his eye; he was obliged to dis- 
continue work for six months; meeting with 
a second accident of this kind some time after- 
ward, he abandoned the business and com- 
menced blacksmithing in a small way, learn- 
ing the trade as he went along, until finally he 
was a master mechanic as some of his pieces 
of handiwork will testify to-day. He excelled 
in whatever he undertook. His love for 
music was manifested in the variety of instru- 
ments he was able to play, such as the flute, 
cornet, drum and fife. About the year 1813, 
he removed with his family to Ohio and set- 
tled in Green Township. Michael was the 
father of eight sons and five daughters, viz., 
Henry, Michael, Jacob, Christopher, Joseph, 
John, Philip, George, Sophia, Elizabeth, Bar- 
bara, Mary and Susan; only three are now 
living; they are residents of Springfield Town- 
ship — Phillip, George, and Mary, now Mrs. 
Spade. Henry, Michael, Joseph and John 
died near their father's Ohio home; Jacob and 
Christopher removed to Indiana and died 
there; Susan, died at 16; Sophia, died in 
early life after marrying Benjamin Pontius; 
Barbara, married a Mr. Bowers and died in 
Uniontown; Elizabeth, married a Mr. Buch- 
tel, and died in Wood Co., Ohio. Michael 



seemed always to have the welfare of his 
children at heart; and in precept and exam- 
ple he was a Chi'istian. He died Aug. 5, 1841, 
at the residence of his son George in Spring- 
field Township; his wife died at the home of 
her son Michael. It is related by John B. 
Myers that some two weeks previous to the 
death of his grandfather, the aged pioneer 
entered the shop of his grandson, who was 
working at the forge and affirmed that he had 
just seen a spirit which brought the tidings 
that he would soon pass to another world. 
Henry Myers, father of John B., was born in 
Pennsylvania about the year 1788; Elizabeth 
Bushong, his wife, was born the same year 
and they were married several years previous 
to the time the Myers family removed to 
Green Township. Five of Henry's children 
reached matin-ity, viz., Michael, born in 1811, 
now a resident of Green Township; Henry, 
born in 1815, and died in 1857, while a resi- 
dent of Akron: John B., subject of this sketch, 
born Jan. 18, 1818; Elizabeth, born Jan. 9, 
1822, and married John Hammill; Jonathan, 
born Nov. 12, 1825, now a resident of Green 
Township. Hem-y was a blacksmith by trade, 
and lived on the farm now occupied by his 
son Michael; he was a member of the Re- 
formed Church, as was also his wife; she died 
June 10, 1864, and he survived her over ten 
years imtil Dec. 6, 1874. John B., his son, 
was when a mere boy apprenticed to learn his 
father's trade, and worked at the forge early 
and late; consequently he had no time left to 
acquire an education; he never went to school 
in his life; at the age of 15 he had the entire 
control of his father's shop, in which he 
worked until 25 years of age; he then pur- 
chased 72 acres of land, and has since then 
been a farmer, owning at the present time 
over 100 acres, upon which the village of My- 
ersville is located. He was married, Nov. 16, 
1843, to Louisa Catharine Grotz, daiighter of 
Abraham and Mary (Kuhn) Grotz; she was 
born Dec. 9, 1824; they are both members of 
the Reformed Church at Uniontown. The 
Myers family held their first annual re-union 
and picnic Satmxlay, Sept. 6, 1879, and the 
second one on Sept. 4, 1880. 

PETER MYERS, farmer; P. O. Nimisila; 
born in Union Co., Penn., March 20, 1820; 



GREEX TOWNSHIP. 



993 



the son of Daniel and Esther (Kauffman) My- 
ers; Daniel was born in 1782, and resided in 
Pennsylvania until 1825, when he settled with 
his family in Stark Co., Ohio; he was a finely- 
proportioned man, six feet and two inches in 
height, and weighing during the last twenty 
years of his life aboiit 325 pounds; he died in 
1845, while a resident of Stark Co.; his wife 
is still living at the advanced age of 87 years; 
they were the }>arents of ten children as 
follows: David, now of Franklin; Elizabeth, 
died aged 50; Mary, now a resident of Union 
Co., Penn. ; Peter and Elias of Green Town- 
ship; Hannah, now Mrs. Daniel Diehl, of 
Franklin; Catharine, of Green Township; 
Margaret, now Mrs. Peter Warner, of Branch 
Co., Mich.; Sarah, now Mrs. Levi Swinehart, 
of Portage Co. ; William, now of Akron. Peter 
Myers was educated in the public schools 
where he was raised; in 1860, he moved on 
to a purchase of 100 acres of land in Green 
Township, to which he added some eight 
years later 32 acres more. He was married, 
Oct. 8, 1861, to Mrs. Mary Lancaster, a 
daughter of John and Elizabeth (Grove) 
Stump; the result of this union was three 
children, one died in infancy, two are living 
• — Isaac S. and Sarah Catharine, or "Kittie." 
By her first husband Mrs. Myers was the 
mother of three children — Theodore Lancas- 
ter, now of North Hampton Township; Ce- 
celia, man-ied Charles Heisa, and died aged 
24 leaving one child — Ida A. ; Levi A. Lan- 
caster, now a resident of Aki'on. Mi-, and 
Mrs. Myers are members of the Reformed 
Chui'ch at Manchester. Their present home 
was built in 1862. Mr. Myers has frequently 
been elected Trustee of Green Township; the 
number of times he has been chosen to serve 
in this position of trust, is the best proof 
which can be given to show how he is esteemed 
by his neighbors ; while serving in this position 
during the war, he was greatly instrumental 
upon several occasions in clearing the town- 
ship from the draft. 

WILLIAM D. SWEETEN, merchant, In- 
land or Summit; was born in Chester Co., 
Penn., March 11, 1841; the son of John H. 
and Henrietta E. Sweeten. His ancestors 
came from Sweden, and settled in Pennsyl- 
vania and New Jersey. John H. was born 



March 18, 1818, and married about the year 
1840, six children being the result of this 
union — William D., the subject of this sketch; 
Henrietta, now Mrs. Louis Bowling, of Balti- 
more, Md. ; James M., now of Akron; Eliza- 
beth, now Mrs. Cyras Keiser, of Montgomery 
Co., Md. ; Catharine, now Mrs. Marshall Mar- 
tin, of Suffield Township, Portage Co.; and 
John, now a resident of Greensburg. Will- 
iam D. Sweeten was educated in the common 
schools of Pennsylvania. In 1857, he re- 
moved with his parents to Alcron, where they 
remained for some two years, when they set- 
tled in Lake Township, Stark Co., in 1859. 
Mr. Sweeten is a painter by trade; he was 
engaged at this occupation in 1861, when the 
great rebellion broke out, and considering it 
the duty of all loyal citizens to aid in suppress- 
ing this revolt against national supremacy, he 
tendered his services to the Government. On 
Sept. 1., 1861, he enlisted in the 2d O. V. C, 
under Col. Doubleday, and served imtil Oct. 1, 
1865, and during over four years our subject 
followed the fortunes of this regiment, of which 
it isalfirmed that it traveled a gi'eater distance 
than any other cavalry regiment in the service. 
For the fii'st eighteen months they were sta- 
tioned in Kansas and Indian Territory; then 
transferred to the Army of the East Tennessee 
under Gen. Burnside; they were at the sur- 
render of Ciunberland Gap and sent to capt- 
ure Morgan, the rebel raider. When Gen. 
Grant assmned command of the armies, and 
the cavalry corps was formed under the gal- 
lant Phil Sheridan, Mr. Sweeten was trans- 
ferred along with his regiment, which had in 
the meantime (Jan. 1, 1864), enlisted as vet- 
erans for the war, to the Army of the Potomac. 
They served in the valley of the Shenandoah, 
taking part in the battles of Winchester and 
Cedar Creek, all of the conflicts in the Wil- 
derness campaign, and on the raid south of 
Richmond under Gen. Wilson. After the 
grand review in 1865, this regiment was sta- 
tioned at St. Louis and Springfield, Mo. 
When Mr. Sweeten returned to civil life, he 
followed his trade as a painter until the spring 
of 1880, when he purchased a stock of dry 
goods and groceries, and embai'ked in the mer- 
cantile business at Myersville. He continued 
there until February, 1881, when, having 



994 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



fitted up a room at East Liberty, he removed 
his establishment to that village, where he will 
undoubtedly succeed in building up a fine trade. 
Mr. Sweeten was man'ied, Oct. 1, 1868, to Miss 
Lucetta J., daughter of Abraham and Nancy A. 
(Gerst) Hmisberger. The result of this union 
has been thi'ee chikh-en — Lula May, Winfred 
Claude and Edwin Roy. In the spring of 
1870, Mr. Sweeten was chosen Justice of the 
Peace by the citizens of Green Township; he 
was re-elected in 1873; and again in 1879, 
but, after serving some twenty months on his 
third tenn he resigned, Dec. 1, 1880. Mi\ 
Sweeten is an active member of the Disci- 
ples' Chiu'ch at Greensbuj'g, of which religious 
denomination he has been an Elder during 
the past eight years. He has also served as 
Superintendent and Assistant of the Union 
Sunday School at Greensbiu-g. 

HARRISON STIPE, farmer; P. O. Inland; 
was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., Dec. 6, 1824; 
the only son of Peter and Elizabeth (Gaetz) 
Stipe. Peter, the father, died in 1824, before 
his only child was born; after several years 
Harrison's mother married Henry Stroll, and 
they i-emoved to Stark Co. and settled in 
Greentown; Mrs. Stroll is living in that vil- 
lage (Febraary, 1881), and will be 80 years of 
age April 3, 1881. Stroll was a hatter by 
trade, but never followed that business in 
Greentown — he worked out by the day and 
month. Han'ison did not possess in his 
younger days many of the comforts and luxu- 
ries which are bestowed lavishly upon more 
fortunate children of this generation. He 
was early apprenticed to learn the cooper's 
trade, and served at this for nine years; occa- 
sionally he followed the occupation of a com- 
mon laborer, but, desiring to provide a home 
for himself and family, he rented of John 
Gougler the fann now owned by his son Sam- 
uel, situated southwest of Greensburg; after 
tilling this tract of 129 acres for about eight 
years. Stipe removed to the 140 acres also 
owned and now occupied by Samuel Gougler; 
he remained there for five years. In 1865, he 
pm-chased of David Coleman his present f ai'm, 
paying $50 an acre for 80 acres; in 1866, he 
bought ten acres of wood-land of Henry Heiss; 
Stipe removed to this farm in 1867, and it has 
been greatly improved by him dming the few 



years it has been in his possession; his pres- 
ent fine brick residence was erected in 1874, 
and the neat and well-arranged barn in 1867; 
he also owns a house and lot in the city of 
Akron. Mr. Stipe started in life as a poor man; 
when he first rented a farm it w^as necessary 
for him to boiTow 1 150 in order to pm'chase 
a team with which to farm on shares; at that 
time he had only 15 cents tax to pay, but, by 
industry and economy, he has at the present 
time a mu^h larger income and declares it is 
now just as easy for him to raise his present 
tax of about $60, as he could the 15 cents 
not many years since. Harrison Stipe was 
maiTied, June 22, 1845, to Miss Anna Neutch- 
en, daughter of Daniel and Mary (Mottinger) 
Neutchen, who had six children — Anna, the 
oldest, was born Dec. 9, 1825; Elizabeth, now 
Mrs. Frederick Houser, of Springfield Town- 
ship; Lavina, now Mrs. Samuel Ream, of 
Springfield Township ; Mary, now Mrs. Chris 
tian Spitler, of Greensbiu'g; Catharine, mar- 
ried Jacob Hildenbrand, and they removed to 
Iowa, then to Illinois; Daniel, the youngest, 
died May, 1849, in the 18th yeai" of his age. 
Daniel Neutchen, Sr., died about August, 
1831, and his wife in May, 1837. Mi-, and 
Mrs. Harrison Stipe were the parents of thi-ee 
children — FrankUn, Washington and one that 
died in infancy. Franklin, the oldest son, 
whose sketch appears among those of Aki'on 
City. Washington, the youngest son of Har- 
rison Stipe, assists his father in managing 
the farm. Washington was maiTied, on Jan. 
2, 1879, to Miss Lydia Baker, and they have 
one child — Irvin Franklin, who was born 
June 30, 1880. Mr. and Mi's. Harrison Stipe 
are members of the Evangelical Association of 
Greensburg, of which congregation Mr. Stipe 
is an active member; he has served as Class- 
leader for six or eight years, and has been an 
Exhorter about the same period. He has also 
served for twelve years on the Township Board 
of Education. 

THOMAS SHOEMAKER (deceased); was 
for many years a leading spirit in all the 
movements established by philanthropists, for 
the pm-pose of improving the moral and spirit- 
ual condition of mankind; he was born in 
Lehigh Co., Penn., Sept. 18, 1815, and died 
in Green Township Nov. 11, 1879; Thomas 



J^ 



GREEX TOWNSHIP. 



995 



was the son of Peter Shoemaker, who was the 
father of seven children, viz., Moses, died 
some thirty years since in Mercer Co., Penn. ; 
Thomas, the subject of this sketch; Levi, now 
a resident of Bartholemew Co., Ind. ; Gideon, 
died about twenty years ago near Salem, Ohio; 
Ama, now Mrs. Charles Beil, of Hamburg, 
Penn. ; Leah, now Mrs. Harmony, and a resi- 
dent of Indiana; Lavina, now Mrs. David 
Boyer, of Michigan. In his youth the subject 
of this sketch received very little instruction 
in consequence of the poor facilities for ob- 
taining knowledge, but he was naturally 
bright, and in after years acquired by reading 
and study a good education. He was married 
in Mercer Co., Penn., June 4, 1844, to Miss 
Sarah Ann Beatty; Robert Beatty, her fathei*, 
Avas of Irish descent, and married Miss Anna 
McMillen, a "Scotch lassie;" both were born 
in this country. Robert and Anna were the 
parents of six children — Amelia, died aged 2; 
William, died aged 14 ; Sai*ah Ann, now Mrs. 
Shoemaker; Samuel, now a resident of Ashta- 
bula; Eliza, now Mrs. Weld N. Alden, of 
Meadville, Penn.; Isabella, who died at 42. 
IVii's. Shoemaker was born Sept. 1, 1809, and 
when about 7 years of age her mother died; at 
the age of 18, she went to live with her uncle 
and aunt, William and Elizabeth Beatty, 
remaining with them until they died; Will- 
iam, in April, 1847, and Elizabeth, in August, 
1862. Robert, their brother, died December, 
1860. Mr. and Mrs. Shoemaker sold the farm 
in Mercer Co., Penn., about 1865, and removed 
to Summit Co., purchasing the 50 acres upon 
which Mr. Shoemaker lived at the time of his 
death, and also the old Mottinger farm. 
They are the parents of three children- — Eliz- 
abeth J., born March 26, 1845, now Mrs. 
Daniel Mottinger; Mary C, bom Jan. 21, 
1847, and married in 1864, to Oliver Weimer; 
he was the son of Gabriel and Elizabeth 
(Dunbold) Weimer; was a music teacher, and 
served in the army for two years; he died in 
1867, at the age of 24, leaving one daughter 
— Jennie Trueanna. Mrs. Mary Weimer was 
afterward married to George T. Rankin, 
whose sketch appears among those of Aliron 
City. William B., only son of Thomas Shoe- 
maker, was born Feb. 14, 1849; he is a 
thresher by trade, having worked at this busi- 



ness dm'ing the sunmier season for ten years, 
owning for a time the half interest in a ma- 
chine. He was married, July 4, 1872, to Miss 
Sadie J. Fasnacht; they have "two children — 
Gordon Gilbert and Thomas G., and reside 
at the homestead with Mi's. Shoemaker. In 
the year 1843, Thomas Shoemaker was con- 
verted under the ministry of the Evangelical 
Association, with which he united, and was 
always an active and worthy member of the 
church, and at the time of his death held the 
offices of Class-leader, Trustee, Assistant 
Superintendent of the Sabbath school, and 
teacher of the Bible class. By his decease the 
Sunday school, prayer meeting and public 
congregation lost one of their most active 
members; he was a firm believer and advocate 
of the doctrine and experience of Bible holi- 
ness; a liberal supporter of the Missionary 
cause, and the church in general. He was a 
man of principle, dicision and moral worth, 
who took great interest in the leading ques- 
tions of the day; was a stanch temperance 
man, radical in his views, and during the later 
years of his life always voted the Prohibition 
ticket. 

CORNELIUS E. TRASTER, teacher. Sum- 
mit; is one of the finest educated young men 
of Green Township; he was born in Spring- 
field Township, Summit Co., April 3, 1853; 
the son of Daniel and Margaret (Ki-eighbaimi) 
Traster. Daniel was born in Union Co., 
Penn., and moved to Summit Co. about the 
year 1832; he is at the present time living in 
Springfield Township; is the father of eight 
children as follows: Hester Ann, Sarah J., 
now Mrs. Samuel Ritsman, of Springfield 
Township; Jacob W., of Whitley Co., Ind.; 
Rebecca M. ; John, of Suffield Township, Port- 
age Co.; Hiram, of Springfield; Cornelius E., 
subject of this sketch; and Mary M. IVIi-s. 
Daniel Traster is a member of the Lutheran 
Chm-ch at Uniontown. Cornelius attended 
the common schools of Springfield Township 
during his youth; he was raised on the fai'm 
and I'emained with his parents until about 17 
years of age; then worked by the month for 
some three years; he entered Greensburg 
Seminary which he attended foiu- terms, and 
was also a pupil in Warner's Normal Institute 
at Aki'on, and the Northwestern Ohio Normal 



■) "V 



996 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



School at Fostoria. He has taught school for 
seventeen terms as follows : First in Springfield, 
and then one term in District No. 11, Green; 
tlnree in Springfield; one in East Liberty Dis- 
trict; one in Springfield; foiu" in District No. 
2, Green; two in District No. 4, Green; two in 
District No. 3, Green; and two in the East 
Liberty District. In April, 1881, he was elected 
Clerk of Green Township. He was married, 
Sept. 13, 1877, to Miss Lovina A., daughter of 
Henry and Sarah Elizabeth (Benner) Raber. 
Mr. and Mrs. Traster are members of the Re- 
formed Church of East Liberty. Hemy Raber, 
father of Mrs. C. E. Traster, was born June 14, 
1831, at the farm upon which he now resides. 
He was the son of Hemy and Rossanah (Suder) 
Raber; Hemy, Sr., was born in Germany 
about 1792, and, when 6 years of age, his 
father Com*ad emigrated to America, and set- 
tled near Reading, Penn., and about twelve 
years later removed to Stark Co., Ohio. Hen- 
ry, Sr., married Sarah Huyerd; and after she 
died, Rosannah Suder; he died in October,. 
1859; his second wife in November, 1871; 
Henry Raber, Jr., was the father of six chil- 
dren — Mary Alice, died aged 3 ; Lovina Alma, 
now Mrs. C. E. Traster; William Madison, 
Anna Eliza, Minnie Levora and Norman 
Dayton. Henry has served as Township 
Trustee three terms, and as School Director 
nine years. Mr. and Mrs. Raber are members 
of the Reformed Church at East Libertv. 

SAlVrUEL WISE, farmer; P. O. Summit; 
born in Union Co., Penn., July 3, 1818; was 
the youngest son of Peter and Elizabeth (Vo- 
nieda) Wise; Samuel received a knowledge of 



the common branches in the schools of Penn- 
sylvania; he was early apprenticed to learn 
the blacksmith's trade, which he followed in 
Union Co.; in 1842, he removed to Green 
Township, and for six months worked for 
Phillip Seecht, who kept a shop at Greens- 
bui'g. He was married, Oct. 22, 1843, to 
Miss Catharine Raber, daughter of Henry 
and Rosannah (Suder) Raber; he then farmed 
his father-in-law's land on shares for several 
years, until he purchased the farm of Mr. 
Raber; he also bought some land of Daniel 
Evans, and owns at the present time 143 
acres; was the father of nine children, thi*ee 
died in infancy, six are living — Rosannah, 
now Mrs. George Hinland, of Akron; Eliza- 
beth, now Mrs. John Chamberlain, of Spring- 
field Township; Sarah, now Mrs. Edward Mc- 
Chesney, of Springfield Township; Aaron, 
now residing on the farm with his father, and 
married some five years since to Miss Mary 
Miller, of Union Co., Penn.; Lovina, now Mrs. 
Huston Kreighbaum, of Green Township; 
and Catherine Jane, now at home with her 
father; Mrs. Wise died Feb. 1, 1867. Sam- 
uel Wise when a young man united with the 
Lutheran Chm'ch in Pennsylvania ; since mov- 
ing to Green Township, he has been connected 
with the Reformed congregation at East Lib- 
erty, in which society he was an Elder for some 
two years. His wife was also a member of 
this denomination. Samuel has frequently 
been chosen to serve in several minor offices in 
the township ; his present brick residence was 
built abou.t the year 1855 ; a short time previ- 
ous to this, his home was destroyed by fire. 



vn 



;r^ 



,)^ 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



997 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



SAMUEL B. AXTELL was the fourth 
child in a family of twelve children who lived 
to be men and women — six boys and six girls. 
His mother is still living, now in her 89th 
year. His parents emigrated from Morris Co., 
N. J., to Franklin Co., Ohio, where he was 
born Oct. 14, 1819. His' parents were poor, 
and his early life was that of most bo3'S in the 
West, working on the farm and in the woods, 
and in the meanwhile picking up a little educa- 
tion. In his 17th year, he went to Oberlin, 
because it was a manual-labor school, and he 
could pay his board b}- work, earning 10 cents 
an hour at work clearing land, and pacing 
about $1 per week for board. He finished fit- 
ting himself for college at the Shaw Academy 
in Euclid, now East Cleveland, and entered 
Western Reserve College at Hudson, Ohio. 
He did not graduate, but has had an honorary 
degree conferred on him by this college, and is 
also an honorary member of the Alumni. In 
1840, he was married to Adeline S. Williams, 
of Bath, Summit Co., Ohio. They have three 
children living at this date (1881) and five 
grandchildren. In 1851, he went from Rich- 
field to California, and his wife followed and 
joined him there in 1856. In California, he 
was a practical miner and laborer, working 
with all his might at whatever his hand found 
to do, and continuing the study of law, which 
he had commenced before leaving Ohio. He 
was admitted, upon examination, to the Su- 
preme Court of the State of California in 1854, 
and commenced the practice of law in Jack- 
son, Amador Co., in that State. He was three 
times elected District Attorney. Removing to 
San Francisco, he was elected, in 1867, to rep- 
resent that city and district in the Fortieth 
Congress, and was re-elected to the Forty-first 
Congress. In politics, he was known as a War 
or Union Democrat, and was the only man on 
the Democratic side of the House who voted 
for the reconstruction acts and the act of 1869 
to strengthen the public credit. On the tariff, 
he was also in sympathy- with those who 
sought to build up by judicious protection the 
"American system." In January, 1875, he 



was appointed by Gen. Grant Governor of 
Utah Territory, and in the summer of that 
year was transferred to New Mexico, where he 
acted as Governor for three yeai's and a half, 
assisting during two Territorial Legislatures to 
obtain much needed and progressive legisla- 
tion. In 1876, he was chosen by the Execu- 
tive Committee of the Centennial Exhibition 
as one of the Judges in the mineral depart- 
ment, and, in the same year, was a delegate in 
the Cincinnati National Republican Conven- 
tion, where he assisted to pass the resolution 
which sought to restrict the importation of 
Chinese to this countr}'. He is a firm believer 
in non-sectarian public free schools, liberally 
assisted by the General Government, and in 
the supi'emacy of the general Government as 
opposed to the doctrine of State sovereignty. 
His home is now at Richfield. 

P. L. x\LLEN, saddlery and harness. West 
Richfield. Prominent among the sucessful 
business men of West Jlichfield, and one that 
has been long established, is the subject of 
this sketch. Mr. Allen is a native of New 
York State, being born in New York City in 
1826, and where his parents resided until, at 
the age of 10 ^-ears, when the}' removed to 
Hinckley Township, where they resided for 
several years. His father, Peter Allen, subse- 
quently removed to Cleveland, where he con- 
tinued a resident until his decease. Our sub- 
ject came to West Richfield at the age of 17, 
and began to learn his trade with Jonathan 
Page. After perfecting himself in all the 
various branches of his chosen occupation, he 
engaged in business for himself, and in which 
he has continued up to the present time. His 
stock consists of saddles, harness and trunks, 
which he manufactures, and which he has con- 
stantly on hand in large assortments of finished 
work, and is also a dealer in buffalo robes, 
blankets, whips, etc., together with a depart- 
ment devoted to repairing of all kinds, making 
in all a complete and reliable establishment. 

JAMES E. BUCK, farmer; P. 0. West 
Richfield ; is a son of Heman Buck, who, 
together with his father, Denton Buck, were 



^>^ 



998 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES : 



pioneers of Richfield, locating in 1811, one- 
half mile south of the Center, but soon after- 
ward removed to the farm, which is now known 
as the " Buck Homestead." Heman was born 
in Massachusetts Dec. IG, 1792, and came to 
Richfield with his father in 1811, but he did 
not locate permanentl}' until 1813. He con- 
tinued a resident of the old homestead until 
his death. He married the Widow Worden, 
her maiden name being Polly Mace, who was 
born in Schoharie Co., N. Y., April 14, 1795. 
He died Oct. 11, 1852, aged 62 3'ears ; she died 
April 16, 1874; aged 79 years. Their children 
now living are as follows : Mrs. Arvilla Prick- 
ett, in Richfield Township ; Mrs. Mary Wheat- 
ley, living in Virginia ; Mrs. Martha Chandler, 
Mrs. Julia Hart, and James E., residents of 
Richfield Township ; Orson H., a son, deceased. 
He enlisted in the 177th 0. V. I., and died in 
1865, at Goldsboro, N. C, from disease con- 
tracted while in service. James was born in 
Richfield Township, in June. 1830, upon the 
old homestead where he has resided for the 
whole of his life, following in the profession of 
his ancestors, and to which he gives his whole 
time and attention. His farm consists of 160 
acres of land. He was married in March, 
1859, to Miss Josephine Watkins ; she was 
born in New York State, in 1839. They have 
five children — Charles E., Martha Gr., Luella 
F., Orson H. and Lois E. 

J. A. CHANDLER, Justice of the Peace, 
West Richfield, is a son of Capt. Joel and So- 
phia (Smith) Chandler, natives of New Hamp- 
shire. Capt. Chandler was born in 1789, his 
wife in 1798 ; they were married in the town of 
Alstead, Cheshire Co., in 1820, whei-e they lived 
until 1835, when they immigrated to Ohio and 
settled in Richfield Township upon a farm in 
the western portion of the township, where they 
resided for the rest of their lives. He died in 
March, 1874, and she in April, 1854. Sophia 
M., a daughter, married Judson Culver, an old 
resident of the township ; she died in 1873. 
Mary J., and the subject of this sketch are the 
descendants. J. A. Chandler was born in 
Alstead, N. H., in 1824, and worked upon the 
fai-m in Richfield, after their removal there, un- 
til he attained the age of 28. lie taught school 
winters for sixteen years, and has always been 
interested in educational affairs. From 1863 
to 1865, he was engaged in the book trade at 
Alliance, Ohio, and for nearly six years was in 



the mercantile business in Richfield. He has 
served the township as Clerk, Assessor, Trustee, 
and is at present serving his fifth term as 
Justice of the Peace. He was married, May 
17, 184S, to Miss Martha M. Buck, a daughter 
of Heman and Polly (Mace) Buck, whose his- 
tories appear in other portions of this work. 
Martha was born in Richfield Township in 1825. 
They have three ciiildren — Francis M., living in 
Cleveland, where he is serving as Deputy Coun- 
ty Clerk ; Jennie A. and G-eorge L. 

DR. M. S. CHAMBERLIN, West Richfield, 
was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio, in 1843, his 
father was a fjirmer by occupation and our sub- 
ject's early life was passed upon the farm until, 
at the age of 18, he went to California, where 
he remained for five years. He then returned 
to Ohio locating in (jarretsville, where he en- 
gaged in the drug trade and the study of medi- 
cine. Dr. Chamberlin is a graduate of the 
Philadelphia Medical College in medicine and 
surgery, and of the Meadville (Penn.) College 
of Pharmacy ; he is also a member of the 
National Eclectic Medical Association. He 
removed to West Richfield in 1876, where he 
has since been a resident engaged in the han- 
dling of drugs and the practice of his profession. 
He was united in marriage, in 1866, to Miss 
Corlin J. Stone in Garrettsville ; they have three 
children — Norris D., Irving R. and Preston. 
Mr. Chamberlin is a member of Richfield Lodge, 
No. 266, A., F. & A. M., and of the Port Clin- 
ton Lodge, I. 0. 0. F. With his wife he is a 
member of the Baptist Church. 

SAMUEL S. CLARK, farmer ; P. 0. West 
Richfield ; is a prominent citizen, and a son of 
Samuel and Lucy (Sheldon) Clark, early settlers 
in Richfield Township. His lather was a native 
of Massachusetts, and his mother, of New York 
State ; the_y were married in New York State, 
and immediately removed to Hampshire Co., 
where they resided about eighteen years. In 
May, 1833, they moved to Richfield Township, 
taking up some 200 acres of land and resided 
upon it until their deaths. His father was a 
prominent and respected citizen, and. in the 
early ^-ears of his residence in the township, 
taught school and served in various township 
offices. He and wife were members of the 
Presbyterian Church, in which, for a number of 
years, he was Deacon ; he died May 1, 1876, 
and his wife followed him in March, 1877. 
They were parents of eleven children, nine of 



^k 



EICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



999 



whom grew up. Those who are now living are 
as follows : Lorinda Hills, living in Medina ; 
Mary Payne, Samuel S., and Eliza Swan, resi- 
dents of Richfield Township ; and Alfred A., a 
resident of Cleveland. Samuel S., our subject, 
was born in Hampshire Co., Mass., in December, 

1823, and was in his 10th year when his parents 
removed to the township. He remained upon 
the farm, at home, until about 19 years of age, 
and, after a year's residence in Granger Town- 
ship, Medina Co., went to West Richfield and 
engaged in the drug and jewelry trade, at which 
he continued for nearl}' fifteen years ; he then 
disposed of his business in town, and soon aiter 
bought the old homestead farm, where he lias 
since resided, engaging his attention in agricult- 
ural pursuits. He has always interested him- 
self in educational mattei'S, and is one of 
Richfield's most progressive citizens. He was 
married in September, 1846, to Miss Caroline 
Prickitt, a daughter of Samuel and Hannah 
Prickitt, old residents of the township, whose 
biographies appear in another sketch. Caro- 
line was born in New Jersej^ in September, 

1824. The}' have but two children living — 
Mary C. and S. Earl, living in Akron ; two are 
deceased — Ellen A. and Eva A. Mr. Clark has 
110 acres of improved land, conveniently locat- 
ed, about two miles south of town. 

GEORGE B. CLARKE, farmer; P. 0. 
Richfield ; was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., in 
1835. His parents were William and Harriet 
Clarke ; his father was a native of Connecticut ; 
his mother of New York ; they removed to 
Twinsburg, where they continued to reside up 
to his death ; he was a carpenter and joiner 
by trade, and built many of the houses and 
churches of that township ; his mother is still 
living, residing with her oldest son, H. J). 
Clarke, in Michigan. George has passed most 
of his life in mercantile pursuits and book-keep- 
ing. He came to Richfield in 1863, and was in 
the employ of Weld & Farnum for fifteen 
years — a year at Medina at book-keeping, and 
a year in the produce commission business. In 
1880, he returned to Richfield and purchased 
from the heirs the old Wilcox farm, where he is 
now engaged in farming. He was married, 
in December, 1865, to Miss Amelia Wilcox. 
They have three children — Archie B., Anna G. 
and Louie. Mr. Clarke has served tlie town- 
ship as Trustee two terms, and ranks as one of 
the leading progressive men of the community. 



He is a member of Meridian Sun Lodge, No. 
266, A., F. & A. M. 

FRANK I. DUNBAR, druggist, West Rich- 
field ; is a young and enterprising business 
man of West Richfield. He was born in 
Brighton, Lorain Co., Ohio, in 1856. His 
father, Simeon T. Dunbar, is a native of New 
York, and his mother, whose maiden name was 
Ellen E. Ackley, was born in Connecticut ; 
they are now residents of Richfield, his father 
being Pastor of the M. E. Church. Frank has 
had the advantages of a classical course of 
education at Berea, where he graduated. In 
1879, he came to West Richfield to reside, and, 
in 1880, bought out a stock of drugs, medi- 
cines, etc., and is now permanently located 
there engaged in that business. His stock is 
large and complete, and, as it is his intention to 
keep all the sundries of a first-class drug store, 
is a great and welcome addition to the business 
interests of West Richfield. 

THOMAS E. ELLSWORTH, retired. West 
Richfield ; was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., 
March 7, 1797. and is a son of John and Anna 
(Birge) Ellsworth ; also natives of Connecticut. 
Our subject's earl}' life was passed in Connec- 
ticut, where he learned the cabinet-maker's 
trade. He came to Ohio on a visit in 1821, 
but did not locate permanently until January, 
1822, when he came to Richfield Township. 
He now resides in West Richfield, which is 
indebted to him for most of its buildings, and 
for the start and impetus given to it b}' his acts 
of enterprise, a more extended account of 
which appears in the township history'. He 
now carries on a cabinet-shop, which is operated 
by his son Ransom. He was married, June 15, 
1825, to Miss Mary Bigelow, daughter of John 
and Lydia (Benedict) Bigelow, pioneers of 
Richfield Township, locating in 1814, and 
residents of tlie township up to their deaths. 
He died June 17, 1841 ; she died March 24, 
1866. Mr. Ellsworth lost liis first wife Jan. 14, 
1864. They had five children— Elisha T. (died 
March 2, 1879, in Cleveland, leaving a wife and 
five children), Ursline (died May 1, 1853), Ran- 
som C. (living in West Richfield, where he is 
engaged in the cabinet- making trade ; he is 
married to 3Iiss Cora Humphrey, a daughter of 
Norris Humphrey, Esq. ; they have three chil- 
dren) ; James W. (a resident of Cleveland), 
Mary C. (died Aug. 20, 1853). Mr. Ellsworth 
was married to his second wife, Louisa Waite, 



\ 



4 



5) L> 



1000 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



widow of Benjamin Waite, Nov. 16, 1865. He 
is a member of the Congregational Church, 
and has been a Deacon in the church for over 
fift}' years. He is a useful and respected mem- 
ber of society, an honored citizen, and univer- 
sally respected and beloved. Mr. Ellsworth 
has a brother Ransom residing in Hudson. A 
sister, Polly Lewis, also resides there ; she is 
90 years of age, all that are left of a family of 
nine children. 

A. E. EWING, was born Oct. 25, 1816, near 
Cobourg, Upper Canada, on the north shore of 
Lake Ontario, his father having been a native 
of Greenwich, Mass., and his mother of Dorset, 
Vt. Till the beginning of 1836, he resided in 
Canada ; in March of that 3'ear, he entered the 
Medical School at Castleton, Vt., and in the 
fall of same year to school at Hanover, N. H. 
(Medical Department of Dartmouth College), 
where he graduated in 1839. Early in 1840, 
commenced practice in Granger, Medina Co., 
Ohio. He spent three years in that town and 
Sharon, and then went to Medina, where he 
practiced till 1837, when he was married to 
Miss E. N. Oviatt, of Richfield, Summit Co., 
Ohio, and soon thereafter removed to Hillsdale, 
Mich., where he practiced his profession and 
edited a Whig newspaper during the Cass and 
Ta^'lor campaign, and for a year or so after- 
ward. In the latter part of 1849, he returned 
to Ohio, and, in the spring of 1850, settled in 
Richfield, where he has resided up to the 
present time (1881), except from 1856 to 1863, 
during which he lived in Wisconsin, and from 
May, 1876, to May, 1878, during which he 
lived in Berea, Ohio. He has two living chil- 
dren — daughters, and has lost two sons, one in 
early infancy, and the other, George M. Ewing, 
who was born in Cleveland, Jan. 31, 1850, and 
died in Berea, Aug. 6, 1876. 

GEORGE M. EWING, son of Dr. A. E. 
Ewing : was born in Cleveland, Ohio, 1850, 
and died in Berea, 1876 ; he spent much of his 
life in Richfield, and had there a large circle of 
friends, who mourned his early death. He 
studied law, and had been admitted to practice 
at Cleveland ; he was regaixled as a 3'oung man 
of brilliant promise, both as a speaker and 
writer. Gay and genial in manner, 3'et possess- 
ing a read}^ sj^mpathy for all forms of suffering, 
without effort, he attracted friends to his side 
wherever he was known ; but with all his J03'- 
ousness, a certain seriousness pervaded much 



that he has written ; there was a tendenc3' in 
him to ponder the great problems of our exist- 
ence, which found expression in the lines below, 
written not long before his death, but not pub- 
lished while he lived : 

THE MYSTERY OF LIFE. 

This world is but a resting place — 
A pause upon the rising plain — 

A second of time, then on we move, 
And our swift march commence again. 

Tlie whole of life is but a step — 
A round in the ladder we climb — 

We stop to breathe, then start once more 
To the swift-winged music of time. 

For what great end were we begun, 
B3' the powers that phiced us here ? 

AVe maj' ask, but we ask in vain — 
No answer greets the aching ear. 

If we ask the dead on the hillside. 
They but speak of tlie past alone. 

Thej-'ve lived and breathed and passed away. 
But their lips are mute as the stone 

That marks where their ashes lie — 
All alone in death's quiet sleep : 

They have solved the mystery we feel, 
Yet God's holy secret they keep. 

If next to old Nature we turn, 
And seek for our answer there. 

We hear but tlie murmuring night-breeze ; 
She heeds not our frantic prayer. 

Rebuk'd by the silence that greeteth 
These queries propounded by man, 

We question no longer the workings 
Of Heaven's deep fathomless plan. 

So the question of life still remaineth 
The strangest of miracles wrought. 

The powers of all mind transcending. 
And the widest conception of thought. 

This passing tribute is perhaps due to one who 
alwa3's cheerfull3' accorded the kindest apprecia- 
tion of all that was good in others. 

LOUIS P. ELLAS, farmer ; P. 0. Richfield ; 
was born in Tioga Co., N. Y., in 1834. His 
father, Loren Ellas, was a native of Vermont ; 
his mother's maiden name was Sarah Hard3% 
she was born in Connecticut. They were mar- 
ried in Vermont, and subsequentl3' removed 
to New York State, where for a number of 
years his father was engaged in farming and 
lumbering. In 1837, they removed to North- 
ampton Township, Summit Co., locating upon 
a farm, where his father died in 1845 ; his 
mother was a resident of the count3' until 1867, 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



1001 



when she removed to Steuben Co., Ind., where 
she departed this life in 1874. Louis learned 
the trade of boat-building and carpentering, in 
Boston Township, while in early life, and fol- 
lowed that trade about thirteen years there; for 
two 3^ears after he was engaged in keeping a 
grocery in that township, after which time he 
removed to Bath Township, where for three years 
he was engaged in the hotel business. In April, 
1863, he removed to Richfield Township, where 
he has since resided ; he first engaged in the 
hotel business in West Richfield, remaining 
there one 3'ear, and then removed to the " East 
Center," where be was proprietor of the hotel 
there until 1874, during which time he also was 
engaged in buying and selling stock. He then 
disposed of his hotel propert3^ and purchased a 
farm, which he worked for three years, making 
a specialty- in stock-raising and dealing, then 
returning to the hotel in Richfield, where he 
continued until April, 1881. He now intends to 
devote his time to farming and lumbering. He 
owns 240 acres of land in the township, finelj- 
located and mostl}- improved. He was married 
in April. 1856. to Miss Amanda M. Monday ; 
she is a native of New York, where she was 
born, in Tioga Co., in 1831. Their children are 
Elmer C, married to Miss Nancy J. Fixler, he 
is farming in Richfield Township, and Misses 
Emma and Ella. As a landlord, in which so 
manj' years of Mr. Ellas' life has been passed, 
he is deservedly popular, being genial, obliging 
and courteous, and as a citizen he is popular 
and enterprising. He is a member of Meridian 
Sun Lodge, No. 266, A., F. & A. M. 

JOSEPH HALLIWILL, farmer ; P.O. West 
Richfield ; is a son of William and Elizabeth 
(Cox) Halliwill, natives of Pennsylvania and 
pioneers of Summit Co., locating in Franklin 
Township in the spring of 1814. They were 
the first settlers in that township. Christopher 
Johnson, whom the couutj^ atlas claims as the 
first settler, came the day after the Halliwill 
family. They resided there until 1833, when 
they removed to Richfield Township, locating 
in the southern part of the township, where 
son Joseph now resides. The}- continued resi- 
dents of the township until their deaths. He 
died July 25, 1855, and his wife Nov. 18, 1876. 
Mr. Halliwill was a prominent and respected 
citizen, and occupied various offices of trust. 
He was elected one of the first Justices of the 
Peace while a resident of Franklin Township, 



which office he filled honorably for several 
years. There are ten children now living, as 
follows : John, living in Fostoria ; David, a 
resident of Bucyrus, Ohio ; Thomas, in Medina 
Co.; Levi, living in Michigan; Andrew R., a 
resident of Henr^- Co., Iowa ; Joseph, the sub- 
ject of the sketch ; Absalom 0., residing in 
Michigan ; Jane Woodruff, in Fulton Co.; 
Priscilla Bunker, in Henry Co., Ill, and Ke- 
siah, living in Medina Co. Joseph was born 
in Franklin Township in 1825, and since the 
removal of his parents to Richfield, has been a 
resident of that township and of the old home- 
stead, following in the profession of his father, 
in which he has been deservedly successful. 
He has 200 acres of improved land, and, for 
the past twenty-five j^ears, has made quite 
a -specialty of sheep. As a citizen, Mr. 
Halliwill is progressive and enterprising, and 
takes a lively interest in matters of education 
and in township affairs. He has been a Trust- 
ee of the township. He was united in mar- 
riage, Jan. 23, 1857, to Miss Elizabeth Battles. 
She was born in New York State Oct. 23, 1833, 
and came with her parents to Medina Co., where 
they were early settlers, and residents of 
Chatham Township for the remainder of their 
lives. The}' have two children — Milo, born 
Aug. 6, 1857 (he was married, Dec. 25, 1880, 
to Miss Hattie A. Freeman, a daughter of 
Milton Freeman, an old resident of the town- 
ship, now living in Michigan ; he is living 
upon his father-in-law's farm, located one-half 
mile north of the West Center, which he has 
charge of, and which he is at present working), 
and a son at home, Levi. He was born Dec. 
23, 1860. 

LESTER HALL, farmer ; P. 0. West Rich- 
field. One of the oldest settlers now living in 
Richfield Township. He was born in Southern 
Massachusetts in 1800. At the age of 14, his 
parents removed to Portage Co., where the}' 
settled and resided for the remainder of their 
lives. His father died in 1842, aged 72 ; his 
mother in 1803, aged 89. Lester came to 
Richfield in 1823, and took up 163 acres of 
timbered land located where he now resides, 
and began the difficult task of clearing. For 
many years he endured the privations and vex- 
ations of pioneer life, but has lived to see his 
farm a cultivated and imjjroved tract, and 
where once the tall timber stood, through 
which wild beasts prowled and all manner of 



1^ 



1002 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



wild game were at home, he now can see the 
smiling fields of cultivation and improvement. 
His wife, who has made the journey of life 
with him and shared its burdens, was a daugh- 
ter of Joshua and Clarissa (Clark) Finch, early 
settlers and pioneei-s of Portage Co. Celestia 
Finch was born in Massachusetts in 1806, and 
was married to Lester Hall in 1826. The}' 
were the first couple married in Freedom 
Township, Portage Co. Their children are as 
follows : Manly, born in Richfield Township 
in 1830. He remained at home until 23 years 
of age, and then removed to Michigan, where 
for several years he followed farming, and was 
married, in 1855, to Miss Henrietta Southwick, 
who was born in New York State in 1834. In 
1875, he returned to Richfield Township with 
his family, where he has since resided, located 
upon the old farm, which he is operating. The 
farm consists of 81 acres, and they make a 
specialt}' in dairying. They have three chil- 
dren — Edwin L., Franklin N. and Charles A. 
Milo, another son, is living in Akron, engaged 
in the grocery trade at No. 289 South Main 
street, and Melissa Williard, also in Akron. 
Mr. Hall relates many interesting events of his 
pioneer life, some of which appear in another 
portion of this work. Timothy Hall, a brother 
of Lester, came to Richfield about three y6ars 
previous to his settlement. He was one of the 
most wonderful wood-choppers known. He 
cleared with one ax 140 acres of timber in 
about two years, and many other extraordinary 
incidents of him might be related if space 
permitted. He died in the township Sept. 13, 
1869, aged 75 years. Mrs. Hall has been a 
consistent member of the Methodist Church 
for over half a century. The}' are both re- 
spected and beloved. 

E. D. HANCOCK, farmer ; P. O. Richfield ; 
is a son of Alonzo and Azubah (Sheppard) Han- 
cock, who were natives of Massachusetts. He 
was born Jan. 11, 1803. She was born Sept. 
19, 1803. They were married in Massachusetts, 
and first settled in New York State, and, in 
1833, located in Richfield Township, where they 
resided for the remainder of their lives. His 
father served as Township Trustee for a num- 
ber of years ; he was one of the most powerful 
men in the country, with a large physique, weigh- 
ing 210 pounds, all bone and sinew ; he cleared 
a gi-eat deal of land, especially that of Dr. Ran- 
som, and 180 acres of his own ; he could chop 



a cord of wood in 40 minutes ; he was temper- 
ate in all of his habits, industrious, and uni- 
versally respected ; he died suddenly with heart 
disease, in November, 1862. His mother died 
in 1839. Our subject was born in New York 
State in 1830 ; he has been a resident of the 
township since his people first located there, 
and has been engaged in agricultural pursuits. 
In 1865, he bought the farm where he now re- 
sides ; he has 200 acres of land, mostly im- 
proved, and makes dairying a leading vocation. 
He has served the township as Trustee for four 
years and as a Constable two years ; in 1875. 
upon the organization of Richfield Grange Pat- 
rons of Husbandry, he was elected the first Mas- 
ter and served two years, serving again in 1880 
in the same capacity ; he is now acting as Treas- 
urer of their society. Mr. Hancock was united 
in marriage, Dec. 2, 1851, to Elizabeth Lock- 
ert, of Richfield Township. She was born in 
Galway, Saratoga Co., N. Y., in 1831. Mr. and 
Mrs. Hancock have the following children : 
Amelia, Hanson, Eugene, Ella Welton, Julia 
Powers, Frank F., Cora I., Ralph A. and John 
P. John Hancock enlisted in the sharpshoot- 
ers, and was in service nearly a year ; he died 
at Nashville from disease contracted while on 
duty. 

HIRAM HART, farmer , P. 0. West Rich- 
field ; was born in Windham Co., Vt.,in 1833 ; 
his early life was passed in his native State, 
where, up to the age of 19, he worked at farm- 
ing, and for one year worked in a store ; he 
then went south, remaining one year, and, in 
the spring of 1855, removed to Ohio, locating 
in Richfield Township and purchasing the farm 
where he now resides ; he has 174 acres of land, 
located about two miles south of Richfield Cen- 
ter, and where he follows the occupation of gen- 
eral farming. Mr. Hart was married, in the fall 
of 1854, to Miss Jeannette L. Stearns. She 
was also a native of Vermont, and died in Rich- 
field, leaving two children — Elmer S. and Em- 
ma E. He was married to a second wife. Miss 
Arlette A. Clark ; she is a daughter of Pai'k 
B. and Nancy Clark, early settlers of Twins- 
burg ; she was born there in 1838. They have 
five children — Arthur C, Dana H., Roy K., 
Carroll P. and Gratia C. Mr. Hart has served 
the township as Trustee, and has always taken 
an interest in educational affairs. He is at pres- 
ent serving as a County Commissioner, having 
been elected in 1879. 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



1003 



HENRY W. HOWE, Richfield ; is a son of 
Capt. Richard Howe, one of the first set- 
tlers and leading citizens of Akron, who was 
born in St. Mary's Co., Md., March 8, 1799. His 
father died in 1810, leaving a widow and seven 
children, of whom Richard was the eldest. In 
1812, his mother removed to Ohio with her 
family and settled in Franklinton. Lucas Sul- 
livant, a wealthy land-owner, was so well 
pleased with the youthful Richard that he 
adopted him and reared him as one of his own 
children, giving him the benefits of a good edu- 
cation, and teaching him civil engineering, which 
occupation he followed for many years. He 
surveyed and located a railroad from Columbus 
to Cincinnati, and upon the organization of the 
Board of Engineers to survey and locate the 
Ohio Canal in 1824, he was selected as one of 
its members, retaining his position until 1850, 
attaining the rank of President Engineer. He 
resigned in 1850, and went to California, where 
he remained three j-ears, during which time he 
received from Samuel D. King, Surveyor of 
California, Deputy Surveyorship of the State, 
and ran the meridian line from the summit of 
Mt. Dabola to the Bay of Monterey. From 
1863 to 1865, he was in the employ of the Pan 
Handle Railroad at Steubenville, superintend- 
ing the construction of the bridge across the 
Ohio River at that place. His home was in 
Akron, where he had settled in 1829. He was 
always active<in public enterprise, and foremost 
in any act to promote the growth and prosper- 
ity of the cit}'. He served in 1834 as one of the 
building committee that erected the first Pres- 
byterian Church, and, in 1840, was one of the 
trustees for building the court house and jail. 
He was also one of the prime movers in estab- 
lishing the cemetery. His death occurred in 
Akron, March 19, 1872. His wife, Roxana 
Howe, was born in Bristol, Ontario Co., N. Y., 
Jan. 4, 1805, and died at the age of 70 years. 
Their children are as follows : Charles R., who 
was one of the prominent business men of 
Akron, and enlisted in the 100 days' service, 
serving his time honorably ; he died in Akron 
Deo, 7, 1875, bequeathing to the Cemetery Asso- 
ciation $5,000 ; Nathan J. Howe, who is a res- 
ident of Chicago, where he occupies the posi- 
tion of General Freight Agent of the Wabash 
Railroad ; Mrs. Emil}- B. Ingersoll, of Sterling. 
111.; Mrs. Anna Wolf residing in Akron, and 
the subject of this sketch. Henry W. was born 



in Bath Township in 1828, his early life being 
passed in Akron, where he obtained good edu- 
cational advantages, graduating at Oberlin, in 
1849. He decided upon a professional life, and 
entered the office of Judge Carpenter, of Akron, 
where he commenced the study of law. He sub- 
sequently practiced with Judge Carpenter, in 
partnership, until the election of Carpenter as 
Judge, when he engaged in the manufacture of 
agriculture implements in Akron for seven 
years, and from there removed to Richfield, in 
1871, where he engaged in manufacturing en- 
terprises for nine years, and where he is at 
present residing. While a resident of Akron, 
he served as a member of the Board of Educa- 
tion and of the City Council. He has also been 
a member of the Board of Education of Rich- 
field, where he served one term as Justice of 
the Peace. He is now serving 9,s Secretary of 
the Summit County Patrons of Husbandry. 
He was united in marriage Dec. 12, 1859, to 
Miss Isadore C. Bell, who is a native of Con- 
necticut, and is at present serving as Postmis- 
tress of Richfield. They have three children — 
Edwin B., Frank R. and Abbev B. 

NORRIS HUMPHREY, farmer ; P. 0. Pen- 
insula ; was born in Hartford Co., Conn., in 
1806 ; his parents were Oliver and Rhoda 
(Woodford) Humphrey, also natives of Connec- 
ticut. They emigrated to Ohio in 1816, arriv- 
ing in the Western Reserve and locating in 
Trumbull Co. Jul}' 4, where they were residents 
for the remainder of their lives. His father 
was a blacksmith by trade, which he followed, 
together with farming. He was in the war of 
1812, and served as Orderl}- Sergeant in a light 
infantry compau}'. He died Aug. 6, 1846, aged 
63 years. His mother's death occurred Sept. 
24, 1867, aged 81 years. Their children were 
as follows : Norris, the eldest ; Elvira Irwin, 
now living in Portage Co.; Julius, a I'esident 
of Akron ; Ellen Bolster, living in Cleveland ; 
Anna Harris, also a resident of Cleveland ; 
Ezekiel — he learned the printer's trade in War- 
ren Co., and subsequently moved to the South- 
ern States, locating first in Natchez ; when the 
Texas revolution broke out, he volunteered, 
and joined a cavalry company of 100, fitting 
and equipping themselves, under Gov. Quit- 
man ; after serving through the war, he started 
the Mornittg /Star, the first paper published in 
Texas after the revolution ; he died in 1836, of 
yellow fever, contracted while heroicall}- caring 



IV 



1004 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



for fever-stricken sufferers ; his brother Norris 
has now the deeds of 1,280 acres of land given 
him by the State for his services during the 
revolution ; George, a physician by profession, 
died in Cleveland. Our subject's early life was 
passed in Trumbull Co., where he learned the 
blacksmith's trade with his father. In 1829, 
he removed to Richfield Center, where he fol- 
lowed his trade for two years. He purchased, 
in 1829, 50 acres of land for $3 per acre. This 
was the first pui'chase in the " Wilcox Tract." 
In 1830, he built the first frame house between 
the Cuyahoga River and Richfield. He mar- 
ried, Feb. 10, 1831, Miss Julia Case ; she was 
a native of Trumbull Co., and a daughter of 
Ira and Ursula (Hyde) Case, natives of Con- 
necticut and early settlers in Trumbull Co. 
Her father served in the war of 1812 ; her 
mother was of English descent — a member of 
the "Hyde" family. After his marriage, Mr. 
H. moved upon his land, and has, up to tlie 
present time, continued to reside where he first 
purchased. He has now 200 acres, about 50 
of which is timbered ; his land is finely im- 
proved and conveniently located. While pros- 
pecting for minerals upon his land, and in the 
vicinity, he discovered, at a depth of twenty 
feet, several veins of water, which now furnish 
an inexhaustible supply of pure water. Mr. 
Humphrey helped to organize the first militia 
company in the township, in 1832, and was 
appointed Captain in 1834: ; he was appointed 
Major of the 1st Battalion, Light Infantry ; he 
still preserves the old commissions appointing 
him to his positions. While a resident of 
Trumbull County, he served the Township as 
Constable, which was at that period an im- 
portant office. Since he has been a resident of 
Richfield, he has served in many offices of 
trust. He was for several years a Township 
Trustee, and for two terms Assessor of Personal 
Property. In educational affairs he has always 
taken a prominent part ; he was one of the Di- 
rectors of the Richfield Academy for several 
years. At the breaking-out of the war, he from 
the first took an active interest in organizing a 
company and aiding in everj- way for the pi'es- 
ervation of the Union. He sent four of his boys 
out in the service, fitting them from his own 
pocket. Mr. H. lost his wife Jan. 26, 1871, 
aged 62 j-ears. Their children are as follows : 
Austin, now a resident of Lincoln, Neb., where 
he is engaged in the hardware business in part- 



nership with his brother Norris ; Cora Ells- 
worth, living in Richfield Township ; Oliver 
N., a resident of Lincoln, Neb. — he was in the 
service about two years, on the frontier, among 
the Indians ; Lucien E. enlisted in the 115th 
0. V. I., and was in the service five years — 
now a resident of Richfield ; Decius served in 
the 64th 0. V. I. as Fife Major for five years — 
he died April 1, 1868, aged 22 years ; Truman, 
now living on the old homestead — he was mar- 
ried July 4, 1875, to Miss Lida Hale, a 
daughter of Andrew Hale, an old resident of 
Bath Township. 

AGUSTUS J. HUMPHREY, farmer ; P. 0. 
West Richfield ; is a son of Julius and Rhoda 
(Oviatt) Humphre}'. Julius was born in Go- 
shen, Conn., in 1800, and his wife in Goshen in 
1802. They were married in 1820, and re- 
moved to Richfield the same year ; he died in 
the Louisville Hospital in January, 1864, from 
disease contracted wliile there ; he went South 
after James Sanborn, of the 64th 0. V. I., who 
was sick in that hospital, but neither returned, 
James dying about two weeks after Mr. Humph- 
re^^ The mother is still living in Richfield with 
her son Augustus. Their children now living are 
as follows : Phoebe Cartel", living in Richfield ; 
Lucia Bennett, living in Akron ; Maria Sanborn, 
living in Richfield ; Augustus was born in 1833, 
and has passed his life upon the old home- 
stead and devoting his whole attention to farm- 
ing. He has 85 acres of land, finely improved 
and conveniently located. He was married, 
October, 1852, to Miss Priscilla Sanborn, a 
daughter of John and Sibyl (Farwell) Sanborn, 
both natives of New Hampshire, and early resi- 
dents of Boston Township, coming there in 
1834, where they resided twenty years, and 
subsequently removed to Richfield, where he 
died in July, 1866, his wife still living with her 
daughter Priscilla. Mr. Humphrey was born 
in New Hampshire, in 1833. They have one 
son, Earnest, who is married to Miss Flora 
Hart, a daughter of Henry Hart, a resident of 
Richfield Township. The}' have one child — 
Clarence. 

HENRY KILLIFEJl, blacksmith,West Rich- 
field ; was born in Richfield, in 1838. He is 
a son of Henr}' and Jane (Curtis) Killifer, 
natives of Connecticut ; the}' came to Rich- 
field Township at an early day, but subsequently 
removed to Putnam Co. Henry returned to 
Richfield and engaged at the blacksmith's trade. 



•^ ©" 
'' 



"fv" 



.JD 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



1005 



in 1858 ; at the commencement of the war, he 
enlisted in Battery A, 1st Ohio, and was in the 
service four years, enlisting in August, 1861, and 
discharged in August, 1865. He then returned 
to Richfield, where he has since been working 
at his trade. He was married to Miss Orvelia 
Spafford Oct. 17, 1867 ; she was born in Sum- 
rait Co., in 1842. Her father, Martin C. Spaf- 
ford, was born in Vermont, in 1808, and came 
with his father, Jacob Spafford, to Richfield, in 
1816, where they remained three years and 
then removed to Coplej', where Jacob lived 
about forty years, then removing to Bath Town- 
ship, where he died. Martin passed his early 
daj's upon his father's farm ; at the age of 21 
he went to Portage Co., and worked in a distil- 
lery for three years, and from there removed to 
Bath, where for twenty 3'ears he worked at 
shoemaking and milling. He then removed to 
Richfield, where he now lives, following the oc- 
cupation of a miller for the most of the time. 
Martin was married in 1836, to Miss Mary 
Brown, whose parents were early residents of 
the county. They have four children — Orline 
Sheppard, living in Akron ; Orvelia ; Beulah 
Derr, living in Huron Co., and Willie F., a 
resident of Hudson. Mr. and Mrs. Killifer 
have two children — Mary and Henry. Mr. 
Killifer is a member of Richfield Lodge, No. 
266, A., F. & A. M., and is a genial and benevo- 
lent neighbor, a fine mechanic, and an enterpris- 
ing citizen. 

JAMES LOCKERT, farmer ; P. 0. Rich- 
field ; was born in Gralwa}', Saratoga Co., N. Y., 
in 1802. His father was a farmer and our sub- 
ject remained at home until he attained his 
majority. He married April 8, 1830, Miss 
Minerva Moon, of Galway. In June, 1833, he 
emigrated to Ohio, locating in Richfield Town- 
ship, and, in the spring of 1834, removed to 
the northeast corner of the township, where he 
purchased the land where his residence now is. 
He has now retired from active life and is now 
living with his son Lorain. His family is as 
follows — Elizabeth, wife of E. D. Hancock, of 
Richfield Township ; Ann ICdgell, living in 
Richfield ; James W., a prominent farmer of 
the township ; Lorain, also a leading farmer ; 
Mary Jane Snow, of Brecksville ; Alexander, 
of WaiTen Co., Ohio, who is a Baptist minis- 
ter, and Minerva Reid, wife of Chas. W. Reid, 
who has purchased the old homestead. Mr. 
and Mrs. Lockert were members of the Baptist 



Church ; she died April 25, 1879. Mr. Lock- 
ert has served as Township Trustee and is one 
of its honored and respected citizens. When 
he removed to his present location it was a 
wilderness, and his own individual efforts have 
done much to hasten the prosperity which now 
smiles upon the improved and cultivated fields 
divided among his children. He owned, at 
one time, nearly 500 acres which was a direct 
accumulation of his own industry and energy. 
Lorain was born in 1840, and married in 1870, 
Miss Helen Andrew, of Boston Township. He 
served in the 177th 0. V. I., from 1864 to the 
close of the war. He has 142 acres of land 
under good cultivation. They have one child 
— Harley. James W. was born June 29, 1837; 
he was married Dec. 31, 1863, to Abigail Reid; 
they have three children — -Willis W., Mina M. 
and Floyd L. He has 175 acres of land, which 
is finely improved and cultivated. Minerva, 
born Sept. 21, 1843, was married to Chas. H. 
Reid Dec. 31, 1863. They have three children 
— Lulu L., Jessie L. and Blanche A. Ann 
Edgell, born in Saratoga Co., N. Y.,in 1832 ; 
was married March 19, 1856, to Mason Edgell, 
who died in 1868. She has three children — 
Minerva, Elizabeth and Lillie. 

0. T. MEADE, farmer ; P. O. Richfield ; son 
of Abner and Barbara (Klopenstine) Meade. 
His father was a native of Vermont, and 
mother of France; they were married in Spring- 
field Township, Summit Co., and were residents 
of that township for several years ; his father 
was engaged in the potter}^ business there, 
which was about the first business of that kind 
in the count}-. They next removed to Rich- 
field Township, locating in the .southeastern 
portion of the township, where for many ^-ears 
they were engaged in farming ; here his mother 
died and his father subsequently moved to Bath 
Township and farmed there several 3'ears. In 
1879, he removed to Kansas, where he now re- 
sides, engaged in farming and stock-raising. 
Three of their children now reside in Summit 
Co. — Charles, in Boston Township ; Mary 
Bomgardner, in Richfield Township, and the 
subject of this sketch, Trueman, as he is famil- 
iarly called, was born in Springfield Township, 
in 1843, and the most of his life has been 
passed in Richfield Township, where he is now 
engaged in farming and stock business. He is 
an energetic and enterprising young man, and 
will doubtless become one of the solid men of 






'i^ 



1006 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



the county. He was married Sept. 20, 1871, 
to Miss Mary Schatfer ; tbey have two children 
— Noma and Greo. Gr. 

ALFRED T. NEWTON, farmer ; P. 0. Rich- 
field ; is a son of Marcus Newton and Han- 
nab (Fletcher) Newton. jMarcus was born in 
Goshen, Conn., June 12, 1811, and came with 
his parents to Ohio when they removed thither. 
He was married to Miss Hannah Fletcher. Jan. 
1, 1833. He was a local Methodist minister as 
well as a farmer, and led a conscientious, Chris- 
tian life ; he died in the township in January, 
1874. His wife died three years previous, Jan. 
14, 1871, in Hillsdale, Mich., at the home of her 
daughter, Mar}' L. Brown, who is the only 
daughter now living ; she resides at present in 
Branch Co., Mich. Alfred was born Dec. 21, 
1836, in Richfield Township, and has always 
been a resident of the township ; he has de- 
voted his time entirely to agricultural j)ursuits, 
and is one of the prominent land-owners of the 
township. He bought the old Marvin Oviatt 
farm in 1868, and has made it his home ever 
since. He was married, Sept. 15, 1864, to Miss 
Huldah H Swan ; she was born in Boston Town- 
ship in 1842. Her father, Levi L. Swan, was a 
native of Connecticut, and an early settler of 
Boston Township. Mr. and Mrs. Newton have 
four children living — Eda and Eva (twins) 
Mary L. and Clara A. Alfred M. died at the 
age of 5 months. Mr. Newton is a member of 
Brecksville Lodge, I. 0. 0. F., and is an enter- 
prising and respected citizen. 

LUCIUS NEWTON, farmer; P. 0. West 
Richfield ; is a son of John and Laura (Thomp- 
son) Newton. John Newton was a native of 
Connecticut, where he was born, Feb. 24, 1787. 
He first came to Ohio in 1806, locating in 
Hudson, where he remained a few years, and 
then returned to Connecticut, when, in 1810, he 
married Miss Laura Thompson. In 1815, with 
his wife and two sons, Marcus and Lucius, he 
returned to Ohio, and after a few years residence 
in Hudson, he removed to Richfield, where he 
became a large and successful farmer, and a 
prominent and infiuential citizen, accumulating 
a handsome property. He was a member of 
Assembly and an Associate Judge, under the 
constitution of Ohio. He died in Richfield 
Township in March, 1867 ; his wife had died 
four years previous. The children were as fol- 
lows : Marcus was a farmer, and local Method- 
ist minister. He was an earnest and consistent 



Christian ; he died in Januar}', 1874. Lucius, 
our subject, was the next child. John T., now 
a prominent lawyer, residing in Toledo, and 
Rebecca Weld, living in Richfield Township. 
Lucius was born Dec. 19, 1814. He began the 
battle of life for himself at the age of 22, lo- 
cating in Royalton, Cuyahoga Co., where he 
purchased 640 acres of timbered land, 200 
acres of which he cleared and fenced. He re- 
mained there about five 3'ears, then removing 
to Richfield Township and locating upon the 
farm where he now resides, and where he has 
been a continuous resident since. He has ac- 
cumulated a large tract of land, having at one 
time nearl}' 1,000 acres, part of which he has 
divided between his children. He has been 
strictly engaged at farming and stock-raising 
all of his life, which he has made a decided 
success. He was married in May, 1838, to 
Miss Catharine Brock way ; her parents were 
natives of Connecticut and pioneers of Trum- 
bull Co., where she was born in 1818. Their 
children are as follows : John T., a prominent 
farmer of Richfield Township ; Homer E. ; he 
is married to Miss Clara Dale, and is farming 
in the township ; Minet L., farmer, at home ; 
Laura McKinstrej', and Virgil L. He is mar- 
ried to Miss Alice S. Conrad, and also a farmer 
of Richfield Township. 

JOHN T. NEWTON, farmer ; P. 0. West 
Richfield ; is a son of Lucius Newton, one of 
the pioneers of the township ; was born in Rich- 
field Township Feb. 17, 1839. His life, until 
he attained his majority, was passed under the 
guardianship of his parents, upon the farm, for 
which pursuit his education and inclinations 
have well fitted him, and which occupation he 
has always followed. As a jrractical farmer, he 
is one of the most prominent in the township. 
He was married, Sept. 3, 1868, to Miss Mary 
Adams, daughter of Samuel T. Adams, of Me- 
dina ; she was born in Medina Oct. 11, 1850. 
They have four children — John Edward, born 
Oct. 5,1869 ; Jay Thorne, July 23, 1871 ; Earl 
Brockway, May 'll, 1874; Mary G., March 11, 
1878. In March, 1872, Mr. Newton removed 
to his present location, about one and one-half 
miles north of the West Center, where he has 
110 acres of fine farming land, which he has 
improved in buildings, fences, etc. He makes 
specialties in fancy poultry, hogs, sheep and 
cattle ; he is also engaged extensively in bee 
culture, which branch he makes quite a study. 



V 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



1007 



and which has proven most remunerative. He 
has always been interested in the school inter- 
ests, and all matters pertaining to the best in- 
terests of the township. 

aEN. 0. M. OVIATT (deceased) ; was horn 
at Goshen, Litchfield Co., Conn., Feb. 24, 1799, 
and removed with his father, Capt. Heman 
Oviatt, to Hudson, Portage Co. (now Summit 
Co.), in 1803, Hudson at that time being an 
unbroken wilderness, with but a few white in- 
habitants, its principal denizens being the 
Chippewa tribe of Indians. His father kept a 
small store, stocked with such goods as met ready 
sale with the few whites and many Indians then 
scattered over the Reserve. But the general 
trade was one of barter with the latter, for their 
furs, etc., which were the principal currency of 
that earl}^ period. Gren. 0. was so constantly 
associated with the Indians in his youth as to 
render him as proficient in the use of their 
language as in his own. With the exception of 
a period which he spent in attending school at 
the Litchfield Academy, at Litchfield, Conn., 
(John Brown, Sr., accompanying him), mcst of 
his youth was passed in Hudson. The friend- 
ship there formed with old Osawattomie con- 
tinued through life, Mr. 0., in after years, aid- 
ing him in some of his public enterprises, 
especially in his Kansas expedition. In the 
winter of 1820, with a companion named Tim- 
othy Hall, and a pair of oxen and a sled, he came 
to the township of Richfield ; it was at that 
time almost entirely unsettled, and with only a 
doubtful trail between the two points. After 
the erection of a small abode, in the following 
spring, he was married to Miss Phoebe H. Coe, 
of Charlestown, Portage Co., Ohio, and with his 
young wife moved to the new home. The en- 
suing year he commenced the building of a store 
near his residence, at the center of the town, 
cutting down the forest and removing the green 
stumps from the ground to locate the same. 
There are one or two individuals still living 
who assisted in this work — -Mr. John Payne, 
now aged 83, and Mr. Lester Hall, both now 
residents of this place. This store was the 
principal point of trade for the country around 
for a circle of twenty miles or more, and for 
over fifty years, or until the year 1876, was con- 
tinuously open to successful trade. Gren. 0. 
was noted for his large business capacit}^ pro- 
bity, and strictly honest dealing. He was also 
greatly interested in the building-up of the 



town and forwarding its best interests. In the 
erection of the first Congregational Church, in 
1830, he bore a large share of the burden, and 
in the educational interests he was strictly 
identified and foremost in his endeavors to make 
the same a success. At this time, a large 
share of the emigrants to this Western region 
were poor, and their hardships many, in their 
endeavors to obtain homes, and there were many 
who expressed gTeat gratitude for timely assis- 
tance rendered them by him at that early 
period. In the year 1836, he met with the 
great affliction of his life, in the death of his 
beloved wife, a few of whose characteristics the 
writer cannot refrain from mentioning. Her 
special pleasure was in visiting the sick and 
needy of the then scattered population, whom 
she would cheer by kind words and supplying 
their necessities. She was an earnest Christian 
worker through an active and busy life, and 
died on March 1, 1836, aged 34, sincerely 
mourned by all who knew her. Five children 
were born of this marriage, of whom but two 
are living, viz., Mrs. Dr. A. E. Ewing, and 0. 
M. Oviatt, still residents of this town. Gen. 
0. afterward married Miss Lucretia S. Ward, of 
Hadley, Mass., a Christian lady of refinement 
and intelligence, with whom he lived happily 
until his death. Of this marriage there were 
born four children, of whom three are living — 
Mrs. Geo. W. Gardner, of Cleveland ; Mr. Wm. 
H. Oviatt, and Mr. Louis D. Oviatt, of Long- 
mont, Colo. Ellen P. Oviatt died May 5, 
1856, aged 11 years. In the year 1848, Mr. 
Oviatt removed to the city of Cleveland, where 
he had property interests, his first residence 
there being the present Catholic nunneiy on 
Euclid Avenue, which he sold to them osten- 
sibly for a school building, but which they 
since have transformed into a nunnery and 
school against a strict stipulation with him at 
the time of its purchase, that it should never 
be used for that purpose, he being always a 
strong anti-Catholic. After a few years spent 
in the commission business, he engaged very 
extensively in the packing business with D. J. 
P. Robinson, now of Mentor, which partner- 
ship was continued very successfully some 
eighteen or twenty years. In politics he was 
at first an ardent Whig, but after the formation 
of the Republican party he fully indorsed 
its principles, and adhered to them until his 
death. He was often urged to become a candi- 



?r 



1008 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



date for office, but generally refused, l)elieving 
the office should seek the man ; still he was 
called to many positions of trust, among others 
in an early day, that of Associate Judge of 
Medina Co., one of his Associates being Judge 
Pardee, of Wadsworth. He was member of 
the City Council of Cleveland many successive 
terms, several times elected its presiding officer, 
member and Chairman of its Finance Committee, 
and held other positions of trust, the duties of 
which were conscientiously executed and to 
the satisfaction of his friends who had placed 
him in office. In the year 1868, he retired from 
active business, and after an absence of nearly 
twenty years from his early home, having a 
desire to spend his remaining years near his 
children, he returned thither ; but his residence 
there was of short duration, for after one year 
of pleasurable intercourse with his children, 
old friends and neighbors, he was suddenly 
attacked by a disease (which had troubled him 
for many years) and died after three days ill- 
ness. His remains were removed to Cleveland 
and interred in his own private vault in Wood- 
land Cemetery. 

0. M. OVIATT, son of Gen. 0. M. and 
Pha?be H. Oviatt, was born in Richfield, July 1 2, 
1825, and has lived in this town continuously 
up to the present time. He received his early 
education at tlie old Richfield Academy, Rev. 
Harvey Lyon being his instructor. After at- 
tending school in later 3'ears at Gambier, Ohio, 
Granville, Ohio, and Hudson College (English 
Department). He was married, Aug. 2, 1848, 
to Miss Frances C. Hammond, daughter of 
Nathaniel and Lucy Hammond, both residents 
of Richfield. After his marriage he resided 
for some time on the old homestead near the 
center (his father having removed to Cleveland, 
Ohio). In June. 1857, he removed to his pres- 
ent residence previously occupied by his grand- 
father, Capt. Heman Oviatt. He held the po- 
sition of County Commissioner two terms (six 
vears). He has given much attention to the 
educational interests of the town, and took a 
leading part in the founding of the pi'esent 
Richfield Central High School, overcoming 
strong opposition from its non-supporters. He 
has also been a member of the Board of Edu- 
cation the past twelve 3'ears. 

SCHUYLER R. OVIATT, P. 0. Richfield ; 
is a son of Marvin and Mary (Foote) Oviatt, 
who were both natives of Connecticut. Mar- 



vin was born in Goshen Oct. 1, 1797, and his 
wife in Norfolk Feb. 2, 1795. They were uni' 
ted in marriage in 1818. The fiither of Marvin, 
Capt. Heman Oviatt, was born in Goshen, 
Conn., Sept. 20, 1775 ; he was married Jan. 
10, 1796, to Miss Eunice Newton, she was born 
Nov. 15, 1777. Capt. Heman Oviatt was one 
of the pioneers of Summit County, coming 
with David Hudson, to Hudson Township, in 
1800, returning in the fall of the year to Con- 
necticut, and returning in the spring of 1801, 
with his family. He located in Hudson Town- 
ship where he resided for a number of years, 
taking a prominent position in all acts of pub- 
lic importance and improvements. He en- 
dowed Hudson College, while a resident there, 
with a fund of $12,000. His first wife, Eunice, 
was a woman universally beloved, and pos- 
sessed much influence over the Indians. She 
died Sept. 17, 1813, leaving three children — 
Marvin, Orson and Harriet. Heman married 
for a second wife Sophia E. Kilbourne, by 
whom he had two children— Heman, now a 
resident of Cleveland, and Elizabeth, living in 
Richfield Township ; she lived about twenty 
years, and after her death he married the Widow 
Curtis, of Akron, who survived him several 
3'ears. In 1839, Heman removed to Richfield 
Township, were he resided up to his death, 
which occurred Dec. 5, 1854. A more extend- 
ed narrative of his business enterprises, and 
connection with the township and count3', will 
appear in another portion of this work. Marvin 
was married in Hudson in 1818, and engaged 
in farming for a short period in that township, 
and then connected himself with his brother 
Orson, in Richfield. In 1825, he went to 
Cleveland, and was engaged in the mercantile 
trade there for a few 3'ears, and then went 
South, and was in the produce business upon 
the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers ; after a few 
3'ears he returned to Richfield, and again went 
upon a farm. At the breaking-out of the gold 
excitement in California, in 1850, he started 
for the Pacific Coast, and after remaining there 
three 3'ears, started to return home, but fell 
from the steamer, upon which he had taken 
passage upon the San Juan River, and was 
drowned, August 1853. His bod3' was never 
recovered nor any of his effects. His wife died 
in Richfield, May 31, 1876. Their children 
now living are as follows : Schu3'ler R., Trac3' 
M., a Presb3'terian Minister now living in Call- 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



1009 



fornia ; Edward, a prominent law_yer of Akron; 
Celia, now the wife of Baxter H. Wood, of 
Medina ; Virgil L., a graduate of tlie Western 
Reserve College (deceased) ; Carlos, died in 
Corry, Peun., having a wife and son ; Schuyler 
R., was boi'u in Hudson Township in 1819. 
His education is academical, graduating at the 
Richfield Academy at the age of 20. He is by 
occupation a civil engineer, and has also de- 
voted considerable attention to horticultural 
pursuits. At various times he has served the 
township and county in offices of public trust, 
prominent among which we mention, as County 
Surveyor, and also County Treasurer from 
1871 to 1875. In township affairs he has 
always taken a leading interest; is now serving 
as Notary Public. In 1880, he prepared and 
delivered a historical address, in Richfield, at 
the pioneer meeting of that year, and also fur- 
nishes many of the facts and incidents which 
appear in the township history. He was united 
in marriage in June, 1842, to Miss Charlotte 
A. Weld, a daughter of James Weld, Esq., who 
was before his death one of Richfield's most 
prominent business men. Thev have two 
children — James S., a graduate of Western 
Reserve College, and at present living in Cleve- 
land, serving as Assistant City Civil Engineer, 
and Miss Lotta, at home. 

DARIUS L. OVIATT, farmer ; P. 0. West 
Richfield ; is a son of Nathaniel and Hannah 
(Deming) Oviatt, natives of Litchfield Co., 
Conn., and pioneers of Summit Co., locating in 
Richfield Township in 1812, and residents of 
the township for the remainder of their lives. 
His mother died in April, 1831 ; by a subse- 
quent marriage his father had six children, only 
one of whom is now living — Ruth Freeman, a 
resident of Michigan ; two sons, John and 
Charles, died while in the service. His father's 
death occurred in March, 1863. Our subject 
was born in Richfield Township Jan. 22, 1825 ; 
he remained upon his father's farm until about 
19 3' ears of age, and then went to Hinckley, 
Medina Co., where he resided about fifteen 
years, marrying while there, in August, 1849, 
Miss Emma Crissy ; she died in May, 1861 ; 
three children were the result of this marriage 
— Moseman C., now a resident of Michigan ; 
Linus W., living in Richfield Township ; and 
Trueman D., now living in Cuyahoga Co. In 
September, 1861, he was married to his second 
wife, Miss Phoebe J. Tuthill ; they have four 



children — Emma J., Charlie C, Hattie E. and 
Alma I. In October, 1861, Mr. Oviatt returned 
to Richfield Township and located upon the old 
homestead, where he has resided up to the pres- 
ent time ; he has 126 acres of improved land, 
conveniently located, about one mile north of 
West Richfield. He has always taken an inter- 
est in educational and township matters, and is 
a respected and enterprising citizen. 

STEPHEN C. PIXLEY, farmer ; P. 0. West 
Richfield. Prominent among the old residents 
of Richfield Township is Stephen C. Pixley, the 
subject of this biography. He came with his 
parents to the township in 1816, from Massa- 
chusetts, where he was born in Franklin in 1813, 
and has been a resident of the township, and 
lived upon the farm, taken up by his father at 
that time, up to the present time. His father 
was Stephen Pixley, a native of Massachusetts, 
where he was born July 9, 1781 ; his mother's 
maiden name was Orpha Cooley, also a native of 
Massachusetts ; she was born March 27, 1781 ; 
they were married in Massachusetts Nov. 25, 
1804. In 1816, they started from Massachu- 
setts with a team and two yoke of cattle, and, 
after a journey of six weeks, reached Richfield ; 
they located in the northwestern portion of the 
township, where they lived for the remainder of 
their lives. His father's death occurred Oct. 
31, 1829 ; his mother's, Sept. 6, 1840. Their 
children now living are as follows : Sumner, a 
resident of Boston Township ; Se3'mour, living 
in California ; and our subject, Stephen C. ; a 
son, Alvin C, a prominent resident of Rich- 
field Township, died in June, 1878, leaving a 
wife who is still a resident of the township ; 
they had five children, all of whom are deceased. 
Owen C, a son, died from disease contracted in 
the service of his country. Stephen C. was 
united in marriage, Nov. 13, 1850, to Miss Eliza 
Buell ; she died in 1855. In March, 1856, he 
was married to Miss Sarah E. Tupper, who died 
May 5, 1857. May 17, 1860, he was again mar- 
ried, to Miss Maria L. Foster ; she is a native 
of Ohio, born in Cuyahoga Co., April 27, 1834 ; 
the}' have three children — Frank S., born Nov. 
21, 1863 ; Orla C. and Chrysie I. (twins), born 
Oct. 18, 1867. Mr. Pixley has 95 acres of land, 
all of which is improved except 8 acres of tim- 
ber located in the northwestern portion of the 
township, about two miles from West Richfield. 
He has been prominently identified with the 
growth and development of the township, and 



w 






1010 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



furnishes some of the incidents and dates given 
in the township history. As a citizen he is en- 
terprising and progressive, and is universally 
respected by his fellow townsmen. 

FRANKLIN PRICKITT, farmer; P. 0. 
West Richfield. The Prickitt family are prom- 
inent citizens and extensive land-owners in 
Richfield Township, and are worthy of espe- 
cial mention. The parents were Samuel and 
Hannah (Allen) Prickitt who were natives of 
New Jersey, and of Quaker descent. He was 
born Oct. 15, 178L and his wife Aug. 4, 1793. 
They were united in marriage April 3, 1821, in 
New Jersey, and first moved to Wayne Co., N. 
Y., where they resided about seven years. 
From there they emigrated to Ohio, locating 
in Richfield Township in 1834, taking up 200 
acres of land, which was situated where the 
farms of Franklin and Allen S. now are. 
There they resided until their labors below 
were ended, and they " were gathered with 
their fathers." He died at the ripe age of 88 
years, and his wife at 85 yeai's of age. Franklin, 
the eldest son, was born in New Jei'sey in 1823. 
He remained with his parents until he was 
married, Jan. 9, 1850, to Miss Sarah Fearnley. 
She was a native of England. After his mar- 
riage, he built him a house upon the farm 
where he now resides, which consists of 70 
acres of land, which was a part of the old 
homestead. Although he calls himself a 
farmer, he has devoted a great share of his 
time to making rifles and general repairing. 
He is a natural mechanic, having never learned 
the machinist's trade. He was the first gun- 
smith in the township, and has made hundreds 
of rifies with tools which he manufactured 
mostly himself, and in his workshop may be 
found many evidences of his skill. His first 
wife died in 1867, leaving a daughter, Alice. 
In June, 1866, he was mari'ied to a second 
wife, Miss Arvilla Buck, a daughter of Heman 
and Polly Buck, who were pioneers of the 
township. She was born in Richfield Township 
in October, 1828. They have two children — 
Fi'ancis and Elma. 

SAMUEL H. PRICKITT, farmer; P. 0. 
West Richfield ; a son of Samuel and Hannah 
(Allen) Prickitt ; was born in Wa3'ne Co., N. 
Y., Jan. 6, 1829. He remained with his par- 
ents in Richfield until 1854, and then started 
for California, where he remained for ten 
years, engaged in various occupations. He 



then returned to Richfield and purchased of S. 
E. Oviatt the farm, consisting of 110 acres, 
where he now resides, and which he has im- 
proved generally since his residence upon it 
until it is one of the most desirable farms in 
the township. He was united in marriage, 
Feb. 14, 1866, to Miss Ann A. Garthwait. s1ie 
is of English descent, her parents, Charles and 
Ann (Fearnley) Garthwait, being both natives 
of England, and for many 3'ears residents of 
Richfield Township. Mrs. Prickitt was born 
in Richfield Township Dec. 20, 1842. They 
have one child — -Miss Edith, born Sept. 10, 
1867. Mr. Prickitt, as a farmer, is practical 
and prosperous ; as a citizen, he is enterprising 
and progressive, and, together with his estima- 
ble wife, are intelligent and esteemed citizens. 

ALLEN S. PRICKITT, farmer ; P. 0. West 
Richfield ; is a son of Samuel and Hannah 
(Allen) Prickitt. He was born in Wayne Co., 
N. Y., Dec. 29, 1833, and since the removal of 
his parents to the township has lived upon the 
old homestead, which he now owns. He has 
125 acres of good land, finely improved and 
located convenienth'. He has served the town- 
ship as Trustee, and has taken great interest in 
educational affairs and all matters of public 
importance. He was married, March 22, 1859, 
to Miss Jane Kirby. daughter of John and 
Elizabeth Kirby, natives of England, and who 
are old residents of the community. Mrs. 
Prickitt is also a native of England, where she 
was born in 1833. They have two children — 
Mary and Rosa. 

H. C. SEARLES, Postmaster and merchant. 
West Richfield ; is a prominent merchant and 
an enterprising citizen ; he is a son of Daniel 
Searles, an earl}^ settler of Hinckle}^ Township, 
where he still resides. The subject of this 
sketch was born in Hinckley Township in 1841, 
and passed his early life up to the age of 16 
upon the farm. His education commenced in 
the district schools ; he then went to Hiram 
College, where he continued his studies until 
the breaking-out of the war, when he enlisted 
in Battery A, 1st Ohio, and served for two 
years, but was forced to leave the service on 
account of injuries. Returning to his home, 
he then engaged in the mercantile business as 
clerk for B. H. Wood, of West Richfield, with 
whom he continued for eight years. He then, 
in 1873, commenced in trade for himself, in 
which he has been actively engaged up to the 



■^. 



.> 



EICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



1011 



present time. In 1878, the store in which he 
was doing business was burned ; he then erected 
the large and commodious building where he is 
at present located ; his stock consists of a large 
line of general merchandise, and he purchases all 
kinds of country produce. Mr. Searles has served 
as Postmaster since 1873, and in matters of 
public importance has alwa3's taken an active 
interest. He has served the township as Treas- 
urer for the past fifteen years, and as a member 
of the School Board for six years. He was mar- 
ried, in 1863, to Miss Elizabeth Parker, a 
daughter of Rev. Sanford Parker, a Methodist 
minister ; he was killed while a resident of 
Hinckley ; she was born in Hinckley Township 
in 1844. They have three children — Harry I., 
at present attending Hiram College, Lizzie A. 
and George DeForest. 

DANIEL T. SHELDEN, farmer ; P. O.West 
Richfield ; is a son of Jonathan and Abiah 
(Noithrop) Shelden. His father was a native 
of Rhode Island. When he was 4 years of age, 
his parents removed to Massachusetts, where 
he resided until he was manned. They then 
removed to Schoharie Co., N. Y., where they re- 
sided about twenty-five years. In 1822, they 
removed to Ohio, locating in Richfield Town- 
ship, where they resided for the remainder of 
their days. Daniel was born in Schoharie Co., 
N. Y., in 1806, and came with his parents to 
Richfield when the}' removed there, where he 
has since been a resident, and by occupation a 
farmer. He was married, in March, 1836, to 
Miss Martha Robinson, who died in 1837. In 
October, 1838, he was married to a sister of his 
first wife, Miss Mary Robinson. The}^ have 
four children — William H. (who is a resident of 
California), Martha A., Dustin and Charles R., 
living in Richfield Township, and Miss Mary 
E., at home. Mr. Shelden is living upon the 
old homestead, about one and a half miles south 
of the Center, whei'e he has lived over half a 
century ; he has devoted his time exclusively to 
the cultivation of his land, which is in a high 
state of cultivation and well improved. He is 
a well known and respected citizen in the town- 
ship where he has lived for so manv years. 

M. LEE SPRANKLE, farmer ;"' P. O. West 
Richfield ; is a son of John and Susannah (Keck) 
Sprankle ; his father was a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, where he was born in 1802 ; his mother, 
a native of Ohio, Columbiana Co., where she was 
born in 1816 ; she is still living with her son. 



M. Lee, in Richfield ; his father first located in 
Columbiana Co., where he resided about three 
3'ears, and then removed to Wa3me Co., where 
he remained about nine years, and then, in the 
spring of 1850, removed to Richfield Township, 
locating in the southern part of the township, 
where he resided until his death, which occurred 
in 1854, aged 52 years. Our subject was born 
in Wayne Co., in 1839 ; at the death of his 
father, he started out in life for himself, work- 
ing by the month about twelve years, and then 
purchasing from the heirs the old homestead, 
where he has since resided. He has 96 acres 
of improved land, with good buildings, and in 
a high state of cultivation. He was married, 
in September, 1872, to Miss Lilla Kirk, a 
daughter of George Kirk, of Bath ; the}- have 
three children — Gertrude, Jessie and Birdie. 
Mr. Sprankle has served the township as As- 
sessor, and is a member of Meridian Sun 
Lodge, No. 266, A., F. & A. M. He has three 
brothers and two sisters living — Jeremiah, liv- 
ing in Michigan ; Daniel, a resident of Mon- 
tana ; David W., a minister in the United 
Brethren Church, living in Portage Co.; Lydia 
Dunn, in Michigan, and Sarah Harris, living in 
Copley Township ; a brother, William H. , was 
killed by lightning in Richfield Township, in 
1867. 

NATHAN SWIG ART, farmer ; P. 0. West 
Richfield ; was born in Stark Co., Ohio, in 1831 ; 
his parents, John and Elizabeth (Halliwill) 
Swigart, were pioneers in Stark Co. In 1832, 
his father came to Richfield Township and pur- 
chased a tract of land, located where Nathan 
now resides, but before he perfected his arrange- 
ments for removal from Stark Co. he was 
striken down by death ; his mother subse- 
quently removed to Richfield and settled upon 
the farm, bringing with her a daughter, Louisa, 
and Nathan, our subject. She was afterward 
married to Oliver Taylor, by whom she had 
four children ; she continued a resident of the 
farm until her death, aged 63 years. Nathan 
has been a resident of the old farm since their 
first location there, and is now in possession of 
it ; he has 109 acres, about 40 of which is tim- 
bered ; he is making quite a specialty in dairy- 
ing, having ver}^ fine facilities for butter-mak- 
ing, there being upon his farm fine springs of 
running water, of even temperature the whole 
year. He was married in 1860 to Miss Han-iet 
J. Willey, whose parents were old settlers of 



1013 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Medina Co. They have ten children — John, 
Herbert, Louis, Ada J., Lura A., Otho T., 
Clara, Samuel G., Clarence and Garfield. Mr. 
Swigart is a prosperous farmer and respected 
neighbor ; he has taken an active interest in 
schools, and is a member of Osborn Corner 
Grange. 

FAYETTE VIALL, proprietor hotel, Rich- 
field ; is a son of Burrill and Sarah Viall, who 
were early settlers in Northampton Township ; 
the}' have four children now living in Summit 
Co. — Burrill, a prominent farmer, of Boston 
Township ; Mary, the wife of Dr. Pope, of West 
Richfield ; William, now a resident of North- 
ampton Township ; and Fayette, the subject of 
this sketch. He was born in Northampton 
Township in 1845 ; he accompanied his parents 
to Iowa in 1850, where he remained until 1863, 
when he enlisted in the 24th Iowa V. I., 
and was in the service until the close of the 
war. He then returned to Iowa, where he re- 
mained about a year, and then came to Boston 
Township, where he resided for several years 
with his brother. In November, 1872, he was 
married to Miss Emma Gilbert, a daughter of 
Chancey and Sophrona (Carter) Gilbert ; since 
his marriage he has been a resident of Rich- 
field Township, where he has been engaged in 
farming and also in the hotel business, which 
occupation he resumed in April, 1881, in 
Richfield Center, where he owns a hotel prop- 
ert}'. Mr. and Mrs. Viall have two children 
— Raymond and Willie. 

HENRY C. WADHAMS, retired farmer; 
P. 0. West Richfield ; was born in Litchfield 
Co., Goshen, Conn., Jan. 15, 1802. His par- 
ents, Seth and Lucy (Davis) Wadhams, were 
both natives of Connecticut ; his father was a 
merchant in Goshen, and died in 1808 ; his 
mother departed this life the year previous 
(1807). After the death of his pai^ents, Henry 
went to live with an uncle, with whom he re- 
mained until he attained his majorit}', working 
upon a farm. He then started for Ohio, com- 
ing with Frederick Baldwin, in a one-horse 
wagon ; they reached Hudson, where Baldwin 
stopped, and our subject came on to Richfield, 
where his brother, William S., and many old 
Connecticut acquaintances were located. He 
reached Richfield in 1823, and bought a farm, 
upon which he lived until 1844, when he sold 
out to Schuyler Oviatt, and moved to West 
Richfield and engaged in the mercantile busi- 



ness with H. B. Pomero}', with whom he con- 
tinued one year. In 1850, he went to Califor- 
nia, where he remained five years, engaged in 
mining and keeping a public house. He then 
returned to West Richfield, where he has since 
resided, retired from active life. He was mar- 
ried, March 23, 1825, to Miss Eunice Lay ton ; 
she was a daughter of John and Eunice Layton, 
natives of New York, and residents of Ontario 
Co. ; she was born in Ontario Co., May 5, 1805. 
Their children are as follows : Louisa Bigelow, 
living in Michigan ; Mandana M. Mansur, died 
in Hudson ; Destine A., was educated at Mt. 
Holyoke, Mass., and died while teaching at 
Knoxville, 111. ; Clarentine, died at the age of 
8 years ; Eunice Carr, living in Cleveland ; 
Henry P., a resident of Cleveland — he is the 
senior partner in the firm of H. P. Wadhams 
& Co., engaged in investments, securities, and 
brokers in stocks, grain, provisions, etc. Mr. 
Wadhams, while a resident of Richfield Town- 
ship, has served as Constable about seventeen 
years, and as Deputy Treasurer for twenty-five 
years. He has been identified in many acts 
for the improvement of the township, and is a 
respected and progressive citizen. 

WILLIAM WHEATLEY, farmer ; P. 0. 
West Richfield ; is an extensive land-owner 
and one of the prominent citizens of Richfield 
Township. His parents, Joseph and Jane 
(Teal) Wheatley, were natives of England. 
They emigrated to America in 1832, and lo- 
cated in Richfield Township; they purchased 100 
acres of land of Samuel Snow, who went to 
Canada and joined in the insurrection, where he 
was captured and sent to Van Dieman's Land. 
Mr. and Mrs. Wheatley brought with them eight 
children from England, only three of whom are 
now living — Sarah, the widow of Ui'iah Oviatt, 
residing in Richfield ; F. J., a son, for many 
years a prominent citizen of Granger Town- 
ship, Medina Co., now living in Danville, Va., 
where he has a large plantation. The mother 
died in March, 1857, and the father in Decem- 
ber, 1858. William was born in England, in 
1825, and since the removal of his parents to 
Richfield, has been a resident of the Township 
and of the old homestead. In 1852, he was 
united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Lawrence. 
She is also a native of England, where she was 
born in 1 823. They have five children — Martha 
C, William L., Emma J., George and Charles. 
Mr. Wheatley has added to the original farm 



:£>L 



RICHFIELD TOWNSHIP. 



1013 



until he has, at the present time, 420 acres, 
about 75 of which is timber, and the rest finely 
improved. This propertj' is located about one 
mile south of the Center. He is an enterpris- 
ing and progressive farmer, to which he devotes 
his time exclusively ; he makes quite a specialty 
of fine Durham stock, and in superior breeds of 
sheep. For a number of years he was promi- 
nently interested in the Agricultural Associa- 
tion of the county, but of late the cultivation 
of his land engages his whole time and atten- 
tion. 

DR. JEREMIAH CULLEN WILCOX (de- 
ceased) ; was born in Hartford Co., Conn., 
Dec. 6, 1790. His father, Dr. Jeremiah Wil- 
cox, having become owner of the " Wilcox 
Tract," consisting of 16,000 acres on the Western 
Reserve, resolved to become an emigrant him- 
self, so, with his famih^, he removed to Vernon, 
Trumbull Co., which was then a wilderness, and 
there they located and lived for the remainder 
of their lives. " CuUen," as he was familiarl}" 
known, performed the labors incident to a pio- 
neer life for a few yeai'S, and then resumed his 
studies, which he had commenced in Connecti- 
cut, and entered Jefferson College, where he 
graduated in 1813, in the same class with 
Thomas H. Benton, who was for so many years 
the celebrated United States Senator. Having 
prepared himself for the medical profession, 
mainly under the instructions of his father, he 
commenced to practice in the town of Hartford, 
where he continued for twent}' ^^ears. He mar- 
ried, in 1816, Miss Lorena Bushnell, who died 
in 1831, leaving five children, only two of whom 
are now living — Jeremiah B., living in Deer 
Lodge, Montana Territory, and Mrs. (xen. Stur- 
ges, of Louisville. Ky. His health having be- 
come impaired, he gave up his practice, and for 
better educational advantages, removed to Hud- 
son, where he engaged in business, and in 1839 
removed to Richfield Township, where he 
owned a large tract of land, and became one of 
its most honored and respected citizens. He 
was a devoted and consistent member of the 
Congregational Church. In 1839, he was mar- 
ried to Mrs. Julia A. Pettee ; her maiden name 
was Wilder ; she was born in Johnstown, N. Y., 
Sept. 19, 1814 ; she was married in New York 
York State and left a widow when 20 years of 
age. At the time of her marriage with Dr. 
Wilcox, she was a teacher in the schools of Ra- 
venna. She is now living at Glenville, Cuya- 



hoga Co. Dr. Wilcox died Jan. 26, 1873. 
Their children are as follows : Amelia ; Henry 
C, living in Kansas ; CuUen, now attending 
Yale College, fitting himself for the ministry ; 
Frank A. and Stella H., with their mother at 
Glenville. 

BAXTER WOOD, retired merchant. West 
Richfield ; is an old and respected citizen, and 
at one time a prominent merchant. He was 
born in Wooster Co., Mass., Jan. 2, 1797. His 
father, Williard Wood, was a farmer, and upon 
the farm the first twentj' years of his life was 
passed. He received a good education, and put 
it to a practical use by teaching school for four- 
teen winters. He was engaged in the hotel 
business in Massachusetts for six years, and in 
Connecticut for three 3^ears. He then removed 
to Indiana, where he remained onlj^ one year, 
engaged in the same business. In 1838, he re- 
moved to Richfield and first engaged in the 
hotel business, there continuing six years. He 
then entered the mercantile business in West 
Richfield, under the firm name of B. Wood & 
Son, and for twenty-five years was in active 
trade. He is now retired from business, and 
living upon a small farm located between the two 
Centers. He was married, while living in Massa- 
chusetts, Nov. 19, 1822, to Miss Eliza Fair- 
banks. She was born in Hampden Co., Mass., 
Sept. 24, 1797. They have three children who 
are a pride and comfort to them — Mrs. Pauline 
Sheppard, the wife of 0. C. Sheppard, of Me- 
dina ; Baxter H., one of Medina's most promi- 
nent business men, and Charles W., one of the 
old and prominent business men of West Rich- 
field. He was born in Thompson, Conn., in 
1835. He commenced his business life at the 
age of 18, as assistant in his father's store, and 
has been the mercantile trade ever since. He 
was for a number of years in partnership with 
his father, but for the past eight 3-ears has been 
alone. His stock consists of a general line of 
merchandise, in which he does a leading busi- 
ness. He was married in November, 1862, to 
Miss Elizabeth Okes. She was born in Cuyahoga 
Co., in 1838. Thev have six children — Frank 
0., Stella, Weldon C., Edith C, Harry and Ar- 
thur. He is Secretary and Treasurer of the 
Ohio Telegraph Co., a short line between Penin- 
sula and West Richfield, and a member of Mer- 
idian Sun Lodge, No. 266, A., F. & A. M. 

DEXTER WOOD (deceased) ; was a native 
of Massachusetts, where he was born in 



^l^y 



1014 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



1801. He was one of the early settlers of 
Richfield Township, where he located in 1834, 
in the southern portion of the township, 
and where he remained a respected citizen 
for the remainder of his life. He died in 
March, 1846. His wife is still living upon the 
old homestead ; her maiden name was Mar^' 
Keid ; she was born in New York State, in 
1815 ; her father, Elias Reid, was an earl}' set- 
tler of Richfield, coming there about 1833. 
He died in the towaiship in 1857. Mr. and 
Mrs. Wood were married Nov. 26, 1835. Three 
children are now livins; — Willard, born in 



November, 1836. He was married in 1861, to 
Miss Lora Hurlbut ; she died June 21, 1878. 
Willard now resides upon the old homestead. 
Dexter, born in November, 1838. He is living 
on the farm ; he was married in 1861, to Miss 
Sarah J. Moore. They have five children — 
Adelpha, Belle, Rosa, Emma and Edward ; 
and Mary E., born Sept. 24, 1843. The home- 
stead consists of 94 acres, the most of which 
is well improved. It is conveniently located 
about two and one-half miles from the Center. 
The family are intelligent and enterprising, 
and are respected citizens of the township. 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



JARED BARKER, Bath. Mr. Barker is 
one of the leading agriculturists and live-stock 
dealers of Summit Co. He was born in Mon- 
roe Co., N. Y., Sept. 10, 1819. He is the son 
of Lanson and Betsey (Phelps) Barker, both of 
whom were natives of Connecticut. They 
were married in Pittsford, Monroe Co., N. Y. 
In 1827, Mr. Barker came to Ohio and pur- 
chased a tract of land in Holmes Co., and the 
year following came West with his family and 
stopped for a few weeks at Massillon, Ohio, 
and then moved to Granger, Medina Co., Ohio. 
He lived in Medina Co. some j'ears, and then 
purchased a place in Royalton, Cuyahoga Co., 
Ohio, upon which he resided for most part the 
remainder of his days. In his family were the 
following children, viz.: Roxie A., William, 
Jared, John, Lyman, Mary and Frances. He 
departed this life in 1855, and his wife in 1847. 
They were intelligent, Christian people, and had 
the respect of all who knew them. Jared 
Barker lived at home and assisted in the farm 
duties until 27 3'ears of age. He was united 
in marriage to Miss Eleanor Munson Dec. 16, 
1847. She was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, Nov. 
25, 1827. By this union there were two chil- 
dren, viz.: Mary E. and William. Mrs. Barker 
died Sept. 9, 1856. Soon after his marriage Mr. 
Barker came to Bath Township, and the year 
following purchased 300 acres of land, going 
in debt for nearly the entire amount. By hard 
work and economy he paid for this land, and 
has added to it, until he now owns over 500 
acres. Upon his farm are five large barns 



which are very conveniently arranged, and 
afford shelter to a large number of live stock. 
Mr. Barker has made a specialty- of wool-grow- 
ing, and is one of the most successful and 
practical stock-growers in the county. He 
now has upon his place about eighty head of 
short-horn cattle. A number of these arc 
thoroughbred, ahd the rest good grade cattle. 
He also has upon his place some fine Clydes- 
dale and English coach horses. Perhaps there 
is not a man in Summit Co. who owns more 
good stock of all kinds than Mr. Barker. He 
began as a poor boy, and is in the fullest sense 
of the word a self-made man. He is of a 
retiring disposition, and does not meddle much 
in political affairs, 3'et he is decided in his 
opinions which he never fails to express at the 
ballot-box. His donations for educational, 
religious and other charitable purposes have 
been very considerable ; nor have the}' been 
confined to Bath Township alone. ^Many of 
them are yet unknown in the community in 
which he resides. 

CONRAD CARVER ; P. 0. Buckeye ; was 
born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, Nov. 10, 1810 ; 
he is the son of John and Margaret (Miller) 
Carver, who were natives of Germany, and the 
parents of four sons and two daughters. Con- 
rad Carver remained at home and attended 
school until he was 14 years of age ; he then 
began working for a man at $8 per year ; he 
continued working in his native country until 
about 26 years of age, never receiving more 
than $12 per year for his services ; he had dur- 



C- 



-®r^ 



^ 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



1015 



f3 



ing this time saved some mone}^, and he now 
determined to try his fortunes in the New 
World, so, bidding farewell to home and father- 
land, he started in 1836 for the new El Dorado, 
landing in New York in September of the same 
year ; he at once started for Cincinnati, but, 
on his arrival at Cleveland, he was compelled 
to stop, as his means were exhausted ; after 
some time, mainly spent in tr3'ing to find em- 
ployment, he took passage on a canal boat, and, 
on its arrival at Peninsula, he was asked by a 
farmer of that place if he did not want to 
work ; Mr. Carver told him that he did, and 
soon bargained to work for him during the win- 
ter ; he worked for this man six months ; at the 
expiration of that time and when they came to 
settle, the man could not pay him, and Mr. 
Carver never received one farthing from him ; 
his clothes were nearly worn out, and, in the 
early spring, he found employment helping to 
clear the canal ; he worked on the canal some 
four years in different capacities, and during 
that time, by strict econom}', he had saved suf- 
ficient means to purchase 30 acres of land in 
Bath Township, paying $6 per acre for it. 
Perhaps there is not a man in Bath Township 
who has done more hard work than Mr. Carver ; 
many and man}- a time, after working all da}' 
for some of his neighbors, he would return 
home and spend a great portion of the night 
clearing up his own farm. His untiring en- 
ergy has been crowned with success, as he is 
to-day one of the wealthiest farmers of Bath 
Township ; his farm of 195 acres is well improved 
and nicely situated in the eastern part of the 
township. He was united in marriage to Miss 
Sarah Lutz Oct. 14, 1838 ; she was born in 
Cumberland Co., Penn., Dec. 2, 1820 ; from 
this union there were nine children, viz.. La 
vina, Mary A., Eliza, Simon P. and Alfred liv- 
ing ; John, Margaret, Rose A. and Polly de- 
ceased. Mr. Carver is a Republican and a 
member of the Evangelical Association. He 
has been ably seconded in all his undertakings 
in life by his good wife. It can truly be said 
of them that there are no better or more re- 
spected people in the township than they. 

J. W. CLAPPER, Ghent. This gentleman 
was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, Feb. 12, 1845. 
He is the son of John and Lydia A. (Biers) 
Clapper, the former a native of Wayne Co., 
Ohio, and the latter of Orange Co., N. J. They 
were the parents of two children — our subject 



and his sister Sarah. She is the wife of R. Y. 
Robinson, Esq., and resides in Bath Township. 
John Clapper died when he was but 27 years 
of age. He was a pi'omising young man, noted 
for his energy and straight business habits. 
His widow married again and is still a resident 
of Wayne Co. J. W. Clapper began life as a 
poor boy, and, when j^et quite young, began for 
himself as a farmer. He served his country in 
the late war in Co. I, 5th 0. V. V. C. He was 
united in marriage to Miss Mary M. Huston 
Oct. 23, 1867. She was born in Wayne Co., 
Ohio, Dec. 12, 1847, and is the daughter of 
William and Sarah (Van Kirk) Huston, both 
natives of the Keystone State, and early settlers 
of Wa3'ne Co. Mr. and Mrs. Clapper are the 
parents of four children, viz., Emma L., John 
W., Sadie and Jacob R. Mr. Clapper is a 
stanch Republican in politics, and interests 
himself in public improvements of all kinds. 
He owns 102 acres of land, which is well 
stocked, and which he farms in a very credit- 
able manner. 

MRS. CHARLOTTE DOOLITTLE, Bath. 
Among the old and honored pioneer women of 
Bath Township, none is more worthy of espe- 
cial mention than Mrs. Charlotte Doolittle, who 
was born Feb. 28, 1809, in Bristol, Ontario Co., 
N. Y. She is the daughter of Stoten and Lydia 
(Allen) Hale, both of whom were natives of the 
Empire State, and the pai-ents of five children. 
Mr. Hale was a wheelwright by trade. He was 
a soldier during the war of 1812, and served 
his country with distinction. Both he and wife 
died when our subject was a small girl. She 
was united in marriage to Mr. Samuel Shaw in 
1827. He was born in Bristol, Ontario Co., N. 
Y., in 1804. From this union there were six 
children, viz., Samuel A., Samuel H., Charlotte 
C, Lorenzo, Dency L. and Richmond. In 1829, 
Mr. and ^Irs. Shaw left their native State for 
Bath Township, this county. They had pur- 
chased 145 acres of land, which, on tiieir arrival 
at Cleveland, they payed for which left them 
about $60 to begin improvements with. They 
arrived in Bath Township on Tuesday, and the 
following Friday they had a building erected, 
into which they moved. It was a rude struct- 
ure indeed, aiid built on a side hill with the 
fire-place in the lower end, and only a rude 
puncheon floor in a portion of it. When it 
rained, the water would run in from the upper 
side and come coursing down through the room 



W 



1016 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and put out the fire. This served them as a 
dwelling by being " patched up " for some time, 
when they added an upper story to their dwell- 
ing. This was an unusual proceeding, and the 
people of the neighborhood thought they were 
" putting on airs." Mr. Shaw was a carpenter 
by trade, and a man of energy and great 
physical powers. His good wife and companion 
would go with him into the woods and help him 
get out timbers for buildings. She would take 
one end of the cross-cut saw and saw with her 
husband all day long, only stopping long 
enough to get their meals. They worked on 
in this way until the death of Mr. Shaw, which 
occurred in 1836. They had in this time built 
a large two-story, frame house, had a nice, 
young, bearing orchard, their place well stocked, 
and man}' other comforts and conveniences. 
Mrs. Shaw was married, in 1837, to Mr. Lyman 
Doolittle, a native of Ontario Co., N. Y., where 
he was born in 1801. This gentleman died in 
1862. By this second marriage there were five 
children, viz., Liza M., Lucy 3L, Orpha 0., 
Irving and Genevieve. Mrs. Doolittle lives 
upon the old homestead, surrounded by the 
comforts and conveniences of a well-earned 
competency. She is a lady of more than ordi- 
nary powers of mind and executive abilit}', and 
is respected by all who know her. 

CHARLES H. HARRIS, Buckeye. Thomas 
N. Harris, father of this gentleman, was born 
in Beaver Co., Penn., Oct. 30, 1804. His 
father, Warren Harris, was a native of the 
" Old Dominion," and moved to Wayne Co., 
Ohio, in 1812. Thomas N. was married, in 
Wayne Co., in 1828, to Miss Eliza Peach. She 
was born in Frederick Co., Va., Aug. 9, 1808, 
and is the daughter of Jacob Peach, a native 
of Virginia, from which State to Pennsylvania 
he removed with his family in 1809, and two 
years later, he came to what is now Jackson 
Township, Stark Co., Ohio. He came to Sum- 
mit Co. in 1830, and settled in Bath Township, 
where he passed the remainder of his days. 
He was twice married, and was the pai'ent of 
twenty children. In Thomas N. Harris' family 
were six sons and six daughters, viz., Rachel 
A., William, Minerva, Louisa, Jacob P., Charles 
H., John S., Lewis H., (leorge D., Angelina, 
Sarah and Lodelia. Of these twelve children, 
only five are now living. On the breaking-out 
of the rebellion, William, John S., Lewis H. 
and George D. entered their countrv's service. 



Lewis H. was killed at the battle of Winches- 
ter, Va. George D., after being captured, and 
suffering untold privations in Southern prisons, 
was paroled, and took passage for home on the 
ill-fated Sultana. How or in what manner he 
met his death was never known. The other 
two boys lived to return home. Mr. and Mrs. 
Harris have been residents of Bath Township 
since 1832. They have a nice home, and have 
the respect and esteem of all who know them. 
Charles H. Harris was born in this count}' Feb. 
27, 1838. He received a good common-school 
education, and, when 13 years of age, went to 
live with Jacob Peach, his grandfather. After 
reaching his majority, he worked two years for 
his grandfather, and then rented the farm of 
him. He has ever since remained upon the 
farm, and, after the death of his grandfather, 
he purchased the place of the heirs. He was 
united in marriage to Miss Caroline Harris 
July 14, 1860. She was born- in Stark Co., 
Ohio, Nov. 7, 1840. This lady died Feb. 26, 
1873. By this marriage there were four chil- 
dren, viz., Frank E., George R., Eber W. and 
Eleanor. Mr. Harris was married to Miss 
Lucinda Spraukle Jan. 22, 1874. She was 
born in Stark Co., Ohio, Dec. 18, 1836. Mr. 
Harris owns 106 acres of well-improved land, 
which he has obtained for the most part by his 
own endeavors. He is a Republican, a mem- 
ber of the Evangelical Association, and an 
enterprising, public-spirited citizen. 

ABRAHAM HARSHEY, Ghent. This gen- 
tleman was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, Oct. 18, 
1843. He is the son of Jacob and Sarah 
(Beltz) Harshey (see biography of John Har- 
shey). Abraham was raised upon a farm, re- 
ceiving but a common-school education. He 
was united in marriage to Miss Mary Baugh- 
man Feb. 23, 1864. This lady was born in 
Wayne Co., Ohio, Feb. 10, 1844. Her parents 
were from the " Keystone " State, and settled 
in the township in Wayne Co., Ohio, which 
bears their name, in a very early day. In Mr. 
Harshey's family are two children, viz., John 
C. and Jessie M. Since his marriage, Mr. 
Harshey has followed farming, milling and 
cheese-making, in all of which he has been 
quite successful. Although his early education 
was quite limited, he has, since reaching his 
majority, surrounded himself with useful and 
standard books and papers, and by the careful 
study of them, has acquired quite a store of 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



1017 



useful knowledge, which we find him daily 
putting into practice. Mr. Harshey is a stanch 
llepublican in politics, though liberal in his 
views regarding religion and men. He has 
held offices of honor and trust in Bath Town- 
ship, where he is well and favorabl}' known. 
He owns 1-45 acres of land, upon which are 
good, substantial farm buildings. Summit Co. 
would be much better off had it more such 
young men as Abraham Harshe}'. 

JOHN HARSHEY, Ghent. The father of this 
gentleman, Jacob Harshey, was born in Leb- 
anon Co., Penn., July 12, 1812. His wife, Sarah 
Beltz, was born in the same county Dec. 25, 
1812. The}' were married in their native State 
in 1803, and, two ^ears later, removed to Wayne 
Co., Ohio, where they resided until 1849, when 
they came to Bath Township, this county, where 
the}' have since resided. They were the par- 
ents of the following family of children, viz. : 
John, Jacob, Abraham, Henr}' and Sarah. Ja- 
cob and Henr}- are now dead, the others are 
married and reside in Bath Township. Both 
the Harsheys and Beltzes were originally from 
Switzerland, and their coming to America dates 
back to Colonial times. Jacob Harshey's 
father was a soldier of the war of 1812, and 
his grandfather of the war of the Revolution. 
Jacob Harshey is one of the wealthiest farm- 
ers in the count}'. He began as a poor boy, 
and is a self-made man in the fullest sense of 
the term. He owns 536 acres of good land at 
the present time. He has given liberally to his 
children and to religious and educational enter- 
prises. His eldest son, John, was born in Leb- 
anon Co., Penn., Feb. 2, 1834 ; he passed his 
youth and earl}' manhood assisting his father 
upon the farm. On the 6th of October, 1856, 
he was united in marriage to Miss Lydia Rice. 
This lady was born in Fayette Co., Penn., Feb. 
22, 1836. They are the parents of five chil- 
dren, viz., Emma A., Sarah F., George W. and 
Otis R., living ; Leroy, who died in infancy. 
Mr. Harshey owns 345 acres of land, upon 
which are good substantial farm buildings ; he 
raises good stock of all kinds, and is one of the 
leading and successful agriculturists of the 
county. He has held a number of positions of 
honor and trust in Bath Township. Is a Re- 
publican in politics, and a consistent member 
of the United Brethren Church. 

EDWARD HELLER ; P. 0. Ghent ; was 
born in Northampton Co., Penn., May 23. 1826. 



He is the son of Abraham and Elizabeth 
(Evenrider) Heller, the former a native of Bucks 
Co., Penn., and the latter of Lehigh Co. The 
father was a miller by trade, a frugal, industri- 
ous man, who had the respect and confidence 
of a large circle of friends. He was the parent 
of seven children, five of whom are yet living ; 
he died in 1852. His wife survives him, at an 
advanced age, and is a resident of the Quaker 
City. Edward Heller received a common-school 
education, his youth and early manhood being 
passed upon his father's farm and in the mill. 
He was united in marriage to Miss Julia A. 
Dutt, in 1851. This lady was bojn in North- 
ampton Co., Penn., in 1827. From this union 
four children were born, viz., Quintus A., 
Benjamin F., Amanda E. and Emma D. Mr. 
Heller remained in his native State until 1852 ; 
he then came to this county, and purchased a 
farm in Copley Township, upon which he re- 
sided until 1870, when he sold out and came to 
Bath Township, and purchased the Ghent Mills. 
This is a large, three story steam and water 
grist and saw-mill, and is the largest and best 
in the western part of the county. Mr. Heller 
also owns a grist-mill, one-half mile east of 
Ghent, and 21 acres of good land in the town- 
ship. He is a Republican, and a member of the 
Evangelical Association. He is an upright busi- 
ness man, a consistent Christian gentleman, and 
has the respect and confidence of the entire 
community. 

ROSWELL HOPKINS, Ghent. This gen- 
tleman was born in Bath Township, this county, 
April 3, 1825. He is one of a family of eight 
children born to Isaac and Susan (Harrison) 
Hopkins. Isaac Hopkins was a native of the 
" Empire " State, where he resided until reach- 
ing his majority, when he went to Pennsylva- 
nia, and while there met the lady who became 
his wife. She was a native of Connecticut, but 
had come with her parents to the " Keystone '" 
State when a child. On the 10th of September, 
1813 (the day of Perry's victory on Lake Erie), 
Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins left their home in Penn- 
sylvania for Bath Township, Summit Co., Ohio. 
They came in a large wagon drawn by two 
yoke of oxen, and, after a journey of six weeks, 
arrived safe and sound at their destination. 
They located on what is now known as the 
McMillan farm in the southwestern part of 
Bath Township. Mr. Hopkins had purchased 
quite a tract of land, but after the war was 



*^ (i 



TV 



\^ 



1018 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



over everything depreciated in value to such an 
extent and money became so scarce that it was 
only by the greatest exertions and strictest 
econom}^ that he was able to keep his property. 
It took years, however, to accomplish this, and 
few men would have had the energy and perse- 
verance to have done as much. He was hon- 
ored during his lifetime with a number of 
offices which he filled with much credit to him- 
self and lasting benefits to those for whom he 
labored. He was ever ready to advance the 
public good, and renowned for his strict busi- 
ness principles and sterling integrity. He 
departed this life in 1852, followed by his faith- 
ful wife ten 3'ears later. Roswell Hopkins 
received but a limited education, as his services 
wei'e required at home nearly all the time. 
Whenever he had a spare day, however, he 
would work for some of the neighbors, and his 
earnings would go toward clothing him. He 
was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Lee 
Oct. 8, 1846. This' lady was born Dec. 18, 
1828, in New York. From this union there 
were ten children, viz.: Greorge, Wait, Ira, 
Burt, Ami, Cecil, Edna, Irene, Grant and 
Emma. Wait. Ami, Cecil and Emma are the 
only ones now living. Mr. Hopkins began life 
as a poor boy, his wedding suit being of 
'' home-spun," and he now saj's, " I was very 
glad that I had as good." He followed farm- 
ing exclusivel}' until 10 years ago, a business 
he was very successful at. Since that time he 
has dealt quite extensively in lumber. He 
owns a saw-mill which is propelled b}' water, 
and which is supplied with the latest and most 
approved machinery. He owns 250 acres of 
land which is nicely improved. He has held 
positions of honor and trust, and is a Repub- 
lican in politics, although not a strict party man. 
His rule is to vote for men and measures and 
not for part3^ The county would be mu(?h 
better off did it contain more such men as Mr. 
Hopkins. 

GEORGE KIRK, Bath. Michael Kirk, the 
grandfather of this gentleman, removed with 
his family from the Keystone State to Stark 
Co., Ohio, in 1817 ; his son William was at this 
time about 22 years of age, and the year fol- 
lowing was united in marriage to Miss Maria 
Miller, a native of Pennsylvania. From this 
union there were eleven children, viz.. George, 
Margaret, Rufus, Albert, Bazil, Ezra, Rebecca, 
Maria, Clara, Lodema and Melissa. Mr. Kirk 



always followed farming and stock-raising, a 
business he was eminentl}' fitted for, and one 
he was very successful at. He died Feb. 24, 
1870. He had been a good and useful man, 
and a respected and honored citizen ; his wife 
survives him and resides at Freeport, 111. 
George Kirk received a common-school educa- 
tion, and remained at home working for his 
father until he had reached his majorit}' ; he 
then, for two years, worked for his father at 
1100 per annum, and at the expiration of that 
time he, in company with his father, took a trip 
throughout Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. While 
in Iowa, Mr. Kirk purchased 125 acres of land 
in Cedar Co. After an absence of some months 
the}^ returned to Stark Co., this State, where 
for a period of four years George was variously 
employed. He was united in marriage to Miss 
Eliza "Shisler, March 26, 1846 ; this lady was 
born in Lancaster Co., Penn., July 18, 1826 ; 
they have been blessed with sevfin children, six 
of whom are yet living, viz., Seth, Lilla, Frank, 
Ira L., xMiller S. and Cora ; the one deceased 
was named Ralph. In 1846, Mr. Kirk came to 
Bath Township and located on the farm he now 
owns. There were but few improvements on 
tlie place, and he has by his industry and good 
taste so improved it that it is second to none 
in the township. He deals quite extensively 
in sheep, which he has been very successful in 
handling; he also has paid considerable at- 
tention to the raising of Durham cattle, and 
has at the present time some fine specimens of 
this valuable breed upon his farm ; it can truly 
be said of him that he is one of the most 
practical and successful farmers and stock- 
raisers in Bath Township. He is a Republican 
of the stalwart kind, and has filled many offices 
in the township with much credit to himself 
and lasting benefits to those for whom he la- 
bored. He and wife are members of the 
Evangelical Association, and, though passing 
into the "sear and yellow leaf," their years sit 
lightly upon them. They are located in a 
pleasant and comfortable home in a community 
where they are respected and and beloved, and 
where the record of their well-spent lives can 
never be effaced. 

MORRIS LYON ; Montrose. John Lyon 
the father of this gentleman, was a native 
of the " Bay " State ; his father served as a ' 
soldier in the Revolutionar}' war, and, although 
a hard-working, energetic man, never succeeded 



f 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



1019 



in accumulating much propert}'. The conse- 
quence was that John Lyon, when quite 3'oung, 
was bound out to the miller's trade, and had 
but few of the advantages boys of the present 
da}' enjoy in the way of obtaining an education 
and gaining a knowledge of the world. He 
was united in marriage, in Rhode Island, to 
Miss Elizabeth Holden, a native of that State. 
Some time after his marriage, he removed to 
Ontario Co., N. Y., and resided there, engaged 
in agricultural pursuits, until his removal to 
Copley Township, this county, which was in 
1834. In his famil}^ were eight children. He 
died in 1849, and his wife in 1873. Morris 
Lj'on was born in Bloomfield Township, Ontario 
Co., N. Y., June 1, 1823. He was brought up 
on his father's farm, his education being such 
as the common schools of that day afforded. 
In 1840, he entered the wagon-shop of S. A. 
Lane & Co., of Akron, and after remaining with 
them some time went to Medina, Ohio, where 
he worked at his trade some two 3'ears. He at 
length located at Copley Center, where he 
worked at wagon and carriage making for quite 
a number of years. He followed farming some 
3'ears, and three years ago he came to Mont- 
rose, and engaged in mercantile pursuits, 
which business he has since followed. He was 
united in marriage to Miss Laura A. Briggs, 
Sept. 11, 1848. Tbis lady was born in Copley 
Township, this county, in 1824 : from this 
union six children were born to them, viz., 
Duane C, Irvin E., Julien W., Fremont E., Os- 
sian G. and Albert. Mrs. Lyon departed this 
life in J 868. Mr. Lyon has given his sons such 
advantages as his means would admit of ; Jul- 
ien W. is a graduate of the Ohio Medical Col- 
lege of Columbus, and is located at Akron, 
Ohio ; Fremont E. is a graduate of the Ann 
Arbor School of Dental Surger}', and is also 
located in Akron ; Irvin E. is engaged in mer- 
cantile pursuits in Cleveland ; Albert lives in 
Adair Co., Iowa, and Duane C. and Ossian G. re- 
side in Cople}' Township. Mr. Lyon is a stanch 
Republican in politics, and is well posted on 
the important issues of the day. He has alwa^'s 
been a strong advocate of the temperance re- 
form, and those who have heard him in his quiet 
way sum up tlie evidence against this great 
social and moral evil, cannot help agreeing 
with him that the preponderance of evidence is 
strongly against it. Both the moral and intel- 
lectual standing of Summit County would be of 



a much higher order, were there more such men 
as Mr. Morris L3on. 

MRS. LAURA T. McMILLAN ; Mont- 
rose ; this lady was born in Bath Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio, March 17. 1836. She is the 
daughter of Morris P. and Hettie B. (Looker) 
Miller, the former a native of Ontario Co., N. 
Y., and the latter of New Jersey. They wei-e 
married in the ''Empire" State, where they re- 
mained until 1817, when they came to this 
county and located in the northwestern part of 
Northampton Township. Six years later the}' 
removed to Copley Township, where they lived 
some time and then moved to Sharon Township, 
Medina Co., Ohio, and thence after a few yeai'S 
to Bath Township, which they ever afterward 
made their home. They were industrious, in- 
telligent people and were the parents of seven 
children (a complete histor}^ of the ]Milier 
family will be found in another part of this 
work). Laura T. lived with her parents until 
her marriage with Mr. G. W. McMillan, which 
occurred June 11, 1863. This gentleman was 
born in Bath Township, this county, Oct. 10, 
1838. He was raised upon the farm he owned 
at the time of his death, and received the bene- 
fits of a good common-school education. He 
was one of the most successful and practical 
farmers of Bath Township. He dealt quite ex- 
tensively in live stock, and was noted for 
his fair dealings and and straight business 
habits. He died after a short illness, May 
13, 1878. Thus passed away in the prime 
and vigor of his manhood, one of the coun- 
ty's most useful and honored citizens. He 
was a man of broad and liberal views, en- 
couraging everything known to be right and 
promptly rejecting everything known to be 
wrong. His widow survives him and re- 
sides upon the old homestead, which consists 
of 116 acres of nicely improved land. She is 
a lady of refinement and intelligence, and has 
the respect of the entire community. 

HARVEY MILLER ; Montrose ; this 
gentleman was born in Hartford Co., Conn., 
June 12, 1818. He is the son of Elisha and 
Sarah F. (Woodford) Miller, both natives of 
Connecticut, where they were reared, married 
and resided until 1827, when they moved to 
this county, arriving in Bath Township. Feb. 
27. They came the entire distance in a sleigh, 
but .the latter part of their journey was per- 
formed on ground that was nearly bare. Mr. 



ik 



1020 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Miller had purchased about 800 acres of land 
in the southwestern part of Bath Township, 
which he immediately began to improve. In 
his family were the following children — Lyman 
K, Anson, Elisha E., Sarah E., Clarinda, Low- 
ley, Nathaniel 0., George, Harvey and Evelina; 
all these children were born in Connecticut, 
and six of them are yet living, attesting to the 
vigor and vitality of the original stock. Mr. 
Miller was a man of more than ordinary ability, 
and was noted for his integrity and straight 
business habits. He kept a tavern for 
eighteen years on the home place, and was for 
years Postmaster. He creditably filled a num- 
ber of positions of honor and trust, and was 
respected by all who knew him. This worthy 
man and pioneer died at his home in Bath 
Township, Feb. 14, 1854, and his good wife, 
Aug. 17, four years latter. Harvey Miller was 
raised upon his father's farm, and receiving 
such education as the log schoolhouses of that 
early day afforded. His union with Miss Ann 
Wagar occurred Oct. 16, 1844. This lady was 
born in Montgomery Co., N. Y., Feb. 7, 1825. 
The}' have an adopted daughter — Rosetta, who 
is the wife of Mr. T. F. Porter. Mr. Miller has 
always followed farming, and stock raising, a 
business he is eminently fitted for. He owns 
88 acres of land which is nicely improved, and 
under a high state of cultivation. He has al- 
ways been a strong anti-slavery man, and an 
earnest advocate of temperance and sobriety. 
He and wife are members of the M. E. Church, 
and have contributed largely toward its sup- 
port. In fact they are ever ready to support 
any enterprise that has a tendency to build up 
the community in which they live, or benefit 
their fellow-man. They are worthy people 
who enjoy the respect and confidence of all 
who know them. 

RALSAMON MILLER, Ghent. Ralsamon 
Miller was born Dec. 7, 1838, in Granger 
Township, Medina Co., Ohio. He is the son of 
William and Electa (Crosby) Miller, both of 
whom were natives of the " Empire " State. 
The Millers came to this county in 1817, and 
settled in the northwestern part of Northamp- 
ton Township. William Miller is one of the 
wealthy and leading agriculturists of Summit 
Co. He resides in Copley Township, where he 
is well and favorably known. Ralsamon Mil- 
ler was raised to farm labor, receiving the ben- 
efits of a common-school education. He was 



united in marriage to Miss Sarah Harshey, Oct. 
21, 1858. She was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, 
Oct. 12, 1832. From this union there were 
four children, viz., Elizabeth, Sarah L., Ida M., 
and Alpha L. In early bo3'hood, Mr. Miller 
manifested a strong liking for handling and 
being where live stock were being handled. 
After reaching man's estate, he embarked in 
the live-stock trade, and has since that time 
handled a great deal, 'usually buying and then 
preparing them for market. He has been uni- 
formly successful, and his judgment is seldom 
at fault. He owns a well-improved farm of 
240 acres, also a grist-mill two miles east of 
Ghent, and is quite extensively engaged in the 
manufacture of cheese. He is a stanch Re- 
publican in politics, and has creditably filled 
several township offices. 

REV. WILLIAM B. MOODY, Bath. This 
gentleman was born in Kennebec Co., Me., Feb. 
17, 1808. He is the son of Joseph and Bridget 
(Davis) Moody, both of whom were natives of 
Shapley, Me., where the}- were married and 
resided until 1806, when they moved to Ken- 
nebec Co. In 1813, they I'emoved to Ontario 
Co., N. Y., and from there to Richfield Town- 
ship, this county, in 1821. They wei-e the 
parents of nine children, viz., Daniel, Joseph, 
Davis, Samuel, Ephriam, Rhoda, Priscilla, 
Bridget and William B. Bridget and William 
B., are the only ones now living. Mr. Mood}' 
and wife were intelligent Christian people. He 
died in 1824, and his wife in 1847. William 
B. Moody was reared upon a farm, and, during 
his 3'outh and early manhood, received no edu- 
cation to speak of After he had reached his 
majority, he surrounded himself with good and 
useful books and began a course of self-in- 
struction, which extended over a period of four 
years. He was ordained a minister of the M. 
E. Church by Rev. Robert R. Roberts, at Woos- 
ter, in 1840. Some j'ears later he withdrew 
from this church on account of their position 
on the slavery question, and connected himself 
with the Protestant Methodist Church. In 
1850, he became a member of the Wesleyan 
Methodist Church, with which denomination he 
has ever since labored. During his life his 
ministerial labors have not been confined to 
Summit Co. alone, but has been extended over 
the counties of Medina, Geauga, Lorain and 
Cuyahoga. He was united in marriage to Miss 
Harriet Osborn May 14, 1828. She was born 



BATH TOWJifSHIP. 



1021 



in East Cleveland, Ohio, in 1811, and died Aug. 
20, 1856. From this union there were nine 
children, viz., William B., Deborah, Joseph, 
Rhoda, James, Samuel, Ira, Davis, and one that 
died in infancy without naming. He was mar- 
ried Oct. 11, 1856, to Mrs. Julia (Adams) Spen- 
cer, who again brought to his hearthstone the 
genial influences of a home left desolate by the 
death of his first wife. Ojie child, John B., has 
blessed their union, and with this interesting 
son and most excellent wife, he enjoys in ad- 
vancing years the pleasure and comforts of a 
happy home, and an ample competence. In 
social and public life, Mr. Moody occupies a 
highly honorable position. From early life a 
" worker in his Master's vineyard," he exempli- 
fies in his life the duties and doctrines of a pure 
Christianity, and has frequently been a repre- 
sentative in the highest councils of his Church. 
Such is a brief outline of Rev. William B. 
Moody's life. May his declining years rest 
lightly upon him, and Summit Co. long be 
spared the life of one of her noblest men. 

OLIVER MOORE, West Richfield; this 
gentleman was born in Hamilton Co., Mass., 
Jan. 6, 1811 ; he is the son of Roswell and 
Sarah (Clark) Moore ; the former a native of 
Connecticut, and the latter of Rhode Island ; 
after their marriage thej' resided in Massachu- 
setts until 1819, when they moved to what is 
now Franklin Township, Portage Co., Ohio, 
whei'e they ever afterward resided. They were 
the parents of six children, viz., Roswell, Oliver, 
Joseph, Sarah, Almeda and Electa ; four of 
these children are yet living and are the heads 
of families. Mr. Moore was killed while at 
work in the woods by a falling tree, in 1831. 
His wife lived until 1868, when she quietly 
passed away. Mr. Moore was a farmer, but 
worked at the stone and brick mason's trades at 
times ; he was an energetic, public-spirited 
man, and his untimely death was deepl}' re- 
gretted by his family and a large circle of 
friends. Oliver Moore was raised upon a farm, 
and his education was such as could be ob- 
tained in the log schoolhouses of that earl}^ 
da3^ He was united in marriage to Miss Ann 
Rockwell, July 6, 1835 ; she was born in On- 
tario Co., N. Y., April 9, 1812. The fruits of 
this union were three childi'en, viz., Lecester 
0., Lewis A. and Roswell P. Lecester 0. was 
born in Portage Co., Aug. 30, 1837 ; he was 
married to Mary E. Longfellow, Aug. 2, 1868 ; 



she was born in Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, July 28, 
1842 ; they have one child, viz., Stella L. Ros- 
well P. was a soldier in the late war, was 
severely wounded at Gettysburg, and was a 
brave and gallant soldier; he is now dead. 
Lewis A. has been a resident of New Mexico 
some years. Mrs. Oliver Moore departed this 
life April 6, 1864. Mr. Moore was united in 
marriage to Miss Emil}^ Hopkins, June 2, 1 868. 
This lady was born in Fi'anklin Co., Vt., Dec. 
17, 1808. Mr. Moore has always followed 
farming and stock-raising, and has owned at 
different times large quantities of real estate ; 
he has given liberally to his children, and still 
owns 93 acres of well-improved land. He was, 
during the days of slavery, a strong pro-slaver}- 
man, and has ever advocated temperance in all 
things. He has been an exemplary member 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church a great 
many j-ears. and at the building of a church of 
that denomination in Bath Township, in 1869, 
Mr. Moore gave $600 of the $2,000 that it cost 
to build it. The church was named " Moore's 
Chapel " in honor of him, and will for j'ears to 
come be a fitting monument to his memory'. 
Summit Co., would be much better off had it 
more such men as Oliver Moore. 

ORISON MOORE, Montrose. This gentle- 
man was born in Brookfield Township, Trum- 
bull Co., Ohio, Sept. 21, 1822. He is the son 
of Lester and Ruth (Twining) Moore, both of 
whom were natives of the Ba}' State. In 1812, 
Mr. Moore came to Ohio and purchased a tract 
of land in Trumbull Co., and two years later 
moved to his property and began its improve- 
ment. They remained in that county until 
1*837, and then removed to Norton Township, 
this county. Mr. Moore was a soldier of the 
war of 1812, and held a Captain's commis- 
sion. He was an energetic man, kind of heart, 
and ever ready to help his fellow-man. This 
last characteristic proved a detriment to him, as 
he lost heavily at different times by going secu- 
rity for those whom he thought to assist. In 
his famil}' were eight, all of whom are now 
living, and who are the heads of respectable 
families. Mr. Moore died in 1859, and his wife 
in 1851. Orison Moore received such educa- 
tion as the schools of that early day aflbrded, 
and remained at home, assisting his father 
upon the farm until about 25 years of age. He 
was united in marriage to Miss Fannj Root 
Jan. 24, 1847. She was born in Summit Co., 



-^ 




1022 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Ohio, Jun. 11, 1828, and died Jan. 19, 1875. On 
the 30th of March, 1876. Mr. Moore was 
united in marriage to Miss Zilpha Stark, who 
was born Nov. 15, 1842, in Stow Township, 
this county. Mr. Moore came to this county in 
1837, which he has since made his liome, with 
the exception of ten years that he resided in 
Portage Co. He has lived in Bath Township 
since 1864, where he owns a nicely-improved 
farm of 108 acres. He is a stanch Republican 
in politics, and one of the most practical and 
successful farmers and stock-i'aisers in Bath 
Township. 

HENRY PARDEE, Ghent. This gentleman 
was born in Skaneateles, N. Y., April 15, 1826. 
He is the son of Harry and Fanny (Benedict) 
Pardee, both nativ^es of the " Empire State," 
where they were married and resided until 1828, 
when they came to Ohio and settled at Middle- 
bury, in what is now Summit Co. Mr. Pardee 
was a chair-maker by trade, and, soon after lo- 
cating in Middlebury, began working at his 
trade. It was not long ere his facilities for 
manufacturing were inadequate for his rapidly 
increasing trade. He, therefore, erected suit- 
able buildings, and, in a few 3'ears, he found 
that he had the largest business of the kind in 
Northern Ohio. Besides manufacturing all 
kinds of cabinet-ware, he made pails, tubs, etc., 
etc. In 1849, he moved to Akron, and, for 
some years, was actively engaged in business 
in that place. He owned a saw-mill in North- 
ampton, where the greater portion of the mate- 
rial used by him was gotten out. He employed 
a great many men, and was one of the most 
active business men the county ever had. A 
number of years previous to his death, he 
moved to Northampton Township, where, on 
tlie 6th of February, 1879, he quietly sank to 
rest. He was the parent of the following fam- 
ily of children : Margaret, Henry, James, Hor- 
ace, Mary, Edward, Luther, Elijah, Albert and 
Martha. Horace and Albert were soldiers dur- 
ing the late war, and well and faithfully served 
their country. Mr. Pardee was one of the first 
men in the county to engage largely in the man- 
ufacturing business in an}' manner, and to him 
more than any other does Middlebury and 
Akron owe their large and extensive manufact- 
ories and the thrift and enterprise that charac- 
terize them. He possessed several qualities of 
a high order, and was noted for his nobility of 
soul and his scrupulous honest}'. In early life 



Mr. Pardee was admitted a member of the Ma- 
sonic Order, and was greatly delighted with its 
principles and teachings, availing himself of 
every opportunity to acquire a knowledge of 
the work and to comprehend the sublime prin- 
ciples of the Order. His widow survives him 
at the advanced age of 80 years, though she is 
as smart and active as many ladies at 50. 
Henry Pardee received the benefits of a com- 
mon-school education, and, until he was 33 
3'ears of age. worked with and for his father in 
different capacities. He was united in marriage 
to Miss Caroline Prior, in 1846. She was born 
in G-eauga Co., Ohio, in 1828. From this union 
there are four children, viz.: Julia, Julius, Har- 
riet and Enoch. In 1856, Mr. Pardee came to 
Ghent, but, after a year, returned to Northamp- 
ton, where he remained some three years and 
then returned to Ghent, and, in connection with 
Mr. Alonzo Coffin, rented the woolen-mill of 
that place, and for four years was engaged in 
the manufacture of woolen goods. At the ex- 
piration of that time he sold out to Mr. Coffin, 
and embarked in mercantile pursuits in the vil- 
lage. In this business he remained until a short 
time ago. During this period he was village 
Postmaster, and was engaged in manufacturing 
two-horse wagons, chairs, tables, and was one of 
the founders of a cheese factory at that place. 
He is now engaged in manufacturing water- 
proof goods known as the " Hammerstain 
process." This is a superior way of preparing 
waterproof goods, and gives universal satisfac- 
tion wherever it has been tried. By this pro- 
cess the fabric is. proo/ecZ on both sides, which 
makes it entirely waterproof, and at the same 
time impervious to heat or cold. Mr. Pardee 
also has discovered a process for making one of 
the cheapest and best fire-kindlers as yet man- 
ufactured. The manner and rapidity with which 
he has completed and perfected these two im- 
portant industries reflects great credit on him, 
and will be a lasting monument to his memory 
in time to come. This same energy and thor- 
oughness have characterized his every walk in 
life. He has been successful because he has 
been cautious, thorough and industrious. He 
is well respected because his conduct has been 
above reproach. He has held numerous posi- 
tions of honor and trust, and is a respected and 
honored citizen. 

RUFUS RANDALL, M. D., Bath. This 
gentleman and well-known phj'sician and sur- 






BATH TOWNSHIP. 



1023 



geoU; was born in Sharon Township, Medina 
Co., Ohio, July 7, 1834. He is the son of 
Delano P. and Lois (Huntley) Randall, both of 
whom were natives of the Empire State. They 
were married in their native State, and were the 
parents of four children, viz., James, llufus, 
Marcellus and Harriet. They came to Sharon 
Township, Medina County, in an eaiiy day, 
where the father yet resides, the mother being- 
dead. Mr. Randall was a carpenter b\^ trade, 
but has for the most part been engaged in farm- 
ing and mercantile pursuits since he came to 
Ohio. He is a good man and useful citizen, 
and has the I'espect and confidence of all who 
know him. Rufus was raised upon his father's 
farm, and received the benefits of a good com- 
mon-school and Academic education. When 
about 17 years of age, he began the stud}' of 
medicine with Dr. C. W. Northrop, with whom 
he remained about a year, and then went 
to Columbus, Ohio, and entered the oflSce of 
Dr. John Hamilton, one of the most skillful 
surgeons and successful practitioners in the 
West. He remained under Dr. Hamilton's in- 
structions until he graduated from the Starling 
Medical College, which was in 1858. Soon 
after graduating, he located at Hammond's Cor- 
ners, where he has since resided and where he 
has built up a large and steadily increasing 
practice. Always a careful and close student 
of Pathology, as he found it in his practice, he 
has become a leader in the use of new and 
rational remedies, and with surprising and uni- 
form success. He was united in marriage to 
Miss Eliza Roberts, in 1863. This lady was 
born in Cople}' Township, this county, Dec. 3, 
1841. From this union there were three chil- 
dren, viz., Effie B. and Cora La Q., living, and 
Ida M., deceased. Dr. Randall has been a life- 
long Republican, and an earnest advocate of 
equal rights and all needed reforms. He is a 
member of the Masonic order and one of the 
county's best citizens. 

SYLVESTER SHAW (deceased). This gen- 
tleman was born in Bristol, Ontario Co., N. Y., 
March 5, 1806. He was married in his native 
State Oct. 16, 1828, to Miss Harriet Parsons, a 
native of Ontario Co., where she was born 
Aug. 11, 1809. In 1832, they left their native 
State for Bath Township, this county, arriving 
at their destination on the 18th of November 
of the same year. They came the entire dis- 
tance in a large wagon drawn by oxen, and, on 



their arrival in the township, moved their goods 
into a small log cabin that had been built on 
their land. In this they lived until one more 
comfortable and commodious could be erected. 
Both Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, however, were ener- 
getic, and it was not many years ere they were 
surrounded with a great many comforts and 
conveniences. They were the parents of the 
following family of children, viz.: Harriet C, 
Sylvester P., Vashti M., Samuel, Marietta, 
William, Sibyl B. and Constant. Mr. Shaw 
was a hard-working man, and accumulated a 
goodly share of this world's goods. He was a 
man who paid strict attention to his farm 
duties, never aspiring to any political promi- 
nence, although he was decided in his views of 
right and wrong, which he never failed to 
express when occasion required. This useful 
man and much-respected citizen departed this 
life Nov. 17, 1875. His widow survives him, 
and resides upon the old homestead. She is 
an intelligent Christian lady, and has the 
respect of all who know her. Constant Shaw 
was born on the old homestead Nov. 20, 1852. 
He married Miss Cora I. Worden Oct. ISi, 1874. 
She was born in Richfield Township, this 
county, Dec. 24, 1852. They have one child, 
viz., Leon. Samuel Shaw was born Aug. 11, 
1838. He was married, Sept. 15, 1860, to Miss 
Lucy Webster. She was born in Ontario Co., 
N. Y., May 21, 1838. They have two children, 
viz., Loretta and Berdella. Sylvester P. Shaw 
was born Aug. 25, 1831. He was united in 
marriage to Miss Sarah R. Moody March 23, 
1856. She was born in Richfield Township 
Nov. 20, 1838. They have four children, viz.: 
Grilson B., Hattie V., Durward B. and Bertha 
y. There are other members of the famil}- 
who are married and are the heads of respecta- 
ble families. All the Shaw boys are well-to-do 
farmers and respected citizens. 

CHANCY SALISBURY, Ghent. This gen- 
tleman was born in Bath Township, this county, 
March 10, 1830. He is the son of William and 
Sylva (Atwell) Salisbury, both of whom were 
natives of Ontario Co., N. Y. They were mar- 
ried in their native State, and remox-ed from 
there to this county in 1827. Mr. Salisbury 
had come to the county the year previous and 
purchased 75 acres of land in Bath Township. 
In his family were eight children, five of whom 
are yet living. He was a newsboy in Buffalo 
during the last war with England and witnessed 



l>t^ 



1024 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



the burning of that place by the British. He 
always followed farming after his marriage, a 
business he was very successful at. He was 
renowned for his sobriety, economy and straight 
dealings, and it is said b}' those who knew him 
that " his word was just as good as his bond." 
He died April 8, 1863, and his wife Feb. 24. 
1867. Chancy was raised upon a farm receiv- 
ing a common-school education. After reach- 
ing his majority, he worked by the month for 
his father and for men in the neighborhood. 
He worked some fourteen months in Indiana, 
and one winter in Wisconsin. He was united 
in marriage to Miss Maria Hopkins Sept. 28, 
1870. She was born in Bath Township June 
25, 1830. Mr. Salisbur^^ has always followed 
farming and stock-raising. He owns 100 acres 
of well-improved land, nicely situated, near the 
center of the township. He is a Republican in 
politics, and has filled several township offices 
with great acceptance. He is an enterprising, 
public-spirited man, and a useful and honored 
r* 1 1^ 1 7 p n 

HOUSEL SMITH, Montrose. This gentle- 
man was born in Springfield Township, Summit 
Co., Ohio, Oct. 14, 1824. He is the sou of 
James and Sarah (Housel) Smith, both of whom 
were natives of Lancaster Co., Penn., where 
they were married and resided until 1812, when 
they moved to Lake Township, Stark Co., Ohio. 
After about two years the}' moved into Spring- 
field Township, it being then a part of Stark 
Co. They were the parents of seven children, 
viz., Peter, Catharine, John, Cyrenius, James, 
Housel and Amelia. Mr. Smith always fol- 
lowed farming and stock-growing. He was a 
successful business man, an exemplary member 
of the M. E. Church, and a useful member of 
society. He departed this life in 1857. His 
widow survives him and resides north of the 
city of Akron. Housel Smith received but a 
limited education, and, up to the time he was 18 
years of age, worked for his father. He was 
then given his time, and began working his 
father's farm on the shares. After about eight 
years, he purchased 50 acres of land in Bath 
Township and began its improvement. In a 
few years he sold this farm and purchased 104 
acres where he now lives. He has since added 
to this until he now owns 140 acres of good 
land, which he has nicely improved. He was 
united in marriage to Miss Susanna Moore 
March 6, 1851. This lad}' was born in Spring- 



field Township, this county. May 6, 1830. From 
this union there are eight children, viz., Eman- 
uel C, John N., James A., Robert H., Sarah L., 
Charles H., George E. and Margaret J. Mr. 
Smith is a Democrat in politics, and a member 
of the United Brethren Church. He began life 
as a poor boy. and is a self-made man in the 
fullest sense of the word. 

MICHAEL SPRANKLE, Ghent. John 
Sprankle, the father of this gentleman, was a 
native of the Keystone State ; when he was 
quite a child, his parents removed to Stark Co., 
Ohio, where they entered a large tract of land. 
Here John Sprankle was married and resided 
until 1833, when he moved to Summit Co., 
settling in Bath Township ; he was a miller b}' 
trade, and that, in connection with farming, he 
followed during his life-time ; he was the par- 
ent of two sons and five daughters ; he was a 
hai'd-working man, and always paid strict at- 
tention to his own affairs ; he was scrupulously 
honest, and was esteemed and respected by all 
who knew him. Michael Sprankle was born in 
Stark Co., Ohio., March 23, 1821. His ad- 
vantages for obtaining an education were very 
limited, and from early boyhood was inured to 
toil, he remaining at home until about 21 years 
of age ; he then rented a farm of his father in 
Stark Co., and began doing for himself He 
was united in marriage to Miss Eliza McGrew, 
in 1843 ; this lad}' died in a few years, leaving 
a son and daughter, viz., Charles and Lucinda. 
Mr. Sprankle was married June 13, 1848, to 
Miss Harriet Albertson. a native of Stai'k Co., 
where she was born Nov. 25, 1828 ; by this 
union there were eight children, four of whom 
are yet living, viz., Oliver, Edwin, Collins and 
Allie A ; those deceased were named — Alonzo, 
Burton, John A. and Cora E. Mr. Sprankle 
continued to reside in Stark Co. until 1865, 
when he moved to Bath Township, this county, 
which he has since made his home. He began 
life as a poor boy and has by his. own exertions 
and the assistance of his good wife secured a 
goodly share of this world's goods ; he owns 
363 acres of well-improved land, and is one of 
the best and most practical farmers in Bath 
Township ; politically he is a Republican ; he 
and wife possess social qualities of a high order, 
and are among the leading citizens of the town- 
ship. 

J. M. THORP, West Richfield. The parents 
of this gentleman, Manville B. and Fanny W. 



BATH TOWNSHIP. 



1025 



(Clark) Thoi'p, are among the earl}- settlers of 
the county. Manville B. Thorp was born Feb. 
7, 1808, in the Empire State, and his wife in the 
Bay State, March 7. 1811. They were married 
in Bristol, Ontario Co., N. Y., Nov. 3, 1832, and 
two 3^ears later came to Bath Township, this 
count}', where the}' have since resided. Jere- 
miah, father of Manville B., was a soldier of 
the war of 1812, and his father, Nathan Thorp, 
served his country in the war of the Revolu- 
tion. Manville B. Thorp and wife, on first 
coming to this county, settled on the farm now 
owned by them in Bath Township, there being 
no improvements on the land at that time. 
They are the parents of five children, all of 
whom are now living. Mr. Thorp has always 
been a hard-working, enterprising and public- 
spirited citizen, and has been ver}' successful in 
all his business undertakings ; he owns over 
300 acres of good tillable land, which is nicely 
improved. J. M. Thorp was raised upon a farm 
and received a good common-school education; 
he was united in marriage to Miss Vashti M. 
Shaw, May 24, 1857 ; she was born in Bath 
Township this count3% Aug. 30, 1834 ; they 
have four sons, viz., Elwin C, Warren S., Ayers 
C. and Maynard B. Mr. Thorp was born in 
Ontario Co.', N. Y., Nov. 25, 1833 ; in 1863, he 
began the study of dental surgery, and after 
some years began its practice at Akron, to 
which place and Richfield, Ohio, his practice 
has been confined, he always finding enough to 
do. He has an oflflce at Richfield, and has a 
good paying practice ; he is a quiet, unassuming 
man, and possesses the confidence and esteem 
of all who know him. 

JOSEPH F. WHITCRAFT, Bath; John 
Whitcraft, the father of this gentleman, was 
born in Fayette Co., Penn., in 1797. While 
he was yet a small boy his parents removed to 
Jefferson Co., Ohio, and from there, after a few 
years, to Stark County. Here his youth and 
early manhood was passed, his education being 
such as the log schoolhouse afforded. He was 
united in marriage in 1823 to Miss Eleanor 
Harkins, a native of Westmoreland Co., Penn., 
where she was born in 1800. Her parents had 
removed from the Keystone State to Wayne Co., 
Ohio, in 1813. Soon after their marriage, Mr. 



and Mrs. Whitcraft took up their residence in 
Stark County, where they resided until their 
removal to Bath Township, this county, in 
1832. The ^^ear previous Mr. Whitcraft had 
come to the township and purchased 82^ acres 
of land. He did some clearing and erected a 
log cabin, in which the family moved upon 
their arrival. The following children were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Whitcraft, viz., William, 
Thomas, Hugh, Samuel, Joseph F., Esther, 
John, Silas, Nancy and Eleanor, seven of whom 
are 3'et living. Mr. Whitcraft was a prominent 
and respected citizen, and held during his life- 
time many positions of honor and trust. He 
was renowned for his strict business principles, 
integrity, and readiness to promote the public 
good. This good man and pioneer departed 
this life in 1842. His wife survives him at the 
advanced age of 81 years. She has a very re- 
tentive memory and is as smart and active as 
many ladies at 50. Joseph F. Whitcraft was 
born Sept. 22, 1830, in Stark Co., Ohio. His 
earl}' education was limited, being confined to 
such as could be obtained in the log-cabin 
schoolhouse. He was but 12 years of age at the 
time of his father's death, and he remained at 
home helping to care for the younger members 
of the family until he was of age. He then 
took charge of the farm, which he resided upon 
until four years ago, when he came to Ham- 
mond's Corners and engaged in mercantile pur- 
suits. He was united in marriage to IMiss 
Adaline A. Miller, March 22, 1855. This lady 
was born in Richfield Township, this county, 
June 20, 1834, and is the daughter of Moses 
C. and Anna (Compton) Miller, who were 
among the first settlers of this county. Six 
childi'en have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Whit- 
craft, four of whom are yet living, viz., Clara 
B., Jennie E., Mariam I. and SigefB. The de- 
ceased were named Cora E. and Sherman. 
Mr. Whitcraft is a stanch Republican and is 
Postmaster at the "Corners." He has held 
positions of honor and trust, and is highly 
spoken of as an official. He was a delegate to 
the Kent Convention in 1855, and voted for 
James A. Garfield for State Senator. He is a 
pleasant, courteous gentleman and one of the 
county's best citizens. 



711 



..3 



1026 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 



JACOB BflEITENSTEIN, Sr., lawyer, Cliu- 
ton. He is the oldest and only son living of 
Jacob Breiteustein, who was married to Barbara 
Sweithauser, both natives of Ober Bhein Kreis, 
Grermany. He came to this country with his 
parents in 1836. They came to Marshal Iville, 
Wayne Co., Ohio, and remained there one year, 
when they removed into Chippewa Township in 
the same county. They remained there fifteen 
years, when they came to Franklin Township, 
this county. His education was received in the 
common schools of Grermany, attending school 
but six weeks in this country. He worked on 
his father's farm until 24 years of age, when he 
married Lydia Keller, a native of Penns3dvania. 
He worked for six j-ears as a coal miner, after 
which he bought a small farm of 24 acres with 
his earnings. He carried on farming very suc- 
cessfully until 1876, when he retired. He then 
began practice as a lawyer in the Justice's 
Courts. By his industry and econom}' he has 
amassed considerable wealth, and is now owner 
of five farms, including a valuable and rich coal 
mine, which yields hnn no small income. He 
has six children — John, Jacob D., Ellas, Daniel, 
Andrew and Mary. He has served as Town- 
ship Trustee for a number of years, and is a 
Notary Public. He is a member of the Glerman 
Beformed Church. His parents came to this 
country very poor, and all he has was acquired 
by his own exertions. 

MATHIAS DAVIS, retired farmer; P. 0. 
Johnson's Corners ; was born Sept. 23, 1810, 
in Pennsylvania. His father, John Davis, with 
wife and ten children, emigrated from Pennsyl- 
vania to Ohio, and settled on the farm where 
Mr. Davis is now residing, in 1817. The par- 
ents have long since gone the wa}' of all mor- 
tals, and but four of the children survive, viz., 
Mathias, Nancy, Christina (now Widow Hassett, 
living in Hudson Township with her son), and 
Mary living in Carroll Co. Matthias took 
charge of the farm when about 19 years of age. 
He and a brother farmed it together for several 
years. Their location is one of the most nat- 
urally picturesque spots in the township, being 
quite elevated, overlooking the valley of the 
Cuyahoga River for miles, and immediately 



over the Erie & Ohio Canal. The first wheat 
raised for market in this vicinity, was that 
grown by Mr. Davis, which was sold for 50 
cents per bushel, and one of the first lots ever 
shipped to Cleveland on the canal was a lot of 
Mr. Davis' for which he received about 50 cents 
per bushel. Mr. Mathias Davis never married, 
and is now well advanced in years ; lives in 
very comfortable circumstances, and cares for 
an aged and feeble sister ; he is a man of gen- 
erous and hospitable impulses, though very un- 
assuming ; his memory is replete with incidents 
of early pioneer life and hardships, which both 
old and young were necessitated to endure dur- 
ing tht 
forest. 

ANDREW DONNENWIRTH, saddler, Clin- 
ton. He is one of the nine children of John 
Donnenwirth, a native of Alsace, France, who 
married Margaret Lang. He was born in 
Canal Fulton, Stark Co., Ohio, Dec. 19, 1845. 
He received a common-school education, and 
learned the trade of saddler. He came to Clin- 
ton in 1865. There he began his career as a bus- 
iness man, by carrying on a harness and saddle 
business. In 1868, he opened a general store, 
doing a good business until 188U, when he again 
worked at his trade. He was married in 1869 to 
Mary A. Ingraham, a native of England. They 
have five children — Ross, Willie, Belle, Lorena 
and Daisy M. He enjoys the confidence and 
good-will of his fellow-citizens, and was recent- 
ly elected Justice of the Peace. He is a mem- 
ber of the English Lutheran Church. 

DAVID D. DAILEY, farmer; P. 0. Nimisila. 
He was born in Blair Co., Penn., Nov. 15, 1817. 
He worked on his father's farm until 1841, when 
he came to Franklin Township, and has been 
here ever since. He was married in 1846, to 
Elizabeth Row ; they had one sou, Adam ; wife 
died in 1850 ; he was remarried, in 1852, to 
Anne Holl. They have four children — Andrew, 
Catharine, Michael and Clara. He is one of 
the prominent and well-to-do citizens of his 
township. 

LEWIS EVERHARD, traveling salesman, 
Nimisila. He was born in Plain, Stark Co., 
Ohio, Nov. 26, 1829. He was raised on a farm. 



^^ — ^ 



M- 



FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP. 



1027 



and obtained a common-school education. He 
came to Manchester, Ohio, in ] 866 ; began his 
career as a salesman with the Warthorst Stone 
Co., of Massillon, Ohio, in 1869. He was mar- 
ried, in 1854, to Anne Hoy. The^^ had two 
children — Frances E. and John H. She died 
in 1869. He was remarried, in 1871, to Nancy 
Williams ; one child, Lottie 0., is the fruit of 
this marriage. He is a member of the Disciples' 
Church. 

DAVID GROVE, farmer ; P. 0. Nimisila ; 
was born in Franklin Co., Penn., July 3, 1822 ; 
is son of Jacob and Rachel (Dice) Grove, who 
wei'e also natives of Pennsylvania. They emi- 
grated to Ohio in 1832, with their five children, 
viz., David, Poll}^ Solomon, Arabella and Jacob ; 
tliree others were born to them after their re- 
moval to this State, viz., Ephraim, Rachel and 
Hannah ; these are all living. Mr. Grove lo- 
cated in this township, and spent the remainder 
of his life here, and died in the 72d year of his 
age. David was married to Mary Long Oct. 
12, 1844. They have reared four children, viz., 
B^^ron F., Eliza, Mary and Emma. Mrs. Grove 
was born in Westmoreland Co., Penn., and was 
brought to Wayne Co., Ohio, by her parents 
when about 2 3'ears old. Both Mr. and Mrs. 
Grove are familiar with the hardships of pioneer 
life, but enjoy a competenc}' earned by their 
own industry and care. 

HENRY A. HOUSMAN, Superintendent 
Franklin Coal Mine, Clinton. He is the oldest 
son of Jacob Housman, who was married to 
Catharine Brougher. He was born in Franklin 
Township Jul}- 19, 1840. He worked on the 
farm until he was 20 years old. He was then 
employed as clerk in a store in Manchester, 
Oliio. In 1860, he went into business for him- 
self This he carried on successfulh^ until 
1870, when he took charge of the Franklin Coal 
Mine. He came to Clinton in 1875, and has 
resided here since ; he also taught school here 
for one and one-half years. He was married 
in 1862, to Margaret Sisler, a native of Man- 
chester, Ohio. They have two children — Nellie 
and Fannie. He is at present Superintendent 
of the Franklin Coal Mine, an extensive and 
paying mine. 

JAMES M. KERSTETTER, general store, 
Nimisila. Among the self-made business men 
of Manchester is the subject of this sketch ; he 
was born in Green Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio, March 17, 1851 ; his parents were old 



settlers of the count}' ; he was the oldest of 
three children ; he was raised on the farm, and, 
when 11 years old, he went with his parents to 
Manchester ; his education was such as the 
common schools of the village afforded, and his 
business career was begun with a clerkship 
with Kerstetter & Housman. He went into 
business for himself in 1871 ; he is now keep- 
ing a general store, and all he has he obtained 
by his tact, industry and economy. He was 
married in 1868 to Isabel Benner, a native of 
Franklin Township ; they have one daughter — 
Olive M. His business career is one of remark- 
able success, he having comparatively nothing 
when he started. 

DANIEL SMITH (deceased) ; was born in 
Pennsylvania x\pril 10, 1811, and came here 
with his father's family during the construction 
of the canal. He married Eliza Diehl March 
15, 1835 ; she was also a native of Pennsyl- 
vania, and came here with her parents about a 
year previous to her late husband , her father, 
Jacob Diehl, settled at Canton, Stark Co., when 
they came from Pennsylvania, then to Franklin 
Township. Soon after Mr. Smith was married, 
they repaired to the farm, where his widow and 
daughter now live, and, on June 7, 1861, he 
was called away, leaving a widow and large 
family to mourn his loss. They were parents 
of ten children, viz., Judson, Rachel, Amanda, 
Mary, Ransom, Louisa, x\ngeline, Carolina, Jo- 
sephus and Ida ; the last named resides with 
her aged mother. When their eldest boy, Jud- 
son, was about 4 years old, he met with a sad 
and fatal accident ; while he, with one of his sis- 
ters, were endeavoring to cross the mill-race on 
unsafe footing, he fell in, and, although his 
father was at work near by, the boy was 
drowned before it was possible to rescue him. 
In 1834, Mr. Smith and his father built a saw- 
mill, which Daniel owned and operated many 
years ; the mill property he had sold, but 
owing to non-payment bj' the purchaser, he 
(Mr. Smith) had to take it back, and the season 
preceding his death he had refitted the mill. 
Since his death, Mrs. Smith has managed the 
affairs of her business with more than ordinary 
executive ability, and reared her family, and yet 
lives to see them enjoy their own homes. 

JOHN A. STUMF, farmer ; P. 0. Nimisila ; 
was born in Franklin Co., Penn., June 2, 1809 ; 
he is son of 3Iichael and Mary (Ashway) Stumf 
In 1819, they moved from Pennsylvania— par- 



K' 



1028 



BIOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



ents and five children — and settled six miles west 
of Massillon, in Tuscarawas Township, Stark 
Co. The}' had in all seven children — Catharine, 
John A., Jacob, Elizabeth, Poll}', Lydia and 
Nancy — the two last named were born after 
their parents came to this State. About nine 
years after their locating in Stark County, Mr. 
Stumf was assisting a neighbor in "raising" a 
log cabin ; during the progress of the work, 
some feeling of rivalry as to which party should 
have their end of the log first in position arose ; 
the result being that one end of a log was car- 
ried up much quicker than the other, causing 
a skid to break, and swinging the other out of 
place and in its descent struck Mr. Stumf on 
the head and killed him. This sad and fatal 
accident left the widow with her seven young 
children, in poor circumstances, in the new and 
sparsely settled country. Shortly after his 
father's death, John A. returned to his uncle's 
in Pennsylvania to learn the carpenter's trade, 
and remained there three years. In the mean- 
time he got married to Mary Grove in April 
1832 ; and the following month came back with 
his wife to his mother's in Stark Co., Ohio, 
where they lived one year, and in 1833 he 
moved to Franklin Township and purchased 80 
acres, which was partially improved. He worked 
at his trade for two years after coming here, 
and then turned his attention principally to 
farming, which has been his life work, except 
when he chose to do odd jobs of carpenter 
work or manfacture anything for his own use, 
as he was quite handy at any kind of wood- 
work. He owns a good farm on which he 
erected a commodious brick residence in 1845. 
They had five children — Lucinda (who died at 
5 years old), Alpheus, Eliza (was wife of 
Eli Stout, who died in the army of the rebell- 
ion ; she is also deceased, leaving one child, 
Ida, and was reared by Mr. Stumf), Hiram and 



Mary M. (deceased). Mrs. Stumf died in Sep- 
tember, 1872. His mother remained on the old 
homestead in Stark County, until a short time 
previous to her death, when she removed to 
Wayne County, when she died September, 1874, 
in the 92d year of her age. Besides John A., 
only Catharine (now widow of Sam Davis of 
Lucas County), and Lydia (now wife of Moses 
Hingley, of Richland County), survives. 

A. SISLER, M. D., Nimisila ; he was born in 
Lycoming Co., Penn., Dec. 29, 1823. When 4 
years old, he went to Erie Co., N. Y., with his 
parents ; here he remained until 1844, when 
he came to Nimisila, and has been there ever 
since. He read medicine with his brother. Dr. 
William Sisler, who was at that time in active 
practice there. He attended lectures in the 
Cleveland Medical College, and began practice 
in partnership with his brother, in the spring of 
1848, and is at present practicing in Manches- 
ter. He was married in 1848 to Amanda E. 
Hoy, a native of Nimisila. Nine children are 
now living — Francis E., Charles E., Clara A., 
Caroline B., Lewis E.. Everett B., John H., 
Jennie L. and William H. He is a member of 
the Disciples' Church. 

EPHRAIM STUMF, farmer; Nimisila; is 
the son of Jacob and Catharine (Sorrick) 
Stumf, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio 
when quite young. They settled in this town- 
ship, where Ephraim was born May 28, 1842. 
There were four other children born to Jacob 
and Catharine Stumf, viz. : Matilda, Nathaniel, 
Amos (deceased) and William. Ephraim lived 
with his parents until he was married, which 
event occurred Nov. 29, 1870, to Louisa Smith, 
daughter of Daniel Smith. They have two 
children — Bertha and Clarence. Mr. Stumf is 
a man of few pretentions, but an industrious 
citizen who attends to his own affairs in an un- 
assuming way. 



<§ k^ 



^ s 



\^ 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



1029 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



WILLIAM a. ADAMS (deceased); was 
the youngest in a family of eight children born 
to James and Hannah Adams. The names of 
these children are as follows : John, Alexander, 
James, Thomas, Charles, C^'rus, Caroline and 
William G. William was born June 17, 1819, 
and when quite young his parents moved from 
his native State — Pennsylvania — and came to 
Wayne Co., Ohio, where he remained with his 
parents until he was 26 years old, and then 
moved to Bath Township, and subsequently to 
Cuyahoga Co., Ohio. Julj^ 24, 1846, he mar- 
ried Catharine, daughter of James and Sarah 
Leonard, and to this union were born a famil}' 
of six children — James L., born June 4, 1849 ; 
John, born Dec. 30, 1850 ; Melville, born Sept. 
10, 1852 ; Charles, born Feb. 20, 1854 ; Pren- 
tiss, born June 14, 1857, and Sarah, born Sept. 
2, 1860. Mrs. Adams was born Sept. 2, 1823. 
In the spring of 1 860, Mr. and Mrs. Adams, 
with their family, left Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, and 
came to Copley Township, Summit Co., Ohio. 
It was here, on May 2, 1868, that Mr. Adams' 
death occurred, of pneumonia. In his younger 
days, Mr. Adams taught school to some extent, 
and his subsequent life was full of enterprise 
and usefulness. 

ALFRED ADAIR, farmer; P. 0. Copley 
Center ; was born in Montgomery Township, 
Northampton Co., Mass., Feb. 6, 1807. He is a 
grandson of Andrew Adair, who was a native 
of Ireland, and a son of James L. and Bath- 
sheba (Griffin) Adair, to whom were born the 
following family : Theodosia. Sally, Alfred, 
Ursula, Anna, Elizabeth and Micah. At the 
age of 10 years, our subject, with his parents, 
removed to Genesee Co., N. Y., where the}' re- 
mained until 1824. when Alfred, who was then 
17 years of age, went to Canada, where he re- 
mained but one 3'ear, at the end of which time 
his father died, and he returned home to his 
widowed mother and took charge of the home- 
stead, clearing it of a heavy debt then hanging 
over it. In December, 1835, he married Mar- 
tha P. Chamberlain, daughter of Moses Cham- 
berlain, and by her had eight children, viz., 
James L., who was born Sept. 24, 18o7, and 
died July 11, 1842; Joseph L., born Nov. 28, 



1839 ; Alfred A., born March 25, 1841 ; Mar- 
tha A., born April 19, 1843 ; Emily, who was 
born July 27, 1845, and died Aug. 24, 1848 ; 
Martha, who was born July 31, 1847, and died 
Jan. 24, 1881, and Newman and Newell, twins, 
born July 15, 1850. In 1840, Mr. Adair, fam- 
ily, and mother, came to Copley Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio, where the mother died, in 
January, 1855, and the wife, Jan. 29, 1880. 
These two had been married about forty -five 
years, and during that time were always kind 
and considerate toward each other, and her 
death leaves an aching void in his heart, as. in 
those of her relatives and friends. They took 
great pride in educating their two sous, J. L. 
and A. A., who valiantly served their country 
in its time of need, enlisting in the spring of 
1862 in Co. A, 4th 0. V. I, and serving faith- 
fully until the close of the war in 1865. Mr. 
Adair is an old and much respected resi- 
dent of Copley. He is a Republican, and is 
one of the township's ablest citizens. 

DELOS BOSWORTH, farming ; P. 0. Cop- 
ley Center ; was born in Copley Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio, Jan. 11, 1818. He is a son 
of Allen and Hannah (Harrington) Bosworth, 
who were parents of the following family : 
Polly, Sally, Delos, Norton, Norman and Leo- 
nard. Allen Bosworth was a native of Rhode 
Island, while his wife was born in Yermont. 
In 1815, Mr. and Mrs. Bosworth came to Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio (then Medina Co.), from Otsego' 
Co., N. Y., locating at first in Tallmadge Town- 
ship, but the following year moved to North- 
ampton Township. In 1817, they moved to 
Copley Township, locating on Lot 22. This 
was the first settlement in Copley Township. 
At the time of his settlement in Cople}', Mi'. 
Bofeworth's total possessions in mone}' amount- 
ed to only $1.50, and this he gave for the 
erection of his log cabin. He purchased 150 
acres of land on credit, and then started out in 
the battle of life. Delos remained with his 
parents on the farm until he was 24 years of 
age, and March 16, 1841, married (Christina 
Wagoner, and to this union were born three 
children— Millard, born Feb. 16, 1845 ; Nor- 
man, born Feb. 28, 1847, died Dec. 29, 1861, 



a v_ 



.^ 



1030 



BIOGEAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



and Eleonora, born June 26, 1849. Mrs. Bos- 
worth died Sept. 3, 1855, and on the 8th of 
April, 1858, Mr. Bosworth married Abbey W. 
Whinery. and by her had one son — John C, 
born Dec. 27, 1860. Soon after Mr. Bosworth's 
first marriage, his father died, and Delos took 
cliarge of the famil}^ and moved to the north- 
eastern part of the township, on Lot 14. He 
now owns 130 acres of fine farming and graz- 
ing land, which he has made by his own labors. 
His son Millard, in August, 1862, enlisted in 
Co. H, 42d 0. V. I., and served gallantly 
through a number of battles, and during his 
service, lost his health, which he has never re- 
gained. Mr. Bosworth is a Republican in 
politics, and he and wife are members of the 
Universalist Church. 

TRUMAN BOUGHTON, farmer; P. 0. 
Copley Center ; was born in Ontario Co., N. 
Y., Aug. 22, 1814. He was the fifth child in a 
family of six children born to John and Salh' 
(Roat) Boughton, and their names, respective!}', 
are Noble, H. W., S. L., Mary, Truman and 
Nathaniel. When in his 4th year, Truman's 
mother died, and soon afterward his father 
married Polly Stimpson, and by her had the 
following family : John, George, William, Mor- 
ris, Sophia, Elmer and Levi. In 1833, this 
family came to Bath Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio, where they lived until the father's death, 
which occurred in 1848. His widow afterward 
removed to Michigan, where she has since died. 
Truman lived with his father until he reached 
his majority, and then began for himself In 
April, 1833, he was united in marriage with 
Flora Davis, daughter of William and x\vis 
(Hopkins) Davis, and to this union were born 
five children, as follows : B. Franklin, E. D., 
H. G., Olive I. and M. H. Soon after his mar- 
riage, Mr. Boughton settled on Lot No. 27, about 
a mile east of Copley Center, and has resided 
there ever since. His family are all mai-ried, and 
are all living in Summit Co. B. F., the eldest 
son, enlisted in August, 1861, in Co. A, 2d 0. 
V. C, and served all through the war in the 
same company, and was finally discharged in 
September, 1865. Mr. B. started in life with 
nothing but a stout heart and willing hands, and 
by the hardest labor has acquired a nice home 
and fortune. In politics he is a Republican, and 
is an energetic and enterprising gentleman. 

BYRON CHAPMAN, M. D., Copley Center ; 
was born in the State of New York Jan. 8, 



1822. He is a son of A. and P. (Lane) Chap- 
man, who were parents of this family : Orson, 
Sally, Lovina, Melissa, Orlin, Lucius, Cynthia, 
William. Harlow. Loretta, Almeron, Byron and 
Lucinda. In the fall of 1835, this family came 
to Copley Township, and settled one-half mile 
south of Cople}- Center, on 154 acres, of Lot 
No. 28. Byron remained here with his parents 
until 22 3'ears of age, receiving a good common- 
school education. At that time, he commenced 
the study of medicine with his brother William, 
who was a practicing physician at Copley 
Center. He attended medical lectures at Cleve- 
land for two years, and graduated in March, 
1847. At the time of his graduation, his 
brother William, the doctor, was taken ill and 
soon died. Byron took charge of his brother's 
practice immediatel}', and meeting with excel- 
lent success he has remained there ever since. 
Dec. 23, 1847, he w\as united in marriage with 
Matilda A. Dils, daughter of Abrara Dils, and 
by her has two children — Willis D., born Oct. 
3, 1848, and Fann}' P.. who is now the wife of 
Albert E. Hiestand. Willis married Ella A. 
Marriner ; he is a civil engineer in Leadville, 
Colo. Mrs. Chapman is in very poor health. 
Mr. Chapman is a Republican in politics, and 
does quite an extensive business in his profes- 
sion. 

WILLIAM CASKEY, farmer ; P. 0. Copley 
Center ; was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, Oct. 13, 
1832. He is a son of Benjamin and Margaret 
Caske}-, and is one in the following family, all 
of whom are living : Margaret, Nancv, An- 
drew, John, James, Jane, Finle}-, William, 
Mar}-. Benjamhi and Drusilla. The father of 
these came from Ireland when very small. He 
was a soldier in the war of 1812, and in 1853, 
came to Bath Township, and from there to 
Copley in 1858. The father died from a stroke of 
palsy in Februar}- 1867. The mother is yet liv- 
ing in Copley at an advanced age. When about 
21 years of age, William left his parents and 
went to Iowa, where he made his home seven 
years. During his stay there he married 
Louisa Dodt, and by her had two children — 
Angeline, who died in infanc}', and P]ldora, 
born Jan. 16, 1862. Mr. Caskey served three 
3'ears in the late war in Co. B, 22d Iowa V. I., 
and while in the service his wife died. At the 
close of the war he returned to Copley Town- 
ship, and Dec. 25, 1868, married Caroline Fen- 
ner. by whom he has one son — Arthur F., born 



iRT 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



1031 



March 14, 1871. Mr. Caske^^'s farm is situated 
on Lot No. 35, Copley Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio. 

S. DALES, farmer ; P. 0. Montrose ; was 
born in Cartxight Township, Delaware Co., N. 
Y., March 25, 1802. He is one in the follow- 
ing famil}', born to William and Susanna 
(Hunt) Dales, viz., Stephen, William, Peter, 
Samuel. James and Hannah, of whom but 
Stephen and James are living. In 1812, this 
famil}^ came to the neighborhood of Cuyahoga 
Falls, near which place the father rented a farm 
for his family, and then enlisted as teamster in 
the war of that year. Since their arrival in 
Summit County, the Dales have resided there. 
The father died an honored and respected 
citizen at the advanced age of 76. The date of 
the mother's death is Jan. 20, 1841. In De- 
cember, 1826, Stephen was mai'ried to Miss 
Marcia Richardson, daughter of Elkanah Rich- 
ardson, and to this union was born a family of 
seven children as follows : Olive, Alvira, Mary 
(deceased), George (deceased). Grcorge S., 
William and Angeline. After his marriage 
Mr. Dales removed to Bath Township where 
he and family remained two j'cars, at the 
expiration of which time they moved to 
Copley Township, locating on Lot No. 4, 
where they have since made their home. 
For them life was filled with the privations and 
hard labor common to pioneers. The wife and 
mother died May 26, 1865, and for his second 
and present wife Mr. Dales married Mary 
Viall, widow of Sullivan Viall and daughter of 
George Freely. Mr. Dales has a fine home and 
property, which he and his family have earned 
by hard and honest labor. 

' HENRY FRANCISCO (deceased) ; he was 
born near Morristown, N. J., May 20. 1802 ; 
he was a son of John and Jane (Pier) Fran- 
cisco, and they were the parents of the fol- 
lowing family : Maria, David, Anna. Betsey, 
John, Henry, Caroline, Samuel and Barney. 
Our subject remained with his parents on the 
farm until he arrived at manhood. In July, 
1823, he married Lovina Chapman, and by her 
had a family of nine children — Paulina, Mar}- 
A., Catharine, Maria, William J., A. C, John 
H., Charles E. and Ellen J. He remained in 
New York until 1830, and then went to Chau- 
tauqua Co., -same State, and kept a hotel there 
for two years ; in 1835, he came to the north 
part of Cople}' Township, Summit Co., Ohio, 



and after a short time, moved to the southwest- 
ern part. At the time of his death, which oc- 
curred March 27, 1869, he was living on Lot 
38, one mile south of the Center. He came to 
Copley with scarcely an^-thing, but b}- hard 
labor left to his heirs over a hundred aci'es of 
good land. His sons William and John served 
faithfully in the late war in the defense of their 
country. 

DAVID FRANK ; Copley Center ; was born 
in Waytie Co., Ohio, Nov. 14, 1828, and is 
a son of Peter and Nancy (Ball) Frank ; his 
father was of German and his mother of En- 
glish descent ; he is one in a family of eight 
children. When our subject was 3 years old, 
his parents removed to Stark Co., Ohio, where 
they remained seven years, and, at the end of 
that time, came to Copley Township, Summit 
Co., Ohio, where he remained, and where his 
pai'ents afterward both died ; David received a 
good common-school education, and, on Oct. 
15, 1857, was married to Melissa Witner, 
daughter of Daniel and Susan Witner, and by 
her had four children — Jennie, born Feb. 12, 
1860 ; Grant H., born March 16, 1864; Zedel- 
lia Z., born Feb. 6, 1869 ; and F. F., born Dec. 
10, 1871. At the time of his marriage, Mr. 
Frank located on a farm one mile west of Cop- 
ley Center, and he has remained there ever 
since ; he and his estimable wife have labored 
hard, and now, b}' their hard labor and self-de- 
nial, have a nice farm of 85 acres of excellent 
land. Mrs. Frank was born Feb. 3, 1838. 3Ir. 
Frank is a Republican in politics, and he and 
wife are members of the Reformed Church, of 
Copley Center. 

SAMUEL FREDERICK, farmer; P. 0. 
Cople}' Center ; was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, 
Feb. 27, 1831. He is a son of Jacob and Mar- 
garet (Razor) Frederick, who were parents of 
the following family : Samuel, Thomas, Henry, 
Eli, Benjamin F., William and Christopher C. 
In 1840, the subject of this sketch and his par- 
ents moved to Copley Township. At the age 
of 19, Samuel commenced learning the shoe- 
making trade in Wadsworth ; he has since fol- 
lowed the business seven 3'ears in Copley. Nov. 
7, 1850, he married Sarah Fryman, daughter of 
Daniel Fr^-man, and by her had a family of 
eight children — Susan. Benjamin F., John H., 
Jacob. Eliza J., Ella E., Daniel and George B. 
Since his marriage, Mr. Frederick has lived in 
different parts of Copley. His present place 



y- 



1032 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



is situated on part of Lots Nos. 27 and 34, one 
mile east of the Center. To some extent since 
his marriage, Mr. Frederick has also followed 
the cooper's trade. For sixteen seasons, Mr. 
Frederick has followed threshing, but his pres- 
ent occupation is farming. He and wife are 
excellent citizens, and both are members of the 
Lutheran Church. 

C. C. FREDERICK, school-teacher and farm- 
er ; P. 0. Coplej' Center ; is a native of the 
township in which he resides, and was born 
Oct. 24, 1844. He is a son of Jacob and Mar- 
garet (Razor) Frederick, who were parents of 
seven sons, of whom all but our subject were 
born in Chippewa Township, Wayne Co., Ohio. 
At the age of 20, our subject began on his own 
responsibilit}', by farming summers and teach- 
ing winters, and this business he has followed 
up to the present time. His marriage with 
Miss Ella M. Ta3^1or was solemnized Nov. 11, 
1869. Mrs. Frederick is a daughter of Theo- 
dore and Matilda (Hoyt) Taylor, and was born 
March 26, 1853. To her union with Mr. Fred- 
erick there were born five children — Homer, 
born June 30, 1870, died May 23, 1876 ; Her- 
man E., born Jan. 12, 1872 ; Alena Bell, born 
March 5, 1874, died May 12, 1876 ; Aleta M., 
born Nov. 14, 1876 ; and Ernest L., born Aug. 
24, 1 879. Homer and x\.lena Bell were attacked 
with scarlet fever, and, after a short illness, 
were carried away from their home on earth to 
a happier one above. After his marriage, Mr. 
Frederick worked his father's farm for three 
years, and then moved to Cople}' Center, and 
taught school eighteen months. He then pur- 
chased and settled on the farm he now lives 
upon, which is located on Lot No. 24. Mr. 
Frederick has held different township offices. 
In politics, he is a radical Republican, and a 
member of the Lutheran Church of Norton. 

A. C. FRANCISCO, Copley Center ; was born 
in the State of New York Aug. 12, 1836. He 
is a son of Henr}- and Lovina (Chapman) 
Francisco, who were the parents of nine chil- 
dren. When our subject was but a year old 
his parents came from New York to Summit 
Co., Ohio, locating in Copley Township, where 
our subject has lived up to the present time ; 
he remained with his parents on the farm until 
he reached his 20th year, and he then com- 
menced farming for himself In September, 
1860, he married Iraogene Scudder, daughter 
of Walter and Catharine Scudder, and by her 



had the following family : Carrie, Hattie, 
Arthur, Olive and Charles. In August, 1862, 
our subject enlisted in Co. H 104th 0. V. I., 
and was discharged for disabilities in June, 
1863. Mr. Francisco has never since regained 
his health ; he has, with the exception of one' 
or two years, always lived in Copley Township ; 
he is a Republican in politics and a good and 
enterprising citizen. 

ANSEL S. GARDNER (deceased), was a 
native of Cuyahoga Co., Ohio, his birth occur- 
ring July 1, 1839. His parents were Warren 
and Caroline (Perry) Gardner, of Germanic de- 
scent, both being natives of the Empire State, 
and both coming to Ohio when the country was 
3'et a wilderness, filled with various species of 
wild animals. He was one in a family of four 
children, and when 7 years of age his mother 
died, and his father married Harriet Aver}', by 
whom he had one child. Ansel was reared on 
a farm, securing in the meantime a fair educa- 
tion from the common schools. After the age 
of 19, and previous to his marriage, he worked 
at farming during the summer months, and in 
the ship-yards at Cleveland during the winter 
months. On the 31st of December, 1861, his 
marriage with Miss Elisabeth Crosier was cele- 
brated. Her parents were Paul and Barbara 
(Husong) Crosier, of Euclid Township, Cuya- 
hoga Co., Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Gardner were 
born four children, as follows ; Alice, born 
Sept. 14, 1863, died Sept. 21, 1864; Alfred E., 
Oct. 20, 1865 ; Hattie, April 4, 1868, died Dec. 
9, 1870 ; Franklin J., Dec. 31, 1873. Mrs. 
Gardner's birth occurred March 9, 1840. Mr. 
and Mrs. Gardner remained at Cleveland until 
the 28th of May, 1861, when they moved to 
Grand Traverse, Mich, settling on a tract of 
land devoid of clearing and with no neighbor 
nearer than a mile, and with a vast forest of 
pine stretching away for miles in all directions. 
Reservations of Indians were near, and many 
wild, fierce animals lurked in the heavy pine 
forests. Here they remained five years, during 
which time Mr. Gardner and three other men 
from Traverse City went by canoe down the 
bay to Northport, thirty miles distant, where 
the}^ organized Leelenaw County. In July, 
1866, Mr. Gardner and family returned to Ohio, 
making their home first in Portage Township, 
Summit Co. In December, 1872, they removed 
to Copley Center, where the family has since 
resided. Mr. Gardner worked industriously at 



9 \ 



l^ 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



1033 



his trade — carpenter and joiner — until Febru- 
ary, 1880, when he was taken down with a severe 
attack of rheumatism ; at the end of two 
weeks he seemed to rally, but soon afterward 
was taken with ague, from which he never fully 
recovered. Spinal troubles increased his afflic- 
tion, until at last he died on the 1st of April, 
1880. He was a kind father, a loving husband 
and an exemplar}' citizen ; no unkind word was 
ever spoken to his family by him, and his death 
was mourned bitterly bv his devoted wife and 
children. He was laid to rest in the village 
cemeter}', and over his lonely grave the sweet 
flowers of loving remembrance are strewed, and 
tears of affection fall upon the silent earth. 
The neighborhood mourned his untimely death, 
and revere his name as among their most hon- 
ored dead. Thus dear friends are returned to 
dust, but their names become living jewels in 
the bright casket of memory. 

JOHN GOULDIN, farmer and merchant ; 
Copley Center ; was born in New Lisbon, 
Columbiana Co., Ohio, Sept. 30, 1815. He is a 
son of John and Esther (Chandler) Gouldin. 
When John was 9 years old, his father moved 
near Cleveland, engaging in agricultural pur- 
suits. John remained with his father until his 
marriage with Miss Betse}^ Hendershot, which 
event occurred May 3, 1835. To this union 
was born the following famil}' : Charles F., born 
March 1, 1848,died Oct. 1, 1855; Mariam, born 
May 20, 1840 ; Albert, born Aug. 30, 1842; 
Lucy E., born May 3, 1849, and Bina, born Oct. 
24, 1852. After his marriage, Mr. Gouldin had 
charge of a saw-mill for four years, and in the 
fall of 1839, purchased a piece of land in Copley 
Township, Summit Co., Ohio, and has retained 
the ownership of that land ever since. In 1873. 
he commenced in the agricultural implement 
business in Akron, and his work there met with 
excellent success. In 1876, he took in two 
partners, and the firm name then became Kra- 
mer, May & Gouldin, and this remained un- 
changed until 1878. when the partnership was 
dissolved, Messrs Kramer and May retiring. 
Mr. Gouldin still carries on the business at No. 
114 North Howard street. Politicall}-, Mr. 
Gouldin is a stanch Republican. He divides 
his residence between his home and business 
in Akron, and his country seat in Copley Town- 
ship. 

V. G. HARRIS, farmer ; P. 0. Copley Cen- 
ter ; was born in Wayne Co., Ohio, Feb. 7, 1826 ; 



is one in the following family born to Aaron 
and Eleanor (White) Harris ; Francis M., Eliz- 
abeth M., Hamilton, Vincent G., William W., 
Cordelia, Ellen and Caroline. The subject of 
this biography remained with his parents until 
he was 23 years of age. In September, 1849, 
he was united in marriage with Martha Long, 
daughter of Jacob Long, and to this union was 
born a family of nine children, as follows : Re- 
becca B., born June 20, 1850 ; Mary, Sept. 28, 
1851 ; Joseph J., Feb. 18, 1853 ; John, Feb. 15, 
1855, died in infancy ; Elizabeth, born Feb. 10, 
1856 ; Eliza, May 28, 1857; Charles F., June 
12, 1859 ; Sarah, Dec. 26, 1852, and Andrew J., 
Feb. 24, 1865. Mr. Harris started in life with 
little to depend on but his own exertions. He 
came to Copley Township in 1850, purchasing 
50 acres of land. He advanced on his farm 
first $450, with a balance of 1750 to pay. Since 
that time he has added by degrees, until he now 
owns a fine farm of 200 acres of well-improved 
land, besides other property. Mr. Harris is one 
of the leading men of his township, and is well 
respected by all his acquaintances. 

JAMES HAMMOND, retired farmer ; P. 0. 
Copley Center ; is a native of Yorkshire, En- 
gland, and was born April 6, 1811 ; he is a son 
of Thomas and Ann (Barton) Hammond, who 
were parents of the following family : Mar}-, 
George, Joseph, John, Edward, Elizabeth, 
James, Thomas and Charles ; James remained 
in England, working at different emplo3'ments, 
until 1848, when he arrived in New York June 
20. He was married June 30, 1838, to Eliza- 
beth, daughter of James and Nanc}^ Spenslev, 
and by her had the following famil}' : Anna, 
born x\pril 1,1839; Spensle}', born April 10, 
1841; George, born Oct. 18, 1843; James 
E., born Aug. 20, 1846, born in P]ngland ; and 
William A., born July 4, 1849 ; Lizzie, born 
Dec. 5, 1854 ; Joseph E., born 3Iarch 14, 1851, 
died in infancy ; Frank P., born April 15, 1857 ; 
Charles, born Sept. 27, 1860 ; and Alice D., 
born Feb. 21, 1864, born in America. At the 
time of his arrival, Mr. Hammond had $26 ; he 
and family came to Medina Co., where the}' re- 
mained one 3'ear, and from there went to 
Akron ; on his arrival in Copley Township, 
Summit Co.. Ohio, he purchased a small farm 
that is now owned b}' William Wagoner, and 
remained there five 3'ears ; he then purchased a 
larger farm in the southern part of the town- 
ship, and has by degrees made himself inde- 



^ 



1034 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



pendent ; he started in the United States with 
scarcely anything, but by degrees, econom}' 
and close attention to business, he has pur- 
chased and paid for a fine farm of 332 acres. 
In the politics of this township Mr. Hammond 
has figured quite prominently, having identified 
himself with the Republican party. He is one 
of Copley's best and most respected citizens, 
and in the hearts of his fellow-townsmen has a 
warm place. 

LEVI D. HOLLINGER, farmer ; P. 0. Ak- 
ron ; was born April 6, 1846, in Franklin 
Township ; he is a son of Jacob and Barbara 
(Daily) Hollinger, who were parents of the fol- 
lowing : Joseph, Michael, David, Jacob, Levi D., 
Amand,a, Harriet, and Josiah and Uriah (twins) ; 
the mother of these children died in 1860, and 
Mr. Hollinger married his second wife, Mary 
Underholt, and by her had two children — War- 
ren and Minnie. Levi remained with his 
parents until during the war, when, being a lad 
of onl}^ 17, he enlisted in the cause of his 
country in Co. E, 13th O. V. I., and was after- 
ward transferred to Co. D ; he participated in 
some of the most noted engagements of the 
war, among them being Stone River, Chicka- 
mauga, Mission Bidge, Buzzard's Roost, Resaca, 
Peach Tree Creek. Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville, 
Kenesaw Mountain and man}' others ; Mr. 
Hollinger was one of the few who escaped 
drowning from the sinking of the steamer 
Matagorda, below Memphis. He was married 
in February, 1868, to Minerva Wylie, daughter 
of John Wylie. whose biography appears in 
this work ; to this union were born two chil- 
dren — Myrven J., born Oct. 23, 1868, and 
D wight, born July 5, 1876. Mrs. Hollinger 
was born Feb. 8, 1843. Soon after their mar- 
riage, Mr. and Mrs. Hollinger moved to Benton 
Co., Iowa, where they remained farming for six 
years ; at the end of that time they returned to 
Franklin Township, Summit Co., Ohio, where 
they lived until about 1878, when they came to 
Copley Township, where he has since resided. 

SAMUEL HENKEY, farmer ; Copley Cen- 
ter ; was born in Lancaster Co., Penn., in Octo- 
ber, 1828. He is a son of Louis and Catharine 
(Less) Henkey, who were parents of seven chil- 
dren ; when our subject was but an infant his 
parents moved from his native State to Stark 
Co., Ohio. Our subject received a common- 
school education in youth, and he remained 
with his parents until he became a man. In 



October, 1849, he married Mary Witmer, daugh- 
ter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Gougler) Witmer, 
who was born Aug. 21, 1827. To this union 
were born five children — David, born Oct. 8, 
1850 ; Mary E., born Feb. 4, 1854 ; Catharine, 
Nov. 14, 1863 ; John H., May 24, 1855, and 
Elizabeth, born July 14, 1858. In 1851, Samuel, 
together with his parents, moved from Stark 
Co., to Wa^'ne Co., Ohio, and, after four year's 
stay there, moved to Summit Co., Ohio. They 
lived in the latter county in different localities, 
until about 1860, when they came to Copley 
Township, Summit Co., Ohio, where our subject 
and famil}' have ever since resided. Mr. Hen- 
ke}' is a Republican in politics, and he and wife 
are members of the Evangelical Association of 
Bath Township. 

G. W. HAWKINS, farmer; P. 0. Copley 
Center; in 1814, Cople}' Township received its 
first settlers, and among them were the parents 
of the subject of this sketch. Much of their 
early experiences in the woods of Copley will 
be found in the history of this township in 
another part of this volume, (x. W. Hawkins 
was the first white child bora in the town- 
ship, that date being Dec. 29, 1815. At the 
age of 10 years Mr. Hawkin's father died of 
fever, and at the age of 14, took charge 
of the old homestead, 100 acres, and re- 
mained in charge until 1834, when his mother 
married again, and his step-father bought 
out the heirs. In Januaxy, 1840, he was united 
in marriage with Miss Matilda Hubbard, 
daughter of Reuben Hubbard, and to this 
union there were born five children — Adelia, 
died in infancy ; Eliza, born June 4, 1845, died 
Nov. 18, 1871; Alice C, born Sept. 14, 1847 ; 
George W., born Sept. 2, 1851, died Nov. 13, 
1876 ; Eugene R., born June 28, 1854. Five 
years after his marriage, Mr. Hawkins moved 
on to the eastern part of Lot 1, where he has 
ever since resided. Mrs. Hawkins is a mem- 
ber of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while 
Mr. Hawkins is a Democrat in politics. This 
family are among the leading ones of Copley 
Township. 

WILLIAM JOHNSTON, farmer ; P. 0. Ak- 
ron ; was born in Green Township, Summit Co., 
Ohio, Aug. 3, 1815, and his birth was the 
second or third in the township. Mr. Johnston 
is a son of Cornelius and Elizabeth (Willhelm) 
Johnston, who were parents of the following 
family : Mary, Alexander, Abram (deceased), 



B > 



-^ 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



1035 



John (deceased), William, Cornelius, Nancy 
and Eliza. The father was born Feb. 17, 1782, 
in New Jersey. When a young man he moved 
to Center Co., Penn., where he remained until 
he came to Ohio. He died in June, 1871, at 
the advanced age of 89. Of the children, 
Alexander still resides in Green Township. 
He was the first Recorder of Summit Co., and 
afterward served as member of the Legislature. 
John was also a member of the State Legisla- 
ture, serving at one time in the ver}' distin- 
guished position of Speaker of the House. 
Cornelius is a retired merchant of Akron. 
Nancy is the wife of Hon. N. W. Goodhue. 
William, the subject of this sketch, has held 
various township offices, and at one time was 
Director of the County Infirmarj'. This fam- 
ily came to Green Township from Center Co., 
Penn., in 1814. The first few years after their 
arrival they had difficult}- in earning the where- 
withal to supply their wants. The children re- 
ceived the most of their education b}' the light 
of the hickorj' bark blazing in the great fire- 
place. William Johnston remained with his 
parents until he was 29 years of age. He mar- 
ried Elizabeth G. Moore, daughter of John 
Moore, April 22, 1841, and by her had two 
sons — Cornelius A., born Jul}- 16, 1842, and 
John M., born Aug. 1.3, 1844, the former of 
whom married Sarah Swartz. John married 
Miss A. Dales, who bore him two children, viz., 
Jessie and jNIarcia. In April, 1844, Mr. John- 
ston came to Copley Township, locating on Lot 
15, where he has ever since resided. He is a 
Republican in politics, and has been a sub- 
scriber for and read the New York TriJmne for 
forty years. 

CHARLES C. MILLER, farming and gar- 
dening ; P. 0. Akron ; was born in Akron, 
Ohio, Dec. 11, 1832. He is the eldest child 
born to Ansel and Lucy A. (Hawkins) Miller, 
who were parents of two sons — Charles C. and 
James N. Mr. Miller, the father, was a native 
of Bridgewater. Yt. When a young man, he 
left home and went to Boston, Mass., where he 
worked at his trade, carpenter and joiner. 
While here, he assisted in building the Quincy 
Market House, on which he worked, scarcely 
missing a day, for 466 days. From Boston, 
Mr. Miller went to Rochester, N. Y., living there 
one year. In 1828, he started West on a 
"prospecting" tour, and coming to Akron, he 
was so well pleased with the then village and 



surroundings, that he returned to Rochester, 
and the next year, 1829, came to Akron for the 
purpose of qiaking that his permanent home. 
Nov. 22, 1831, he married the mother of Charles 
C. and James N. From the time of his arrival 
in Akron, until 1840, Mr. Miller steadily fol- 
lowed his trade. About this time, he purchased 
an interest in a boat-yard there, and engaged in 
the manufacturing of boats. During the win- 
ter of 1859-60, he sold out, and then went to 
live with his son Charles, with whom he resided 
until his death, Dec. 16, 1879, aged over 81 
years. Charles C. Miller was reared and edu- 
cated in Akron principally. He was married 
in August, 1860, to Mary A. Philbrick, daugh- 
ter of Daniel Philbrick. of Michigan,' and by 
her had a family of five children, as follows : 
Frank E. (deceased), Lottie A., x\nsel P., 
Lute H. and Carl E. Mrs. Miller was born in 
Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., Jan. 12, 1843. Im- 
mediately after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. 
Miller came to their present place of residence, 
in Copley, where they have since resided. Mr. 
Miller is a Republican in politics, and an intel- 
ligent gentleman. 

WILLIAM MARTENES, farmer; P. O. 
Akron ; was born in Harmony, Butler Co., 
Penn., Dec. 25, 1844. He is a son of Cornelius 
and Mary (Flowers) Martenes, and they were 
parents of the following family : Abraham, 
dead ; Maria, William, Sarah, dead ; Angeline, 
Austin, Rosa A., dead ; and Nancy A. In 
1865, this family came to Copley Township, 
Summit Co., Ohio, where the parents remained 
until their respective deaths. Our subject was 
married in June, 1868, to Eliza Squires, and 
by her had one child, Charles G.. w'ho was born 
in March, 1869. Mrs. Martenes died Nov. 29, 
1875. Dec. 31, 1876, Mr. Martenes married 
Jennie Squires, a niece of his former wife's and 
a daughter of Chester Squires. Mr. Martenes 
has always been a farmer, and as such is among 
the best in his locality. He is a Republican in 
politics, and he and wife belong to the Church 
of God. 

CHESTER ORCUTT, Copley Center : is a 
native of Copley Township, and was born 
March 8, 1839. He is a son of Chester and 
Jerusha (Chamberlin) Orcutt, who were parents 
of two children — Chester and Elmira. These 
children are half-brother and sister to Parnel, 
Olive, Elizabeth and George Orcutt. Our sub- 
ject was raised on the farm by his parents. In 



1036 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



December, 1871, he made a visit to California, 
and was gone three months, the longest he was 
ever away from Copley' Township. May 5, 
1876, he was united in marriage with Melissa 
Simmons, daughter of Dr. and Margaret Sim- 
mons, and by her had one child, Elmira E., 
born Feb. 11, 1877. His wife died Dec. 25, 
1878, and at the time of her death was a mem- 
ber of the Disciples' Church. 

G. H. RITCHIE ; I'. 0. Akron ; was born in 
Portage Township, Summit Co., Ohio, Oct. 21, 
1851. He is a son of Melchiah and Margaret 
(Squires) Ritchie who were parents of the fol- 
lowing family : George H., Sarah, Henry 
(dead), Hiram, Robert, Jennie, Leonard, Mel- 
chiah and William. In 1852, this family 
moved into Copley Township and this has 
always been our subject's home. George H. 
remained with his parents in 3^outh, receiving 
a good education. In November, 1872, he 
married Mary A. Klingaman, only child of 
Jacob and Hannah Klingaman who was born 
Feb. 2, 1855. To this union one daughter — 
Lettie May, born June 13, 1873. After his 
marriage, Mr. Ritchie located on a farm of 65 
acres, two miles east of the center on Lots 35 
and 26, and this has since been his home. In 
1875, Mr. Ritchie experienced religion, and 
he joined the religious sect known as the 
Church of God. In 1 878, he commenced ex- 
horting and preaching, and has since that time 
been assistant circuit minister of the circuit in 
which he I'esides. His whole family belong to 
this church. 

SAMUEL ROTHROCK, (deceased), was a 
native of Philadelphia, Penn., and was born 
Oct. 20, 1820. He was one in a family of eight 
children, of whom Samuel and Rebecca (Esh- 
bauch) Rothrock were the parents. In 1834, 
Samuel, together with his parents, came to 
Stark Co., Ohio, and here he resided until 
1846. On the 25th of December, 1845, he was 
united in marriage with Catharine, daughter of 
Christian Stauffer ; and to this union were 
born the following famil}' : Samuel, Christian, 
David, Amos, Levi, Susan, Mary, Maggie, 
Anna and Jacob. These children are all living 
and all reside in Summit County. After his 
marriage, Mr. Rothrock commenced farming, 
and such was his occupation through life. In 
the spring of 1853, he and family came to Copley 
Township, Summit Co., Ohio, and settled on Lot 
No. 12. In 1871, he commenced suffering with 



dropsy, and after about six months' intense suf- 
ering, his death occurred. That event was Dec. 
29, 1871. He and wife were members of church, 
and Mr. Rothrock was a most estimable citizen. 
WILLIAM C. SACKETT, farmer; P. 0. 
Akron ; born in Litchfield Co., Conn., Oct. 29, 
1827, the son of Aaron and Huldah C. (Tan- 
ner) Sackett ; Aaron was born Jan. 7, 1791, 
and Huldah Aug. 10, 1793 ; they were married 
May 15, 1816, and the parents of ten children 
as follows : Theodosia, now Mrs. Seth B. Hall, 
of Huston, Texas ; Harriet, now Mrs. W. A. 
Hanford, of Cuyahoga Falls ; George, now of 
Cuyahoga Falls ; Sarah, died, aged 14 ; Eme- 
line, died in 1867, aged 42 ; William C, of 
Copley ; Seth, now of Colorado ; Maria C, now 
Mrs. Cornelius Kellogg, of Freedom, Portage 
Co.; Frances A., married Bruice Baldwin and 
moved to Missouri, where she died ; Sarah M., 
now Mrs. H. C. Grant, of Cuyahoga Falls. 
Aaron was always a farmer ; he died at the 
residence of his son William, June 8, 1872. 
The father of Huldah C. Tanner served in the 
Revolutionar}' war, and his widow drew a pen- 
sion for many years previous to her death ; 
Huldah was a member of the Congregational 
Church at Tallmadge ; she died April 24, 1855. 
When the subject of this sketch was about 10 
3'ears of age, his parents removed to Ohio and 
settled in Tallmadge Township ; William was 
educated mostl>' in the schools of Tallmadge ; 
he attended the High School of Aki'on during 
the winter of 1848-49, when M. D. Leggett, 
formerly U. S. Commissioner of Patents, was 
Principal ; then farmed land on Chuckery Plains 
north of Akron for about two summers. In 
the fall of 1851, he left Summit Count}' for 
California and Oregon, where he remained four 
years. During most of this time he was en- 
gaged in mining, at first near Shasta Cit}', which 
was then at the head of wagon navigation, and 
then for about one year in the neighborhood 
of Jacksonville, Oregon, situated at the head 
of Rogue River Valley. Mr. Sackett returned 
to Ohio in the summer of 1855, and in the fall 
purchased from George Sackett, his brother, 
the farm upon which he now resides ; the land 
was then known as the Isaac C. Isbel propertj-, 
and familiar to most people as the "Copley 
Swamp." Mr. Sackett was married in the year 
1857, to Miss Hatty L-., daughter of Henry 
Galbraith, of Akron ; he is the father of four 
children — Clarence, died, aged 18 ; Hattie, 



^w 



COPLEY TOWNSHIP. 



1037 



died, aged G ; Ina, died, aged 4 ; William A., 
his only living child, is now a student of the 
Akron High Schools ; he was born in March, 
1866. 

J. _W. SWIGAllT, farmer ; P. O. Copley 
Center ; was born in Lawrence Township, 
Stark Co., Ohio, Oct. 16, 1836. He is the son 
of Jacob and Abigail Swigart, who were parents 
of four children — John W., George S., Alfred J. 
and Maggie C. In 1847, the Swigart famil}' 
moved to Summit Co., Bath Tow'nship, and the 
family home has been there ever since. John 
W. lived with his parents until he was 21 years 
of age, and, June 10, 1858, he was united in 
marriage with Sarah J. Stump, who was born 
Aug. 24, 1837. To this union there were born 
seven children — Alfred, born April 10, 1859 ; 
Charles E., Dec. 10, 1861 ; Clara J., Oct. 7, 
1864 ; Mary E., June 13, 1867 ; William W., 
Oct. 4, 1870 ; John C, Oct. 15, 1873, and Stella 
M., Aug. 23, 1879. When Mr. Swigart arrived 
at his majority, he purchased a farm in Bath 
Township, where he remained six 3'ears, farm- 
ing during the summer and teaching school 
during the winter. In the spring of 1864, he 
came to Copley Township, and has remained in 
different localities ever since. Mr. Swigart is 
a Democrat in politics, and an earnest advocate 
of the advancement of education. He and wife 
are members of the Reformed Church at Cop- 
ley Center. 

CHARLES TAYLOR, farmer ; P. 0. Copley 
Center ; was born in Copley Township, Sum- 
mit Co., Ohio, Feb. 27, 1834. He is a son of 
Theodore and Matilda (Hoyt) Taylor, who were 
parents of thirteen children, of whom the fol- 
lowing only are living: Daniel, Charles, Ophelia, 
Joseph and Ellen. The fathei', Theodore, was 
born in Connecticut, in 1801. In 1818, in 
company' with his parents, he came to Norton 
Township, and two years after their arrival his 
father died. In 1827, he was married to Miss 
Hoyt, and soon after this event moved to Cop- 
ley, where they remained until their respective 
deaths. The father died Aug. 11, 1862, and 
the mother Dec. 23, 1880. Charles Taylor re- 
mained with his parents, assisting them on the 
farm, until 20 years of age. In October, 1855, 
he was united in marriage with Sophronia Cook, 
daughter of Edmund Cook, after which he re- 
moved to St. Joseph Co., Mich. He remained 
here about a year and then returned to Cople}-, 
where he has ever since made his home. To 



Mr. Taylor's union there was born the following 
family : Charles M., Emma, Lewis C, Fietta 
and Mary. He has a nice home, on part of 
Lots 27 and 34. He is an intelligent gentle- 
man, and a Republican in politics. 

PETER WEEKS (deceased), was born in 
Gilmantou, N. H., Jan. 29, 1793. He was one 
in the following famil}- born to John and Han- 
nah (Mood}') Weeks — Levitt, Peter, Abigail, 
Dorothea, Mood}', Celestia, Matthias and Mary, 
the 3'oungest being the onl}' surviving member 
of the family. Peter remained with his parents 
at the place of his birth until about the age of 
25, and then, in compan}' with Abel Bennett, 
moved westward, locating in Wadsworth, Me- 
dina Co., Ohio. They were among the earliest 
settlers of that neighborhood, and coming as 
they did, with their knowledge of the carpenter 
ancl joiner business, they proved a valuable 
addition to the settlement. Two years after 
his arrival in Wadsworth, Mr. Weeks' two 
brothers, Levitt and Mood}', arrived, and the 
three brothers then formed a partnership in the 
carpentering business, the firm taking the name 
of Weeks Bros., and this firm erected nearly all 
the buildings of Wadsworth prior to 1832. In 
November, 1821, Peter Weeks and Alathea 
Taylor w-ere united in marriage. This lady 
died, and his second wife was Catharine Fran- 
cisco, daughter of Henry Francisco, and by her 
had three children, as follows — Alathea, born 
Nov. 1, 1863, died in infancy ; Martha L., June 
1, 1866, died June 16, 1878. and Charles P., 
born Sept. 1, 1870. Besides his own family, Mr. 
Weeks reared three of Levitt's children, who 
were left motherless when quite small, and two 
of Moody's children, who were left orphans in 
childhood. Mr. AYeeks came to Copley Town- 
ship in 1832, locating on Lot No. 23. He was 
a hard-working, industrious man. He was 
kind and sympathetic in his family duties, and 
always gentlemanly and courteous in his inter- 
course with neighbors. He early in life identi- 
fied himself with the Disciples" Church, and. in 
his religious duties, was always prompt. He 
came to Ohio with no property, but by honest 
and upright dealings left 500 acres of excellent 
land at "his death. In 1872, he commenced 
suffering with heart disease, which finally 
terminated in his death Nov. 2, 1873. On his 
80th birthday, friends to the number of one 
hundred gathered in to celebrate the event, 
and, in his latter hours, Mr. Weeks recalled 



■fv" 



1038 



BIOGllAPrilCAL SKETCHES: 



this scene with a happy heart to think he had 
so many friends who were so much interested 
in his welfare. But thus it is, one by one 
the old landmarks are fast fading awa}-, but 
the hope of the present generation is to record 
the events of these old pioneers that in years 
to come their names and deeds will not be for- 
gotten, but treasured up, and, in after years, 
prove an honor to their families. 

WILLIAM WAGGONER, farmer; P. 0. 
Copley Center; was born in Schoharie Co., N. 
Y., Nov. 13, 1829, and is one of the following 
family born to William and Catharine (Spahr) 
Waggoner : Andrew (dead), John (dead), Chris- 
tina (dead), Anna, Almira, Peter (dead), and 
Amanda and Matilda, twins (dead). In 1835, 
our subject and parents came to Copley Town- 
ship, Summit Co., Ohio, and their first settle- 
ment was on Pigeon Creek. They remained 
here in a log cabin one year and then removed 
to Lot 38, about a mile south of the Center. 
Mr. Waggoner has at different times served in 
the capacity of stone-mason, but at the time of 
his second removal in Copiej- Township, up to 
the time of his death, his chosen occupation 
was coopering. Our subject lived with his 
parents until he was 20 years of age, and then 
went to Akron and learned the bricklayer's 
trade, which he has followed to a considerable 
extent since during the summer seasons and 
teaching school during the winter. In April, 
1857, he married Ann B. Stearn, and he and 
wife went to Iowa, where they remained seven 
years, he working at his trade. In 18G4, they 
returned to Copley Township, where our sub- 
ject has made his home ever since. Mrs. Wag- 
goner died Nov. 15, 1863. In December, 1863, 
he enlisted his services in his country's behalf, 
and served until the close of the war, partici- 
pating in the battles of Franklin, Nashville and 
many others. At the close of the war he went 
to Akron to work at his trade until he married 
Lydia A. Randolph. This event took place 
March 4, 1869. They then moved to Copley. 
Mr. Waggoner owns 96 acres of land ; is a Re- 
publican in politics, and is highly esteemed by 
those who know him. 

, JOHN WYLIE, farmer; P. 0. x\kron ; was 
born in Washington Co., Penn., Dec. 25, 1809, 
and is the only child of John and Sarah (Hewitt) 
Wylie. When 3 5'ears of age, John's parents 
died and he then went to live in Stark Co., 
Ohio, with his uncle, Henry Everhard, who was 



appointed his guardian. His uncle was the 
owner of a mill, and young Wylie was reared 
to the milling trade ; he received a good com- 
mon-school education, and when he became of 
age, commenced milling, which business he fol- 
lowed many 3'ears afterward. In September, 
1833, he married Ruemma Gaff, daughter of 
James Gaff, and l)y her had six children — 
Amanda, died in infancy ; Sarah J. ; Elizabeth, 
died in childhood ; Paul, dead ; Theron G. and 
Minerva, xifter his marriage, Mr. Wylie car- 
ried on the milling business in Springfield and 
Coventry Townships, in Summit Co., Ohio,* un- 
til 1855. He then discontinued milling and 
removed to Lot 16, in Copley Township, same 
county, and has made that his home ever since. 
His son Paul served with distinction in the 
late war as Color Bearer in Company H, 104th 
0. V. I. He served three years and was in a 
number of engagements. Mrs. Wj'lie died April 
14, 1859 ; Mr. Wylie's second wife is Jane 
A3^ers, widow of Orin H. Ayers, who had one 
son, Mervin, by Mr. Ayers. This son was one 
of the brave bo3's in the 6th Ohio Battery that 
gave such efficient service. He finally died of 
disease at Chattanooga Tenn. Mr. W^die is a 
stanch Republican in his political views, and is 
an honorable, upright man in ever}- respect. 

GEORGE W. WISE (deceased). A native 
of Summit County, and a prominent and in- 
fluential citizen of Wadsworth, Medina Count}-, 
for many years ; born in Green Township 
November 17, 1828, and died December 28, 
1879. He moved to Medina County when a 
young man, and purchased a farm near Wads- 
worth ; was also engaged in business at that 
place. He erected a number of buildings in 
the village, among which were the schoolhouse 
and Odd Fellows' Block. He served as Town- 
ship Trustee, was chosen to other minor offices, 
and elected Commissioner of Medina County ; 
was connected with various societies, among 
which were the Masons, Odd Fellows, Good 
Templars and Knights of Honor. In April, 
1871, he moved to Michigan with his family, 
and located in Isabella Co., being one of the pio- 
neer settlers of Wise Township, which was 
named in his honor. He served there as Jus- 
tice of the Peace and Tax Collector ; was en- 
gaged in the lumber business and kept a store. 
For about twenty years, he was a partner with 
E. G. Loomis, both at Wadsworth and in Michi- 
gan. Mr. Wise was married, June 1, 1861, to 



^^ 



TWINSBURG TOWXSHIP. 



1039 



Miss Electa M. Pettibone ; they were the par- 
ents of three children — George Grant, born Dec. 
16, 1865 ; Nettie P., born Aug. 18, 1868, and 
William Dennison, born June 4, 1870. After 
Mr. Wise's death, the family returned to Summit 
Co., and now reside in Copley Township. Mrs. 
Wise is the daughter of Dennison and Jane (Bar- 
ber) Pettibone. The Pettibones are of French 
descent, their ancestors having left France during 
the Revolution, and after staying in England a 
few years removed to xlmerica. Dennison was 
born Oct. 22, 1807, in Hartford, Conn.; the son of 
Norman and Amelia (Whitmore) Pettibone ; he 
was married Feb. 26, 1834, to Jane Barber, 
who was born Nov. 6, 1816. After residing in 
Norton Township over thirty years, Dennison 
died, Jan. 18, 1872, leaving four children — 
Pamelia, now Mrs. Colbetzor, of Copley ; Electa 
M., now Mrs. G. W. Wise ; Phebe Ellen, now 
now Mrs. Albert Beach, and Jared B., of Akron. 
CHARLES F. ZIEGLER, miller, Copley 
Center ; sole owner and proprieter of Copley 
Mill. This gentleman was born in Germany in 
1831. When but a small lad he came to the 
United States, which has since been his home. 
He was raised and educated in Philadelphia, 
and when a young man removed to New Jer- 



sey, and in 1862 came to Ohio, locating in 
Wadsworth, Medina Co. In 1866, Mr. Ziegler 
purchased the Copley Mill, paying for the same 
$3,300. The mill at this time was in a very poor 
condition. Mr. Ziegler immediately commenced 
renovating and improving the property, making 
additions as his means increased, placing in an 
almost new engine, until he now owns one of 
the best mills in western Summit Co. Under 
Mr. Ziegler's management, this mill turns out a 
brand of the best quality of Hour, and the mill 
has quite an extensive run of custom grinding. 
Since coming to Copley, Mr. Ziegler has pur- 
chased, besitles his mill property, a nice lot of 
land of 7 acres, on which he has erected a fine 
house at a cost of $1,500. While living in 
Wadsworth he married Lovina Yoder, and this 
couple have one son, Charles, who lives with 
his parents. Mr. Ziegler started in life a poor 
bo}'. At about the age of 14 he commenced 
learning his trade, which he has ever since fol- 
lowed, giving him an experience that entitles 
him to the name of being one of the best mil- 
lers in this count}-. By industr}- and econom}' 
he has arisen from povert}' to one of ease and 
comfort. He is an intelligent and enterprising 
citizen. 



TWINSBURC TOWNSHIP. 



ETHAN ALLING, deceased, whose por- 
trait appears in this work, was bora in North 
Milford, Conn., Aug. 13, 1800, and was a son 
of Lewis and Elizabeth (Clark) Ailing. His 
education was received by a limited attend- 
ance at the schools of his neighborhood. In 
1814, he entered tho gi'oceiy store of Loomis 
& Johnson, in New Haven, where he remained 
two years, when the firm failed. In March, 
1817, he came to Ohio with three hired men 
for the purpose of improving some land his 
father had bought in Twinsburg Township, 
and in Tract 3. They at once commenced 
preparations for building, IVIr. Ailing thus be- 
coming the first actual white settler in the 
town. In July, his father and mother arrived 
and became settlers. They both died in Sep- 
tember, 1823. The subject was maiTied, 
April 24, 1824, to Miss Eliza Blackman, of 



Bridgeport, Conn., who is yet living, and is 
now (1881) in her 80th year. ]Mr. Ailing 
opened a tavern in Twinsburg in December', 
1826, a business he continued for a number 
of years. He was appointed Postmaster in 
October, 1827, and, in 1831, he commenced 
the mercantile business, and, in 1835, built a 
storehouse, in which he long did a good 
business, and was finally succeeded by his two 
eldest sons, Francis and Hoadly, who caiTied 
on the business imtil their death. 'Sh: Ailing 
retired from business, and, diu'ing the latter 
years of his life, lived upon the old home- 
stead; he died April 22, 1867. He was an 
active and energetic business man, liberal in 
his support of chiu'ches and charitable objects, 
and in public enterprises a leader. By his 
mairiage there were five childi*en, birt one of 
whom is now living, viz., E. L. IVIi's. Ailing 



-vK 



1040 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES; 



has lived ou the old homestead since her hus- 
band's death. 

MES. SAEAH C. BENNETT, farming; P. 
O. Twinsbiu'g; was born in Orange Township, 
Cuyahoga Co., May 14, 1838, to Almon and 
Henrietta (Squires) Smith, natives of Connec- 
ticut, to whom were also born -Almon S., Asher 
v., Susan H., Orange V., Orville and L^/man. 
Henrietta was a daughter of Morehouse, whose 
wife was a Mead. Henrietta came to Mahon- 
ing Co. about the year 1820, and moved to 
Orange, Cuyahoga Co., in 1822; her husband 
died in Orange in 1849. Mrs. Bennett was 
married, Jan. 27, 1858, to Elam Bennett, whose 
name she now bears ; he was born in this town- 
ship, on the farm which she now owns; his par- 
ents were Henry and Fannie (Streeter) Bennett, 
natives of the Eastern States. Henry Bennett 
was one of the early settlers in this township ; 
he had three sons — Cyrus, Henry S. and Elam. 
Mr. Bennett's life was spent on the farm on 
which he settled. He was held in high es- 
teem by all who knew him. He and his wife 
were members of the M. E. Church. He died 
Oct. 14, 1873, and she in May, 1878. Mrs. 
Sarah Bemiett lived happily with her husband 
until his death, which occurred Sept. 8, 1871. 
Since his demise, she has remained on their 
farm of 175 acres, with her thi'ee sons, Almon 
C.,Delos H. and Otis. 

Eev. SAMUEL BISSELL, educator. Twins- 
burg. The ancestors of the above were of 
English descent, and the family trace them to 
one John Bissell, who left Somersetshire in 
]628, landing in Plymouth in the same year, 
and, in company with others, went overland 
to Windsor, on the Connecticut Eiver, where 
he settled, and from him have sprmig a 
numerous family. Here was born Israel Bis- 
sell, who was the grandfather of our subject; 
he entered the Colonial army, and died of 
camp distemper, at the age of 45; the same 
fate came to the grandfather on Samuel's 
mother's side. Israel Bissell had three sons 
and towr daughters, viz.: Israel, Justus and 
Eobert; Eiuiice, Eoxana, Prudence and Anna. 
Eobert had three sons and two daughters,viz. : 
Samuel, Eoswell and David; Laura and 
Bianca. Samuel was born April 28, 1797, in 
Middlefield, Mass.; he came West with his 
parents to Ohio in 1806, and settled in Au- 



rora, now Portage Co., which was at that 
time on the verge of the " Far West." Here 
his father settled and raised his family amid 
the wild scenes of that period. .No schools 
existed here at this time, except those of pri- 
vation and haixl labor. Up to the year 1816, 
Samuel assisted his father in clearing up their 
forest home. Having a burning desire for an 
education, and, in the absence of proper 
schools, he began a systematic coiu'se of study, 
including the classical, and fitted himself for 
college, and graduated in Yale in 1823 ; two 
years later, in New Preston, Conn., he was 
licensed to preach, and retiu-ned to Am-ora, 
where he engaged in teaching a select school, 
and, shortly afterward, took charge of a small 
Congregational Chiu'ch society at Twinsburg, 
then in a weak and feeble condition, and min- 
istered to their spiritual wants for about fom*- 
teen years; the society, in the meantime, grew 
and prospered. About this time, he gave up 
his pastorate and resumed teaching, and es- 
tablished the well-known Twinsburg Institute, 
a description of which the reader will find in 
the history of the township in this volume. 
Since that time, he devoted himself to teach- 
ing, having had chaj'ge of this institute for 
fifty-two years, during which time more than 
6.000 students of both sexes have been under 
his instruction; among this number were 200 
Indians, fi'om five different tribes, some of 
whom have surpassed in scholarship any of 
the white youth in the institution. It may 
truthfully be said of Mr. Bissell that, in his 
labors, he has been unselfish m his ends, not 
too highly esteeming worldly wealth or hon- 
ors, but has given his life and labors to bene- 
fit his fellow-man. Mi-. Bissell was twice 
married — first, to Fannie A. Gay lord, who 
died leaving no children ; his present wife was 
Amelia C. Sikes, born Nov. 28, 1823, in Sum- 
mers, Tolland Co., Conn.; her parents were 
Chauncey and Cynthia (Hancock) Sikes ; 
Chauncey was a son of Abel Sikes, and Cyn- 
thia was a daughter of Gribson and Eunice 
(Green) Hancock, all of South Wilbraham. 
The childi-en of Chauncey and Cynthia were 
Amelia C, Henry C, Francis, George M., 
Ealph F., Julia A. and Elizabeth M. Mi-s. 
Bissell gradviated, June 30, 1850, in the Wes- 
leyan Academy at Wilbraham, Conn., and for 



*<^ <5" 



4 



TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



1041 



many years has been a successful teacher. 
Ml', and Mrs. Bissell have one daughter — 
Fannie A. 

H. A. BISSELL, farmer; P. O. Twinsbiu-g; 
was born March 8, 1847, on the farm where he 
now lives ; his parents were Cephas and Isabel 
(Crawford) Bissell; his father was born in 
Middlefield, Mass., June ^5, 1800, and was the 
son of Justus, who was a son of Israel Bissell, 
who was a native of Connecticut. Cephas 
came West with his parents to what is now 
Portage Co. in 1806, and settled in Aurora. 
Feb. 28, 1829, he was married, by Rev. John 
Seward, to Isabel Crawford, who was born in 
Orange Co., N. Y., May 20, 1806, to Solomon 
and Anna Crawford, whose other children were 
Alexander and Cadwalder. Solomon was 
bom Feb. 14, 1772, and Anna, his wife, 
Feb. 24, 1783; they were married March 13, 
1800. Cephas Bissell spent the early part of 
his life in Aurora, and removed to the east- 
em part of Twinsburg To'wnship in 1832, 
where he lived until his death, which occurred 
May 18, 1867; his wife still survives him. 
Their children were Cephas, born in Aurora 
April 19, 1830, died Sept. 28, 1873, leaving 
one son, Freddie; Isabel, who was born in 
Aurora Sept. 20, 1831, and died Dec. 27, 
1833; Anna, born in Twinsburg Dec. 25, 1840, 
married Nelson Dodge, and died Jan. 30, 1862. 
Henry A. was married, Dec. 18, to Anna 
Nichols, born in this township Feb. 25, 1859; 
she was the daughter of Oscar A. and Ellen 
(Hutchinson) Nichols; she bore him one son 
—Roy H., Sept. 22, 1880. Cephas Bissell, 
the father of our subject, was regarded in the 
community as an upright man and worthy 
citizen; he and wife were both members of 
the Congregational Church. Henry A. is the 
only child living; he is engaged in farming 
and daiiying, and is doing a good business; 
his farm consists of 415 acres. 

JAIHES BROWN, farmer; P. O. Twins- 
burg; was born Dec. 1, 1806, in Hampden 
Co., Mass, to James Brown, whose father's 
name also was James. The mother of our 
subject was Orvilla Phelps, of Connecticut; his 
father, being a poor man, he left home at the 
tender age of 7, and was buffeted aboiit from 
place to place until he was 11 years of age, 
when he was bound out until his majority, 



after which he worked out by the day and 
month, receiving small compensation for his 
labor. In his 27th year, he maiTied Eme- 
line Waterman, daughter of Zebedee, a soldier 
in the war of the Revolution. Mr. Brown 
came West in the spring of 1839, to Twins- 
burg, where he manufactured shoes, which 
business he had followed to some extent be- 
fore he came West. In 1841, he purchased 
the land where he now resides, which then 
was mostly unimproved. April 14, 1843, his 
wife died, leaving one daughter — Caroline, 
now Mi's. John W. Barge, who is a resident 
of Cleveland. Jan. 10 of the following year, 
he maiTied Maranda Hanchett, born July 1 , 
1825, in Yates Co., N. Y., daughter of Seth 
and Patty Remington Hanchett, who were 
natives of Connecticut, and removed to Yates 
Co., N. Y., prior to the war of 1812. To 
them were born nine childi'en. The family 
came West to this township in 1833, locating 
in the southeastern part. 'Mr. Brown, by 
his last marriage, has one child only — Al- 
mon James, who perpetuates the family name. 
To James, the grandfather of our subject, 
were born James, William, Nicholas, Daniel, 
Thomas, Lewis, Israel, Petsey and Jennie. 
To James and Orvilla Phelps were born Hcin- 
nah, Orvilla, James, Roswell and Almon. 
Almon James was born Feb. 16, 1846, and, 
on March 5, 1868, married Miss Danchee, 
who was bom Dec. 18, 1848, to Harrison and 
Sylphinia (Nye) Dunchee. Almon J. has one 
son — James H, bom Dec. 27, 1877. The 
farm consists of 300 acres, the result of hard 
labor and rigid economv. 

H. W. CANNON, farmer; P. O. Twinbsurg; 
born in Blanford Township, Hampden Co., 
State of Massachusetts, March 5, 1830; was 
the only child of his parents, Nathan and 
Elizabeth (Waterman) Cannon, and came 
West with them to Portage Co. in 1833, and 
thence to this townshi]i in the following year, 
where his father pm'chased 80 acres of land 
on Lots 41 and 42. U])on this place our sub- 
ject has since resided. His early youth was 
sjient on the farm and attending school, his 
education, in his later school-days, being re- 
ceived under the guai'dianship of Rev. Samuel 
Bissell, of the Twinsbm-g Institute, where he 
attended several terms. Since he has grown 



■oil 






1042 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



to manliood, lie has conducted the farm, and 
has been identified with the interests of the 
township. He has always been a stalwart 
Republican, and has repeatedly filled impor- 
tant offices of the township. He has been 
twice married — first, to Violetta Hamilton, 
Feb. 1, 1856, daughter of John Hamilton, of 
Nelson, Madison Co., N. Y. ; she died in May, 
1862, leaving two children — Clayton and Hat- 
tie. Jan. 1, 1869, he married Delia Harmon, 
born in Aurora, Portage Co., Oct. 28, 1838, 
daughter of Israel and Maria (Benjamin) Har- 
mon. IVIr. and Mi-s. Cannon are members of 
the Congregational Chm-ch. They have one 
child, Julia May. Israel Harmon was born 
Dec 25, 1808, and died at the age of 72; his 
wife was born Dec. 2-4, 1814; to them were 
born five childi'en. Nathan Cannon was a son 
of Nathan, of English ancestry, his childi'en 
were Israel, Sylvester, Tryphenia, Ai'tamissa 
and Salomi. Zebedee Waterman, the gi'and- 
father of our subject on his mother's side, en- 
tered the Continental army at the age of 14, 
and served as teamster. Nathan Camion died 
Aug. 17, 1869, and his wife Nov. 20, 1879. 

ALBERT CHAPMAN, retired farmer; P. 
O. Twinsburg; was born April 12, 1812, in 
Hampden Co., Mass., being the fifth of a fam- 
ily of nine children of Nathan and Eunice 
(Parks) Chapman. Nathan was born in Gro- 
ton, Comi., and was the son of Isaac Chap- 
man, who was a soldier in the Revolution, and 
to whom were born Elislia, Abner, Nathan, 
Isaac, Bradford, Susan, Mary and Thankful. 
To Nathan and Eunice were born Polly, Bet- 
sey, Oriel, Albert, Vinson, Norman, Aldin, 
Carlos and Laura. Albert's father was a first- 
rate farmer, and raised his sons to become til- 
lers of the soil. Albert, leaving the parental 
home about the time he became of age, en- 
gaged his services by the month, and labored 
industriously. In 1887, he came West to this 
State, spending the first year at Kent, Portage 
Co. ; he afterward went to Clay Co., Ind., 
where he bought 1()0 acres from the Govern- 
ment, and, shortly after, purchased 40 more. 
After nearly six years of pioneer labor, he 
traded his land for 65 acres in this township, 
where he removed in 1845. Here he has 
since resided. He formed a matrimonial 
alliance with Sarah Eno, born May 15, 1815, 



at East Granby, Hartford Co., Conn., daugh- 
ter of Gay lord and Azubah (Phelps) Eno; her 
father was born in East Granby, and was a 
son of David, who was wounded while a sol- 
dier in the war of the Revolution; Azubah 
was a daughter of Azariah, of Welsh descent. 
Gaylord and Azubah had a family composed 
of David, Delia, Sarah, Lorenzo, Gaylord, 
Azubah, Charles, Lydia and Virgil. The 
worldly result of the labors of Mr. Chapman, 
assisted by his faithful helpmeet, is 250 acres 
of land, situated in the northern part of the 
townshi[), mostly on Lots 5 and 6; they have 
also valuable property in Cleveland. Since 
1868, he has been retired from active business, 
and resides at the Center. They have two 
children — Nathan A., who married Grace 
How, having two children, Jennie G. and 
Albert C; Lydia, who married Ed Johnson, 
and has also two children — Albert E. and 
Arthur G. IVIi'. Chapman is a Jiaptist, and 
his wife a Methodist. 

MRS. MARGARET COCHRANE, farming; 
P. O. Twinsbm-g; was born Aug. 14, 1824, in 
Edinbm-gh, Scotland, to William and Isabella 
(Shaw) Baxter; Mr. Baxter was a tanner by 
trade, having in charge a tannery in Scotland, 
the proprietor of which became bankrupt, 
which threw IVIi-. Baxter oat of employment, 
when he decided to come to America. Mrs. 
Cochrane emigrated to this country with her 
parents when she was 9 years of age; the ship 
was the Royal Blackbm-n, which was three 
months in coming across. They came near be- 
ing wrecked, and at one time were out of pro- 
visions. The family located at Ravenna, Port- 
age Co., where he followed his trade two 
years, and then engaged in farming, which 
business he followed mitil his death; his first 
pm-chase was 50 acres at Shalersville, for 
which he paid $4 per acre; he afterward added 
64 acres, remaining upon it mitil removed by 
death, on Feb. 6, 1874; his wife died sud- 
denly, Aug. 6), 187(5; they were members of 
the Established Church; they had fom- chil- 
dren — James, in Ravenna; Isabel, now the 
wife of John Moore, of Kent; Mrs. Cochrane, 
and David (deceased). June 10, 1845, oxu* 
subject married David Cochrane, whose name 
she bears: he was born in Scotland, to John 
and Mary (Brodie) Cochrane. David came to 



\ 



-vi 



TWIXSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



1043 



this country with his parents when it was new, 
the family locating on what is now Liberty 
street, this township. INIi'. Cochrane was a 
farmer, a kind man, and good citizen; he 
died Nov. 17, 1878, of consumption, having 
been in poor health for twenty years; the 
childi'en born to him are ten, viz.: James, 
Robert, Margaret, Willie, David, Isabella, 
Maiy and Martha (twins), Almina and John. 
Mrs. Cochrane still remains on the homestead, 
owning land in Ravenna and in this township, 
amounting to nearly 300 acres in all. 

ELMORE TV. CLARK, hotel, Twinsbui-g; 
was born April 10, 1816, in Watertown, Conn. ; 
he was one of nine children born to Leverett 
and Amy (Warner) Clark, their names being 
Ann, John, William, Burk, Phila, Park B., 
Mabel, Elmore W. and Leverett. In 1823, 
Elmore came West with his father, who lo- 
cated on the south side of the square, pm'chas- 
ing 10(^ acres of land, paying for it at the 
time of the pm'chase; when he came, he had 
$1,000 in money, which was considered a very 
large amou.nt at that time, its possessor being 
looked upon as a rich man. At the age of 17, 
iVIi'. Clark engaged as clerk to Ethan Ailing 
at this place, I'emaining with him three years ; 
he afterward spent some time in the South, 
engaged in the mauTifacture of lumber, boat- 
ing the same to New Orleans; next, he went 
to Willoughby, where he clerked thi-ee years, 
after which, for a period of thi-ee years, he 
was engaged in the mercantile business at 
Drakesbm'g, Portage Co.; Oct. 12, 1842, he 
was married to Ai-villa Carver, who was born 
at Whitehall, Washington Co., N. Y. ; Oct. 6, 
1823, to Bernice and Rachel (Collier) Carver. 
Since 1855, Mr. Clark has been engaged in 
the hotel business at this place, and is an effi- 
cient and popular landlord. Of five children 
born to him, three are living, viz.: Bela B., 
Stella (the wife of O. P. Nicholds, of this 
township) and Etta M. Bela B. was married 
to Alice Pratt, born in this county to M. D. 
and Amanda (Hull) Pratt, who were early set- 
tlers in Copley Township. Elmore W. was 
elected Justice of the Peace in 1876, serving 
one term. Bela B. was his successor, which 
position he yet retains. For many years, Mr. 
Clark has been a member of the JMasonic fi'a- 
ternity. Bela B. is a member of Summit 



Lodge, No. 213, and Summit Chapter, R. A. 
M., No. 74. 

EZRA CLARK, retired farmer; P. O. 
Twinsburg; son of Ezra and Naomi Williams; 
was born March 25, 1807, in Saybrook, Mid- 
dlesex Co., Conn.; his father was a son of 
Paul, whose father was William, who, with 
two brothers, came from England and settled 
in Saybrook. Sarah Wheeler was the wife 
of Paul, who served in the war of the Revo- 
lution; their children were Sarah, Jesse, Asa, 
Betsey, Irene, Eliza and John (twins), Benja- 
min and Adah. Bemen, George, Peter and 
Paul were the offspring of William. To Ezra 
and Naomi were born Ezra, Gilbert, Fannie, 
Rufus, Dianah, Mary, Norman and Hem-y. 
Ezra came West with his mother and step- 
father in 1821; they made the journey with 
two yoke of oxen, and by one horse, and were 
thirty days in coming; they located on the 
Wilcox Tract, Lot No. 10, for which he had 
traded his land in Connecticut. In Septem- 
ber, 1831, Ezra was married to Lucy Web- 
ster, who was born in Washington Co., Ohio; 
she died Feb. 19, 1874, leaving four children, 
viz.: Celia, Mrs. Seymour S. Fowler, of 
Franklin Co., Penn.; Clarissa N., INIrs. Edwin 
Betts, in Hamden, Geauga Co.; Harrison L., 
same county; Emma M., Mrs. Edgar Betts, 
Hamden, Geauga Co., Ohio. Mr. Clai'k was 
married, Dec. 6, 1874., to Maiy C. Wright, 
who was born March 20, 1821, in Saybrook; 
she was the daughter of Joseph and Ii'ene 
(Clark) Dennison; Irene was a daughter of 
Paul and Sarah (Wheeler) Clark. To Joseph 
and Irene were born Louisa, Charles, Sylvia 
and Maiy; Joseph died in 1838, and his wife 
in 1835. Mr. Clark's fii'st purchase of land 
was in the northern part of the township; this 
he sold soon after, and made his permanent 
settlement on Lots \) and 16; he and wife are 
members of the M. E. Church, and he is a 
consistent Republican. 

ERASTUS DANIELS, farmer; P. O. 
Twinsburg; son of Lemuel C. and Eunice 
(Young) Daniels; was born in August, 1824, 
in Middlesex Co., Conn.; he was raised to 
farming in his early boyhood, which business 
proved distasteful to him, and he learned the 
wagon-maker's trade. Of the children born 
to Lemuel and Eunice Daniels, were Aristar- 



:r^ 



4^ 



_2) i> 



1044 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



chus, Setb, Levi, Amasa, Edmund, Harriet, 
Rosetta, Esther A. and Euncie. In 1S4U, 
Erastus came West, to this township with h.s 
brother Levi, piu'chasing 105 acres of E. Car- 
ver, on Lot 14, for which they paid $3,000; 
for about fifteen years they followed their 
trade, in connection with farming. Jan. 9, 
1800, he married Wealthy Matthews, who 
came West in 1853; she was born June 20, 
1830, in St. Lavn'ence Co., N. Y., and was the 
daughter of Jolm Matthews, who was born in 
January, 1807, in Hamilton Co., Vt.; her fa- 
ther was a son of Joseph, who was born on 
Cape Cod Aug. 10, 1772, and was a Sea Cap- 
tain; he died Dec. 0, 1845; his wife was a 
Hall. The mother of Mrs. Daniels, prior to 
her marriage was Delulia Thompson; their 
marriage was solemnized Jan. 1, 1827, and 
her death occurred Sept. 20, 1840; the Mat- 
thews family are of English ancestry; the 
children born to John and Delulia Matthews 
were as follows: Louisa, Mary, Martha, Ame- 
lia, George, Wealthy, Harriet and Alma. To 
Mr. and IVIi's. Daniels have been born one 
child- -Minnie G. ; they are members of the 
Congregational Church; in politics, he is Re- 
publican, yet no politician; his farm, consist- 
ing of 105 acres, is situated nearly one mile 
south of the Center; his brother Levi died in 
February, 1805, and was unmarried. 

S. FREEIVIAN, physician, Twinsburg. 
Among the successful practitioners of materia 
medica in this county who are self-made, and 
who have justly merited the success gained, is 
Dr. Freeman, who was born in Painesville Oct. 
1, 1880, to Jeduthan and Sally (Edison) 
Freeman; Jeduthan's father bore the same 
name as himself, and was of piu-e English 
stock; his children were Jesse R., Calvin, 
Russell, Moody, Jeduthan, Lucy and Keziah; 
Jeduthan was a soldier in the war of 1812; 
was a blacksmith by trade, which vocation the 
Doctor became thoroughly versed in during 
his minority; having a love for the science of 
medicine, he began a course of reading while 
at work at his trade; he took his first 
course of lectures in the school of homoeo- 
pathy in Cleveland, and his last in Chicago; 
he began practice in 1858 in this township, 
and has since continued, having a large 
practice. 



Dr. L. G. GRISTE, physician, Twinsburg. 
The Griste family descended from John Griste, 
the great-great-grandfather of our subject, 
who came from England to America in 1720, 
and settled in Norwich, Conn. ; he had three 
children, among whom was John, Jr., born 
July 31, 1734, married Delight Lathrop, had 
the following childi'en: George, Charlotte, 
John and Eunice. George was born Aug. 
14, 1772, and married Lois Bradner; had 
thirteen children, among whom was John B. 
Griste, the father of our subject, born Nov. 
13, 1811; married Louisa Hale Aug. 31, 1837; 
was born April 3, 1813. The fruits of this 
union was two children — Perry O. and Luman 
G. Obed Hale, the grandfather of L. G.,was 
born in Enfield, Conn., Oct. 29, 1740. His 
wife was a Mindevell by name, born in Mass- 
achusetts May 10, 1741. The Hales are de- 
scendents of Sir Matthew Hale, the Jurist. 
John B. Griste came to Ohio in 1833; was a 
carpenter by ti-ade, he died Aug. 11, 1807; 
his wife yet survives him. The Doctor was 
raised to farming, but, at the age of 19, began 
reading medicine Aug. 7, 1 802. Enlisted in 
Co. E, 105th O. V. I. ; after serving in several 
hotly-contested battles was wounded in the 
hand, losing his third finger by gunshot. 
Was discharged Feb. 24, 1804, on account of 
disability. In November, 1807, married Zil- 
pha Freeman, born April 0, 1840, in Chagrin 
Falls; daughter of Jeduthan and Sarah (Edi- 
son) Freeman. He was born June 9, 1808, 
in New York; son of Jeduthan of English 
stock. Sarah Edison was a daughter of Levi 
and Clarrisa (Moulton) Edison; he was a son 
of Levi, born in Tolland Co., Conn. His 
wife was Mary Blodgett; Levi was in the 
war of 1812, and the father of seven childi-en. 
To Levi and Clarissa were born twelve chil- 
dren. In 1809, the Doctor graduated at East- 
man's College at Poughkeepsie. Served as 
Town Clerk six years, when he resigned and 
attended lectures at the College of Homoeop- 
athy at Cleveland. In 1874, began the prac- 
tice of medicine in Twinsburg, where he has 
a lucrative practice. Has two children — Le- 
Mars and Ethel L. 

MRS. LUCIA HAWKINS, farming; is 
the relict of Joseph A. Hawkins, who was 
born March 7, 1805, in Litchfield Co., Conn.; 



\hL 



TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



1045 



his father was a native of England, and upon 
his arrival in America, settled in East Wind- 
sor, Conn. His children were named Joseph, 
Hannah and Grant. At the outbreak of the 
war of 1812, he went out to battle; he died 
about the year 1817, leaving his wife with 
seven children, and in straitened circum- 
stances. Joseph came West about the year 
1829 to Hudson Township. Dec. 15, 1831, 
he married Lucia Pond, who was born March 
5, 1815, in Winchester, Conn. Preston and 
Esther (Whedon) Pond, both natives of Con- 
necticut. The family came West in 1818, 
with their ox team, and her father's first loca- 
tion was on Lot 14, in Twinsbm'g Township; 
he was among the first, aii'ivals, there being 
but about five families in the township at that 
time. Lucia was one of eight children, viz., 
Lucia, Harriet, Mary, Sarah, Laura, Julius, 
Julia and Lewis. Mr. Pond remained in this 
township but a few years, and then removed 
to Hudson, where he died about the year 1833. 
His companion reached the ripe age of 85. 
He was a good man, upright and conscien- 
tious in his dealings, and although not a 
member of any ecclesiastical order, yet he 
lived a Christian life. After the marriage of 
Mr. and IVIrs. Hawkins; they lived in Hudson 
until 1837, when they moved to the southeast- 
em part of this township, and engaged in 
farming. In his early life, he served as Cap- 
tain in the militia, afterward as Colonel. He 
was the fii'st to introduce the stock of Devon- 
shire cattle in this township. Mi\ Hawkins 
died Aug. 12, 1873, having at the time of his 
death -lOO acres of land. The farm was first 
settled by Lewis Ailing. IVIi-. Hawkins was a 
member of the Congi'egational Church, of 
which his wife is an active representative. 
There are two sons — Albert W. and Alfred; 
A. W. resides on homestead. 

CHAUNCEY LANE, farmer; P. O. Twins- 
biu-g; was born Aug. 31, 1803, in Middlesex 
Co., Conn., and was the son of Phillip Lane, 
who was born in Killingworth Jan. 9, 1766, 
and was mairied, November, 1795, to Rebina, 
who was bom Nov. 26, 1770, in the same 
county. To them were born Luman, Hemy 
and Harry, Lovina, Chauncey, Julius, Abner, 
Harriet, Nathan and Polly. The parents of 
the above died in Killingworth Jan. 11, 1851, 



and June 2, 1850, respectively. Phillip was 
a son of Joseph, whose father was John, the 
son of Robert, who emigi-ated from England 
about the year 1670. Chauncey remained at 
home until he passed his majority, when he 
came West in November, 1828. In Februaiy 
of the following year, he purchased 1 00 acres 
of land for $300, on Lot 12. May 31, 1837, 
he married Phebe Bailey, born Jan, 20, 1811, 
in Groton, New London Co., Conn., to Asher 
and Abigail (Smith) Bailey, her father having 
been born in the same place in December, 
1775. He was a son of John, who was one of 
three brothers, who came from England and 
settled in Connecticut. Abigail was a daugh- 
ter of Samuel Smith, who was 16 years of age 
at the time of the battle of Fort Griswold in 
Revolutionary times. The Baileys were 
Congregationalists, and the Smiths Baptists. 
Mrs. Lane came West to Geauga Co. with her 
brother in 1836; her parents followed soon 
after, and settled in Munson, same coimty. 
Two childi-en Chauncey P. and Caroline, were 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Lane. C. P. now re- 
sides on the fai'm where he was born Jan. 14, 
1844. He married Mary E. Ames, a native 
of Vermont, and has three children — Carrie, 
Frank and Eddie, who is now serving as 
Justice of the Peace. Caroline resides in 
Minnesota, the wife of Hon. William Fowler. 
INIr. Lane has a good fai'm of nearly 100 
acres. 

ORRIS LEACH, farmer; P. O. Twinsburg; 
son of Daniel and Anna R. (Bissell) Leach; 
was born Oct. 18, 1818, among the hills of 
Hampshire Co., Mass. His father wi^s a son 
of Daniel, Sr., whose sons were Daniel, Ii-a, 
Joseph and Isaiah. Anna Bissell was a 
daughter of Justus, who served in the war of 
the Revolution. The Bissell family have all 
descended from one John, who came from 
Somersetshire, England, to America in 1628. 
The parents of Orris died when he was in his 
minority. His father was a farmer, and was 
also engaged in the milling business. At the 
age of 23, Orris came West to Am-ora, where 
he engaged at fm-m labor. April 28, 1850, he 
man-ied Sallie M. Blair, who was born A.ng. 
21, 1819, in Aurora; she was a daughter of 
Isaac and Rebecca (Taylor) Blair, who were 
among the eai-ly pioneers of that county. Isaac 



^ r. 



1046 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



Blair was a son of Isaac and Bathsheba 
(Frost) Blair, to whom were born ten children 
—Matthew, Elijah, Elam and Eli (twins), 
Isaac, Bohan, Mollie, Julia, Anna and Ke- 
becca. To Isaac and Eebecca Taylor Blair 
were born Maiy A., Milton, Emily, Sallie, 
Carroll, Jane, Louisa, Emeline and Annilla. 
Isaac served in the war of 1812. Mr. Leach 
came to Twinsbm'g in 1851, and for several 
years was engaged in trading. He moved to 
his present home in 1870, and has over 100 
acres of land where he resides; he also owns 
05 acres in Michigan. Mrs. Leach was for 
twenty-three years a teacher, and taught 
eleven years in one place. Their children are 
— Addie, Mrs. L. Hawkins; Bride, Mrs F. L. 
Haggett; and Manly. 

HENRY LIVINGSTON, cheese manufact- 
urer, Twinsburg; son of Hemy and Nancy 
(Lacore) Livingston; was born April 20, 1830, 
in Watertown, Jefferson Co., N. Y. His 
father was a son of Henry Livingston, Sr., 
who was born in Ai'magh on the Emerald Isle. 
Nathaniel was the father of Nancy, he had 
born to him Nancy, Margaret, Luke, Cleantha, 
Champion and Jerusha. Henry, the father of 
oiu- subject, was born about the year 178(), in 
Ireland, and emigrated to New York in the 
early part of the present century. He was an 
Irishman, born of a highly respected family 
who were among the intelligent class, ranking 
high in social position. He was identified 
prominently with the interests both of a local 
and general character. As a Freemason he 
ranked high, having advanced fi'om the Blue 
Lodge to the orders of Knighthood. To him 
were born seven children, viz., Margaret, 
Sarah, Henry, J. A., John W., Jane and Will- 
iam. The family came West to Cleveland 
Sept. 10, 1837, where the father died soon 
after. At the age of 10, Hemy learned the 
shoemaker's trade at this place. Dec. 25, 
1850, he was married to Laiu-a Done, born in 
this township May 23, 1832, and the daughter 
of A. B. and Maria Done, who were from 
Connecticut, and came West about 1820. 
Aiig. 29, 1804, he enlisted in Co. E, 177th O. 
V. I., and served until the close of the war. 
Fpon his return home, he resumed his former , 
occu])ation. About the year 1808, he engaged 
in the manufactiu-e of cheese at this place. 



He has but one child — Ella M., who is now 
the wife of George L. Fuller, of this town- 
ship. Two others died — Russell H., at 17; 
and Laura A., 2 years of age. Mr. L. is a 
member of Summit Lodge, A., F. & A. M., 
No. 213, and Siimmit Chapter, R. A. M., No. 
74. He is in politics a Democrat. 

J. W. McINTOSH, retired farmer; P. O. 
Twinsburg; is one of the early settlers on 
Liberty street; he was born Feb. 4, 1805, in 
Trumbull Co., this State; son of Pascal and 
Abi (Clark) Mcintosh. He was a son of 
Ebenezer, whose birth j)lace was Scotland, 
and emigrated to the Eastern States prior to 
the Revolutionary war, in which he was an act- 
ive participant. To him were born Betsey, 
Pascal, Moses, John and Daniel. Ebenezer's 
wife was a Marvel prior to her marriage. 
Pascal was born in New Hampshire, received 
a collegiate education at Yale, and was a man 
of superior ability. He came W^est about the 
year 1799; first to the mouth of Chagrin 
River, where he lived about two years; then 
moved to Mantua, where he kept bachelor's 
hall for some time. Abi was a daughter of 
Ephraim, whose children were Isaac. Eph- 
raim, Acenath, Rachel, Abi, Polly, Hannah, 
Pascal. The father of the above died in 
Mantua Townshij) ; for many }^ears he has been 
a substantial member of the Methodist Epis- 
copal Church. His superior education made 
him a useful member of the society in which 
he lived, and of which he was ever a loved and 
honored member. John W. left home at 22, 
and learned the carpenter and joiner's trade, 
at which he worked for several years. At the 
age of 24, he married Olive Fends, who was 
born March 11, 1814, in Suffield, Portage Co., 
to Granderson and Mary (Card) Ferris. Her 
mother was born in Portage Co., and her 
father in Virginia; he was a son of John, 
who married Jerusha Lockwood. Mary Card 
was a daughter of Silas Card. Mr. and Mrs. 
Mcintosh came to this township in September, 
1831. He built his cabin about forty rods 
south of his present residence, " all woods " at 
this time, and game very abundant ; he killed, 
one afternoon, three deer and two turkeys. 
They had several children, all of whom are 
deceased; biat two lived to be grown, viz., 
Mary, who married David Riley, and died 



¥ 



TWINSBURG TOWNSHIP. 



10-47 



leaving two children — Randolph and Mary. 
Alexander, who died at the age of 19, was a 
young man of miich promise. He was a stu- 
dent imder James A. Garfield at Hiram, and 
before his death prophesied that Garfield 
would be President. 

A. L. NELSON, merchant, Twinsbm-g; only 
son of Salmon C. and Mary (Thompson) Nel- 
son, was born Dec. 8, 1827, in Hebron, Wash- 
ington Co., N. Y. Salmon was born June 11, 
1804, in Washington Co., and was the son of 
Moses, whose father was John Nelson. Moses 
Nelson married Chloe Carver, who bore him 
Salmon, Mary, Silas, Fannie, Harley, Daniel, 
Almira and Eliza J. Mary Thompson, the 
mother of A. L., was born Nov. 2, 1807, in 
North Granville, N. Y., to James and Catha- 
rine (Kelleyham) Thompson. Her father was 
born in England, her mother in Ireland. 
They died when she was quite young, hence 
she knew but little concerning their history 
or origin. Mrs. Nelson was married to Sal- 
mon C. Dec. 30, 1826. They came West in 
1833, locating in this township and engaged 
in farming, remaining until he was removed 
by death. April 7, 1866. He was a man 
highly respected in the community, and pos- 
sessed kind and generous impulses. She still 
survives him. A. L. was married, June 12, 
1853, to Belvia A. Smith, a native of the 
Empire State, daughter of George B. Smith, 
who married Clara Everest. In 1853, Mr. 
Nelson engaged in biTsiness at this place, and 
has since continued. He is a successful and 
reliable business man. He was for several 
years Postmaster. He keeps a general store, 
composed of such things as are I'equired in 
the farming community. Although not a 
member of any chiu'ch society, he is not un- 
kindly disposed toward any ecclesiastical order, 
and in bestowing charity where it is needed, 
he is not found wanting. 

JUNIA NORTH, retired, Twinsbiu-g; was 
born in Litchfield Co., Conn., April 30, 1796. 
He was the son of Junia and grandson of 
Noah North, whose ancestors came fi'om 
Fai-mington, England. Noah North's wife, 
whose maiden name was Looms, bore him three 
sons and two daughters. To the father of 
om- subject were born Roxania. Tryphenia, 
Ariel, Ruba, Willard, Sabrina, Junia, Lm-a, 



Lorain, and Frederick and Philomelia (twins). 
Mr. North who was laised a farmer, came 
West in the spring of 1823, and lived in 
Braceville the first year; the year following 
he piu-chased with $1,500 100 acres on Lot 24, 
in this townshif). April, 1824, he married 
Lovina Meriam, who taught the fii*st school 
in the township. She came West with her 
uncle, who settled in Hudson as early as 
1802. Mr. North remained on his farm from 
the time of his marriage until about the year 
1862. His wife died leaving seven children. 
Mr. North's present wife was Mrs. Mary 
Knapp, whose maiden name was Wolcott. 
His home and chui'ch, to which he was greatly 
devoted, are at the Center. For sixty-five 
years he has been a member and one of the 
pillars of the Regular Baptist Chm-ch, and 
was one of the six who formed the church 
body at the time of its organization in the 
township, and has filled the office of Deacon 
for many years. Far advanced in yeai's, he 
is nevei-theless remarkably well preserved, 
and, like a shock of gi'ain fully ripe and fit 
for its master's use, he stands ready awaiting 
His call. 

HORACE NORTON, retired farmer; P. O. 
Twinsbui'g; youngest son of Aaron Norton, 
was born June 10, 1808, in Otsego Co., N. Y. 
His father was born July 3, 1751, in Killings 
worth, Conn., and served as a soldier in the Rev- 
olution. He was twice manied — first to Eunice 
Rutty, and moved to Pittsfield, Mass. ; thence 
to New York, where he mai'ried Lydia Hutch- 
inson. He has ten children, viz., Uriah, Sel- 
den, Eber, Lebbeus, Simon, Joseph (by the 
first marriage); Lydia, Sawyer, William A. 
and Horace (by last maiTiage). The parents 
of Horace died suddenly of an epidemic dis- 
ease, and were bm'ied in one gi'ave. Horace 
came West to Am-ora, Portage Co.. in the 
year 1814, with his brother Selden. with 
whom he lived for several years. "WTien a lad 
of 8 years, he was sent to mill with oxen and 
cart to Northamjjton, seventeen miles distant, 
which jom'ney occupied three days; the first 
day he reached the mill, sleeping on his sacks : 
the following day he had his gi-ist gi'ouud, 
and started home in the afternoon; night 
coming on he sought lodging of George Pow- 
ers, and, in the absence of money, pi-offered 



If 



1048 



BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



a portion of his gi'ist, which was not required 
nor taken; on the following day he reached 
home. His early life was spent in the woods 
battling with the monarchs of the forest. 
For several years he took jobs of clearing, 
and, at the age of 21, he in one year, chopped 
25 acres ready for logging, and cleared 10 
acres ready for wheat. May 14, 1838, he 
married Miranda Fisk, who was born April 
13, 1816, at Batavia, N. Y., to Benjamin and 
Beulah (Lamberton) Fisk. Her father was 
born in York State Dec. 22, 1787, and her 
mother in the same State Aug. 22, 1794. He 
was a son of Benjamin, who served in the war 
of 181 2, and was sent to Canada as a spy and 
was poisoned by eating food given him by a 
woman. The Fisk family came West to 
Chester, Geauga Co., in 1818. Benjamin 
Fisk died October, 1872, his wife Jan. 18, 
1868. To them were born Meranda, Try- 
phena, Orin, Sophrona, James, Benjamin and 
Horace. Mr. Norton purchased land in 
Geauga Co. before his marriage, and sold it ! 
soon after; then he piu'chased 123 acres upon i 
which he lived nine years. In 1842, he 
removed to this township, where he has since 
lived. He now has 118 acres of land. Of I 
a family of ten children, he alone is living. I 
The others died at the average age of 70 ' 
years. None of the boys were ever intoxicated 
or went to law; all were hard-working and 
industrious men, honest and upright in their 
dealings. Mr. and Mrs. Norton are members 
of the Methodist Episcopal Chvu-ch. Their 
children are Paulina, who married J. M. 
Baker, of Ashtabula Co., Ohio; Cordelia, Mrs. 
C. Baldwin; Newton, in Michigan, and Mrs. 
Samuel Crankshaw. 

S. F. OVIATT, farmer; P. O. Hudson; born 
Nov. 27, 1827, in Hudson Township; was the 
son of Benjamin and Rhoda (Kellogg) Oviatt; 
his father's name was Benjamin, who married 
a Carter, and by her had the following chil- 
dren, viz., Luman, Heman, Benjamin, Salmon, 
Nathaniel, Hulda, Olive, Mary and Betsey. 
She was captured by the Indians at the age of 
12, remaining a captive foiu-teen months, when 
she was ransomed by the British. Her father 
was an early settler in Connecticut; in his 
absence to the settlement for provisions, the 
Indians (^ne. mas^^cr^ the mother, a son 17 



5^cr^ 



years of age, and infant, bm-ned the cabin and 
took Miss Carter, a sister and her little brother, 
5 years of age, with them, whom the tribe 
adopted and he ever after i-emained with 
them. The Oviatts are said to be of Scotch 
descent. Benjamin, the father of Salmon F., 
was born in Litchfield Co., Conn., Febiaiaiy, 
177U, and emigrated West in 1799, to what is 
now Hudson Township, locating on the land 
his father had previously piu'chased. He 
married Rhoda Kellogg, who was a daughter 
of Bradford Kellogg, whose wife was a 
Thompson, to whom were born Alonzo, Al- 
fred, Rena, Luna, Alvira, Rhoda and Polly. 
To Benjamin and wife were boi'n eleven chil- 
dren, of those who gi-ew to be adults were 
Elizabeth, Olive, Hanford, Julia, Silas, Sal- 
mon F., Martha and Mary. Benjamin, the 
father of the above, died in 1849, aged 69, 
having at the time of his death about 700 
acres of land. He was for a number of years 
a member of the Presbyterian Chiurch, and 
took an active part in religious matters. May 
9, 1849, Salmon F. married Margaret Cam- 
eron, who was born in Stark Co. Jan. 31, 
1831, to Jeremiah and Elizabeth (Andrews) 
Cameron, to whom were born six sons and 
three daughters. Since Mr. Oviatt's mar- 
riage, he has resided in the southeastern part 
of the township, where he has been prosper- 
ous and hajjpy. He has no childi-en. His 
land consists of 575 acres. 

JOEL R. PARMELEE, farmer; P. O. 
Twinsburg. The Parmelee family originated 
from three brothers, who came from England 
to America prior to the Revolution. The 
family settled in North Killingworth, Conn., 
one of whom was killed in King Phillip's war. 
The subject of these lines was born in Fair- 
mont, N. H., July 14, 1815; son of William 
Parmeleo, whose wife's maiden name was 
Fannie Rice. William was a son of Daniel, 
who was a son of Lemuel, who was born in 
1700, in Killingworth, Conn. To William 
Parmelee was born thirteen children. Those 
who grew up were Lucius, Mary, Fannie, Joel 
R., Samuel N., Harriet, Daniel S., Emily and 
Edward (twins). William Parmelee came 
West in 1828, located in this township, and 
cleared up his farm; remained in the town- 
ship until his death; he was a good citizen; a 



l^ 



TWINSBUKG TOWNSHIP. 



1049 



Deacon in the Congregational Churcli for sev- 
eral years. Joel R. i-eceived a liberal educa- 
tion, fitted for college, taught school some, 
but finally settled down to agi'icultural pur- 
suits. Aug. 24, 1844, married Harriet A. 
Holt, Dec. 7, 1815, in Chester, Conn.; daughter 
of Benjamin and Lucy (Southworth) Holt. 
The Holt family emigrated from England to 
America: descended from one William Holt, 
born 1010; removed to Wallingworth, Conn., in 
1675. Had seven children born to him, among 
whom was Nathan, who was wounded in King 
Philip's war; he married Rebecca Bel)ee; by 
her had three childi'en; his son Nathan mar 
ried Phebe Tomlin; had four children. His 
son William married Sarah Way, and had 
seventeen children. Sir John Holt was a 
Baronet. Joseph Holt was born in Septem- 
ber, 1709; he was a soldier in the war of the 
Revolution. Benjamin Holt was born Dec. 
22, 1700, his wife Jiilia July 2, 1704. Mr. 
and Mis. Parmelee have four children — How- 
ard R., now a minister in Edinbui'g, Portage 
Co.; Mary E., now the wife of Amizi Wil- 
son; HaiTiet F., who is now a missionary to 
Kiyata, Japan; William B., a student in col- 
lege. Mr. Parmelee and all his family are 
members of the Congregational Chui'ch — he 
for fifty years. 

GARDINER PARMELEE, farmer; P. O. 
Twinsburg; born April 2, 1827, in this town- 
ship; is the eldest child of Zeno and Juliet 
(Post) Parmelee. His father was boi'n Jan. 
21, 1801 , in Killingworth, Conn. He was but 
a small lad when his father died, and, at the 
age of 7, went to live with one Mr. Wilcox, 
remaining seven years, when he began learn- 
ing the blacksmith's trade with him, and, on 
completing it, he walked from his native State 
to this township, where he established a busi- 
ness iu a log shop at the Center as early as 
1822 or 1828. He was married to Juliet Post, 
daughter of Joshua and Mollie (Dee) Post, 
who was born Aug. 29, 1806, in Westbrook, 
Conn. She was the daughter of Joshua and 
Mollie (Dee) Post. To them were born five 
childi'en, viz., Gardiner, Mary, Henry and 
Juliet. He died in April, 1862; she also is 
deceased. Both were members of the Con- 
gregational Church. Gardiner learned the 
blacksmith's trade with his father; after 



attaining his majority, he conducted the busi- 
ness for his own benefit for a few years. 
Nov. 9, 1848, he married Rhoda Roach, who 
was born Dec. 10, 1829, in Hebron, Washing- 
ton Co., N. y. She was the daughter of James 
Roach, whose wife was Mary Nelson. Febru- 
ary, 1862, Mr. Parmelee purchased 100 acres a 
little west of the Center, which place has since 
been his constant residence. On the farm is 
an excellent stone quany, which is a consid- 
erable source of revenue to its owner. He has 
three daughters, viz., Mary, who married F. 
Dolaishe, residents of Put-In-Bay; Jose B. at 
home; and Chloe O., now IVIrs. Charles Riley, 
of this township. He is not a member of any 
chiu'ch, but favors religion and practices mo- 
rality. 

PHILO POST, farmer; P. O. Twinsbui-g; 
was born June 29, 1817, in Saybrook, Conn., 
to Joshua and Mollie (Dee) Post. His grand- 
father's name was also Joshua Post. The 
father of Mollie Dee was Marcus. To Joshua 
and Mollie (Dee) Post were born thirteen 
children, viz., Joshua, Polly, Deborah, Emily, 
Dianah, Jerusha, Mercy, Belinda, Sallie, Het- 
tie A., Hannah, Juliet and Philo. Philo came 
to this county with his parents when 4 years 
of age; the family located in the southern 
part of the township, near Brandywine. upon 
land w^hich his father ]>urchased before leav- 
ing Connecticut. Joshua died about two 
years after his an-ival. When 14 years of 
age, Philo moved to Liberty street, this town- 
ship, with his mother, who pui'chased oO acres. 
With her he lived until his union with Miss 
Luna Carpenter, which event took place Jan. 
1, 1850. She was born Aug. 7, 1828, in Bos- 
ton Township, and was the daughter of Aaron 
and Tirzah (Drake) Carpenter, both of Avhom 
were natives of Connecticut, and were among 
the early settlers of Boston Townshi]). To 
them were born a family of [children whose 
names wore Melinda, Luna, Martha, Mary, 
Cynthia, Maria, Elijah, Cornelius B., George, 
Comfort, Elijah. Aaron Carpenter was for 
many years a member of the Methodist Ejiis- 
copal Church, and a Class-leader of the same. 
He was a just and upright man, and worthy 
citizen. The political status of both sides of 
the families have l)eeD AMiigs. and more 
recently Republicans. .Since INJr. ;md Mrs. 



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1050 



BTOGKAPHICAL SKETCHES: 



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Post have been married, they have resided on 
the fann where lie first located. He has been 
an industrious man, and has been successful 
in accumulating a good share of this world's 
goods — having 200 acres of land, which is 
adorned l^y excellent farm and house buildings. 
Of six childi'en born him, those living are: 
Emma v., now the wife of L.Bennett; Stella 
L., Harry E. and Rosa M. Willie died when 
J 5 months old, and William at o years of age. 
MOSES N. ROACH, mechanic and farmer; 
P. O. Twinsburg; was born Oct. 10, 1882, in 
Hebron, Washington Co.,N. Y.,to James and 
Mary (Nelson) Roach. His ancestors came 
from Ii-eland. The Roach family came West 
in 1836, locating in this township on Lot No. 
1. AVhen Mr. Roach aiTived here, he had 
but |5 in money. He was a carpenter and 
joiner, and worked at his trade, earning 
enough to pay for his land, which was unim- 
proved. He worked at his trade diu'ing the 
day, came home, and by night cut down trees, 
which the boys would trim up the next day; 
this was continued until the land was cleared. 
For nearly a score of years he worked at his 
trade, and spent the remainder of his life on 
the farm. He died in February, 187(3; he 
was an upright man, and a member of the 
Methodist Episcopal Church. To him were 
born Gilbert, now in Cleveland; Chloe C, 
Mrs. Horatio Bartlett, in East Cleveland; 
Rhoda, the wife of Gardiner Parmelee; Moses 
N. and Martin Y. B. At the age of K), Moses 
left home and learned the blacksmith's trade. 
June 11, 1853, he married Minerva Beldin, 
daughter of Erastus and Betsey (Armstead) 
Beldin, to whom were born seven childi'en. 
Since Mr. Roach was maiTied, he has been 
engaged at his trade and at farming, and, 
with the exception of three years si)ent in 
Hudson Township, he has been a resident of 
this. He rents 180 acres of land in the west 
part of the township, and carries on his shop 
at the Center. He has tv/o childi-en — Albert 
E. and Alonzo N. Both he and wife are 
members of the Methodist Episcojial Church. 
He is much interested in the Sunday-school 
cause; is a Superintendent thereof, and an ex- 



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(s- r- 



cellent mechanic. He is a zealous member of 
the Masonic fraternity: a member of Summit 
Lodge, A., F. & A. M., and Summit Cha])ter, 
R. A. M. 

OLIVER RONIGER, farmer; P. O. Twins- 
burg: he was born June 10, 1807, in Eri, 
Switzerland; his parents were Mecher and 
Frances (Miller) Roniger, to whom were born 
seven children — two sons and five daiighters. 
Oliver was bereft of his father when 2|^ years 
old; remained with his mother until a lad of 
14, when he began to provide for himself. 
When 21, he went to learn the stone-mason's 
trade, at which he worked four years, learning 
the plasterer's art and the laying of brick as 
well. To better his condition, he set sail for 
America in November, 1832, coming on direct 
fi'om New York to this township; arriving 
here, his worldly possessions amounted to a 
haversack of old clothes and 75 cents in 
money, which he afterward loaned to an ac- 
quaintance to purchase necessaries for his 
family. When Mi-. Roniger came, he was not 
familiar with the English language, which 
was taken advantage of, at times, by uni>rinci- 
pled men, who endeavored to profit by his 
native honesty and unsuspecting manner. 
Two years afterward, by diligence and econ- 
omy, he purchased 35 acres in the southeast 
part of the township. In November, same 
year, he married Jane Burroughs, born April 
1, 1812, in Mifflin Township, Mifflin Co., 
Penn. ; her parents were John and Sarah 
(Dm-st) Burroughs, who emigrated to Palmyra, 
in Portage Co., when she was about 15 yeai's 
of age. Since the location of Mr. Bolinger in 
this township, he has been a constant resident 
and worthy citizen; he has been industrious 
and prosperous, having acquired 175 acres of 
land. He is a member of Summit Lodge. No. 
213, A., P. & A. M.; has no children, but 
adopted a son, Morris Dunn, at 2 years of age, 
who now bears their name; he was born in 
Boston Township, Oct. 22, 1846, son of John 
and Martha (Reed) Dunn. Morris married 
Mary Sabin, born in Ravenna; they have five 
children —Minnie, Martha. Millie F., Elsie M. 
and Oliver. 



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